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aldoregan's reviews
389 reviews
Mind Platter by Najwa Zebian
4.0
more of a philosophy book than a poetry book. this had so many inspiring messages. i loved each and every one. this is like my book version of a happy pill. mind platter is definitely a book that anyone should read when they're feeling down, when they're full of doubts, when they're scared, or when they just need life advices to help them answer their questions.
full review (with quotes from the book) to come.
full review (with quotes from the book) to come.
No Matter the Wreckage by Sarah Kay
4.0
Sarah Kay's poems are a mix of simplicity and beauty. The words/language used is easy and not at all difficult, but the metaphors are so beautiful and so full of meaning. It'll leave you in deep thought thus making a memorable reading experience. This is the kind of contemporary poetry that I'd want to read.
“There are places where fishnets do not mean stockings,
where the learning happens in between moments, like after
a wave passes, and you break the surface gasping for air.”
- Montauk
“When the
hurt remains, you, dearest friend,
will recognize my limp. You will
whimper with me, fully. You will
return with me to the hot sand,
to the menacing gulls, to the water
sweeping us into new and better days.”
- Slivers
“Leaving is an easy art to learn. But the
advanced steps—the pirouettes and arabesques
are difficult to master.”
- The Moves
“But I want her to know that this world is made out of sugar:
it can crumble so easily, but don’t be afraid
to stick your tongue out and taste it.”
“And always apologize when you’ve done something wrong.
But don’t you ever apologize for the way
your eyes refuse to stop shining;
your voice is small, but don’t ever stop singing.”
- B
“Let the statues crumble.
You have always been the place.
“You are a woman who can build it yourself.
You were born to build.”
- The Type
“There are places where fishnets do not mean stockings,
where the learning happens in between moments, like after
a wave passes, and you break the surface gasping for air.”
- Montauk
“When the
hurt remains, you, dearest friend,
will recognize my limp. You will
whimper with me, fully. You will
return with me to the hot sand,
to the menacing gulls, to the water
sweeping us into new and better days.”
- Slivers
“Leaving is an easy art to learn. But the
advanced steps—the pirouettes and arabesques
are difficult to master.”
- The Moves
“But I want her to know that this world is made out of sugar:
it can crumble so easily, but don’t be afraid
to stick your tongue out and taste it.”
“And always apologize when you’ve done something wrong.
But don’t you ever apologize for the way
your eyes refuse to stop shining;
your voice is small, but don’t ever stop singing.”
- B
“Let the statues crumble.
You have always been the place.
“You are a woman who can build it yourself.
You were born to build.”
- The Type
I Wrote This For You by pleasefindthis
4.0
There are poems that stay with us for a minute or two after reading it. And then there are poems that stay with us for a lifetime. These are the kind of poems that go straight into our hearts and never leave. This is exactly what I Wrote This For You was to me. For the past (almost) two months, I've been reading contemporary poems from various authors. And for the past (almost) two months, I've yet to find something that stood out to me. Until I read I Wrote This For You. Before reading this book, I've lost all the expectations that I've had for poetry. It's just not the same as it was before. And I accepted it. Maybe this really was the new trend and I just wasn't into it. But reading this book completely changed my mind and made me believe that there are still many beautiful poems out there.
Here are some of my favorites from I Wrote This For You:
“THE PLACE I’M IN
You cannot kill me here. Bring your soldiers, your death, your disease, your collapsed economy because it doesn’t matter, I have nothing left to lose and you cannot kill me here. Bring the tears of orphans and the wails of a mother’s loss, bring your God damn air force and Jesus on a cross, bring your hate and bitterness and long working hours, bring your empty wallets and love long since gone but you cannot kill me here. Bring your sneers, your snide remarks and friendships never felt, your letters never sent, your kisses never kissed, cigarettes smoked to the bone and cancer killing fears but you cannot kill me here. For I may fall and I may fail but I will stand again each time and you will find no satisfaction. Because you cannot kill me here.”
“THE
BIBLIOGRAPHY
OF STRINGS
And you taught me what this feels like.
And then how it feels to lose it.
And you showed me who I wanted.
And then who I wasn’t.
And you ticked every box.
And then drew a line.
And you weren’t mine to begin with.
And then not to end with.
And you looked like everything I wanted.
And then became something I hated.
And you get thought of every day.
And then not in a good way.
And you let me leave.
And then wish I’d stayed.
And you almost killed me.
But I didn’t die.”
“THE DEATH OF LOVE
Oh love. Why is your body so still, why do your muscles sing no more, why does your chest not rise and fall.
Oh love. Why is your skin so cold, why do your eyes not trace my face, why do you not get up and accept my warm embrace.
Oh love. I have no regrets for our mistakes, no heart left to break, for you have taken it with you to the grave.
Oh love. Love that turned to death, death that turned to longing, longing that turned away from me, leaving me here to bear it alone.
Oh love. Oh love. Oh my love."
Here are some of my favorites from I Wrote This For You:
“THE PLACE I’M IN
You cannot kill me here. Bring your soldiers, your death, your disease, your collapsed economy because it doesn’t matter, I have nothing left to lose and you cannot kill me here. Bring the tears of orphans and the wails of a mother’s loss, bring your God damn air force and Jesus on a cross, bring your hate and bitterness and long working hours, bring your empty wallets and love long since gone but you cannot kill me here. Bring your sneers, your snide remarks and friendships never felt, your letters never sent, your kisses never kissed, cigarettes smoked to the bone and cancer killing fears but you cannot kill me here. For I may fall and I may fail but I will stand again each time and you will find no satisfaction. Because you cannot kill me here.”
“THE
BIBLIOGRAPHY
OF STRINGS
And you taught me what this feels like.
And then how it feels to lose it.
And you showed me who I wanted.
And then who I wasn’t.
And you ticked every box.
And then drew a line.
And you weren’t mine to begin with.
And then not to end with.
And you looked like everything I wanted.
And then became something I hated.
And you get thought of every day.
And then not in a good way.
And you let me leave.
And then wish I’d stayed.
And you almost killed me.
But I didn’t die.”
“THE DEATH OF LOVE
Oh love. Why is your body so still, why do your muscles sing no more, why does your chest not rise and fall.
Oh love. Why is your skin so cold, why do your eyes not trace my face, why do you not get up and accept my warm embrace.
Oh love. I have no regrets for our mistakes, no heart left to break, for you have taken it with you to the grave.
Oh love. Love that turned to death, death that turned to longing, longing that turned away from me, leaving me here to bear it alone.
Oh love. Oh love. Oh my love."
The Princess Saves Herself in This One by Amanda Lovelace
2.0
Am I supposed to appreciate a poem that's like this??????
“i bet
you regret
making
an enemy
out of
me.
- 1 back, 2 knives.”
When there are a hundred poems on tumblr that are like this:
1.)
we all forget
how beautiful we are
because maybe we
only look closely
in the mirror when
we are searching
for the wrong
things
and maybe we forget
that the lines around
our eyes are formed
from laughing
and maybe we forget
that the lines around
our mouths are just
the memories
of smiles
and maybe we really
forget that there will
be a person who will
stare into our eyes
and kiss our mouths
and think that we
are the most
beautiful
person
alive
- kpk
2.)
But, my dear,
you are a daisy
unlike any I've ever seen
I know you
have yet to be picked
from the garden--
And a few of your petals
have been plucked--
And your leaves
may have withered a bit--
And you're not quite
as strong as you
maybe once were--
But, my dear,
you are a
beautiful daisy
unlike any I've ever seen
g.h.
3.)
before you kill yourself
just remember
that there are
places you have not been
and things you have not seen.
and poems to awe,
art to draw
fields to walk through
people to talk to,
music to take in,
games to win,
and books to be read.
so why,
oh why,
do you wish
to be dead?
(w.d.)
Surprisingly, this book snatched the first spot on the goodreads awards (another reason to believe that the goodreads awards is nothing but shit) when the poems here are like words carelessly thrown on paper. I liked the idea of this being a feminist book, i like how the character development was evident as I read further. The execution was just bad. I don't know what's happening to poetry but I am honestly not here for it. When did poetry stop containing in depth, and metaphorical content. It makes me sad that contemporary poetry is nowhere near as how classic poems were written.
“i bet
you regret
making
an enemy
out of
me.
- 1 back, 2 knives.”
When there are a hundred poems on tumblr that are like this:
1.)
we all forget
how beautiful we are
because maybe we
only look closely
in the mirror when
we are searching
for the wrong
things
and maybe we forget
that the lines around
our eyes are formed
from laughing
and maybe we forget
that the lines around
our mouths are just
the memories
of smiles
and maybe we really
forget that there will
be a person who will
stare into our eyes
and kiss our mouths
and think that we
are the most
beautiful
person
alive
- kpk
2.)
But, my dear,
you are a daisy
unlike any I've ever seen
I know you
have yet to be picked
from the garden--
And a few of your petals
have been plucked--
And your leaves
may have withered a bit--
And you're not quite
as strong as you
maybe once were--
But, my dear,
you are a
beautiful daisy
unlike any I've ever seen
g.h.
3.)
before you kill yourself
just remember
that there are
places you have not been
and things you have not seen.
and poems to awe,
art to draw
fields to walk through
people to talk to,
music to take in,
games to win,
and books to be read.
so why,
oh why,
do you wish
to be dead?
(w.d.)
Surprisingly, this book snatched the first spot on the goodreads awards (another reason to believe that the goodreads awards is nothing but shit) when the poems here are like words carelessly thrown on paper. I liked the idea of this being a feminist book, i like how the character development was evident as I read further. The execution was just bad. I don't know what's happening to poetry but I am honestly not here for it. When did poetry stop containing in depth, and metaphorical content. It makes me sad that contemporary poetry is nowhere near as how classic poems were written.
Dirty Pretty Things by Michael Faudet
1.0
This was utterly shit. I may have found one or two poems that I liked, but the rest were just ridiculous. I get that this is erotic poetry but I was expecting it to be metaphorical and subtle in talking about sex. But the writing was so straightforward to the point where the author used words like "wet", "fucking", and "panties". I cannot tell you how many times I literally cringed or laughed out loud because of the ridiculousness of the poems. This book is a disgrace to poetry.
Here are some examples:
“Poetic
Now’s not the time to be poetic, she said. Just pull my panties down and do me up against this tree.”
“Overwhelmed
I know I shouldn’t be telling you this, she said, but I have
an overwhelming urge to fuck you—right here, right now.”
“Rainy Afternoons
I love spending rainy afternoons in bed getting wet.”
“Kindness
Do you know what really turns me on?
What I find incredibly sexy? Kindness.”
“Dirty
You make me feel a little dirty, she said, and I fucking love it.”
And lastly:
“Voyeur
There comes a moment, hidden beneath the gentle moans escaping your lips, where a wet line is crossed. Transforming the act of touching yourself to a whole different level. It suddenly becomes what it really is. Everything you want it to be. Raw, hardcore, legs apart, masturbation.
And as the intensity of the pleasure increases with each repeated circle, the fantasies start to flow. Sticky and swollen. Stretching your imagination and opening you up to your dirty little secrets—
Pulling your hair and fucking you fast.
A tiny mouth opens . . .
Spasms and shock waves of pleasure explode between your legs, mini aftershocks rippling over your clenched body, as tight fingers pull on a hard nipple.
You lay beneath the messy sheets, quietly exhausted and smiling.”
I can't believe these are actually considered as "poetry". Definitely the worst book that I've read this year so far.
Here are some examples:
“Poetic
Now’s not the time to be poetic, she said. Just pull my panties down and do me up against this tree.”
“Overwhelmed
I know I shouldn’t be telling you this, she said, but I have
an overwhelming urge to fuck you—right here, right now.”
“Rainy Afternoons
I love spending rainy afternoons in bed getting wet.”
“Kindness
Do you know what really turns me on?
What I find incredibly sexy? Kindness.”
“Dirty
You make me feel a little dirty, she said, and I fucking love it.”
And lastly:
“Voyeur
There comes a moment, hidden beneath the gentle moans escaping your lips, where a wet line is crossed. Transforming the act of touching yourself to a whole different level. It suddenly becomes what it really is. Everything you want it to be. Raw, hardcore, legs apart, masturbation.
And as the intensity of the pleasure increases with each repeated circle, the fantasies start to flow. Sticky and swollen. Stretching your imagination and opening you up to your dirty little secrets—
Pulling your hair and fucking you fast.
A tiny mouth opens . . .
Spasms and shock waves of pleasure explode between your legs, mini aftershocks rippling over your clenched body, as tight fingers pull on a hard nipple.
You lay beneath the messy sheets, quietly exhausted and smiling.”
I can't believe these are actually considered as "poetry". Definitely the worst book that I've read this year so far.
Chance Encounters by Sam Madison
4.0
I can see why Sam Madison is well known in the wattpad community. She writes beautifully and creates love stories that have a deep and meaningful message beneath the surface.
One flaw that this book had was that some parts were dragged. Particularly the middle chapters. Nevertheless, Chance Encounters was a really cute and light read. Very different from THH as well, which is a good thing. I absolutely love the relationship that was built between Austin and Reed. Their banters were hilarious. Their backstories were heartbreaking. Their character developments were heart warming. Fate plays such a huge role in this story and I think that's what really stood out for me. Fate was shown in a realistic way and it made me believe that it is possible to fall in love with someone in just one night.
"It didn't make sense to me at all. But if there was one thing that I'd come to learn after everything that's happened in the past few weeks, it's that it didn't have to make sense to make sense.
It only had to make me happy."
One flaw that this book had was that some parts were dragged. Particularly the middle chapters. Nevertheless, Chance Encounters was a really cute and light read. Very different from THH as well, which is a good thing. I absolutely love the relationship that was built between Austin and Reed. Their banters were hilarious. Their backstories were heartbreaking. Their character developments were heart warming. Fate plays such a huge role in this story and I think that's what really stood out for me. Fate was shown in a realistic way and it made me believe that it is possible to fall in love with someone in just one night.
"It didn't make sense to me at all. But if there was one thing that I'd come to learn after everything that's happened in the past few weeks, it's that it didn't have to make sense to make sense.
It only had to make me happy."
The Good Girls by Sara Shepard
3.0
The Good Girls is surely a lot crazier than the first book. The plot escalated quickly, and once it did, everything was in chaos. More people started dying, and the mystery thickens, leaving readers with trails of clues than answers. One thing that I loved about this book was how it reminded me so much of why I've come to love mystery stories. It was consistently riveting and thrilling. It was a page-turner. When the mystery was finally unfolded, everything made sense. I've had my fair share of suspicions and theories, but who the true suspect was still came out as a surprise to me. How Shepard unraveled everything was terrifically written.
Again, this book was so short that everything happened quickly. We try to immerse on the girls's individual lives, yet we only get a glimpse of it. I would've liked it if this was longer. In that way, the character development of each protagonist would clearly progress and be evident in the end. That's why I only gave this 3 stars.
Nonetheless, it was a good and enjoyable book. A quick read, and definitely an interesting one as well.
“And just like that every horrible thought receded into the background. Maybe, just maybe, she wasn’t damaged goods after all. Maybe she was okay - someone worth caring for. Someone worth loving, even."
Again, this book was so short that everything happened quickly. We try to immerse on the girls's individual lives, yet we only get a glimpse of it. I would've liked it if this was longer. In that way, the character development of each protagonist would clearly progress and be evident in the end. That's why I only gave this 3 stars.
Nonetheless, it was a good and enjoyable book. A quick read, and definitely an interesting one as well.
“And just like that every horrible thought receded into the background. Maybe, just maybe, she wasn’t damaged goods after all. Maybe she was okay - someone worth caring for. Someone worth loving, even."