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Be(loved): Poetry and Prose for the Journey Home
Every heart deserves a voice.
From the jungles of Cambodia and a chance encounter with a local medicine woman comes Be(loved), poet Dakota Adan’s debut collection of poems, tracing the epic question of what it means to be loved. Hailed as “an essential book for those seeking self-love,” this heartfelt anthology lends voice to the heartbreak and healing of our soul’s quest to reunite with whom we always hoped we could be—ourselves.
From the jungles of Cambodia and a chance encounter with a local medicine woman comes Be(loved), poet Dakota Adan’s debut collection of poems, tracing the epic question of what it means to be loved. Hailed as “an essential book for those seeking self-love,” this heartfelt anthology lends voice to the heartbreak and healing of our soul’s quest to reunite with whom we always hoped we could be—ourselves.
- GenresPoetry
192 pages, Paperback
Published September 15, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
December 28, 2020
When I began reading this collection of Poetry, I began to feel less alone. Someone out there understood. I felt a myriad of emotion from sadness and despair to acceptance and hope with a little bit of ' Oh no you didn't' mixed in. I know I needed this book the minute I began to read. I think most anyone would benefit from reading Be(loved).
The minimalist artwork was a perfect touch to this poetry collection. Kudos to the artist. I will own this book. At one point, I was moved to tears. What a lovely journey Dakota Adan. Who in this life does not want to just Be. And just Be loved. This collection proves the place to start is with oneself.
Thanks to NetGalley, Andrews McMeel Publishing, and Dakota Adan for an ARC in return for an honest review.
The minimalist artwork was a perfect touch to this poetry collection. Kudos to the artist. I will own this book. At one point, I was moved to tears. What a lovely journey Dakota Adan. Who in this life does not want to just Be. And just Be loved. This collection proves the place to start is with oneself.
Thanks to NetGalley, Andrews McMeel Publishing, and Dakota Adan for an ARC in return for an honest review.
August 27, 2020
It’s hard to review poetry for me, because it is something so personal. I like the overall theme of this collection and some poems are really good. Unfortunately, most of the poems are nothing for me, I just couldn’t relate and didn’t like the writing style. I wasn’t a big fan of the drawings either. Maybe someone who just quit a relationship and is struggling to find their true self after this breakup enjoys this more.
Thanks to Andrews McMeel and NetGalley for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to Andrews McMeel and NetGalley for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 29, 2020
ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
Heartfelt.
This poetry collection centers on self-love. In order to make love more fulfilling, there are things we have to let go in order to be whole again. It might break our hearts and we may feel lost and that's okay. Through our vulnerability, we slowly heal from our wounds and grow stronger. It's easily relatable.
Heartfelt.
This poetry collection centers on self-love. In order to make love more fulfilling, there are things we have to let go in order to be whole again. It might break our hearts and we may feel lost and that's okay. Through our vulnerability, we slowly heal from our wounds and grow stronger. It's easily relatable.
September 6, 2020
Thanks to Andrew McMeel publishing for making this book available to me via #Netgalley.
I absolutely loved this book. This is a collection of poems exploring self-love, spirituality, sexuality, acceptance, heartbreak, healing, and a quest to find oneself.
There are so many poems that I loved in this book
"I will no longer abandon myself for someone else's vision of who I could be"
"The moment I let go, I realized my hands were on my own throat"
I really enjoyed this book and I would be recommending it everywhere.
I absolutely loved this book. This is a collection of poems exploring self-love, spirituality, sexuality, acceptance, heartbreak, healing, and a quest to find oneself.
There are so many poems that I loved in this book
"I will no longer abandon myself for someone else's vision of who I could be"
"The moment I let go, I realized my hands were on my own throat"
I really enjoyed this book and I would be recommending it everywhere.
March 6, 2021
I had the pleasure of getting to interact with and listen to Dakota through Zoom during an online retreat a few weeks back. My friend proceeded to buy this book of his and lent it to me. I literally did not get out of my chair until I'd finished it.
Dakota's words hit home with me as if it was my own deep, unexplored feelings and fears that were written on the pages. I found it to be an incredibly open, vulnerable and honest read and I am very grateful that he chose to share this collection of poems with the world.
Would recommend this to anyone and everyone. Whether you're into poetry or not, I think you'll be surprised how much these words will resonate with you on levels you weren't even aware of.
