Counting Stars by Pressy Moon

This poetry collection focuses on the deep moments of life we experience as we grow older. Some stand out poems of this collection to me were: Reflections, a poem about the joy of love and the illusion that it's easily breakable. Feeling For Two, about how you can be so deeply hurt and feel so much despite them not being seemingly affected. This time I’ll stay silent, about how someone you love can say such cruel things yet you forgive them for the feeling they provide you with feeling loved. There Will Be Days and Being the Light, about how growing up even through years as an adult you will face hurt and pain, learning as you continue to live and adapt theough it all and alike the collection title, counting stars is an option we all grow up often delighting in doing so and how as we grow up we often overlook the child like joy that brings over how often as adults we count the scars of bad times over good.

My Love Scars by Nilakshi Garg

This poetry collection was really concise and flowed really well, lots of short poems that were simple in writing and big on impact with felings. Some stand out poems to me were: 11, was a poem about the darkest hours of the day being harder with grief or loss of a loved one you face. 15, feeling cold after loss, like life has lost the joy from it. 52, about the the beauty in feeling broken or having flaws and finding the beauty in realising we're all flawed and alike in some way. A beautiful collection to appreciate all our feelings, positive or negative we encounter.

Imperfection by Divya Narayana V

This poetry collection focuses on as the title says, Imperfection, on what we perceive as such. Discussing depression, self doubt, time racing away, finding comfort in darkness and facing the day in your armour of make-up and costume to face others judgement in encouters. What Is My Worth, about how we all view each other with different eyes but mostly judge ourselves harsher than other would do. A collection full of depth and raw emotional honesty.

Conversations About Christmas: A Collection of Poems About Christmas Time by T.L. MacRae

This collection focuses on, as the title says, poems that openly talk about Christmas and the festive season. The collection to me reads as a series of poetic storytelling essays covering topics of Christmas, love and loss in the supposed best season openly discussing the depths of dark times but also the joy simple seasonal things like festive films and music can bring. The Miscarriage , was a heartbreaking poem especially losing a pregnancy, it feels like a cruel twist from a wonderful gift of hope and joy. My Only Christmas Wish, was such a relatable poem about not settling for less than basic, decent respect and love. I myself related to the collection for the fact that usually the season is portrayed to be a happy time yet, in my family nearly every day in December is often an anniversary of someone's death and a reminder they're no longer with us. A great collection if you too find the festive season not always delightful and happy.

Soft Is Still Strong by Mira M. Wynn

These 100 short sentence/poems reach out with gentle statements of truth and reflection especially in how rest and saying no can make you richer in emotion for yourself if you give so much to others and end up drained and depleted for you. A beautiful collection to remind us all to make time for ourselves too.

Pillow Thoughts by Courtney Peppernell

This collection of poetry focuses on life, if sad, in love, heartbroken or feeling lonely. It was an empowering, relatable and encouraging collection to sit and feel your own life moments echoing. One particular poem, to build a house, how love can be the architecture of a person's body and soul, the way they treat you telling you it's love, truly a beautiful poem of this collection that sums up the whole book celebrating love, rather nicely I feel.

Reckless Roses by Sarah A. Bailey

The book focuses on a love triangle between August and Zach, two brothers and Elena, a girl who both brothers desire yet she's with Zach initially, despite feeling a pull towards August too. From first love to forever love it was a story keeping you hooked in the characters lives as they develop and they carve new paths in life. It had a great twist ending that I was surprised by and didn't see coming in a good unexpected drama way. I will say there is strong language and sexual references so it's definitely a 16+ in language use not for younger readers.

Dear Me At Sixteen by Shannon Sonnenberg-Pietila

This poetry collection focuses on the way as we look back and reflect on life as the teenagers we were that could help those going through those equally tough and formative years hopefully relax and adapt and realise life in your teens is all about embracing chances and first's without taking life too serious. The collection goes beyond the superficial parts of life in teens where we often found ourselves focusing on looks being the thing that worries and matters most to embracing who you are at your core mattering more importantly. A fantastic collection for any teen growing up worrying and realising actually life should be all about relaxing on what we can't change and adapting to embrace what we can control to become a stronger, healthier version instead.

Getting Through What You're Going Through: Notes and Poems for Hoping and Becoming by Tanner Olson

This collection of poetry and notes included to add depth to the story of the creation of this collection opens us to all look around us and accept what we can or cannot control, just ease. From discussing the pressures of stress and how they can make you physically ill in various ways, for example, my own mum has suffered with Psoriasis from stress with no previous experience in any of her sixty years of life she'd live through including some rough times. The book reminds us to hold Hope and Grace and believe life can get better through all the tough times we face. The poem, Grief, was simple in reading but full of deep feelings and emotions. Not All Growth Is Seen, too, was a strong poem about depth over natural observation at surface level. Let Change Come, how we should embrace the good and bad of life that shapes us especially as we often can't stop it happening. It's a book about embracing life and getting outside enjoying nature and connection with others too and the snapshots captured of life and discussed in the book are delightful and eye-opening. A book to leave you feeling able to relate to many aspects and comforted that we often all face similar hards times.

Drowned Promises by Sara Simic

TW Alcohol abuse and violence. Growing up in an abusive household witnessing alcoholism turn into violent outbursts and hearing her father beat her mother, Rose escapes at night and meets a kind young fisherman, William, who's straight talking and kind to her. An aspiring artist, Rose gets through life dreaming of escaping to Paris to become a famous artist, yet, the pull to William is a strong bond she doesn't want to say goodbye. With a serious undercurrent to the whole book about abusive households and addiction, where love is not always displayed in a healthy way and showing to have passion to follow your dreams despite adversity is possible. There was also clever cover imagery and choice of colours tying in the plot line nicely and I enjoyed the characters soulmate style intertwined story too.