books_plan_create's review against another edition
3.0
The book started off very strong, I was immediately hooked. But my enjoyment began to wax and wane after a while. This is not a poetry book to sit and read in one sitting; I think I would have enjoyed it more if I had spread it out over a couple of days. Regardless, the poems were sooo good, even stand alone!
While I had this as an ARC from NetGalley, this is definitely one I will be adding to my personal collection!
While I had this as an ARC from NetGalley, this is definitely one I will be adding to my personal collection!
thewoollygeek's review against another edition
5.0
Beautiful poems, they talk to your soul. The vivid imagery painted is just wonderful. They are Tormented, sad, angry and yet at times uplifting, independent and free. A great collection.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
blackcatkai's review against another edition
dnf'd @24%
I CANT ANYMORE. like, MAYBE these could work as songs for an emo glam goth band or something, idk, but I cant do another eDgY or ableist poem. I cant. a couple not bad ones are not enough to push me to slog through the rest of this entirely too long collection.
I CANT ANYMORE. like, MAYBE these could work as songs for an emo glam goth band or something, idk, but I cant do another eDgY or ableist poem. I cant. a couple not bad ones are not enough to push me to slog through the rest of this entirely too long collection.
rogenecarter's review against another edition
3.0
I'm usually a fan of confessional poetry but this collection suffered from a lack of editing. When you collect a lot of poems of a similar nature together it's useful to divide the book into sections so that there is some sort of narrative scope. Also, experimenting with different poetic styles and devices would have helped ease the monotony of reading one bleak work after another.
zanderstruck's review against another edition
2.0
I received this e-book over NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This collection is filled with dark and whimsical poems, that deal with deep emotional issues around love and human connection.
Sadly overall it wasn't for me. The poems were very dark at times, most concentrated on unrequited love and similar things, which also quickly got repetitive. After 84% of the collection, a second part with supposed more positive poems started, but at that point I had already lost interest and I also didn't feel like these later poems lightened anything up.
I do enjoy modern poetry, but I had big issues connecting to this one and everything just kept pulling me down without giving me any hope throughout. These poems really focus on the hurt and that's just not for me.
The writing is very good, beautiful at times. I did enjoy the Haiku that is at the end of of, other than that no other particular poem managed to stay fresh in my mind.
I think this collection would have been a better read had it been around half the size. Like this many poems felt repetitive and the darkness of most of them drowned out any hope the ending tried to build up.
This collection is filled with dark and whimsical poems, that deal with deep emotional issues around love and human connection.
Sadly overall it wasn't for me. The poems were very dark at times, most concentrated on unrequited love and similar things, which also quickly got repetitive. After 84% of the collection, a second part with supposed more positive poems started, but at that point I had already lost interest and I also didn't feel like these later poems lightened anything up.
I do enjoy modern poetry, but I had big issues connecting to this one and everything just kept pulling me down without giving me any hope throughout. These poems really focus on the hurt and that's just not for me.
The writing is very good, beautiful at times. I did enjoy the Haiku that is at the end of of, other than that no other particular poem managed to stay fresh in my mind.
I think this collection would have been a better read had it been around half the size. Like this many poems felt repetitive and the darkness of most of them drowned out any hope the ending tried to build up.
naava's review against another edition
1.0
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
Honestly? I don't want to put to words how much I did not like the book. The cover was stunning, which is why I wanted to read it, but the poetry...
Not to put down depressed thirteen-year-olds who've never read let alone written poetry before and possess no natural talent for it, but this was like one of them had written it. An awkward and cringey emo phase turned into a book. Too much trying to be this and that, edgy and beautiful at the same time, turned out a gigantic mess.
There were a few good lines here and there, but all in all, this was not a good read.
Honestly? I don't want to put to words how much I did not like the book. The cover was stunning, which is why I wanted to read it, but the poetry...
Not to put down depressed thirteen-year-olds who've never read let alone written poetry before and possess no natural talent for it, but this was like one of them had written it. An awkward and cringey emo phase turned into a book. Too much trying to be this and that, edgy and beautiful at the same time, turned out a gigantic mess.
There were a few good lines here and there, but all in all, this was not a good read.
graypeape's review against another edition
2.0
I tried to like this collection, but I'm just not the target audience I think. If I was still an emo high school girl, maybe, but as a middle-aged woman, I just not feeling it. Nox's poetry has potential; with a little more life experience and maturity, I think she'll write some great things. For now, she gets repetitive at times, like she's writing song lyrics with a repeating chorus instead of poems. She has some strong moments, and is getting there, but she's not quite there yet.
ijustkindalikebooks's review against another edition
3.0
A collection of poems from Azzura Nox sees us delve into a dark and dangerous assortment of lines that certainly have it’s moments of sparkle in the gloom.
At first reading this collection, I must admit I was not into it, but I do feel this collection does get stronger as it carries on - though I do feel this book could be so much better if it was maybe divided into periods of time as she recovers. Bleed Like Me has some real short blasts of feeling throughout this book but the poems are out of time order and they can feel a little out of place as they drown in the theme she is writing about in that part of the collection.
Not a book to allow you to be comfortable, the gothic, atmospheric tones sometimes do not sit comfortably in this book and I feel sometimes the lines come over as quite simple, not to mention a little odd (I wish I could take back Ecstacy, I really do). However there are poems like Crashing Stars and A Haiku For All The Boys I’ve Kissed that really are so good in this book - and proof this book gets better as it goes on.
This collection certainly is raw, honest and should come with a bunch of trigger warnings, I would not recommend this book to anyone whose suffered from trauma as I feel this wouldn’t be the right work for you at all, as the writer’s huge collection of poems covers a variety of difficult topics from self harm to miscarriage.
I just don’t know how I feel about this book, but I know it could have been so much more than it is, as you can see the talent is there but there’s just too much and too confused for me to feel it’s perfect.
At first reading this collection, I must admit I was not into it, but I do feel this collection does get stronger as it carries on - though I do feel this book could be so much better if it was maybe divided into periods of time as she recovers. Bleed Like Me has some real short blasts of feeling throughout this book but the poems are out of time order and they can feel a little out of place as they drown in the theme she is writing about in that part of the collection.
Not a book to allow you to be comfortable, the gothic, atmospheric tones sometimes do not sit comfortably in this book and I feel sometimes the lines come over as quite simple, not to mention a little odd (I wish I could take back Ecstacy, I really do). However there are poems like Crashing Stars and A Haiku For All The Boys I’ve Kissed that really are so good in this book - and proof this book gets better as it goes on.
This collection certainly is raw, honest and should come with a bunch of trigger warnings, I would not recommend this book to anyone whose suffered from trauma as I feel this wouldn’t be the right work for you at all, as the writer’s huge collection of poems covers a variety of difficult topics from self harm to miscarriage.
I just don’t know how I feel about this book, but I know it could have been so much more than it is, as you can see the talent is there but there’s just too much and too confused for me to feel it’s perfect.
addythebookbat's review against another edition
3.0
The poems in this collection are pretty unique in the sense that they're more in depth than some contemporary poetry out there. They were very dark and gothic and felt as if I were reading them from the library of the Addams family or the Munsters.
Out of the entire collection, my favorite has to be 'Ice Princess.' To me it tells the story of someone who cannot bear to be broken-hearted again so they turn to ice and seek only love for themselves. However, these poems are definitely not for the light-hearted. These poems are dark and angry and very vivid. Because of this I have to mention that there are some triggers that should be taken in consideration before reading. For example: suicide, self-harm, domestic violence, and rape although I am probably missing a few. I'll have to admit I had to skip a few poems that described self-harm because of personal reasons.
Out of the entire collection, my favorite has to be 'Ice Princess.' To me it tells the story of someone who cannot bear to be broken-hearted again so they turn to ice and seek only love for themselves. However, these poems are definitely not for the light-hearted. These poems are dark and angry and very vivid. Because of this I have to mention that there are some triggers that should be taken in consideration before reading. For example: suicide, self-harm, domestic violence, and rape although I am probably missing a few. I'll have to admit I had to skip a few poems that described self-harm because of personal reasons.
widowwatson's review against another edition
1.0
This is the first time I DNF an ARC! A lot of this poetry seemed a little too cliche/ too immature for me. I’ve felt heartbreak before and I tried to be in that headspace while considering the pain in these poems but no dice. There are some cool little lines every once in a while but Nox mostly repeats herself and also blames her partner every time for her sadness, which isn’t really cool with me. There might also be some casual orientalism and ableism in this one…? AND if I didn’t finish this collection, imagine what else is floating around in there. oof.