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shades of lovers
from the author of the poetry collections 'how the words come' and 'the boys i've loved and the end of the world', comes a heartfelt and authentic collection of poetry and prose on learning to navigate love and all of its delights and sorrows.
'shades of lovers' is a story of breaking and healing, of forgiving but not forgetting, of understanding and balance. it is not only something to enjoy, but something to learn from.
here are the things i did right, and the many things i did wrong. i give them to you, so that when love comes knocking, you will have a sense of what to do when you open the door.
'shades of lovers' is a story of breaking and healing, of forgiving but not forgetting, of understanding and balance. it is not only something to enjoy, but something to learn from.
here are the things i did right, and the many things i did wrong. i give them to you, so that when love comes knocking, you will have a sense of what to do when you open the door.
270 pages, Paperback
Published April 2, 2019
153 people are currently reading
2297 people want to read
About the author
Catarine Hancock
10 books209 followersCatarine Hancock is a 25-year-old poet, author and opera singer from Lexington, Kentucky, currently living in Chicago. She holds a bachelor of music in vocal performance from the University of Kentucky and a master of music in voice from Indiana University.
Aside from music, writing is her other great love. Having been a bookworm and writer all her life, her passion for poetry began at the age of 13, and shortly afterward, she began sharing her writing online. Over the past 11 years, her platform has grown to an audience of over 300,000. She is the author of five poetry collections: "shades of lovers" (2020), "sometimes i fall asleep thinking about you" (2021), and "i gave myself the world" (2023), all published with Central Avenue Publishing. Her self-published collections are "sprout: selected poems" (2022) and "holy ground" (2023). Her next poetry collection is slated to release with Central Avenue in 2025, and her debut fantasy romance novel, "Curse of Stolen Flame," will release in fall 2024.
When she is not singing or writing, Catarine can be found curled up with a good fantasy novel, wandering the aisles of the local bookstore, or adding a weird décor item she found at the Goodwill to her already too-cluttered apartment. You can find her on Instagram or TikTok at: @catarinehancock
Aside from music, writing is her other great love. Having been a bookworm and writer all her life, her passion for poetry began at the age of 13, and shortly afterward, she began sharing her writing online. Over the past 11 years, her platform has grown to an audience of over 300,000. She is the author of five poetry collections: "shades of lovers" (2020), "sometimes i fall asleep thinking about you" (2021), and "i gave myself the world" (2023), all published with Central Avenue Publishing. Her self-published collections are "sprout: selected poems" (2022) and "holy ground" (2023). Her next poetry collection is slated to release with Central Avenue in 2025, and her debut fantasy romance novel, "Curse of Stolen Flame," will release in fall 2024.
When she is not singing or writing, Catarine can be found curled up with a good fantasy novel, wandering the aisles of the local bookstore, or adding a weird décor item she found at the Goodwill to her already too-cluttered apartment. You can find her on Instagram or TikTok at: @catarinehancock
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 175 reviews
August 17, 2020
"the moment / you begin to / love yourself / is an act of war / against those who try to chain you to a scale, against those who try to / brand you with a label, / against hose who try to tell you / it is better to do the opposite."
There were so many gorgeous, quotable passages in this book. It must be one of the most highlighted works in my library. But, for all of the beautiful parts, there were those that bothered me. First, I did not enjoy the lack of capitalization of any word (especially “i”) throughout the entire book. I was hoping at least that in the last poem, or line, there would finally be a capital “I” to mark the author’s journey to finally loving herself, or something to that effect. Then I could feel the style had a purpose, but alas, I was disappointed. I’m sure there was some reasoning behind it, but it was one that I could not discern, and therefore just distracted me from the writing.
I also kept thinking of that one Friend’s episode where Chandler gets tricked into seeing the angry one-woman play, where every scene starts out with the woman yelling “CHAPTER (insert number, and title).” Hancock labels certain poems with the designations such as “word of advice #x” or “scene:” or “things that remind me of you #x” and it really broke the flow for me. I wish instead of stating those things outright readers were left to interpret them a little more freely, and just be in the moments.
That being said, I absolutely loved the journey through her story. I personally have struggled with self-love and getting caught up in relationships, and I thought she gave a very accurate view of what that is like. I could feel all of the beauty and all of the pain that she described, and was reminded of many events in my own past. The fact that I could see myself in some of the tougher parts of her story made me hopeful that someday, I might find myself as Hancock does.
I have to say, I was hoping for a little bit more from the language. Often I did not feel immersed in imagery, which is what I expect/enjoy about a lot of poetry. For example the line where she says “this is an angry poem. it is bloody and it is wounded and it is angry” just felt a little lacking to me. With all the other ways she describes anger, I did not understand why lines like that were necessary. For me, they blunted the impact of her previous/future descriptions, and I wish we were given more imagery instead.
I think this would be a great read for any young woman (or man, but the fact that it is written from a woman’s perspective makes it feel that much more relatable for me) who has experienced love and heartbreak, or struggles with self-image. I also would like to point out that, as this was an E-ARC, the formatting was really off, and while I tried not to let that influence my feelings for the work as a whole, I may have had some unconscious biases.
I would give this a 3/3.5 stars out of 5, rounded down to 3. The message and journey were great, but I needed more from the writing style itself.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
There were so many gorgeous, quotable passages in this book. It must be one of the most highlighted works in my library. But, for all of the beautiful parts, there were those that bothered me. First, I did not enjoy the lack of capitalization of any word (especially “i”) throughout the entire book. I was hoping at least that in the last poem, or line, there would finally be a capital “I” to mark the author’s journey to finally loving herself, or something to that effect. Then I could feel the style had a purpose, but alas, I was disappointed. I’m sure there was some reasoning behind it, but it was one that I could not discern, and therefore just distracted me from the writing.
I also kept thinking of that one Friend’s episode where Chandler gets tricked into seeing the angry one-woman play, where every scene starts out with the woman yelling “CHAPTER (insert number, and title).” Hancock labels certain poems with the designations such as “word of advice #x” or “scene:” or “things that remind me of you #x” and it really broke the flow for me. I wish instead of stating those things outright readers were left to interpret them a little more freely, and just be in the moments.
That being said, I absolutely loved the journey through her story. I personally have struggled with self-love and getting caught up in relationships, and I thought she gave a very accurate view of what that is like. I could feel all of the beauty and all of the pain that she described, and was reminded of many events in my own past. The fact that I could see myself in some of the tougher parts of her story made me hopeful that someday, I might find myself as Hancock does.
