February 2021 Wrap-Up
5/5 Stars
Late last night I got an email with this lovely collection attached. I started reading and from page 1 I was hooked. This collection was incredibly relatable for me, Ellis has a way with words and in this collection she made me feel that for once I wasn’t alone. Some of my favorites in this collection were ‘Kindred Spirits’, ‘Yes, I Still Write Poems About You’, ‘It’s True’, and ‘I Can’t Understand’. Ellis was refreshingly honest about mental illness, relationships and missing someone. Her poetry was raw in an unfiltered way that so few poets can accomplish successfully. I found myself having a variety of emotions throughout this collection; she had me laughing then crying. Several lines stood out to me; ‘His heartbeat haunts me more wildly than any obituary ever could’, ‘Yes, I still write poems about you, and I hope my memory haunts you even half as much as yours haunts me’ and ‘Life is just a series of small moments we don’t remember and big ones that scar us too deeply to forget’. Her poetry related to several of my real life experiences as well as the struggles I’ve faced with my own mental illnesses. It was beautiful the way this collection came together. This is hands down one of my favorite poetry collections of the year.
***I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review***
5/5 Stars
I loved this book so much. This is only the second of Montgomery’s novels that I’ve read but it definitely won’t be my last. This novel was like no other, I honestly picked it up thinking it was a romance but it was so much more. It’s almost a mystery love story all rolled into one with a lot of suspense. I guessed throughout the book what would happen next and I was almost always wrong. You get invested with these characters, they are realistic which makes the story even better. There’s a love story and at times a tad unrealistic you want to root for them until the very end. I’ll definitely be picking up the sequel very soon.
4/5 Stars
"My brush will paint this life any way I desire"
Rogue creates beautiful poetry and this collection is no exception. This was a happy surprise to have this collection released early. Her poetry makes me want to fall in love again, so I can send someone these poems.
3/5 Stars
This collection was good, but it just wasn’t for me. The poetry read more like a journal than a collection, and that doesn’t seem to be the intent. It was a bit scattered and underdeveloped for my taste.
3.5/5 Stars
I loved the imagery and theme of fire throughout the first several poems. My favorite poem was ‘Star-crossed’. I felt like this was the start to a collection, like I wanted more poems but at the same time some of the first few fell flat for me. The second half of the book picked up for me but I also felt like she had more to say. I’d be curious to read a full collection from her in the future.
5/5 Stars
***I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review***
I absolutely loved this story. It was so realistic and kept you invested, I truly wanted to know Sloane’s story. She was way too relatable to my past which is maybe why I liked it so much. She’s been through somethings and she pushes people away, but then she meets someone who could change all that. Their love story is short but real, you want to root for them, you want to see them be happy. I had so many emotions on the ending that I am hoping this one day becomes a longer story. I definitely recommend this to anyone who loves love, hates love, or wants a laugh. This story will not disappoint.
1/5 Stars
I’m sorry I had heard good things about this collection but I’m genuinely just disappointed. It is extremely unoriginal and basically just reads like a self help article of positive quotes for someone with depression. “Don’t give up” “believe in yourself”. I am someone who’s suffered from depression and this just seemed so fake. Like yes a lot of it was helpful affirmations but then this collection should’ve been in the self help section not in poetry.
5/5 Stars
I’m still going to forever be angry that I started this series without checking that it was finished-it’s not. It took me a few weeks to start this book because I was so angry from the ending of Folsom. I hate how much I loved this book. Jackal takes place directly after Folsom but switches to Jackal’s point of view. Without giving anything away, there is another End Man who falls in love and as much drama as book one. I was literally on the edge of my seat wanting to throw this book across the room again. I had to walk away from it at times, it just gets to me. I loved Phoenix, she was such a unique and interesting character and you truly never knew what she would say or do. The reintroduction of some characters was like seeing your favorite celebrity on another TV show; “OH MY GOSH LOOK WHOS HERE”. I’m happy and angry with this book, I think I just have to accept I’ll always feel that way. I’m especially upset I might have to live forever with another cliff hanger and not get to know Kasper’s story.
4/5 Stars
This collection was recommend highly by a friend of mine so I decided to check it out and I’m very glad I did. I loved the way the collection came together with the fire metaphors. I was impressed with how it all tied together without being too repetitive. Each poem standing well on its own and as a collection. This line; “I thought you would be a breath of fresh air, but I just ended up with scorched lungs” stuck out to me most of all. Some of my favorite poems were “We burn brighter together”, “Incandescent insecurities”, “Small Pyres” and “One last call”. Thomas’ poetry is something I’ll definitely have to read more of.
4/5 Stars
I liked a lot of these poems. They were simple and relatable, most of them short so it was quick to read. There were some lines that stood out more than others; "Moments are what we should be living for. Not people, not things, but moments. A few poems I bookmarked were page 11, 26, 62, 77, 103, 126, and 129.
5/5 Stars
This collection was beautiful and utterly heartbreaking.
4/5 Stars
It’s honestly all too relatable to any of the relationships I’ve been in. The wanting more, the wanting to move on, the idea that if they came back I’d take them back etc. a lot of unrequited love and the “what if’s” that come with love that was unfulfilled. These poems honestly pulled at my heartstrings. My favorite poem was definitely Ivory Lies. Although I bookmarked many others like ‘A Study on Cruelty’, ‘With nothing to remember you by’, ‘Trying to fit a square peg in a round hole’ and ‘The unkindness of you’. I loved the lines “tripping over the binding that tied us together yet separated us” and “I pour my heart from my fingertips”.
5/5 Stars
*** I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review***
I really really loved this book. It took me almost a week to complete because like Drew, I’m a single mom and life just gets away from you sometimes. Savage made this story so beautiful and realistic, it wasn’t a story about a poor single mom being “saved” by a rich beautiful man. It was a story about a newly single mom learning to stand on her own and falling in love. It was honestly so perfect, I loved the interactions with all the characters and the family that is Bird’s Eye. Hawk and Ava’s relationship is so pure and something I hope to find for my family one day. The ending honestly brought tears to my eyes, it was so beautiful and perfect. I always love what Savage writes but this was amazing. I can’t wait to hear Will’s story in book two!
4/5 Stars
When I think of this collection I will forever think of the word soft. It is like drinking a warm cup of your favorite coffee, under a fluffy blanket straight from the dryer. That being said, it had really beautiful poetry. Some of my favorite poems were "heart & soul", "You hold oceans", "Maybe love is in New York City", "I will not" and "Flowers". I'm not the biggest fan of soft and happy poetry, maybe its because it pushes me out of my comfort zone, but this collection was a gift from someone with the softest and sweetest soul I know. I took my time reading this collection, gravitating toward it when I needed a pick me up or something positive. If you are looking for something happy or inspiration in your life-about anything, this collection is for you.
5/5 Stars
Dee really knows how to write romance. This is the second novel of hers I've had the joy of reading and it won't be the last. This book was lighthearted, making me laugh and smile throughout. She creates characters you want to root for that are realistic. This story was unique and fun, I genuinely enjoyed reading Zoe and Issac's story come to life. It ended perfectly giving me a happy ending with an ending true to them. I loved this book.
5/5 Stars
***I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***
So if you want a book that will make you laugh and cry all at once look no further. I was lucky to receive an ARC of this book and I am not disappointed at all. This is the first book of Kingsley's I've read but it will not be my last. Kinglsey tells a heartbreaking story entangled in one of hope and love. Some pieces were taken from her real life and I can feel the emotion ring true in these characters. I fell in love with Goose and Kenny's story from the start and nothing could've prepared me for the ups and downs that she faced. This book was beautifully written and so incredible. Don't sleep on this one!
/5 Stars
***I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***
