about
life
stories
@lystrareads
published

work with me

card
portfolio

lystra

i drink coffee and write stories.

about
life
stories
@lystrareads
published
work with me
- card
- portfolio

I love books and I love writing about beauty. So this is me sharing book reviews with a touch of beauty — because the best time to read is when I’m trying out new products.

#BlackOutTuesday

BLACK LIVES MATTER!! But don't just fight against police brutality, fight for a total overhaul of a system that continues to oppress people of color. The black community deserves the space, support, and resources to thrive. The blac

Winter survival kit. Korean food + super moisturizing face creams.

Kimchi Jiggae is one of my go-to dishes to cook when it's cold. I make it super spicy, lessen the sugar, and use beef instead of pork. I constantly crave Korean food and I'm always w

From my TBR pile: A Lucky Man by Jamel Brinkley. Have you read this?

FINALIST FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FOR FICTION

In the nine expansive, searching stories of A Lucky Man, fathers and sons attempt to salvage relationships with friends and f

My last post in this account was waaaay back in Feb 2018. Wow. I've really been slacking off, huh? Well...time to revive this account.

The best thing about moving to the US (other than being with my husband 24/7) is the library system. It's helped c

It's been a while. So I'm heading back to the basics.

I bought this book back when I was studying for my Literature undergrad degree. A professor had asked us to get this book for class and I remember loving how beautifully James Wood dissected the

Sometimes, I wonder why I read and why I write and why I care so much about words. And I remember why. It's all down to texture.

VIDA by Patricia Engel is a beautiful book full of texture and life and heart. The type of book that you can't put down

Starting the week with Elsewhere Held And Lingered. A poetry collection by Filipina poet, Conchitina Cruz.

Paired this with Benefit's Dandelion Shy Beam & box blush. Perfect combo for that light matte glow. #lystrareads #culturetripbooks @benefi

A lot in my life has changed; and now I'm back and will try to post here more often.

What I've learned the last few months: love feels different each time.

Anyway. I was initially iffy about this collection of short stories when I first read it; bu

Weekend read. Weekend blush. #lystrareads

Getting back to the basics: Literary Theory.

It's been a while since I've thought about literary theory and today feels like one of those days when I just need to read this book. It may be because I've recently turned 30, but lately I've found mysel

It's been a while. But I'm posting this to say that I've finally given Bio Oil a try (yes, I know, I'm late to the game). But I loooove it! It has helped smooth out stress-rashes I get whenever I don't sleep enough, or whenever my skin explodes in ra

Ending the day with Horrorstor by Grady Hendrix and this Tofu Mask I bought while I was in KL. I've yet to give this mask a try, but thought it would go well with this book. Might as well try something new today.

A little info about the book (becaus

To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee -- mostly because this is still one of my favourite covers from my collection. Found it looked nice paired with the Maison Kitsune eyeshadow palette from Shu Uemura -- which by the way made me fall in love with gli

"A writer's life and work are not a gift to mankind; they are its necessity." - Tony Morrison

BURN THIS BOOK is great if you're looking for essays that'll give you a peek into the minds of great writers tasked to explore the power of liter

Self-Help by Lorrie Moore is one of the first short-story collections that I added to my shelf in college as I explored the art of the short story. "How To Be An Other Woman" is still one of my favourite short stories. I love how Lorrie Moo

Ending the day with a fun face mask to go along with an equally fun linguistic read of Both Flesh And Not by David Foster Wallace.

I don't consider myself a huge David Foster Wallace fan nor will I pretend I fully grasp the intent of all his pieces;

Since Maybelline & L'oreal have both recently released brown-toned lippies as inspired by the comeback of the 90s, I thought I'd look through my shelf for a book I loved throughout the late 90s to the early 2000s.

The Catcher In The Rye by J.D S

Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng. It's quite an intense read, so best paired with Kiehl's Cilantro & Orange Extract Mask.

Finished this book in about a day and loved how nuanced it is. I have a full #bookreview on my YouTube channel if

Object Lessons: The Paris Review presents The Art Of The Short Story. Paired with one of the best clay masks in the market today, Super Volcanic Pore Clay Mask by Innisfree.

I like writing short stories and this book has been one of my go-to antholo

The Weather Of Words by Mark Strand, a standard bookshelf favorite that breathes life back into my writing - - much like the boost of hydration my skin gets from the Laneige Water Sleeping Mask.

A flip through this book keeps me inspired, with sente