Throwback Thursdays Books of 2015

Throwback Thursdays

12 Month Book Highlights of 2015

In 2015 I read 69 books. I had hoped to read more books, but life had other plans to keep me busy. Here is a month by month highlight of those books. I’ll be adding my thoughts to the books that don’t have reviews here.

But first… my #1 Favorite Book of 2015 is

January

January was a short reading month for me. I don’t recall that much about that month other than that it seemed like it was a quick month, just like this January in 2016.

• Where Rainbows End by Cecelia Ahern 5★♥ Loved the movie too!!! My Review
• North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell 4.5★♥ My Review
• Hopelessly Devoted to You by Jill Steeples 3★ (noted only because it’s a Netgalley ARC book). This was an ok Chick Lit book. The plot and writing was good, as well as a nice ending. I just wasn’t liking the heroine so much in this. Jill Steeples is new author to me and I will try out some of her other books.

February

• The Restaurant at the End of the Universe (The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Book 2) by Douglas Adams (Kindle/Hardcover read w/ Library Audio read by Martin Freeman) 5★♥ ROFL My Review
• The DUFF: Designated Ugly Fat Friend by Kody Keplinger 4★ Book was better than the movie. My Review
• The Longest Ride by Nicholas Sparks (library audio 5★) (kindle own 4.5★) 5★♥ Loved both the book and the movie. Hope to do a review of the movie soon as I saw it last week and want to rewatch it too. My Book Review
• Be Mine Forever (St. Helena Vineyard, Book 4) by Marina Adair 3★ (Netgalley ARC) My Review
• Operation: Valentine by Loretta Hill 3★ (Netgalley ARC and free Amazon Kindle purchase on February 2015. Now it’s almost $4). This was over-the-top but cute Valentine’s Day read. A lot of Insta-Love and stereotypical characters. The writing kept the story going along quickly. I’d recommend it but at a lesser sales price, even a library loan.

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IMDb Best of 2015 in TV & Films

I’ve been wanting to look through what IMDb has to offer for the Best of 2015 in Films and TV for a while now. They’ve got a lot of lists on there so browsing through them took some time.

First up is Best of TV Shows.

Their #1 is Game of Thrones.

Is anyone surprised? Well I was sense I haven’t even been watching these shows. I’m not sure if my younger sister still watches this too. But appearently this is the second year that Game of Thrones has been IMDb‘s #1.

The Runners Up are…

#2 The Walking Dead (haven’t watched),
#3 Arrow (bleah),
#4 Daredevil (haven’t watched but it’s on my Netflix queue and To-Be-Watched – TBW),
#5 Narcos (another on my Netflix queue. TBW),
#6 American Horror Story (haven’t watched & maybe will),
#7 Orange is the New Black (younger sis likes this show, haven’t watched & maybe will),
#8 Fear the Walking Dead (because apparently the fans couldn’t get enough of the original series),
#9 True Detective (like the first season, haven’t watched all of the second season yet, but liked it),
#10 The Flash (bleah!!!).

OK. That list wasn’t so great, and I’ve only seen 2 of these shows. How’d you do readers?

A lot of super heroes and villains on there that’s for sure. How about we try the next TV List…

Throwback Thursday & 2015 Movies

Throwback Thursday

2015 Movie Reviews

I’m behind on reviewing some movies I saw from 2015, so here’s my chance to catch up. Next week I’ll review books. For now, here is 3 movie reviews, Spectre, Mockingjay Part 2, and Ricki and the Flash.

The Big Screen

First, I’d like to review some of the movies I saw last year. I didn’t get to see that many films in theaters as I hoped, but I did see the ones that I was really looking forward to seeing.

In all, I think I saw 3 films at the theaters in 2015. I gave a quick review of Snoopy, and the other two have been waiting impatiently for me to review them. Now I can finally get around to doing that.

Spectre

Watched this on 11/20/2015. 5 out of 5 All Stars.

