Sad Faery Poems: Volume Three (Sad Faery Poems: A Season of Poetry Book 3) by T.L. MacRae

I always enjoy T.L. MacRae's books for the real unfiltered discussion of such topics others would shy away from discussing or being so open about and this new collection continues on in a diary style of poems documenting life through the days, weeks and months of a season and through the ever changing life experiences we live through. A couple of stand out poems to me were: Giving Myself All The Love In The World, is a simple self love poem all about how to truly settle in who you are and loving yourself should be to care but not stress the care and how you protect your art and use your pain as fire and fuel to inspire your creativity long-term. Crush, all about the ways eye contact can be a bridge to make you question feelings and intentions and make you think, even after toxic relationships that hope can be alive and lingering for a future different to the past you endured facong and living through. It was a fantastic new addition to the series, a great reflective collection of thoughts and feelings on love and life.

The Ones Who Were Never Mine by Ester Poppy

This was a great collection and concept born from the world of connection these days being online and the fickle nature of apps and swiping being draining and tiring in a never ending cycle of trying to make connections which all vary in beginning and progressing. Some stand out poems to me were: House Tour, the opening poem of the collection was completely Sabrina Carpenter vibes but deeper in depth and sour in tone how letting someone so close can feel toxic when they see the deep intimate parts of yourself and still leave eventually. The Distance, was a melancholic poem of longing to be anyone but yourself to feel desired as you see happening around you constantly. The Pretend Gentleman, was a poem about hurt from a guy who seems perfect but deep underneath the physical surface you find the deeper truth The Mystery, about a kind guy, warmth and cold coexisting, made me think of a guy I knew the same mystery who was all in then disappearing the next minute and never showing true intentions. Temporary, about sharing time with a person and the way it can leave a lingering sadness deep within when you're especially a creative soul, deep feeling and your emotions can spill easily when you get let down yet again. In Another Life, was a beautiful poem of longing to be close to the one you desire the most and how the aching can be more hurtful than the reality of simply even just knowing them. This was a deeply moving collection about the nature and way of dating, love and relationships in modern times.

Where Love Fell Silent by Christina Bloom

This poetry collection focuses on the way the silence after a relationship ends and the way you are left feeling and dealing with all the thoughts and emotions that come with the ending. Some stand out poems to me were: Broken and Done, were two poems about the death of a relationship leaving you broken and pushed to the edge to the point of no return. Quiet, was a great poem about how shy or quiet people can be the deepest connection and bond you will find eith a different kind of depth to others. It was a great collection of reflective thoughts fulled by emotion into creating this poetry, a healthy way to heal and accept the ending of a relationship and the silence you feel surorunded by in the aftermath.

From Crumbs We Feast: Poems on Love, Heartbreak, Healing and Finding Your Way Home by Christina Bloom

This was a great collection upon reflection of what you believe love is and the desire that leaves, the remnants of broken trust and feelings and how after feeling so broken, how accepting crumbs of attention and real attraction and love feels like a feast to devour after what you endured.

Songs from the Margins: Poems on Grief, Memory, and Renewal by Adisa Noor

This poetry collection was fantastic in the delicate yet raw approach to talking about grief and the way such deep loss can linger and make you see the world around you differently from your home feeling haunted, to conversation's that never got to take place and you'll forever have to wonder and ponder on and rooms that are silent but heavy with presence in echoes of memories and shapes and how loss literal or figuratively can linger.

After The Rain by Adisa Noor

This poetry collection really speaks how grief can lead to renewal and a new sense of appreciation for the simple ways of life continuing especially after sadness using the metaphor of rain fall to produce growth. Some stand out poems to me were: The Way Light Touches Rain, was a beautiful poem of how even broken or damage can look beautiful in different light, another touch point in a story of breaking to renewal and growing. Conversations With My Past Self, was a great poem about despite growing up one way into life, hoe we adapt to honouring our past selves as we progress. Becoming My Own Shelter, was a great poem about self resilience and self reliance of peace you crave and create to be calm and happy in you before anyone or anything else. What The Garden Taught Me, was brilliant at how alike plants, we too need to exist together through cycles or seasons, for us, of emotions and patience. Love In It's Simplest Form, about comfort in simply sharing smiles and the simple way love and care can be shared. The collection had some beautiful nature poetry of the kindness of growth, remewal and sunlight providing joy and nourishment as well as poetry from the metaphor of nature in how human connection can be like seasons and cycles too.

