Delia Owens's bestselling drama, Where the Crawdads Sing, has been on my ‘to-read’ list for over a year. In fact, I bought a copy with every intention of reading it back in the spring of 2021. For numerous reasons I won’t get into here, I sadly did not read it until last week. And, man–I wish I hadn’t waited so long. 

Earlier this week, I discussed the hate The Hobbit film trilogy gets from fans. Today, I’m focusing on one plot piece that has received significant negative traction. Almost every Tolkien fan I’ve discussed The Hobbits with complains about the character Tauriel.

The quickest way to start a fight with a Tolkien fan is to say, “They should have just ridden the eagles to Mordor.” (I warn you not to test this. Just believe me when I tell you: it’s science). A close second is saying, “I loved The Hobbit movies.”

People read for many reasons, not the least of which is escapism. Focusing on someone else’s struggles and adventures is therapeutic when real life gets overwhelming. It lets you travel to worlds never before walked by human feet as well as those just across the country. Certain places have piqued my interest through all the books I’ve read, and I’ll admit to daydreaming about them.

I am obsessed with Phillip Pullman’s fantasy trilogy, His Dark Materials. While I’d heard about both the tv show and film before, I had never read it or found much interest until last summer. I have since gone on to become a massive fan and if we ever talk, chances are I’ll end up persuading you to read or watch it in some capacity.

Dracula (1897) is among the most famous gothic novels ever written. Thanks to Stoker’s fabulous writing (along with a little help from Hollywood and pop culture), vampire lore will never go out of style. It was a treat to read when I finally got around to it.

When I was first developing Thornfield Lane, my dad asked, “So what qualifies for your blog?” “Whatever I feel like writing,” I said. “…That I can connect to literature.” This post falls exactly in that category.