Originally published on Reedsy Discovery. The Rocky Orchard is Monier’s fourth novel and a testament to her experience and craft. Monier captures Mazie, the novel’s protagonist, exceptionally. From four years old to her late twenties, Mazie’s characterisation is realistic and charts her growth as a young woman; whilst still reminding us all of the traits … Continue reading Review of The Rocky Orchard, Barbara Monier
How Best to Stage a Breakdown is H. M. Reynolds’ first chapbook release; made up of only nineteen poems, the collection is a succinct treatment of struggling with mental illness and the feelings of panic, grief and loss which often accompany a breakdown. Reynolds does not trivialise experiencing any of the above. The eponymously titled … Continue reading Review of How Best to Stage a Breakdown, H.M. Reynolds
Originally published on Reedsy Discovery. Written during the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, Epiphaneia is a collection which explores life, loss, grief and community. From the very beginning, Georges speaks with maturity, experience and wisdom; immediately placing Epiphaneia above several, current poetry releases as its poetic calibre ensures it deserves a space on everyone’s bookshelf. At … Continue reading Review of Epiphaneia, Richard Georges
Who says you can’t play songs about death on hospital radio by Caitlin Thornley is witty, honest and incredibly well structured. Thornley’s voice is reminiscent of Armitage and Duffy as she writes, almost conversationally at times about places and moments typical to England or Britain. ‘Roadtrip’, one of my favourites in this collection for its … Continue reading Review of Who says you can’t play songs about death on hospital radio?, Caitlin Thornley
A Time for Winter is a journey from hurt through to healing told with the seasons. I have always admired Quinn’s manipulation of the natural world in her poetry and her debut collection is a superb example of this. Throughout the collection, Quinn focuses on the physical and visceral to convey pervasive emptiness, loneliness and … Continue reading Review of A Time for Winter, Kait Quinn
Tu Me Manques by Elizabeth Goodleigh is a beautiful tribute to the loss of her father. This short collection begins with an elegiac foreword full of both heartache and hope as Goodleigh promises to move forward remembering and cherishing everything her father taught her; remembering how much of her was shaped by a father’s love. … Continue reading Review of Tu Me Manques, Elizabeth Goodleigh
sweet hearts: poetry for the anxious and in love by Ryan is her first poetry collection and it is a moving portrait of someone struggling with love within themselves and accepting love from others. The collection follows the speaker’s journey from meeting someone online to long distance to falling in love. Throughout, anxiety is a … Continue reading Review of sweet hearts: poetry for the anxious and in love, Bella Ryan
Originally published on Reedsy Discovery. Green’s collection, Gates, is refreshing, original and a book for the 21st century. Behind Green’s words are the stories, thoughts and feelings of a human being who loves, wins and loses too. Split into two parts, Gates is a collection of quiet, inimitable power. It begins with ‘Namesake’, a poem … Continue reading Review of Gates, Jay Green
Originally published on Reedsy Discovery. E. B. Howell’s As Much as I Care to Remember is a frank portrayal of living with bipolar disorder. Howell’s honest dedication to raising awareness about bipolar disorder delivers an empathetic and authentic narrative about Liddy, a woman battling the world around her and the multiple narratives spun by her episodes of … Continue reading Review of As Much as I Care to Remember, E. B. Howell
Disclaimer: I received a free PDF copy in return for an ARC review. I should begin by stating I have no small children of my own so when I read Quincey’s Questions I recalled to mind my former self, a tiny, serious girl who loved the look and feel of picture books. The girl who … Continue reading BLOG FEATURE – QUINCEY’S QUESTIONS