What The Silence Gave Me by Henrietta O.

This was a poetry collection simple in title yet deep in the feelings pulled from the silence endured. Some stand out poems to me were: What I See, was a poem about seeing beauty in somebody physically but realising their attitude and treatment of others isn't emotionally and ao how you see them as a whole is actually not beautiful at all. Never More, was a poem about the way comparison seeing others happy can make you feel not good enough or simply enough for anyone to love or desire to be chosen by and feeling less and never more than enough for another. To Love, was simply the best, honest and well thought out poem written about all kinds of love that I have ever come across simply stating through life the way love exists and shapes us and how all types of love we encounter shape who we are continuously. I, The Loner, was a simple realistic poem on the way life changes and people move on and away and how you remain sitting in the corner an observer of life around you feeling stuck and again, a different type of silence to face and deal with. This was a deep collection and absolutely not quiet or silent in being outspoken and bold.

Waiting Was Never Love by Sharmell Davis

This poetry collection is a fantastic debut, relatable for anyone who's been left contemplating their worth and disappointment after a relationship not working out. A couple of stand out poems to me were: Waiting, was a poem as the title says, about being left waiting and the questioning that leaves you with. Own It, was a powerful poem on claiming being single and the power it gives you to know yourself truly and love who you are first and control the future to be what you want and know you deserve. Finishing on The Author's Signature Poem, a reclamation of self about love and choosing yourself over guessing about anyone else's intentions towards you, just self respect to make yourself responsible for your happiness first. A short, emotionally rich reflective collection.

When Words Are Enough by Sarah Colliver

This poetry collection was a beautiful accumulation of poems written through living through some tough life moment's. Some stand out poems to me were: One, was the opening poem and simply to the point of union from one to two and how it should feel seamless. My Elusive Smile, was a relatable poem about how we can hide anything behind a smile until alone we break and repeat the cycle hiding pain from the world around us. The section of poems titled Life, were beautiful on questioning the future and the seasons that as they change and bring people into our lives like tree's shed their leaves and flowers lose their petals we can lose people for better or worse ricochets in our lives as we move on.

Morning After Mourning: Poems on Healing and Hope by Adisa Noor

This poetry collection focuses on how you can bury grief behind a facade of the masked smile you wear, hiding your emotions as a coping mechanism. Sone stand out poems to me were: My Tears Spoke Before I Could, how tears are a universal language and an unstoppable force of a true rush of emotions. The Kindness Of Small Things, was a beautiful poem about the mundane kindness we can easily overlook too often rather than appreciate every time it occurs. Hope Cane Dressed As Ordinary Days, was a great poem, especially as a retail worker of how simply being part of a team in work and experiencing the camaraderie around you, sharing laughs and smiles can make you feel seen and tethered to life. I Am Not Who I Was - I Am More, was a great poem how you change and feel deeper and stronger emotions as grief affects you. We Are All Stories Of Survival, was a simple poem, yet powerful in the basic fact none of us live the same life and experience the same event's that shape us and our own stories and that sharing them is powerful, beautiful and shows the strength of each person through what they've faced throughout their lives. I also loved the wordplay of the title because even in mourning, a new morning will inevitably arrive.

The Dark Side Of Love One Year Anniversary Edition by SaDee Hodge

SaDee has come back with a special one year edition of her first poetry collection and honestly it is still a collection I can read, sit and reflect and think of how incredible the strength of a person can be every time. Some stand out poems to me of this collection were: No Contact, was a simple poem by named concept, but shows the way negative love can still haunt you, the way a simple break up would or could do. Each poem especially that follows almost reads ethereal upon reaching the point where reflection on the relationship feels haunting and leaves you in disbelief over what you actually faced and survived. Goodbye, especially, was such a finite poem seeing all the negatives and turn point on reflection too and how it can make you fear moving on to face the unknown future ahead. Warrior, was a poignant poem, to me SaDee is a warrior for facing down fear and harm and writing through the pain, owning it and writing warning others of what can happen in relationships. The title poem leaves on a haunting ending, a closure of a dark chapter indeed and just reinforces the strength of a woman to walk away and rebuild after such experiences.