I have to say, I was hoping for a little bit more from the language. Often I did not feel immersed in imagery, which is what I expect/enjoy about a lot of poetry. For example the line where she says “this is an angry poem. it is bloody and it is wounded and it is angry” just felt a little lacking to me. With all the other ways she describes anger, I did not understand why lines like that were necessary. For me, they blunted the impact of her previous/future descriptions, and I wish we were given more imagery instead.
I think this would be a great read for any young woman (or man, but the fact that it is written from a woman’s perspective makes it feel that much more relatable for me) who has experienced love and heartbreak, or struggles with self-image. I also would like to point out that, as this was an E-ARC, the formatting was really off, and while I tried not to let that influence my feelings for the work as a whole, I may have had some unconscious biases.
I would give this a 3/3.5 stars out of 5, rounded down to 3. The message and journey were great, but I needed more from the writing style itself.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
February 2, 2019
My third and most impressive book baby. I am so proud of all the work I’ve put into writing this book. Over a year of it. I can’t wait for you all to be able to have it in your hands ❤️
January 17, 2020
Gosh, this was a very reflective and heartbreaking look into Hancock's personal struggles of trying to be happy in love and wanting fairytale ending, but having no luck finding on. Could relate to most of this collection personally. A good read!
January 10, 2021
➳ Rating: 5/ 5 stars
Ok ok I loved how this collection was divided. The whole idea was so interesting and I really enjoyed the significance behind it.
I also really loved the fact that, for the most part, the author wrote the poems directly towards the object of the poem/section. You could really feel the intimacy, the hurt, the longing, the love and the heartbreak in each poem. It was incredible and deep-seated. I loved how open she was about her history, her past relationships and how everything went down and made her feel. It was just so emotive and naked. And I loved that she not only wrote about her experiences loving and being loved by others but she also wrote about the struggle and progress of loving herself.
I really enjoyed this reading experience and the author’s writing. It was remarkable. Can’t wait to read more of her books.
Ok ok I loved how this collection was divided. The whole idea was so interesting and I really enjoyed the significance behind it.
I also really loved the fact that, for the most part, the author wrote the poems directly towards the object of the poem/section. You could really feel the intimacy, the hurt, the longing, the love and the heartbreak in each poem. It was incredible and deep-seated. I loved how open she was about her history, her past relationships and how everything went down and made her feel. It was just so emotive and naked. And I loved that she not only wrote about her experiences loving and being loved by others but she also wrote about the struggle and progress of loving herself.
I really enjoyed this reading experience and the author’s writing. It was remarkable. Can’t wait to read more of her books.
July 7, 2020
Stars: 3.5/5
Thank you for a free digital copy in return for an honest review.
I liked the uniqueness of this poetry, how people were made colours and the analogies used to really allow the reader to understand the writer and her emotions, how she felt, feels and hurt. I like the ups and downs, the reality. I enjoyed the story aspect and watching the author's growth.
While I enjoyed the poetry, finished it in a day, I wasn't as moved as I thought I would be and maybe my expectations were a bit too high but it was underwhelming. Kudos to Hancock's creativity though.
WARNINGS: body image issues, abuse
Recommend for: Those who like creativity, artistic poetry and romance
Thank you for a free digital copy in return for an honest review.
I liked the uniqueness of this poetry, how people were made colours and the analogies used to really allow the reader to understand the writer and her emotions, how she felt, feels and hurt. I like the ups and downs, the reality. I enjoyed the story aspect and watching the author's growth.
While I enjoyed the poetry, finished it in a day, I wasn't as moved as I thought I would be and maybe my expectations were a bit too high but it was underwhelming. Kudos to Hancock's creativity though.
WARNINGS: body image issues, abuse
Recommend for: Those who like creativity, artistic poetry and romance
May 16, 2020
Shades of Lovers is one of the most structured poetry anthologies I have read. It reads almost like a relationship journal, chronicling Catarine Hancock's relationships, each disguised as various colours. It's quite clever, has exceptionally smooth transitions between periods in Catarine's life and is incredibly vulnerable. But it's also structured to a fault, with repetition of a few styles or themes which didn't really work for me.
I love the concept of dividing the key relationships of a life into a colour depending on the impact they had upon them. For example, a stormy grey or a fun pink. It's simple, but it really works and made it feel very much like a novelisation of journal extracts. Some of the poems Catarine shares here are hugely impactful, predominantly those shared about her first relationship. These really hit you where it hurts, and surely are relatable to everyone in some small way. She challenges even her own approach to relationships in an honest and thought provoking way. Asking of herself, did I hurt that person and force myself to love them, because I just needed someone good for me after that last horrible relationship? Am I struggling to give myself to this person because I loved the last one so much? Do I love this person more than I value myself? Will it matter that I won't ever love someone that way again? What if I don't want to? There are lots of poignant questions, some more uncomfortable than others, that I really believe most readers will feel some impact from.
But there are also poems which fall quite flat, feeling very much like stories or personal catharsis rather than creative poetry. Catarine often speaks directly to her various partners, telling them how they should read these poems or thanking them for what they contributed. This approach felt too deliberate and more about telling them how she felt, or getting her say, than about sharing something personal with the world. I also think some readers will actually find it quite uncomfortable to read sections in which she still thanks an abusive partner, or at least tries to level with them. For anyone feeling quite raw about abusive relationships, I can imagine that would feel out of place.
Catarine also follows a very rigid format: she introduces the colour, tells the story of the relationship, includes a poem with a literal list about the things which remind her of that person and then ends on a letter to them summarising how she feels about them now. I really didn't enjoy the lists, and the letters made the sections again feel about speaking to the person who hurt her and not about creating a poetry collection for readers. Some of her approach is also extremely obtuse; there is very limited room for personal interpretation because everything is, ironically, very black and white with her poetry. For example, she often speaks about "you" when she is referencing herself. But will usually format this as, "you"(me) or "you"(myself) rather than letting the reader work out what she's trying to say.
It's a more obtuse approach than I really appreciate, and the repetitive style for each relationship became quite dry. I do really enjoy some of her poems - I think that Hancock probably has a really impressive collection in her future because the opening poems were incredible. But there are some issues for me here which detract from her talent and from my overall enjoyment of her work.
ARC provided from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I love the concept of dividing the key relationships of a life into a colour depending on the impact they had upon them. For example, a stormy grey or a fun pink. It's simple, but it really works and made it feel very much like a novelisation of journal extracts. Some of the poems Catarine shares here are hugely impactful, predominantly those shared about her first relationship. These really hit you where it hurts, and surely are relatable to everyone in some small way. She challenges even her own approach to relationships in an honest and thought provoking way. Asking of herself, did I hurt that person and force myself to love them, because I just needed someone good for me after that last horrible relationship? Am I struggling to give myself to this person because I loved the last one so much? Do I love this person more than I value myself? Will it matter that I won't ever love someone that way again? What if I don't want to? There are lots of poignant questions, some more uncomfortable than others, that I really believe most readers will feel some impact from.
