The 'century of viewing' covered 1900 to 2025. I watched movies, shorts, cartoon shorts, television series, television episodes, YouTube documentaries, etc.

• 40.4% of my viewing was black and white. (242)
• 58.4% of my viewing was color. (350)
• 1.2% of my viewing was both black and white and color. (7)

Which decade did I watch the most from?!?!?!

• 1920s 20.7% (124)
• 1990s 10.9% (65)
• 2020s 10.4% (62)
• 1980s 8.0% (48)
• 2000s 7.8% (47)
• 2010s 7.7% (46)
• 1910s 6.7% (40)
• 1930s 6.2% (37)
• 1970s 6.0% (36)
• 1950s 5.8% (35)
• 1960s 5.3% (32)
• 1900s 0.7% (4)

Stars Upon Thars --

• 1 star 0.3% (usually because I would stop watching if I thought it was *that* terrible. Two movies were rated one star.)
• 2 stars 6.5% (this includes 2 1/2 stars, which is CENTER of what a movie can be) (39 movies)
• 3 stars 25.9% (again including 3 1/2 stars) (155 movies)
• 4 stars 29.9% (again including 4 1/2 stars) (179 movies)
• 5 stars 37.4% (this does include repeats) (224 movies, again this includes those I watched more than once)

Genres. This isn't really completely accurate...because silent movies most of them would also count as COMEDIES or romances or drama or whatnot. And I did combine categories--on my spreadsheet I had three different descriptions for 'action' (action superhero, action thriller, and action/adventure). Same with other categories. Romantic comedies AND romantic dramas were combined to romance. And it does not take into account holiday romantic comedies or holiday romantic dramas.

• Silent movie 26.9% (161)
• speculative fiction 17.6% (105)
• romance 9.2% (55)
• musical 7.5% (45)
• comedy 6.4% (38)
• holiday 5.5% (33)
• action 5.2% (31)
• period drama 5% (30)
• animated 5% (30)
• documentary 3.5% (21)
• drama 3.2% (19)
• mystery/crime 2.7% (16)
• war drama 1.7% (10)
• sports 0.5% (3)
• competition 0.2% (1)
  
  

Top three movies from January: Ivanhoe, The General, Seven Chances
Top three movies from February: Groundhog Day, The Camerman, Benny & Joon
Top three movies from March: What About Bob?, Sherlock Jr., You Can't Run Away From It
Top three movies from April: Hayseed Romance, Cyrano de Bergerac, The Gospel of John
Top three movies from May: Remember the Day, Music and Lyrics, Battling Butler
Top three movies from June: Batman (1966), Kate & Leopold, Spite Marriage;
Top three movies from July: Blast from the Past, Clue, Time After Time
Top three movies from August: Primeval, Adventures in Babysitting, Big Fish
Top three movies from September: The Fifth Element, Edward Scissorhands, Poseidon Adventure
Top three movies from October: Lethal Weapon  (all of them), The Martian, The Invisible Man
Top three movies from November: Dinosaurus, The Day Day the Earth Stood Still, The Time Machine
Top three movies from December: VHS Christmas Carols, Die Hard, Muppet Christmas Carol



© 2025 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

In December, I watched fifty-one things.

December's five star movies

• A Biltmore Christmas
• Borrowed Hearts
• Charlie Brown Christmas
• Christmas Eve on Sesame Street
• Die Hard
• Garfield Christmas
• Holiday Inn on Broadway
• How To Train Your Dragon (animated)
• It's a Wonderful Life
• Miracle in Bethlehem, PA
• Miracle on 34th Street
• Muppet Christmas Carol
• North and South
• Scrooge
• Surviving Love
• Undercover Christmas
• VHS Christmas Carols
• White Christmas

Decembers 4 1/2 and 4 star movies

• Little Women (1933)
• The Christmas Toy (1986)
• Best Christmas Pageant Ever (2024)
• Brazil (1985)
• Downton Abbey: Grand Finale
• Sister Swap: Hometown Christmas
• Die Hard 2
• A Christmas Carol (1999)
• An American Christmas Carol (1979)
• Call the Ml the Midwife Holiday Special (2025)
• Gattaca
  
• War of the World (1953)
• Thrill Seekers (1999)
• Beatles Anthology (1995/2025)

© 2025 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

 

 In 2025, I read 342 books! I listened to audio books, read e-books, and read book-books.

July 2025 was my best reading month with 37 books read. August 2025 was my best reading month for number of pages read!

The first book review of the year: Cloaked in Beauty by Karen Witemeyer! The last book review of the year was the NASB 1977 Inductive Study Bible!

I mostly-mostly read books I enjoyed or LOVED, loved, loved.

