Joy: Poems of love, life and fate

by Mike Bond

First published by Lawrence Ferlinghetti in City Lights Books, Mike Bond is an award-winning poet, best-selling novelist, ecologist and former war and human rights correspondent. His previous poetry collection,

The Drum That Beats Within Us received high praise and has been a best-seller repeatedly since its publication in 2018. This new collection draws from his extensive poetry on love, wilderness, wisdom and fate, on our everyday lives and the infinite and eternal universes in which we live.

Genres: Poetry

197 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 3, 2022

About the author

MIKE BOND has been called the “master of the existential thriller” by the BBC and “one of the 21st century’s most exciting authors” by the Washington Times. He is a bestselling novelist, environmental activist, international energy expert, war and human rights correspondent and award-winning poet who has lived and worked in many remote and dangerous parts of the world. His critically acclaimed novels depict the innate hunger of the human heart for what is good, the intense joys of love, the terror and fury of battle, the sinister vagaries of international politics and multinational corporations, and the beauty of the vanishing natural world.

Reviews

[Andrea Stoeckel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy buckets!

Who would have thought a writer of post apocalyptic, issue driven stories could write poetry? This is an amazing find. Thank you Mike Bond. Highly 5/5

[Viv · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joy
Mike Bond
2023
4 Stars


Thank you NetGalley and Publisher Big City Press for my copy of Joy by Mike Bond. I have not received any rewards or compensation for this review and therefore all views and opinions are of my own, the reviewer.

In summary: Poetry

This is my first book by Mike Bond.
I found the subject matter interesting, but felt the layout of the book let it down. Having three or four poems made it harder to read in that format.
I liked that the author covers many different life issues throughout the book without overdoing it. Felt like poetic observations of life. Overall I did enjoy the works in this book.

[janele ⋆｡°✩ · Rating 4 out of 5]

“once you know war, you’ll never know peace”

i’m honestly not a huge fan of poetry but i did find myself really enjoying this! the author has such beautiful prose and i found myself resonating with the majority of the poems.
thank you netgalley review for the arc!
-3.5 stars!

[JoAnna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Big City Press, AuthorBuzz, Mike Bond, and NetGalley for a copy of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.

I enjoyed this book of poetry by Mike Bond - I had never read anything by him before this, and I did enjoy the prose. I enjoyed some of the poems more than others, but I think that is the case with all artistic work like poetry where there isn't always a true form/rules to how to write. This is a pretty short collection of work, so it is easy to get through all of the works, but I don't think that it is too short. I will probably go back and look at some of these poems again in the future, possibly checking out more of Mike's work. This reminded me how much I enjoy reading poetry and how different ways of writing can strike new emotional cords.

[Evan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and AuthorBuzz for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.

This collection had some nice imagery. However, while the blurb really drew me in, I did not ending up feeling much connection to the works contained. I know that poetry can be a very personal thing, but this was just not a collection that resonated with me.

I believe there are works that other people would connect with, and there were interesting phrasings. It is short and quick, so if poetry is your thing, give it a go.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

This was a nice collection of poems about joy, nature, and everyday things. Some of the poems were only a few words or one line, while others were a little longer. The poetry was straight forward, which I enjoy. I didn't have to decipher what the author was getting at, I knew what he was trying to say without having to think deeply.

If you enjoy more complex and deep poetry, this may not be the collection for you. Sometimes you need something easy to read that you can enjoy in one sitting.

[Jasmine Pope · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found a lot of lines within the poems that gave me pause or new thought. A lot of others were overly familiar and simple without image. Still liked it over all. How can you not appreciate reading someone else’s capture of experience? Thanks for sharing. Interesting how many books this author has published that aren’t poetry.

[Kostas Kiousis · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is not poetry. It is banality glorified. Mike Bond is so profoundly untalented as a poet, as shallow as a character creator and storyteller in his books. I actually never finished this reading, because my will to survive the day intact prevailed.

[Morgan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this collection of poems, and some of them I did. Not many though. They just felt superficial, stereotypical, kind of redundant. Some of them didn’t really say much at all. I dunno, maybe just not for me.

[Ryn (Crafty_Bookworm) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a nice compact collection of poetry. I found the super short poems to be the most effective within the collection. I will say that I was expecting something different based on the title and blub, I think I was looking for more of a connection to what it is that brings us joy less general life observations as well as more references to nature. Overall, it was a solid poetry collection.
Thank you NetGalley and Big City Press for access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Feefs ˚♡˚ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Mike's writing here in this poetry book. I feel like there is something inside here for everyone!

