O čarodějnici, která se nenechala upálit

Women Are Some Kind of Magic #2

by Amanda Lovelace, Anna Formánková (Translator)

Druhá sbírka básní Amandy Lovelace, oceněná Goodreads Choice Award za rok 2018. O čarodějnici: hrdé, nezávislé, nadpozemsky silné a především nezničitelné. Druzí ji mohou odsoudit, zesměšnit, pokusit se ji umlčet, v tomhle příběhu se ale čarodějnice upálit nenechá. Silné, dojemné, ale především výjimečně aktuální verše americké básnířky Amandy Lovelace se pokoušejí apelovat na mladé dívky, aby věřily samy v sebe a převzaly kontrolu nad svými příběhy.

Genres: Poetry, Feminism, Nonfiction, Adult, Contemporary, Mental Health, Audiobook

208 pages, Paperback

First published March 6, 2018

About the author

Amanda Lovelace is a bestselling American poet who rose to fame through her poetry posted to Tumblr and Instagram. She is the author of the women are some kind of magic series, including the Goodreads Choice Award-winning the princess saves herself in this one and women are some kind of magic.

Reviews

[Hannah Azerang · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is, without a doubt, my favorite poetry collection I’ve ever read

[Iselin · Rating 1 out of 5]

misandry
/mɪˈsandri/
noun
dislike of, contempt for, or ingrained prejudice against men (i.e. the male sex).

I had many issues with this.

1) I listened to the audiobook. The narration is done by the author herself, and it is fucking awful. She has a monotone voice, and reads with no dedication at all, it sounds so lazy and rushed.

2) There are so many quotes in particular that I take issue with, or find rediculous.
Such as: "refuse to bruise!" I cant? Maybe I just dont like poetry, I think I`m just too impatient to listen to people who speak in similies, I find it so goddamn stupid.
"Some destruction is beautiful." It really isnt tho? I don`t think I get it...
"She begins to wonder if kisses has calories?" Then she`s fucking dumb??
"You think your body is made out of mostly water, but it`s poetry." It`s not though?
I guess I`m missing the point, but I just rolled my eyes so hard at all of these, it kinda hurt.

3) There are also things I simply cannot agree with. I HATE HOW SHE PRESENTS HER THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS AS IF THEYRE UNIVERSAL TO EVERY WOMAN. Her reality isn`t necessarily mine, so why does she use broad terms such as "women" and "us"
There IS no us, Amanda.
I do not feel like all the odds are stacked against me, and I do not feel war-bound. I do not wear red lipstick as a "battle cry," I wear it because I like how it looks. And, ok - for attention. Human beings do things for attention, it`s normal and ok. "I don`t need men`s validation." Great. I don`t NEED it either, but is it so goddamn wrong that I`d like it? Speak YOUR truth, not everyone elses.

4) The misandry. This is not the kind of feminism I vouch for. Do I want equal rights? Hell yeah. Do I want to "tear everything down and build a QUEENDOM because men have had their time?"
NO?? EQUALITY, NOT SUPERIORITY. The men of today are not responsible for what their forefathers did. No man today has ever burned a woman on a stake, so don`t hold them accountable for that.
"Books too difficult for any man to understand."
"He dreams about killing you." WHAT. EVEN.
She talks about killing men. Dismembering men. Burning men.
I know a lot of men I`d be sad to see burn.
I don`t know about you, but I have a nice father, a few nice uncles, an amazing grandfather, I`ve had male friends, I have men in all my classes and the majority are really nice. Yeah, there are assholes. Of course there are, but you don't have to burn the entire house down because there is one snail there. You pick it up, and throw it out.

5) Repeating phrases for 1 minute, making me go fucking crazy. She says "you have to eat" for one minute straight. STOP.

PROS
+ for thanking the women who came before her, for describing the ways in which women have to protect themselves while going out, for calling out the lack of women in history books, for criticising the "other girls"-thing, and for encouraging people to raise their boys better.

Unfortunately, none of this made me want to rate it any higher. The misandry is problematic, the inculsivity feels like pandoring and the book as a whole is a rushed mess.

