Letters I'll Never Send by Sage Bennett

Sage has perfectly captured a break up and it's effects in every day life through this collection of poetry from the little things to the big, lack of messages more bed space etc. The Poem, I Only Looked Once, about checking if they were online I really felt. When you first split up especially, you will always hope to find a message from them randomly. I Cried In The Shower Again, was such an expressive simple poem of grief using the shower as a stage for you to cleanse your mind, body and soul of the relationship and grief of it's end and loss. A great collection resulting from the relationship breakdown which Sage, if she reads this, be proud of these poems from the ashes of that relationship you've created some beautiful emotive poetry!

That Girl by Emily N Kay

The main running theme of this collection despite being about love, was also dealing with feeling inadequate and never enough when alongside other girls and cheating by their partner too. Soulmate, was a beautiful poem about wondering and worrying over if there is anyone for you out there. Drugs, about that person being the source and cause of your happiness and becoming reliant on them to feel right. Twenty Nine, was another poem I really relate to as my 29th approaches this November about how time is flying by and your friends and your life are so different in many ways, some settled down, some not or still figuring everything and feels like a limbo of sorts emotionally. The Shield and Body, two poems perfectly capturing how safety can feel in the arms of the one you love and feel seen and protected by them. The Archive, too was amazing, just basic observations about what we do or don't share what we keep private or openly talk about and how it affects how we can view each other online or offline and deal with what we see mentally. Overall a great collection capturing all the feelings we go through growing up.

The Quiet Part: A Trace of Silence That Never Left by NoteBy T

'Some feelings linger longer because they were never pursued.' I really feel that, the whole book talks about dancing around the edge of maybe, if you shared your feelings and seing where it leads with someone and hinting at a crush or limerence situation, too worried to act on feelings and living in regret of that. A Heart That Reaches Before Words, was a beautiful poem about the way love can show through body language before you speak any words to each other. The One Who Feels More Through Silence, too, beautifully discusses how you can sit in silence happily with someone else and it feel natural and happy not awkward or worrying just comforting. This collection really captured all aspects of lust, love, break ups, hope, healing, hurt, something in here everyone can relate to.

It's Okay If You Don't Love Me by Kellie Luna

A book perfectly capturing the feeling of heartbreak and when love becomes survival you have to self compromise: 'Sometimes the silence is the closure.' “I stopped texting first. And suddenly, the silence got very loud.” The silence says it all when communication breaks or lags, perfectly captured in those lines summing up effort only being one sided sadly. I also liked the illustrations of the girl, I assume the author, throughout annotating the poems at intervals to show even more cause and effect alongside the poems how she faced her feelings, brave and bold.

Love In Bloom 3 by Cheryl Bradshaw

Cheryl is easily one of my favourite poets I've discovered having reviewed her previous collections too, this third one doesn't disappoint. I Think Therefore I Am, shows the importance of being you and not changing for anyone especially a guy also a nod to Billie Eilish with the title, a great song too. Ribbon Of Time, a beautiful look at how time can show love between people, in caring or earning, directly from one to another. Wedded Bliss, a poem about an elderly couple actually reminded me of an elderly couple I see daily and to me it is such a true poem about lasting love and real life love thriving over years and decades of nurtured love and care, simply beautiful work.

The Anatomy Of Goodbye by Nyra Bloom

These poems show the passion from finding love that has grown and thrived in every moment together they share. Standout poems to me were, Soulmate and A Letter From Him, for the simplicity in their subject but the intricacy of the poems written and The Crossroads is a powerful poem about staying or leaving a relationship as well as Solitude, about finding peace and happiness alone. Each poem is emotionally charged and really relatable.

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Anxiety: Poetry For The Anxious by M. M. Crusinberry

As someone who's struggled with anxiety from fifteen and now about to turn thirty, anything about the subject really fascinates me and I relate easily to it as well in equals parts. When silence builds walls, was a poem I really felt about how anxiety can take you over in how you feel daily and The shrinking room, of feeling closed in by anxiety and like the world is crowding in on me/us. Fading Away was a brutal look at how it can come between two people in their relationship, like an unwanted visitor you can't get rid of. The book really captures how anxiety makes you feel in an endless loop/cycle of repeated highs and lows as anxiety can take hold at any moment.