Not All In by Parm K.C.

This poetry collection was so rich in the metaphors of burnt out candles and car crashes about narcissistic people you can encounter and the silent courage to fight your mind daily through anxiety and panic attacks that can seem terrifyingly deadly when they occur, a truly realistic series of descriptive poetry surrounding these topics as well as some other poetry that stood out being: The Paradox Of A Lonely Heart, was such a relatable poem between wanting to be alone and craving the right people and the juxtaposition you can save in such mixed feelings A poem about bring introverted and speaking when it matters only because that someone chooses to listen, really hit hard because it's so true people listen when they care and block when they don't truly. Holding Hands With Sadness, about how you can feel deeply destined you believe, to never truly feel happy. I Save The Best, about saving your finest clothes for the future you to enjoy when you feel worthy, was a deep and relatable poem because I used to do the same! 86,400 seconds in a day, this poem was so deeply moving about depression and anxiety and the way fears manifest and linger constantly in your mind throughout the day like you're living in a nightmare constantly with time running out, a really clever poem.

Catching: a Poetry Collection by Alyssa Gibson

This poetry collection focuses at the start on how love especially lack of from a parent growing up can feel like you were just a burden but how the right person in your life can make everything feel easy, healing and like every piece of art you adore come to life. There were lots of beautiful poems about becoming stronger from the wrong kind of relationship that can build you stronger in your sense of self and make you sure of the love for you first before loving another.

Quiet : Poetry for the Ones Who Sit with Silence by Jupiter M. Moon

This was a beautiful collection looking at everyday life moment's and the movement's and feelings they evoke. Some stand out poems to me were: One Text, about chance and the way it can be fleeting, opening or closing a chapter of life. Winter's Touch, about the way a snowflake can feel as tender as human touch. As The Petal Flies, was a whimsical poem of the beautiful fragility of an unending path where the future is invisible and unpredictable just like flowers shed petals falling into new parts of their life alike we fall and rise too. A metaphor rich collection focusing on the beauty the natural world provides and the way it mirrors the human experience too at times.

Please Look into the Mirror by Michaela Angemeer

This was a great poetry collection, especially from using the way glass and mirror's are reflective surfaces and they way we can observe ourselves through or in them and the way we can see ourselves in distorted ways through our own skewed perceptions or through the environment we grew up in and judgement we faced. I also loved the ending poem and talk about Bea, their dog and how pets can provide joy and light through the darkest of times and help you see the beauty around you and within you too, another mirror, a loving one of you.

Whispers That Stayed by T.Euke

This book was beautiful in talking about the way those that pass remain, the way thing's they said can linger in our thoughts and thing's we see happening around us can cause us to be reminded of them and believe they're signs of them still being with us in a way that they stay with us forever in small ways shaping us as we live on always remembering.

Her Hands Remember Fire: Poems on Healing, Survival, and Becoming by Adisa Noor

This was such an emotionally rich collection of poetry that I found so many relatable including: Healing Is Not Pretty, a poem about how losing people and wounds of the past can linger and make you find your strength and resilience to carry on and protect your peace. The Art Of Stillness, a beautiful poem about the simplicity of just being and not feeling the pressure of constantly needing to be on and doing something draining yourself all the time. Naming Joy, about the feeling of joy and letting it be allowed to happen after putting others before yourself. The Woman I Am Now, was a fantastic poem of empowerment and the way finding peace and silence that comforts you over making you feel lonely. The Language Of Light, was a poem about the beauty and grace light can provide whether natural or artificial and the comfort surrendering you to calm and hope in the hue. It was truly a beautiful well rounded collection of moments drawing emotion in mundane often overlooked situations.