Dakota's words hit home with me as if it was my own deep, unexplored feelings and fears that were written on the pages. I found it to be an incredibly open, vulnerable and honest read and I am very grateful that he chose to share this collection of poems with the world.
Would recommend this to anyone and everyone. Whether you're into poetry or not, I think you'll be surprised how much these words will resonate with you on levels you weren't even aware of.
August 25, 2023
This book wasn't written with me in mind, but I related to it anyway
December 16, 2020
3.75/5
I quite enjoyed this book! It was very well written and quite inspiring.
I really liked the expanded portion of the book the best, I though the words were well crafted and that there was more hidden meaning within the words than the original set of poems in the story. The art was super cool and I loved the style!
One thing I didn’t really like was the more one-line poems or the directness of some of them because it takes away from having multiple meanings to a poem but generally speaking it wasn’t too bad.
Overall, the writing was very well done and I really liked the main theme and message that the poems portrayed, they are very important lessons to learn and read.
I quite enjoyed this book! It was very well written and quite inspiring.
I really liked the expanded portion of the book the best, I though the words were well crafted and that there was more hidden meaning within the words than the original set of poems in the story. The art was super cool and I loved the style!
One thing I didn’t really like was the more one-line poems or the directness of some of them because it takes away from having multiple meanings to a poem but generally speaking it wasn’t too bad.
Overall, the writing was very well done and I really liked the main theme and message that the poems portrayed, they are very important lessons to learn and read.
June 15, 2021
a beautiful collection.
June 11, 2019
Dakota Adan's work has already been compared to others (as you can see from the Goodreads blurb), and you can see the influence they have had on his work. Personally, I prefer his poetry to those of other modern poets, like Kaur and Waheed. Mostly, it is because his subject matter connects with me more.
Adan succeeds in writing with a genuine voice about being human, from his own personal experiences, in a way that many people can relate to. He understands what it's like to hide our true feelings, and realizes that attaining success is not the same as being happy.
I appreciate Adan's mixture of prose poetry and short blurbs coupled with illustrations. I think that he is good at both. He covers a lot of important themes in this work, such as self-acceptance, spirituality, love, sexuality, and race. His voice is full of wisdom and even snippets of advice.
The main thing I personally am not a fan of in this book is the organization. It is divided into two parts, but I didn't feel it was particularly necessary to do so, as the work in both sections was very similar to me. I also wish there were more continuity throughout. However, I do realize our minds don't tend to work chronologically, and keeping it scattered like this keeps to the theme of honesty.
Overall, I would give this book a 4/5 and I hope to read more from Adan in the future.
Adan succeeds in writing with a genuine voice about being human, from his own personal experiences, in a way that many people can relate to. He understands what it's like to hide our true feelings, and realizes that attaining success is not the same as being happy.
I appreciate Adan's mixture of prose poetry and short blurbs coupled with illustrations. I think that he is good at both. He covers a lot of important themes in this work, such as self-acceptance, spirituality, love, sexuality, and race. His voice is full of wisdom and even snippets of advice.
The main thing I personally am not a fan of in this book is the organization. It is divided into two parts, but I didn't feel it was particularly necessary to do so, as the work in both sections was very similar to me. I also wish there were more continuity throughout. However, I do realize our minds don't tend to work chronologically, and keeping it scattered like this keeps to the theme of honesty.
Overall, I would give this book a 4/5 and I hope to read more from Adan in the future.
June 7, 2019
When I read a book of poetry, sometimes afterwards I feel it was all a mask, just words the author thinks they should say. With Dakota Adan I did not feel this way. I believed every word and by the end of it I started to reflect on my own self love. I loved the beautiful words among the pages, and will not forget their message.
September 23, 2020
A powerful collection of poems that will bring you home
Key words: love, self-love, poetry, illustration, acceptance, healing
Be loved, Beloved, Be (loved). This collection was very enjoyable. First and foremost, I want to acknowledge how beautiful the illustrations were. I loved them. Jenette Wilson @nettysketti is the artist behind those illustrations that suited so well the different poems. Now we can talk about the poems and all I have to say is that I loved them too. There were some long poems and some short ones, of course I enjoyed the short ones the most as they were easier to read but some of the long poems were carrying so much truth, honesty and emotions that it really touched me. I took my time to read this collection, unlike the ones I had read before, and I think this is also a reason as to why I liked it so much. It was also very easy to read and even though it makes you reflect on your life, it does not leave you feeling confused. This book is a revised and extended version of the first edition. There is one more chapter at the end and I am proud to say I did notice a difference in the topic and the way the poet expressed himself. Overall, this is a powerful collection of poems, illustrated by an amazing artist, that I would recommend to everyone.
