All The Bridges I Could Not Burn by Autumn Graves

This was a great collection of poetry looking at the breakup of a couple and feelings towards the end of that relationship and the impact it has. Breaking Points, how as good a relationship is it all falls apart and you're left feeling hurt in the aftermath of it all. The Things I Lost Trying To Keep You, from basic yet essential things, like sleep to deeper core values and feelings. The Last Bridge, about being strong enough to leave and not go back, ever. Aftermath, again following a breakup and just surviving the ensuing silence or emptiness around you after it ends. This poetry collection will definitely have some relatable points to you if you're dealing or have dealt with losing someone you love in any way.

All The Ways I Love by Autumn Graves

This collection details all the thoughts and feelings you can experience growing up feeling you're wrong from others judgements being cast onto or directed towards you. A few stand out poems to me were, Middle Ground, detailing how people can try to judge you one way or the other. Trying to label you like in the poem, Coming Out, again, how you have to sometimes have to explain your sexuality multiple times to people over and over again trying to justify why you feel how you do. They Ask For Proof, an open look at how people will question how for sure you are knowing how you identify how you say not seeing that being alive and feeling is actually enough. Choosing Me, Every Time, was a great companion poem to the latter above, showing how every time chosing yourself, is pleasing yourself as people come and go whereas you're stuck with yourself for life. It was a great in depth collection looking fully at the cycle of crushes, loving, learning and accepting who you are despite what others may think.

The Heart's Quiet by Jovienne Rose

This poetry collection focuses on a relationship or friendship formed through the gym as many people in life especially these days meet that way. Some stand out poems to me were: Silent Gravity, about the pull of being in someone's orbit you feel drawn to. Shared Silence and The Strength In Silence, how you can hold space and love for someone and never cross the line and blur friendship into love. It is a collection I feel many of us will relate to heavily, how you can form many bonds in the place of a gym where you all are hoping to make progress in multiple ways of life at the same time, making friends, forming relationships, healing your mental or physical health.

The Unbearable Weight Of Remembering by Soraya

This was a poetic telling of a relationship falling apart through infidelity. A tough subject but all too relatable especially as teens I feel as this book focuses on now in love and also flashes forward to predict how the future could've played out turning a blind eye, yet, as the title says, it is unbearable to ignore, weighing you down. It was a book to make you reflect on life and find inspiration in yourself to look after and discover who you are.

She Drinks In The Morning Now by Autumn Graves

This was a hard hitting collection of poetry which Autumn bravely and very openly discusses growing up in an alcoholic and abusive household where her and her siblings were sadly not treated properly and details how as their parents aged, they forgot the trauma they caused their children as well as how they then had to be cared for by the only child, Autumn, left with that burden solely on her shoulders despite the years she endured, it was a very brave collection of poetry to find the strength to share it is very bold and brave indeed and I know so many others will understand Autumn's emotion story too. A couple of stand out poems to me were: Inventory, a poem about the alcohol seeming more important than the children in a household growing up, to the point the children know what it is too and how mum needs it to cope. Photograph, a poem about seeing beyond the face value of a seemingly happy family portrait, just seeing instead her dad's abuse which led to the siblings around her leaving and her mother's drinking to worsen in time. A bold collection of poetry that will leave you reflecting on your life growing up especially and appreciating what you had or feeling what you lacked when you needed it.

The Moon Doesn't Know You're Gone by Autumn Graves

This book of poetry was great at showing how grief can linger in your life after loss. Some really great and relatable poems I found in this collection were: A Grief Like This, falling apart in quiet normal life moments. When I Dream Of You, trying to still be able to reach them, even if you can't now physically. The Sound Of Your Name, how people can stop reacting to hearing the name of your beloved person after they've gone whereas to you it's still heartbreaking to hear someone say their name. The Grocery Store, how suddenly seeing items they loved and you'd buy can be a sad emotional trigger even in public, tears can come. The Quiet Things, how items around the house of theirs remain like they could walk back in at any moment. The title too, I really love, the moon a witness only to the night-time when we can feel deeply and be seen then by it sometimes immersed in the sadness we feel deeply.

