A Year in a Life 2022: Sea and Flowers and Snow

The Viewing Files: Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow

Just when you think there couldn't be any more Hallmark movies that I haven't watched there is.  What can I say?  The list is long and growing every day.  

 

Although there have been some I have tossed aside within the first few minutes which probably tells you how bad they were.  Which is saying something considering how many bad ones I do actually sit through.  

 

Still this time round I've managed to find more than one which I liked.  Christmas miracle right there.

Finding Father Christmas

Starring: He use to be in Eureka

Original release: 2016

Synopsis:  A woman goes on a search for the family she never knew she had

 

Apparently this is the first in a trilogy. Heaven help me.

Christmas Incorporated

Starring: Two cuties

Original release: 2015

Synopsis:  Struggling to find a job a woman finds herself working for a billionaire

This was just so super cute. A scrooge billionaire, a happy cheery assistant and chemistry and sweetness galore.

Royal New Year's Eve

Starring: Blonde people

Original release: 2017

Synopsis:  One fashion designer, one prince...

I don't know what was the worse, the bad-fake accents or Cheryl Ladd being a villain. Oh well at least the female lead was lovely.

Ghosts of Christmas Past

Starring: Nobody I've ever seen before

Original release: 2021

Synopsis:  Dating is the worse, especially when meeting up with all your ex's.

 

At first I was like mmm but weirdly it grew on me the more I watched. It's a cute, relatable story with 2 leads who had a nice geeky nerdy charm rapport going on.

 

I loved how her family got involved too. 

Christmas on Honeysuckle Lane

Starring: All the red heads

Original release: 2018

Synopsis:  Three siblings go home to sort out their dead parents estate.

 

Sure. Put all the people you know with red hair in the same movie and say they are related. That'll work... not.

 

Colin F was at least his usual charming self

Jingle Bell Princess

Starring: More blonde people

Original release: 2021

Synopsis:  A princess gets stranded in a small American town at Christmas time

 

The dog was the cutest thing about this movie.

Royally Wrapped for Christmas

Starring: She who seems to appear in a lot of these movies

Original release: 2022

Synopsis:  A party planner helps plan a royal party

 

Went in thinking this would be super bad and come out loving it. Or at least really liking it. A modern Christmas fairy tale that totally works

Hot Chocolate Holiday

Starring: I have no idea

Original release: 2022

Synopsis:  The Hot Chocolate Wars

 

Needed more hot chocolate and less business stuff. Which made this all kinds of flat and boring

Project Christmas Wish

Starring: That chick from 12 Monkeys

Original release: 2022

Synopsis:  A woman and her friends go around making wishes come true

 

Crying into my hot chocolate like the Christmas romantic sap I am.

A Very Merry Bridesmaid

Starring: Do we really care... probably not

Original release: 2022

Synopsis:  Christmas time is wedding time

 

I pretty much spent the whole movie swoony over the house. Everything else just faded away

Book Talk: I've Been Reading...

And we're on the countdown to the end of the year and me wondering how many books did I get through this year.  Will I break last year's total or has my reading declined even further?  Will there be even more books with blue or bluey green covers than ever before?  We'll just have to wait and see.  In the mean time on with the reading...

Speaking of bluey green covers how is it that I managed to read three of them in a row?  And do I need to be worried?  

 

Regardless of the covers all of these were the perfect chick lit feel good read that I need in my life.  Could they be anymore swoony?  I think not.

And of course we can't forget about the YA feel good reads of which each these were equally wonderful.

 

Naturally all of these warm fuzzies just had to be followed by something a bit more gritty and dark.  One about hunting monsters, one about witches and one about well... a sort of unusual young woman.  And all were just glorious.

Of course it's probably no surprise that rounding at the list are some audios.  Because yes I am still working my way through my rather large collection and catching up on ones that I've been meaning to listen to but hadn't gotten around to until just now.

 

3 Doctor Who's all of which were there usual great self and 3 comedies featuring Joanna Lumley and Roger Allam as a wonderfully wonderful long married couple who bicker and quarrel and laugh and love their way through life and marriage.

 

Kind of perfect really.

