Tag: poetry review

Book Review: Haiku (2023)

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Haiku by E.M. McConnell

The world quiets slow
As the call to write beckons
Another world looms

I think this is my favourite of McConnell’s poetry collections so far! I really enjoy haikus and this collection had so many wonderful ones. It must also be noted that this book is just pretty. The little pictures placed on every section divider were so lovely and really helped situate each series of themes focused on by the haikus. I’m very big on poetry with aesthetics and I simply adored this one. It made for a very easy, very pleasing light read and I wholly recommend haiku and poetry fans check this collection out!

Thank you to the author for a paperback edition of this collection for review.



Check out my master list of book reviews here, and my indie book reviews with the genres labelled here.

Review Roundup

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Acrostic by E.M. McConnell 

Witch they call me
Ill-mannered I call them
Claw of dragon, powdered newt
Kriss-krossing hexes here and there
Engaging with spirits, I do
Dare you tango with me, human?

I had no idea what acrostic poetry was before this. The first letters all spell down a word. Very cool! A lovely little collection of acrostic poems from McConnell!

Betty the Yeti Hates Spaghetti by Mandy R. Marx, María Antonella Fant

A very cute little tale about moving to a new city, trying new things and making friends! The drawings are utterly whimsical and I thought the Yeti family were adorable.

Grandma Says Hush, Little Baby by Shana Gorian, Patricia Kennedy, Art Portra (Illustrator)

A cute, updated twist on the classic rhyme, with colourful pictures!

Wally and the Sweet Mountain Candy Factory by Meghan Christensen

A fun, interactive book-game that encourages kids reading along with their parents to partake in various activities whilst reading, all of which are candy themed! Very cute.

Finley: A Moose on the Caboose by Candace Spizzirri

The artwork in this is super cute and the main character is a wholesome moose who just wants to see the world from onboard the train. The conductor keeps turning him away, but he’s determined to ride the rail and doesn’t give up his attempts.

Seeking Shanti by Jesse Byrd, Sandy Kaur Gill, Mónica Paola Rodriguez

A very touching story with lovely prose that teaches children about climate disasters and flooding, and how families have worked together to make it through such moments and rebuild after.

The Bridge by Eva Lindström, Annie Prime

I found myself a bit confused by this one, if I’m being honest. I got the feeling it was meant to be kinda sinister? But I’m not actually sure? Like, I feel like the wolves were setting the pig up to be murdered? But maybe the point was that it seemed super suspicious but ultimately wasn’t? Just a big fake out? It’s hard to say. I’m leaning towards sinister and dark, though.

The story is certainly thought-provoking given how short and narratively-light it is. An intriguing little read.

The Panic #1: Coffin by Neil Kleid

A comic that features commentary and references to a lot of modern political, social and health issues – BLM, the pandemic, social distancing, people not wearing their masks, people being called ‘snowflakes’ are just some examples. It’s actually rather surreal seeing these current things in a comic book (mostly cos, at least in the case of the Covid the pandemic, I’ve only seen it referenced in Superstore and Glass Onion), but the comic itself seems to be going in a different direction. Very much set amid current strife and chaos, but something new throws a very different, confrontational and divergent group of people together. Curious where it will go.

Review Roundup: The Orc Who Saved Christmas (2023), No Period (2020), She Was the Storm (2018), Super Gay (2022), Symphony of Secrets (2022)

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The Orc Who Saved Christmas by Michelle Franklin

He wasn’t frightening at all—in fact, he looked quite huggable, his muscles rounding his shoulders and arms in a way that made him seem comfortable and pleasant to sleep on.

Once again, Michelle Franklin has penned a lovely and wholesome and adorable holiday book for children! The illustrations are also top tier. I must say am utterly impressed by the artwork!

I absolutely adored Werewolves Don’t Celebrate Hanukkah – I honestly cannot recommend it enough – and I was delighted to learn that Michelle had another children’s book coming this year! SUCH LOVELY STORIES AND SUCH ADORABLE ART AND SUCH JOY OH MY GOSH! If you haven’t picked up your copy of Werewolves Don’t Celebrate Hanukkahdon’t walk, run to get it!

“And what if Father Christmas was an Orc?” Karla rejoined. “He saved our men and brought us our tree and firewood—isn’t that what Father Christmas ought to do? What’s the difference if he wears a costume or not?”

