I have admired and been inspired by Candice Daquin’s writing since being introduced to her almost a year ago. So, when the bundle of books I bought for Christmas all arrived, I picked up Pinch The Lock right away and finished it the very same day it had landed on my doorstep. Poem after poem … Continue reading Review of Pinch The Lock, Candice Daquin
Originally published on Blank Paper Press Gagnier’s Swear To Me, his first collection explicitly addressing mental health was a triumph. It united writers from across the globe and there was a raw honesty within the pages which helped me feel less alone as I read it. Gagnier calls us ‘legion’ and here, as ‘all the … Continue reading Review of All The Lonely People, Nicholas Gagnier
Originally published on Indie Blu(e). We Will Not Be Silenced is a collection of poetry, prose, essays and art which shares the lived experience of sexual harassment and sexual assault. It has been pieced together and pioneered by four incredible, courageous women who, in telling their truth, have a raised a chorus of ninety-one other … Continue reading Review of We Will Not Be Silenced
If there was anything I did make a conscious effort to improve this year, it was how much time I set aside for reading. I didn't set a number of books, I just kept a note of them. All in all, I read forty three books. The odd number may annoy some but it is … Continue reading Top Ten Books of 2018
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