She Was The Storm by Cherie Avritt

This was a wonderful little poetry book written with mainly short verse/stanza format. This collection focuses on appreciating the love you get, the positives from that and knowing when something isn't reciprocal and is just weighing you down to cut lose from to heal and grow with knowledge and experience. The collection encourages you to find your inner strength and realise the beauty you are oblivious to even holding. A great debut collection I hope we get more from the author in future!

The Sun Will Rise and So Will We by Jennae Cecelia

This collection was written during 2020 in the pandemic and is about appreciation for and embracing all life moments, finding the joy in simple daily living and putting yourself first in situations to feel happier and more content. One particular poem about Anxiety, how you can worry on something you said or did ages ago lingers in your mind really resonated with me as I have many times over my life even thought of moments from years gone by and still anxiety can linger.

Kimmy Carson Is Not Scared by C.H. Williams

Kimmy was looking forward to her school's Halloween event, only, upon announcement of a horror maze, she's filled with the dread of being unable to partake due to her heart condition. Used to a life of safety with her over protective mum using guidelines as hard set rules you have to comply by to stay feeling fine, instead, Kimmy starts feeling suffocated and explores painting and skating with friends over her mum's safety hobbies of ballet and chess. This book was all about compromise at the heart of wanting to just explore your own passions fearlessly embracing the opportunities and learning to compromise in trusting each other having good intentions in your best interest.

Whispers of Autumn: Poems of Fall & Halloween by Leah Melcher

As Autumn has arrived it feels like the perfect time to read this collection. Golden Horizon, a poem about the beauty of the sky changing in new days in the seasons as they come ago with rich colours. The part of Ghosts and Hauntings, was a cleverly writren chapter of poetry which I enjoyed all the poems and each stanza poem tells a short story almost to feel immersed in the seasons awakening emotions good and bad, past and present. A fantastic emotive collection of how changing seasons can bring positive and negative emotions to the surface as the world around us adapts changing and grows through the seasons.

Let Me Tell You Why by Carrie-Anne Riding

This was a beautiful collection of poetry about the power of the right relationship feeling easy and falling in love is feeling safe and never guessing how the other feels about you after being hurt or betrayed by lies and cheating the title absolutely fitting the collection as it details the past pain to discovering why the author felt how they did until the right love came along. A tender and truthful collection of poetry.

She Deserves Better by Bryn Tandon

This poetry collection focuses on the healing from a toxic relationship and all the ways you come into yourself again rediscovering what you enjoy, discovering new things you enjoy, reuniting with people left in the aftermath of the relationship becoming and the undoing reuniting you showing with loss of one person can welcome others back in. I also really enjoyed the fact the collection was written by a man and his understanding of the subject cane from listening to the women around him to write this collection so beautifully in my opinion the world needs more men who see from the perspective of women healing from abusive relationships and this is a fantastic collection to recommend.

When Our Hearts Collide by Brandon Deem

This was a beautiful poetry collection looking at relationships of love kept and lost with photographs to annotate the poems discussion points too. A poem that stood out to me the most from this collection was: There's More To Life Than Heartbreak, about finding joy in life even in hard and dark times, learn to appreciate the beauty in every day things you see or do, a poem I think all of us will be able to relate to.

These Are The Apologies We Never Said by Miranda Noel

This is a clever poetry collection, set talking about people in the author's life who owe them apologies for various reasons. Cocktail of a broken heart, a poem about all the ways that the breakup of a relationship can effect you short and long term. The main themes of the collection were parental love, romantic love, which scars, drowns you in tears, not be adoring or improves life when together, it was just an honest recollection of how you can feel after situations.