Imagined In White Poetry Of Hope by Anne Brooke

A collection of poetry through various life situations and describing the weather and the effects on life as the seasons change, the weather claims it's hold on gardens and the wildlife enjoying it. A couple of poems describing work life did make me laugh, especially Obscurity and Open Door, I guarantee we have all encountered someone we've had some similar thoughts towards cheeky and funny and very realistic.

The Lover And Her Human by Winnie Nantongo

These poems are stunningly beautiful at capturing love in all forms good and loving, but also drowning, draining, toxic and harmful. Set into four parts, Fall, Break, Heal and rise summing up stages of a relationship as it progresses. I Have Questions You Will Never Answer is such a truthful poem about laying awake unable to figure why someone left leaving you wondering unable to sleep, so relatable to many of us. It also reminded me of the Camila Cabello song, I Have Questions. Poetry Is My Escape, is a poem I really relate to, writing is a truly good way to cleanse your soul and clear your mind and poetry a great outlet to shed the feelings weighing you down as well as finding others who just get how you can find yourself feeling in any situation.

Time Is Running and Distance Is Shortening by Adriana Rocha

This poetry collection was writeen so captivatingly discussing topics of love and sex especially really making the passion developing in a relationship felt. Stand out poems of this collection to me were: I Am Art, a beautiful poem about the reality of life, living in our unique bodies each beautiful and different to each others. I Want To Be His, a simple yet beautiful poem of yearning to be with their crush admiring and adoring them from afar. So relatable! Music, as well, so relatable about in a relationship trying to find how you two work together, harmoniously, rhythmicalluy or otherwise coming together. The Last Kiss Of Goodbye too, about choisng yourself over someone afraid to commit to anything and remembering to love and put yourself first, it's their loss if they can't commit! Overall, as a young woman I found this collection as if a big sister were explaining sex and relationships and how they can play out good and bad, the passion and the chase and it was a great read.

How To Be Ok When Nothing Makes Sense by Noah Grey

Noah always has a way of writing as if his words reaching you through the book are a friend reaching out saying I see you, you'll be ok. A sort of companion book through life not to guide you but to reassure you that you're doing great whatever situation you find yourself in at that moment. A couple of great points that stood out to I have quoted below: "Even the ones who look like they’re gliding are often dragging quiet chaos behind them like a broken kite." Another quote from the book because it hits hard after losing my friend, "grief is a translation. It’s your heart trying to understand how to keep loving something that’s no longer here." Is such a sad and true Chapter 16, talks about a simple life and how it can be fulfilling to not be always in a rush in a busy world and finding your joy in living in a way which makes you happier and relaxed not worried or on edge constantly wondering how to do more, in a world that always seem to be rushing round it's a great reflection to read and sit with. A beautiful book that will make you feel seen and understood whatever you are facing just taking a few minutes to read and sit with the words and reflect on how you feel and how much you have lived through good and bad so far in life.

Glass Girl by Jessyca Thibault

This is a great poetry book for anyone who has been through a relationship that broke down especially through cheating as the author sadly was, I can also relate too unfortunately as well here. So many poems stood out to me in this collection but mostly, Super Glue and Duct Tape about making time for each other followed by, How It Goes and Why are simple in impact about relationships about how easily you seem to come together then thinking and questioning why they have or you hope they will stick around. Like a ghost too relating to crying in the car to sad songs the real emotions felt in Your Call Has Been Forwarded and Teardrops too because I have been there and felt that completely, liking a guy who went on to ignore me, made me sad then inspired my own writing, much alike the author, Jessyca here, so the joke ended up on the guy's who made us feel low and inspired us to do good from their rubbish actions!

To Whom This May Apply, A Poetry Collection by J.B Gabriel

A poetry book short and sweet with observastions of life in all aspects of it. Mother year I found relatable and so true, our mother's wrap us up tight protecting us while they can. Great little collection to read!

Collide by Lola Lawrence & Rhett Lawrence

This couple has perfectly made a poetic collection born from love seeping into each page. I especially loved the layout with backgrounds of some pages bold, bright, detailed, a riot of colour to match the passion in the writing. Sometimes black on white type when a more powerful pointed message but, still a beautiful look and insight into soulmates and love, colliding and uniting.

The Grief Of What's Gone by Sheryl Owens

I was drawn to this book after losing a loved one who would've turned thirty next year, same as me, it seems unreal we won't celebrate together. The book feels like a friend who understands, as the author does, set across different sections, The Quiet Hours the part of the book I found the most completely relatable to the times I have laid awake thinking of him, many tears, many nights writing thoughts, reading as I did this book in part in the early hours to feel a bit calmer and able to drift into sleep. Grief truly comes in random waves, I expect him to come home and be never will do again. The Firsts poem, about doing anything for the first time since they passed away is so heartbreakingly true as well, I've cried driving and had to pull over, I've cried at home and before losing him, no one in my friend group had even seen me cry, grief changes you and hits you randomly. There's a beautiful poem about carrying them with you in your mannerisms and I totally speak sometimes how he did with odd words and phrases he used I adapted to as well, in those times I feel love is reminding me he lives on in certain ways. A song for loss I found helpful is When You Lose Someone by Nina Nesbitt, I hope it helps if you listen to it to feel others get it and are here existing day to day learning how to live again after loss. A truly beautiful poetry collection.

Texts I Never Sent by Ariel Day

Heartbreakingly beautiful texts that have been typed and remain unsent to an ex. A simple yet effective way to find some closure and freedom from your thoughts and emotions for sure. I think many if us can relate to the thoughts and feelings captured in the messages and concept of the book. Beautiful and heartbreaking words.

Where No One Looked: 30 Quiet Days of Self-Return by Noah Grey

This was such a great book, one again I found myself nodding along feeling my thoughts heard right from the beginning. The book is set across 30 days, so thirty poems and writing about life and the very first one myself I have realised over the years becoming an adult, I was emotionally neglected growing up becoming quieter and never reaching out. I am glad to say as an adult, family is who I've met and made so with my friends now in my twenties who see me for the person I am and have my back whenever I need them, reflecting on my own past readng this book makes me thankful for them. It is a beautiful book to make you think deeply and question life and moments you have lived through as I found myself reflecting and sharing here definitely worth a read!

Sunsets & Cliffs by Dominika Stančíková

This was a beautiful poetry book and the poems were written like stories, snapshots in verse of a relationship thriving and sadly breaking down. Gentle fortress was my favourite poem so emotive about coming together as a duo in love. I also have to say I love the cover design simple in colour but impactful nonetheless showing a girl standing tall solo overlooking the world around and below.

Broken Petals by Stephanie Rose Correa

As flowers grow so do we through life dealing with love, loss, longing and poems too about dealing with anxiety and depression trying to deal with the daily struggle of life these poems were really touching and relatable. I really liked them being longer poems, each line and verse captured so much feeling to visualise as well.

Love Story In My Notes App by Rommela Marie Panal

Well, I was drawn to read this collection of poetry just from the title I write lots in my own notes app too and thought here's one I can relate to already! Push and pull was my favourite poem easily here so relatable about having a crush, becoming friends, wanting more and feeling torn between telling them or just keeping them in your life, been there and been through that! Simple yet beautiful poems documenting life's rough and tough times.

Black Roses by Ariel Day

A great collection, as I call, of common sense poetry, you read each word or each line, reflect on it and I find myself nodding along agreeing, it makes so much sense, someone else gets how it can feel in certain situations. Poetry about parents and love situations I really related to again agreeing along on how much someone else feels how I too have felt in trying to feel you are enough. The poem, The most popular guy at the funeral, was easily a favourite and made me reflect on my own relationship and how lucky I feel I have someone now who could reply with 20 things I like as Ariel asks her guy in the poem, but, previously I have been in a relationship to realise they dont actually know me, this isn't love, hard as it was and again the poem following it, Naive cynic, was similar again to a situation I went through and generally I love a collection like this that is really relatable and being a shorter collection stans out all the more so impact wise.

The One Who Kept Running by Noah Grey

Gentle words written with care of fond memories and telling the story of a relationship breaking up with tender words and aching lines of longing for things to work out differently. We could've lived a quiet life was a beautiful hopeful poem about imagining a future growing old together which I think all of us could relate to in some way, dreaming or realistically. Stay, as well as a tender poem, from the title you can imagine why that word words packs in a punch in that one word alone and reminded me of the singer Bank's last album and highly recommended giving that song a listen too, a sort of companion to the poem if you will. Tender poetry to be a companion through heartbreak or heart ache.