The Heart of a Rose is a collection of 66 poems which tells a story. It reflects on the heart and feelings in relationships. Whether you're in love, a healing process, or single. There are emotions everyone can resonate with in this poetry book.
Teresa James is known for her poetry and art shared throughout social media as Love of a Poet. Where you can actually interact with her. She is passionate about the creativity and beauty of poetry. She mostly writes short poems about love and relationships. She is a mother of seven children, a horticulturist, and philanthropist. While going through heartbreaks, struggles, and grief throughout life. She learned to write her emotions down on paper to vent and release pain. She now bleeds ink by writing and sharing through her poetry.
A writer is someone who sees words all day. They think up and find new ways to string them, new things to say, New feelings to convey And even just a new word can make a new day.
Words can be more than just words. In so many ways. They can remind you of days gone and memories forgotten. Or, they can remind you of beauty, love, harmony and nature.
Words can be a painting, a star, A blessing or a curse. Poems are the flowers of words. Beautiful, delicate, dainty even. Yet powerful, commanding attention. Words can remind you of anything. Poems however, remind of one single thing. The soul, bled through the ink.
5-Stars, Highly Recommended. Great art, fantastic poetry.
Poems have a way of embracing readers fully and wrapping them in the emotions the author seeks to elicit. In the case of author Teresa James, she attracts a large swath of readers as her poems draw on the heart strings of love and relationships.
Making this read even more enjoyable was the audio nature of it. Courtney Y. Burgess’ voice is made for this book of poems. She enchants you into the words, rhymes, and feelings in James’ penning of “The Heart of a Rose.” Admittedly, this was my first audiobook of poems and whoa, the power, intensity and mark left on me from hearing these poems read aloud was breathtaking.
Aptly named for the interspersed flowers and roses in the stories told, “The Heart of a Rose” takes readers through the tides of relationships, from meeting to falling and failing and back again. This book is broken into seven chapters, each with a leading theme. In each chapter there was a poem that especially resonated with me and grounded me to the rose title and chapter theme. For instance, in chapter one it was the poem titled “Why a Rose” which enlightened readers to the role a rose can play in so many things, in chapter two it was the poem titled “Yes I’m a Rose.”
The combination of James’ words, read by Burgess is not to be missed. They will soothe your heart, reach your inner depth, and embrace you to your core.
The Heart of A Rose is a collection of poems that touches on matters of the heart. Seven sections divide the book into poems dealing with specific emotions. I especially loved the poems in the Winds of Change section which remind me of how beautiful our relationships can be when we embrace our differences with each other. I also feel that whatever section you relate to at the time of reading says something about you that you may need to pay more attention to. The book is beautifully illustrated and helps you lure into falling in love with each poem. This would be a thoughtful gift for a loved one on a special occasion or the poetry lover in your life. Teresa James has captured deep human emotions and displayed them through verse skillfully and magnificently in this collection.
From the tragic lows to the euphoric highs, and everything in between, Teresa James takes us on a heartfelt journey into her experiences as one who loves deeply. The poems are poignant, often lyrical tellings of the human condition know called Love. Each poem is entirely relatable and a pleasure to read. A must read for lovers of poetry.
A beautiful collection of poetry. Reading poetry is one of the genuine pleasures life has to offer. For the brief moment it takes to go over the verses written on a page, we are connected to the author and the emotions she has transmitted through words. My thoughts: In this moving collection of poetry, the author reflects on themes we can all relate to, including love, healing and suffering. Robert Frost once said that “poetry is when an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found words”. The poems you will find in this book match this description to perfection. They remind us of how vulnerable we are as humans, but also what a privilege it is to experience so many different emotions. I loved how the author explored a wide array of emotional states, offering an eloquent perspective on the challenges of life. Her poems come from a pure place, giving insight into her soul. What is the essence of a poet? Teresa James brings the reader closer to the answer, which is simple: the words they have to give. Through these poems, we are taken on a journey of rhythm, where words blend into phrases that inspire and delight at the same time. With the rose as a central theme, we are introduced to poems that are simple yet full of meaning. I loved the subtleties used, such as: “A rose if the queen of all flowers, yet guarded by her thorns”
“Pleasant words can heal and lethal ones will kill”
“Trust is gone and every promise broken What used to be true is now long forgotten”
There were also countless references to love and the pain we feel when that love is not shared or lost.
“He stole my peace and even my sense of dignity Broke me with the pain of his words”
“All the missing colors of my heart that you took away”
“A perfect love gone wrong like the tune of a very sad song. The love we shared shattered by your scandalous affair.”
What are the things I loved most about the book?
• Beautiful, simple language – I appreciate poetry written in this style, as it resonates with my desire to completely immerse myself in each poem • Honesty – it was refreshing to read this collection of poetry and discover did not shy away from exploring difficult emotions • Cycle of love presented through poetry – if you will read this book from start to finish, you will see that the author takes you through all the stages of a relationship, including the beginning of a romance, the devastating effect of emotional abuse, the longing after a lost love, and the hope of a new love • Sublime flower references o “Noble is he who accomplishes/gathering a rose with charisma” o “Trust a pure white rose/As a true symbol of love” o “A soft yellow flower/growing in the meadow/The dewdrops on the leaves of the sycamore tree” • Rose chosen as the main theme – this is actually a reference to the power of love over women. In the words of the author: “As the queen of all flowers, a woman is like a rose. Bold yet delicate – if you love her, she will blossom.”
Verdict:
I loved reading the poems of Teresa James, and I felt they gave me a much-needed break from the daily rushed existence, forcing me to slow down and just enjoy the moment. A great collection overall!
[Full disclosure: This was a book I won in a Goodreads giveaway.]
First, I want to talk about what didn’t work for me: -The change in fonts (maybe font sizes too) -The pictures in full color
I’ve read a BUNCH of books since I started doing book reviews. I’ve read a ridiculous amount of books before that BUT I don’t think I’ve ever seen full-color images in a book before, & certainly not in a poetry book. I don’t want to assume anything either but it looked like those pictures might have been stock images. Of course, there were BEAUTIFUL illustrations throughout the book as well. I loved those! The full-color pictures just didn’t work for me.
Then there’s the changing fonts. It looked like one kind might have been Arial & the other something like Garamound or Times New Roman. I didn’t get the consistent shift in fonts & I felt like it disrupted the visual aspect of the book.
Anyway, on to the things I liked! Almost all of the poems had a very nice, rhythmic, & sometimes even playful tone! Most of them were smooth in their flow & wording. However, there were some that were a bit…clunky. They mostly flowed but maybe the wording could’ve been a little better. Then again, I think writing smooth, rhyming poetry can be a bit difficult (at least for me).
Overall, (again, full disclosure) I thought about giving this book 3 stars just for the stack of little things I didn’t like. I decided instead not to take off an extra star for that. I try to be objective with reviewing books &, just because it doesn’t work for me, doesn’t mean it won’t be something someone else loves!
the Heart of a Rose is a book of romantic and heartfelt poetry. I love the connection with nature, not just the rose, but the elements and how the poet relates them to emotions and feelings, telling life stories of love and loss that we can all relate to. The joy and happiness of love and the pain and heartache of betrayal are woven into rhythm and rhyme. The poems are of short length and I would recommend a pause after each one to reflect on the meaning, to appreciate the imagery before moving on to the next little gem. Wonderful words. I would recommend this for the romantics out there as I'm sure it will strike a chord with them as it did with me.
I was lucky enough to get a free copy of this author's audiobook. It did not disappoint.
I am not the most poetic of people but I found this book to be more engaging to my cold heart than expected. The narrator did a really good job of making me feel the emotions encapsulated in each passage and I came away feeling that I gained a deeper understanding of the author's truest of feelings. I think someone who truly appreciates poetry at the deeper level than myself will be moved by the author's words.
This collection is marvelous. There is a rhythm and beat throughout that requires multiple reads of each poem. There is a journey of love and peace as you journey with the heart of a rose. I Will always recommend this 100 million times
5 stars for "The Heart of a Rose"! It is such an amazing experience of expressed emotions. The philosophy within this book is captivating. The author has a way of drawing you in, making you excited to read page by page. Her expressions lead to a greater understanding of how delicate a woman is, yet how strong and rare she is. As a man, I find this very enlightening in the sense that it helps me understand a female's perspective, as well as her emotions. As a father having teenage daughters, I recommend this book, as my daughters have related so much to the author's writing. It is simple and easy to read, as well as complex and creative with a beautiful and in-depth message. I am looking forward to reading and reviewing more of the great poetry written by Teresa James!
I really enjoyed this book of poetry. She writes from her heart and her words are deeply personal. The book itself is beautiful, and nicely put together.
The Heart of a Rose was an eye opener for me to a different genre..Poetry, a far cry from my usual books. Once I started reading, I was drawn into the feelings and the story the author presented through the pages of poems. We follow the journey of Theresa expressing her feelings. I found the author was able to express herself in a manor that was believable and touching.\, drawing the reader into her thoughts. I was impressed and thankful for having the opportunity to read The Heart of a Rose..eyes into a different genre for me. Thank you
The heart of a rose is a moving work of literary art. Each section is crafted with a mix of beautiful words and imagery that leaves the reader spellbound.
I am working through this book much quicker than I anticipated. I savor my poetry and this is savory. Some parts are to be gobbled up and others are meant to be read and reread. I promise you will love this book and the artistry.
Light and joyful, jet deep. I enjoyed the poems very much. I even started to use them as journaling prompts. Thank you for making it possible to hear them in audio. Courtney Young-Burgess has a fine voice. Perfect for this book. I was given this review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
Love how the author takes you on the journey of her heart. Love the imagery that she sows together with her poetry. Beautifully written. Can’t wait to read her next big hit.
It's a beautiful Rose collection and each page has its own unique scents! The heart of the Rose carries some secrets that I'm not gonna spoil, so I highly recommend it to be read, smelled and discovered by whoever is into poetry and Rose! 🌹
This one a little too bland for me. The poems did not get my attention. There was a mix of artwork with the book that just didn't fit. Like some were little drawings then the next with like a real life pictures. Which made if feel a little like last minute adds to make the poems stand out.
This book will reach out and grab your heart right in the center. Beautifully crafted words and incredible imagery takes you on a journey. Truly loved it! Well done! Can’t wait to read your next book.
For me, as an author and poet myself, I find it so hard to rate or review another poet’s work, as I am not studied in the school of poetry. So, I mainly focus on one thing when I do. I look to see if the poet has somehow given me insight into their heart and soul. I look for the felt sense and essence of the poet. I believe Teresa has accomplished this. Teresa, thank you for sharing yourself with the world.
Teresa James pours out her heart, her hurts, her passion and her burning desire. This is a great book of poems full of feeling and the pricks of love gone wrong. Better grab some tissues as her words will bring tears to almost every lover who is longing for love's eyes. Well done Teresa, I love your pictures and doodle illustrations throughout this heartfelt creative ctreation.
I listened to the audiobook. The Heart of a Rose by Teresa James is simply breathtaking. Her beautiful collection, brilliantly read by Courtney Young-Burgess, completely captivated my soul. The talented author speaks from the heart as she weaves an array of emotions into her writing. If you enjoy poetry filled with heartfelt words and meanings, don’t pass up this one. The writing is spectacular! Highly recommend to everyone. BRAVO!