The Darkness Within: An Emotional Poetry Collection of healing from Childhood Abuse by Becky Leigh Gregg

This poetry collection really delves into the deepness of our own individual experiences as humans. Some stand out poems to me were: It Could Have Been Worse, how such a simple phrase can diminish someone's feelings about their pain. The Moon, about the way the moon can be a guard and beauty of nature in the night a comforting presence Are You, was a poem of how you can want to question anyone not helping but still witnessing someone going through an incredibly tough and low time and just stand by and not get involved. This collection is not only a vulnerable honest read, it also shows how simple kindness could change someone's life and experience for the better if we all dare to be more compassionate and kind.

When The Soul Learns To Bloom by Pratima Baro

This collection really leans in to finding the every day beauty in the nature of the world around us ever changing even simply day to night and how love and grief can make us see the world in an altered state to appreciate pain for loving deeply and finding a way to cope and find hope again.

The Words I Could Never Say by Yogesh Chandra

This poetry collection perfectly sums up how you can struggle to be seen for the depths of your emotions are drowning and unending it feels like when no one else can understand why or how you feel the way you do, perfectly fitting the title indeed this collection was.

Whispers for the Unchosen Heart: Between Almosts by T.Euke

This poetry collection talks of the almost and maybe moments, the myth of being chosen or treated as an option, the ache at night of feeling alone with just restless thoughts and questions of why not you in the situation you're in. The repetition of almost over the certainty and the expectations of life that pass by silently avoiding you and the norm life path, so you see the contrast of the pain of being unchosen in thoughts and feelings honestly discussed.

Sad poems for sad girls: A mental struggle by Tierra Ikell

This poetry collection is like having a friend telling you all the tiny things to appreciate in each day to help you feel boosted and brighter from simply enjoying the sun, to appreciating yourself and who you are, each layer of yourself, ones you love, ones you hate that all make us the beautiful messy humans we are.

Unraveling Soulties by Stacey Nicole Douglas

This book was a deeply personal reflection on the cutting relationship told through poetry and a timeline of month's and moment's retold showing the connection and the way it altered and effected them deeply and the limgering effects from being so deep in like with someone and how it can leave you feeling attached still despite trying to come apart from what you were with them.

Whispers: that didn't leave by T.Euke

This was a great book touching on the stillness that settles in life and the closure that is ongoing in feelings that stay in the quiet surrounding us daily and how people, however brief a conversation is, can shape the moment and your life and the impact a few words can have on you as you continue in life word's can echo and remain carried with you.

Based On You by Arisa Hart

This poetry collection focuses on all the ways we can feel love from different people and situations. October and Eager, were two poems on how loving someone can feel powerful. Guts, was an honest poem about loving someone who only lies to you. Mother, was a poem of a mother talking and hoping for her daughter to never feel the weight of comparison like she did growing up. Happy Genes, was a phenomenal poem about everyone having a differing vision of beauty to them and as a white British girl with family around the world with various mixed ethnicities, skin tones, hair types and nationalities is such a relatable poem how every girl and guy has a differing experience in life, good or bad and how we should all just be kind to each other and embrace the beauty of us all being so different. A beautiful collection of poetry especially on loving our differences more in a world that can feel so narrow-minded or superficial sometimes.

Wildflower by SaDee Hodge

This new poetry collection from SaDee discusses her life from the metaphor of being a wildflower in a world of seemingly perfect flowers and how life isn't always beautiful on the surface but can eventually deeply be seen so. Some stand out poems to me from this collection were: Sapphire, about pet loss, was utterly heartbreaking and so relatable as a rabbit owner myself, losing them over the rainbow bridge cuts every time especially after ten years with a rabbit who was more like a puppy following you around and SaDee losing her cat Sapphire, every pet loss cuts as deep as a human loss to me and it's so important we talk more openly about the loss of such a companion that provides love and support. To The You I'll Never Know, was again a heartbreaking and relatable poem to anyone who's faced abortion or even miscarriage and the way it alters your life forever as you can become a mum just not the way everyone perceives a mum to be as your baby isn't physically here with you in your arms it's a whole new depth of grief full of endless questions and SaDee captures the mixture of feelings, emotions and questions we can wonder on perfectly. Supply, was a poem all about the way poetry can be addictive and get you hooked on reading and writing it and it's a healthier option to have a supply of. Wildflower, the final poem of the collection and the title poem, talks of growing on and through everything and craving a change of scenery around you and honestly from past experience too, I got a new job away from the area I knew and had bad memories in and that step in itself felt freeing, empowering and like a whole new chance to embrace change for the better. We should all be more of a wildflower, embrace our beauty and worth in our space and adapt and grow through all life throws us.

