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Find Her. Keep Her.
Gripping and poignant, this new collection of poetry from bestselling author Renaada Williams offers a raw view of the world from her unique perspective.
Renaada Williams beckons readers into her deepest thoughts and most intimate experiences as a queer black woman living in America with her latest collection of poetry. Much like her first book, Williams presents themes like sexuality and acceptance through her stunningly arranged words, but this time she dives much deeper. find her. keep her. delivers an amplitude of emotion and rawness; reading her poetry feels as if you’ve stumbled upon her secret journal and are reading words that were never meant to be found.
Renaada Williams beckons readers into her deepest thoughts and most intimate experiences as a queer black woman living in America with her latest collection of poetry. Much like her first book, Williams presents themes like sexuality and acceptance through her stunningly arranged words, but this time she dives much deeper. find her. keep her. delivers an amplitude of emotion and rawness; reading her poetry feels as if you’ve stumbled upon her secret journal and are reading words that were never meant to be found.
- GenresPoetry
128 pages, Paperback
Published September 27, 2022
6 people are currently reading
1880 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
August 24, 2022
-Disclaimer: I received this book for free through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.-
Love this writing style!
Short poems tend to say absolutely nothing or everything. I can say this is a successful collection. It covers a range of experiences/emotions that can be difficult to put into words.
I liked almost all the poems. One thing that could've made it better is if there were more illustrations to add to the experience. The cover is beautiful. Adding "find her. keep her." to my favorites shelf!
Loved these poems especially:
"they treat
weakness
like a death sentence
like once you fall
you lose the ability to rise
like strength be easy
knowing it's rare
to have one without the other"
"i thought I finally had
love that loved me back
and it made
everything
forgivable"
"if i tell you
i love you
it means i accept the way you treat me
and
i
don't"
Love this writing style!
Short poems tend to say absolutely nothing or everything. I can say this is a successful collection. It covers a range of experiences/emotions that can be difficult to put into words.
I liked almost all the poems. One thing that could've made it better is if there were more illustrations to add to the experience. The cover is beautiful. Adding "find her. keep her." to my favorites shelf!
Loved these poems especially:
"they treat
weakness
like a death sentence
like once you fall
you lose the ability to rise
like strength be easy
knowing it's rare
to have one without the other"
"i thought I finally had
love that loved me back
and it made
everything
forgivable"
"if i tell you
i love you
it means i accept the way you treat me
and
i
don't"
August 7, 2022
“i’m starting to feel like love
is only in fairy tales after all
however
i believe in magic”
The first thing that comes to mind after reading this book is raw. The portrayed emotions seemed real, at times I even felt as if I was reading a diary.
What kept me interested was the poem structure, the playfulness with which the author illustrated her thoughts. All poems, while covering difficult topics, were written in a nice, gentle way.
Even with that, there wasn't a particular thing that I loved about the collection. I flashed through it, but something there was missing.
Overall, it was an enjoyable piece of literature and I would definitely read more books of the author.
is only in fairy tales after all
however
i believe in magic”
The first thing that comes to mind after reading this book is raw. The portrayed emotions seemed real, at times I even felt as if I was reading a diary.
What kept me interested was the poem structure, the playfulness with which the author illustrated her thoughts. All poems, while covering difficult topics, were written in a nice, gentle way.
Even with that, there wasn't a particular thing that I loved about the collection. I flashed through it, but something there was missing.
Overall, it was an enjoyable piece of literature and I would definitely read more books of the author.
September 5, 2022
Many thanks to NetGalley for this eARC!
I knew very early on in the book that it was going to be a new favorite.
The content warnings in the book are a big plus for me! The best thing about them were the page numbers, so that you could skip certain parts if you wanted to. I think more authors should implement that.
Reading this poetry collection somewhat felt like reading someone's diary. It felt like an intrusion on someone's privacy and like being told a secret. A lot of difficult topics were addressed. But since all of them were personal topics, the way they were addressed was very good.
I found every single poem to be deeply moving and beautifully written and formatted.
I knew very early on in the book that it was going to be a new favorite.
The content warnings in the book are a big plus for me! The best thing about them were the page numbers, so that you could skip certain parts if you wanted to. I think more authors should implement that.
Reading this poetry collection somewhat felt like reading someone's diary. It felt like an intrusion on someone's privacy and like being told a secret. A lot of difficult topics were addressed. But since all of them were personal topics, the way they were addressed was very good.
I found every single poem to be deeply moving and beautifully written and formatted.
Read
December 12, 2022Not rating this because, while I didn't care for it, I know plenty of people love this style of short, stream-of-consciousness poetry. It's not for me, and if I'd had a chance to look inside this before reading I would likely never have picked it up, but I hope it finds its audience.
August 13, 2022
While I enjoyed many poems in this collection, this style of poetry just isn't my thing. I'm not a fan of poetry that contains less than 4 lines; I find them to be very cliché, cheesy or too much like "inspirational quotes" than poetry. While there are a few exceptions to this, even in this collection, they are few and far between. It's incredibly difficult to create short poems, and while I commend everyone who attempts this, it's just not for me so the poems that I enjoyed in this collection were mostly the longer ones. This collection was separated into 6 sections, and the 2 sections I felt were the strongest were searching and two americas. Overall if you enjoy this style of poetry, short snippets kind of like Instagram or Tumblr poetry, then you would really enjoy this.
* Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review.
* Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review.
August 6, 2022
Similar to Rupi Kaur's poetry, Renaada Williams delivers a poignant, raw and sophisticated take on the world through her lens.
I could not put this book down. I really loved it (as a fan of Rupi Kaur, Yung Pueblo, and R.H. SIn). I found myself within the pages of this book, within each poem, between each line.
One thing that I did love about this is the fact that Williams decided to put a trigger warning before the book even started. It's great for readers who get triggered by sensitive subjects like SA and child abuse.
I could not put this book down. I really loved it (as a fan of Rupi Kaur, Yung Pueblo, and R.H. SIn). I found myself within the pages of this book, within each poem, between each line.
One thing that I did love about this is the fact that Williams decided to put a trigger warning before the book even started. It's great for readers who get triggered by sensitive subjects like SA and child abuse.
September 17, 2022
I really enjoyed this collection of poems. I like the short style poems. They covered a wide range of topics, and they were all very relatable. This did go through some very heavy topics, but I really liked that the collection ended on a happier note. The last poem was the perfect ending, and I absolutely loved it (no spoilers here! You'll have to read it to see what it is!)
Thank you to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel for providing me with a copy for an honest review
Thank you to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel for providing me with a copy for an honest review
August 14, 2022
"I am not meant to be fixed, there isn't anything broken about me"
The whole collection is raw and relatable. Renaada did an excellent job talking about several heavy issues. However, some of it sonds like inspirational tweets.
The whole collection is raw and relatable. Renaada did an excellent job talking about several heavy issues. However, some of it sonds like inspirational tweets.
January 29, 2023
Absolutely loved this book of poetry.
August 8, 2022
Renaada William's poetry collection captured raw vulnerable emotions so beautifully.
As a therapist, I loved seeing such a real represention of relatable themes including coping with mental health struggles, overcoming trauma, and accepting/embracing her racial and sexual identity.
Some of the lines I want to just play on repeat over and over until I fully internalize them into my heart. It was a quick read, but I had to force myself to slow down sometimes to let Renaada's words sink in.
Fans of Rupi Kaur will love Renaada's creative and powerful poems. I think a lot of people could learn from her journey.
Thank you to NetGalley for the free ebook to provide an honest review!
As a therapist, I loved seeing such a real represention of relatable themes including coping with mental health struggles, overcoming trauma, and accepting/embracing her racial and sexual identity.
Some of the lines I want to just play on repeat over and over until I fully internalize them into my heart. It was a quick read, but I had to force myself to slow down sometimes to let Renaada's words sink in.
Fans of Rupi Kaur will love Renaada's creative and powerful poems. I think a lot of people could learn from her journey.
Thank you to NetGalley for the free ebook to provide an honest review!
February 6, 2023
3.3 stars
February 3, 2023
It's honestly the "snatched" & "two americas" section that sets this book at 5 stars for me. (Both section are full of content that could be triggering so please proceed with caution.) Overall, I loved how simple and easy this was to read even though the topics wouldn't be normally be.
