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Sip of Serenity
Short stories and poems that weave into daily life situations and thoughts. Both heartwarming and aching, like feeling warmth in your lungs from your hot drink to a sting that feels like someone is pricking a needle on a wound. A journey of ups and downs of life.
269 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
October 22, 2021
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You are a book I reread over and over, a story I go back to relive again and again.
The title is really fitting of the poem, all of the poems feel like a letter to a future lover. A poem titled "Please Let Me Grow By Your Door" clearly makes this point, the narrator compares themselves to a wild flower and asks to be allowed to grow near their door if it means that they can be finally close to their beloved.
In the opening poem we are struck with is a steaming hot case anaphora and oxymoronic chatter. It hooks you right in with lines like Food but not flavor /pretty but empty. The language is simple and drowning with imagery :(/How she hangs me on the rope of hesitation/my thoughts are a tornado in my head/the tabacco becomes a rose that soon will be ready to take your soul ). It's great for first time poetry readers,the lines are simple and easy to understand. It darts from everyday life situations to a writer professing love to writing (scandalous I know).
The formatting of the poems is quite pleasing to the eye, stanzas usually take a triangular shape, which makes reading much easier. The poems blur a line between prose and poetry quite fitting for people who are interested in getting into poetry for the first time. One of my favourite piece was a poem titled Shower Of Oil its a critique of the influences social media addiction can have on a person. The narrator takes on the persona of one who can't seem to stop judging their self worth on the number of likes they get on social media. It spots lines like . (/the umbilical cord has become voltaic being fed by a wire)
The stories usually take on the theme of narrating everyday events in a way that feels very personal. We are made to see things through the eyes. Subjects range from a character reminiscing about a deceased acquaintance with an obsession with his car, to an employee taunting their boss,to an unobstructive glimpse into the thoughts of a narrator daydreaming about love.
The play of words in some of the poems do feel uninstrusively jarring(/but the dress is uninhabited /left to be shaped by nothing) . I liked how the use of present tenses is mostly recurring through out Sip Of Serenity and it barely switches tenses stubbornly gripping unto one tense for dear life. It makes things feel more immersive, we're made to feel as if we're seeing things through the eyes of a bystander witnessing a series of events unfold.
Sip of Serenity was a great read. Aleen flawlessly mixes in a dedication and a poem into the last poem without it feeling weird to read. The ending piece was an unexpected surprise. You ought to give it a read or my angry mob with pick axes will be waiting in front of your door.
You are a book I reread over and over, a story I go back to relive again and again.
The title is really fitting of the poem, all of the poems feel like a letter to a future lover. A poem titled "Please Let Me Grow By Your Door" clearly makes this point, the narrator compares themselves to a wild flower and asks to be allowed to grow near their door if it means that they can be finally close to their beloved.
In the opening poem we are struck with is a steaming hot case anaphora and oxymoronic chatter. It hooks you right in with lines like Food but not flavor /pretty but empty. The language is simple and drowning with imagery :(/How she hangs me on the rope of hesitation/my thoughts are a tornado in my head/the tabacco becomes a rose that soon will be ready to take your soul ). It's great for first time poetry readers,the lines are simple and easy to understand. It darts from everyday life situations to a writer professing love to writing (scandalous I know).
The formatting of the poems is quite pleasing to the eye, stanzas usually take a triangular shape, which makes reading much easier. The poems blur a line between prose and poetry quite fitting for people who are interested in getting into poetry for the first time. One of my favourite piece was a poem titled Shower Of Oil its a critique of the influences social media addiction can have on a person. The narrator takes on the persona of one who can't seem to stop judging their self worth on the number of likes they get on social media. It spots lines like . (/the umbilical cord has become voltaic being fed by a wire)
The stories usually take on the theme of narrating everyday events in a way that feels very personal. We are made to see things through the eyes. Subjects range from a character reminiscing about a deceased acquaintance with an obsession with his car, to an employee taunting their boss,to an unobstructive glimpse into the thoughts of a narrator daydreaming about love.
The play of words in some of the poems do feel uninstrusively jarring(/but the dress is uninhabited /left to be shaped by nothing) . I liked how the use of present tenses is mostly recurring through out Sip Of Serenity and it barely switches tenses stubbornly gripping unto one tense for dear life. It makes things feel more immersive, we're made to feel as if we're seeing things through the eyes of a bystander witnessing a series of events unfold.
Sip of Serenity was a great read. Aleen flawlessly mixes in a dedication and a poem into the last poem without it feeling weird to read. The ending piece was an unexpected surprise. You ought to give it a read or my angry mob with pick axes will be waiting in front of your door.
January 16, 2021
I may be biased because my pen pal wrote this book and I'm on the back cover of it, but this book is so beautifully written and you can just feel the emotions she's putting into her work. I love you Aleen!!
October 25, 2024
This book is just simply amazing.
Many of the short stories and poems left me think for a while after reading them, i really enjoyed reading the book overall!
Many of the short stories and poems left me think for a while after reading them, i really enjoyed reading the book overall!
January 26, 2025
such a good poem book and very realistic also met aleen in June such a kind soul all good things for her are deserved
January 15, 2022
I really cannot complain too much about this book as I was given it for free in exchange for a review. But, despite that, I will be completely honest in my opinions and share my thoughts on this collection.
I’ve read a lot of short story and poetry collections in my lifetime, and this one didn’t really stand out as much as I hoped, but then again, something not standing out doesn’t automatically make it bad. This collection had charm, a lot of the stories felt very honest and personal which I appreciate. You can clearly tell that each story meant something to the author and I honestly can’t give any fault to that. It’s honest and raw which is more than any “Instagram poets” you see these days.
However, there were some errors, quite simplistic things that are easy to miss. For instance, in the story “Let’s Build”, the sentence “Juliet words were stuck in his head and replayed the tape again” should have been “Juliet’s words were stuck…” and the same mistake is made again in “Juliet words echoed as the tape is playing…”. But that is me being nit-picky.
Another thing I noticed is a few of the poems such as “Pour Me Some Wine” and “Dance of Betrayal” has zero punctuation. I do not know if this is a stylistic choice by the author, and if it is, I cannot blame than as I’ve also broken several punctuation rules as a stylistic choice in my poetry before. But once you notice it, it is hard to unnoticed it.
Overall, I didn’t hate this collection, but I didn’t love it either. I don’t think it’s quite five stars, but I don’t think it’s a one either. It’s a good first effort for a debut writer and I can see a lot of potential r Aleen Jweinat to shine in the future.
I give it a 3.5/5 stars.
I’ve read a lot of short story and poetry collections in my lifetime, and this one didn’t really stand out as much as I hoped, but then again, something not standing out doesn’t automatically make it bad. This collection had charm, a lot of the stories felt very honest and personal which I appreciate. You can clearly tell that each story meant something to the author and I honestly can’t give any fault to that. It’s honest and raw which is more than any “Instagram poets” you see these days.
However, there were some errors, quite simplistic things that are easy to miss. For instance, in the story “Let’s Build”, the sentence “Juliet words were stuck in his head and replayed the tape again” should have been “Juliet’s words were stuck…” and the same mistake is made again in “Juliet words echoed as the tape is playing…”. But that is me being nit-picky.
Another thing I noticed is a few of the poems such as “Pour Me Some Wine” and “Dance of Betrayal” has zero punctuation. I do not know if this is a stylistic choice by the author, and if it is, I cannot blame than as I’ve also broken several punctuation rules as a stylistic choice in my poetry before. But once you notice it, it is hard to unnoticed it.
Overall, I didn’t hate this collection, but I didn’t love it either. I don’t think it’s quite five stars, but I don’t think it’s a one either. It’s a good first effort for a debut writer and I can see a lot of potential r Aleen Jweinat to shine in the future.
I give it a 3.5/5 stars.
January 27, 2022
This is one of the books that have characteristics of a good friend. The book will accompany you during the whole day. Even if it is not in your hands and you are not reading it, passing by you will throw a glance to see how is it.
Each story and each poem will take you to another world and when you finish the story your soul will return and smoothly fill your empty delineated pattern seating on the sofa. After each story you will rethink about a single scene of your life it will help you to relive those scenes properly.
Thank you Aleen jan
Each story and each poem will take you to another world and when you finish the story your soul will return and smoothly fill your empty delineated pattern seating on the sofa. After each story you will rethink about a single scene of your life it will help you to relive those scenes properly.
Thank you Aleen jan
January 17, 2022
A collection of thoughful pieces about a girl's coming of age, written with deep introspection and feeling. You must read this book. Simple and powerful, modest yet yearning, she brings the reader into each piece, where one can delve head-first into the intent, or just pass the time away and enjoy the settings in which she is living and writing about.
September 18, 2024
This book is so nice!! It's so fun to read and each time I read a new poem or a short story in this book it hits reality perfectly!!
I advise everyone to read it !!
I advise everyone to read it !!
November 17, 2024
Such an amazing book and incredibly well written, I couldn’t put the book down I read!!
July 4, 2023
One of the nicest books… the author managed to make it short stories in a very interesting way, the language is very easy and understandable… love it 😍
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews