Review: Inheritance

May 8, 2022Leave a comment

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Rating: ★★★★★

I received a copy of this book for free from the publisher for promotional purposes.

This was a beautifully illustrated and powerful poem!

Being a huge poetry lover, I surprisingly have not read any of Elizabeth Acevedo’s previous works. I’ve heard countless amazing things about her work, so I was excited to finally read something by her. I was not disappointed!

The poem was short yet so impactful. It beautifully highlighted the struggles of natural hair as well as the complexities of being Afro-Latinidad. It’s personal, real, and authentic, which are all qualities I look for when reading poetry.

Since it is a visual poem, I have to talk about the illustrations and the role they played. The illustrations were gorgeous. They were so colorful, bold, and vibrant. They complemented the poem and its message very well. I can tell a lot of thought went into the illustrations. For example, some of the words are written in cursive which mimics the curves and coils of curly hair.

Overall, I highly recommend this little book! Get it for yourself, or gift it to a friend who loves poetry and/or Elizabeth Acevedo (I cannot reiterate how stunning this book is. It would make a great gift).

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Review: Far From The Shallow

April 12, 2022April 12, 2022Leave a comment

Rating: ★★★★

I received a copy of this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review.

The thing I love most about poetry is how personal it can be. This collection was the epitome of that. I could tell that every poem came from the heart.

I really liked the water theme that was woven throughout the poems. It made the collection very cohesive.

The end included a note from the author that further explained the meaning behind the collection. The author’s note really helped bring the collection full circle.

My one critique is that I would have liked to see the poems divided into sections. A lot of poetry collections, especially ones centering around trauma and healing, often use sections to help guide the reader through their journey. The poems clearly told a story and sections (perhaps one dealing with water) would have elevated the book even more.

I loved a lot of the poems. Here is a list of the ones that really stood out to me:

Lilac Notes (pg. 12)
Needle and Thread (pg. 21)
Peace in the Rain (pg. 24)
Blooming (pg. 32)
My Guardian Angel (pg. 34)
Brave (pg. 56)
Lost Girl (pg. 72)
Recollections of Unlearning (pg. 75)
Natural Love (pg. 80)
Irreplaceable (pg. 88)
Abandoned (pg. 99)
You’re Not Alone (pg. 102)
Write Your Way (pg. 105)
Be Mindful (pg. 110)
Her Love (pg. 112)
Bouquet (pg. 120)
Break Free (pg. 125)
A Bright Girl (pg. 156)
Nostalgia (pg. 159)
A Rare Soul (pg. 166)
Peace (pg. 171)
Dreamer (pg. 189)
Moonflower (pg. 193)
Dear Gentle Soul (pg. 202)

Overall, this was a powerful poetry collection!

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Review: When the Bee Stings

May 12, 2021May 12, 2021Leave a comment

Rating: ★★★★★

I received a copy of this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Last year, I read the author’s other book, This Woman is Still Girl, and enjoyed it, so I of course wanted to read her newest collection. It did not disappoint!

The growth from her other book to this one is so apparent. I liked her other book (I gave it 4 stars), but this one took it to the next level. IT tackles a wide range of topics from heartbreak to mental health. Every poem hits the right note. It’s raw. It’s real. It’s authentic. It’s inspiring.

So many of the poems resonated with me. Here is a list of my favorites:

When I Wear Red Lipstick (pg. 10)
All The Stupid Things I Considered After The Breakup (pg. 12)
Heartbreak Survival Guide (pg. 18)
Walk Away (pg. 33)
Hunters (pg. 38)
Sunday Service (pg. 40)
Faith (pg. 54)
Inside Voices (pg. 59)
When The Bee Stings (pg. 61)
What I Live For (pg. 78)
My Own Advice (pg. 83)
Coloring Outside The Lines (pg. 87)
Hope Will Be The Shelter (pg. 92)
Catch Fire (pg. 94)
Winter (pg. 105)
Thankful (pg. 110)
My Honest Poem (pg. 117)
On Her Own Terms (pg. 128)
Your Body Is Poetry (pg. 138)
No One Tells You (pg. 241)
Women’s Evolution (pg. 151)

Overall, this was a stunning collection of poetry that comes from the heart!

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Review: The Lamps of History

February 1, 2021Leave a comment

Rating: ★★★

I received this book for free from the author as part of an Instagram review tour with TLC Book Tours.

I find that poetry is always the toughest genre to review. It is so personal and subjective that it is hard to critique it in the same way as prose. Because of this, poetry can be a hit or a miss and that is how I felt about this book. It is hard to put into words exactly what I thought about this book.

