I AM TRYING: A collection of poetry and prose by Sofia Romulan

This was such a relatable collection of poetry, as the title says, on the way as humans we are always trying, in life, love, friendships, relationships etc and especially the one word balance, the delicate tip between getting along and starting an argument, finding safety in silence rather than stoking the fire of an arguement. Forever lonely, was a poem about safety in being alone and unable to disappoint anyone in life too, that really stood out for the relatability of keeping to yourself and not wishing to burden anyone else with your problems. The collection also had a part talking of the walls we build to protect and hide our true selves, unable to pretend to be someone somewhere else, the way we can talk negatively and hurt ourselves talking down about ourselves instead of treating ourselves with caring, kindness and compassion instead pushing on to achieve or feel, or chase the next emotional high instead of being content where we are with what we have as enough, we always keep trying, as the title says.

What Their Voices Left Behind: Poems on Hurt, Survival, and Finding Your Own Voice by DORIS NDUNI

This poetry collection focuses on the way people can effect our lives and how their presence and essence alters the way we think, feel and observe. Some stand out poems of this collection to me were: Dinner Table Weather, about reading a room and person's mood and knowing what to expect served up to you. Mirror Lessons, how other people can distort our self view with harsh words that criticize rather than encourage. Report Card & Quiet Child, were two utterly relatable poems, how you become silent and observant of everything around you happening and learn how to go along with getting through. The Family Photograph, how everything can be unseen yet lingers in a frame only your eyes can read the scene knowing the truth within the frame. When Compliments Hurt, about how words from someone supposed to love you, can cut you deeply instead. Hunger, all about the way you crave to be seen and accepted for who you are with no judgement. Weather Report, was such a brilliant poem how our own emotions can mimic the weather. It was such a beautifully written poetic telling of life and the leaving and the aftermath of a relationship ending.

The Weight Of Soft Things by Apple Ram

This poetry collection focuses on the moments that can be heavy, from the weight of judgement and when you meet your love, how the small things feel so big in the way they care for you but also in the way that breaking up after years together is a different heavy weight to carry in the way they can become a stranger knowing all your secrets and also the way you lose a community you existed within happily too. It discusses the way we change and adapt after facing tough situations in life and love and how they impact us long term, especially putting ourselves before others who wouldn't choose us back too.

The Rose Of Winter by Samantha Chang

The title poem of the collection was about the beauty of resilience despite whatever alike a rose in bad weather striving to survive. It was a tender poetry collection of the fragility of life and the depth of grief around us, the feeling of being lonely when not alone too as is a hugely relatable topic these days especially I feel.

My Brain Is A Garden by Morgan Solis

This poetry collection focuses on the way life plants seeds that grow in our mind of thoughts and opinions collected and cultivated over time. Some stand out poems of this collection to me were: Temporary Love, about loving before finding the one who will stay forever. The Things We Carry, about the way things hold us down and back in life and the way they effect us long term too. A beautiful collection of how we grow through life and situations that make us feel deeply, reflect quietly in writing our way through what we face.

The Last Time I Waited for You: Words for Letting Go of a Love Without Leaving Yourself Behind by Matias Sebastian Gemelli

This was a beautiful poetic prose telling of how life remains continuous after heartbreak, the mundane way of life continues but how to you, everything that was your normal has altered. Some stand out poems to me were: The Phone Face Up, was such a relatable poem of hoping, wishing and waiting for the text or call from them that may or may not arrrive. Bargaining With The Past, about revisiting old messages as if evidence to trawl through of when things changed was again, so relatable. Your Name In Other Voices, was another poem of the easy way names can trigger thoughts, feelings, memories and alter your mood. Breadcrumbs, how a simple little sentence, a question, can make you crave more, not receive more nor the proper commitment you desire. Online, about the way digital presence can feed us slivers to stay hooked until no contact becomes solidly and silently the way the connection remains. A real, honest and raw account of life loving and losing the one you adored most.

The Shape Of What Stayed by Cassandra Jaye

This poetry collection focuses on the way that a parent can shape your life, positively or negatively and in this case too, how a narcissistic mother can affect a child growing up into adulthood. The collection also discusses how grief of your beloved can affect you forever in every day life from mundane shopping habits daily to the inevitability of you growing older and aging which they never got to and the future you never got to have together either and the ways life remains the same but altered forever beyond that moment of deepest loss and lingering grief.

Broken Scabs by L.Q. Murphy

Some fun rhyming poetry of ideas of bad things that could happen and ways to heal and adapt from them as well as trying and relying on only yourself in life, trying and failing multiple time but keeping going. The book was also illustrated with simple little drawings to bring each poem more to life vividly.