This is just such a wholesome little tale about an Orc who wants to belong and the little girl who helps him do it! It’s about broadening one’s mind and accepting others. Very sweet and kind and lovely!

I can’t wait what adorable little tale Franklin publishes next!

Thank you so much to the author for the eARC!

She Was The Storm by Cherie Avritt

the passion between us
burned hot and fast
it felt like a fairytale
that should’ve been my first
warning sign;

This is a quick read of uplifting, kind-hearted poems!

Super Gay by Jessi Hersey

Very cute! The art was super adorable and it had a lovely message. I do wish it had been a bit longer, though!

Symphony of Secrets by Mia Sanchez

I decided to replace you
With the moon

I’ve been meaning to check out Mia Sanchez’s debut poetry collection for a while now, but alas I’ve been so busy that I didn’t get to dive into it straight away. But I’m such a poetry fan and I love finding new poets so I’m glad I finally found some time recently to catch up on some of the collections I’ve picked up (also reading Roaring Twenties and Blushing Muse: Poems).

Also, I just want to say that the cover is gorgeous! I love the atmosphere and vibes and title.

What will it take for us to realize
The worth of all of this

This collection of poetry is filled with emotion and commentary on modern relationships and had some really great lines!

I will make the midnight mine

Definitely excited to see what Sanchez publishes next!

No Period by Harry Turtledove

and you come to the mournful and melancholy conclusion that, regardless of what you do to the world and its past, there is no period, no period at all, you can change that gives you any real chances of making a go of it with your ex, and that makes yet another Gedankenexperiment, this one dealing with altering the Cambrian Explosion, pretty pointless when you get right down to it,

A stream of consciousness story where a man imagines various different scenarios of how his relationships and life – and the direction of history and wars and evolution – could have gone. No full stops used! I definitely felt a little dizzy by the end, but thought it was a cool way to write a story.

Book Review Roundup

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A roundup post of some of the book reviews I’ve left recently. The genres range from a poetry book to an audiobook to a few children’s books to a short story and to a historical fiction! Check ’em out!

Rainbow’s Red Poetry Book by Lily Lawson:

When the first sign of light breaking
takes the darkness from my sight,
the dawn of early promise
shines in the blackened night.

I quite enjoyed this little book of poetry! This is my second read of Lawson’s poetry and I really enjoy their style! Looking forward to the next collection of poems!

Demon in the Wood (Grishaverse, #0) by Leigh Bardugo:

Really enjoyed this audiobook! Ben Barnes and the cast do a great job of voicing the characters. Can’t wait for season two of the show!

Blue Badger and the Beautiful Berry by Huw Lewis-Jones:

Hahah, aww, this little tale is just super cute and wholesome and berry-filled. The art is absolutely stunning and I adored the badgers being all awkward and sweet and uncertain with each other. Definitely worth checking out!

Are You a Monster? by Guilherme Karsten:

Awww, this little book is very cute with fun, colourful drawings and an adorable little monster protagonist trying to find everyone’s inner monster. A charming, interactive tale that kids will surely adore!

A Column of Fire (Kingsbridge, #3) by Ken Follett:

As ever, Follett is a masterful storyteller when it comes to blending history, romance and political intrigue. I didn’t love Column as much as I did Pillars and World Without End, but still found it a solid addition to the Kingsbridge series. I really enjoyed Ned, Sylvie and Margery’s stories in particular! Looking forward to the prequel and to book four!

How to Cook and Eat the Rich by Sunyi Dean

“Did you hear about the cannibal who was late for dinner? He got the cold shoulder!”

A dark dark dark little tale about greed and scarce resources in a polluted, destroyed future that has been ruined by those who take from those who have none to begin with, and still want more. Very well written and the twist was WHOA.

Poetry Review: A Graceless & Flourishing Heart (2023)

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A Graceless & Flourishing Heart by Lauren Eve

I’ve been looking forward to reading Lauren Eve’s work for a while now and I was so flattered when she asked me to read an ARC of her collection! Oh my gosh, it’s so pretty. Not just the gorgeous poems, but it’s aesthetically pleasing, too. And the photography complements the poetry in a really lovely way. A E S T H E T I C S, yanno? *chef’s kiss*

It’s so hard to pick a favourite poem in here because so many of them stood out to me and I would probably quote almost every poem (!), but honestly there’s so much to like about these poems from start to finish. I shall settle for sharing this one:

Gold and purple beads scattered
on the sidewalk of New Orleans
abandoned cocktail glasses
left in that hipster bar in Zurich
a forgotten paperback half
in the sands of Como’s beach
remnants of us remain
everywhere but here.