But there are also poems which fall quite flat, feeling very much like stories or personal catharsis rather than creative poetry. Catarine often speaks directly to her various partners, telling them how they should read these poems or thanking them for what they contributed. This approach felt too deliberate and more about telling them how she felt, or getting her say, than about sharing something personal with the world. I also think some readers will actually find it quite uncomfortable to read sections in which she still thanks an abusive partner, or at least tries to level with them. For anyone feeling quite raw about abusive relationships, I can imagine that would feel out of place.
Catarine also follows a very rigid format: she introduces the colour, tells the story of the relationship, includes a poem with a literal list about the things which remind her of that person and then ends on a letter to them summarising how she feels about them now. I really didn't enjoy the lists, and the letters made the sections again feel about speaking to the person who hurt her and not about creating a poetry collection for readers. Some of her approach is also extremely obtuse; there is very limited room for personal interpretation because everything is, ironically, very black and white with her poetry. For example, she often speaks about "you" when she is referencing herself. But will usually format this as, "you"(me) or "you"(myself) rather than letting the reader work out what she's trying to say.
It's a more obtuse approach than I really appreciate, and the repetitive style for each relationship became quite dry. I do really enjoy some of her poems - I think that Hancock probably has a really impressive collection in her future because the opening poems were incredible. But there are some issues for me here which detract from her talent and from my overall enjoyment of her work.
ARC provided from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 13, 2020
Thanks to #Netgalley for making this book available to me.
This book is a collection of 'poems' and short stories that explore relationships, that is, the ups and downs of a loving relationship.
Personally I didn't connect with the writing, it just didn't touch me as much as I wanted it to because some of the poems were so powerful and beautiful.
I feel that love is different for everyone and rather than these poems making love general and more relatable, it was plainly from the perspective of the writer (which is not bad, it just made me unable to connect to the soul of the writer, we seem to have not a lot in common).
But I did love how passionate the writer is and how explosive her emotions are on the page, you could feel the hurt and loss of every relationship through each poem which is for me the power of poetry.
My favorite part of this book is in "all in a conversation" which tells the story of finding lost love and how painful and hard it is rekindling that love, it seems to be more painful rekindling old love than it is finding a new one.
I hope you check it out.
This book is a collection of 'poems' and short stories that explore relationships, that is, the ups and downs of a loving relationship.
Personally I didn't connect with the writing, it just didn't touch me as much as I wanted it to because some of the poems were so powerful and beautiful.
I feel that love is different for everyone and rather than these poems making love general and more relatable, it was plainly from the perspective of the writer (which is not bad, it just made me unable to connect to the soul of the writer, we seem to have not a lot in common).
But I did love how passionate the writer is and how explosive her emotions are on the page, you could feel the hurt and loss of every relationship through each poem which is for me the power of poetry.
My favorite part of this book is in "all in a conversation" which tells the story of finding lost love and how painful and hard it is rekindling that love, it seems to be more painful rekindling old love than it is finding a new one.
I hope you check it out.
May 24, 2021
This may be my favorite book of poetry I've ever read. I've always been a sucker for love poems, of all kinds; even the ones that tear your heart out of just chest and stomp on it until it's nothing. I know my love and I know how I feel about my loves, but you never really know if what you feel or felt is justified or makes sense. When I read this book, it all made sense. The one I thought was my first love, the ones I shouldn't have loved for a variety of reasons, the one who loved me to hurt another, the one who loved to hurt me, and the one that still has me reeling two years after.
This book reminded me that it's okay to look back fondly, it's okay to hurt, it's okay to acknowledge that wounds still open sometimes no matter how badly we want them to close and to never look at them again. But it also taught me that if we were to try and go back, we would find a grave of what was once our love. That love just dies, no matter how much we don't want it to, sometimes love is out of our control. It also reminded me of the importance of loving yourself. Something I didn't know much about after my last heart break, but I trudged my way back up from the bottom of the abyss and I'm still growing and working on loving me.
I love the shades of love aspect. The colors are something that I never considered but I will definitely think about now.
I want to thank the author for this book. For its raw emotion and vulnerability. I recognize it in myself, but sometimes there is something different about reading/hearing someone else's story. It means a lot to me.
This book reminded me that it's okay to look back fondly, it's okay to hurt, it's okay to acknowledge that wounds still open sometimes no matter how badly we want them to close and to never look at them again. But it also taught me that if we were to try and go back, we would find a grave of what was once our love. That love just dies, no matter how much we don't want it to, sometimes love is out of our control. It also reminded me of the importance of loving yourself. Something I didn't know much about after my last heart break, but I trudged my way back up from the bottom of the abyss and I'm still growing and working on loving me.
I love the shades of love aspect. The colors are something that I never considered but I will definitely think about now.
I want to thank the author for this book. For its raw emotion and vulnerability. I recognize it in myself, but sometimes there is something different about reading/hearing someone else's story. It means a lot to me.
June 17, 2020
** I received an ARC in exchange for review but all opinions are my own
I really, really enjoyed this collection. I have been reading a TON of poetry recently, but this one definitely stood out to me the most. The theme was something I could relate to so easily, and each poem is very well written.
The style of the poems is very similar to how i write, so I appreciated them a lot. There was a good balance to the entire collection, and it flowed very well.
I also love how it told a story from beginning to end, and it feels like you are getting to know characters in a novel. It was devastating, hopeful, and beautiful all in one. I am so lucky to have been able to read it, and I highly recommend you do, too!
If you are a fan of Amanda Lovelace, you should definitely check this one out!
I really, really enjoyed this collection. I have been reading a TON of poetry recently, but this one definitely stood out to me the most. The theme was something I could relate to so easily, and each poem is very well written.
The style of the poems is very similar to how i write, so I appreciated them a lot. There was a good balance to the entire collection, and it flowed very well.
I also love how it told a story from beginning to end, and it feels like you are getting to know characters in a novel. It was devastating, hopeful, and beautiful all in one. I am so lucky to have been able to read it, and I highly recommend you do, too!
If you are a fan of Amanda Lovelace, you should definitely check this one out!
