Just one Christmas read this week, but don't worry though I've still got a pile of Christmas reads in my To-Be-Read pile. Meanwhile I'm currently working my way through the pile of books that is stacked in the corner of my bedroom. I really do need to stop popping into my local library for awhile so I can concentrate on getting at least one pile down.
This week there were some more new authors and an old favourite. I just love Jill Shalvis's books. I can always rely on them to tell a good story along with plenty of good sexy romance and interesting but relatable characters. Exactly what I need in my romance novels.
After that it was then back to the world of Anastasia. I'm really loving these at the moment as they are a nice quick read which means my reading pile has been going down a bit faster than normal and they are also quirky and funny.
Rounding out this week's reading are two YA's which I loved.
The first is about a high school over achiever who fails to get into any of the colleges she applied to and the second is about a girl who worries she might die on the operating table to fix her underbite so with her friends makes a list of things she would like to do before she dies... or in other words "Bite the Big One".
Both of these books looked at the pressure
that we put on ourselves and the standards that are projected in our
society of what is 'normal'.
I definitely recommend checking them out if they sound like your kind of thing.
With the weather being so up and down it seemed like a perfect time to indulge in a good wallow so this week it's all about romance and teen angst, 50s style. As can be expected there's plenty of pretty girls and manly men and swoony declarations of love. Don't you just love the 50s and early 60s. Personally I just like to look at all the pretty dresses but that's me.
A Date With Judy Starring: Jane Powell and Elizabeth Taylor Original release: 1948 Synopsis: When Judy's boyfriend refuses to take her to the high school dance she finds herself falling for an older man. Elizabeth Taylor when she was young. And just look at those dresses. I'm loving this black, green and white number.
This yellow is pretty cute also
As you can tell I am all about the clothes. As for the story... well it was kind of cute which is pretty much all you need when you're in the mood for teen romance.
Tammy and the Bachelor Starring: Debbie Reynolds Original release: 1957 Synopsis: A young woman who lives on a houseboat on the Mississippi River falls in love with a Southern gentleman. Mindless entertainment with a neat theme song. Could have been better if Tammy wasn't quite so annoying.
Gidget Starring: Sandra Dee and James Darren Original release: 1959 Synopsis: 17 year old Gidget wants to learn how to surf despite the boys giving her a hard time. Admit it. You've got that song in your head.
Okay, now that we have all finished singing along to it lets get back to the movie which was kind of perfect in every way.
A Summer Place Starring: Sandra Dee and Troy Donahue Original release: 1959 Synopsis: A businessman rekindles a romance with a former flame while their teenage children begin a romance of their own. Sex and emotions and body image plus a scary as mother. Kind of amazing for a movie made in 1959.
More famous for it's theme song than for the actual movie itself there's also plenty of teen angst, some hazy closeups and some wooden acting courtesy of Troy (sorry Troy). Teen melodrama at its best.
Tammy Tell Me True Starring: Sandra Dee Original release: 1961 Synopsis: Tammy leaves the Mississippi and enrolls in college in an effort to improve herself. Tammy again. Still an annoying character to be honest. Sandy D tries her best but I'm not sure if even she can save this movie.
Mr Hobbs Takes a Vacation Starring: James Stewart and Maureen O'Hara Original release: 1962 Synopsis: Mr. Hobbs wants to spend a quiet holiday at the beach, but his wife has invited all their family to stay with them.
I'm with James Stewart. Why on Earth would you want to go on holiday with your entire family? Especially when you have to deal with all their dramas.
Blue Hawaii Starring: Elvis Presley Original release: 1961 Synopsis: After arriving back in Hawaii from the Army, Chad Gates defies his
parents' wishes for him to work at the family business and instead goes
to work as a tour guide.
Elvis can't act but who cares, there's catchy songs and pretty scenery. Wallow and enjoy.
Viva Las Vegas Starring: Elvis Presley and Ann-Margret Original release: 1964 Synopsis: A race car driver goes to Las Vegas so he can enter a race meets a pretty red-head. The same as above only this time it's Las Vegas with the added bonus of Ann-Margret being all haughty and sexy.
Counting up the movies I've watched since I started this madness and I've discovered that I'm a bit behind. Maybe even more that just a bit.
Sigh.
How that happened I have no idea. So of course I now have to do some catching up on my catching up. Don't worry though I'm not yet giving up on my target of 365 movies in 365 days, even if it means that I have to watch 2 or 3 movies in one day. That's totally doable, right? I have a feeling I'm going to need a steady supply of cold drinks and snacks to get me through . Summer Holiday Starring: Cliff Richard Original release: 1963 Synopsis: Four young men take a double decker bus around Europe.
My friend Tosca is totally to blame for this one.
Which is okay because who needs acting when the songs are this catchy and Cliff looks kind of hot (who knew). A movie to make you happy, bad acting and all.
State Fair Starring: Old time actors that I don't know Original release: 1945 Synopsis: A family goes to the annual Iowa State Fair. There are songs and a couple of love stories of will they or won't they end up together. And that's about all I remember. Personally I enjoyed the stories of the parents as they entered various competitions. Will Pa prize pig win the ribbon? Will Ma finally beat her rival in the baking contest? Will the fruit mince get the judges drunk? Riveting stuff.
Pollyanna Starring: Hayley Mills Original release: 1960 Synopsis: A young girl moves in with her aunt.
One of those perfect Disney movies that every girl should watch.
Still love it.
Summer Magic Starring: Hayley Mills Original release: 1963 Synopsis: A widow and her children move to the country
It's all about Hayley in this week's viewing and this is No.2.
I'm a sucker for these kind of movies so naturally I liked it. Turn of the century setting, a touch of romance and some great songs too.
The Moonspinners Starring: Hayley Mills Original release: 1964 Synopsis: While travelling through Crete a teenage girl stumbles upon a group of criminals. Not as good as the previous 2 but still entertaining enough and Hayley has her first onscreen kiss.
The Truth About Spring Starring: Hayley Mills and that guy from Hawaii Five O Original release: 1965 Synopsis: A sailor and his daughter search for buried treasure.
Hayley. Again.
This time in her first real grown up role playing an actual adult (she was 19 when she filmed this). Enjoyable like all her previous ones.
The One and Only, Genuine Original Family Band Starring: Kurt Russell when he was a kid Original release: 1968 Synopsis: A family moves to Dakota.
This is like the weirdness Disney movie ever. A musical. About politics. Like what the hell? I managed to watch it all the way through. But seriously don't. Give this one a big miss because politics and musicals should never go together.
On Moonlight Bay Starring: Doris Day and Gordon McRae Original release: 1951 Synopsis: A teenage girl begins a romance with a college student, but his unconventional attitudes cause friction with her father.
Doris. Back before she did all those movies with Rock.
Here she plays a tomboy who falls for the boy next door.
Like most of this week's viewing it's nice, light, and fluffy.
Christmas reads continue this week and all by authors I haven't come across before which is always exciting. Finding a new author that you like and can then get stuck into all their other books is one of the bestest things. And as you and I both know by now my To Be Read pile is never really going to go down or if it does it's only for a short while before it bounces back up again.
Pretty much how the weather here has been lately which probably explains the amount of reading I've done in the past few weeks. Nothing beats curling up on the sofa with a pile of books and an endless pot of tea on a wet and wild day.
All 3 Christmas reads are exactly what one needs on days like that, cosy and comforting. Which probably also explains the next few reads. Now I don't normally read a lot of children's fiction but lately I've been feeling the need to re-read some old favourites like Anne of Green Gables and Little House on the Prairie as well as try out some oldies that I had never read before. So Anastasia it was. I've enjoyed the first 2 so much that I'm planning on reading the rest in the series... if I can find them.
More chick lit and then 2 thrillers that were sooo good it was impossible to put them down. Which meant a couple of late nights reading them. Still Missing was particularly good, harrowing at times as it was, and what a twist. I just love it when a book takes you by surprise like that.
