A Short and Simple Guide to Rubber Plants

I am shocked by how many ficus plants I’ve owned, given my track record with them. I’ve had several plants in this genus: two ficus lyrata, a ficus benjamina, and of course, two ficus elastica. These are fig plants, but the edible common fig, ficus carica, isn’t your ideal houseplant — it really prefers being … Read more

Review: Zadie Smith’s Intimations Offers Honesty and Moral Clarity in a Moment of Crisis

An honest and morally clear collection of essays, Zadie Smith’s Intimations grasps at how this unprecedented moment in time peels back the layers to reveal our relationships to the world around us.  Happy autumn, fell book lovers! My latest read, Zadie Smith’s Intimations, is one of my favorite quarantine books so far. “Intimations” is quite apt … Read more

Review: Elizabeth Acevedo’s With the Fire on High Should Be Your Next Hot Read

Elizabeth Acevedo serves up a tender and warm story in With the Fire on High. Hello, book friends! This week I picked up a sizzling hot read: Elizabeth Acevedo’s With the Fire on High. I adored Acevedo’s The Poet X and how it creatively formed a narrative through poetry. So I’ve been jonesing to pick up … Read more

Short and Simple Guide to Dieffenbachia 

Let’s talk about the dieffenbachia. For me, it’s the plant that I fall in love with over and over again whenever I look at it, but it’s also the plant that I tend to ignore. My dieffenbachia, also colloquially known as a dumb cane, has been slowly eking by over the past year, and while … Read more

Review: The Woman Warrior Is a Surreal Tribute to Storytelling

Laced with fantasy and folklore, Maxine Hong Kingston’s The Woman Warrior is a surreal tribute to storytelling through the memoir form.  Hey, y’all! I’m back with a review of The Woman Warrior. Maybe five years ago, my adviser recommended me this book when I was working on a thesis re: Vietnamese American literature, but I hadn’t gotten around … Read more

Weekend Update: 8/29

Y’all, I have gone three weeks without acquiring new plants. Congratulations to me! I’m sure this will change once autumn makes my home more suitable to indoor plants, but for now, I’m appreciating any plant that’s displaying steady growth. Especially the big ones, like my monstera, philodendron ring of fire, and variegated rubber plant! I’ve … Read more

Review: Jasmine Guillory’s Rom-Com World Is a Bubbly Delight

Beyond fun rom-com movies and shows, I also enjoy the occasional romance novel. In fact, I’ve been reading much more romance since quarantine started! My favorite romance authors include Helen Hoang, Josie Silver, and Anne Tyler (though Tyler focuses more on the family unit). Of all the romance writers I’ve picked up so far, Jasmine … Read more

Plant Overview: Hoya Pubicalyx

Hello, plant friends! I’m back with a plant blog, but I’m going to switch up the format a little. Since I’m running out of broader categories of plants, I’m going to do deep dives on specific species of plants! They’ll be focused on one plant at a time, so they’ll be shorter and more casual. … Read more

Review: Susan Orlean’s The Orchid Thief Takes a Deep Dive Into the Dramatic World of Orchids

Susan Orlean’s The Orchid Thief shines a light on orchid enthusiasts and hustle culture.  Hey, y’all! I’m back, this time with a quick review of Susan Orlean’s The Orchid Thief. Yes, it’s an adult book, but it’s one about plants! I’ve been a fan of Orlean since I picked up The Library Book, a true-crime nonfiction deep … Read more

Review: The World of Junji Ito Offers Both Psychological and Physical Terror

Smashed by Junji Ito

Hello, hello! This isn’t your typical plant or kid lit post, it’s true. But since this is my personal blog, I might as well fill it with stuff that I like, right?! I’m hoping to do more one-off author universe posts as well as style ones. Here’s a little write-up about a newfound obsession of … Read more