Overall I found this to be a lovely debut by a new poet and this is definitely a book fellow poetry fans should check out! I can’t wait to read Eve’s next book!

Thank you to the author for an ARC.

Poetry Review: Love Lost and Found (2022)

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Love Lost And Found by E.M. McConnell

Love does not need to be
Performed on a stage
For hungry watchers
With gleaming eyes
And emptied hearts

This is my introduction to E.M. McConnell’s poetry and it definitely won’t be my last! These poems are well crafted, moving and thoughtful, focusing largely on deep, personal moments and struggles.

And that is what hurts me
That you sharpen the moments
And point them straight at me

This collection, though filled with individual poems, forms a story of sorts. One of a life filled with love and life changing experiences, the painful and the wonderful, the hardships and the joys. I really appreciated how honest and poignant and raw these poems are – poems on life, love, loss, relationships and more. McConnell’s experiences create a collection of emotional poems that are relatable and touching.

I did not mean to tell you
That I loved you
My words fell unbidden from my lips
And you gathered them up
As if diamonds were scattered
At your feet.
You valued those words
And honoured them so
But I think you did not know
That I uttered those words
But I did not know what they mean.

Poetry fans should definitely check out this collection!

Poetry Review: while the rest of the world dances (2022)

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while the rest of the world dances by Bryony Rosehurst

two ghosts dance
through concrete
cemetery gates
on a cold October night

I’ve been waiting for Bryony Rosehurst’s poetry collection from the moment she first announced it on Twitter and I’m so glad to finally dive in! This is an incredibly poignant, emotional, touching, relatable collection of poems and prose that focuses on life, love, mental health and personal struggles, and much, much more.

So many of the poems herein really struck me on an emotional level, and I related to so many of them, but this one really stood out to me.

she is a cracked teacup
without a saucer,
stained with age,
faded by strangers’ lips,
leaning lifelessly in
a row of pristine china.
they send her back,
ask for another cup.
this one’s been used already,
this one’s no good.
now she gathers dust.

Rosehurst’s poetry is simply wonderful! Definitely check out this collection! I can’t wait to read more from this truly talented voice!

Poetry Review: Scarlet Shadows (2019)

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Scarlet Shadows by Scylla Grand

‘the woman fed us wine and bread
and hungry, I should eat my fill
but food so fine could not be mine
I ate, but I was starving still.’

All I could think about whilst reading this collection was John Keats and ‘Bright Star’, haha. Good poetry makes me think of good poetry, what can I say?

Like, I am absolutely in awe of Scylla Grand’s poetry. I mean:

‘I shudder and rip
the skin off my flesh –
illusory mesh
decided by script.’

How amazing are these quotes? I wanted to post more, but I think you should just get a copy and be as pleasantly surprised as I was! Honestly, I am blown away by this collection of poetry. It’s quite short, but the poems are positively exquisite. I’m a bit of a poetry fangirl anyways, but goodness, these are great. Definitely worth checking out!!

Thank you to the author for a review copy.

Poetry Review: Golden Threads (2021)

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Golden Threads: Collection of Poetry by Stjepan Varesevac Cobets

Someone forgot about us,
And we spread like weeds

I’m a huge fan of poetry, in all its wonderful forms and rhythms and it is a truth universally acknowledged that I must try as much poetry as I can.

I had Stjepan Varesevac Cobets’ science fiction added to my reading list already, but I only realised today that he has poetry, too! So I was really curious to check out his poems and dove right in. They’re fantastic! Like, freaking awesome. So many lines grabbed me!

There were a lot of great themes and strong descriptions. Cobets’ poems really remind me of Sean Stevens’ poetry, actually, which I whole heartedly recommend as well! It’s so great stumbling across new awesome poets. \o/

A few of my favourite lines in this collection are:

On the other side of the echo
One woman is standing upright
And watching the sea,
Waiting

And,

And what would a wish be without silk, lace and scarlet?

And,

For in sorrow, no one should be alone.

Can’t wait to read Cobets’ other poetry! The Flaming Horses: Collection of Poetry is one I’m hoping to check out soon!