The Journey Of Love by Becky Leigh Gregg

This poetry collection, as per the title, shows a journey of love of all kinds, from self love, to romantic love, familial love and the ways each experience shaoes you in a positive or negative way. Some stand out poems of this collection were: Intentions, was a beautiful poem on human care in the face of tragedy and how someone's true nature shines in the darkest of times. Antidote, was a beautiful poem about how the right love will heal you from past hurt you've survived. My Body, was such an empowering poem about self love after abuse and escaping a toxic relationship and realising you should embrace who you are unapologetically, always. Hurt Again, was a powerful poem in the aftermath of divorce about how tiring dating apps can be to try. Empty Nest, was an utterly relatable poem to the pain of gynaecology or endocrinology meetings and appointments of which I could relate when you're told you may not or cannot have children and the shift that occurs in your life from that moment onwards. This collection is one that will definitely make you think deeply and reflect on your life and choices and the impact they have had throughout it too.

Losing to Anorexia: a poetry collection by Adela Lily

This poetry collection as per the title and trigger warning, is about anorexia and also applies to eating disorders and weight loss in general too talking in depth of the feelings you can experience. The collection is deeply moving in discussing how words can harm our view of ourself and our worth and the physical effects of an eating disorder taking hold of you, altering you and how your mind can see you in a warped view as you lose more weight, more of yourself and the cycle of it never being enough and becoming a spiral.

Negligence, Abuse & Rage: a collection of poetry and prose (Silent Battles Book 1) by Adela Lily

This poetry collection tells of the way being brpught up in an abusive and unsupportive household can effect you from childhood into the estbof your life and thr after effects that remain. It was a deeply moving collection and the depth of honesty sharing such pieces of poetic writing to tell her story is incredible and a great way to not only show resilience to not let it define you but to use it as a way to raise awareness of domestic abuse and violence children can face and the way it can lead into self worth issues and eating disorders from the lack of control over life situations you can face.

Solidarity: Finding solidarity in heartbreak, anxiety & depression by Lynn Moore

This collection spoke of solidarity in recognising pain we can experience through life and the experience's it serves us. Some stand out poems to me were: Cinderella Complex, how girl's are taught to strive for the ideal relationship and guy, not their own happiness and career. Shattered and Seamstress were all about how you can break and heal after a relationship falling apart and rebuild yourself stronger. Can I Please Be Her? A poem all about comparison against others seeing their beauty seemingly easily and not your own. Warning Signs, about seeing yourself in a girl looking so happy, blissfully unaware how it could change in a few words spoken. Rewrite The Story, about how women should chase their own dreams, want a partner but not believe solely in the guy will come and save you fairytale. This is a collection to get you thinking, reflecting and thinking back on your life whilst also being a collection in solidarity with you to show how we can all struggle with similar thought's and feelings.

Singularity: The universal language of love and loss by Lynn Moore

This poetry collection focuses on the feeling of being single and how we share in similar feelings and how upon reflection a relationship costs us sometimes when writing, pieces of ourselves. Some stand out poems to me were: Habitually Late, about feeling yourself playing catch up to others your own age in life. Self-esteem, about how you see yourself after a break up of a relationship to realise how you've changed. What You Don't See, was a powerful poem about how anxiety can manifest and make you relive moment's over and over making you doubt yourself, thing's you do and say. Writer, was such a relatable poem about coping with life from writing poetry and processing your feelings to empty your mind of everything and how it's just natural to you. Multiverse, was a reflective poem that gets you thinking of how every choice you make in life could've led you to another path and future, another version of you different to you now and how you can endlessly wonder what if? This was a great collection of reflective poems that will be sure to get you thinking.