Spotted by Bekki Diefendorf

Ruthie has grown up surrounded by the 'piles' her mum keeps in the house despite her sister moving out to be with her dad away from their mum's hoarding obsession Ruthis tries to keep to herself to not let anyone know how she's having to grow up. That is until she meets Trey, a boy who notices Ruthie and helps her see, it's about a person's nature, how they treat you and not judge you. I love the title for Ruthie being noticed after trying to just exist by fading into the background unnoticed and then for Ruthie, a circle patch of vitiligo appears playing into the title again too the dual use of the title very clever I also enjoyed the book being written in verse style too it flowed really well and kept me engrossed in the story.

Autumn's Splendor by Julie Kusma

This was a beautiful collection of poems celebrating the joy each season contains and brings with it moving in. Rustle, about the beauty of autumn's falling leaves and Memories, both poems talking of enjoying nature and being united together. Weather Man, was a fun playful poem about the weather and listening to each other. I liked the images between poems too, simply black on white, as if scanned in a photocopier, raw and real, with simple white text quotes placed over them.

Bubblegum Heart by Quazaye Konkel

This poetry collection is set across four parts, Loving, Losing, Letting Go and Learning. Memory Box was a touching poem about remembering your shared times and memories that mean so much or meant so much looking back. Bubblegum Heart, the titular poem of the collection was built on such a simple but much felt concept about when love falls apart and the feelings you endure. The Hardest Goodbye, was a stunning poem summing up how a break up can leave you feeling changed from the person you were before and how it's hard to let a version of you go too that you became foe better or worse. It was a beautiful collection of poetry tellign the story of falling in and out of love the effects and emottions felt and you have to deal with in the aftermath of it falling apart. A deep feeling collection of poetry.

Dear Love by Charles McEnerney & Adam Larson

This book intrigued me by the title and I was kindly allowed to review a copy. It's a simple layout of bold bright backgrounds, rich vibrant red and black for devotion and love on the cover before we even look into the book. The book uses brighter, lighter colours and text, yellow shades flowing through green, purple to red and with a mix of white to black text, to make the flow of text desiring to take on adventures and share moments together. It could easily be used not just as a sweet gift, but a book to use to pick a date night or even by chance or choice together as a fun adaptation of how to use it not just read it straight through as advice or a guide but with intention for couple's too adding a deeper meaningful intention with it.

Healing For No One But Me by Jennae Cecelia

As the title says these poems are reflective on past hurt to process, accept and move onwards in life. There's some great poems about the happy medium of letting people in so far but stopping investing fully after being hurt so bad before. Another touching poem shares a view point I often ponder whether in a shop or passing someone on the street, I think, what is their hidden pain the story weighing them down past or present, the scar they hold forever more, we should all be a little more patient with each other, as the poem suggested never just assume they're a burden to you at that moment. They May Be/They May Seem, another great poem pondering our lives in comparison with others and how we all are just going at our own life's pace and shouldn't compare or feel we have to justify our own pace and way of life to anyone but us.

Rebuilding Scabs by L.Q. Murphy

This poetry collection looked at the impacts of growing up and going through bad times and how it can leave you wounded but you can be resilient and heal by continuing on living and not giving up despite the scars you carry. The collection had some great rhyming verses and rhyming couplets and good common sense thinking poetry about daily life and the poem, My Mistake, about trusting your instincts and embracing life was my favourite of this collection.

Please Love Me at My Worst by Michaela Angemeer

This collection of poetry was so honest and deeply moving showing how growing up and through childhood craving or desiring the love to be seen and understood gently and cared for deeply it also discusses in multiple poems, how we pick out our imperfections and talk down to ourselves, friendship breakups that can hurt as deep as a love relationship breakup and how desiring love if unrequited can leave you sad and feeling stung as well as poems too discussing growing up wondering and claiming your sexuality as you get to know yourself too. It was a well rounded collection of poems covering most life issues you experience growing up in depth.

Kisses In The Night by Zak

This collection was a short look at life and love written with multiple languages inside too being English, Arabic and I believe French and Spanish. It was very short collection with only a handful of poems, a couple of short ones and a longer one but feel it could've included more to flow deeper into the subjects and layout the story of the couple better, however, the poetry included was well written and I hope there's more to come in future!

Clouds On The Ground by Autumn Williams

The story of how the book came to be was a fascinating concept as Autumn's struggle with M.E, has inspired the collection after she became bed bound. My aunt has M.E too and I felt drawn to read the collection pondered on how feelings between each warrior fighring to continue life in a some what normal enough way experiences. Using poetry as therapy and for escape, set across the seasons in sections focusing on nature and the renewal of it's life each season as it progresses in it's journey. Spring, the awakening, the hope, growth, all spoke deeply to me about the way we all grow and our journey's move in different ways to each other. It was a great collection and especially being as a collection for escapism was brilliant and immersive in it's emotive poetic flow, fabulous.

In The Absence Of The Sun by Emily Curtis

A beautiful debut collection of poetry capturing many moments of life, tender, true, emotional, at times a bit dark linking nicely to the title of the collection. The title poem of the collection was reality by night, those of us who struggle to sleep at night and lay awake contemplating or writing. Another deep poem, reflecting on life, feeling so much, living through characters in books can feel relieving to close the book and have done with the emotional turmoil and return to life. A poem about strangers and the connection simply sparked by saying hello, so simple, yet impactful with it's truth was one that we can all read and live by I feel. A beautiful book looking at human connection and all that occurs when we let ourselves feel deeply.

The Flower That Went Mad by Yogesh Chandra

This was a poetry collection which in a world of more lows than highs, how writing can provide solace to create and relatability when shared. Some poems I related to were: Quietness, about the joy, peace and tranquility a garden provides. Chronicle of the pills, an open look at medication testing and failing you trying to see if it helps or hinders you. Blueprint of the society, a real look at how people can dismiss depression as sadness, want help yet never get it because of stigma still existing in society which can cause people to feel unable to open up. This is a sad yet beautiful book born from the depths of deep sadness and depression and the delicate dance of trying to find your footing to feel steady and able in life once again, it was honest and open no feelings held back and honesty which is relatable to many people who've dealt with similar feelings too.

Whispers Poems For When You Can't Say It Out Loud by Sk Masiur Rahaman

Looking at love and connection in the digital age especially with social media being so popular, talking about Tiktok, Instagram, dating apps and more. How reaching out to strangers can be easier for a quick connection hit but ghosting can leave you questioning what changed so quickly. How face value photo's and captions hide true real life to paint a fake happy online personality versus how generations who are elder show love in physical actions rather than online in texts, voicenotes or emoji's showing the impact of connection across generations and also anxiety and achievement goals sometimes pushed on us in love but feeling pressured as well as in tough times how faith can be a life line. It was a detailed poetry collection detailing modern generations lives compared to our parents and grandparents etc.

Signs Of Jealousy by Sophie Eve

This was a great poetry collection, literally as the title says about the ways jealousy can seep into and effect friendships and relationships. From finding love, to feeling like you're hiding your feelings, being torn between your good friend who knows you so well and your new love who's openly showing jealousy and envy at such a strong bond, it was a really powerful look at how the friendship and relationships dynamic can test each person involved deeply.

Growing Magic by D E Daly

Amie is sixteen living with her mum who is very spiritual and superstitious. When her mum disappears one day leaving a mysterious note, Amie discovers her mysterious Aunt Heather and also discovers many cousin's in Filbert where her mum was from and sets about discovering her family's history and magical ties as well as finding out about her dad, who she doesn't know, another mystery to she sets about figuring out. A captivating story of family mysteries, discoveries, magic, curses and keeps you hooked in the verse style it's a fast flowing novel with a magical edge.

