Lonely Lines by Freya O’Brien

This poetry collection is set in to four parts, the first being family with some really touching poems about making memories with mum and also the effects of losing mum too and the grief parent loss creates. This collection was deeply moving as the loss of her mum altered life already forever we then hear how her father and stepmother didn't show proper care for her and how you can easily feel detached from life and reality trying to cope not live just survive through life at home. The Birthing Mother, a poem literally as it sounds from the title was such an eye-opener poem about the care that feels like it's the opposite in a most vulnerable time you experience. The T-shirt, was an astonishing poem too about losing your virginity, a vulnerable time and how a guy really can treat you badly and say the wrong thing. There's also a good middle section of the collection touching on signs of toxic and violent relationships so please be aware before reading the collection of that if it's triggering to you. However, it was extremely well articulated and raises very good points around negative relationships. I also want to note the book is annotated throughout with black on white sketch style images showing the raw emotions felt in various moments too.