To Dance in Stardust

by Shelby Marie

From Canadian poet Shelby Marie comes a timelessly enchanting and hauntingly beautiful poetry collection about falling for the right person at the wrong time. It asks us the question - is it worth fighting through our pain to rekindle that love when the time is right?

To Dance in Stardust is a story of soulmates, a discovery of whether love can truly be reason enough to conquer our fears, to cast aside our doubt, and undeniably vanquish our darkness.

Vivid and imaginative, with ethereal illustrations that spark feelings of wonder and delight, this enthralling story of courage and hope will forever hold a piece of your heart.

Genres: Poetry

183 pages, Paperback

Published July 8, 2023

About the author

Hi, I'm Shelby!

I'm a poet and creative soul from Ontario, Canada.

I write poetry spun with magic and I run my own online boutique.

On social media I share my original poems that I hand type on my antique Underwood typewriter from 1911. These one of a kind pieces can be ordered from my shop or you can join me on Ko-fi to get monthly poetry mail!

I love cats, antique things, and everything that autumn brings. When I'm not writing poetry, you'll often find me curled up with a book or journaling.

I'm grateful that you're here with me. Thank you for taking such great care of the paper pieces of my heart. xo Shelby

Keep in touch:
Instagram: @shelbymarie.poetry
TikTok: @shelbymariepoetry
Facebook Page: Shelby Marie Poetry
Ko-fi: www.Ko-fi.com/ShelbyMariePoetry
Shop: www.shelbymariepoetry.ca

Reviews

[Simone McCue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely gorgeous poetry, once I started I honestly couldn’t put the book down. And the illustrations are just beautiful. Definitely a book for any poetry lover needs on their shelf and a collection that will always remain in my heart.

[Lauren Levi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the opportunity to read an advance copy of ‘To Dance In Stardust’. It is a gorgeous collection full of beautiful illustrations, taking the reader on a journey of love and loss. This is a wonderful addition to any bookshelf.

[Kris]

Gorgeous artworks and memorable collection. I love this one. I appreciate Shelby and her words. I can’t wait to read more of her works in the future!

Please go pick this up and read it!

[Val.F · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gorgeous poetry book with beautiful illustrations! Loved it!

[SO_NA · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book thinking my heart needs it,
I opened this book thinking I will see something inspiring in it,
I ended up seeing myself instead.

It was like seeing through a mirror,
It was all the good and bad,
It was all the dreams long gone and forgotten,
It was all the fears long locked and hidden,
It was the full circle.

It lured me in with its captivating illustration,
It captured me with its raw and beautiful words

It stopped the present time for me,
It shattered the memories I had before.

I bought this book thinking it would look good on my shelf,
I opened this book thinking it should not take me long to read it,
I ended up savoring every word instead.

It was how each paragraph tucked at my heartstrings,
Leaving me breathless till the last page.
It was how each sentence brought overwhelming emotions,
Leaving me in a puddle of tears.
It was how almost every page illustrated perfect drawings,
Leaving me shell shocked till the last page.

I bought this book thinking i would like it,
I opened this book thinking I would love it,
I ended up thinking I would cherish it till the the day I dance with the death itself.

Special thanks to author, Shelby for writing and sharing such wonderful poetry with us. This was such an experience I would never forget. It took my breath away. Thank you so much there is no stars that can rate this book high enough for me. Brilliant just brilliant.

PS: I got little taken away as I was writing this. Sorry for the long one.

[Shreya · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was send this as an ebook to review and from the start when I read the dedications I knew it was going to be a masterpiece. Shelby weaves her words artfully and you can feel that each word comes from her heart. Her poetries revolve around relatable topics such as anxiety and the struggle of trying to hold onto life, and the rope between life and death in ways that make your heart ache. To dance in Stardust is a vulnerable piece of artwork that takes you through the wide variety of human emotions in a way that makes you feel seen and not alone. She's not afraid to talk about the gentle hands of death that seem to beckon us on the darkest days and depressing and overthinking and hopelessness which tag along like companions. But also about hope and love because darkness cannot exist without light. It is like a warm hug on a cold night and I can't wait to have a physical copy of it in my hands.