August 3, 2022
I was immediately drawn to this poetry collection by the cover and the description. The cover in STUNNING and the synopsis made me want to hold this collection in my hands and dive in.
From the beginning, the author even includes a page of trigger warnings, of which I am a huge supporter. It's important, especially for emotional and triggering topics, to be expressed at the beginning of the novel as it is here. Williams goes the extra mile and includes which poems may be triggering for some readers, allowing more people to read and enjoy her poetry without potentially harming themselves in the process.
As for the actual collection, I really enjoyed reading Williams' poems and I blew through them. They cover very difficult and complex topics, but in a lovely way, written with a caring touch. There were many poems that particularly stood out to me that I immediately bookmarked to return to and read again.
This is another good example of the "internet poetry" genre, much like the works of Rupi Kaur and Amanda Lovelace, If you like any poetry like theirs, you will enjoy this poetry collections and poems by Renaada Williams.
Though I enjoyed the poetry, not enough stood out to me for me to give this collection a higher rating. Therefore it's a 3 star collection for me, but I'd still recommend anyone interested to check it out.
The only real critique I have for this collection is that the poetry section titles are written with a typeface that can be hard to read, and may prove difficult for many readers to read the title of the sections. I think a less cursive title may benefit the collection. It's beautiful, just not the most accessible.
Rating: 3 stars
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for access to a free e-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion and review.
From the beginning, the author even includes a page of trigger warnings, of which I am a huge supporter. It's important, especially for emotional and triggering topics, to be expressed at the beginning of the novel as it is here. Williams goes the extra mile and includes which poems may be triggering for some readers, allowing more people to read and enjoy her poetry without potentially harming themselves in the process.
As for the actual collection, I really enjoyed reading Williams' poems and I blew through them. They cover very difficult and complex topics, but in a lovely way, written with a caring touch. There were many poems that particularly stood out to me that I immediately bookmarked to return to and read again.
This is another good example of the "internet poetry" genre, much like the works of Rupi Kaur and Amanda Lovelace, If you like any poetry like theirs, you will enjoy this poetry collections and poems by Renaada Williams.
Though I enjoyed the poetry, not enough stood out to me for me to give this collection a higher rating. Therefore it's a 3 star collection for me, but I'd still recommend anyone interested to check it out.
The only real critique I have for this collection is that the poetry section titles are written with a typeface that can be hard to read, and may prove difficult for many readers to read the title of the sections. I think a less cursive title may benefit the collection. It's beautiful, just not the most accessible.
Rating: 3 stars
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for access to a free e-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion and review.
August 18, 2022
✨BOOK REVIEW ✨
📚find her. keep her. - Renaada Williams📚
This is such a beautiful collection of poetry with stunning prose and an effortless flow. It is a journey of self-love, so raw, honest and relatable - I truly felt like I was reading the diary of the author.
Whilst the passages are short, Williams manages to tackle a wide range of important themes including race, sexuality and acceptance, in such a thought-provoking, powerful, but still gentle way. Not to mention the cover is just stunning!
This was my first collection by @renaadawilliams but I will definitely be checking out her other works if this is anything to go by.
Favourite quotes:
- “Surround yourself with people who can interpret your silence rather than those who come around and can barely understand you when you speak.”
“I am constantly working on the person my inner child needs me to become.”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you so much to the publisher and @netgalley for sending me this to review 🙏🏻
📚find her. keep her. - Renaada Williams📚
This is such a beautiful collection of poetry with stunning prose and an effortless flow. It is a journey of self-love, so raw, honest and relatable - I truly felt like I was reading the diary of the author.
Whilst the passages are short, Williams manages to tackle a wide range of important themes including race, sexuality and acceptance, in such a thought-provoking, powerful, but still gentle way. Not to mention the cover is just stunning!
This was my first collection by @renaadawilliams but I will definitely be checking out her other works if this is anything to go by.
Favourite quotes:
- “Surround yourself with people who can interpret your silence rather than those who come around and can barely understand you when you speak.”
“I am constantly working on the person my inner child needs me to become.”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you so much to the publisher and @netgalley for sending me this to review 🙏🏻
September 26, 2022
Woah, this one took me by surprise. There is so much pain expressed through all those poems. But at the same time, they emanate so much strength, confidence and comfort.
