It's Only Words

by Kristina Mahr

It's Only Words is a collection of poetry and prose pulled from the exhilarating heights and bittersweet depths of love and loss. There are words within that floated free, helium-filled, and then there are those that came up with roots, dripping blood. But they are all written, all remembered. Twenty-six letters, arranged and rearranged, to somehow hold so much.

Genres: Poetry

218 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 3, 2018

About the author

Kristina Mahr is a Chicago-based author and poet known for her ability to capture raw emotion in prose. With four published novels and an extensive collection of poetry to her name, she has built a reputation for distilling complex feelings into words that resonate. Her greatest reward as a writer is creating those moments of profound connection - when readers find their own unspoken truths reflected in her words, transforming solitary feelings into shared experiences. When not writing, she enjoys drinking tall glasses of iced tea, reading, and waking up at the crack of dawn every weekend to watch the Premier League.

Kristina is represented by Kaitlyn Katsoupis at Belcastro Agency.

Reviews

[Jeremy Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think my heart is okay, but I can't be too sure after reading this collection of pose and poetry. Each page is filled to the brim with words that tear at you, desperately seeking to be heard and understood. Poetry is always such a unique experience for me, because I feel as if the author hands you their heart and says 'this is everything I feel', and Mahr lays it all out, weaving such emotion through her poems that it was nearly too much to take at times.
Beauty and perfection.

[Ashlee · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s Only Words by @kristina.mahr is a poignant chronological anthology of poems about love and love lost. It’s a warm hug and a hot cup of coffee from a friend who understands exactly how you feel after your heart breaks. I had so many favorites, but here are the top 10 poems that spoke to me most, in chronological order (it was hard to narrow it down!):
1. “I Turn Back”
2. “Come Back”
3. “As Though”
4. “What I Wanted”
5. “Bookmark”
6. “I Want It All Back”
7. “The Only One, The Lonely One”
8. “What If You Came Back”
9. “Everything”
10. “Only One”

Do we see the trend here? 🤷‍♀️ I loved this, and you will too if you like Kaur, Peppernell, Campbell, or Benaim. If you’ve ever wanted a doorway into reading poetry, this would be a great doorway to open. Mahr puts all her emotions on these pages, and the journey is like driving down a twisting, winding mountain road that leads to a beautiful destination that is both breathtaking and heartshattering in its conclusion.

[Jenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

For fans of Rupi Kaur and Lang Leav. The prose are even more beautiful than the cover. "It's Only Words" will take you down the tumultuous path of heartbreak, hope, and triumph. Absolutely stunning. I've already read it twice.

[Jessica Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

For anyone who has experienced devastating heartbreak, be careful going into this book of poetry. It will take you right back to it. Every aching moment is painstakingly described poem by poem. You can feel as Mahr's moods shift with time...through rage, sadness, devastation, and, still, hope. I started marking my favorites, but I already had 10 by the halfway point. If you are looking to really FEEL for a good hour or so, pick this one up.

[Jessica Grzeskowiak · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really loved the poems I saw posted on Kristina Mahr’s Facebook, which is what prompted me to purchase on of her books. While I found myself drawn to a handful of poems in this collection, and annotated quotes from a handful of others, many of the poems didn’t speak to me or drive me to reread them. I also didn’t care for how just about every poem required parenthesis, or italicized “asides.” Wish the poet would just write the poem without her incessant thoughts constantly interrupting the flow.

[Jennifer Hartmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kristina's words are magic. There's not really a better word. She has a way of pulling so many emotions out of you - anguish, awe, inspiration, love. There are sometimes tears and there are always goosebumps. She truly has a gift.

[Selina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was another fantastic collection. I actually ran out of sticky note flags marking ones I liked!

[Krystal Willis · Rating 5 out of 5]

By far my favorite writer. I love every word

[Alexandra Mecherkany · Rating 2 out of 5]

There were a couple good ones in here… mostly meh though. Also, the title bothers me.

[Manu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful. This collection of poetry brought with it nostalgia for relationships old and new. She covers heartbreak and the recovery from it exceptionally well. Recommended for anyone who's ever been dumped or duped by a loved one - or just enjoys words woven together exquisitely.

[Brielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a raw and powerful start to her poetry journey. I’m so glad I came across her work.