Closure by Valeria Abelli

This poetry collection flows in lyrical prose and snippets of a relationship revealed as it falls apart, doubt's that appear and actions that leave you questioning the truth of the relationship. Unspoken Truths, about how friends become lovers then return to strangers in an odd cycle from openness to vulnerability to unity to severing ties was beautifully heartbreaking in the way it was written. Where Were You Going, was again, really relatable as my ex too had a red car and my stomach too drops seeing one still and wondering if he chooses her now still after losing me and the endless cycle of questions a simple trigger can remind you of. It was a beautiful collection of poetry that gets you thinking, inspired and reflecting on your own experience in relationships too as well as the fun of continuing on the lines as well feeling inspired to finish the poem or song from the sentences proffered.

Hard Pills to Swallow (Thought Garden Poetry) by Stacey Nicole Douglas

This poetry collection was another great one by Stacey who writes such relatable poetry and if you've ever dealt with a one sided relationship, limerence and the pain of loving someone who doesn't seem to care as much about you back this poetry collection from her will be one you relate to and resonate with.

What I Meant Was This Isn’t Closure by T.Euke

This books reads like a collection of poetic observations in how life changes on reflection, how healing through living beyond past hurt and the boundaries that protected us allow us to thrive alone upon reflection we realise our resilience and how moments and words shaped us and our view on a situation we experienced in how days and conversations flow like no time has passed in a routine life living on inevitably way. I also love the title because every ending is a beginning in my view and the closure is just you continuing on in life and putting yourself first this time as tough as it can feel to do.

Wish Upon A Dandelion by C Swart

This poetry collection has such a tender title but such strength in the words of poetry it contains. Some stand out poems to me were: Creatives, about how creative people pick everything apart in everyday life unable to stop doing so as it's natural and expressing feelings through art. Lifetimes, about our lifetime's being a collection of moments that make us during our lifetime as we live amongst others lifetime's too. I Am A Collection Of, was a beautiful reflective poem about how we are made up of the moments and memories made we and live through. Comfortable In The Dark, was a really relatable poem about how at night you can feel at peace and comforted by the darkness and anonymity the nighttime world can provide. Worthy, was a poem about how caring for others is easy to do so. Just A Kiss, was a poem all about the beauty of romantic connection, the anticipation and the participation of two people just figuring out their spark of feelings. This was a lovely well rounded collection touching upon the most deep and tender parts of human connection and what we can wish for to experience, a great loop back into the meaning of the title again.

Riddles and Remedies: Poems about life, love and loss by C. Swart

This poetry collection focuses on the power of language as connection whether through reading or speaking and also focuses on the beauty of night-time falling and feeling small in the world under the cover of the night sky and at peace as nature speaks. Some stand out poems to me were: Your Hands, how the one you love so deeply can affect you simply by touch. Poetry Falls, about how easily you can write and be a poet when it's in your nature and it flows from you as natural as breathing. A beautiful book and fantastic intriguing title alluding to how as a poet to others you can be seen as writing or speaking in riddles but the writing to you is therapy.

Life Disorder: poetry, prose and affirmations by Ginnie Bale

This poetry collection focuses, trigger warning, on sexual assault and the aftermath you face in continuing on in life after, one clever and simple note to be included is a definition of sorts about the difference between depression and sadness. Having no tears and feeling numb or being full ready to overflow at any second completely weighed down by deep sadness. Some stand out poems to me were: Bad Habits, how we can easily tear ourselves apart and not see the strength and beauty of ourselves that others do and bury our feelings and emotions behind smiles and conceal tears wuthin until we feel safe to release them. Safe Harbour, about being the place people come trusting to be heard and held in times of pain. First Aid Kit For Emotional Wounds, all about ways to help heal your own pain and little things to boost your mood and cope with everything you've faced it was a great lost form poem. The collection was fantastic, from the openness it discusses life after such an event and from the title really fitting the way life falls into and feels disordered after everything you've lived through, survived and learn to thrive again in healing.

The Shape Of Loss by Kate Taviner

This poetry collection focuses on the pain of losing someone you love what it leaves behind and the grief that stays. Some stand out poems to me were: The Ward, about loss and how losing someone you love can make your thoughts linger on the turning point moment seeing past and your now present for you alone now. Stepping, about daring to embrace the future and step into the unknown to find better, how brave, bold and daring to try is after loss. This collection is like someone talking to you saying I understand and I get what you're going through and how the shape of any loss of a life in your life also changes you from before and after now.