This was a very interesting collection of poetry that didn’t quite resonate with me. There were some poems that I liked but others I didn’t really get. I felt like I missed some of the references in some pieces and struggled to make out exactly what the poem was about. That being said I still enjoyed some of the poems. My favorites were:

Lokshen Kugel (pg. 12)
When Literature Made Something Happen (pg. 18)
After the Party, We… (pg. 20)
Thought Thread (pg. 30)
Garlic Press (pg. 44)
All Souls’ Day (pg. 48)
Iridescence (pg. 49)
Acnestis (pg. 53)
Knock (pg. 58)
Still: Softening Stale Bread (pg. 59)
Cenobite (pg. 76)
After Certitude (pg. 89)

Overall, this collection wasn’t my kind of poetry but I’m sure others would love and resonate with it.

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Review: Violet Bent Backwards Over the Grass

December 15, 2020Leave a comment

Rating: ★★★★★

First I just have to preface this review by saying that I am a huge fan of Lana Del Rey. She is one of my all time favorite singers and I’ve been in love with her music for years. I’ve always resonated well with her songs so that made me super eager to read her poetry.

This poetry collection is very atmospheric. Reading the poems is like being transported to a sunny and dreamy day in LA. It’s very on brand for Lana Del Rey.

I liked how a lot of the poems had substance. A lot of poetry collections nowadays have very short poems so I was glad to see that this one had long ones. I really liked how a lot of the longer poems told a story.

Additionally, I liked how there were some haikus (my favorite type of poem) and that they were separated in their own section.

The book itself is also incredibly gorgeous. Throughout the book are photos taken by Lana Del Rey herself. The photos are really beautiful and add to the overall vibe of the collection. The poems themselves are presented exactly as Lana had typed them out making the book feel really personal.

Lastly, I loved the Notes For A Poet section, which was a lined section where the reader could write their own thoughts/notes/poems. I thought that was just a brilliant touch.

Overall, I loved the poems in this collection just as much as I loved the overall presentation of the book!

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Review: The Places We Sleep

June 26, 2020Leave a comment

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Rating: ★★★★

I received an ARC of this book for free from Books Forward in exchange for an honest review.

I was really intrigued by this book because it centers on 9/11. I was only 6 years old when it happened so I never truly felt the magnitude of it.

This book did an amazing job detailing how 9/11 rocked everyone’s world. You saw how 12 year old Abbey felt. You saw how her mom reacted to finding out her sister went missing during the attack. You saw her dad’s military response to it. You saw how regular civilians felt about the possibility of war. You saw racial prejudices exhibited by Abbey’s classmates to a fellow student. The book covered a range of experiences.

This is a novel in verse so the entire book was written in poetry. As a whole, I thought the poems were well done. However, I would have loved if the poems had titles. Instead, they were numbered. Sometimes titles can help enhance the poem and create a bigger impact. But on the flip side, having no titles made the book more novel like. It reads very smoothly because of that. At times, it didn’t even feel like you’re were reading poetry because you get sucked into the story.

Plot-wise, I wanted a little more, especially towards the end. I wanted there to be a little more development with some of the supporting characters. Even though this book centers on 9/11, it is also a coming of age story. One of the things that gets explored is periods. I am happy that this book did not shy away from showing girls getting their period for the first time.

Overall, I recommend this book to anyone looking to learn more about the American reaction to 9/11. This book is aimed towards middle grade readers but can still be enjoyed by adults.

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Review: Walk With Wings

June 18, 2020June 19, 2020Leave a comment

Rating: ★★★★★

I received a copy of this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review.

This was such an inspiring poetry collection!

The book is divided into 5 sections each with its own theme. My favorite was Monsoon Love, which was the shortest section but it was filled with love poems. I have a thing for romantic poems. I am such a sucker for them. A lot of poems from this section reminded me of Michael Faudet and Lang Leav’s poetry. The following sections were very reminiscent of Rupi Kaur and Amanda Lovelace’s poetry. So if you like any of those poets, you’ll probably like this one.

I had a lot of favorite poems. Here is the list of my favorites:

I Write To Heal (pg 5)
Missing You (pg 9)
Synchronization (pg 10)
Love Song (pg 13)
Forever (pg 17)
True Colors (pg 24)
Makeup (pg 33)
Heartbite (pg 34)
Masking Pain (pg 36)
Dying Love (pg 38)
Almost Right (pg 39)
Caged (pg 40)
Numb (pg 47)
Still I Dream (pg 51)
Bitter Trials (pg 53)
Blessings (pg 61)
A Letter To My Natural Hair (pg 65)
Celebrate Yourself (pg 71)
No Ordinary Woman (pg 75)
Rejection (pg 78)
Girl Power (pg 87)
Girl Boss (pg 98)
Irreplaceable (pg 107)
Love Hurts (pg 108)
Shit Happens (pg 109)
Inner Battles (pg 111)
Situationship (pg 114)
Dignity (pg 118)
Love Exists (pg 123)
Someone’s Favorite (pg 124)
Introvert (pg 131)
Self-Development (pg 151)
Partnership (pg 160)

It’s a lot, I know! I just loved all the bits of wisdom in these poems. The whole collection was very uplifting and positive. It’s a great book to read after a heartbreak or just when you’re down.

