A woman troubled by her place in the dark manuscript of her life rediscovers her strength and power in this collection of wicked poems. Poison, plants, bloodshed, and the supernatural collide as Blythe weaves a haunting series of horror poems not for the faint of heart.
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Rating: 3 out of 5.
Found poetry can be a bit hit or miss for me, it’s not always something I enjoy, but I thought the premise of this collection was good. The imagery in the poems was top notch, but at times almost a little too much. That being said, it didn’t take away from the overall journey of the poetry and the themes were consistent across the collection which made it a quick, enjoyable read.
In The Orange and Pink Sunset, Ivy L. James weaves a tapestry of her life as a queer woman, from childhood crushes to the labels she’s tried on to religious discrimination. Her raw words express agony and joy in equal measure. She provides a refreshing perspective with an understandable voice, and her narrative style feels like sharing a pot of tea with a close friend. This impactful poetry chapbook is a vulnerable discussion of what it’s like to find herself as a lesbian, and in the end, James chooses love over hate, even in moments of pain. Contentwarning: Some poems touch on the author’s experiences with familial homophobia and religious homophobia. This collection also includes mild adult language, sensual content, and brief violent imagery.
I’m always looking for books or collections that are a different experience from my own so was happy to check this poetry chapbook out when the author reached out to me. This collection is short and sweet, not only exploring the happiness the author has found in exploring their identity and finding their partner but also delving into the hardships and negativity they experienced in both their coming out but being accepted by their surrounding community, family and friend – while also learning to accept themselves. I’m very picky about poetry and which types I enjoy, but I loved the lyrical language and imagery. Also, acknowledgements as a poem? Brilliant. I did find myself wanting to read more once it was done, which was the only downside for me since it was over. All in all a wonderful collection full of raw emotion that will speak to many.
Make sure to look for this one when it releases on April 30th! Thank you again to the author for sharing this collection with me – happy reading!
Sometimes, beneath the weight of the world, we find ourselves drowning. Let this collection of poetry breathe life back into your lungs and remind you of everything that you’ve already overcome.
SK Williams dives back into their past with Before You Know It , a collection of poetry made up of two stories told in tandem, recalling the ages of 18 to 28, when the world laid waiting at their fingertips and the pressure of figuring everything out was never too far away.
Featuring four chapters, divided into two parts each— “In the Beginning,” “Uncharted Water,” “Beneath the Storm,” and “At the End” —this collection compares two peoples’ life experiences to one another and sees how similar we all really are. Through this book, Williams explores themes of youth, uncertainty, ambition, anxiety, depression, powerlessness, isolation, and body image.
At moments nostalgic, freeing, and youthful, and other times pushed down beneath the mounting pressure and responsibility of young adulthood, these two perspectives ask us to take a moment to appreciate how far we’ve come and to trust where life will take us.
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Rating: 4 out of 5.
Me and modern poetry aren’t always friends, so I always like to find new collections that I enjoy. This collection delves into a number of issues one might face when growing up and becoming an adult, navigating adult spaces. I enjoyed the writing styles of both perspectives, but I do wish that the different perspectives were better identified throughout the collection as I often found myself losing track of which perspective it was I was reading from. I did really enjoy the imagery and atmosphere created through the dual voices and found the talk of depression, anxiety, growth and learning who you are – plus talk about some of the struggles facing younger generations in the current day to be very raw and real, as well as relatable.
What I Should’ve Texted is a collection of words that have been buried. A spill of hidden thoughts that never made their way out.
This collection from poet Pierre Alex Jeanty is a beautiful expression of the unspoken things that needed to be said and must leave our lips as we attempt to close chapters that we were forced to abandon.
Whether you are looking for closure from past heartbreaks or trying to make sense of your feelings and emotions during a current one, What I Should’ve Texted will help you give life to the thoughts that never got a chance to escape.
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Rating: 4 out of 5.
Pretty much everyone has had a breakup that was difficult to go through, or an ex who refused to cut the connection. This poetry collections examines words that a person might have swallowed down as they went through the grief and healing from a severed relationship. The collection itself is a journey, with signs of slow resolution on the part of the author as they moved past a relationship that in a lot of ways is portrayed as very toxic. As it progresses you can see the catharsis, realizations and boundaries that are being set by the author. It was very real and raw in it’s portrayal and something I think most people can identify with in some way.
A siren song of queerness, disability, and myth, these poems reinvent love, life, and death. BEAUTIFUL MALADY is an exploration of pain, weaving speculative poems about fairy tales, folklore, fantasy, and the supernatural with the reality of chronic illness and disability. Ennis Rook Bashe deftly creates a world where the broken body is beautiful.
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Rating: 5 out of 5.
I thought the combination of fantasy/speculative with talk of disability was interesting, so was glad to pick this one up. I found the poems themselves to be beautifully worded and full of imagery – they definitely draw you in so that you are invested. Sometimes the talk of disability (though the inclusion is appreciated) can seem awkward or out of place, but here it was seamless. Whether the poems be about fighting against prejudices etc. or living within your disability, they were full of authenticity and heart.