5/5
Thank you Netgalley for this eArc in exchange of my honest opinion.
Key words: love, self-love, poetry, illustration, acceptance, healing
Be loved, Beloved, Be (loved). This collection was very enjoyable. First and foremost, I want to acknowledge how beautiful the illustrations were. I loved them. Jenette Wilson @nettysketti is the artist behind those illustrations that suited so well the different poems. Now we can talk about the poems and all I have to say is that I loved them too. There were some long poems and some short ones, of course I enjoyed the short ones the most as they were easier to read but some of the long poems were carrying so much truth, honesty and emotions that it really touched me. I took my time to read this collection, unlike the ones I had read before, and I think this is also a reason as to why I liked it so much. It was also very easy to read and even though it makes you reflect on your life, it does not leave you feeling confused. This book is a revised and extended version of the first edition. There is one more chapter at the end and I am proud to say I did notice a difference in the topic and the way the poet expressed himself. Overall, this is a powerful collection of poems, illustrated by an amazing artist, that I would recommend to everyone.
5/5
Thank you Netgalley for this eArc in exchange of my honest opinion.
August 31, 2020
ARC copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for review
This poetry collection could easily be retitled "My Boyfriend and I Broke Up and Now I'm DEEP". The posturing and affectation is so dense that it's a wonder he doesn't trip over himself. The lack of self-awareness in a collection of first person poetry is ironic at best. The E. E. Cummings style used in the title doesn't reappear in body of the work, if you're curious; honestly that's probably what drew me to this collection. The ideas presented are unoriginal and trite, and the only emotions conveyed are angst and self-righteousness. I'm not going to include any quotes because this is not a final copy and that feels unfair, but god could I give you some doozies. The narcissism of this child. I'm pretty sure that they broke up because Adan wanted to learn to love himself more, and that is not a lesson he needs to learn. He's got that one down pat. The whole thing is just so pretentious. Adan spends so much of this book writing about being brave enough to show the real him; he appears to have been successful.
For fans of Rupi Kaur.
This poetry collection could easily be retitled "My Boyfriend and I Broke Up and Now I'm DEEP". The posturing and affectation is so dense that it's a wonder he doesn't trip over himself. The lack of self-awareness in a collection of first person poetry is ironic at best. The E. E. Cummings style used in the title doesn't reappear in body of the work, if you're curious; honestly that's probably what drew me to this collection. The ideas presented are unoriginal and trite, and the only emotions conveyed are angst and self-righteousness. I'm not going to include any quotes because this is not a final copy and that feels unfair, but god could I give you some doozies. The narcissism of this child. I'm pretty sure that they broke up because Adan wanted to learn to love himself more, and that is not a lesson he needs to learn. He's got that one down pat. The whole thing is just so pretentious. Adan spends so much of this book writing about being brave enough to show the real him; he appears to have been successful.
For fans of Rupi Kaur.
February 17, 2021
2.5 stars.
Before I share my thoughts, I want to emphasise that this is very much a subjective review. I mean, all reviews are subjective, but this one especially (not least because it is poetry and poetry is, if nothing else, subjective). I can appreciate that Adan is a talented poet in his own right, but the theme of his work - self-love - is not one that I could connect with.
This is clearly a very personal collection for Adan and something I do admire is his ability to communicate his passion. However, on the whole, I found his work to be quite plain, cliched, and - quite frankly - not poetic enough. There was the odd poem that gave me pause and that I could identify with my own personal experiences, but they were few and far between.
Readers fond of Rupi Kaur or those who are on an emotional journey similar to Adan will likely enjoy 'Be(Loved)'. Personally, I would have liked to see him take more risks and preach less.
