I could keep this post incredibly short and simply write ‘yes’ in response to the question posed in the title, but that would not be fair to you, my wonderful readers. If you happen to be in a hurry, though, and only have time for a sentence or two, now you know. My love for … More ‘The Women’ by Kristin Hannah: Read or rid?
I haven’t exactly kept my love for Kristin Hannah as an author as of late. The first book I ever read by her was The Nightingale, which will arguably remain one of the most powerful texts I have ever laid eyes on for the remainder of my life. That might sound dramatic to some, but … More The subjectivity of writing
I should have known when I read The Nighingale that my love for Kristin Hannah as an author was only going to intensify after finishing it. She is an exceptional writer who has the ability to deeply move readers with her emotional depictions of incredible characters, oftentimes women, and to date, I’ve read The Nightingale, … More Kristin Hannah’s The Four Winds: read or rid?
I’ve been working as an English tutor for a few years now. I can thank my husband for encouraging me to post a tutoring ad on Kijiji many moons ago to begin the process of acquiring clients, and without his idea, I’m not entirely sure where I could be with my tutoring business. I’ve worked … More Interested in becoming a tutor? Read this
I recently had a good friend of mine ask me to write her a reference letter. I was more than willing to do so; however, because it has been a hot minute since I’ve written one, I did have to give myself a brief refresher course with the assistance of Google. Seeing as reference letters … More Here’s how to write a reference letter
Allow me to begin this post by asserting my absolute and utmost respect for anyone trying to learn the English language, because it is hard as hell. I can’t personally say I know this through experience because English is my first language, but I have worked with enough individuals through tutoring who are attempting to … More Trying to learn English? Read this
The selected book for the book club I am involved with is one I am sorry to say I’m not particularly loving. From Blood and Ash is the first book in this series by Jennifer L. Armentrout, and honestly, I’m having a hell of a time getting through it. Ironically, I am the one who … More ‘From Blood and Ash’: Read or rid?
Sayings, or expressions, if you will, have always been a thing of interest for me, personally. I wouldn’t say I necessarily use a lot of them myself, but every now and then I’ll throw out one of my personal favourites and have everyone’s attention. It’s brilliant. Idioms can be great, but they can also be … More What are some of your favourite sayings?
I could not tell you how long I have been blogging on a daily basis. I started a blog in what I think was my second year of university; the site I was using was not terribly user-friendly, so after using it for a few months, I scrapped that platform and then made the move … More Looking to improve your writing skills? Read this
I could honestly encapsulate the entirety of this post by simply trying ‘yes’ and answering the question posed in today’s title in doing so. But, I’m not a cheat, nor do I like half-assing anything I do in life, so I won’t disappoint you with such minimal feedback towards such an incredible book. I wrote … More Throne of Glass: Read or rid?
I mentioned in a post a few days ago that I am participating in a book club for the first time ever in my life. The club in question was formed by a few of my rugby teammates, and there’s roughly ten of us in total; each book we pick to read is suggested by … More ‘The Thursday Murder Club’ by Richard Osman: read or rid?
I’ve said it before, and I will happily say again how pleased I am with myself regarding my return to reading avidly. I went without the pleasure of reading for far too long, and now that my lengthy sabbatical has come to its conclusion, I can’t get enough of books. I’ve burned through quite a … More Looking for your next book? Read this
If you’re a reader to any extent, there is a strong probability you have heard of a book titled ‘A Court of Thorns and Roses’ (ACOTAR) by Sarah J. Maas. ACOTAR is the first of five novels in the entire series, and upon hearing how bloody good ACOTAR is from multiple people and sources, I … More This is why ‘A Court of Thorns and Roses’ is so damn good
If you’re unfamiliar with the name Sarah J. Mass, there are two probable reasons for this. The first would be that perhaps you’re not a reader, and the second, building upon the first, would be that you’re likely not reading fictitious fantasy novels. Aside from these two reasons, if you’ve never heard of this brilliant … More Here’s why Sarah J. Maas is such a successful author
The Classics are, in my opinion, a rather broad area that I suspect a lot of people don’t entirely understand. For whatever reason, a lot of us tend to get a little awkward at the mention of the term because we associate it with superiority, or something perhaps high-ranking, but I think a lot of … More Are you a classics fan?
While I knew from a relatively young age I wanted to pursue English in post-secondary school, the notion of being a writer was not the initial plan. My dream was to be an editor, and while that may not be my designated title in the corporate realm at present, I’m actually doing more editing than … More Wondering how to develop an eye for editing? Read this
In the realm of essay writing, transitional sentences are kind of a big deal. I realize essay writing is not something that applies to most people, unless you happen to be a student. However, understanding how to go about writing a proper transitional sentence is something I consider to be a life skill, and while … More Here’s how to master a transitional sentence
I possess my Bachelor’s degree in English language and literature, so I suppose it goes without saying that I enjoy reading. Given the copious amounts of reading I was required to do in order to retain my degree, I really don’t think someone can pursue English if they don’t enjoy reading. Unless you’re a glutton … More What are your go-to reads?
I occasionally get asked how long I have been blogging for now, and every time I do, I experience a fleeting moment of internal panic because I’m not entirely sure how long I’ve been blogging. I know I started back in university, perhaps in my second year, and have continued writing daily blog entries up … More Looking to broaden your blog? Read this
Essay writing is a concept of writing that more people than not struggle to comprehend. In essence, the prospect of composing an essay doesn’t sound all too difficult; you’re required to select a topic, formulate an argument around that topic (assuming you’re writing an argumentative essay), and use your paper as a means to convince … More Writing an essay? Read this
I would wager that the prospect of hobbies and interests is one that has an allure to most of us. The notion of an activity tailored to our own passions must be one we would enjoy doing, as often is the case in the context of hobbies, yet most of us can probably relate to … More Need a hobby? Read this
I’ve made mention of the fact I dabble in some English tutoring here and there; I’ve been tutoring for roughly two years now, if I remember correctly, and I can ultimately thank my husband, Blaine, for inspiring me to do so as I believe it was his idea originally. I’ve worked with a variety of … More Writing exercises: kid edition
Once again, when I sat down to write today’s post, I found myself absolutely hitting a wall, and a firm one at that, in the context of trying to determine a topic to write about. Some days, an idea comes to mind before I even sit down to write a post; other days, I will … More Let’s challenge our creativity
Yes, we are here, once again, revisiting the topic of the ability words have to allow us to feel and experience things we didn’t know were possible. I’m an English major, and I’m a sucker for beautiful writing. Forgive me. As I’ve stated in the past, if I read something that resonates with me deeply, … More The power of words
I know for certain I’ve covered this topic in at least one post so far, but given the vastness of song lyrics, and additionally, all songs in existence, I think the conversation pertaining to truly stunning lyrics that double as poetry deserves more than one post. I’m a sucker for anything well-written, and lyrics are … More Finding poetry in song
About a year-and-a-half ago now, I decided that I wanted to learn how to speak Spanish. My family and I know a little bit of Spanish because of our migrant workers; over the years, they have taught us a few phrases and words, but none of us are anywhere near fluent. One of our workers, … More The reality of learning a new language
If you’re new to my blog, I have an academic background in English language and literature. If you’ve been following my blog to any extent, you’re likely aware of this, so I apologize for the redundancy. I’ve loved reading for as long as I can recall, but despite my passion for it, I was not … More The importance of finding your reading niche
I would wager that when most folks hear the term ‘poetry,’ the cringe internally a little bit. Poetry is often the brunt of a lack of appreciation and understanding, and as someone with an academic English background, I really cannot fathom why. I think part of the misconceptions affiliated with poetry has relevance to people … More Poetry: a misunderstood art
Fiction has been my preferred writing style my entire life. Whether I myself am writing a piece, or if I am reading the work of another, fictional writing is my shit, and while I do appreciate non-fiction, when it comes to my own personal reading and writing tendencies, fiction is the way to go. A … More Why do you love fiction?
Everyone should have the pleasure of experiencing the absolute magic that occurs when a song lyric blesses your ears that you haven’t heard before. I’m not referring to any old song lyric, or basic ones for that matter; rather, I’m referring to lyrics that are the purest form of poetic beauty, encapsulating your soul and … More The power of lyrics
ontheedgeofeverything 