Literary Explorations

Could clickbait headlines get people to read more classic books? I don’t know, but it’s worth a shot!

There are a lot of ways to reflect on and categorize one’s reads from the previous year, but the thing I like to do is to award “Book Oscars” for the books I read! Looking back over all the books I read in 2023, here are the awards I’m handing out for 10 different categories.

The Carver and the Queen is a smart, fast-paced young adult historical fantasy novel based on Russian folklore. It’s a modern fantasy perfect for families steeped in classic fairy tales and thoughtful fairy tale retellings.

What happens after “The End” in Jane Austen’s famous novels? Here are our made-up Jane Austen epilogues for Austen’s six completed novels!

L. M. Montgomery frequently borrowed from other authors, sometimes in problematic ways. Does she still deserve her spot in the literary canon? Here’s my take on the matter.

Meet 12 compelling antiheroes and antiheroines from classic literature. You may love to hate them, grudgingly admire them, or shamelessly judge them. Regardless, they’ll have you turning pages to find out how their stories end. Antiheroes are some of the most fascinating protagonists you’ll come across in Bookland, and literature is full of them. That…

Indie pop singer-songwriter Méabh Stanford creates music that bookworms will appreciate. Drawing inspiration from literature and tying it to real-life experiences, her music reflects the intricacies of human interactions and the influence media has upon them. I recently had the chance to meet (via the internet) singer-songwriter Méabh Stanford. Méabh is 16 and a full-time…

These terrible Anne of Green Gables book covers absolutely do not capture the soul of L. M. Montgomery’s novels. But they are hilarious. Enjoy a good laugh! It’s time for another round of bad book covers! I found so many that I couldn’t include them all in my first bad book covers post. Apparently, there’s…

Banned Books Week gets national recognition each year. But is book censorship really a national issue? Here’s one book blogger’s take on Banned Books Week and the hype surrounding it. Banned Books Week: It’s Not What You Think The last week of September usually marks the annual Banned Books Week, founded in 1982 and promoted…

When you need a good laugh, check out these cringe-worthy, terrible book covers for literary classics! These are good books with bad covers; the classics like you’ve never seen…or read! Terrible Book Covers for Classic Novels Publishers–and individuals–are constantly churning out new editions of the classics. Many classics are in the public domain, so anyone…

There’s a lot to love about the mystery genre, but sometimes mystery novels and detective fiction can be pretty problematic, too. Here’s where this genre flourishes, and where it fails. Thoughts on the Mystery Genre Guest post by Katherine Ladny Mitchell The first time I read a yellow-bound Nancy Drew novel, it was not love…

Do you long for a simpler, old-fashioned holiday season? Here’s how to have a Little Women Christmas as Louisa May Alcott portrays it in her beloved novel. Have Yourself a Merry Little Women Christmas! Because the first volume of Little Women begins and ends with Christmas, the novel is often considered a Christmas story. The movie…

The best literary heroines are worth imitating. These women may be (mostly) fictional, but they have a great deal to teach us about ourselves and the real-life stories we find ourselves in. Classic Literary Heroines Worth Emulating Some people gobble up self help and development books like their personal success really does depend on it….

These famous literary friendships from classic books show us what it looks like to be a true friend in our own real-world relationships. Here you’ll find strong female friendships in literature, unlikely duos, and famous literary trios. Why not read these books about friendship with your own bestie? It’s always fun to discuss a book after you read it, especially if it’s with a kindred spirit!