I received this arc from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Hannah Reagan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great small collection of poems. They seem relatable to everyone. Not super complex and easy for anyone to get into. If poetry is your thing give this a go.

[Joan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mr. Bond's poetry is not the kind that can be used to teach students the elements of poetry. It is also not the kind of poetry I enjoy. I enjoy inspirational poetry on topics such as nature, beauty, and love, and using meter, rhyme, and rhythm, such as sonnets, and villanelles. If one enjoys freeverse and subjective poetry, this author has a highly developed vocabulary and an admirable command of the language.

[Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

The poet's words resonate with a timeless quality, capturing the essence of our everyday lives while exploring the vast landscapes of infinite and eternal universes. Each verse is a masterful brushstroke, painting vivid images that linger in the mind long after the last page is turned. This collection is a journey through the heart and soul, a poetic odyssey that invites readers to contemplate the profound beauty and complexity of existence.

This book is being voluntarily reviewed after receiving a free copy courtesy of NetGalley, the Publisher, and Mike Bond.

[GK Bancroft · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading Mike Bond's book of poetry. The prose was lovely and some reminded me of other literary works but as a poem. I enjoyed Sacred which made me think of the Velveteen Rabbit. This is a short but wonderful work I'm glad to add to my shelf. Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book.

[joyce w. laudon · Rating 4 out of 5]

The very first poem in this collection captured my heart. “Burgundy” felt wise and profound. This was true for many of the works in this collection. Who wouldn’t love the words “To see your face across a room delights my heart…To hold your hand heats my soul with love.” Some are sadder, as for example, the poem titled Gray Clouds.

What all of the poems in this collection share is their approachability (maybe not a real word but the concept I want). These are works that one may contemplate but that can be understood. I will be dipping in and out of this book for a while.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Big City Press for this title. All opinions are my own.

This title was published in November 2022.

[Charessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Big City Press for the eGalley to review!

Unfortunately, this collection of poems was largely a miss for me. There were too many poems that tried to be deep and philosophical and profound, but they were just contradictory, nonsensical, and sometimes a bit cringe-y. Some were just downright cynical and depressing. I'm glad that many of the poems were a single verse or sentence because I found myself pretty bored trying to read as many as I could in one sitting.

That said, about half a dozen poems did catch me by surprise because they did hit the mark for me. I would say my favorites are "To See Your Face" and "Miracles" because I'm a romantic sap. Sadly that small amount was all that I got out of the entire collection.

[Leslie N · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a brilliant collection of poetry. Mike Bond does a great job illustrating the tension and beauty of life. I particularly like being able to pick up a book of poems and reading a few. My favorites were ‘To See Your Face’ and ‘The Divine’. Given how much I enjoyed this collection, I’ll likely pick up Bond’s previous collection ‘The Drum That Beats Within Us’.

Thank you to Netgally and the publisher for providing access to a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Yesenia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Joy is a compilation of short poems about love, joy, nature, and a little bit of everything in between.

Most of the poems fell short for me - the poems seemed to barely scratch the surface. Some poems didn’t need more than a few words to make their point, but their point was shallow.

Rating it 3 stars because poetry is one of those things that might not work for me, but others might enjoy.

Thank you to Big City Books and NetGalley for the book!

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very nice poetry book which covers many topics and emotions. Mike Bond is adept creating imagery, and making people think. I enjoy reading poetry as a break from novels and non-fiction. This collection makes me want to read his other book of poems too.

My thanks to Big City Press and NetGalley for permitting me access to a digital copy of this collection.

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was an honor to read Joy by Mike Bond. I don't fancy myself literate in poetry. But with this book, "Thank You". It was life, love and just many emotion written into it. I can sense the author was mixture of all true life events into this and it was an amazing read. Definitely worth the read and hidden gem.

[Hannah Laudermilch · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a lovely collection of short poems that are easy to digest and thought-provoking. I especially loved the poems about love; they were so sweet.

Thanks to Netgalley for sending a copy to review.

Content warning: occasional strong language

[Lucy Gould · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of thought provoking lines! There was a particularly good balance between long and short poems.

[Brooke Dowley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect read to get out of a reading slump!
Each poem, despite short-quick reads, they remained powerful, relatable and enlightening.