Poetry Tales Reflections In Rhyme by Bridget Ziana

This collection of poems are reflections of times in life and set over time around the covid pandemic, how it changed life in every way, in work, love and daily living from home too. Documenting life following the pandemic and the aftermath, Here We Are, was a poem which really spoke of how the world witnessed the chaos of the pandemic. Transportation Tribulations, is a poem that will make you laugh, guaranteed about how wild a tube journey can be with a menagerie of characters causing a riot. Over all, this collection is a great mix, lots of longer poems with a lot of great rhyming too, which not always all poetry does or has to rhyme so it was great to read a classic poetry style set in stanza's and verse.

Peanut Butter Chocolate: A Collection of Love Poems by Ezymoney

The dedication alone in this book of poetry was so sweet to read let alone the poetry! Showing such a dedication and bond between two people it made me smile thinking a guy can write so openly about his feelings, to me that is rare and a special thing indeed, Amara I hope you see how wonderful this relationship you two have is sharing time, moments nurturing connection souls aligning thinking alike, truly beautiful collection of poetry!

The Devil's Sister by Kate J. Blake

When vampire Raphael refuses to accompany his sister, Beatrice, to a masquerade ball, as she wants to find her mate, she is put in a position, yet her desire for love wins. However, Leonardo and Darius are two brothers, ruthless in thinking of how to avenge Raphael for their parent's death's caused by him. A book full of twists and turns in the plot whilst being about love and family at heart, the irony of them being vampire's and all that! Seriously for a quick story it was really well set out and flowed easily and Beatrice's handling of her situation so relatable torn between love and family, a brilliant quick read for an evening.

An Absolute Beginner's Guide to Keeping a Pet Rabbit: Handling, Feeding, Housing, and Grooming by Adriana Cinteza

As a rabbit owner from being born to parents who owned two little rabbits before I even came along, I've always loved reading and learning about them more as each rabbit has taught me something I haven't known before and this guide was great for covering most things. I particularly liked that the book was laid out into sections from finding where to buy a rabbit, costs of lifelong care, of which my last and eldest boy Splodge was ten, people often overlook the longterm vets bills and just focus on food and hay whoch can be cheap but thats only basic care as the book details. There's even tips on care and socialising rabbits which we've had both singular rabbits living in home and duo's that did and didn't get along. This guide really does prepare you as a beginner for everything you can expect to face and coming from growing up with rabbits if I was a new owner with no experience it's really detailed for all ages to be able to use and learn what to expect.

25 Roses by Stephanie Faris

As Valentine's day approaches Mia and her best friend Ashleigh sell chocolate roses in school.

Popular girls always get then so Mia buys extras and adds to the list making less popular people happy to receive one for once only when they want to know who sent them does trouble start

She has a crush on Alex her best friend while Ashleigh is her best friend with a secret crush then she sends roses to Sun a girl who needs a make over...

She gets asked to help do make overs especially by school mean girl who wants everything to go her way all the time including getting a guy.

This was a great book highlighting the good and bad that Valentine's can cause and how friendship means more than any action can show.

In the Beginning There Was Only Darkness by Soraya

Split into four big poems reading as stories, talking of life and death and the fragility of life and how we grow up dealing with all our feeling and emotions, a poetry collection to get you deep thinking.

The 30 Day Reset For The Anxiously Attached by Noah Grey

Noah has written another great guide to read and reflect along to with many good points raised. Stand out parts to me of this collection to me were: Day 11, about building the idea of a future with someone who isn't always present with you in some way. Day 22, about the bare minimum of basic respect, like a text back being met without you questioning or them leaving you hanging. I really enjoy Noah's books they always get me thinking deep about situations in life past and present and relate a lot to many points he get you reflecting on opening thinking and growing from your thoughts and reactions of the past to present.

This Is How You Know I Want You by AVA

A poetic diary of falling in like and love, the joy and discovery it brings in all the poems written and shared in this collection showing how deeply love can inspire you.

Finding Beauty by SaDee Hodge

This fourth collection of poetry by SaDee is as powerful in telling her journey of facing abuse and the previous loss of her beloved husband before too. Some stand out poems of this collection to me were: Caught Between Forever and Goodbye, knowing you had to save yourself from a situation endangering your life. The Day My Heart Overdosed, how suicide impacts your life. Home For The Broken, helping others who are or have been struggling even when you are too. Feelings Gross, was a clever poem reflecting on negative love what could be beautiful in a slow burn but preferring distance and safety. The Things I've Learned, too was a strong poem about what love should be and isn't. Only knowing love to hurt, brutal and honest in love, loss and life and every time I read SaDee's writing I am struck by how she writes with such beauty in being poetic and honest even on such tough subjects, another brilliant collection.