Ode To An Embryo by Dawn Apiarist

This poetry collection focuses on early pregnancy loss, the hopes for the tender life that was then so cruelly taken away before it had a chance to flourish and explores all the emotions you can feel as a would have been mum facing the heartbreak of losing the chance to have your baby. A stand out poem to me simply titled, Death, was a simple poem reflecting on how people can consider a death of an embryo no loss as it was so early, yet, the fact is that was a life taking shape no matter how early and this collection honours the tender early life that never hot the chabce to flourish.

Love Lies by SaDee Hodge

In SaDee's newest collection of poetry she writes about the deep feelings developing in safety from a truly loving equal connection and the impact of kids and dogs in helping bring joy and love and how when you finally feel settled life can become uprooted unexpectedly and when unwanted. Another deep feeling look into experiences of relationships, trust, PTSD trauma and love.

Forget Me Not: Poems on Loss by Charly White

This poetry collection focuses on grief and the effects of loss, touching on the subject of dementia and how it can feel to be around a loved one adapting to the situation you face now together, during after after loss too. It was such a relatable and devastating collection of poetry about a loved one being lost to dementia over time feeling like you're grieving all over again with every change that happens in the timeline after diagnosis towards the end, a reflective, sad but courageously written book.

Before We Do… On Purpose by T.Euke

This collection was all about the anticipation between two people and the emotions stirred between tension and opportunity building from things we observe in not just words but closeness of actions, scent, how we linger and when you finally make a move, the way it can leave you questioning and hoping after finally letting the tension break and actions lead to reactions, all on purpose choosing each other. I loved the flow of this poetic story of want, need and the way tension building and breaking between two people can lead to a becoming.

Embrace The Dark by SaDee Hodge

SaDee's newest collection of poetry is another powerful honest read and as always, some poems really hit me deeply: Helix Of Survival, was a poem about the danger a partner can make you feel by their hand and a few lines in particular resonated so hard with teenage me: 'survivors don't talk about the aftermath of escaping death' & 'survival takes its toll' both parts of that poem I feel deeply because teenage me experienced similar dangerous behaviour from another's actions. Stream Of Conscious Thoughts, was again so relatable about writing being an escape when facing bad times in life and to cope writing becomes your therapy. Revenge Not So Sweet, was a poem so understandable and relatable how you can feel nothing is truly yours anymore after such a relationship and how that can make you wish you could flip it and make them understand how you felt in the dangerous situation they made you face. Witching Hour Confessions, was a really great relatable poem again about late night thinking and how your overthinking and deepest thoughts can come spilling out in the comfort of darkness and being alone. The dedication to Eve, as well saying my reviews have been noticed was so touching and SaDee if you read this review too, thank you for writing your story and sharing it so others facing dangerous situations in relationships know they're not the only one's and that others out here understand too, never stop writing!

Poems For Ari by Shona More

This book of poetry was a tender collection in tribute to Ari, Shona's little boy, who sadly passed away after suffering with chronic kidney disease. Some stand out poems of this collection to me were: Suitcase, about returning home with item's only and not your beloved baby. Some Days, was a poem about the simple way grief changes day to day and the emotions that it brings day in day out you learn to adapt with. What If? Was a fantastic poem linking nature, hope and grief in searching for signs you can belive in to be from your loved one that has passed. This was a collection of some beautiful long poems which show the depth of a mother's love and even more touching wad the way every poem nearly of the collection ends, Love You Forever, as if reaching out with the words directly to her son, a beautiful loving touch.