The author's way of writing is extremely powerful and impactful. Heartbreaking even, because the writing makes empathizing with people who went through experiences foreign to me so easy - even with just a few lines of words, as most of the poems in the collection are quite short.
The themes in this collection range from romantic love and sexuality to family relationships, racism, self-acceptance and the journey it takes to get there.
This really was an emotional and inspirational read. I will definitely check out other author's works as well.
(I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley.)
The author's way of writing is extremely powerful and impactful. Heartbreaking even, because the writing makes empathizing with people who went through experiences foreign to me so easy - even with just a few lines of words, as most of the poems in the collection are quite short.
The themes in this collection range from romantic love and sexuality to family relationships, racism, self-acceptance and the journey it takes to get there.
This really was an emotional and inspirational read. I will definitely check out other author's works as well.
(I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley.)
November 11, 2022
I had a strong feeling this book would become a new favorite pretty early on.
For me, the book's content warnings are a huge positive. Their page numbers, which let you to skip specific passages if you desired, were the best feature. I believe more authors ought to follow that.
The experience of reading this poetry anthology was somewhat similar to reading a diary. It appeared as though someone's privacy had been violated and a secret had been revealed. Many challenging subjects were covered. However, because they were all intimate matters, the manner in which they were handled was excellent.
Every poem I read struck me as being incredibly poignant and exquisitely written and presented.
For me, the book's content warnings are a huge positive. Their page numbers, which let you to skip specific passages if you desired, were the best feature. I believe more authors ought to follow that.
The experience of reading this poetry anthology was somewhat similar to reading a diary. It appeared as though someone's privacy had been violated and a secret had been revealed. Many challenging subjects were covered. However, because they were all intimate matters, the manner in which they were handled was excellent.
Every poem I read struck me as being incredibly poignant and exquisitely written and presented.
April 22, 2025
As an older, white, straight male, this is not the kind of book I would,normally read. But in the bookshop, a quick glance through made me buy it. Renaada William’s is a queer black woman from Queens. Her poetry is very personal and raw yet beautiful. She captures her emotions so well and expresses what many people probably want to express but never do, at least not as well as she does. It was disturbing, challenging and even depressing at times but well worth reading slowly and thoughtfully. It captures her human condition but sadly, leaves her as the only solution to her sadness and angst. This is what poetry does so well - allows us to express deep and personal thoughts on behalf of humanity.
July 27, 2022
A fun fact about me is I *love* poetry.
Love it, cannot say enough good things about it. And Renaada's work in this novel is no different. I loved how she shaped her prose, each section flowing into the next to speak about the beauty and the darkness of life all together. She spoke on her own experiences of being a black woman, of having a turbulent relationship with her father, and of experiencing the gift of new life. Renaada is relatable voice, and I thoroughly enjoyed her prose as it was woven through each topic.
I recommend this to anyone who loves poetry as much as I do. Thank you to Netgalley for my review copy!
Love it, cannot say enough good things about it. And Renaada's work in this novel is no different. I loved how she shaped her prose, each section flowing into the next to speak about the beauty and the darkness of life all together. She spoke on her own experiences of being a black woman, of having a turbulent relationship with her father, and of experiencing the gift of new life. Renaada is relatable voice, and I thoroughly enjoyed her prose as it was woven through each topic.
I recommend this to anyone who loves poetry as much as I do. Thank you to Netgalley for my review copy!
July 29, 2022
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review
There were some parts of this collection I loved, but it felt more like a series of tweets than poetry, with seemingly random line breaks and no punctuation.
That being said, Williams does an amazing job at presenting complex issues in an emotionally charged but accessible manner.
I would say I enjoyed this, particularly as modern poetry isn't a genre I generally like, but I probably wouldn't read it again
There were some parts of this collection I loved, but it felt more like a series of tweets than poetry, with seemingly random line breaks and no punctuation.
That being said, Williams does an amazing job at presenting complex issues in an emotionally charged but accessible manner.
