17 Aug

How Not to Write a Novel: Laughing Through the Literary Minefield As an aspiring novelist, I often find myself knee-deep in various writing guides, searching for that elusive secret to success. It was during one of those moments of desperate scrolling that "How Not to Write a Novel: 200 Classic Mistakes and How to Avoid Them" by Howard Mittelmark and Sandra Newman caught my eye. With a title that was both humorous and intriguingly candid, I couldn't resist picking it up. From the very first page, it became clear that...

07:14 / Reviews
17 Aug

Finding Autonomy in the Avenues of History: A Review of Square Haunting: Five Writers in London Between the Wars by Francesca Wade When I first stumbled upon Square Haunting: Five Writers in London Between the Wars, I was instantly drawn to its intriguing premise: a deep dive into the lives of five remarkable women who inhabited Mecklenburgh Square, each carving out their own spaces of autonomy in a world still wrapped in the confines of patriarchy. Francesca Wade’s exploration felt not just necessary but a delightful invitation into a...

01:50 / Reviews
16 Aug

Review of The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Character Expression (Second Edition) As a writer, I've often felt the frustration of not being able to capture the nuances of emotion that live within my characters. It’s like trying to paint a sunset with a box of crayons; the colors are there, but the depth is missing. That’s why The Emotion Thesaurus by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi immediately caught my eye. Dubbed the "gold standard for writers," this second edition expands upon its predecessor and provides a treasure...

22:13 / Reviews
16 Aug

Pronoun Trouble: The Story of Us in Seven Little Words As a language lover and a lifelong observer of how we communicate, I was instantly captivated by John McWhorter’s Pronoun Trouble: The Story of Us in Seven Little Words. McWhorter, known for his keen linguistic insights and sharp wit, has always intrigued me with his ability to make complex topics relatable and fun. This new exploration of pronouns not only promises to delve into their historical evolution but also into their social implications—something I knew I couldn’t miss. From the...

15:48 / Reviews