Poetry Reviews: Nocturnal, With Gratitude

Nocturnal by Wilder

3 stars

“i’m still trying
to find the parts of me
i left hidden
between pages
of a story i never
wanted to forget,
but you were always
in the last place
i looked.”

Nocturnal is a small collection of poems. There are short poems and long poems. There’s art and a collection of emotion and heart. It’s good to see such heart being placed into each page of this collection. I personally wasn’t enamored with this collection. I liked it. This is a simple and heartfelt collection, but it didn’t stick with me. It’s been a couple of days since I’ve read this one and I’ve already forgot most of the poems and the way that it made me feel. This is a collection that will either stick with you forever or fade away from your memory. As a reader, it’s up to you to decide if you want to pick this collection up.


Whimsical Writing Scale: 3

Plotastic Scale: 3

Cover Thoughts: It’s a beautiful and simple cover.

Thank you, Netgalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing, for providing with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

With Gratitude by Marala Scott

3.25 stars

With Gratitude is a simple poetry collection that focuses on finding and cultivating gratitude in your own life. These poems have heart and it’s obvious that this message is very important to Scott. I will admit that a lot of these poems sound like cheesy inspirational posters that hang in doctor’s offices, but those sayings are popular for a reason. People like simple things that remind to be grateful and this poetry collection does just that. I do think that this is an important side caveat that some of these poems in this collection are incredibly idealistic and overly indulgent in optimism. The problem is that not everyone can see the good because this world is so bad and some people will argue that cultivating this form of gratitude is impossible if struggling with mental illness or trauma (I would argue against that as my own personal testimony, but people lead different lives). I think this collection is all about perspective, but because not everyone understands their own perspective they make walk away from this collection filled with resentment instead of letting their hearts be opened to a different way of living. Also Scott is a Christian, so if you don’t want a sprinkling of poems about Jesus and God then this one may not be for you. I really liked this collection. It was full of poems I needed to hear in the moment and I recommend this collection if you are looking to cultivate gratitude or be reminded of where gratitude can be found in your own life.


Whimsical Writing Scale: 3

Plotastic Scale: 3.25

Cover Thoughts: I love the cover and the combination of the flower with a soft blue background.

Thank you, Netgalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing, for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Between You and These Bones by F.D. Soul

3.5 stars

“There are flowers in my chest again
the kind
that do not lose their bloom.”

Between You and These Bones is a poetry collection filled with soul and the breathtaking grit of poetry. F.D. Soul is an innovative poet compared to most of what scatters the shelves today. Her poems are short at times, but they are also long. She isn’t afraid to have three or four-page poems which is saying something. The art in this collection is absolutely stunning and is cohesive to the poems. As much as the poetry speaks, the images smattering through the pages speak and interweave with each to convey a full message. This collection has a lot of soul and there were poems that I really loved, but there is a lot of lines within this collection that don’t make much sense. My eyes had the tendency to gloss over and have to reread when I got lost. I suspect this collection is very sophisticated and I’m probably not very smart about deciphering it. It’s a good collection and I think it will find a good-sized audience. If you are looking for a collection with more heart and a bit more grit then I think this one will be a good pick.


Whimsical Writing Scale: 3.5

Plotastic Scale: 3.25

Cover Thoughts: This cover is stunning. One of my favorites.

Thank you, Netgalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing, for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.  

Have you read any of these books? Are you a fan of poetry? Let me know down below in the comments!