June 12, 2020
Many thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for a honest review
Expected Release date: August 18th 2020
Shades of Lovers is a poetry collection that chronologically follows all of Hancock’s relationships, thoroughly exploring the bad and the good. Each lover is given a pseudonym of a symbolic colour that Hancock justifies in a sentence before their specific collection of poems.
I’m surprised how much I liked this collection, and I found the enjoyable factor the most noticeable. I usually find poetry difficult to rate, especially modern poetry that focuses on repetitive ideas and short structure over anything else. However, the poems within Shades of Lovers vary in length but follow the modern convention of line breaks. Not only are the lovers in chronological order but so is their love story and I LOVED this. It was so smart and it created a better connection and understanding for the narrative. This also allowed for a smooth transition and eradicated the repetitiveness of modern poetry, creating a refreshing collection. The lack of periods is something I often find annoying and ever present in modern poetry. Hancock ignored this convention and her consistent use of periods helped with the flow and understanding of the poems, limiting the need to reread as I naturally hit the breaks.
The poems in each section are directed to its respective lover, which creates a rawness and extra layer to the work. This sometimes gives a detached feeling to the poem as if this is Hancock’s therapy journal, but unlike other collections that attempt this, it works in Shades of Lovers. Throughout the collection we see Hancock’s growth to acceptance, understanding and self-love, and the struggles that happen during the journey, all through a reflective lens. Therefore, every poem is important and are definitely significant to Hancock, consequently many will able to relate and learn. Personally, I found her discussion of tumblr poems and their cultivation of mental health, to be one of the most memorable due to it’s sad truth and extreme importance. Every division includes a section where Hancock lists the things that remind her of that lover which ends in a sentiment of their relationship. At the end of each collection is a direct letter to that lover, explaining Hancock’s feelings and what she wants to say to them. These were most definitely my favourite parts of the whole book and I found myself looking forward to them. The last ending letter to ‘Emerald Green’ was really powerful and an amazing way to conclude.
Yet there are some negatives of this collection. Within the book, Hancock uses these ‘scenes’ where she states ‘scene:’ and then describes the event before ‘end scene’. I found these really weird and jarring for the rhythm, I didn’t really understand her choice with these. It would have flowed much better if she just lead into the scene with language rather than disturbing the flow with ‘scene:’. Hancock often speaks to herself in the poems which could get very confusing since there was no clear divide as she spoke to both herself and the lovers using second person narrative. I like the duel audience but by using ‘you’ again when it was so clearly used throughout the whole collection to direct to the lover, made it extremely difficult to understand. ‘Stormy Gray’ was the weakest section in the book, with the poems being puzzling which resulted in re-reading, and yet I was still confused by the wording. This was the only one that was slightly repetitive in my opinion, but not to a hindering scale. ‘Stormy Gray’ was supposed to be the most raw and painful for Hancock, so I wonder if that’s why it wasn’t as polished as the other sections.
I haven’t read anything by Hancock before, but it is obvious to me that her writing has grown and developed already, and she has a true passion for the craft. Shades of Lovers was a joy to read and a refreshing, detailed collection, that I would recommend if you were already interested.
P.S. I would very much like an ‘Emerald Green’ to listen intently and support my poems too please x
Expected Release date: August 18th 2020
Shades of Lovers is a poetry collection that chronologically follows all of Hancock’s relationships, thoroughly exploring the bad and the good. Each lover is given a pseudonym of a symbolic colour that Hancock justifies in a sentence before their specific collection of poems.
I’m surprised how much I liked this collection, and I found the enjoyable factor the most noticeable. I usually find poetry difficult to rate, especially modern poetry that focuses on repetitive ideas and short structure over anything else. However, the poems within Shades of Lovers vary in length but follow the modern convention of line breaks. Not only are the lovers in chronological order but so is their love story and I LOVED this. It was so smart and it created a better connection and understanding for the narrative. This also allowed for a smooth transition and eradicated the repetitiveness of modern poetry, creating a refreshing collection. The lack of periods is something I often find annoying and ever present in modern poetry. Hancock ignored this convention and her consistent use of periods helped with the flow and understanding of the poems, limiting the need to reread as I naturally hit the breaks.
The poems in each section are directed to its respective lover, which creates a rawness and extra layer to the work. This sometimes gives a detached feeling to the poem as if this is Hancock’s therapy journal, but unlike other collections that attempt this, it works in Shades of Lovers. Throughout the collection we see Hancock’s growth to acceptance, understanding and self-love, and the struggles that happen during the journey, all through a reflective lens. Therefore, every poem is important and are definitely significant to Hancock, consequently many will able to relate and learn. Personally, I found her discussion of tumblr poems and their cultivation of mental health, to be one of the most memorable due to it’s sad truth and extreme importance. Every division includes a section where Hancock lists the things that remind her of that lover which ends in a sentiment of their relationship. At the end of each collection is a direct letter to that lover, explaining Hancock’s feelings and what she wants to say to them. These were most definitely my favourite parts of the whole book and I found myself looking forward to them. The last ending letter to ‘Emerald Green’ was really powerful and an amazing way to conclude.
Yet there are some negatives of this collection. Within the book, Hancock uses these ‘scenes’ where she states ‘scene:’ and then describes the event before ‘end scene’. I found these really weird and jarring for the rhythm, I didn’t really understand her choice with these. It would have flowed much better if she just lead into the scene with language rather than disturbing the flow with ‘scene:’. Hancock often speaks to herself in the poems which could get very confusing since there was no clear divide as she spoke to both herself and the lovers using second person narrative. I like the duel audience but by using ‘you’ again when it was so clearly used throughout the whole collection to direct to the lover, made it extremely difficult to understand. ‘Stormy Gray’ was the weakest section in the book, with the poems being puzzling which resulted in re-reading, and yet I was still confused by the wording. This was the only one that was slightly repetitive in my opinion, but not to a hindering scale. ‘Stormy Gray’ was supposed to be the most raw and painful for Hancock, so I wonder if that’s why it wasn’t as polished as the other sections.
I haven’t read anything by Hancock before, but it is obvious to me that her writing has grown and developed already, and she has a true passion for the craft. Shades of Lovers was a joy to read and a refreshing, detailed collection, that I would recommend if you were already interested.
P.S. I would very much like an ‘Emerald Green’ to listen intently and support my poems too please x
June 4, 2020
4.75
This poetry book was something that I've been looking for. Something that would make sort of understand what type of emotional feelings that I used to and will feel in the future about romance.
There is a poem for everyone and I'm sure people would relate to it. I enjoyed every single one of them and how much it correlates with our day to day lives. How much it means to be able to understand your own emotions.