Conversations With Myself: A collection of poems about survival and hope by T.L. MacRae

A powerful collection once again about life during and the aftermath of an abusive relationship that led to marriage and kids and the fact T L faced victim shaming and going to court to no avail is absolutely shocking but not surprising in other ways unfortunately as often happens we hear about. Some stand out poems that I found really relatable to me were: 7. Don't Touch Me, about feeling safer having no one touch you, friends or family after suffering abuse at the hands of people before making you weary. 50. Almost Taken Out By A Speeding Car, especially in a week where speeding has been talked about on the news being one of the main causes of points on licenses and how dangerous it is and having recently witnessed a car by me drive clean through a red light, is shocking that it resulted in no action being such a close near miss and sounding utterly terrifying. 51. Mittens, about the comfort of a furry companion and how it can leave you with pet loss and the grief from it in your life echoes in many ways especially when they can provide you with comfort for years unquestionably unlike another human could. As someone who's lost a pet and close a friend in a year it stings in multiple ways and until you go through it and feel it affect many areas of your life, you don't realise how hard it can be to just carry on at all. Another wonderful collection in the deep honesty T L writes with and to share so much of her story too I know people can read and relate to many parts separately of their own from grief, abuse, separation and divorce, there'll be something many people can relate to in this collection for sure.

Pumpkin Spice Pact by Arwa Chakkiwala

Calla and Jude begin fake dating as the autumn festival approaches and Calla's family think she has a boyfriend, Jude. Then her ex Miles shows up and lines blur more as Jude plays the role of boyfriend more seriously, charming her family, until he vanishes and suddenly Calla finally faces up to her family. This was a great seasonal short story themed around pumpkin season as Calla carries the weight of her family expectations, trying to run her business solo and the deep theme of her never feeling enough for having a traditional life, in a relationship or married, which her family pressures her over a lot.

Tulips & Sunsets by Jupiter Moon

This poetry collection had a great use of colour text to highlight key words and the visuals drawn from writing entwining nature and feelings throughout the collection discussing depression and anxiety, life and love and the struggles of dealing with your feelings. A couple of stand out poems to me: Life's Alterations, all about how changes are inevitable in people and life and the way that can make you feel too, negative or positive. The Sunset, was a powerful poem about the impact of nature when you feel so low, how it can be calming and comforting to you. Some really relatable poetry to anyone who has struggled through dark times to find any glimmer of hope and light in the future.

Things I Learned In The Night by Emily Juniper/Byrnes

Detailing the joys of childhood with no ties in life, first love, the feeling and impact it has, joy and questioning, the brutal realities of aging and self love as we judge ourselves all the way through growing through life. More Unhelpful Help was an absolutely gutting poem about friendship, love and betrayal which was heartbreaking to read but shows strength in the beautiful writing detailing openly and honestly how hard it can effect you. Poems including references to Bon Iver and Steinbeck to me were so relatable especially feeling like Lennie after losing love in any way, it can be hard to feel understood in trying and ultimately this collection made me feel like the depths of my mind had been explored, living up to the collections title, it definitely made me feel reflective at night.

Soliloquy by Olusina Faniyi

A beautiful collection of poetry about all aspects of human life and connection. How Much More, a poem about how the world can be a dark place full of fighting and darkness, really hit deep at the tragedies we see or hear on the news daily unfortunately but this poem was so impactful, it should be shared more widely to make people think more wisely of their actions. Farewell At The Train Station and Goodbye were two poems exactly summed up by their titles. How hard parting from a loved one can be, how if effects you to feel sad and lost, even alone when they've gone or you've had to part. A beautiful, sad at times, relatable read of poetry to get you deeply thinking and reflecting.

Patchwork by Catarine Hancock

Such a relatable collection of poetry exploring the theme of love, from the thrill of the nervy excitement first love brings but the bitter aftermath of it falling apart too especially the pain of being cheated on and fearing it occuring again in the future feeling you are seen by them as the back up. How the idea of love can be kinder than the cruel reality of the wrong love and watching them move on and see another person awaiting to be changed forever by them for better or worse. I love the title for the collection too how after each try at love, the scars are patched to try again not be dampened in spirit just reshaped to retry again find the right love despite any previous scars that linger.

