Hidden on the Highest Shelf

by R.B. Madison

Written by R.B. Madison, Hidden on the Highest Shelf is a collection of poems that paint a journey of the highs and lows of mental health. From the lows of navigating the dark corners of the mind and challenging feelings to the highs of learning how to heal and cope with those feelings. This collection is filled with vulnerability, growth, questions, strength, and, most important of all, hope. Hidden on the Highest Shelf is for anyone who has gone through a challenging time with mental health who are looking to feel seen and that they are not alone. It is with great hope that these words will to exactly that.

126 pages, Paperback

Published March 19, 2025

Reviews

[Mariah Montoya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extremely relatable! Full review to come 🩵

[Julianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection of poems talks about broken friendships, ended relationships, emotions surpressed, and anxieties felt. It is a deeply personal retelling of the author’s most difficult moments from her past, and is relatable to anyone who has ever felt unheard or unvalued.

This was a lovely and easy read, and I applaud the author for her immense bravery to put these feelings in writing! To read this book is to revisit your younger self and find validation in shared experiences.

My favorite lines:
"This wave was meant to find you in this season"
"You needed a crowd
And I just needed you"
"It’s not worth trying to be the hero
If the villain will forever be crowned"
"I’m fine
The biggest lie I’ve ever known"
"I gave my friends gold while I lived in the gutters"
"Not everyone is meant to stay"

Favorite poems:
Trust the process
Hold on
Little me
Dig, dig, dig
Differences in what we need
Cry quieter
I am the author
Cheerleader
Maybe, just maybe
My greatest strength
Imposter syndrome

Thank you to R.B. Madison and Soleil Writing Agency for this ARC (all thoughts and opinions are my own).

[Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/4.25 ⭐️

I always applaud poets for putting their deepest, most inner thoughts on paper. It takes a level of courage and bravery to write it all down and share it with the world.

I really enjoyed this particular collections of poems. I liked how they were organized and the sectioning of them was done well. I wished there was more drawings throughout because that always adds so much to poems, but it also didn’t take away not having them.

My favorite poems:
waves
my greatest strength
a toast
Rainbow
differences in what we need
Playing the Part
Taken Seriously
How?
Dig, Dig, Dig
Canceled Plans
Enough

[R.B. Madison · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection holds so many pieces of me. Pieces that are so deeply vulnerable and have been kept away for so long. This collection was a huge tool in healing and letting go of things I've been holding onto for too long. Hidden on the Highest Shelf has been 2+ years in the making filled with the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. It is a dream that we are finally here and I can share this with all of you.
To anyone who's taken the time to read and leave a review, thank you from the bottom of my heart. I hope that if you've read something in here that you connect with, you feel a little less alone <3

[Ella d’Avoine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a beautiful collection of poetry, especially for a debut author. There’s so much thought and vulnerability in every poem, and it’s incredibly brave to share your innermost thoughts and feelings. I know I felt less alone when reading them, as so many other readers have. It’s massively inspiring, and I know there are so many others that are incredibly grateful to feel as seen, heard, and understood by this collection 🤍

[Lisa l chaotic.couchreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review

This group of poems was hauntingly beautiful in that it transported me straight into my head. With themes of self doubt, loneliness, and discovering yourself, RB reveals not just hints of herself, but allows the reader the space to do the same for themselves. I was taken back to my young adult years and the struggles I faced, and how they still impact me today. Don’t miss out on this wonderful collection!

[Kayla Thurlby · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most beautiful collection. I cried at how real her words are. Finally, I feel understood. 🫶🏼

[Priscilla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dedication: “To those who feel they must hide their thoughts or feelings from those around them. You and your feelings matter.”

I'm so grateful to have had this arc opportunity and for being allowed the chance to read this beautifully written, vulnerable collection. To be able to put all these raw emotions down on paper and then send it out to the world is remarkably courageous. What’s more relatable than the big feelings of being young? I loved the way this was divided into acts, ending the collection with lessons learned and a hope for healing. While getting older doesn’t necessarily bring less chaos and intrusive thoughts, giving yourself the grace to grow, and surrounding yourself with the people and things that bring you joy and peace, do ease the inevitable sufferings of life. This collection of poetry shows how much so many of us go through the same things, and I’m hoping it gives others the chance to not feel so alone.

🤍Heartfelt
🩶Vulnerable 
🤍Anxiety
🩶Heartbreak
🤍Mental Health
🩶Growth
🤍Healing

Hidden on the Highest Shelf is a debut poetry collection about mental health battles, suppressing emotions, feeling lost, broken relationships, and healing from all those things.