1 book was 1 star
5 books were 2 stars
89 books were 3 stars
112 books were 4 stars
135 books were 5 stars

I reread 80 books while 262 were new-to-me!

79% of the books I read were from the library! (Other sources being bought, gifted, review copy, or read online from Project Gutenberg, etc.)

My genres:

Bibles 5.1%
Christian fiction 7.4%
Christian nonfiction 10.8%
speculative fiction 15.1%
historical fiction 8.0%
romance 0.3%
realistic/general fiction 3.7%
poetry 1.1%
play 0.3%
picture books 21.3%
board books 7.4%
nonfiction 5.4%
classics 5.1%

early readers/early chapter books 5.7%
graphic novels/comic books 2.0%
mystery 1.7%

My top ten books

The Blue Castle. L.M. Montgomery. 1926. 218 pages. [Audio book, Library, 5 Stars]

Kidnapped From Ukraine Under Attack. Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch. 2025. 320 pages. [Source: Library] [5 stars, mg realistic fiction, mg fiction, survival, war stories]

Kidnapped From Ukraine #2 Standoff. Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch. 2025. 288 pages. [Source: Library] [realistic fiction, family, drama, war] [5 stars]
Pocket Bear. Katherine Applegate. Illustrated by Charles Santoso. 2025. 272 pages. [Source: Review copy] [5 stars, J fiction, J fantasy, animal fantasy, toy fantasy]
Stitch: Reimagining Frankenstein. Padraig Kenny. 2025. 208 pages. [Source: Library] [5 stars, mg speculative fiction, mg fantasy]
Skipshock. Caroline O'Donoghue. 2025. 400 pages. [Source: Library] [5 stars, YA dystopia, YA speculative fiction, YA romance]
The Adventures of Unc' Billy Possum. Thornton W. Burgess. 1914. 139 pages. [Source: Library] [5 stars, classic, children's classic, animal fantasy]
The Tides of Time. Sarah M. Eden. 2025. 368 pages. [Source: Library] [5 stars, time travel, adult romance, historical fiction]
The Secret of Honeycake. Kimberly Newton Fusco. 2025. 368 pages. [Source: Library] [j historical fiction, j fiction] [5 stars]
Becoming Real: The True Story of the Velveteen Rabbit. Molly Golden. Illustrated by Paola Escobar. 2025. 48 pages. [Source: Library] [5 stars, nonfiction picture book, book about books, author biographies]

Honorable Mentions:

Wolves at the Door. Steve Watkins. 2024. [December] 288 pages. [Source: Library] [MG historical, MG fiction, world war II, 5 stars]
19. My Wonderful World of Slapstick. Buster Keaton with Charles Samuels. 1960. 340 pages. [Source: Library] [adult biography, adult autobiography; film-making, show business, comedy]
Death in the Jungle. Candace Fleming. 2025. 346 pages. [Source: Library] [YA nonfiction, nonfiction, true crime, 5 stars]
Echoes of the Sea. Sarah M. Eden. 2025. 320 pages. [Source: Library] [5 stars, adult romance, adult historical, proper romance, clean romance, time travel]
Westfallen. Ann Brashares and Ben Brashares. 2024. 384 pages. [Source: Library] [5 stars] [MG speculative fiction, MG science fiction, MG dystopia, TIME TRAVEL, alternate history]


© 2025 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

In December, I read twenty-two books! Quite a few were audio books!


Books Reviewed at Becky's Book Reviews

121. Anne's House of Dreams. L.M. Montgomery. 1919. 227 pages. [Source: Library] [5 stars]
122. Anne of Windy Poplars. L.M. Montgomery. 1936. 288 pages. [Source: Bought][4 stars]
123. The Blue Castle. L.M. Montgomery. 1926. 218 pages. [Audio book, Library, 5 Stars]
124. Little House in the Big Woods. Laura Ingalls Wilder. 1932. 238 pages. [Source: Library] [5 stars, children's classic, j historical, audio book]
125. Peter Pan. J.M. Barrie. 1911/2008. Penguin. 207 pages. [Source: Library book][mg fantasy, j fantasy, children's classic, 4 stars]
126. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Douglas Adams. Illustrated by Chris Riddell. 1979/2021. 289 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars, speculative fiction, humor, science fiction, audio book]
127. Little House on the Prairie. Laura Ingalls Wilder. 1935. 335 pages. [Source: Bought] [children's classic]
128. Westfallen. Ann Brashares and Ben Brashares. 2024. 384 pages. [Source: Library] [5 stars] [MG speculative fiction, MG science fiction, MG dystopia, TIME TRAVEL, alternate history]
129. Letters From Father Christmas. J.R.R. Tolkien. 1976/1999. 160 pages. [Source: Library]
130. On the Banks of Plum Creek. Laura Ingalls Wilder. 1937. 340 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars, historical fiction, children's classic]

