The Space Between Selves
A dark feminist blog exploring goddess mythology, modern womanhood, and female power through poetry, essays, and literary analysis. Along with some reviews of books I love.
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Being a Scorpio
♏ I AM A SCORPIO. AND I AM FINALLY EMBRACING HER. 🖤
For years, I buried parts of myself to make other people comfortable. I softened my intensity, questioned my intuition and became the person others wanted me to be.
Somewhere along the way, I forgot who I was.
But darkness has a way of revealing what was always there.
I am passionate. Fiercely loyal. Independent. Intuitive. Resilient. I crave deep conversations, meaningful connections and a love that doesn't ask me to become smaller.
I am also guarded, stubborn, intense and sometimes unforgiving. My shadow is as much a part of me as my light. And I'm learning to embrace both.
I've walked through fire, survived my own darkness and emerged changed. Perhaps that's why the phoenix speaks so deeply to my soul.
I am no longer interested in being palatable. I won't apologise for my depth, my boundaries or the walls I've built to protect my peace.
My loyalty is earned. My trust is precious. My heart is not open to everyone.
And if I choose to let you into my world, understand what a privilege that is.
I spent too many years abandoning myself to keep others.
Not anymore.
I am not becoming a different woman. I am remembering the woman I was always meant to be.
The Scorpio within me is rising.
And this time, she's staying. 🦂🔥
Embrace the Scorpio. Embrace the shadows. Embrace yourself.
Embracing the dragon
I am angry. And for a long time, I have been ashamed of that anger.
I buried it beneath sadness, silence, people-pleasing and the desperate need to belong. I spent years making myself smaller, trying to be the good girl, the one who never caused trouble, never spoke too loudly and never put herself first.
But anger doesn't disappear simply because we refuse to acknowledge it.
Recently, someone told me to embrace the dragon. And something shifted.
What if my anger isn't something to be ashamed of? What if it's the part of me that has finally had enough? Enough of abandonment, expectations, broken boundaries and living a life that never truly felt like mine.
I'm done apologising for who I am.
I'm embracing my inner witch, my shadow self, my darkness and my fire. I'm learning to stand up for myself, celebrate myself and stop seeking permission to live authentically.
I don't need everyone to understand me. I don't need everyone to like me.
The good girl is stepping aside. The dragon is waking up.
And this time, I refuse to silence her. 🖤
✨ Have you ever reached a point where you stopped suppressing your anger and started listening to what it was trying to tell you?
Looking for Mr Romantic Lead
I’ve spent enough time dating walking red flags. 🚩
So I’m trying something different.
I’m looking for my MMC. Someone who chooses me, communicates, goes deep, supports my slightly wild dreams and wants to build something real.
Dating apps haven’t worked, so I’m taking this search into the real world.
It’s terrifying. It’s a little unhinged. It’s very me.
Applications for Mr Romantic Lead are officially open. 📚🔥😉
The emperor’s enemy
Strong FMC. Unhinged enemies-to-lovers. Dragons. Magic. Rage. And a man who somehow falls harder every time she threatens, tortures or stabs him. 🗡️🐉🔥
The Emperor’s Enemy might just be my favourite Jasmine Mas book yet.
Dark, chaotic, hilarious and packed with twists that genuinely had me gasping.
⭐ Highly recommend.
Tallow and Bone
This book was devastatingly good.
A dark historical retelling of the Salem witch trials, Tallow and Bone follows Amity Mereweather, a young witch forced to flee England with her family, only to find herself in Salem as fear, accusation and violence begin to consume the town.
But beneath the witchcraft, forbidden love and historical horror, this is a story about women.
Women with voices. Women with knowledge. Women who refuse to quietly accept the lives chosen for them.
And the punishment they receive for it.
Amity’s story is heartbreaking, particularly in its portrayal of motherhood and postpartum depression. It doesn’t romanticise her darkness. It allows her to exist inside it, and I loved the care given to that part of her story.
This book is dark. Brutal at times. Infuriating at others.
Because while it takes place more than 300 years ago, some of its themes feel disturbingly familiar.
Women are still fighting to be heard. Still fighting for autonomy. Still fighting systems that would rather they stayed quiet.
But now, more of us are speaking.
And when women stand together, we are much harder to silence.
A haunting, devastating read that will stay with me.
Sydney writers festival
Attending the Sydney Writers Festival was such a great experience. I was inspired and learnt so much from published authors.
A Bond so deadly
We have dark academia, dark fantasy romance, four shadow daddies and why choose, we have secret identities, a demon best friend, a soul bonded animali that is a phoenix and an evil queen. All the makings of a great book. And it is.
This is the third and final book in the Fated Mates of Shadowbone Academy. And it lived up to the expectations I had in my head.
This book begins right where book two left off. The demon queen, Blake and Shade’s bestie, arrive with her mates and the demon army demanding to know who is trying to hurt her friend. The shadow queen finds it all hilarious until she realises the truth and tries to broker a deal with the demon queen.
The shadow queen demands Shade stays confided to the academy and takes off to the shadow palace.
Shade finally has most of her memories, though there is still something niggling at her mind that won’t break through. It takes a long time for it to come through and the realisation of why it mattered.
The whole book feels like an emotional roller coaster. Just as things settle a bit, something happens. Only for something to change again. Nothing is steady, nothing is known, nothing feels real.