[Peacockwritings · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deeply felt written poems !!

I had the opportunity to read an advance copy of '' To Dance in Stardust ".
These poems are beautifully written and simple so that everyone can enjoy them. The vivid imagery with incredible metaphors made me lost in my imagination while reading !!
I felt like reading a novel about someone struggling with anxiety who finds her soulmate through only poems !!

It was so heartbreaking after the part when she let go of her love, not to hurt him.

I think even a novel lover would love it. It's a story of a person struggling with anxiety, falling in love with her soulmate, getting far away from him, missing him, coming alive again, and finding her soulmate again to live happily.

Personally, this book inspired me. To make it short: we should not lose a life of poetry to get a perfect book. Things get better.

Peacockwritings

[Jim Swenson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is by far my favorite poetry book of 2023!
Absolutely everything about this new collection is gorgeous. The poetry is magnificent. And Shelby has made this even more personal and beautiful by illustrating the pages!
I have been following Shelby for a while and I fell in love with her writing immediately. In fact, To Walk On Moonbeams, her first book, was the first poetry book I bought for my now bursting collection!
In To Dance In Stardust, we see the maturation of Shelby as a poet. The poems are such beautiful writings, they really touch your heart and soul. I think Shelby is one of the best young poets out there right now.
I highly recommend this collection for all lovers of poetry!
Enjoy!

[Brooke Goodwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

To Dance in Stardust is nothing short of a masterpiece! The stunning, hand-drawn illustrations alongside the gorgeous poems have captured my heart!

Shelby has an incredible way of crafting beauty into even the heaviest poems. This book deals with insecurity, anxiety (and maybe a bit of depression too), fear, and of course love. Writing about love in any capacity is one of her strengths - one of the things that makes her poems so beautiful!

The story told in To Dance in Stardust is relatable and carries this air of hope that life can truly be wonderful. That love can be better than we imagine. I think she accomplishes this and so much more.

I can’t recommend this book enough! It’s one of my absolute favorite books!

[J.A. Bishop · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the pleasure to read an advance copy of To Dance in Stardust by Canadian poet, Shelby Marie. From the beginning, the enchantment starts at the cover but the hauntingly beautiful, vivid, and delicate illustrations keep you from putting this book down. With this book diving into the story of soulmates, showing us how it's okay to love and hold onto the people that we know we're meant for in this lifetime, this book is destined to be a timeless classic in the poetry world.
To Dance in Stardust

[TMR · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shelby was kind enough to send me a copy to review, and, having followed her work for some time, I expected to enjoy and move on from it. I was incorrect. Shelby’s work is a sharp splinter under the skin; it appears dramatic and lyrical and becomes familiar and personal faster than you would expect and easier than you would like. If you feel yourself inclined to modernist or deconstructivist poetry, prepare yourself to be surprised and delighted by lyrical and honest exposures of the fundamentally human.

[Sabina Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every page of this book is stunning, both visually and linguistically. The illustrations are beautiful and add to the ethereal atmosphere. The poems are both haunting and enchanting, with a depth and rawness that can sometimes be hard to find in modern poetry. Shelby has a talent for creating powerful imagery, even in just a few lines. This collection is the perfect mix of darkness and light, love and loss, hurt and hope.

[Victoria Gehman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some poets just have such a beautiful way with words, making each poem flow and feel so satisfying to read. Shelby Marie is one of them. And the illustrations in this book are unique and gorgeous, adding to the already beautiful poems.

[Dan (mylilyotv) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely beautiful, touched my soul, I needed that 💕

[Shelby · Rating 4 out of 5]

sometimes you just need a good poetry book as a palette cleanser.

[Morgan Toney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this! Beautiful poetry and I could relate to a lot of the poems. The artwork for each poem was also beautiful!

[Ginnie Bale · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't say enough good things about this book. The writing in this book was incredibly raw and honest and personal to an extend, it felt like secretly reading someone's journal. There's so much pain between those pages, expressed in the most beautiful way and on point. At times I couldn't continue reading, because I wanted the emotions of certain poems to linger a little longer.
This collection is magic, pure magic! I will definitely reread it soon.

Thank you to the author for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.