The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has been in crisis mode since Avengers: Endgame. Why is that? I went on a quest to answer that very question. Recently, I watched through (most of) the MCU, adding in the movies and most of the shows I skipped in recent years. And honestly, a lot of the newer …
Continue reading Storytelling and the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)
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 …
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
I’ve expressed in passing that the post-Endgame MCU films have been misses or mediocre for me. While there’s still some fun in going to see the latest Marvel movie, I’ve been less-than-impressed with multiple of the recent MCU films. The Spider-man movies after Endgame were great, I really liked Shang-Chi, and I’d agree that Guardians …
Continue reading Thor’s Failed Marvel Cinematic Universe Character Arc
Against the odds of graduate school’s rigor and demand, I’ve actually read books for fun this year! Some of the books I’ve read were old favorites of mine I took the time to revisit: The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis, Madeleine L’Engle’s Time Quintet, and The Mysterious Benedict Society series by Trenton Lee …
After my return to Narnia this summer, I decided to pick up Madeleine L’Engle’s Time Quintet (A Wrinkle in Time, A Wind in the Door, A Swiftly Tilting Planet, Many Waters, and An Acceptable Time). Like The Chronicles of Narnia, I haven’t read this series in years, but these five books were definitely among the …
Coincidentally, this post was published on the birthday of the greatest father in the galaxy… Darth Vader! Just kidding. It’s my Dad’s birthday. And he loves Star Wars, as I mentioned in Part 1 of my Star Wars story study. Happy birthday, Dad! * I don’t know what’s more controversial these days, the prequels or …
Continue reading Story Study: Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga – Part 2
Since The Rise of Skywalker recently brought the 9-episode Star Wars: Skywalker Saga to an end, I decided to rewatch all of the main films as a study in story during my break from school in May. Though I am extremely familiar with Star Wars, as my dad is a huge fan, I hadn’t seen …
Continue reading Story Study: Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga – Part 1
I’ve already read over ten books in 2019. For some of you, ten books in four months is nothing, but for me, it’s an achievement—in my adult years, at least! I used to read all the time as a kid and constantly needed to more books to meet the demands of my voracious reader’s appetite. …
My last Story Study is appropriately timed, considering Avengers: Endgame's release this week! The subject of today's post not only introduced me to the MCU, but also is the reason I now enjoy the science fiction genre. ~ My first encounter: As the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies began to release, leading up to The Avengers in 2012, …
Continue reading Story Study: The Thor Trilogy of the Marvel Cinematic Universe
By Madelynn Orion 