Before I share my thoughts, I want to emphasise that this is very much a subjective review. I mean, all reviews are subjective, but this one especially (not least because it is poetry and poetry is, if nothing else, subjective). I can appreciate that Adan is a talented poet in his own right, but the theme of his work - self-love - is not one that I could connect with.
This is clearly a very personal collection for Adan and something I do admire is his ability to communicate his passion. However, on the whole, I found his work to be quite plain, cliched, and - quite frankly - not poetic enough. There was the odd poem that gave me pause and that I could identify with my own personal experiences, but they were few and far between.
Readers fond of Rupi Kaur or those who are on an emotional journey similar to Adan will likely enjoy 'Be(Loved)'. Personally, I would have liked to see him take more risks and preach less.
March 9, 2024
Main themes of the poems:
- Losing the one that is the best person for you because you know you are not the best person for them
- Religious trauma around sexuality, but also healing relationship with God, but maybe not the church/christians
- Realizing you need to learn to love yourself
This collection of poetry had me tearing up at the Barnes and Noble cafe. It is beautiful that he came back with an extended chapter to update us on his life. And the acknowledgment that life doesn’t always wrap up in a happy ending, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be happy with where you are. Although I thought the final chapter had the vibes of trying harder to be profound, it was still a good, emotional collection overall and I’m sure will resonate with many.
- Losing the one that is the best person for you because you know you are not the best person for them
- Religious trauma around sexuality, but also healing relationship with God, but maybe not the church/christians
- Realizing you need to learn to love yourself
This collection of poetry had me tearing up at the Barnes and Noble cafe. It is beautiful that he came back with an extended chapter to update us on his life. And the acknowledgment that life doesn’t always wrap up in a happy ending, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be happy with where you are. Although I thought the final chapter had the vibes of trying harder to be profound, it was still a good, emotional collection overall and I’m sure will resonate with many.
August 19, 2020
I could say that this book is a journey to love, to home, to that place where you can be whoever you choose to be and still feel right.
But, if I say just that- I miss out on how this debut collection questions love, loss, grief, the desire to belong and slowly unravels the journey to love and our understanding of what it means to love, be loved and your beloved. I believe that anyone who reads this book is bound to unlearn some beliefs on love, and in so doing enjoy each piece as it connects to the next and the next until you get to the end.
The illustrations complement the poems as well.
Thanks Netgalley for the eARC.
But, if I say just that- I miss out on how this debut collection questions love, loss, grief, the desire to belong and slowly unravels the journey to love and our understanding of what it means to love, be loved and your beloved. I believe that anyone who reads this book is bound to unlearn some beliefs on love, and in so doing enjoy each piece as it connects to the next and the next until you get to the end.
The illustrations complement the poems as well.
Thanks Netgalley for the eARC.
August 24, 2020
Be(loved) by Dakota Adan is poetry that is so powerful, mature, and succinct that I am struggling to wrap my head around the fact that this is a debut collection. This is a book about the quest for self-love, and finding the truest version of the individual experience. The collection is a deeply personal account of loss, but at the same time offers an antidote to heartache, a searching of the soul leading to self-awareness and love. This is a beautiful and hopeful collection that I can imagine myself reaching for over and over again.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC.
September 2, 2020
4/5 stars!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I loved the overall message of this book about loving oneself and choosing yourself first no matter what. A lot of the entries are so real and raw that I feel emotions stirring inside me. The formatting and illustrations added plus points for the reading experience due to the aesthetics of it. The combination of long and short prose is also a plus for readers like me who want a little bit of both from a poetry book from time to time. I'd like to read more poetry books from the author in the future.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I loved the overall message of this book about loving oneself and choosing yourself first no matter what. A lot of the entries are so real and raw that I feel emotions stirring inside me. The formatting and illustrations added plus points for the reading experience due to the aesthetics of it. The combination of long and short prose is also a plus for readers like me who want a little bit of both from a poetry book from time to time. I'd like to read more poetry books from the author in the future.
January 25, 2023
These poems took my breath away!
As an avid romance reader I was looking to add a little bit of variety to my book shelf and thought I would jump into the world of poetry. Knowing that the topic of love has always been an easy sell for me, I saw the word “loved” on the cover and thought I’d give it a quick flip through. The first page I turned to was a poem entitled “Spare Me” and I was instantly hooked. The further I read, the more I fell in love with words that had been written as well as with myself.
