Ranking Hallmark's 2018 Christmas Movies

For the last two months, Hallmark has treated us to new Christmas movies multiple times per week. I've watched countless hours of Hallmark programming: according to the Countdown to Christmas app, I watched 15 of 21 new Hallmark Channel movies and 12 of 17 Hallmark Movies & Mysteries offerings. I also watched portions of several of the other new movies, and I've caught many favorites from past years when they aired, as well.

Over on Instagram, I've been posting my reactions to each new movie in my stories. My sister suggested I rank the movies here, and of course I thought that was a great idea 😄. I also thought it would be fun to include the "hot takes" from my stories here.

Review: "Searching for You" by Jody Hedlund

It always makes me a little sad when a series I enjoy draws to an end. Jody Hedlund's Orphan Train series has been such a joy to read, and she saved the best for last with Searching for You!

Review: "Mind Games" by Nancy Mehl

Every now and again, I love reading a good suspense novel. The problem is that often romantic suspense is overly focused on the romance to the detriment of the suspense, and straight suspense can be far too gruesome for me. So I'm happy to report that Mind Games is neither too romance-focused nor gruesome. It's a win-win!

First Line Fridays: "Mind Games"

Happy Friday ... and Happy Christmas Break!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I know not everyone gets a Christmas break, and I'm so grateful that my office is closing until January 2. I don't think I've had this long—11 days!—off at once since I took a two-week trip to the west coast with my sisters in 2009. I'm not traveling this Christmas, as all of my siblings are coming here, and I'm thrilled to just be home for an extended period.

Review: "Catching Christmas" by Terri Blackstock

This one's for all the Hallmark Christmas movie lovers! Terri Blackstock's novella Catching Christmas feels like it could be a Hallmark movie (of the Movies & Mysteries variety).

Top Ten Tuesday: Books on My Winter TBR

Happy Tuesday! It's been a while since I've been around the TTT blogosphere, but ... there were no Hallmark or Lifetime Christmas movies on TV tonight that I wanted to watch, so I thought, "Why not?"

Today's topic is Winter TBR, and I've decided to limit my list to books I either already own or that I know will soon be coming my way for review purposes. In other words, these are books that I legitimately have a chance of reading this winter! I'm making two lists: five that are upcoming releases, and five that are already out and may have been on my shelf (or Kindle) for a while.

Review: "Christmas at the Red Door Inn" by Liz Johnson

I absolutely loved Liz Johnson's Red Door Inn series, so when I heard she was releasing a Christmas novella set at the inn, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it! Fortunately for me, it's available in Kindle Unlimited, so I snapped up a copy ASAP.

Review: "His Wedding Date Fake Fiancée" by Lucy McConnell

I've been living in Hallmark & Lifetime Christmas movie land for a while now ... it was only a matter of time before I read a book that was their equivalent!

Review: Ellie Claire 365-Day Devotional Journals

Are you looking for something different for your devotional time next year? If so, Ellie Claire's 365-Day Devotional Journals may be just what you need!

Review: "Silent Days, Holy Night" by Phyllis Clark Nichols

Can you believe Christmas is less than two weeks away? Amidst the craziness of the season, sometimes it's nice to sit down with a good book, and Silent Days, Holy Night is the perfect option. At just over 200 pages, it's a quick read, and it's oh so satisfying.

Review: "The Making of Mrs. Hale" by Carolyn Miller

When I started reading Christian fiction in the mid-1990's, many of the novels were very preachy ... to the point where full sermons and/or long passages of scripture were included. Often, these sections did nothing except pull me out of the story and cause me to skip ahead.

In recent years, the trend has been to go light on the spiritual content, and I greatly appreciate authors who can include a thoughtful faith thread without coming across as preachy.

The Making of Mrs. Hale is a blend of the two: this is clearly a Christian novel, and one conversation features paragraphs taken straight from Romans, but, somehow, it doesn't come across as preachy, and I didn't feel like skipping any of it!

Review: "It Started with Christmas" by Jenny Hale

Last Christmas, I fell in love with Jenny Hale's Coming Home for Christmas (both the book and the film based on the book). I knew then that I wanted to read more of Hale's Christmas novels, so when It Started with Christmas came up for review, I jumped at the chance to read it!

Review: "My Mistletoe Mix-Up" by Judy Corry

Probably my favorite "new to me" author that I've discovered this year is Judy Corry. She writes clean YA that's emotionally engaging and entertaining. When her Christmas novella My Mistletoe Mix-Up popped up as a Kindle freebie, I couldn't resist!