Loveletters by Vicky Tang

This poetry collection was summing up the cycle of liking someone and falling in lust or love and how you wind up guessing their feelings compared to yours when unclear. Some stand out poems were: Let me know what’s up, about being so happy to get a reply to a message, to the then questioning what are we in, it sucks having to wait, making you overthink and question and how the cycle happens on repeat. I wonder if he would ever read this, about reflection on letting the person you really like or love see your thoughts and work, especially a book of your deep honest feelings, is a very brave and bold move as it's not easy to open up such raw feelings, like opening your heart and mind to be judged. The final note of the book too, touches on self love and self worth, knowing the right love won't make you question or desire change or clarity, it should just work, a great note to end on for us all to take from the collection with us.

Swim by Emily Byrnes

I really related hard to this collection of poetry. Written with such honesty and as someone who has lived through anorexia, copes with anxiety, depression and panic attacks, where family don't understand the struggle it's really hard. This collection made me feel like there's people out there who not only will relate to the issues and topics discussed but will educate too on how it can feel to deal with the effects of these illnesses and how they can consume your life at times feeling at the title says, you're trying to swim to keep yourself steady and afloat.

The Little Book Of Winter by Brittany Viklund

As a winter baby born in November, I loved this book encouraging us to embrace the cold crisp days, layer up and embrace the cold with soft lighting, warm blankets, winter films and playlists made especially for the winter months. Along with good ideas for crafting, learning new skills or hobbies getting cozy and warm, nice recipies for multiple meals and fun flavoured porridge a warming breakfast to appreciate stimulating your senses with warming spices and simply taking time to enjoy a nice warming coffee to, maybe even a new winter special blend, writing or reading feeling gratitude, spending time with family or doing solo rituals, appreciating nature's beauty, soaking your senses in all winter brings us the see, hear, feel, prepare fun plans, solo or with friends, family or both. A great book/guide to embrace the season and make the most of the joy it brings!

Dancing With My Reflection by Happily Lover

This poetry collection is all about forgiving yourself, seeing strength in admitting weaknesses and embracing them. Believing in nurturing strong self love in the reflection you see and not pick apart any or every little detail, as I did personally and think we all did, growing up as a teen, avoid the mirrors for a while and talk kindly about anything about yourself other than your reflective physical look. Simple joys, was a poem about finding joy in books and author's and characters that relate to you as well whoch can help you escape your mind and the negative thoughts. A book to encourage us to embrace who we are flaws and all and see the beauty we each hold in kindness and actions etc over looks we seem to value and put emphasis on too much until it wears down our mind and spirit.

This House Remembers Every Grief by Eugene Miller

This was a heartbreaking poetry collection that reads in a poetical storytelling way, easily flowing through the story of a relationship falling apart with your best friend, losing your love, how cruel they can be treating you and how it can break you. The book was set through parts, Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression and Acceptance. Exactly how grieving a relationship goes, each part was a long poem set out in stanzas that flowed so well to tell the story and convey the emotions felt. Being told from a guy's perspective as a girl reading who's friends with a guy who went through a similar situation with an old friend of ours it really hit me hard. Leaving me even more glad I stood up for him against someone spreading lies, knowing I was always there to listen especially if he went through all the ways emotionally for a guy written about here, it was so beautifully honest even about the worst part of a relationship, the fall out and I know many guys if they struggle to open up, could sit and feel with this collection like they are less alone in how they feel.