The author wrote her poems from experience and being able to publish it is something that I applaud for, since releasing personal poetries is a courageous to do.
I would like to thank the publishers and NetGalley for providing me an arc, in return for an honest review.
This poetry book was something that I've been looking for. Something that would make sort of understand what type of emotional feelings that I used to and will feel in the future about romance.
There is a poem for everyone and I'm sure people would relate to it. I enjoyed every single one of them and how much it correlates with our day to day lives. How much it means to be able to understand your own emotions.
The author wrote her poems from experience and being able to publish it is something that I applaud for, since releasing personal poetries is a courageous to do.
I would like to thank the publishers and NetGalley for providing me an arc, in return for an honest review.
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April 5, 2024از کتاب:
i never told you how scared it made me,
that i didn’t know how to help you.
i never told you how much i missed you, either,
but that wasn’t because of the “never” part of us,
it was because of the “too late.”
if i told you something it was too late.
i said sorry too late.
i asked if we were okay too late.
in hindsight, i think i told you i loved you too late, too.
i never told you how scared it made me,
that i didn’t know how to help you.
i never told you how much i missed you, either,
but that wasn’t because of the “never” part of us,
it was because of the “too late.”
if i told you something it was too late.
i said sorry too late.
i asked if we were okay too late.
in hindsight, i think i told you i loved you too late, too.
February 13, 2019
Official rating: 4.5 stars.
I received an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
"it's okay to
take the time
you need
to grow."
I've been a fan of Catarine's writing for a while now. I follow her on Instagram and always enjoy reading her pieces. I knew, then, that I'd enjoy reading an ARC of shades of lovers, and I wasn't wrong.
shades of lovers is a collection of poetry divided into six different parts - ruby red, ocean blue, primrose pink, stormy gray, golden yellow and emerald green. Each part is dedicated to a lover that Catarine has encountered for a period of time. A majority of her poems explore and convey the theme of love and its many facets, along with self-love and its importance. As someone who has never experienced love in these ways before, I was unable to relate to a lot of the poems, but this did not stop me from enjoying this book and being in awe of Catarine's talent.
This collection of poetry is a mixture of short and long poems, along with a variety of short and long prose pieces. I found that Catarine managed to create a perfect balance between all of these different styles. Her style of writing poetry isn't overly complex and flowery (as a lot of poetry tends to be), yet this does not diminish the power and deepness of her words whatsoever. I really admired the way Catarine linked all her poems and experiences together throughout the book. She uses repetition to achieve this and it is truly magnificent. The repetition was also perfectly consistent all the way through and I admired that. You can really tell just how well thought-out and planned this book is just by the fact that there are connections running through the entire book.
I really found it original and creative that each part of the book is about a particular person of influence (a shade of a lover) in Catarine's life. It is such a unique and well-developed concept that I thoroughly enjoyed watching unfold. At the beginning of shades of lovers, there is a piece that describe the shades of lovers featured in this book, which provides insight into what's to come. I really enjoyed that as it kept me engaged from the very first page.
Depending on the particular part, I found that the style and structure of Catarine's poems changed. The different styles/structures assisted in reflecting the emotions that she was conveying and I found this to be so clever and enjoyable to read. It was a breath of fresh air, reading so many different styles of poetry in one book.
All in all, shades of lovers was an extremely enjoyable read. Catarine has a true gift when it comes to conveying the truth and rawness that comes from repeated heartbreak and torment, along with the beauty and softness of certain shades of lovers she's endured.
For more poetry by Catarine, follow her poetry Instagram: @catarinehancock.
shades of lovers comes out on the 2nd of April so make sure you keep an eye out for that!
I received an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
"it's okay to
take the time
you need
to grow."
I've been a fan of Catarine's writing for a while now. I follow her on Instagram and always enjoy reading her pieces. I knew, then, that I'd enjoy reading an ARC of shades of lovers, and I wasn't wrong.
shades of lovers is a collection of poetry divided into six different parts - ruby red, ocean blue, primrose pink, stormy gray, golden yellow and emerald green. Each part is dedicated to a lover that Catarine has encountered for a period of time. A majority of her poems explore and convey the theme of love and its many facets, along with self-love and its importance. As someone who has never experienced love in these ways before, I was unable to relate to a lot of the poems, but this did not stop me from enjoying this book and being in awe of Catarine's talent.
This collection of poetry is a mixture of short and long poems, along with a variety of short and long prose pieces. I found that Catarine managed to create a perfect balance between all of these different styles. Her style of writing poetry isn't overly complex and flowery (as a lot of poetry tends to be), yet this does not diminish the power and deepness of her words whatsoever. I really admired the way Catarine linked all her poems and experiences together throughout the book. She uses repetition to achieve this and it is truly magnificent. The repetition was also perfectly consistent all the way through and I admired that. You can really tell just how well thought-out and planned this book is just by the fact that there are connections running through the entire book.
I really found it original and creative that each part of the book is about a particular person of influence (a shade of a lover) in Catarine's life. It is such a unique and well-developed concept that I thoroughly enjoyed watching unfold. At the beginning of shades of lovers, there is a piece that describe the shades of lovers featured in this book, which provides insight into what's to come. I really enjoyed that as it kept me engaged from the very first page.
Depending on the particular part, I found that the style and structure of Catarine's poems changed. The different styles/structures assisted in reflecting the emotions that she was conveying and I found this to be so clever and enjoyable to read. It was a breath of fresh air, reading so many different styles of poetry in one book.
All in all, shades of lovers was an extremely enjoyable read. Catarine has a true gift when it comes to conveying the truth and rawness that comes from repeated heartbreak and torment, along with the beauty and softness of certain shades of lovers she's endured.
For more poetry by Catarine, follow her poetry Instagram: @catarinehancock.
shades of lovers comes out on the 2nd of April so make sure you keep an eye out for that!
June 12, 2020
This reads a bit like a coming-of-age diary. Like a confessional. These poems are what would happen if you sat down before those you once cared for deeply as a teenager and poured out the contents of your heart in simple, conversational, stream-of-consciousness terms so they could see your love - and your journey, your evolution through it - in its many shades.
It’s the lovelorn thoughts you carry around in your head about someone. It’s the contents of that letter you write to an ex, but will never send. It’s the romanticized pinks and butterflies and foot-popping kisses that only, and I mean only, happen in the movies. It’s heartbreak as it stings between your two front teeth.
Here is where fantasy cracks open on the sidewalk and a crush swoops in to skin your knees. Here is where you get your first sip of the unrequited. This is when you learn, when you burn. This is when you lose over and over but you dust yourself off to try again.
This collection is a testimonial to what it means to live. To feel. To be young in a world of firsts and almosts, of ‘c’ya laters’ and ‘too little, too lates.’ It’s a place for reflection as well as perspective - but one that’s not too far ahead in the game yet. (Think more like a couple football fields away.)
The themes here are not deep. They’re easy to see and even easier to feel. Cliches dot the periphery too much sometimes; still, you can’t help but relate.
The lines in this are no more layered in meaning than the colors of love are faded, but that’s okay because the sentiment behind the words is bodied and human. They’re a shade of what we can feel.
So many of us have been here before. We’ve been hurt or betrayed, have regretted or abstained. We’ve loved someone else when we should’ve worked on loving ourselves instead. And if we haven’t experienced any of these things yet, we probably will before too long.
So while this was by no means achingly profound, if anything, the universality to be found in these pages is comforting. 2.5 stars
Thanks to NetGalley and Central Avenue Publishing for the ARC!
It’s the lovelorn thoughts you carry around in your head about someone. It’s the contents of that letter you write to an ex, but will never send. It’s the romanticized pinks and butterflies and foot-popping kisses that only, and I mean only, happen in the movies. It’s heartbreak as it stings between your two front teeth.
Here is where fantasy cracks open on the sidewalk and a crush swoops in to skin your knees. Here is where you get your first sip of the unrequited. This is when you learn, when you burn. This is when you lose over and over but you dust yourself off to try again.
This collection is a testimonial to what it means to live. To feel. To be young in a world of firsts and almosts, of ‘c’ya laters’ and ‘too little, too lates.’ It’s a place for reflection as well as perspective - but one that’s not too far ahead in the game yet. (Think more like a couple football fields away.)
The themes here are not deep. They’re easy to see and even easier to feel. Cliches dot the periphery too much sometimes; still, you can’t help but relate.
The lines in this are no more layered in meaning than the colors of love are faded, but that’s okay because the sentiment behind the words is bodied and human. They’re a shade of what we can feel.
So many of us have been here before. We’ve been hurt or betrayed, have regretted or abstained. We’ve loved someone else when we should’ve worked on loving ourselves instead. And if we haven’t experienced any of these things yet, we probably will before too long.
So while this was by no means achingly profound, if anything, the universality to be found in these pages is comforting. 2.5 stars
Thanks to NetGalley and Central Avenue Publishing for the ARC!
December 25, 2023
One of my all time favourite poetry books!!!!!
August 14, 2020
I absolutely loved this! It was so beautifully written! I think that it captures the emotions and feelings really well! I can't wait to read more from this author!
Read
March 19, 2019*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.* There are plenty of things to say about why "shades of lovers" is memorable, but the most important is how expertly Catarine is able to weave a story. She takes you directly through her personal journey, sparing no detail or emotion, and when you finish the final page it feels as though you've been on this rollercoaster right alongside her -- holding her hand, rooting for her to succeed. Catarine writes what young readers, women in particular (though I wouldn't discourage anybody who identifies differently from picking up this collection), should be hearing, which is that their feelings are valid, they are allowed to be in love, and that they aren't the only ones that have felt the way they do. This is very much a narrative about being young and in love with love and learning to accept the body that has embraced this. For fans of poets like Courtney Peppernell and Alicia Cook, "shades of lovers" is the epitome of what makes Catarine Hancock a poet.
December 2, 2021
I've never really read any poems before that have truly told a story. Every heartbreak she went through she learned something! I feel like I literally saw it happen within these peoms!
dnf
March 10, 2019DNFed at p65. I received this as an ARC from the author.
I thought I would enjoy this but the lack of content warnings threw me off. There is a lot of graphic language in the first 65 pages, relating to injury detail. Some more graphic than others. Alongside this, I just didn’t connect to the collection as much as I thought I would. Some of the poems were powerful but most of them didn’t impact me personally.
I thought I would enjoy this but the lack of content warnings threw me off. There is a lot of graphic language in the first 65 pages, relating to injury detail. Some more graphic than others. Alongside this, I just didn’t connect to the collection as much as I thought I would. Some of the poems were powerful but most of them didn’t impact me personally.
April 1, 2019
I RECEIVED AN ADVANCED COPY IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW
I felt like a lot of the poems in the beginning were just okay. It seemed like anyone could have written them. They weren’t super deep and I didn���t envy the words Hancock strung together, wishing I had thought of things so clever. 2 was better. 3 is utterly fantastic. 4 was kind of meh for me, but the last poem was strong. 5 was also kind of meh. 6 is also pretty fantastic.
As a whole, I LOVE seeing the progress as she learns to love herself, and the last poem on it, relationship status: taken and happy. It feels like there’s a lot of plot in this book and that’s one of the cool consistencies it keeps coming back to. I love the introspection during the ocean section, the honesty in struggling with selfishness. I love that you can see maturity not just in the poetry, but in her. Reading this feels like seeing her grow up, falling in and out of love over and over again. I liked how it was split up into different sections and the illustrations that went along with them. I like that each love was a different color.
It’s tough because I like to reference poems I like individually when I write a review, but these don’t necessarily have titles, so it’s harder to. Unless you have the book in front of you, telling you the page numbers I love doesn’t help too much. Some end with a - and italicized phrase, so I’ll go with that. The ones that stood out to me are: -A small disclaimer, -I was wrong, -the beginning, -The poems said you would save me (and the follow up poem on 44), -on second chances and when to give them, -my answer, -renovation, -one last kiss, -ode to salzburg.
I also liked a poem on page 29 talking about repetition; one about a relationship leading to a form of writer’s block on page 43; a heartbreaking one on 76; a realization on 100; ones on love on pages 101, 232, and 239; and ones on self-love on pages 15, 102, 204, and 231, which was crafted with beautiful vine imagery.
I’ll end this review with one of my favorite lines, “i miss you, still. not sadly, but happily. with a smile on my face.”
I felt like a lot of the poems in the beginning were just okay. It seemed like anyone could have written them. They weren’t super deep and I didn���t envy the words Hancock strung together, wishing I had thought of things so clever. 2 was better. 3 is utterly fantastic. 4 was kind of meh for me, but the last poem was strong. 5 was also kind of meh. 6 is also pretty fantastic.
As a whole, I LOVE seeing the progress as she learns to love herself, and the last poem on it, relationship status: taken and happy. It feels like there’s a lot of plot in this book and that’s one of the cool consistencies it keeps coming back to. I love the introspection during the ocean section, the honesty in struggling with selfishness. I love that you can see maturity not just in the poetry, but in her. Reading this feels like seeing her grow up, falling in and out of love over and over again. I liked how it was split up into different sections and the illustrations that went along with them. I like that each love was a different color.
It’s tough because I like to reference poems I like individually when I write a review, but these don’t necessarily have titles, so it’s harder to. Unless you have the book in front of you, telling you the page numbers I love doesn’t help too much. Some end with a - and italicized phrase, so I’ll go with that. The ones that stood out to me are: -A small disclaimer, -I was wrong, -the beginning, -The poems said you would save me (and the follow up poem on 44), -on second chances and when to give them, -my answer, -renovation, -one last kiss, -ode to salzburg.
I also liked a poem on page 29 talking about repetition; one about a relationship leading to a form of writer’s block on page 43; a heartbreaking one on 76; a realization on 100; ones on love on pages 101, 232, and 239; and ones on self-love on pages 15, 102, 204, and 231, which was crafted with beautiful vine imagery.
I’ll end this review with one of my favorite lines, “i miss you, still. not sadly, but happily. with a smile on my face.”
June 6, 2020
**Thank you to NetGalley, the author, & the publisher for a chance to read & review an E-ARC of this collection!**
I found my love of poetry thanks to a poet that wrote in a way that made it easy for me to connect to the emotions of the poems. In this collection, Catarine Hancock writes beautifully about such personal experiences & with intense emotionality, thought, & purpose. Please find my extended feedback below...along with some potential spoilers (beware).
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Things I Liked:
-The way the poet showed a journey of self discovery throughout the collection. It was beautiful to see how love can shape us in the best & worst ways.
-The writing was very easy to follow & flowed wonderfully.
-I liked that to me...if felt as if the words were thoughts. I know that might sounds weird...of course words are thoughts...but I mean it more in that while reading it felt as if the words in these poems could have been my thoughts if I'd been in a similar situation. It was relatable.
-I thought it was very interesting & thought provoking that she named the sections after colors or "shades" as the title notes.
Things That Didn't Sit Quite Right With Me:
-I do have reservations about how the concept of loving yourself & loving another got too tied together in some parts of this collection. That can be a very dangerous path to traverse. However, it is important that this potential slippery slope is highlighted so that self-love is promoted.
Overall, I gave this collection 4 stars. I think it would be a great read for those interested in poetry, exploring emotions through verse, or discussing the many different types of relationships & the lessons they teach us.
I found my love of poetry thanks to a poet that wrote in a way that made it easy for me to connect to the emotions of the poems. In this collection, Catarine Hancock writes beautifully about such personal experiences & with intense emotionality, thought, & purpose. Please find my extended feedback below...along with some potential spoilers (beware).
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Things I Liked:
-The way the poet showed a journey of self discovery throughout the collection. It was beautiful to see how love can shape us in the best & worst ways.
-The writing was very easy to follow & flowed wonderfully.
-I liked that to me...if felt as if the words were thoughts. I know that might sounds weird...of course words are thoughts...but I mean it more in that while reading it felt as if the words in these poems could have been my thoughts if I'd been in a similar situation. It was relatable.
-I thought it was very interesting & thought provoking that she named the sections after colors or "shades" as the title notes.
Things That Didn't Sit Quite Right With Me:
-I do have reservations about how the concept of loving yourself & loving another got too tied together in some parts of this collection. That can be a very dangerous path to traverse. However, it is important that this potential slippery slope is highlighted so that self-love is promoted.
Overall, I gave this collection 4 stars. I think it would be a great read for those interested in poetry, exploring emotions through verse, or discussing the many different types of relationships & the lessons they teach us.
April 2, 2019
*I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review, but my opinion is my own*
I've been following Catarine since 2014 and it has been a privilege to watch her grow as a poet. I bought The Boys I've Loved and the End of the World last year and thoroughly enjoyed it, so I naturally was thrilled to get the chance to read Shades of Lovers early.
I need to be upfront about something: I'm not entirely certain I'm her demographic. Catarine has said herself that it's for high school aged girls, mostly, and I'm older than that. So while there was quite a bit that wasn't necessarily for me, I could see that it was definitely for someone, particularly that demographic. I really enjoyed some of the longer pieces, while some of the easily-Instagramable short pieces were, to me, a little lack-luster. However, I could see those really hitting hard with a young girl going through similar scenarios, or a casual poetry fan. Even though they weren't my favorites, I still could see their place in the collection. But like I said, I'm not exactly the demographic, but I think the lessons available in it are absolutely relevant and pertinent to those who are in the demographic. I'd happily recommend this to many of the high school girls in my life who are going through rough spots romantically.
Especially in some of the middle sections, Catarine seems to really find her voice. The last section is sugar-sweet in the best way, and I really enjoyed reading it. Overall, I think this is a great step for her creatively, and I'm looking forward to seeing what she does next!
I've been following Catarine since 2014 and it has been a privilege to watch her grow as a poet. I bought The Boys I've Loved and the End of the World last year and thoroughly enjoyed it, so I naturally was thrilled to get the chance to read Shades of Lovers early.
I need to be upfront about something: I'm not entirely certain I'm her demographic. Catarine has said herself that it's for high school aged girls, mostly, and I'm older than that. So while there was quite a bit that wasn't necessarily for me, I could see that it was definitely for someone, particularly that demographic. I really enjoyed some of the longer pieces, while some of the easily-Instagramable short pieces were, to me, a little lack-luster. However, I could see those really hitting hard with a young girl going through similar scenarios, or a casual poetry fan. Even though they weren't my favorites, I still could see their place in the collection. But like I said, I'm not exactly the demographic, but I think the lessons available in it are absolutely relevant and pertinent to those who are in the demographic. I'd happily recommend this to many of the high school girls in my life who are going through rough spots romantically.
Especially in some of the middle sections, Catarine seems to really find her voice. The last section is sugar-sweet in the best way, and I really enjoyed reading it. Overall, I think this is a great step for her creatively, and I'm looking forward to seeing what she does next!
June 16, 2020
I was provided with a digital ARC of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishing house, Central Avenue Publishing, in exchange for an honest review.
TW (as it is indicated in the book): Mentions of emotional abuse, body image, and poor mental health.
I really liked the premise of this book, a mix of prose and poetry, an exploration of six different relationships, and every one of them was associated with a colour, but sadly this was not the book for me.
I did not particularly enjoy the poetry writing style, and I felt like some of the themes in this book were only looked at with a superficious glance. I would have liked to see a little bit more, not just little glimpses. I would have liked all in all a little more focus on some big themes that were only mentioned by name.
I liked the fact that every lover represented a different colour, but other than that I could not quite connect with the poems. I totally respect their intent and the experiences that inspired them, of course, but they did not click with me.
If you're interested in a collection of poems about young love though, this could be your cup of tea for sure.
TW (as it is indicated in the book): Mentions of emotional abuse, body image, and poor mental health.
I really liked the premise of this book, a mix of prose and poetry, an exploration of six different relationships, and every one of them was associated with a colour, but sadly this was not the book for me.
I did not particularly enjoy the poetry writing style, and I felt like some of the themes in this book were only looked at with a superficious glance. I would have liked to see a little bit more, not just little glimpses. I would have liked all in all a little more focus on some big themes that were only mentioned by name.
I liked the fact that every lover represented a different colour, but other than that I could not quite connect with the poems. I totally respect their intent and the experiences that inspired them, of course, but they did not click with me.
If you're interested in a collection of poems about young love though, this could be your cup of tea for sure.
April 1, 2019
*I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review*
Upon the first time reading "shades of lovers" (there have been multiple occasions), it really strikes hard. This collection is raw and relatable, written in a style that mixes long and short lines to give each line it's own distinctive impact. Especially powerful is the tale of first love, tangled in elegant prose detailing the ways that emotions breed creativity. Out of love, heartbreak, sadness, and excitement, "shades of lovers" was born. And it's brilliant.
This collection is split into six parts: ruby red, ocean blue, primrose pink, stormy gray, golden yellow, and emerald green. Each chapter tells its own story, which each flowing nicely into the next. The love varies between innocent and intense, violent and soft. Every few pages has another you line that you will feel was written specifically for you. The time and feeling that went into this collection is clear, and it is more than worthy of 5 stars.
Upon the first time reading "shades of lovers" (there have been multiple occasions), it really strikes hard. This collection is raw and relatable, written in a style that mixes long and short lines to give each line it's own distinctive impact. Especially powerful is the tale of first love, tangled in elegant prose detailing the ways that emotions breed creativity. Out of love, heartbreak, sadness, and excitement, "shades of lovers" was born. And it's brilliant.
This collection is split into six parts: ruby red, ocean blue, primrose pink, stormy gray, golden yellow, and emerald green. Each chapter tells its own story, which each flowing nicely into the next. The love varies between innocent and intense, violent and soft. Every few pages has another you line that you will feel was written specifically for you. The time and feeling that went into this collection is clear, and it is more than worthy of 5 stars.
April 3, 2019
I received an advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review of "shades of lovers". Catarine Hancock has a way of beautifully stringing words together in her book "shades of lovers". The way she uses colors to break up the sections of the book but also showing different types of relationships that she has had over the course of her life. She writes about falling in love, being in love, and falling out of love. Not just with other people but also with herself. One of my favorite poems from the collection is called "the dark times". It is about hating herself because she doesn't look like another girl. I think that there is just something there that everyone can relate to even if you have never been in love or had your heart broken. The entire collection is beautifully crafted and is really worth a read.
March 7, 2019
***I received an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review***
shades of lovers is a fabulous poetry book! Catarine has done wonders with this work and I enjoyed every piece involved. I love that every poem can be a stand-alone piece, but it overall works its way into an overall message/big picture within the book. I absolutely love the progression of everything and how I felt full and satifised by the time I finished the book. There is a lot of effort put into the topic of self-love and that is something I believe that everyone needs in the world in this generation. I felt very very complete after reading the entirety of the "relationship status" poems.
Can't wait for the future work of this amazing poet!
~Lauren McCombe (author of "monachopsis: a poetry collection")
shades of lovers is a fabulous poetry book! Catarine has done wonders with this work and I enjoyed every piece involved. I love that every poem can be a stand-alone piece, but it overall works its way into an overall message/big picture within the book. I absolutely love the progression of everything and how I felt full and satifised by the time I finished the book. There is a lot of effort put into the topic of self-love and that is something I believe that everyone needs in the world in this generation. I felt very very complete after reading the entirety of the "relationship status" poems.
Can't wait for the future work of this amazing poet!
~Lauren McCombe (author of "monachopsis: a poetry collection")
February 4, 2019
I RECEIVED AN ADVANCED READING COPY IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW. This book is relatable, in every way. If you’ve been in love, if you’ve been heart broken, if you’ve been in an abusive relationship, if it’s your first love, this book is for you. There’s something in here for everyone. This book (personally) broke me and put me back together again. It showed me sides of love that I didn’t even know existed. Catarine, your book is amazing. It’s filled with lust, lost, love, hurt, but it’s also filled with happiness, calmness, easiness. This book is beautiful. Thank you for letting me live your love, your loss, and your happiness.
March 16, 2019
*** disclaimer: i received an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review ***
i completely adored EVERYTHING about this collection. the flow of all the pieces and sections of the book was so wonderful. the book covers a wide range of topics from heartbreak to self love to romantic love to loss to mistakes. there is something to be found for everyone who delves into its pages. catarine plays with different forms and styles which gives the content variety and excitement, so readers don’t get bored or feel like they are reading the same thing over and over again. i can’t wait to have a physical copy in my hands and i cannot recommend this book enough!
i completely adored EVERYTHING about this collection. the flow of all the pieces and sections of the book was so wonderful. the book covers a wide range of topics from heartbreak to self love to romantic love to loss to mistakes. there is something to be found for everyone who delves into its pages. catarine plays with different forms and styles which gives the content variety and excitement, so readers don’t get bored or feel like they are reading the same thing over and over again. i can’t wait to have a physical copy in my hands and i cannot recommend this book enough!
February 3, 2019
I GOT AN ADVANCED READERS COPY!!!! this book is absolutely amazing. it hits every single aspect of teenage romance. from the struggles, and downfalls, to the most beautiful parts, every single poem resonates with raw emotion and burning passion, that even if you can't relate to the poem, you still feel exactly what the author felt, writing it. i cried, reading specific parts of this book, it touched me so deeply. if you have ever been in love, or are in love now, you MUST read this book. it is stunning.
February 3, 2019
I am absolutely in love with this book. It hit all my soft spots and it was exactly what I needed in order to be able to heal. Already finished her other 2 books and was very excited but this one is by far the best. It made me feel like I was not alone and sometimes this is the best type of feeling. I felt understood and for that I am so grateful. If you ever searched for emotion in a book then this one is definitely for you. Actually I would recommend it to anyone. Amazing. I RECEIVED AN ADVANCED COPY IN EXCHANGE FOR MY HONEST REVIEW.
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