Books, Taylor Swift, and other hyperfixations
I have a notoriously difficult time reviewing books. Today's Top Ten Tuesday asks me to list books that are SO good, they leave me speechless. Here are some books that I really enjoyed and also can't review. When I try to write about them, I blubber incoherently about my feelings. Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi… Continue reading TOP TEN TUESDAY: Books Too Good to Review Properly
Twitter convinced me to listen to Olivia Rodrigo's new album. I have it on right now and so far I really like it! Ashmita @ The Fictional Journal created a tag in honor of the album. This is what I've been working on instead of homework. Here are the rules: List the rules.Show some love… Continue reading Sour Album (Olivia Rodrigo) Book Tag
I've done this tag before, but Emer tagged me a second time and I DON'T WANT TO WORK ON MY DRAFT. WELCOME TO THE OMG THIS SONG BOOK TAG. I'M GOING TO POST BOTH BOOKS AND SONGS. WHAT A GREAT DAY. (A note to my dad: Some of these songs have swears) MY JAM a… Continue reading OMG This Song Book Tag: Round 2
Welcome! You made it! I started this blog as a "portfolio" for "serious writing" (per some professional advice that would have better suited someone else.) Over the years, Narrative Paradise morphed into a book blog...of sorts. I don't write book reviews (very often) or participate in reading challenges. I DO post book tags and gush… Continue reading An introduction
My schedule the past few weeks has been nothing short of crazy. The minute I devote myself to a new creative project, things get busy. Oh, and I've spent the last few months contemplating quitting improv. DAMN YOU, IMPROV. The story I'm writing is going really well! Like, REALLY well. I don't get to write… Continue reading Extended hiatus + April awards
Christian author Rachel Held Evans died this morning.Before reading her books, I had given up on ever being accepted by other Christians. I'd bent myself to fit a set of ever-changing standards with no success. I struggled to make friends and the ones I had objected to "sinful" parts of my personality. My faith flickered… Continue reading Remembering Rachel Held Evans
I was going to finish 2018 with my retrospective, but um... ...well, Kristin did a great end-of-the-year tag on Kristin Kraves Books. I'm having a hard time remembering all the books I read this year, but I'll root around in my memory for appropriate answers. Best Book You Read in 2018? Wow, the fact… Continue reading End of the Year Survey
Won't lie, didn't love 2018. Maybe the year wasn't a total lost cause, because of new friends and growth experiences and improved health, but I sure hated living through it. Different things influenced my year in big ways and I want to sum them up: I quit my job I finally got out of… Continue reading Lauren’s 2018 Retrospective
I upped my meds this week. I'm amazed at how much better I feel. I made it to Saturday Morning yoga for the first time in two months. I wrapped all my Christmas presents. I joined friends for karaoke, even though it was past my bedtime. Additionally, a whole host of dark thoughts about singleness disappeared. I… Continue reading Alone at Christmas
The church I grew up in taught a lot about sex. The intent was to help (I think.) Sex is a big deal and the church SHOULD be talking about it. By "talk," though, I mean "dialogue," and no such conversation existed at the time. Adults told teens "DON'T HAVE SEX" without telling them how… Continue reading The Truth About Sex After Marriage
Narrative Paradise 