While 2026 started as a slower reading year, the later part of Spring and into the summer months have been full of 5 star reads. From medieval history to sci-fi adventures to fantasy romances, I’ve covered a lot of genre-ground in the first part of 2026. Let’s dive in. Le Morte Darthur by Sir Thomas …
Continue reading Reading Recap 2026 – Part 1: Of Medieval Adventures and Time Traveling Coffee Shops
In 2025, I read 45.5 books. (The .5 is for Le Morte Darthur, which I am halfway through—I started it in August, but sometimes reading medieval literature in the middle of a school semester is not the most leisurely reading experience.) Admittedly, my Reading Recap Part 2 for this year is on the slim side. …
Continue reading Reading Recap 2025 Part 2: Myth, Mystery, & Magic
Life has been incredibly busy lately, so I have not had much time for the blog—or writing in general—but today’s post is something that’s been on my mind for a while. It’s a list of books I would encourage every Christian to read, as they speak into many cultural issues we are facing as a …
I’ve read a ton in 2025 already, from massive fantasy fiction to thought-provoking nonfiction. Here’s a roundup of the highlights, starting with the biggest book I’ve read this year: Wind and Truth by Brandon Sanderson (3.5/5 Stars): Let’s start off with my highest anticipated read of 2024, which I finished at the start of 2025. …
Leading up to the release of Wind and Truth, I reread Brandon Sanderson’s The Stormlight Archive (abbreviated to “Stormlight” throughout).Along the way of revisiting one of my favorite fantasy series, I made some mental notes on how to apply Sanderson’s mastery of fantasy world-building into my own tales and what my fellow fantasy writers might …
Continue reading Writing Lessons: Brandon Sanderson’s The Stormlight Archive
In 2024, I read 52 books across a wide range of genres and interests: fiction and nonfiction, fantasy and YA thriller, sci-fi and mystery, classics and writing advice—and more. I finally finished reading The History of Middle-earth series, a major achievement that took me about a decade. I also reread a few favorites, like Andrew …
To ring in the new year, I’d like to talk about my favorite authors, the writers who inspire me, who move me, and whose writing style I love. Every time I pick up a book of theirs, whether I’ve never read it before or I’ve read it dozens of times, these are the writers who …
Here’s to the last blog of the year! Not including school books, I read 50 books this year! That’s much more than I expected. Let’s dive into my reads from the last third of the year. The Penderwicks in Spring by Jeanne Birdsall (3/5 Stars): Unlike the earlier entries in the series (which I reviewed …
Continue reading Reading Recap 2023 – Part 3: Mysteries, Histories, and Adventures
As an English Literature scholar-in-training, I’ve found a love for the earliest of the English language tales. Medieval literature (including and ESPECIALLY the Old English stuff) is becoming a fast favorite era of mine. And, to a degree, it has been for a while. Back in my undergraduate days at Baylor University, my favorite classes …
Football is back, and I couldn’t be more excited! In case you’re new around here, I am a huge Minnesota Vikings fan. Naturally, when I’m not reading fantasy novels, I’m often engaging in content related to my favorite NFL team (both during the season and in the off-season). To celebrate the kickoff of the new …
By Madelynn Orion 