Bestselling poet, writer, and Instagram sensation Nikita Gill returns with a collection of poetry and prose exploring Hindu mythology and legend.
Let her be a little less human, a little more divine Give her heart armor so it doesn’t break as easily as mine
Meet Paro. A girl with a strong will, a full heart, and much to learn. Born into a family reeling from the ruptures of Partition in India, we follow her as she crosses the precarious lines between childhood, teenage discovery, and realizing her adult self. In the process, Paro must confront fear, desire and the darkest parts of herself in the search for meaning and, ultimately, empowerment.
Nikita Gill’s vivid poetry and beautiful illustrations have captured hearts and imaginations–but in The Girl and the Goddess, she offers us her most personal and deeply felt writing to date: an intimate coming-of-age story told in linked poems that offers a look into the Hindu mythology and rich cultural influences that helped her become the woman she is today.
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Rating: 5 out of 5.
I have loved everything I’ve ready from Nikita Gill so far and this one was no different. I’ve had it since release, but was holding on to it for the perfect time. I am both sad and happy that I put it off, simply because it ended up being so beautiful. I loved Paro’s story as she grew up and dealt with so many joys and hardships, things were done to her that she didn’t understand and had to process. At pivotal points in her life she was visited by divine entities who told her stories/lessons. Paro’s voice is beautiful to read through as she ages from baby to adolescent to adult and all the lessons she learns not just from her nightly visits, but from her life experiences and the people around her.
I didn’t know much about Partition in India or Hindu mythology and appreciated the insight shared on both in this book. It’s hard not to keenly feel for Paro, especially with Gill’s expertly written poetry and prose.
Our lives are made up of delicate, fragile pieces. Time, memories, ever-changing versions of ourselves. Things so easy to break. To waste. To lose.
Breakable Things is an open letter to the small, sometimes seemingly insignificant pieces of our lives that oftentimes turn out to be what’s most important in the end.
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Rating: 5 out of 5.
Having read all of Katie Wismer’s poetry collections I would definitely say that there is a progression from the first to this one and this one is by far her best in my opinion. All of them deal with different stages in life, or different situations. While all of them have resonated with me, this one was the easiest for me to identify with. The different sections of the collection tied together well, while obviously being different stages of not only life, but a transition and adjustment to changes in life.
From the bestselling & award-winning poetess, amanda lovelace, comes the finale of her illustrated duology, “things that h(a)unt.” In the first installment, to make monsters out of girls, lovelace explored the memory of being in a toxic romantic relationship. In to drink coffee with a ghost, lovelace unravels the memory of the complicated relationship she had with her now-deceased mother.
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Rating: 4 out of 5.
This was perhaps my least favorite of Amanda Lovelace’s poetry collections, but only because there weren’t as many poems that I could identify with, so I didn’t feel the same kindship with them. That doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy it, just that I didn’t feel it the same way I’ve felt with her other collections. Definite trigger warnings for toxic parental relationships, death of a parent, self harm and more. The images that accompanied the poems were also beautiful and suited the poetry and theme of the collection. As always the writing and progression of the collection was stellar and kept me engaged throughout the read.
In her new standalone poetry collection, flower crowns & fearsome things, bestselling & award-winning poetess Amanda Lovelace explores the complexity of femininity through alternating wildflower & wildfire poems.
Within these pages, you will find that each of us has the ability to be both soft & fierce at the same time. there is no need to choose one or the other.
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Rating: 4 out of 5.
I was excited when I saw that Amanda Lovelace was coming out with a new collection, and seeing the theme of it – the duality of Persephone/women, really got me interested. I really enjoyed the back and forth play between the two voices as the collection progressed. The illustrated pages of the two perspectives also had an impact. There are definitely trigger warnings for domestic abuse, rape, sexism and more, but there is a page in the beginning that gives a list. All in all this is another solid collection to add to your library if you are a fan of Amanda Lovelace’s poetry.
In Where Hope Comes From: poems for a broken world, Instagram superstar and poet Nikita Gill returns to her roots with her most personal collection yet. Sharing a number of poems that she wrote when the world went into lockdown, this collection will include the phenomenal Love in the Time of Coronavirus which was shared across social media over 20,000 times, as well as her poems of strength and hope How to Be Strong and Silver Linings. This collection will be fully illustrated by Nikita with beautiful line-drawings, and moves her into an exciting new space in the market as she tackles themes such as mental health and loneliness.
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Rating: 5 out of 5.
Nikita Gill is pretty much my favorite modern poet, so it was no surprise that I pre-ordered this as soon as I heard it was coming out. As someone who was also deemed high risk who has stayed home for the last 15 months to protect myself, this one hit especially close to home for me. This collection hit on so many things I thought, felt and went through in the last 15 months. It highlights not just depression, anxiety, loss of loved ones and more, but also the loneliness and isolation many people have felt. I loves the language she used and the range in poems, as well as the wonderful watercolor illustrations. This is a very hard hitting collection, so it talks of the subjects I mentioned are triggering for you I would proceed with caution, but it’s a wonderful read.
The Wandering Wordsmith 