This Trauma Is Sponsored by Anna Lindwasser

Rosalie's family is a family of mum, dad Rosalie and her younger sister, altogether, a part of a family vlogger channel, a very well know one too. The novel shows the impact sadly probably in many vlogging families keeping up the facade of all being happy on camera just for monetisation and makes you reflect on the impact of modern social media culture being told in a verse format hits all the more deeper as it explores the impact on the family dynamic, their relationships, mental and physical side effects in trying to achieve a so called standard of perfection and the danger of strangers watching and knowing every detail of your lives, which can lead to dangerous encounters. I was also happily surprised in the novel of a friend Rosalie makes, Stella, who raised awareness of the impact of fibromyalgia all the more relatable to a reader like me who also have the condition, yet, I've never read a novel with it mentioned. The novel also explored young people feeling stifled in revealing their sexuality too for fear of judgement a very relatable situation for many people still I imagine too. It was a powerful novel about the highs and lows of internet fame and what you gain and lose.

Love On The Line by J.C. Savoy

Claire runs a bookshop, The Cozy Quill and after a customers order goes missing, she ends up on customer service phone call to Will and soon they begin texting and calling, teasing and debating books and encouraging each other to read one book each the other picks. As time goes on they arrange to meet and it's undeniable the connection the two have is easy and vibrant not to mention the whole of Whispering Falls is rooting for them both! It was a great heartwarming story, a fun meet cute, with witty remarks and the dialogue between the two was exquisite making me want to read on and see where their story went, a great book to spend an evening reading in these cooler autumn times for sure.

Dear Midnight by Zack Grey

This poetry collection was set across three sections, sunrise, sunset and midnight and the feelings those times can evoke in us reflecting on life and love. Sunrise, waking up to love, Sunset, the end of love, unmet feelings, falling in and out of love, how it hurts each other or just one of you more so. Midnight, about accepting the end of a relationship and lingering traces of feelings for the person you were with There was a clever use of type in various formats to suit some poems more for emphasis and made it fun and engaging to read rather than sticking to normal verse or stanza poetry to read, something uncommon to see used a lot which I really like to see, as to me, it especially makes the collection memorable to recall.

All The Things I Never Said by Mae Krell

This was a deep collection of poetry told as if a private diary of thoughts being shared, there is mentions of self harm in this collection too so do be aware of that before reading too if it could trigger you. The poems that stood out to me most were: Beauty, looking at abuse/cruelty to animals or self and how we can judge harshly or harm ourselves or others. The End, about a relationship breaking apart and just becoming memories you hold on to eventually for better or worse. Speak, was an honest poem of how hard it can be to voice your thoughts and fear facing judgement for them and how it can hold you back from saying anything at all. There's lots of poetry to make you think and reflect on your life and as the title says, a very deep thinking collection and bold to share the depths of your thinking so openly.

Lost In The Black Garden's Of Sorrow by Jupiter Moon

This collection talks a lot of serious mental health issues and self harm, please be aware before reading my review or the collection yourself. Set in a garden, exploring various types and shades of flowers and the emotions or memories they provoke in a poetic story like manner. Some stand out poems of this collection to me were: Scars, as being a sign of fighting and remaining despite the pain you've endured. Silver Primrose, -Bandaged Heart, was a poem about relationships never being the same, good or bad, mixed, toxic, I personally heavily related and too, feel third time is lucky but you're still weary in trying, even then. Alcea Rosea -Abandoned Under the Bridge, about you feeling deeply for someone you love even if it's not always happy and positive. Plum Blossom -The Silence of Loneliness, was a poignant and reflective ending on how we can exist, crave connection and still, with or without, feel loneliness lingering like a curse in our lives. There were clever double meanings in the poems defined by text colour usage so the poems were a two of one almost and was a really clever more emotive way of expressing each poems deep running feelings.

