Violence. Romance. Profanity. These are probably the most controversial and contentious topics when discussing modern and even classical literature. “How much is too much?” has become the common phrase, and every reader differs in their approach, beliefs, and understanding. Over the course of the next couple weeks, I’m going to explore these three topics, the…

Reading aloud as a family has been a Christmas tradition in my house for as long as I can remember. Every Christmas, we gather in the living room and work on quiet activities while mom reads aloud devotionals, fiction stories, and our annual advent readings. Some of the stories are so familiar to us that…

What makes a good story? Is it the rebellious protagonist, the hero-saves-princess plot, the intense world-building? Is it themes of sacrifice, loss, and love? Is it the well-done romance sub-plot or the carefully plotted character arc?  What we read impacts what we think. What we think impacts how we live. And how we live impacts…