Sour Honey & Soul Food

by Billy Chapata

Sometimes life tastes sweet, sometimes life leaves a bitter taste in your mouth. Sometimes life is spiced up through natural events, sometimes life feels bland and tasteless. Sour Honey and Soul Food, is a book which explores the beauty and intricacies of love, life and connections, through poetry. Billy Chapata's third book looks to touch on the variety of flavors we taste, on this beautiful journey we call life.

Genres: Poetry

216 pages, Paperback

First published June 27, 2017

About the author

Billy Chapata is a Zimbabwean writer, author, and creative based in Atlanta, Georgia. Billy's work aims to touch on the concepts of love, healing, connections, and growth, through poetry, storytelling, and narrative. Writing came into his life as a means of sustenance, self-love, and empowerment: Billy writes to heal, he writes to grow, he writes to survive. His poetically infused words, memorable lessons, and bittersweet experiences have become a point of resonance and comfort for many across the world.

Reviews

[Iz · Rating 4 out of 5]

her:

the thing about her, is that she was happy alone. everyone around her was looking for a connection and something to grasp onto, but she was happy being free. she was happy being unchained, happy with no pressure of connections and love. all the love she needed was within herself, and everybody else was just a distraction from everything she was trying to achieve. she understood herself more than anyone else understood her, and that was the most beautiful thing about her.

[Glendalee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so glad that I bought this. Every single poem in this collection spoke to me and reminded me that my peace of mind is always important. You have to be selfish with your mental health and your heart because at the end of the day you need to be able to depend on yourself and be able to love yourself before you can transfer your love to another human being.

I love the way Chapata writes and I first learned of him by following him on Instagram. What resonated with me is the way I can relate to his writing and how he captures a lot of the things we experience in our daily lives when it comes to loving another person.

Reading these poems allowed me to remember that it's okay to be vulnerable sometimes.

[mack ☆ · Rating 2 out of 5]

i got this book a while back and to be honest i read it now because i was frustrated i hadn’t gotten to it. it’s a poetry book about healing but to be honest i didn’t resonate with a lot of it. i think there is certainly a group of people that this would resonate with and i am not that person, which is okay. definitely still a couple poems i tabbed to remember and some beautiful lines, even tho i wasn’t the biggest fan. it didn’t feel like poetry as much as it was a book of reminders for the healing woman.

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this collection, Billy Chapata is one of my favorite poets ever since I read Flowers on the Moon, and Chameleon Aura. I feel like my soul is written on these pages and it helps me reflect. Truly something special.

[Carlton Walker · Rating 2 out of 5]

I almost gave this 1 star but I did fine some beautiful lines and enjoyed some of the poems. One poem even got me working on a poem of my own, so I reallt do appreciate that. But this book right here...frustrating. It reminded me of Milk & Honey, but where in that book, nothing was being said, this book did have something to say but it just KEPT saying it. Over and over. I'd read a poem and it was basically saying the same as the last just written with not much difference. I see all the great reviews and maybe I just wasn't the right person for this book.

[Katrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've purposely been putting off on finishing this book because I enjoyed it so much! I read it in bits and was finally consumed to finish it in one sitting.

Billy Chapata has a way with words and I enjoyed reading every single poem in this book. I am so in love with his writing. He tells me everything I want to hear and things I didn't expect to hear. An unexpected lovely surprise.

I will simply leave it at this. His words are love. love love love.

[Dre · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this book was like thumbing through small love letters written just for me. This is one to keep on the night stand for those moments when you need gentle reminders of your greatness and wonder. Such a beautiful and affirming book of poetry. I'm going to pick up a few copies for my good girlfriends. Def recommend.

[Natasha Varnham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow read in one night and I loved it, so glad i finally got round to reading it

[Kevin Alan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I discovered Billy in the same time period as I discovered Yung Pueblo, and he quickly became one of my favorite writers. An old soul, whose words are graceful and packed with wisdom. Billy's words remind me of the Otis Redding song "Try A Little Tenderness" -- reminding us to be softer, sweeter, and more gentle with how we speak to ourselves. All of Billy's books are easy, quick, and incredibly empowering reads. After discovering his work I quickly purchased everything he has written, and enjoyed every read.

[Lucy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a fan of Chapata but I felt that I loved Flowers on the Moon better! I know this is one of his earlier works so you can tell and we the profession from this work compared to his newest work! The pieces are beautifully written but I loved Flowers on the Moon more. Going to read another one of his!

[brinai’]

absolutely love chapata’s works. they can be a bit “pinterest quote” like sometimes but i’m a basic bitch and this basic bitch loves pinterest quotes so…

anyways, really good collection; so many lessons of love and life.

no rating rn sorry :)

[maddy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Billy Chapata always has something beautiful to say. Even though this collections of poems wasn’t my favorite of his, (flowers on the moon still holds that spot in my heart) it was still beautiful and offered so much wisdom concerning self-love and love in general.

[Tia · Rating 5 out of 5]

it's an absolute stunning collection of poems and musings that opened my eyes to how I view myself and romantic relationships.

[Fozeh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always love how billy describe feelings and his passion into words

[Gunta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some poems hit the soul in the right spot, some are just too repetitive and dull.

[Jade Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful words

[Myla Fike · Rating 3 out of 5]

i woulda ate this up like a year ago. it’s repetitive nd kinda corny but the messages are good. a lot of them resonate nd seem very personal. the girl cudis writing abt could be my bsf bru

[𝑀𝒾𝒶 🦋 𝒮𝒶𝓃𝒸𝒽𝑒𝓏 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wasn’t as interested in this one as I have been in others.

[Steph Reding · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book about love, heartbreak, finding happiness again and everything in between

[Natalia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this. Connected with many pieces.

[Jasmine Valdovinos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Billy Chapata is a creative poet, he is perfect in his way of writing in which reminds you those butterfly good feelings and his words of passion are beautiful. You will fall in love like love letters to yourself.

[Rachel Ribaero · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is absolutely my favourite poetry book of all time!
So beautiful and inspirational, it really got me through some lows in my life and played as a constant reminder of my worth. I am so grateful for this book, it honestly has made me into the woman I am today. I continue to gift it to all the women in my life. I wish for everyone to experience the beauty within this book!