I feel confident in saying that 90% of my clothes are bought second-hand now. It feels odd to me to buy from fast-fashion stores anymore. Instead, I shop on Vinted, in charity shops and take things second-hand from family members. This has meant I now have a second-hand wardrobe that I'm proud of and feels… Continue reading What I’ve Learned from Years on Vinted: Second-hand Shopping Guide
Book Review of Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng: Masterclass in Social Storytelling
I don’t often do book reviews on here but this book deserved more than just a YouTube short or snippet review on my StoryGraph. This book was a unique read for me. I've come to understand that I like horror novels but not your typical horror (haunted house, slasher, demons) but horror that says something.… Continue reading Book Review of Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng: Masterclass in Social Storytelling
What I’m aiming for in my current novels
For the first time in a long time, a friend read one of my drafts. It was rough and I haven’t even read through the whole thing in its latest form, but she trusted me with hers, so I thought I’d do the same. It got me to thinking about what I’m aiming for with… Continue reading What I’m aiming for in my current novels
Inside the Manosphere thoughts: Men Need Healthy Men in Their Lives
Everyone is talking about Louis Theroux's latest documentary: Inside the Manosphere and I wanted to add my own thoughts. Firstly, it was an important watch. It highlighted the popular men online who are corrupting and influencing today's vulnerable men and youth. If you are a parent of boys or male yourself, this is good to… Continue reading Inside the Manosphere thoughts: Men Need Healthy Men in Their Lives
How it feels to no longer work in a school: Grief
I had such a unique job, in that it's not one many people understand unless you've done it yourself. I worked as a teaching assistant and SEND (Special Educational Needs) assistant for 5 years in local secondary schools. This support role meant I was more free to build bonds with the students I worked with,… Continue reading How it feels to no longer work in a school: Grief
Discovering My Reading Tastes ~ Literary Niches within Genres
I'm slowly but surely narrowing down my reading tastes so that I am able to source and read more books that are 4 stars or more, something I used to struggle with immensely. Defining my reading tastes has been pivotal and vital in my reading enjoyment. It's not enough to know you like a genre,… Continue reading Discovering My Reading Tastes ~ Literary Niches within Genres
Saying Goodbye: Mourning the End of a Chapter
That's it, our last day in this house. A house that felt like home since 2022. A place that saved us from our last rented home which didn't turn out too well in the end. Convenient location, perfect size, space to make our own. And while we are moving on to bigger and better (hopefully),… Continue reading Saying Goodbye: Mourning the End of a Chapter
A Month With My Buzzcut – Thoughts, Feelings & Reflections
A month ago, I finally took the plunge and buzzed all my hair off. As a woman with shoulder length hair for most of my life, this was a big step to say the least. However, it was liberating... Wrestling with standards of beauty: I had a wobble the other day where I felt ugly.… Continue reading A Month With My Buzzcut – Thoughts, Feelings & Reflections
A Reflection on grief
Emily Dickinson wrote "Grief is a Mouse - Grief is a Thief - quick startled - Grief is a Juggler - boldest at the Play - Best Grief is Tongueless - before He'll tell -" I won’t feign to know what all this means but I do know grief isn’t just sadness or loneliness like… Continue reading A Reflection on grief
Europe’s Largest Romance Bookstore: Thoughts on the genre, female friendship, and literary trends
The Spicy Librarian is the hottest new bookstore in Leamington Spa which had an outstanding opening weekend on Valentine's Day. It has been deemed Europe's Largest 18+ Romance Bookstore, which is incredible and speaks to a shift in the culture of reading. Being judged for reading romance I will admit that I have been a… Continue reading Europe’s Largest Romance Bookstore: Thoughts on the genre, female friendship, and literary trends
S. R. Crawford 