Shade overcomes her tragic start to life to be the saviour the world needs, to become the hope of a realm. To be the one that brings them all together. To be the one to show them all the way. Even when the others aren’t sure, she trusts her instincts. And she stands up for what is right. This includes when she saved Satine, even though the girl tried to kill her.
It’s those choices, those moments that make Shade the person she is. That makes her the one worthy of the realm.
This is such a good series, I have enjoyed it so much. There is a prequel series about Shade’s bestie, Blake finding her mates and becoming the demon queen, The Game of Psychos. And we have Shade still cursed and in crow form.
What Elle Woods and Beth Dutton Taught Me About Being a Woman
What can a bubbly law student in pink and the fierce daughter of a Montana ranch possibly have in common? More than you might think. In this reflection, I explore why Elle Woods and Beth Dutton have become two of my favourite fictional women, and the unexpected lessons they both teach about authenticity, courage, boundaries, and refusing to shrink to fit other people's expectations. Their journeys may look completely different, but together they reveal that there is no single way to be a strong woman.
Why Yellowstone and Its Expanding Universe Have Become a Television Phenomenon
Why has Yellowstone become one of the biggest television franchises of our time? It isn't just the sweeping landscapes or the cowboy lifestyle. At its heart, the Yellowstone universe tells timeless stories about family, loyalty, legacy, and the fight to protect what matters most. From 1883 and 1923 to Dutton Ranch and Marshals, this modern Western has become something much larger than a television series. It has become a contemporary mythology that continues to captivate audiences around the world.
Elle Review: How the Legally Blonde Prequel Perfectly Captures Elle Woods
Elle is more than a prequel to Legally Blonde. It's a thoughtful coming-of-age story about identity, belonging and the courage to stay true to yourself. As Elle Woods navigates the challenges of a new school and a new life, we begin to see the experiences that shaped the confident, compassionate woman we later meet at Harvard. Funny, nostalgic and full of heart, this series reminds us that authenticity will always matter more than fitting in.
Life Lessons from Turtles: Embracing the Journey Over the Destination
Some of life's greatest lessons don't come from the loudest voices. They come from quiet creatures who never seem in a hurry. Turtles remind me that healing, growth, and joy aren't found in rushing toward the next destination, but in embracing each gentle step of the journey. Slow and steady isn't falling behind. It's choosing to truly live.
Why Tigers Have Always Captivated Me
Some animals are admired. Others leave a mark on your soul. Tigers have always been that animal for me. They embody a rare combination of beauty, grace, quiet strength, and untamed freedom. Every step they take through the jungle feels like a reminder that true power doesn't shout. It simply knows itself.
I Thought Healing Meant I Wouldn't Feel Like This Again
I used to think healing meant I would eventually stop having bad mental health weeks. That if I did enough therapy, enough self-reflection and enough healing, the sadness would simply disappear. But healing hasn't removed my difficult days. It has changed how I meet them. This is for anyone who has ever wondered if they're failing because old feelings have returned. You're not alone, and you haven't gone backwards.
Angela Blue Thunder: The Woman Who Refused to Bow
Angela Blue Thunder is one of Yellowstone's most unforgettable women because she refuses to mistake silence for strength. Fierce, intelligent and unwavering in her convictions, she embodies feminine rage as a force for justice rather than destruction. From her fearless confrontation with Roarke to her relentless fight for her people, Angela reminds us that true power lies in knowing your worth and never apologising for standing your ground.
Persephone's Dual Nature: What the Queen of the Underworld Teaches Us About Becoming Whole
Persephone is far more than the goddess of spring. She embodies the delicate balance between light and darkness, innocence and wisdom, life and death. This reflective essay explores why her dual nature continues to resonate today, revealing what the Queen of the Underworld can teach us about transformation, resilience, and becoming whole.
Why I Am Drawn to the Dark Goddesses
The dark goddesses have never called me because they represent evil. They have called me because they represent women who refuse to disappear. In their stories of crossroads, fire, grief and transformation, I have found not darkness, but the courage to become more fully myself.
What It Means to Be a Dark Whimsy Woman
Dark whimsy is more than an aesthetic. It is a way of seeing the world. It is finding beauty in forgotten places, strength in vulnerability, and wonder in the shadows we have been taught to fear. This is an essay about embracing every part of yourself and discovering that sometimes the path through the darkest forest is the one that finally leads you home.
A Death in the family
Funerals have a way of bringing families back together, often after years apart. In this reflection on the loss of my Uncle John, I explore the many faces of grief, why we don't all mourn in the same way, and how saying goodbye can remind us of the importance of gathering while we still can.
The Woman Beneath the Ashes: A Manifesto for Being Seen
Some women spend their lives trying to become smaller so they can fit comfortably into the expectations of others. This is not that story.
The Woman Beneath the Ashes is a reflection on transformation, belonging, and the courage it takes to be fully seen. It is for every woman who has survived, reinvented herself, and is finally ready to stop apologising for her depth, her darkness, and her light.
Becoming the Phoenix
We often think the phoenix is a symbol of survival, but it represents something far more profound. True transformation isn't about returning to who you were before life changed you. It's about allowing old versions of yourself to fall away so something more authentic can emerge. This is a reflection on grief, healing, identity, and the quiet courage it takes to rise from the ashes, not as the person you once were, but as the person you were always becoming.