Overall, I loved this collection!

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Review: Beauty Mark

June 16, 2020June 19, 2020Leave a comment

Rating: ★★★★

I received an ARC of this book for free from the publisher (Candlewick Press) in exchange for an honest review.

I’m a fairly new Marilyn Monroe fan. I’ve only seen “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” and “How To Marry A Millionaire” and loved her in both of those. I was so excited to read this because I wanted to learn more about her. I knew she had a tragic life and this book dove right into it.

This novel in verse goes through Marilyn’s entire life, starting from when she was a kid to a few weeks before her death. All aspects of her life are explored, painting a stunning portrait of this complicated woman.

As for the poems themselves, some of them were amazing but some fell a little flat. A novel in verse is a little harder to write since it does tell a story, so that is forgivable.

Some of my favorite poems were:

Stand Still (pg 2)
From Wonderland to Oz (pg 26)
Baby Siren (pg 56)
Dare I Wish? Dare I Dream? (Pg 75)
Blondes Prefer Gentle Men (pg 106)
No Pink Tights But a Gold Band (pg 114)
I Got Rhythm (pg 124)
Don’t Judge a Book by Its Cover (pg 128)
Living Up to My Name (pg 136)
No One Malady (pg 137)
Miscarriage Blues (pg 150)
Dogs Are a Girl’s Best Friend (pg 162)
Secrets of Style (pg 164)
Rx: “Vitamins” (pg 169)
The Kennedys (pg 175)
Who Is Marilyn Monroe? (pg 178)
Epilogue (pg 181)

I really liked that there was a poem about how she helped Ella Fitzgerald (I Got Rhythm). I am happy that was highlighted. I also loved the whole poem dedicated to Marilyn’s love of reading (Don’t Judge a Book by Its Cover). I’ve always loved that she was a bookworm. Lastly, the last poem (Epilogue) was a clever way to end the book. That poem just consisted of a series of headlines relating to Marilyn after 1962, which gave you a glimpse of her lasting legacy and mystique.

Overall, this was a fascinating take on the life of Marilyn. If you’re Marilyn fan, or just want to learn more about her, I recommend reading this book. It’s a quick read but it does leave a big impact!

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Review: Somebody Give This Heart a Pen

June 8, 2020June 19, 20202 Comments

Rating: ★★★★★

I received an ARC of this book for free from the publisher (Candlewick Press) in exchange for an honest review.

This book of poetry was written by a performance poet and it shows!

I’ve never read a collection by a performance poet before, so it took a little getting used to at first. But once I got the hang of it, I loved it! Just reading the poems on paper doesn’t do it justice. I actually ended up watching some of her performances on YouTube, including a few of the poems from this book. She really is a talent!

I had a lot of favorites, especially from the Break section. My favorites were:

Excerpt from a Letter to My Little Black Girl (pg 12)
the leaders won’t (pg 23)
Fearmongering (pg 25)
Risky Nostalgia (pg 41)
How We Got Here, Part 20 (pg 49)
Whipped on You (pg 54)
Trust Issues (pg 58)
Slow Sky, Move On By (pg 63)
Scary Everyone (pg 64)
Fidgeting (pg 66)
Let Hurt (pg 68)
from God (pg 81)
When to Write (pg 98)

I loved how authentic her poems felt. I could feel her emotions and experiences very vividly. I liked that some of the poems touched upon being black in the UK. In “the leaders won’t,” she name checks Black British people (Damilola, Stephen Lawrences, and Mark Duggan specifically) who were all killed in racially motivated attacks. #BlackLivesMatter everywhere. Being an American I had not heard of these deaths before so I’m so glad she said their names.

Overall, this was a phenomenal collection and I look forward to seeing what else Sophia Thakur puts out.

Below are some of the poems from the book performed by Sophia Thakur herself!

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Review: Cracked Marble

June 4, 2020Leave a comment

Rating: ★★★★★

I received a copy of this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review.

This was such an emotional poetry collection!

This collection is focused on heartbreak and healing and the author just pours her heart on every page. Books like this is why I love poetry. It’s real. It’s raw. It’s unfiltered. It’s emotion on a page. I can tell that every poem came from deep inside her.

There is also a good mix of prose in the collection which I loved. The prose was just as strong as the poems and added variety to the book.

Some of my favorite pieces were:

East Coast (pg 23)
Grievance (pg 43)
For the people who fall in love with potential (pg 59)
Past me (pg 106)
You have what it takes (pg 110)
On behalf of him (pg 111)
Re-connect (pg 142)

I also loved that she made the reader a part of the book. At the end she has a little note to the reader where she describes the book being a conversation. I found that to be a really nice touch and made me feel really connected to the poems.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this collection of poetry and prose. If you are looking for a poetry book that packs an emotional punch, then read this one!

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