Daniel Craig is back as James Bond.

Short Synopsis: “A cryptic message from Bond’s past sends him on a trail to uncover a sinister organization. While M battles political forces to keep the secret service alive, Bond peels back the layers of deceit to reveal the terrible truth behind SPECTRE.” (IMDb).

My Thoughts: James Bond goes rogue (again) in this 24th film. As for seeing him as naked as the other Bond films, I was a little disappointed because the most you see of Daniel Craig’s body is during the Opening Credits Theme Song. That opening was very sexy by the way.

As for the Bond Girl(s), I liked Léa Seydoux the most. She’s maybe my favorite Bond girl. Léa is actually a strong woman who even (small spoiler) saves Bond at one point (end spoiler). Léa was Charlotte LaPadite from Inglourious Basterds, so she’s used to working with Christoph Waltz.

Charlie All Night

Charlie All Night by Jennifer Crusie 2★

Oh Charlie, Charlie, Charlie. Thank you for that “wham bam thank you ma’am” and unbelievable insta-love.

This was a typical formulaic Jennifer Crusie book. A rebound heroine and anti-commitment hero are thrown together by fate. And it’s instant, very hot attraction from there.

Day 1 of Allie and Charlie meeting (and pretty much the book too), they have what they considered as a one-night stand, while everyone else saw it as great sex with a promising couple.

(Oh and Charlie is a DJ. I think this is the first song he played as the radio’s nighttime DJ. Sorry Charlie, but you let me down. I don’t want you after all.)

Day 2, Allie and Charlie are beginning to have those “something much more feelings”, where they feel empty inside without the other, can’t stop thinking of them, and want to f**k each other every time they just look at one another.

The Flight Before Christmas

7 out of 10 Stars

2015 Lifetime tv Christmas Romance Movie

Starring Amy/Blossom (Big Bang Theory & Blossom)  Mr. Awesome (Chuck), Carl Otis Winslow, Harriette Winslow (Family Matters), and Lou Loomis (Caddyshack).
I mean…
Starring Mayim Bialik, Ryan McPartlin, and even Reginald VelJohnson (Family Matters), Jo Marie Payton, and Brian Doyle-Murray.

Short Synopsis: Two strangers share a room at a bed-and-breakfast when an unexpected snowstorm delays their flight on Christmas Eve.

My Thoughts: First, props for showing this shot at the beginning. It’s not just Staples Center here, home of the Kings and Lakers (and the Globetrotters), but it also has an Outdoor Ice Skating Rink (my favorites)!

Second, props to the casting involved. A lot of actors from shows (and movies) that I really loved.

As for the chaos with traveling via plane… Mayim’s character said it spot on… in her sarcastic tone.

“Of course I can book a cross-country flight the day before Christmas Eve, with less than a day’s notice. It’s called “power of positive thinking.”

And low and behold, the “Last Minute Flights” prices is more than her rent! No surprise there. And Mayim was able to make that whole situation a little funny too.

A Prince for Christmas

3 out of 5 Cheese Puffs 

2015 Ion TV Christmas Romance

Short Synopsis: A prince from Europe meets a charming waitress when he travels to America during the Christmas holiday to escape an arranged marriage.

My Thoughts: A cute and very predictable romance. Very very insta-love romance, but at least there’s a sort of photo epilogue showing how the characters got there endings. And there is some mention of Christmas, but more on the backburner of the story.

Poor Prince Charming. He knows how to sword-fight, but he doesn’t know how to play pool. I roll my eyes at this scene because it was so cliche, and became even more so when the port Prince had his first bar right after the pool lesson.

And showing up later in all this garb isn’t over-the-top (OTT). Nah.

Reminded me of: Not to be outdone with all of Hallmark’s Royal Romances, like a Crown for Christmas, or Once Upon a Holiday, or this older one, A Princess for Christmas, ION has made A Prince for Christmas.