writing
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3 Lessons We Learn Rereading Old Books
Why have I decided to reread old favorites in 2026? I believe it will satisfy an emotional need. Venturing back to The Secret Garden will make me reminisce about childhood. A trip to Hogwarts will remind me of my teenage years, when the Harry Potter books made everything around me vivid. Too often, a brand-new…
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The year of reading old books
This year, I am doing something that feels unnatural to me. Instead of going out and looking for new books to add to my shelves, I’m going to look at those shelves for books I already own. It is not necessarily in the spirit of anti-consumption, for if I won the lottery, I would still…
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Things I’m letting go of
Originally published on Substack In the first week of January, 2026, I got my hands on a few new journals. One is going to be used for Bible notes and prayer. The other is a bulleted journal, and I have decided to use it for short daily notes, as well as ‘sidebars’ where I will…
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How the Post Office Created America
The Post Office became a much-needed social spot. Men and women went to gather their mail, enjoying chats with neighbors in the process.
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5 Reasons to (Finally) Read 1776
This year, I was beckoned by the book 1776 by David McCullough. I remember purchasing it long ago, soon after it was published. I purchased it in the spirit of “Everyone is buying it. Therefore, it must also be on my shelf.”
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Book Review: Once Upon a Wardrobe by Patti Callahan
I finished reading this last night. I had started in October but became sidetracked due to life things; I’m glad I came back to it during the Christmas season, because it is a perfect book to read during Advent. George is a sickly child who is aware that he won’t live to adulthood. He finds…
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31 Years Old & Reading Fairy Tales
At the young age of 31, though I wish I’d managed to achieve more by now, I am reminded of the C.S. Lewis quote: I am old enough to begin reading fairy tales again, and I’m going to make my reading this coming year more intentional.
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Mary Shelley: An Introduction & Her Dream
Mary Godwin was born August 30, 1797 in Somers Town, London, to an unconventional family. While only one of her parents survived to bring her up, the unorthodox nature of her environment must have soaked into her as she entered womanhood, for she went on to live a life just as scandalous.
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Review: A Thousand Heartbeats
There’s something about Cass’ writing—I really think it is the “color” she adds to her characters—but the book made me nostalgic. It felt like I was listening to Love Story for the first time, as I was introduced to Annika and Lennox.
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Review: The Ballad of Perilous Graves
Set in New Orleans, The Ballad of Perilous Graves is a love letter to that noble city. It teases from the historical woodwork elements of magic so convincing that one could believe Nola is actually like that.
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Review: A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians by H.G. Parry
Echoes of Dickens shimmer between the lines of this epic tale set during the time of the French Revolution. Maximilien Robespierre is introduced to us as, not only a talented speaker, but a man who had a special gift which contributed to his ability to draw large crowds and win their support for his cause.
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A Gentle July
As I type this, Davy Jones’s Daughter has reached 62,000 words. I predict that it will be finished in only a few more chapters.
Mariella Hunt & the Tearoom 