October Haunts by Eden Larsen

Set at Lasting Memories daycare, Ava meets Ethan, the new sudden owner who she's initially jealous of as she would've wanted the opportunity to own it herself before getting to know him and realising they may not be so different after all. A sweet short story about how impressions and premature judgement can hinder relationships before being more open to understanding each other.

Echoes Within by Briya Sage

This is simply an empowering collection of a toxic relationship ending and on reflection finding strength to become again who you were before but stronger.

Roots: Poems of Remembering: When remembering becomes returning by Evelyn Valehart

This poetry collection focuses on the metaphor of seeds and roots literally in the ground and in our families and how every step we take is rooted and for us to remember how each step, choice and decision can shape us.

Whispers Unsaid by T.Euke

This collection of poetry focuses on the unsaid words, the almosts spoken in feelings of desire and love, what remains but could be foreseen to go various ways besides how it actually really played out and what never got said instead got typed for closure as the whispers unsaid.

The Slowest Goodbye by Stacey Nicole Douglas

This collection opens on a very clever poem about the Disney princeses and their princes and the way we can feel deeply desiring to be their fairytale girl and their heroine yet feeling you fall short to real life expectations that fantasy can set. Discovering feeling needed for things, not loved, desired, treated well and ultimately cherished. My Goodbye Was A Test, was a fantastic sad and relatable poem about losing connection before it could truly become something proper. There was also a poem about the habit of checking on your person you adored and loved online seeing them and how they know little insignificant things that make you, you and you hate that in hindsight having been so open and vulnerable for it to all fall apart. The title absolutely speaks for this collection and the poems show all the ways entangled lives do slowly come apart again.

being the red flag: POETIC ODYSSEY OF UNAPOLOGETIC CURIOSITY by Amol Srivastava

This poetry collection discusses the behaviour surrounding red flags, safety and warning signs in relationship's from a male perspective of feeling you are the red flag and owning that truth and honesty. Some stand out poems of this collection to me were: Uncertain Bonds, Beautiful Chaos, Enduring Seasons, Solitary Sorrows, all poems about the uncertainty of finding an enduring bond and lasting relationship and love. Space As Escape and Fragile Facade, about admiring from afar but respecting to not want to hurt them and keeping distance between you both instead. The poems tell such a story of the way self doubt and worth can really bleed into a relationship and make it feel too good to be true or that you're unworthy of a relationship or person in your life.

Bittersweet Psyche by by Olivia Wheeler

This collection focuses on the devastation of love and life we live through. Some stand out poems to me were: Loved, a simple poem about the simple enjoyable things and how distance isn't even a problem when loved right. Curves, how women can be objectified at face value for their bodies and not their character and person as a whole. Sunsets, was a beautiful poem about the joy of the day ending through memorable beauty. Hands, was a simple sensual poem of how touch can build and nurture connection between two people more than words can. A great collection of poems to make you see deeply into situations around you.

The Girl You Never Loved: A Woman's Story, Told in Poems by Roya Khalili

This was a great collection of poetry reflecting on how after a relationship runs it's course, how you feel reflecting on everything that happened. Some stand out poems of this collection were: Rain Poem, was gorgeous how tears and a cloudy mind of memories lingers like weather. If Only You Understood Poetry, about the beauty words have providing emotion and meaning from simple glances speaking. Wish, about wishing to forget someone after a breakup happens. The Woman I See In The Mirror, about being alone and solitary, yet craving another person and their perspective. Shadows Of Betrayal, was a clever poem using imagery of a person's face, mouth and eyes to convey love and pain, fake care and kindness. 'Hope is a slow poison' From the poem Inflamed, was such an impactful line about how hope can make you feel mad. A collection of deep thinking poetry.

Sweet Poison by Ariel Day

This newest collection by Ariel focuses on the power of love and lust being, as her title says, like a sweet poison. A couple of stand out poems to me were: Love Language, about craving being the one you love desires only. Invisible, about feeling smaller in the same place as you shrink to fit the life of the one you love to be kept in their life in any way at all. A collection to make you think and reflect on the way relationships can play out.

Holiday Encore by Raven

A story about past and present love and the emotions the festive season can stir, Alex and his young daughter, Lily, choosing to embrace the future no matter how scary the unknown seems making a new life as a trio than a duo despite past hurt. The story was told in a dual POV with us reader's as Alex's other half which meant we could slip into the story and feel more immersed in the emotions of how reuniting at the right time can work, a beautiful story of the way second chances and communication can work out right.

Holiday Overture by Raven

Alex and his young daughter, Lily, in the festive season reunite with his ex love and a second chance for them arises by pretending to be engaged to help his music shop business thrive in their village during a busy festive season. The story is split between Alex's POV and us readers slipping into his partner's perspective so we can imagine the depth of feelings and immersing ourselves into the story world alike in a play for deeper moving feeling of the story plot.

Kink by T.L. MacRae

A bold and open book discussing sex and sexual reclamation after abuse and rape survival and challenging the stereotypes sex as we age too. Love, was the deepest feeling poem to me of the collection easily, raw and honest perfectly encapsulating how a loving relationship and sexual relationship should be like.

When They Met by Luckkk K

This was a really short collection of poetry detailing how falling in love is hard, to keep trying and saying goodbye, can be too easy to do especially for fear or feeling scared of being hurt, a relatable collection of poetry for anyone who's been in love or lost love, even unrequited love, a really relatable read.

Where Time Stands Still: Poems of Secret Love and Timeless Longing by Alex Harlem

This was a beautiful poetry collection about the slow lust and desire becoming love and I honestly can't pick any stand out poems because the whole collection flowed in a poetic story like way from both his and her perspectives of falling.

Whispers In The Dark by Rosalie Johnson

This was a great atmospheric poetry collection, with emotive language around dolls, floorboards, staircases, fog, mist, graves, funerals, creepy phone lines, mirrors, clocks, candles, shadows, sounds etc. It was an atmospheric like poetry collection in a haunted house in the woods style poetry theme it's one of those books that with the right instrumental album on as a soundtrack like Peter Gundry, is so immersive especially with carnival language, eerie wind talking, costal observations and sleep themes too, everything is talking surrounding us.

Wilted Roses & Empty Pages by Amit Sati

This collection of poetry speaks deeply about the sadness built of solitude. Some stand out poems to me were: A Person, was a simple but effective poem listing how we are inspired and always will envision one person when writing poetry especially. Hopeless, was another poem about how one person can help inspire you to feel hopeful or hopeless with words and actions and the power of them to you. What A Wonderful World, was a brilliantly simple and ironic poem about how in this world we can hurt each other, so simply and cruelly, sadly. This was a beautiful collection of melancholy and relatable poetry.

READ THIS IF YOU’RE OVERTHINKING AGAIN: Late-Night Thoughts, Overthinking, and the Quiet Process of Letting Go by T.Euke

This was a great book almost like a friend holding up a mirror to your brain of a night-time, discussing how at night, overthinking, trying to understand how conversations and relationships suddenly and often quietly ended and how the cycle of thinking too much can loop us to doubt how we acted and how we can feel much more than the other person did it seems to us and that just being sad about how the situation unfolded is a simple fact of the matter of the situation you experienced and instead of spiralling into overthinking, this collection soothes those thoughts knowing so many of us can spiral into our thoughts before reaching a calm acceptance and realisation of our situations faced.

I'm Still Everywhere by T.Euke

This was a gorgeous picture book for children deealing with pet loss and the grief and heartbreak from the loss that is felt. Through simple lines to provide comfort and aid understanding of losing a pet the illustrations perfectly show how children may be feeling from the loss seeking comfort for example in toys and reflecting on memories.

Open Wounds & Healing Scars by Stacey Nicole Douglas

This poetry collection reads like a collection of thoughts collated into a diary style read of thoughts that occur following losing the one person you loved and cared for so deeply and the juxtaposition of loving and losing, feeling so happy and so sad because of that one person and the oddness of becoming stranger's again to each other, a collection I know so many of us can read and instantly relate to.

I AM CONFUSED: A collection of poetry and prose by Sofia Romulan

This collection focuses on all the ways little things we can hate before learning to love about ourselves can shape us and our thought's can hold us back despite feeling the feelings we feel, how words can be hard but actions still speak strongly and loudly of true intentions and the way it can as the title says, leave us feeling confused.

Ruins Called Home by Rithika Talluri

This poetry collection focuses on us, a body as homez with poems about the way growing up shapes us, to comply, the juxtaposition of being an emotional anchor to someone yet forgettable almost too. All the poems are numbered not titled, so a line from poem number 6: When I Become Enough Company, 'a quiet intelligence in being alone' Which really hit with me spending time alone solo, reading, listening to music or the radio especially to me makes me feel calm, no pressure, not performing or conforming to however anyone would want me to be, just instead accepting myself and my life for what it is and what makes me happy. One poem can can make you feel seen and accepted, poem number six was that poem for me.

Healing Poems for Quiet Nights: Gentle Words for the Lonely Hours, Letting Go, and Resting the Heart (Healing Poems Series) by Bryn Tandon

This poetry collection was one to make you feel seen when in real life you can feel invisible, there's always space within the words of a sentence to make you feel seen without it literally having eyes to see you with. Some stand out poems to me were: The Truth About Fine, about the easy answer often given over the emotional depth you crave someone to see and hold space for. People Pleaser, about being the one to help by being agreeable, feeling about the love you get is conditional to you only being agreeable and never saying no to anyone. The Wound, about the almost situations, potential, the hope, the pain of never being fully chosen and What They Took, was a poem all about the summary of what someone can take from you in a relationship but how they leave you changed, to not mistake certain actions or words again in other future situations and future relationships that will inevitably arise. Talk To Yourself, was a poem to me that echoes one of my favourite songs ever by Rain City Drive called, Talk To A Friend and mirrors the songs meaning in a complimentary way that poetry and lyrics you can often relate to life and situations. The Morning After and Beginning Again, were two poems about moving on for yourself and resetting your life for the better for you, through self love and acceptance to make yourself happier in life. A fantastic collection of poetry showing how self love can evolve and be healing and freeing for you to try.

To the Moon: Poems on Love, Heartbreak, Letting Go, and Finding Yourself by Tristen Miranda

This poetry collection focuses on the author calling their love, the moon and discusses the way they felt seen, loved, appreciated and how sad to face the relationship ending. Some stand out poems to me of this collection were: Never Erased You, about how distance parting you never feels finite despite the miles between. Moon Night, how by night choices seem to finite to try to change. Any Other Way, of how loneliness and solitude can lead you on an internal journey when inspired. A beautiful collection of poetry inspired by the moon, night and honesty.

Love In Pain by Broken Poet

Poetry literally as it is titled, detailing the reaction and thoughts from a guy struggling with grieving the relationship he was in and how it has changed him and his life after it ended. A very short collection, easy to read on a break and still made me think and relate to parts of the poems also good to read from a male poet their thoughts and feelings after a break-up too.

Hello Grief, Welcome Home by Lindani Gwamanda

A short yet emotion filled collection of poems how grief arrives and remains in daily life touching everything, lingering with reminders of the love shared, nurtured and lost, a really beautiful collection with many relatable lines and moments for reflection.

Intoxicated Poems by Vaidehi Kanathe

The title of this collection intrigued me and it speaks of love as the drug, falling in to lust and deep love, never wanting to part and poetry from feelings being more intoxicating that alcohol to try cope with your feelings in a more healthy and productive way.

Reminder by Esseme

This little poetry collection serves us reminders in a few lines only, each poem tells how love should be a priority, easy and not an hard time or argumentative constantly instead it should be beautiful. Each poem is like small little served reminders like glimmers of hope to educate.

Dark Skies And Car Conversations by Kai Rowan

A short poetry collection about the beauty of late night drives igniting bright hope and honesty in thoughts to become this beautiful collection of poetry.

Misplaced Diary by Shira Sanjh

This was a collection of lengthier poetry about unrequited love and crushes, the effect the particular one you admire or adore can make you feel and believe there's nothing better than them, you can't write them better or find another as good.

Undeliverable Love Poems by Shannon Sonnenberg-Pietila

This poetry collection focuses on how the loves of your lives can provide a story and shape your views of life and situations. Too Late, was a great poem on reflection of a break-up and realising how good someone was and the desire to go back when you can't. A short but detailed storytelling style poetry collection.

The Broken Heart Poetry by Joanna Kurczak

Really beautiful words in dedication to love, the feeling, emotion of it, raw and honest in love and after breaking up, the longing and loss, something we can all relate to in this collection.

Pieces Of My Heart by Despoina Kemeridou

I was drawn to read this collection for the fact it is themed to be darker from the tagline on the cover and having previously enjoyed Despoina's other moving poetry collections. From the start there is a fantasy edge to the writing with knights and ladies, a hero's theme too, before moving on to haunted house theme too. The poem, Me As I Am, was relatable and so simple the way it was written just stating facts and I love when you can really relate to poetry to get you thinking about life and situations too. Darker but still deeply moving!

Songs Of Her Smile by Kavinaar

This book was a poetry collection all about a girl and her smile, a unique poetry collection about how a smile can be a great welcome and inviting to spark a conversation, feelings or even a friendship or relationship. A unique collection and quick to read easily in a day, simple yet effective poetry.