As an avid romance reader I was looking to add a little bit of variety to my book shelf and thought I would jump into the world of poetry. Knowing that the topic of love has always been an easy sell for me, I saw the word “loved” on the cover and thought I’d give it a quick flip through. The first page I turned to was a poem entitled “Spare Me” and I was instantly hooked. The further I read, the more I fell in love with words that had been written as well as with myself.
August 21, 2020
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book was around 3.5 stars for me.
Some of these poems are truly phenomenal. Most are about love or acceptance in some form or another. A lot of the poems are about heartbreak. The collection its self tells a tragic story of heartbreak and coming out and growth.
This is a thoughtful collection of short and long poems that may speak to your soul.
This book was around 3.5 stars for me.
Some of these poems are truly phenomenal. Most are about love or acceptance in some form or another. A lot of the poems are about heartbreak. The collection its self tells a tragic story of heartbreak and coming out and growth.
This is a thoughtful collection of short and long poems that may speak to your soul.
September 1, 2020
I’ve been honestly gravitating towards poetry, and for the most part some have been truly enjoyable.
This collection itself was in the middle, there where some truly beautiful pieces that I could relate too, and some that I skipped, I always feel a little awkward reviewing poetry because I know it’s an extremely personal thing. But while it wasn’t my favorite. I still think it’s totally worth the read.
Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to review this collection of poetry
This collection itself was in the middle, there where some truly beautiful pieces that I could relate too, and some that I skipped, I always feel a little awkward reviewing poetry because I know it’s an extremely personal thing. But while it wasn’t my favorite. I still think it’s totally worth the read.
Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to review this collection of poetry
September 12, 2020
A beautiful collection of mesmerizing and intimate poems. The language is easy and simple, though they hold a far larger significance in them. The poems are empowering, encouraging and inspiring. The illustrations in between the pages of the book is an absolute pleasure for the readers. They totally captures the emotions of the poet, and compliments the poetry in the given page. The poetries talk about love, loss, self-healing and self love.
December 12, 2023
I believe this is a wonderful book for someone interested in reading poetry but hasn’t really dipped in yet. For me, it was rather repetitive and hard to get all the way though. I loved the overall theme and some of these poems really stuck with me, but there are also a lot of them that use the same symbols or phrases that gets old over time. Overall I enjoyed parts and I would recommend to people looking for people wanting to get into poetry.
May 7, 2021
I was very luckily to have been gifted this book, and it is an absolutely beautiful book — especially towards the end. It was a bit too melancholic at times for me, but this is a great book to get through a heartbreak and get back to yourself. There were poems I loved and poems I didn’t, but overall, this is art.
July 18, 2019
Full review on my Instagram @/sundresssecrets
August 23, 2020
UGH this book just completely solidifies my already immense love for poetry books. Dakotas writing is absolutely beautiful, and I found myself making notes to go back to for certain things. I absolutely need a copy of this book once it comes out!!
August 24, 2020
Just gorgeous and empowering. Everyone needs to read this when they need to be lifted up emotionally. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 9, 2020
This was a stunning collection of poems. They were beautifully written, well-thought out and relatable. Dakota Adan touches on themes of self-confidence, self-acceptance and struggling to get to a point where you are happy with yourself.
His poetry isn't preachy or self-riotous. It's just there, for you to take or leave which I loved. Adan broke the third wall and talked to the reader directly in a way that didn't break the flow but felt necessary.
And I loved the sketchy-vibes of the artwork that went along with the poems. This collection was overall really beautiful.
Thank you Andrews McMeel for sending me an Arc of this book in return for my honest thoughts.
His poetry isn't preachy or self-riotous. It's just there, for you to take or leave which I loved. Adan broke the third wall and talked to the reader directly in a way that didn't break the flow but felt necessary.
And I loved the sketchy-vibes of the artwork that went along with the poems. This collection was overall really beautiful.
Thank you Andrews McMeel for sending me an Arc of this book in return for my honest thoughts.
November 21, 2021
A book of poetry to remember to feel deeply.
February 16, 2022
10/10 recommend, if you like Rupi Kaur I totally think you should read this
July 16, 2022
The moment I let go,
I realized my hands were on
my
own
throat.
lured me in
I realized my hands were on
my
own
throat.
lured me in
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews