After Chocolat, which was charming, whimsical, and subtle in its writing, reading its sequel The Girl With No Shadow was disappointing. I ended up skimming the majority of the novel because neither the characters or the writing could hold my interest for long. The writing style in The Girl With No Shadow felt contrived and […]
I Could Have Sworn: A Poem
I could have sworn I was mad at you a minute ago. But lo and behold that smile full of abandon and beguile that speaks of late night coffee runs from the shabby local gas station. Strutting across the lot, the world our mansion. We laughed into the night, daring the haunted corridors […]
Book Review: Chocolat by Joanne Harris
As a self-proclaimed and unashamed chocoholic, I was drawn to Chocolat by Joanne Harris for obvious reasons. I didn’t become addicted to the book, so I can’t say it necessarily lived up to its namesake, but it also didn’t disappoint. In the world of sweets, it’s a creme brulee. I appreciate its existence and love […]
Reimagining the Ending of War and Peace: What if Prince Andrei and Natasha Rostova ended up together?
While reading War and Peace, Andrei broke my heart a million times, and so of course he was my favorite character in the book and now one of my favorite characters in all of literature. Although I knew Andrei’s ending prior to reading, I was hoping against hope for my favorite character’s contentment. Alas, *spoiler […]
No Compromise in Illusion: A Short Story
I wrote this short story as an assignment for a class in college. It’s curated for a good grade based on the professor’s apparent preferences, so it’s not really my style. But it’s good to be taken out of your comfort zone. It’s speculative fiction and fantasy, and I usually like to write realistic fiction. […]
Book Review: Gallagher Girl Series by Ally Carter
After I read the mammoth War and Peace, I wanted something quick and easy to read. On impulse, I reread a series I read (and read, and reread, and reread) in middle school. This story and characters have stuck with me surprisingly poignantly, perhaps the most out of anything I’ve ever read. I don’t really […]
The Necessity of Comfort Books
I don’t know if a definitive definition of comfort books exists, so here’s how I define it: light, easy reads that you can return to whenever you’re in need of comfort. Bonus points if the story itself brings you comfort, whether you are actively reading it or not. My comfort books are the Gallagher Girl […]
Book Review: War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
The main emotions I had after reading War and Peace were: How I wish Prince Andrei had a better ending! and How in the world did Leo Tolstoy write this thing? Like, seriously, how? I’m not sure anyone else could have pulled this off. This book just seems so much more than a novel. It’s […]
Momentarily: A Short Story
I have always heard people say, “I forgot who I was.” But I had no idea how literally they meant it. Now, as I look through pictures of myself taken just 3 months before, a stranger looks back at me. Her smile, the way her eyes held the faintest shimmer, her vibrant aura, even the […]
When I Came Back: A Short Story
When I came back, none of them knew what to make of me. I would walk along the familiar corridors, and they would watch me as if my very stride could give them some indication. A lot of cautious smiles, studious glances, awkward attempts at conversation, decaying trust, and lost connection. I tried to convince […]