Books Reviewed at Young Readers

110. A Christmas Sonata. Gary Paulsen. Illustrated by Leslie Bowman. 1992. 80 pages. [Source: Library] [3 stars][Christmas, historical, family drama]
111. The 13th Day of Christmas. Adam Rex. 2025. 48 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars, picture book, Christmas]

Books Reviewed at Operation Actually Read Bible

78. Sea View Christmas (On Devonshire Shores) Julie Klassen. 238 pages. [Source: Review copy] [4 stars, adult romance, christian romance, historical romance, christian fiction]

79. Unoffendable: How Just One Change Can Make All of Life Better. Brant Hansen. 2015. 214 pages. [Source: Library, 3 stars]

80. Spirit-Filled Singing. Ryanne J. Molinari. 2025. 208 pages. [Source: Review copy] [4 stars, Christinan nonfiction, worship]

81. Christmas in Wisconsin. Linda Byler. 2025. 240 pages. [Source: Library] [3 stars, Christmas, Christian romance, Christian fiction]

82. Whispers at Painswick Court. Julie Klassen. 2025. 368 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars, Regency historical romance, Christian fiction]

83. Ryle on the Christian Life: Growing in Grace. Andrew Atherstone. 2025. 208 pages. [Source: Review copy, 4 stars, christian biography, theology, christian nonfiction]

84. A Wondrous Mystery: Daily Advent Devotions. Charles H. Spurgeon. 2024. 144 pages. [Source: GIFT] [4 stars]

Bibles Reviewed at Operation Actually Read Bible

16. 435E1B Paragraph Bible, Holy Bible, King James Version. Local Church Publisher. 1950 pages. [Source: Gift] [5 stars]

17. The New Inductive Study Bible. NASB (New American Standard, 1977). God. 1992. 2296 pages. [Source: Bought] [5/5 stars]

Totals for 2025

2025 Totals
Books read in 2025	342
Pages read in 2025	91,458
January 2025
Books read in January	30
Pages read in January	7,020
February 2025
Books read in February	30
Pages read in February	4,782
March 2025
Books read in March	34
Pages read in March	8,595
April 2025
Books read in April	34
Pages read in April	8,293
May 2025
Books read in May	31
Pages read in May	7,698
June 2025
Books read in June	32
Pages read in June	6,072
July 2025
Books read in July	37
Pages read in July	10,460
August 2025
Books read in August	31
Pages read in August	10,711
September 2025
Books read in September	25
Pages read in September	4,038
October 2025
Books read in October	18
Pages read in October	8,409
November 2025
Books read in November	18
Pages read in November	5,433
December 2025
Books read in December	22
Pages read in December	9,947

© 2025 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

130. On the Banks of Plum Creek. Laura Ingalls Wilder. 1937. 340 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars, historical fiction, children's classic]

First sentence: The dim wagon track went no farther on the prairie, and Pa stopped the horses. When the wagon wheels stopped turning, Jack dropped down in the shade between them. His belly sank on the grass and his front legs stretched out. His nose fitted in the furry hollow. All of him rested, except his ears.

I love Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House series. I do. And On the Banks of Plum Creek, while not my absolute favorite--that would be The Long Winter or possibly These Happy Golden Years--is worth rereading every few years. One thing I hadn't noticed until this last reread is that the Ingalls' family celebrates three Christmases in this one book!

Plenty of things happen in On The Banks of Plum Creek:

• the family moves into a sod house
• the family moves into a wooden house with real glass windows
• the family gets oxen and horses
• the girls start school
• the family attends church
• crops are planted and lost
• Pa leaves the family behind twice to go in search of work
• hard weather is endured
• Laura gets in and out of trouble (she almost drowns in this one)

On The Bank of Plum Creek opens when the Ingalls family arrives at their new home. They have bought a place, and their first new "home" is a dugout. They are buying it from a Norwegian man, Mr. Hanson, who is moving further west I presume. This is just temporary. Charles (or "Pa" as he's referred to so often it's hard not to join in) has promised to build them a real house, a real home just as soon as he can. The book opens with promises and hopes and dreams. But most of the book will see those hopes and dreams delayed. What Pa needs--what they all need--are good crops, good wheat crops. What Pa gets is grasshoppers. The Ingalls family does struggle a bit in On The Banks of Plum Creek. But they do settle in and get comfortable. Mary and Laura, for instance, start school. It is the first time for them to ever attend school. And they do meet up with some town folks like Nellie Oleson.

Overall, this is a more than enjoyable read. Some of my favorite chapters are "Nellie Oleson," "Town Party," "Country Party," "Going to Church," and "Surprise."

© 2025 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews