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thebookishpoet

thebookishpoet

Joined December 2017

Poet. Literature student. Book Blogger. Author of Afterlife and Dear Judas. www.melissajennings.co
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Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh
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In the Cage by Henry James
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A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin
review
thebookishpoet
Siege and Storm | Leigh Bardugo
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Pickpick

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Loved this book so much more than Shadow and Bone. So many plot twists! Alina is much more tangible in this book also.

EJG31 It was amazing! 7y
8 likes1 comment
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thebookishpoet
Wayward Daughters | Ashly Kim
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Pickpick

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Wayward Daughters surprised me with a narrative. It follows three sisters who run away from their home life to seek anything but home. As a fan of Dante‘s Inferno, another piece of narrative poetry, I was hyped for what was to come of the three sisters. Kim artfully crafted a sisterhood between these young women.

1 like1 stack add
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thebookishpoet
Your Soul is a River | Nikita Gill
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Mehso-so

⭐️⭐️⭐️
I was expecting a constant rush of feelings when reading but that didn‘t occur always. Your Soul is a River is such a compelling title. I was instantly drawn in. My main criticism is that the poems became repetitive in some sections as if I was reading an alternative version of a poem in this collection. However, at the same time, I rather loved the repetition of some of the motifs, but I'm conflicted so it's 3 stars for me.

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thebookishpoet
Lovin' on You | Fabiola Francisco
Bailedbailed

⭐️
Within the first few pages, depression is used as a throwaway adjective. Cr*zy is used. No thanksssss.

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thebookishpoet
Worlds of You | Beau Taplin
Bailedbailed

⭐️
I didn‘t finish this because the poetry felt unoriginal and faux-deep.

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thebookishpoet
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I LOVED THE MC! Jasminda was awesome and I rooted for her from the beginning. The world itself was intriguing but at times, the world building was a bit rushed. I look forward to the rest of the series!

4 likes1 stack add
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thebookishpoet
Day Is Ready for You | Alison Malee
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Pickpick

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks to NetGalley for access to this book.
A thoroughly enjoyable modern poetry collection about love, grief, heartbreak, and finding yourself again after the storm.

4 likes1 stack add
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thebookishpoet
Hold | Michael Donkor
Bailedbailed

I had to DNF this because of transphobic language in Chapter 8.

readingjedi This is near the top of my TBR list. Thanks for the heads up. 7y
thebookishpoet @readingjedi - you could still give it a try, there is a lovely sisterly friendship. 7y
1 like2 comments
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thebookishpoet
Shadow and Bone | Leigh Bardugo
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Pickpick

Shadow and Bone was a fascinating read, I love the Grishaverse. Having read the Six of Crows duology, I was already familiar with the world. I‘m always intrigued by themes of light and dark. Alina and the Darkling were clearly the most alluring characters, I could feel the pull of both sides. It‘s the first in the Grisha books, so I‘m going to get started on the next, Siege and Storm!

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thebookishpoet
Exit Ghost | Lexi Vranick
Panpan

⭐️⭐️
I wanted to enjoy this but it just wasn‘t an engaging story. It felt completely rushed due to a lack of detail. The slur cr*zy was used so many times which was disappointing. Crazy is not a synonym for nervousness or fear or surprise. It‘s such a loaded word that was used too many times, so much so it brought down the rating by a star. The characters lacked detail and the supernatural element just wasn‘t built up enough.

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thebookishpoet
Odes | Sharon Olds
Bailedbailed

ZERO ⭐️
This was some TERF-y reading. Couldn‘t get past the first 10 pages.

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thebookishpoet
People of the Book | Geraldine Brooks
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I don‘t normally read historical fiction but this was a great book. I was intrigued from the get-go about the origins of the book and what had been left in it over the centuries. Brooks‘ fictional characters (I think the characters were entirely fictional) had such depth and enhanced the turbulent journey of the Haggadah. Ultimately, what I got from this book is that art is hope and hope is forever.

5 likes1 stack add
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thebookishpoet
People of the Book | Geraldine Brooks

What‘s really intriguing about this book is that it is a collection of short stories connected to a larger story. Brooks has got me hooked!

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thebookishpoet
Helium | Rudy Francisco
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Incredibly powerfully poetry collection about race, love, identity, and hope. Rudy‘s poems were authentic, coming from a place of real pain. I felt everything with his words.

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thebookishpoet
the witch doesn't burn in this one | Amanda Lovelace, ladybookmad
Panpan

⭐️
I'm extremely disappointed in this poetry collection for numerous reasons: fake intersectional allyship, ciscentric poems, and highly misandristic. Not recommended. There is nothing feministic about this collection.

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thebookishpoet
People of the Book | Geraldine Brooks

I don‘t normally read historical fiction but this is amazing.

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thebookishpoet
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Started this last night and finished it tonight. Couldn‘t put it down. Loved it! I wish I had something like this as a teen. It‘s such an important book.

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thebookishpoet
Neon Soul | Alexandra Elle
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Pickpick

Throughly enjoyed this poetry book. Nourishing, warm words. The title is suitably named as you can feel the neon glowing through the pages. This collection is full of life and self-love!

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thebookishpoet
Please Hear What I'm Not Saying | Miss Isabelle Charlotte Kenyon
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Pickpick

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I felt so much within these pages. I‘m so lucky to have been apart of this anthology and diverse community of voices. The poetry anthology is illuminating and harrowing at the same time, but completely worth the read.

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thebookishpoet
Salt. | Nayyirah Waheed
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Waheed‘s words will stay with me forever. I have so many favourites.

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thebookishpoet
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This was a fascinating read as a writer as the mini-play/essay/prose asks what influences what: does art influence life? It makes an interesting intellectual read.

NikkiLeClair Love this!!! 7y
thebookishpoet @NikkiLeClair it‘s a fascinating read! 7y
4 likes2 comments
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thebookishpoet
Mehso-so

⭐️⭐️⭐️
This collection of poetry and prose was just okay. It didn‘t impact me as much as I thought I did. Some of the short stories were intriguing however. The writing wasn‘t particular original but the author has potential.

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thebookishpoet
Dear Judas | Melissa Jennings
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This is my second poetry collection that was just released on February 10th! It‘s so surreal seeing it on Amazon!

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thebookishpoet
Bailedbailed

Found this play to be incredibly tedious and complicated to absorb. Some funny lines, but I overall hated reading it.

2 likes1 stack add
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thebookishpoet
Bartholomew fair | Ben Jonson
Mehso-so

Didn‘t find this play funny at all. I liked the meta aspects in terms of the beginning and the names of the characters but I didn‘t take much away from it. Perhaps it would be better to see this play rather than read lots of long-winded sentences.

1 like1 stack add
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thebookishpoet
Loitering with Intent | Muriel Spark
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What a fantastic novel. Utterly confusing and ridiculous but I love when reality and fiction are blurred! The main character, Fleur Talbot, is awesome and has amazing insights into what it is like having an author‘s mind.

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thebookishpoet
A Game of Thrones | George R. R. Martin

I am finally starting this TOME tonight. Wish me luck!

monogamist_reader Good luck! 7y
thebookishpoet @monogamist_reader haha thanks - I‘ll need it 7y
7 likes2 comments
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thebookishpoet
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Pickpick

Beautiful poetry collection. It‘s a demanding read due to its content but it‘s worthwhile. For the first time in literature, I read the word “enby” - and as a non-binary person, this meant the world to me. The collection makes itself known - “I‘m here, I‘m queer and it‘s okay to fear.” Cottontail games is animalistic, playful, and wild, drawing on the notion that monsters who may be kinder than humans after all.

ReadingOver50 What does enby mean? 7y
thebookishpoet @ReadingOver50 it means non-binary. 7y
2 likes2 comments
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thebookishpoet

I‘m finally getting around to reading this!

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thebookishpoet
Loitering with Intent | Muriel Spark

Quentin Oliver is a misogynist and a half. However, Fleur doesn‘t take any nonsense! I‘m loving this so far.

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thebookishpoet
Soft in the Middle | Shelby Eileen
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Holistic. Goosebump-inducing. This poetry collection was so reassuring and relatable. I connected so strongly to this collection. I highly recommend it.

3 likes1 stack add
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thebookishpoet
Crooked Kingdom | Leigh Bardugo
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Pickpick

OH MY HECK. EVERYTHING HURTS AND EVERYTHING IS GREAT. WHAT THE FUDGE.

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thebookishpoet
Crooked Kingdom | Leigh Bardugo

I didn‘t expect to connect to Wylan, yet here we are.

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thebookishpoet
Crooked Kingdom | Leigh Bardugo

Inej needs to sleep for a thousand years, Kaz. Chill out.

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thebookishpoet
Crooked Kingdom | Leigh Bardugo

Very slow start to the book, but still awesome.

Jesper, you‘re awfully cheery these days? Nina, you got this. You can do this.
Matthias, you‘re officially the dad of the Crows.
Wylan, who are you and what have you done with Wylan? I‘m not complaining but damn you‘ve changed.
Kaz, you‘ve definitely not changed.
Inej, hold on.

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thebookishpoet
One Hundred Years of Solitude | Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Bailedbailed

Some of the content was seriously off-putting. However, I may return to it at a later date.

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thebookishpoet
The Hate U Give | Angie Thomas
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One of the best books I‘ve ever read. Should be on every literature learning curriculum. Cried at the end.

7 likes1 stack add
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thebookishpoet
Geek Love | Katherine Dunn
Bailedbailed

I couldn‘t finish it. I was triggered early on by the graphic and abusive content.

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thebookishpoet
Shattered Pieces | Ashley Rose
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Pickpick

Moving poetry collection about the “shattering” of a relationship. A stream of consciousness from a place of fear and grief.

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thebookishpoet
The Pillowman: A Play | Martin McDonagh
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Mehso-so

Highly confusing play. Despite its difficult content, it was an interesting narrative as you truly don‘t know what is going on.

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thebookishpoet
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes | Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
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Post-English Literature exam book haul!
I was pleasantly surprised by my local charity shop!

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thebookishpoet
Six of Crows | Leigh Bardugo
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Pickpick

One of my favourite books. Bardugo is a genius. Nina Zenik deserves the world.

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thebookishpoet
Inferno | Dante
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Exceedingly intense epic. Disturbing imagery. Pretty awesome tbh.

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thebookishpoet
Moonrise | Kaliane Faye
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Mehso-so

It‘s a promising poetry collection, but contains a few errors - formatting, page numbers, spelling, word choice. Has some problematic phrases in it. Faye has potential to grow. Some beautiful poems in this book however. 3/5 stars.

RaimeyGallant Welcome to Litsy! #LitsyWelcomeWagon And here's a compilation of Litsy tips that some of us put together:
https://raimeygallant.com/2017/10/31/litsytips/
7y
thebookishpoet @RaimeyGallant thank you!!! ☺️ 7y
3 likes2 comments