The Viewing Files: It's Hallmark Time Again, Fa la la la la, la la la la

I think my brain may be mush.  Or at least it probably will be by the time I'm finished.  Because yes I am watching Hallmark Christmas movies.  And yes I am a sucker for punishment.

What can I say?  They lure me in with their Hallmark towns and decorations and the promise of romance. Really though I'm here for all the Christmasy goodness from Christmas trees to hot chocolate to yummy food to swoon worthy towns.

I thinking I'm going to need all the wine and chocolates by the end.

Christmas in the Pines

Starring: Nobody I know though the Dad looks vaguely familiar

Original release: 2021

Synopsis:  Somehow 2 people buy the same house and now the battle is on.

 

Hallmark strikes again... dead parent, sentimentally that chokes you, and Santa magic.

 

I pretty much cringed my way through this it was so unrealistic,

Best Christmas Party Ever

Starring: Cute guy and more people I don't know

Original release: 2014

Synopsis:  A toy shop, a party planner and a big mean corporation

 

The party was pretty crap to be honest. Still the leads had some chemistry I guess.

Fixing Up Christmas

Starring: Still more people I don't know

Original release: 2021

Synopsis:  Yes it's another party planner movie... 

 

Watched for the Christmas trees and not much else. I didn't hate it but I didn't love it either.

Ice Sculpture Christmas

Starring: I'm beginning not to care to be honest

Original release: 2015

Synopsis:  2 childhood friends enter a ice sculpting contest (well the clue was in the title after all)

 

It's another so so Hallmark Christmas movie but the ice sculpting was at least mildly interesting and the lead guy kind of cute.

Looks Like Christmas

Starring: Anne Heche (I know right?  So weird)

Original release: 2016

Synopsis:  She's a bossy controlling mom, he's a kind of hot widower Dad so you know the drill.

 

Dylan Neal has a certain sexy charm and is the only reason I watched this the whole way through.

My Christmas Love

Starring: And the mystery people continue

Original release: 2016

Synopsis:  She's a hopeless romantic looking for love

 

Secret admirers, snow and Christmas make this a surprisingly sweet film. Then again I'm a sucker for hopeless romantic's looking for love in all the wrong places.

Christmas Lovers Anonymous

Starring: I seriously don't care

Original release: 2021

Synopsis:  Something, something. I really didn't pay much attention to be honest.

 

I could not even finish this it was just so bad.

Sleigh Bells Ring

Starring: People with dark hair

Original release: 2016

Synopsis:  There's a magic sleigh... need I say anything more

 

Okay. Magic sleigh. And I'm out.

Coming Home for Christmas

Starring: Danica McKellar (I think she use to be in The Wonder Years)

Original release: 2012

Synopsis:  Old house, one last party and enter Danica to solve it all

 

It's not Christmas until you've watched at least one Danica McKellar Hallmark movie. Pleasant enough but the brother was just a tad creepy. I kept waiting for him to murder someone. 

Sharing Christmas

Starring: Mmm

Original release: 2017

Synopsis:  The Christmas Store is under threat. 

 

Basically a movie about real estate and so not the Christmas movie for me.

Christmas at Pemberley Manor

Starring: More people with dark hair

Original release: 2018

Synopsis:  Pride and Prejudice Hallmark style

 

Why oh why did they name them Elizabeth Bennett and Mr Darcy? Cause this is no Pride and Prejudice no matter how hard they try.

 

Also could she be anymore pushy? Because I think not.

Christmas Homecoming

Starring: Michael Shanks aka Daniel from Stargate and Darla from Buffy

Original release: 2017

Synopsis:  Widow, military, so I'm so out of here

 

I really like Michael Shanks but Christ he's got to stop making these kind of movies.

 

Seriously the worse.

Book Talk: Christmas Reads Or All The Shiny New Covers

🎄📗 O Christmas reads, O Christmas reads...

 

Sigh.  Is there anything more pretty or more feel good than Christmas Chick Lit romance books?  I think not.  And, as usual, I've got an enormous pile booked in my To Be Read wish list.

 

All I need now is a warm fire, an endless supply of hot chocolate and a comfy chair and I'm set for holiday season.  Though in this part of the world it's more likely to be a cooling fan, an icy drink and a cold lino floor to sit on.  Oh well, one day I'll get my dream Christmas.  Until then I've got all these books to get through...