Let Go by Lavender C

Alex has died yet his soul can witness the life of his loved ones trying to move theough the never ending weight of grief, the depth and echo of his loss in their lives especially, his partner Chloe. Alex was used to being the strong one, helping kids, not just working with them, saving one. Now he's watching how his mum and partner Chloe adapt to life, before he can truly be at peace. It was a poetic and beautiful story of loss and the love felt, devotion in care, in sharing a life and the roles we play to each other and feelings honoured in the harsh silent aftermath of what feels like never ending depths of grief and if you've lost someone, be aware you'll definitely feel teary reading this book, in a good way, if tears come, embrace them, sit with your feelings it's the love remembered, cherished and felt still.

Cinnamon Lattes and Rainy Afternoons: Poems and Texts (Seasons and Lattes Book 1) by Pip Wilde

This poetry collection is all about the changing season of autumn and embracing it like we embrace change in life too talking of the way nature speaks, makes music, embraces us as time changes nature and we grow older through the seasons shared too. A couple of stand out poems to me were: 21. foreign, a simple poem how a bed can be a home to the good and bad, a witness of the happiest and lowest of times, of comfort and solace or joy. 38. all the things i love make it worth it, was a super relatable poem almost mirroring how I feel about life, embracing books and music and finding joy in what you love. A lovely collection starting off a new series which I look forward to reading the coming collections to accompany this one.

Lithium by Yogesh Chandra

This was a powerful collection of poetry depicting the battle with bipolar disorder which I was inspired to read having a close friend who too has been through a cycle many times of depression, suicidal ideation and self harm. Young Love and Never Forget were two relatable poems about feelings others will have dealt with before and knowing that we will or can learn and grow from what we face especially as others will have gone through similar situations before. I also felt deeply the story shared especially at the end in a final written note of reflection and if he ever reads this I hope he keeps on enjoying life through photography and poetry and the beauty and freedom nature can bring to help in any crisis might not be healing, but can be soothing.

I Know Her Name by Shanti Hershenson

This was a powerful collection about the effects of going to school and bullying as well as sexual assault. Jokes and Bathroom Stall were too harrowing yet bold poems about the reality of physical harm and threat and the anxiety it causes you to feel in the wake of the harm faced unable to escape it. What Do I Do? Again, was a strong poem imagining the authors future child in the situation she faced and in particular the pain to feel that you couldn't stop in happening in future alike the present and knowing how it effected you affects your future thoughts on reflection. A bold and necessary collection that depicts bullying at it's absolute worst, yet I'm so happy that, Shanti didn't let it hold her back from her dreams of being an author and instead has owned the pain to turn it into poetry and share to us to relate and reflect on.

The Elegance Of Sadness by Noa Grey

This collection was so powerful about the way emotions can make you feel everything all at once on reflection and at presence too. Some standout poems of this collection were: Violin, a poem which as a former cellist myself I relate to hard about how each note holds so much emotion and can cause you to feel emotional at certain notes and tempo's. Loss, a poem about any kind of grief you feel but especially in this collection pet loss was a huge subject another relatable and heartbreaking subject to many of us too. Perspective, about the way we all interpret different things in life so differently, beauty and sadness to one isn't the exact same to another. This was a collection that definitely spoke to my heart and so honest with the words shared, hard to feel everything, even harder I imagine to write to capture the depths of feelings and their impact.

Pandora's Box by Vicky Tang

This collection of poetry literally opens up a Pandora's Box of emotions and feelings from journeying through life. Poems that stood out the most to me were: Garden Stroll, a play on the old roses are red rhyme only on a more cynical side of unrequited love. Shelter In A Storm, about friends being there through heartbreak and weathering the storm with you through all you're feeling. Illogical, about sharing your feelings after a short time of knowing them not knowing how you can feel so much so soon or how they'll reply. It Never Lasts, about what is the point and the inbetween of bring strangers or friends or more. Unlovable and Carousel about feeling tired of trying and feeling like you must be the issue, really relatable cycle when you're left wondering what the relationship definition is. A real mix of poetry from all angles of liking, loving and hoping for a relationship with who you desire and all the feelings unlocked by feeling so much, a really honest and deep feeling collection of poems.