The Adventures of Merlin: Season 5

The finale that put my whole family in a 24-hour depression and after almost 14 years, the fandom has never forgiven the writers for their decisions. All that being said, with the exception of the last 10 minutes of the final episode, season 5 was actually a very good season! The entire Merlin storyline itself takes place in a span of ten years and in that time, we've seen Merlin grow up (very well) from an awkward boy to a confident young man (more on the growing up very well later). 

Merlin's character development can never be underrated. He wasn't perfect, he had fears and flaws, but he was loyal to a fault. Life handed him a raw deal, but he made the most of it. He was a good friend and an exceptional apprentice. While Arthur may be our golden king we admire, it is Merlin who is the common man we all see ourselves in and at end of the day, we all hope to have even half of his bravery and strength.

Goodreads Review: The Frozen River

The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

My favorite read of 2025. Inspired by real life events and the journal entries of Martha Ballard a wife, mother, midwife and who may even be considered an early feminist. At a time where woman had little personal rights and their voices silenced by the men in power, Martha Ballard manages to stand on her own moral code of conduct and bring to light a horrific act of evil.

Set in 1789 Maine, during what was known as "the year of the long winter," a man's frozen body is found Kennebec River. Martha recognizes the man who was named as an active participant in the rape of her close friend a few months prior, however he was released. As an investigation is made and trials are set in motion, Martha finds herself in the middle of a political, social and spiritual battle between her love of the people she has served for years and protecting a woman who has been shunned by the same people for a crime done against her.

This book is incredible! I couldn't put it down; I was that drawn into the intensity and emotional upheaval of this story. Like The Last Midwife there is a feminist core to midwifery. When women were oftentimes seen as just carriers for children in society, midwives still saw them as human beings far capable of more than just childbearing and rearing. Within the world of midwives, women were seen, heard, loved, nurtured and protected. And the role of midwives in history can never be forgotten or unappreciated.

Inklings ~ April 2026

Welcome April Inklings! 🌱

1. At any time during the month, on your own blog post a scene from a book or film that matches the prompt.

2. Link-back to Heidi's blog with a link to you Inklings prompt.

April's Prompt

A scene with kittens in book or film

Young Sherlock

While I have never been a diehard Sherlock Holmes fan, I do enjoy a new take on the famed detective from time to time. My sisters have always loved the Holmes mysteries, but I myself have never read them. The actual closest I got to being a Sherlock Holmes fan was during the worldwide Sherlock era starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman that ran from 2010-2017. Ther BBC Sherlock mania was insane, and people were in love with the modern-day London detective. 

Every several years Sherlock Holmes and Co. always make it back on the screens in one form or another and is usually met with some degree of success (Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes films starring Robert Downey Jr. as Sherlock and Jude Law as Watson, BBC Sherlock series and the more fan-fic inspired movie series, Enola Holmes). Now, Guy Ritchie returns to Victorian London for a new interpretation to the streaming screen, but this time as a young, handsome...juvenile delinquent.

Welcome May

May is the month of expectation, the month of wishes, the month of hope.

~ Emily Bronte

Favorite Film Dialogues: Pt. 2

Because Pt. 1 was so much fun to do and being such a movie lover 

there were more dialogues I needed to post!

The Adventures of Merlin: Season 4

I think a lot of people were surprised when boy changed into man!

So, if the slight alteration to the famous opening sequence didn't indicate the change of direction for the 4th season of Merlin...I don't know what else could. Upon rewatching this season, I was surprised at the rather dark turn the show took. My guess is that Game of Thrones was gaining momentum and the Merlin creators felt like they needed to mature the show just slightly. Whatever the reason was season 4 in my opinion is absolutely the strongest most well written season of the entire series. 

Merlin started veering off from the 'freak of the week' episodes in season 3 and began building a more connected storyline - Morgana's secret revenge against Uther, eventually trying to usurp both Uther and Arthur and therefore pushing Merlin harder to fulfill his destiny. Once that was set in place, by the end of season 3, it became the absolute groundwork for season 4.