Stages

by Jessa Leigh

if you consider yourself a "romantic at heart", then this book is for you.

Stages is a raw, inspiring, and magnetic collection of poetry and prose that has been dubbed by some readers as life changing.

Jessa Leigh speaks to specific, yet universal truths of growth and change in relationships. helping you navigate the grief that comes in loss, while offering solace and reminders to keep yourself soft.

this book will take you on a journey through the blossoming of new affection, the painful ways love stays and leaves, fiery sexual intimacy shared with another, and learning to honor one's perfect timing.

Genres: Poetry

140 pages, Paperback

Published April 20, 2022

About the author

hi, I'm Jessa Leigh.
poet, & self published author of Stages.

I write about love, mental health, and healing after trauma.

follow me on IG @jessaleighpoetry
follow me on TikTok @jessaleighpoetry

Reviews

[Victoria Gehman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jessa Leigh draws from her own experiences and uses her own unique writing style to write powerful poems about love - the ways it can take us on a roller coaster as we seek the wrong types of relationships or experience abuse, as well as the joys of true love in a healthy relationship. I believe many will relate with what she shares, using powerful imagery. I especially love her use of rhyming in so many of these poems. As a poetry lover and poetry author myself, I really enjoyed this book.

[Alexandra Vincent · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading Stages! I think if you ever experienced love or love AND loss, you will find Jessa's words relatable. This book is very raw and packed with many genuine emotions. If you are looking for a passionate and heartfelt read, this might be for you!

[Demi Cheryl]

“Stages” By Jessa Leigh read like an ongoing journey through the author’s stream of consciousness while the narrators of the pieces explored numerous relatable themes affiliated with love. Jessa Leigh writes some themes with particular expertise including the dark side of love, learning how to give and receive love and the discovery of the narrator’s own self-love. A personal favourite poem from the collection was “Relationships are not a home”, in which Jessa speaks to specific, yet universal truths of growth and change in relationships. Jessa’s book is thoughtfully crafted from personal experience and reads intimately like life lessons passed down from an older sister, wiser sister. I would recommend this book to anyone but specifically young adults who find themselves navigating their intimate relationships and trying to form a identity and healthy image of love.

[Christina Vourcos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect Poetry for El Corazon

I’ve had a lot of unrequited love throughout my life from guys that didn’t truly see me. I felt this book connect with me. As a Latina, I’m grateful to be able to support another Latina.

[Kristen Mannion · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought it was a raw yet beautiful journey of emotions.

The author, Jessa, breaks the book down into five stages of love (Initial Spark / Burned / Burning / Recovery / Existing) and each stage is comprised of multiple poems that weave a beautiful tapestry of experience and emotion. What I love about Stages is that as Jessa shares her own experiences with love through poetry, the reader is able to draw so much connection to their own personal experience of love. I found myself crying at several moments as she put into words the heartbreak I've experienced but was unable to articulate, or helped me recall the moments of bliss that I felt from past love.

I loved every stage of her book and highly recommend it for anyone who enjoys all the feelings that love helps bring. Personally, I keep it on my bedside table as I find myself re-reading my favorite poems of hers (thank you to the author for the spicy beauty that is "Juicy")

[Nicole McNeely · Rating 5 out of 5]

A few rare times in life, a book makes its way into your hands and the words contained inside change you forever.

This debut poetry collection by Jessa Leigh is that book for me.

As a reader, I found a personal and universal hopefulness in Jessa’s words that turned the hard realities and grief of human existence into beautiful resilience and inspirational growth.

As a writer, I was so impressed by her ability to write from a place of such uncontrived truth and exquisite reflection. It is difficult to write honestly, it is even harder to write it well. She does both AND in her debut collection!

If you have ever enjoyed beautiful insights into love or looked for solace from heartbreak and trauma or wanted to grow in self realization and self love then you should read her book. The words inside are magic and you may feel as I did after reading them: like a butterfly encouraged to emerge from my cocoon, ready to fly and alight upon this delicate and amazing life.

[Natalie Siagkris-Seymour · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautifully curated collection- everything from the poems themselves to the layout. The author’s attention to detail is mesmerizing. Beautifully descriptive imagery in the poems that strike a balance between situationally specific and universally applicable. Deeply relatable work. Somewhere between Audre Lorde and ee cummings, Jessa Leigh has honed a voice all her own.

[Vanessa Mroz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn’t put this book down once I received it. It pulled me in and really kept a magnetic connection through the whole thing. It’s, raw, real and beautiful.

[Annaliisa Powers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful and real.

[Cassie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a beautiful, well written poetry book by a dear friend of mine. I keep it on my alter as a reminder that i am always growing and reflecting on the things I’ve went through!

[Patrice Jenkins · Rating 1 out of 5]

Here's my review, in the form of a poem called:

BAD POETRY

I'm so tired
of bad poetry.

Inauthentic,
meaningless drivel -
shit about
"love" and
"heart" and
"soul" and
"transformation."

It all sounds oh so deep -
presented in stanza and verse
and looks oh so wise and learned;
hiding multitudes of bad writing
from those who know
no better.