Books, Taylor Swift, and other hyperfixations
I have books from childhood that I love and books that I constantly reread. This list consists of books that have impacted my actual life in big ways. On my spiritual health I read A Woman's Place by Katelyn Beaty and Jesus Feminist by Sarah Bessey while wrestling with mixed messages from the church regarding women. As much as I hated… Continue reading Lauren’s Go-To Reads: Actual Influences
Between the fall of 2016 and the summer of 2017, I read a number of trashy YA novels for stress relief. Kale, My Ex, and Other Things To Toss in a Blender marked a breaking point for me; after reading that mess, I decided to stop altogether. Before hitting my limit, I picked up a book called Marie… Continue reading Book Betrayal: Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer by Katie Alender
I made the jump. After hanging around evangelicals, tolerating Southern Baptists, and trying my hand at Presbyterianism, I now attend a Methodist church. My new church is a good deal more liberal than my past churches. I don't really know how this happened. * After graduating from college, I left the church my parents had… Continue reading Ambivalent Accidental Methodist
A good adaptation can change your mind about a play. To put a twist on the classic Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival retooled "Oklahoma" as a queer romance featuring multiple gay, transgender, and gender-nonconforming characters. I won't be able to watch straight "Oklahoma" ever again. The same-sex interpretation makes a lot of… Continue reading Converted by same-sex “Oklahoma”
I hate historical fiction, but I'll read historical books that try their damnedest to be interesting. If a book adds a serial killer, say, or some girl power, I'll come sniffing around. Under a Painted Sky caught my interest. Two women of color become unlikely allies and go on the lam together? Disguised as boys? And… Continue reading Under a Painted Sky by Stacey Lee: Why I Only Lasted 9 Pages
I have to credit Claire for this idea: she called Georgette Heyer romances "little fluffy pastries" and I, of course, took it a step too far. I have strong opinions about books and dessert. Like dessert, different genres of books inspire my praise or rouse my ire. I scream the same epithets when someone brings… Continue reading Books as Desserts: A Bakery Case of Genres
Narrative Paradise 