The Mirror, The Mask, and All I Ask: A Poetry Collection on Love, Identity, Grief, and Survival

by El Hoffman

From the author of The Ever-Dark and No Other Reason comes a collection of poetry on love, life, and grief.

El Hoffman explores what it means to keep going despite adversity—balancing existing and surviving with finding your footing, being yourself, and staying honest in the modern world.

This is a collection for anyone who has ever felt the need to mask to fit in, mirror others to find themselves, or who has loved or grieved deeply.

74 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 2, 2025

About the author

El Hoffman (born February 8, 2000) is an author, poet, and data expert. A lifelong writer, she debuted with The Ever-Dark, a literary fantasy novella. She is also the author of the romantic comedy novelette No Other Reason and two poetry collections: The Mirror, The Mask, and All I Ask and The Moon, The Tide, and All I Tried. Her romance short story "Snowfall in Georgia" will also appear in the upcoming Winter Issue of KissMet Quarterly.

Outside of fiction, El has built a successful career implementing HubSpot for businesses and earned her Master of Science in Data Analytics from Eastern University in 2024.

When she’s not writing or working, she enjoys reading ebooks, taking long walks, and hula hooping. She’s also passionate about video games, cooking, exploring new restaurants, and traveling.

Reviews

[London McKenna Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

So many beautiful and inspiring passages.
My only note is I wish there was some back story behind some of the one line phrases like a place of back ground or address to a person.
I connected to so many poems. As someone who’s around the same age as El, it maybe a reason why. But the vulnerability within these poems screams volumes. And I love it

[iris muller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Obsessed!!! Literally obsessed!! I felt the pain! I felt the realness of the book!! The happiness, the sadness, the mask we wear everyday is something that people just don’t understand! Not everyone is always happy because honestly life is hard sometimes and this book makes you feel this!!! This book was very well written and I loved the title of every poem!!!

[Mrs Holm Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

The cutest poems the elevator one was the best.. “I’m stuck on you like I’m stuck in an elevator” hehehe

[Phoenix Fyreheart · Rating 5 out of 5]

"This is a collection for anyone who has ever felt the need to mask to fit in, mirror others to find themselves, or who has loved or grieved deeply."

El Hoffman shows us a raw vulnerability in this poetry collection. There were several pages I stopped on and re-read the words. It took me on a journey of total self reflection, recognizing many of the emotions in myself. And doing so in very few words, might I add. The poet in me gives this five stars, though I wish I could give it more. Now please excuse me, someone's cutting onions and I need to make them stop.

Ravenheart Rating: 10/10

[Heather Hoffman-Seifert · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Mirror, the Mask, and All I Ask is an emotional blend of lightness and depth, effortlessly weaving between moments of delight and heartache. The collection is crafted to encompass a range of emotions from intimacy and joy to overwhelm and despair. It’s a work that speaks to your heart and will stay with you long after you've finished reading.

[El Hoffman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been writing poetry since I was a little girl, and this is truly a culmination of my life’s work.

[Ziv Barzilay · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very thoughtful, heartfelt, and honest collection of poetry. I really liked it!