I can’t remember the last time I DNF’d a book. Even when I’m not crazy about a book, I have a compelling need to read to the last page. But I don’t have the smallest desire to finish The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón. I read half of the novel, and then […]

I’m not quite over my recent binge of Jane Austen novels, so I thought I would rank her leading men. I would rank her heroines, but it would be too similar to my ranking of her novels in general, so if you want to know how I would rank the heroines, check out their corresponding […]

I have finished my binge of Jane Austen’s completed novels, and I am delighted to say I was never disappointed by the prolific author’s genius. She completed seven novels, and all of them were enjoyable to read; cast with relatable, complex characters; and delightfully satirical. Her gentle mockery of most of her characters and their […]

“Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves, vanity to what we would have others think of us.”  – Mary (ch 5).  A college professor once asked my class which character in Pride and Prejudice showed more pride, and which showed more prejudice: Elizabeth Bennet or Fitzwilliam Darcy. I couldn’t answer the question with confidence […]

I have only read The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices, and I’m not planning to read The Dark Artifices or the companion books, so this review will focus on those two series in the Shadowhunter world.  The Shadowhunter world created by Cassandra Clare has become extremely popular since its release in 2007, particularly in […]

I read the bulk of The Poisonwood Bible in a day. I was so captivated by Kingsolver’s descriptions of the Congo, the distinct personalities of each daughter and the mother, and the suspense that Kingsolver crafted so adeptly. But then I got to the part where the family separated and there was a time shift […]

Disclaimer: I watched the movies before I read the series, so that may have influenced my opinion and biased my perspective.  My brother must have introduced me to the film series The Lord of the Rings when I was in middle school, and I have watched them multiple times since. Along with a beautiful soundtrack, […]

The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis is not the type of book to stay with me, but it is rather thought provoking. It’s an extremely quick read, and I think it helps readers gain self-awareness, whether they are Christian like Lewis or not.  Lewis presents a really interesting take on temptation; he did a good […]

The beautiful thing about literature, and art in general, is that people can connect to artwork in different ways—or not connect to it at all. I actually really enjoy it when other people have different opinions about literature than I do. Sure, it’s nice to have people agree with you, but it’s so boring when […]

“But, like all writers, I am an archaeologist. I can’t help but excavate, never capturing enough.” Cul-de-sac Angels is an anthology of poems and short stories written by the lovely Michelle Emily Garcia, one of my fellow classmates at Virginia Tech.  It is an entirely different experience to read a book written by someone you […]