June 2025 Reading Challenge: Complimentary Colors

This June, I'm visiting the color wheel since I have yellow and blue book covers sitting tip-top on my TBR pile. It just so happens they're complimentary. I'm staying in the blue/yellow range for the month with an assortment of genres (AMZ links included):

1.) Murder Your Darlings by Roy Peter Clark - Writing, Non-fiction

2.) The Housemaid by Freida McFadden - Psychological Thriller

3.) Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam - Apocalyptical Suspense

4.) Swear to Howdy by Wendelin Van Draanen - Middle Grade

June Reading Challenge

Complimentary Colors

"Little by little one travels far."

Big heart corner-bookmark

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Color Fidget

by The Gray Muse on Etsy

Christmas Movies: Best of All Time

While writing a Christmas themed YA romance, I found myself in need of a list of Christmas movies that are loved and recognized by many to include in my story...my heroine is a Christmas movie buff. Coming to my rescue was this article by Entertainment Weekly: "The 23 Best Christmas Movies of All Time" by Chris Nashawaty and Kevin Jacobsen. For more detailed descriptions and the full article, do check out their site, otherwise, the numbered list is below with the movies I've seen in bold.

Drum roll, please! Ready?

The top 23 BEST OF ALL TIME movies, in order, are as follows:

1.) It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

2.) A Christmas Story (1983) 

3.) A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)

4.) Elf (2003)

5.) How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966)

6.) Love Actually (2003)

7.) Bad Santa (2003)

8.) The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)

9.) The Year Without a Santa Claus (1974)

10.) Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)

11.) Home Alone (1990)

12.) Trading Places (1983)

13.) The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

14.) White Christmas (1954)

15.) Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

16.) Die Hard (1988)

17.) Scrooged (1988)

18.) National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)

19.) The Holdovers (2023)

20.) Gremlins (1984)

21.) Christmas in Connecticut (1945)

22.) Klaus (2019)

23.) The Santa Claus (1994)

A little internet research showed other movies out there that perhaps could/should be considered for "the best" list, and they are:

Polar Express (2004)

Christmas Eve (1915)

A Christmas Carol (1938 and 1984)

While You Were Sleeping (1995)

Family Man (2000)

We're No Angels (1955)

It Happened on 5th Ave (1947)

Auntie Mame (1958)

Holiday Inn (1942)

Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol (1962)

A Christmas Tale (2008)

Jack Frost (1979)

The Rise of the Guardians (2012)

I haven't seen half of these on this page and don't remember all the ins and outs of quite a few. Hard to imagine watching these over the hot summer months, but apparently there is a thing called Christmas in July. Lol. A mind-bender for me in the PNW.

Anything missing that's worth a shout out? Let me know!

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Christmas in July