Such Small Hands: Poetry on Grief, Love, and the Enduring Spirit by Tiffany Ann Dosal

This poetry collection is possibly the most relatable and heartbreaking one I've read about child loss and suicide so trigger warning for those topic's being discussed. Any death is a tragedy, but for a child or baby even more so when their life was shortened unexpectedly from what we believe they'll get which is decades of life not a handful of weeks, months or years and even more so when it's the result of suicide as a cause and because of bullying which is just completely devastating. The poems talk beautifully especially of how music threads us in life and after loss. The collection speaks of the weight of carrying grief daily through life making you feel like a ghost amongst the living and I think one poem we all can relate to and know is, Do Not Stand At My Grave & Weep and that was included in a quoted poem form as another relatable addition. Little Strawberry, Lovely Music and the line 'the cellist in black play,' all hit me hard as relatable poems as I was once a cellist in all black playing in aan orchestra letting the music speak as it can absolutely speak better than words at times, and the joy of sharing music and food bonds us in a way with each other a lot of the time we'd never get solo or with people who just don't get us Carousels In Heaven, was a melancholic yet beautifully wistful poem about the beauty and joy a carousel can bring and how such a beautiful thing you see in daily life and once saw together can leave a lingering hopeful tie you wish to still be a bind in life and beyond keeping you anchored and close to your passed loved one. Honestly, this collection is possibly one of the best about losing a child I have ever read for the depth and honesty with which it has been written and I truly hope that writing this has helped.

Lost In The Milky Way by Emmie Vale

This poetry collection is a bold and raw look into life post birth when it should be all joyous, instead depression and overthinking takes control and Emmi has really captured her experience and perspective of the situation she lived through and all she experienced with emotional detail. Some stand out poems to me were: An Omen, on the early pain of nothing going right and feeling nothing can or will. Missing Records, lack of evidence of anything you raise being concerned and worried about. She, Selfless, about the strength of a lone new mum and all they have to do caring for themselves as best they can and this nee little dependent one too. k.o, was a literal reflective poem, of how we say the opposite to stop worry so instead of everything being ok, it's not but we wish to raise no concern. I Count To One, I relate to so hard as an only child I realise growing up I was so lucky and my parents gave so much and I've seen others with siblings struggling more with timelessness from parents and pain of them splitting for reasons eventually too where as for one life can be more stable and the family unit stronger, one can mean a strong family unit for sure despite what anyone says, an only one is a precious one and the self awareness of putting them first over the worry of trying again and all you could worry about facing again shows depth of awareness to protect not hinder your family. Misplaced, about fighting judgement from others for your conclusion in building a family, again was a bold and secure message in knowing what you need to do over anyone else's judgement which shouldn't even come into such a decision where the reliance is on you not them. This was a deep emotional ride but I know so many people will feel it and sit with it relating to themselves within the poems too.

Till We Meet Again: For you, Mom by Delton Savio DSouza

I have to start this review with a quote from the book that we can all relate to: 'you have changed me permanently' I believe everyone we meet in life changes us, but no-one more so than a parent who's been right there from the start of our life shaping us and such a true line on love and grief, the love that remains in a new shape to adapt to cope with and make peace with. A stand out poem to me was: Time Has Become Unreliable, all about how the days and hours move the same but now feels untrustworthy for anything could suddenly happen and trying to achieve anything can feel hopeless when we all go eventually after being faced with such heavy grief and sudden loss. It flowed like poetic storytelling of real life learning to live with grief, the same but changed forever after the loss of such a beloved person in your life.

The Shore: A Journey Through the Blue - A Brief, Poetic Companion for the Lonely Walk Through Infertility, Loss and Grief by K.P. Grace

This poetry book reads as a memoir and a companion book to anyone also suffering and struggling through infertility, miscarriage and the loss of identity as a woman you can face when unable to achieve the baby you so desire and ache to have. From the way that nature and the sea, or the shore, can be a soothing experience in the depths of pain to feel cleansed and gain new perspective from a change of scenery and the beauty of the coastline and horizon the book was not only beautifully written flowing like we were walking the tide and journey side by side, but with beautiful watercolour style pictures annotating the journey too like we're exploring together and seeing the joint beauty we can easily miss from focusing only on the negatives served up to us. Beautifully written and illustrated.

When The Petals Fall, I Rise by Isobel Raine

A collection of poetry about embracing life after a break up despite how rough it feels at the start. The lies he told me was a beautiful few words, few lines but still packs a punch about not being or at least feeling like enough and each line of each poem is impactful even in being short verses.