UPDATE: THE FACT THAT THIS WON THE GOODREADS CHOICE AWARD FOR BEST POETRY BOOK OF 2018 IS AN INSULT TO BOOKS IN GENERAL WTF

i
wanna
write
poetry
now
because
apparently

people
buy
into
everything
these
days

Another update: Mostly I just think this is lazy writing, like taking up a whole page with the phrase "You have to eat." New comments on this review from three years ago is starting to get really annoying. I was 17 and I had a lot to learn still. I've debated removing this review, but I'm keeping it on here for now because I still agree with a lot of what I said and apparently it resonnated with a lot of people who read it. For the record, I actually am a feminist. Just not the kind who dreams about dismembering men, I guess.

Update no. 3: This review was written five years ago by a 17-year-old :) I've wanted to delete it because there are some things I'd like to add or subtract in order to reflect my views years later. But I refuse to take it down simply because of the pissy comments I get and the outrage it inspires. If I ever take it down, it will be on my terms. For the record, I'll delete all comments from now on. Don't waste your time. Write your own review.

[Schizanthus Nerd · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’ve read the witch doesn’t burn in this one twice now. I wasn’t familiar with Amanda’s poetry and was intrigued so read it immediately after I downloaded it. I had strong contradictory feelings about it and wanted to know how I’d feel after it sat with me for a while and then reread it. So, here we are straight after the reread.

My review may well feel like one big soapbox moment but if this book has reminded me of anything it’s that I am entitled to speak my truth and you are just as entitled to speak yours, whether we agree or not.

What I Loved

Trigger Warning - I really respect an author who knows the content of their writing may be triggering for some and points it out at the beginning so readers can make an informed choice about the suitability of that book for them personally. This book came with a detailed trigger warning for topics including: “child abuse, intimate partner abuse, sexual assault, eating disorders, trauma, death, murder, violence, fire, menstruation, transphobia & more.”

The Girl Power - I’m all about women speaking their truth. I love anyone of any gender overcoming adversity and stereotypes to achieve what others told them was impossible for them. I love strong role models and people who are able to transform what could have destroyed them into something that’s able to inspire others.

This Book Being Published - Just the fact that a woman who’s openly refuting the patriarchy and speaking her passionate truth has had her words published for anyone who wants to read them is a triumph. Sure, western society as a whole has a long, long way to go in terms of equality, glass ceilings, you name it. But this book has been published. This woman has not been silenced. We are free to read or not read it, and we are free to have our own opinions about it, even if they differ from other people.

What I Didn’t Love

The Generalisation of Men - While I certainly acknowledge the unfathomable acts that some men have perpetrated against women and have known my fair share of them, I also want to acknowledge all of the men that don’t fit in the perpetrator category. I know some extraordinary men who I know I could trust with my life and I don’t think it’s fair to make sweeping statements that are true of some but certainly not all. Yes, I realise this book isn’t about the trustworthy, respectful men but sometimes I worry that by generalising and only pointing out the bad (that I don’t deny is there), we forget to recognise those who have a positive impact on those whose lives they touch.

The Style of Poetry - By all of the positive feedback this collection is receiving it’s obvious this poet and her writing is resonating with a lot of people. It’s just not the type of poetry I typically enjoy and while I felt like shouting out a “Woohoo! Girl power!” at the beginning, by the end the almost constant rage against patriarchy and men exhausted me. There were a couple of instances of positivity such as “we can’t lose our empathy” and “you can be benevolent & love this world back to life”, but I felt emotionally and physically drained when I finished reading.

If you loved this book and were empowered by it, that’s fantastic. I do expect it will be very well received by plenty of people. I think in the end it boils down to this book and I not being made for one another.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for the opportunity to read this book.

[Shealea · Rating 1 out of 5]

Before anything else:
(1) If your idea of feminism is misandry, you're not a feminist.
(2) If your idea of feminism is that women are superior to men, you're not a feminist.
(3) If you're a woman and your notion of empowerment stems from prejudice against men, then honey, women like you are some kind of tragic.
(4) We're here for equality, not another gender-based hierarchy.