I would say I enjoyed this, particularly as modern poetry isn't a genre I generally like, but I probably wouldn't read it again
September 30, 2022
4.5 Stars rounded up
This collection is perfect for fans of Amanda Lovelace. Williams' writing is so rhythmic, it's enchanting. Some of the poems did go towards the cliche side, but overall her work was stunning. I like how she explored topics women don't usually talk about in poetry like sex, self-pleasure, and pregnancy. I'm really excited for what she'll write in the future and I can't wait to read her other 2 collections!
I was given an advanced reader's copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This collection is perfect for fans of Amanda Lovelace. Williams' writing is so rhythmic, it's enchanting. Some of the poems did go towards the cliche side, but overall her work was stunning. I like how she explored topics women don't usually talk about in poetry like sex, self-pleasure, and pregnancy. I'm really excited for what she'll write in the future and I can't wait to read her other 2 collections!
I was given an advanced reader's copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 10, 2022
I received this as an early copy from NetGalley!
Naturally, I read this in one sitting. The prose and presentation were truly beautiful. I've been leaning into loving poetry collections, and find her. keep her. is no exception. Williams delivered so much emotion that I found myself tearing up throughout nearly the whole thing.
I highlighted so many passages; there's no way I'll miss the opportunity to go out and buy a physical copy when it releases!
Naturally, I read this in one sitting. The prose and presentation were truly beautiful. I've been leaning into loving poetry collections, and find her. keep her. is no exception. Williams delivered so much emotion that I found myself tearing up throughout nearly the whole thing.
I highlighted so many passages; there's no way I'll miss the opportunity to go out and buy a physical copy when it releases!
July 30, 2023
“if
love is love
why ain’t it?”
This might be the first time I’ve related to more than one poem in a book of poetry. I can’t be 100% sure about that but it feels true. Quite a few resonated with me, only a couple are featured in this review. Definitely check out the book!
“if i tell you
i love you
it means i accept the way you treat me
and
i
don’t.”
I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. (The version I read was a finished copy.)
love is love
why ain’t it?”
This might be the first time I’ve related to more than one poem in a book of poetry. I can’t be 100% sure about that but it feels true. Quite a few resonated with me, only a couple are featured in this review. Definitely check out the book!
“if i tell you
i love you
it means i accept the way you treat me
and
i
don’t.”
I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. (The version I read was a finished copy.)
August 2, 2022
This poetry book was one of my favorites. It felt like I opened up Renaada's diary. She put her heart and soul into this book. It made me emotional, it broke my heart and it really made me want to give Renaada a big hug. The main themes of this book are sexuality and acceptance. Her words were beautiful, thoughtful and genuine. Very much enjoyed this poetry book.
August 7, 2022
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is a beautiful collection of poems!
The poems are short but powerful ranging all sorts of emotions and experiences around love, relationships, and self. It's a thought provoking read that is both haunting and relatable.
This is a beautiful collection of poems!
The poems are short but powerful ranging all sorts of emotions and experiences around love, relationships, and self. It's a thought provoking read that is both haunting and relatable.
August 20, 2022
*ARC provided by both NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
This was a good collection.
It started off strong with that beautiful cover, and a page for trigger warnings.
There were a good amount of poems in this collection that I was drawn to, with some beautiful writing and important topics. I look forward to seeing what Williams creates in the future.
This was a good collection.
It started off strong with that beautiful cover, and a page for trigger warnings.
There were a good amount of poems in this collection that I was drawn to, with some beautiful writing and important topics. I look forward to seeing what Williams creates in the future.
April 2, 2023
An intensely emotional, raw selection of poetry from the voice of a queer black woman. Captivating language used to deeply express the emotions and experiences of a black woman. The poetry in this text gives credence to the role of pure existence in a society torn and blemished, yet so unrelenting in its giving of acceptance.
January 2, 2023
Very quick read I enjoyed the flow of the poetry however I wanted more I personally didn’t connect to the author however i appreciate creating this book because it was a outlook and perspective I had not considered
February 8, 2024
What a cute trigger warning on the opening page - Artists got to speak to their audience I guess.
i am tired of trying to be
happy enough
for everybody else.
A quality example, of which there is too little in the tome.
i am tired of trying to be
happy enough
for everybody else.
A quality example, of which there is too little in the tome.
Read
July 29, 2022rupi kaur lovers will adore this one
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews