Volume 1 is gorgeous and only has me beating myself up that I haven't bought Volume 2 and 3 yet. The structure is an absolute feat. S. K. Nicholas has woven a masterpiece which has the reader journeying on unpredictable highs and lows. Many pieces resonated with me and some I just absorbed; I knew … Continue reading Review of A Journal Damned Lovers Volume 1, S. K. Nicholas
Founding Fathers is the debut novel from Nicholas Gagnier, following the release of his novella Leonard the Liar in July 2018. As debuts go, in fact as novels go, it is stunning. Parts One, Two and Three flawlessly weave the stories of multiple people together to culminate in a narrative coming full circle. Except some … Continue reading Foreword for Founding Fathers, Nicholas Gagnier
Nicole Lyons is nothing short of a wordsmith. She doesn't need reams of paper or hours of your time to tell a story of epic, poetic status. Her story telling is succinct. Her love and loathing palpable. Her ability to leave the page and rest within your mind's eye, magic. Whenever I read a poetry … Continue reading Review of I Am A World of Uncertainties Disguised as a Girl, Nicole Lyons
Split into parts which correlate with Gagnier's life as a man and poet, this collection is a wonder to behold. I followed Gagnier from his mid twenties into his early thirties; with reminiscent childhood pieces interwoven throughout. His voice and style is in flux as he changes but there is no doubt it grows in … Continue reading Review of Free Verse Revolution: The Collection (2010 – 2017), Nicholas Gagnier
When the very first poem causes you to sit back in your seat and admire the sky through the window, smiling because you have been blissfully reminded how much raw beauty and strength rests in the voices of others, you know you’re about to read one hell of a book. The beginning of Blossom and … Continue reading Advance Review of Blossom and Bone, Nicole Lyons
Austin made a gorgeous debut with Magpie in August so when asked to read and review For You, Rowena I was filled with excitement and trepidation. I imagine Austin is too, as her second novel releases, a dark departure from her first. There is little I can say which won’t spoil the narrative of this … Continue reading Review of For You, Rowena by Kindra M. Austin
Since beginning Brave and Reckless in 2016, becoming a member of several collectives, a founder member of Indie Blu(e) and establishing herself as an editor, Christine E. Ray's presence on WordPress and online has been keenly felt. It comes as a surprise then that Composition of a Woman is her debut poetry release. However, every … Continue reading Review of Composition of a Woman, Christine E. Ray
The first volume from the Sudden Denouement Literary Collective holds its own as an anthology in the poetry publishing world. It is not an imitation of one you would expect to find in traditional publishing, such as the annual Forward Book of Poetry or a collection of classics from Penguin. This volume stands firmly alongside … Continue reading Review of Anthology Volume 1, Sudden Denouement
Originally posted on Indie Blu(e). Austin stuns with her debut novel, Magpie in August. A lovingly written narrative about living, dying and the purgatory in between. I’ve been an admirer and reader of Austin’s poetry since late 2016, a little while after she started poemsandparagraphs. Austin always writes honestly with the razor-sharp ability to steal … Continue reading Review of Magpie in August, Kindra M. Austin
Let me begin honestly. There is no hiding the love I have always had for Nicholas Gagnier’s work; whether that be his poetry or being a beta reader for his novel Founding Fathers, due to be released in the summer of 2019. However, this also meant I approached reading Leonard the Liar with a preconceived … Continue reading Review of Leonard the Liar, Nicholas Gagnier