Regarding the content of this collection of poems:
🔥 men 🔥 are 🔥 trash 🔥 let 🔥 them 🔥 burn 🔥
🔥 men 🔥 are 🔥 trash 🔥 let 🔥 them 🔥 burn 🔥
🔥 men 🔥 are 🔥 trash 🔥 let 🔥 them 🔥 burn 🔥
fire fire fire fire
fire fire fire fire
fire fire fire fire
ooh magic ooh magic
ooh magic ooh magic
ooh magic ooh magic
them witches them bitches
them witches them bitches
them witches them bitches
repetitive phrases & regurgitated images
repetitive phrases & regurgitated images
repetitive phrases & regurgitated images
repetitive phrases & regurgitated images
lol i hate men
lol i hate men
lol i hate men


🌻🍃 More bookish content on Shut up, Shealea 🍃🌻
instagram • pinterest • twitter

[destiny ♡ howling libraries · Rating 3 out of 5]

You can find this review and more on my blog!

#1: The Princess Saves Herself in this One ★★★★☆
#2: The Witch Doesn't Burn in this One ★★★☆☆
#3: The Mermaid's Voice Returns in this One ★★★★☆

i didn't come here
to be civil.
i didn't come here
to sit you down
with a mug of tea
& a blueberry muffin
to coddle you as
i try to convince you
that respecting
my existence is essential.

Much like the first book in this poetry series, Amanda writes about feminism with a pleasantly surprising level of intersectionality and care; she touches on topics like transphobia, menstruation, rape culture, body-shaming, eating disorders, romanticization of abuse, and more. Her thoroughness is the reason I keep coming back to her writing - as well as her unapologetic nature when it comes to tackling rape and abuse culture in particular.

That said, I struggled with the same problems I saw in her first book:

1) Repetition - much of the poetry in this book feels and sounds so much like the first book, or like other poems within the same collection. I feel like I read the same phrasing a few too many times, though I won't count off for this one as it'd probably be less noticeable if you didn't read every poem back-to-back like I did.

2) Her writing - something about her writing voice reminds me very much of the poetry I wrote on MySpace as a teenager, and not in a good way. If it was occasional, it would be a really enjoyable, nostalgic touch, but since it's almost every single poem, it begins to feel very dated.

3) Inspirations used - there were three or four pieces in this book that felt like that had been lifted almost verbatim from inspirational quote images and tumblr posts I've been seeing float around the internet for years. It would be one thing if it was vague wording or base paraphrasing, but some of the imagery painted is just too on-the-nose to ignore. It gave me a weird feeling of deja vu throughout several pieces.

Despite the issues I felt, the content is important. We need more feminist pieces. We need more rants about rape culture, abuse, transphobia, misogyny, and body shaming. I will forever applaud Amanda for taking the steps that she does to promote intersectional feminism through her work, and would recommend this to anyone who enjoys poetry of its kind. While I will probably not pick up her future works, as I think this book made me accept that her writing is not my cup of tea, I would still encourage you to give this book a try.

Thank you to Andrews McMeel Publishing for granting me this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Claudia Lomelí · Rating 4 out of 5]

Estoy realmente sorprendida de que me gustara tanto. El primer libro, "The Princess Saves Herself in this One" me había parecido muy sin chiste, solo me gustaron unos cuatro o cinco poemas, entonces, para mí, no fue nada memorable. Pero este... este fue como WOW. Me pude sentir identificada con muchos de los poemas, y algunos me dejaron sin aliento. Creo que Amanda Lovelace creció mucho de su primer poemario a este.

Es un libro de empoderamiento y de fuego.
Muy feminista.
Muy recomendado.

[demi. ♡ · Rating 2 out of 5]

❥ 2 / 5 stars

I understand the word “feminism” and I always believe that men and women should be valued equally but sorry, I‘m not sure this one could be called a feminist book. It’s very ok to be angry at the men who did wrong to you but you should not generalize that every man on the earth is bad so you can feel that you are superior to them. It doesn’t seem right. I know my review might be harsh. I don’t want to say these things, either but the poetess actually gave me that feeling.



The Princess Saves Herself in This One (#1) : review
The Witch Doesn't Burn in This One (#2) : review
The Mermaid's Voice Returns in This One (#3) : review

[Jess · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book and I did not mesh. I'm really sorry to say that, since I thoroughly enjoyed the first one. However, it was not the case with this one. It seemed like this second one was sloppily thrown together, the ideas weren't fully formed, and it was just trying to mooch off the success of the first book.
This book promoted feminism in such a way that I cannot get behind. I will be among the first people to fight for equality for women, but this book took it too far. It was basically saying to tear down all of the foundations that we are already built off of and start from scratch, as if we were creating a brand new country. I don't know, I just didn't like it.
Another issue I had was the way that Lovelace was talking as if every male on the planet is terrible, awful, and cause every women strife. I get that she faced hardships in her life from other men, but not every man out there is going to cause you pain. I was affected in the same way that she was and most of my close friends are guys. Not every male out there is going to hurt you if you've been assaulted and just the way that she states these things, it just made me very mad. Lovelace was acting as if the way to solve all of the issues in the world was to eradicate all the men and that is just not the case.
The formatting was not okay either. It was structured really weirdly and the different sections just didn't make sense. There were different themes throughout each section, instead of sticking to one common theme. Also,
hitting
enter
after
every
word
doesn't
make
it
a
poem.
I'm being contradictory because she did this in the first book, but I feel like if I reread it today, I would find major issues with it as well.
This book was just not for me. I hope you had better luck with it than I did, for it just ended up pissing me off by the end of it.
The one thing I truly appreciated was the trigger warnings. At least I was able to mentally prepare myself a little bit for what was about to come, but clearly not enough.

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Picking up this poetry collection couldn't have come at a better time with having just read a book about powerful witches by Leslye Walton: The Price Guide to the Occult.

I really took to heart Amanda Lovelace's The Princess Saves Herself in This One for its raw and honest take on love, loss, grief, and healing. Plus, the many feminist poems. So with this follow-up collection, I was keen on reconnecting with the author through her words.

As the blurb states, these moving, relatable poems encourage resilience and embolden women to take control of their own stories. The main focus is on self-love and acceptance, feminism, girl-power, and women supporting women. So I missed my favorite section of having more personal poems.

And with the focus being more on the aforementioned, I feel like I didn't take in anything new and refreshing from the collection. If I take a scroll through my recent retweets on Twitter (@bookspoils), I can definitely see the same notions present in the witch doesn't burn in this one. But they're important messages to convey so I didn't mind the resemblance that much.









On that note, the poems that really stood out to me were the following:













These are still sitting with me.

ARC kindly provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Expected publication: March 6th, 2018



Note: I'm an Amazon Affiliate. If you're interested in buying the witch doesn't burn in this one, just click on the image below to go through my link. I'll make a small commission!


This review and more can be found on my blog.

[♛ may · Rating 2 out of 5]

we must help lift
each other above
the flames.
- women supporting women.

this was alright.

i can understand the empowering women aspects and the supporting each other (!!!) and the push for self-love and healing and acceptance, that was all fantastic but i didn't resonate with the intense misandry

like i just want women to be recognized and praised and loved and celebrated and all but the whole burn every man at the stake notion was like sis, i could do without that, yeah

and the quotes were nice and philosophical but sometimes it just got exhausting with the repeated phrases (x100) and SOME OF THEM JUST
FELT
LIKE
NORMAL
WORDS
BUT
WITH
SPACES

- they wanted us weak but forced us to be strong.

2.5 stars

[Cora Tea Party Princess · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Words: Witch, femininity, sisterhood, fire, solidarity.

What did I feel when reading this book?

Lots of things. A lot of anger, a lot of pride, a lot of power.

I had goosebumps up my arms and down my legs. I wanted to scream and rage and burn things. But in a good way.

I loved this collection. I loved the narrative behind each poem, how it told a story as you turned each page. The writing itself seemed to change as I progressed through the book, it became stronger and more mature.

This was excellent.

[may ➹ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought I was being mean every time I made a 😐 face (which happened at least 20 times), but then came

“protest → potest → poetst → poett → poetr → poetry”

and

“you have to eat”—repeated at least 50x in my ear as I listened to the audiobook—

and I realized no, I was not being mean

I appreciate women’s empowerment, Amanda, but not like this :o)

[Beatrice · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you Andrews McMeel Publishing for proving an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

After my disappointment with the princess saves herself in this one, I crossed my fingers I'll like this more. Amanda Lovelace's newest poetry collection centers on feminism. Topic wise, it's good but the poems were still empty, rundown sentences. Some poems are written differently but the thought was just the same. It's quite unimpressive. Do I feel empowered or inspired by this collection? Sadly, no. I guess Amanda Lovelace's poems aren't for me.

[Whitney Atkinson]

I went into this knowing it's not my favorite style of poetry, which is why i'm withholding a rating. As always, a great message for those first delving into poetry/feminism, but for some reason I just can't vibe with each poem's delivery. I will say that I enjoyed book one more than this one.

[persephone ☾ · Rating 1 out of 5]

there’s a pretty thick line between feminism and misandry, but girl you still managed to overstep it 😃

[Jenna ❤ ❀ ❤ · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm disturbed and mystified that this book won Goodreads Choice for Poetry for 2018. Perhaps a lot of girls and women had their feelings validated reading this book, and that is why it won. For me though, it is merely a diatribe against men. Don't get me wrong -- I am a feminist. However, being feminist does not mean you are anti-men, or doesn't need to mean that anyway. Being a feminist means I know that women are equal to men and should be valued as such. Being feminist does not mean (or needn't mean) thinking women are better than men, or that we are somehow born good whilst men are pure evil. I dislike this book because Amanda Lovelace lumps all men into one category, that of the abuser. Yes, I know all too well how easy it is to do that when one has been hurt and abused. I also know that in order to heal, one must learn to recognise that not everyone in a given group is the same and not everyone is out to hurt you. It would have been one thing if the book was a process of healing and growth. Instead, it started out angry and man-bashing and continued that way through the end. Ms. Lovelace seems unable to see that there is good in men too. She does not even recognise, in her poems about the Women's Marches, that many men marched with us. She uses the symbolization of the Salem Witch hunts but does not know or does not care that women also accused men. Women were not the only victims, nor were men the only victimizers.

Yes, throughout history and even today there is much subjugation of women and we need to stand up for and demand our rights. Yes, there are many men who victimize women. I don't negate that in the least, though I wish it wasn't so. I do negate the idea that all men are bad. I think this could have been a wonderfully empowering book of poetry, but empowerment is not just saying "I don't deserve to be mistreated (anymore)". Empowerment is learning to see oneself as no longer a victim. Sadly, it seems this book, whilst proclaiming empowerment, places men above women by insisting it is so (and thus victimizing all women). Perhaps I am misjudging Amanda Lovelace's intent and words; perhaps there is something I'm missing. Perhaps it's that I know how empowering it feels to stop identifying as a victim. I hope that this book, whilst disturbing to me, was cathartic for others to read, allowed some women to own their anger and thus start the process of healing. It is certainly OK to be angry and problems arise when we try to bury our anger. It cannot stop there though, much more needs to be done than simply allowing oneself to feel justifiable anger. I hope in the future Ms. Lovelace will write another book in which she has worked through her rage, and has found peace and healing.

Equality, not superiority.

[Julia Sapphire · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

I was sent this by Andrews McMeel Publishing in exchange for an honest review

I will be discussing this more on my YouTube channel (Julia Sapphire) shortly!
This was incredible, I am speechless and I am so excited for everyone to read this when it releases.


“women
don't endure
simply because
we can;

no,

women endure
because we aren't
given any other
choice.

- they wanted us weak but forced us to be strong.”

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

say it
with me
now:

“i am a woman.
i am a human.
& i matter with
no conditions
attached.
you many not
see my worth,
but i do.
i do.”

This book of poetry is important and it’s powerful. Some of the poems really spoke to me and moved me, others I couldn’t relate to as much. Overall I loved the book and I loved the message. There are some I highlighted that I know will stay with me. It only took me an hour or two to read (and I took my time reading it) so I would definitely recommend you take just a little time out of your day and check it out. I will for sure be reading more from this author!

[✨ jami ✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

"bitch," he spits.

"witch," he sneers.

& i say,
"actually, i'm both."

-reclaim everything.

it's really hard to review poetry because it functions so differently than an actual fiction book but I've decided to just rate this on enjoyment. and I enjoyed this a lot

Amanda Lovelace continues to write poetry that is personal, and raw, and honest. But I think this collection worked so much better than the first one (Which I also loved).

The Witch Doesn't Burn in This One is so cohesive and on topic. It maintains the authenticity of The Princess Saves Herself in This One while expanding it's reach and becoming more about women as a general then Lovelace's personal experiences.

One thing I liked about this collection was how it told a story. Although each poem works individually, they also tell a story and I think this was so nice. The poems themselves are also just better. Lovelace has definitely honed her craft and the form and toning of this one was perfect. I also like that there were some longer, free verse poems in this. It was new since TPSHITO didn't have any so that was really nice to read.

when you
take it upon
yourself
to politicise
human bodies
&
the
right to
keep breathing
without paying
a steep price
for it;
don't
pretend
to be shocked
when we star
to take politics
personally
- as you tell us, deal with it

If you liked Lovelace's first collection, absolutely get your hands on this one. It's brilliant. I think she puts out some of my favourite modern poetry and her collections stay relevant and topical. She's able to cover so many topic in such a short time and give them all weight and depth. I also thought it was rrally cool how many homage poems there were to other books like The Hunger Games and The Handmaids Tale. As a book nerd (duh) I loved these.

I also loved that she included a trigger warning page - need more of these in books!

My favourite poem was witch girl gang but it's too long to type out but just know this

[Alana · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well friends, it’s safe to say, this one just didn’t do it for me. Poetry seems to be something that is very hit or miss with me. It is also is the genre that I find myself most intimidated by, however, I’ve really been trying to broaden my horizons in terms of what I’ll read. Fantasy, YA, romance, mysteries, and contemporaries are all fun to read, but sometimes I want something more thought provoking and inspiring. So needless to say, I was rather excited to start this one because poems about women empowering women? YES PLEASE.

So where did it all fall short for me, you ask?

Majority of these poems were written with such anger and rage towards men that I just don’t vibe with it. Don’t get me wrong, I 100% consider myself a feminist. I wholeheartedly believe that in today’s world there is absolutely no reason we should be treated differently than men. But some of these poems where written in a way that could lead readers to believe men as horrible and lesser beings than women. Which is anything but empowering in my opinion. This is the main reason is why I only highlighted two poems that resonated with me throughout this book.

Another area it fell short for me was the poetry style. I read The Princess Saves Herself In This One, and genuinely enjoyed it (I would absolutely recommend everyone to check it out). I thought the style was unique but fitting in way. However, in this one it just felt off and redundant. The poems all kind of read in a way that you read the poem and the title at the end is supposed to pack a punch. For some of the poems it worked great for, others it did not. But to read it, over and over again, was just kind of boring.

All in all, I think this one definitely wasn’t for me. While there were some poems that I felt were empowering and inspiring I just couldn’t get past the angry vibe these poems gave off. However, poetry is something that everyone interprets differently, so in no way would I ever tell someone not to read this. Give it a shot and see for yourself. While you’re at it make sure to check out the first collection of poems The Princess Saves Herself In This One, that I mentioned above. It’s something you can tell was deeply personal to the author but still very relatable and something that makes you really feel.

P.S- this book does have a trigger warning page, which is so something that I was so pleased to see. We definitely need more of these!


Blog | Twitter | Instagram

[Rachel L · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars!



Powerful. That's the first word that comes to me when thinking about this collection of poems.

Poetry is not really my thing, I've been getting into it a bit more in the past couple of months. I've heard of this collection of poems compared to Rupi Kaur, but I would disagree. That collection of poems seemed so disingenuine and fake, in my opinion. Lovelace, her poems felt like they were from the heart, she didn't try to use a shock factor to get her point across.

There are so many people I already recommended this book to, so many pictures I took of the poems and then texted to my friends. It's not a book for everyone, but I wish everyone would read it.


Follow me on ♥ Facebook ♥ Blog ♥ Instagram ♥ Twitter ♥

[Katrina (rusticpages) · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book and I absolutely hate giving a one star rating but, this book…well lets start with the positive. I appreciate the author’s goal of empowering women, and if it has this effect on you as a reader, I think that is fantastic. I do understand my opinion is an unpopular one.

I love a good feminist point of view, but there is a difference between uplifting women and bashing men. I don’t think its okay to generalize and demonize men in the way that this book does. It read in an incredibly angry and vengeful tone and I honestly found it highly problematic. Not every man is a villain that deserves to “burn”. There are both good and bad men and women. One gender should not rule over the other. Equality over superiority. Overall, the aggression and misandry that takes place is simply not for me.

[Alex ☣ Deranged KittyCat ☣ · Rating 5 out of 5]

tell me
something,
would you?

haven't you
ever wished

you could
dance

in the ashes
of everyone who

ever doubted
your worth

& scoffed at
your words?

(shhh,
it's ok,
i won't tell.)

Thank you, Amanda!

Thank you for every word in this poetry collection.
Thank you for all your fire.
Thank you for putting that fire into words.
Thank you for making me feel less alone in my own fire.

Thank you, Amanda!

**********************************************

[Zainab · Rating 2 out of 5]

The poetess gets aggressive in this one.


Get it? I'll see myself out now

[lucie · Rating 2 out of 5]

we must help lift
each other above
the flames.
- women supporting women.

I loved The Princess Saves Herself in this One, loved and I looked forward to read this so much.
But..
hmm..
It wasn't what I was hoping for to be.

This book was full of anger against men. It supposed to empower women but I didn't feel empowered at all, I finished the book with a feeling that men are bad and are something less than women.

I liked and highlighted eleven poems (mostly woman-loving or self-loving ones) but that's all.

[Prashasti · Rating 3 out of 5]

here’s
the tricky thing
about fire:
it stays soft
even while it
destroys
everything
in its
path,
but
it’s up
to you
to
make sure
that
it doesn’t
burn the
good
with
the rot.
- we can’t lose our empathy.
3.75
It's the second book in the series "Women Are Some Kind Of Magic" and I find it even more fierce than the first one, boldly picking up on women's issues and feminism.
Then again I do not consider it to be the most authentic forms of poetry but I won't hesitate to put Amanda Lovelace at the second position in the category of pop poets whose words actually speak to me after of course, Rupi Kaur.
Plus, I realize I've gotten used to reading Haikus now.
PS: Can't wait for the third book to be out next year!

[Claude's Bookzone · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5 Stars rounded up to 2.

It is clear that I do not like the style of poetry where there appears to be no purpose for hitting enter after every word or two. I read sections a few times over trying to glean why the author chose this structure and I just can't work it out. Like I said for book one, it is essentially a list of words. That's not to say the writing isn't powerful and lovely in parts. I just find the structure too annoying to enjoy it. Also, I know an awful lot of wonderful men who are feminist to their core.

CW: The author has put the content warnings at the beginning.

[Dannii Elle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second instalment in the 'Women are Some Kind of Magic' series and I adored it every bit as much as the first. The previous volume was far more focused on the individual but this collection aims to unite women, as one body. This provides a call to action for us to burn brighter, strive harder, and ensure that we never forget the ashes of our ancestors that we were born upon.

[Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

review from the first volume is still valid. Love these stories and lessons

[Dianna ☾midnight reads☽ · Rating 4 out of 5]

➹ARC provided by Netgalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing in exchange for an honest review➷

this is an overdue love letter to each & every woman who walked these fields before me & made the path soft enough for me to walk through and get to the side they could never reach. for that, I owe you so much. - but I owe some things to myself, too.

This is the kind of book you read every time you doubt yourself, every time you feel powerless, every time you feel like your flame is slowly dying. This book will make you feel proud to be a woman, unyielding and sacrificing. Soft and pliant but unbreakable. Powerful and has all the damn right in the world to have the life she deserves.

I cannot express just how much this book had affected me. The Witch Doesn't Burn in this One is a collection of poems that is a force to be reckoned with. It's compelling and powerful and is highly relevant and timely today.

I devoured each and every poem in this book, each one better than the last and took them all into my heart. There are poems that touched on sexual assault, eating disorders, intimate partner abuse, and a whole lot other things women go through every single day. One of my favorites has got to be this one:

every time you "joke" to your other red-handed rapist friends that it's not rape if you warn them first—
every time you press your callous hand over her pink-lemonade lipstick, "no please no" mouth—
every time you think of slipping something smooth and sleepy into her drink—
catch us in the skies, flying by night, landing soundlessly behind you.

we'll be waiting (im)patiently with swords pushed up our dress sleeves & blood-rusted spikes sticking out of our boots.
(oh yes, and heads will be thump. thump. thumping. & rolling.)
the knights of the round table kneel to us.
arthur, rip your ribs wide open & eat your heart out
brienne, here's our card. we'll be waiting for your call.
- witch girl gang

Seeing as this is my ARC copy, I cannot wait to buy a lot more copies and just hand this book out to my female friends, sisters, and family members. The desire to share this incredible book and its message is overwhelming. I highly, highly recommend for everyone to read this book.