Unfold: Poetry + Prose

by Ari B. Cofer

From the author of paper girl and the knives that made her comes unfold , a poetic, aching, and hopeful retelling of realizations made while on the journey to healing from both loss of love and loss of self.

Through poetry and short essays, unfold shows that true growth comes from being unafraid to face what’s hidden inside, to be vulnerable, and to be unashamed of what we find when we finally open up.
 

Genres: Poetry, Nonfiction, Psychology

128 pages, Paperback

Published February 7, 2023

Reviews

[Natalie all_books_great_and_small · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

TW: suicide, self-harm, abuse, rape/sexual assault and abuse.
Unfold is a book of poetry and prose in which the poet guides us through raw, emotional poems of grief, growing and healing with much in-between. I do feel this book could do with some trigger warnings at the start with the authors note as even though there is a gentleness and tenderness to the poems, they could be very triggering too. You can feel the authors pain within these poems, and my heart goes out to her on so many levels.

[Caitlin Conlon]

Ari Cofer just keeps getting better & better. This book is an ode to growing up, to the coming-of-age story, to being sad and still living, loving, regardless. “unfold” will not only validate your experiences of grief & heartache, but help you through the uncomfortable process of becoming.

[Salem Paige · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unfold is a collection of moments from the author's life, including difficult experiences and traumatic events. Ari B. Cofer provides a vulnerable look into her past, and it hurts. The specificity of the poems make them real and personal, honing in on short but significant moments. Cofer excels when it comes to interspersing vivid, descriptive imagery with accessible, fresh metaphors.

There were some incredible poems in this collection. However, a number of the poems fell flat for me as some of the pieces were too literal for my personal taste.

The vivid descriptions and imagery can get intense at times when it comes to triggering topics, so reader discretion is advised.

Thank you to NetGalley and Central Avenue Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

Trigger warning: suicidal ideation, self-harm, suicide, assault, abuse, sexual assault, rape

[Bri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Appropriately titled (and referenced several times throughout the work,) Unfold is a tender collection of poems in which the reader is guided through grief, growth, and healing. These poems are an opening of the soul - unafraid to be raw and honest, to peel back the most vulnerable parts of a wound. The narration invites the reader in to the world Ari has created with a gentle tone even when the subject is anything but soft. Readers of their previous work might notice these poems feel more sure, the storytelling more methodical. You can feel where the skill has evolved. This collection shines the most when it zeroes in on a moment: a man joking that scars felt like Braille, a bag of pills taped behind a headboard, the copy of Cosmo tucked inside the copy of TIME magazine; the specificity of these moments will take your breath away and make you feel held. I would’ve loved to witness more of these moments, as the times where the narrative became more general did feel a bit repetitive. I can’t wait to see Ari develop their style more.

I would recommend this to those interested in mental health and inner child healing. Many thanks to NetGalley and Central Avenue Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

[Andrea Pole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unfold by Ari B. Cofer is an absolutely stunning collection of poetry and prose that resonated with me on a deep level. More than once, I found myself stopping to reflect on an observation that shook me to my very core with its truth and profundity. Ms Cofer's awareness and vulnerabilities take us on a very personal journey, and my soul felt nourished by every beautiful word.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Central Avenue Publishing for an ARC of this beautiful collection.

[Mackenzie Hamilton · Rating 4 out of 5]

As always I am ripped apart and put back together by her work. Definitely some tear stained pages

[Amanda Pierson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Central Avenue Publishing for granting me access to this poetry book in exchange for an honest review.
Ari does a great, job at expressing feelings of loneliness, depression, and despair through a powerful collection of poetry and prose.
Our “becoming” should never be a burden, and ari shows that no matter what you go through, you can still go another day.
It was a very heavy read and repetitive at times, but a good collection.

[Michaela Angemeer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favourite book of Ari’s so far, I love their creative exploration of poetry and prose, the snippets of heartbreaking storytelling in between. I was brought to tears and so moved by how Ari is able to look at her past and present self with such realness. It was a beautiful reminder that every side of ourselves deserves witnessing, and that the antidote to shame is speaking your truth.

[Kayla Simon · Rating 5 out of 5]

i will read anything that ari cofer writes forever!!

this is a collection of becoming. of surviving your trauma and healing in the aftermath. i love how vulnerable this collection is and how each poem is beautifully and achingly crafted. cannot recommend unfold enough!!

[Charleigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely loved ‘girl and her knives’ so I was excited to be approved for her next collection! I didn’t enjoy this as much as the first one, but it was still a solid 4 star read. This collection explores themes such as mental illness, love and loss. Like always, the poems, even though personal to the author, were also relatable and real for me as a reader. My favourites were ‘roots’, ‘resurrection’ and ‘we are denying your appeal for additional treatment’.

It was stunning and emotional. The author has such a unique way with words and I draw so much inspiration from her. Each word was carefully picked and placed to create maximum effect. I loved her ability to tell a story with every poem. It’s almost like reading a mini novel in one short poem.

I always appreciate her raw honesty. And the way she’s able to articulate complicated and painful emotions into poetry that is not only beautifully written but also relatable and heartbreaking.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher, for a chance to read and review this book.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you, Net Galley, for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

‘Unfold’ by Ari B. Cofer is a confessional poetry collection depicting the journey of trauma and healing. In this four-part collection, Cofer dissects herself to analyze those themes, there is Ari B. Cofer the writer of this collection, and there’s the fictional Ari, the girl that takes a life of her own within the collection.

I genuinely thoroughly enjoyed this collection. I felt like the vast majority of the pieces were very touching. I especially liked the first and last parts of this collection, with the poems ‘Sunday phone calls, reimagined’ and ‘Veterans Day’ being my favourite and bringing me to tears.

Ari B. Cofer is a very strong writer, and from a technical point of view, I think most of the poems carry the same level of strength and poignance throughout. What didn’t work for me personally was the organization of the collection. I enjoyed the concept, but I felt like, despite the poems being consistently strong, they felt cluttered together, which made certain parts feel like you were dragging through them.

Overall, I think this poetry collection was enjoyable, and I’m excited to read more from Ari!

[nekonikoban · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’ve been so detached from bestselling lists so I thought I would try something new. It was a reading experience of chewing down a half slice of lemon and being hit by a ten ton fast moving truck at the same time. Brows were scrunched in confusion and the first fifty pages felt like pre teen cringe overlapping with low degrees of psychological torture. It’s kitsch and internet famous influencer poetry aesthetic at its finest, a look into the zeitgeist of renewed tumblr hand drawn journal quote posts, abundant in rumble jumble and pauses and breaks, none of which contained meaning or style but all very well instabae. Sexual assault and mental illness and self growth is not very pretty but you know when you write a collection like this and having achieved best selling status, parts of the whole will be quoted and remixed and young readers will aestheticize the hell out of it, just as how I used to do

[Seher · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Central Avenue Publishing for the chance to read and review Ari B. Cofer's upcoming book Unfold.

I was a fan of paper girls and the knives that made her, but I don't think I love this book as much. I admire how she is able to talk about sexual assault in this book and there are some really good passages.

However, I realised that I was forcing myself to read the book and honestly, I just don't have that energy in my life anymore. I wish the author well and I hope that I like their next collection.

[Avalon Love · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unfold, Ari B. Cofer's latest collection of poetry, holds a spot on my shelf amongst the likeness of Lang Leav and Rupi Kaur. Often heartbreaking, sometimes redemptive and always relatable, I flew through this collection with my (kindle) highlighter in hand. While the middle portion of this collection felt targeted towards a group much younger than myself at 31 years old, I was still transported back to a time when the emotions being written about were once my own reality, and appreciated Cofer's ability to put them into words.

Thank you Netgalley and Central Avenue Publishing for gifting me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Victoria · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars.
I really enjoy Ari's poetry and their style, and while I didn't enjoy this collection as much as Paper Girl and the Knives that Made Her, I can't get enough of Ari's raw and real poetry and the way they divide their collections so thoughtfully. Truly it's personal preference; I don't tend to enjoy prose style poetry, and there was definitely more prose in this collection than their other one. If you enjoy all forms of poetry, I think you would definitely love this collection (please see content warnings in front of book if there are certain topics that you wish not to read about).

[Grumpybookworm · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like many others of its kind right now, this is a perfectly respectable offering, but is very similar to the hundreds of similar books out there. Inevitably there will be readers who connect with it as I think this form of poetry and prose is very readable, relatable, and identifiable for many readers. I think those will be younger readers, less experienced in life and needing more of the kind of life-advice poetry that this offers. Ultimately that wasn't me, but I think this will resonate with the right readers.

[Heather Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Central Avenue Publishing for this E-ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This was my first time reading Ari’s work, and this collection of poetry was absolutely beautiful. I can feel the hurt in each poem. I had to stop a few times to reflect. The amount of relation I have with these poems makes me realize than I’m not alone.

Please look up content warnings, as this collection of poetry deals with a lot of heavy topics.

[moll bucket · Rating 5 out of 5]

im currently sat numb. i don't usually cry at many things but this made me cry so that says something. again, another complex story about finding youself. through all the shit you go through.
"mom, why am i like this? did you pass it down to me?"
"don't be afraid to mean it. don't be afraid to live through this. sweet girl, the best thing you can ever, ever do for yourself is try."

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a raw and relatable collection. Thank you for being what I love about poetry. A refreshing rhythm.

[mike f. · Rating 5 out of 5]

GORGEOUS i didn't know how ari would top paper girl but here we are

[bailey 💛✨]

i love this human so much!!!! can’t wait to reunite with them in a week 🥹

[Mark Alpheus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Auto-read author, definitely

[Alexandra Mecherkany · Rating 2 out of 5]

Started strong but became too specific at the end for me. Poetry for the melancholy turned private diary with actual names accidentally published

[Woodli Krutek · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dnf. Got about half way through. It’s not horrible and some lines resonated with me however it was not very engaging and couldn’t justify the over due notices.

[nikki thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

ari’s work feels like reading a diary in the best way. honest and raw and beautiful. feeling very lucky to know them!

[Tori · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up

[Amy Littleford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Firstly, I'd like to thank Netgalley and Central Avenue Publishing for eARC for an honest review.

I read Ari B. Cofer's debut collection when it came out in 2022 and really enjoyed it so I was so happy to be able to read her next book, Unfold. There are definitely some trigger warnings that readers should look into before reading this. I really enjoy Cofer's writing style. She has such a unique voice and her poetry isn't part of the simple insta-poetry that has become popular in recent years (not that I have anything against this style) and I found it refreshing to read. This collection explores learning how to unfold and grow into ourselves by exploring the version of ourselves we leave in our past. I could relate to a lot of the poetry, especially those that spoke of parental relationships.

I liked that the poetry had titles - I feel like for me it shows that extra bit of effort and I appreciate that. I also like the artwork that ran throughout! I wish Cofer all the success in her writing career and recommend reading her beautiful poetry collection.

Amy x

[Angelea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ari B. continues to put her bleeding heart on full display, causing you to have no choice but to not look away from the page.