Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. This was a great book of poetry. I will definitely be purchasing a copy for myself.

WOW. That was kind of incredible. I really loved how Trista gave Aphrodite a real voice in this collection. That was so expertly done and I'm a little in love. I always enjoy the feminist takes on the goddesses of Greek mythology (big fan of Nikita Gill's work on this), and this one was really superb. This is a hard-hitting collection, filled with a lot of really difficult topics, but it's also filled with so much love and joy and fierceness, and i really enjoyed it a great deal.

*Thank you to NetGalley for letting me receive an ebook in exchange for an honest review.*

Ever since I read The Princess Saves Herself In This One, I have been looking for similar poetry collections and I haven’t been able to find one until now. I was unable to put this one down. One of the issues I have with reading poetry is that I am unable to really feel emotion while reading them, but I felt so much while reading this.

The main reason I was drawn to this collection was the use of Greek mythology, specifically Medusa, especially since I feel that she is such an overlooked and misunderstood character. I have never seen her character explored in such a nuanced way like this before and I really appreciated it.

I also loved the illustrations that were throughout the collection and they helped me understand the poetry better. It also made the reading go by quicker so I was able to read it all in one sitting and everything was easier to remember, which is another issue I tend to have with reading poetry.

Overall, this was definitely one of the best poetry collections I’ve read and I highly recommend it.

4/5

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for gifting me a copy to review.

I’m not usually a poetry person but I was intrigued by the description and the self help aspect of it.
This did not disappoint, there were so many moments that I had to stop and re read as related so deeply to them that I had to check I hadn’t just formed the words myself.
This is a book that I will continue to revisit when I need to and one I will be quoting for a longtime.

I love poetry and I have a (totally healthy) obsession with Greek mythology so this was right up my street. Generally, the poetry was beautiful and meaningful but I did find myself more engaged with the poems revolving around Greek figures compared the 'poet' ones.
There was a great message of female empowerment, queer pride and confidence which I really loved and found inspiring.

Poetry isn’t something that I read an awful lot of, so I’ve been trying to correct that a bit this year. I stumbled across this on Netgalley, and the title and cover really drew me in. This is also my first time reading any of Trista Mateer’s work, but I instantly fell in love with her beautiful prose and I’m definitely looking forward to picking up more of her work.

I absolutely loved the blend of Greek mythology and modern life. The poems about Medusa and Aphrodite were really fascinating and were my favourites in the collection. I found the poems in this collection very powerful and inspiring, I highlighted quite a few favourite parts on the Kindle. There’s also a wonderful selection of art within the book and I adored the mixture of prose and imagery. It was really striking and definitely left me itching for more.

If like me, you don’t read an awful lot of poetry this might be just the thing to get you hooked. I really like Amanda Lovelace’s work and had a similar feel and will completely capture your attention. It does deal with a lot of difficult topics like sexual assault, eating disorders and abuse so please bear that in mind if you decide to pick this one up. For me I really enjoyed this collection and am looking forward to trying more from Trista Mateer!

A poetry and prose collection that uses mythological goddesses to create a story of self-love and healing. I’m a not a massive fan of poetry collections anymore, but something about Aphrodite particularly caught my attention. Maybe, I’m just a sucker for mythological goddesses.

The poetry collection begins with Aphrodite and the author conversing before weaving into different pieces that discussed topics such as body image, abuse and queerphobia. I think about stood out the most was how Mateer framed this collection and its narrative. The collection flows through Aphrodite’s life, while also mentioning other women such as Medusa and Pandora, intertwining their stories with her own experiences.

I absolutely loved the illustrations and the designs of the tarot cards. I haven’t read anything previously by Mateer, so I don’t know if it’s a common thing, but I wasn’t expecting it. So it added such a nice touch to the entire collection. I would definitely consider buying a physical copy because of the art.

"I'm still trying to figure out who I am alone so that I know who I am in front of other people."

This poetry collection is gorgeous. Told via a dreamy heart-to-heart between the voice of the poet and the voice of Aphrodite, this collection explores worth, sexuality, meaning, family, forgiveness, healing wants, dreams, fears, trauma, family, friends, and of course love. The way that Mateer describes love is so beautiful. They describe that it comes in many forms, it's complex, it's messy. I love how Mateer mixes mythology and today's world so seamlessly. It's gorgeous all around.

I love that this book is focused on growth and positivism amidst the pain we deal with daily. I'll be thinking of this book often. A stunning read.

"I belong to no one. They never wrote that part down."

Aphrodite Made Me Do It is a masterpiece poetry collection written by Trista Mateer. It deals with abuse, rape, the value of a woman and many other topics that are currently in the spotlight.

"To sing of love

is almost always

to sing of war."

I believe these are all things that ought to be talked about and I especially appreciate the manner in which Trista Mateer talks about them. I love that she didn't go the political route! She presented all these issues and worries in a way that didn't present political arguments, but what it did show was a wound on her soul. And then it revealed a wound on my own soul. I felt deeply for what she wrote. 

"It was my blood that made the roses red.

Did they tell you that?

My pain shaped the whole world."

I find this poetry collection unique! The way the author intertwined her own voice with the voice od Aphrodite is amazing. What is more amazing is the fact that it seemed so natural, so meant to be. 

This is the poem that hit me the hardest because I believe sometimes people forget:

"People expect all stories of abuse
to be loud and angry
but they're not.

Sometimes they're quiet and cruel
and swept under the rug."

The wounds presented on these pages are open and raw. The words are impactful and strong. And they hit me right in the face! This may de facto be a new addition to my favorite modern poetry collections.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a powerful, beautiful collection of poems and prose. I loved the accompanying art which was stunning and really made the messages in the poems hit home. Another great collection from Trista Mateer.

***A digital copy of this book was provided to me by NetGalley and the Publisher. All Opinions are my own.***

I didn't know what this book was goin into it. I just saw the title and the glorious cover. So pretty! I had just read another novel about Aphrodite and I wanted something else to fill the void. I got a bit of a surprise. This is a short book of writings and musings on love and the ways people can pervert love and idolize it in different ways.

We here from Aphrodite on her beginnings and then we hear from the "Poet" and her thoughts on the same subjects. There is also lots of womanly art throughout, showing different depictions of the female body. The author also kindly lists all the trigger warnings at the beginning of the book. Including, body shaming, sexual assault, and queer hating.

This isn't something I would have typically picked up but I did enjoy some of the powerful thoughts shared by the author on love and sex and how we think about it in perhaps not the healthiest of ways. Also, how sometimes love has nothing to do with sex, sex the act and sex the gender at all.

I find it hard to rate this, since I don't have any comparisons for it, but I would go with a solid 3.5, just for keeping me interested.

I'd like to start off saying if I could give this book 10 stars I would. Aphrodite Made Me Do It is an incredible collection of empowering feminist poems told through the eyes of the poet and goddess Aphrodite. Poems range from personal matters of Mateer to loud and bold exclamations via Aphrodite for her women comrades. Each poem that I read gave me a sense of comradery and empowerment, coupled with the beautiful artwork, this book created a visceral reaction in my heart that I can only hope for in any poetry collection. I'd recommend this to anyone age 13 and up since it deals with some triggering topics, but it can be compared to the likes of Amanda Lovelace and Rupi Kaur in that she writes for readers in all stages of life! This is definitely a must for any library poetry collection and I personally will be picking up a copy for myself when it's published!

To sing of love
is almost always
to sing of war.

This is easily one of the best poetry collections — maybe the best — I have ever read.

I am older than the poets
and I am older than the pens.
I am older than the stars
and the ocean I crawled out of.

It’s a story of assault, and survival, and having our stories rewritten without our consent. It’s worship and blasphemy, anger and heartache, capped off with tenderness and self-love and learning to cherish yourself no matter how many people in your life have failed to do so.

I belong to no one. They never wrote that part down.

Among all these other things, it’s an incredible view on many infamous women of mythology, and it gives a voice to the sides of their stories that we all too often overlook. It plays a strong parallel to the sides of stories from everyday women today society would have us overlook, too, and it’s powerful. Don’t miss out on this one.

They made a monster
of Medusa as well.
Hated how loud
her trauma was.
Couldn’t believe
she had the audacity
to not take it lying down.
They made a war-ground
of her body
so she made one
of theirs.

TWs: assault, homophobia, transphobia

All quotes come from an advance copy and may not match the final release. Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I think everyone needs a book of poetry like this. Especially teenage girls that can relate to this poetry and feel empowered by it and a little less lonely. The authors words really hit me and spoke to me in a language that I understood and wasn’t like complicated poetry. A quick read that I really enjoyed. I also LOVED the Aphrodite tie ins!!!

LOVED THIS! So moving, with gorgeous artwork interspersed throughout. The mythological references added another layer to the already nuanced poetry.

A stunning, empowering collection of poems, with occasional drawings and photographs mixed with words.

"The thing about embracing your own chaos is that it never becomes clear when you need to stop"

With this collection, we dive into the memories, thoughts and hopes of the goddess Aphrodite and the author herself, Trista Mateer. It's striking and moving and made me feel their anger, their sorrow and their love. I felt so inspired and after reading a few bits, I had to lay down in admiration.

"They fought over Helen like children but Achilles mourned Patroclus the way a soul mourns a body"

Trista Mateer writes about what it's like to be a woman, her own traumas and healing from them. Some poems really resonated with me, it felt like my own complex thoughts finally put into words. Other parts I didn't feel directly connected too, although they still touched me and I was still able to understand.

"I will grow until I am bigger than what holds me down"

As someone who isn't really into poetry, this book still amazed me and impacted me. It was accessible without being too simple. I'd never read feminist poetry before but I'm definitely going to read more in the future!

"I live with one version of history and everyone else lives with another"

I also admire the way this book was constructed. It's filled with short poems, long poems, one sentence poems, drawings, lists and pictures written on. It never felt repetitive.

This review will be posted to Goodreads and retail sites on the first of October, since Central Avenue Publishings approval preferences tell me to publish my review as close to the publication date as I can.

Part poetry journal, part survival manifesto, and part zine, This book was not at all what I expected and beautifully personal. Discussions of rape and trauma won't exclude this from the teen area, but that and some illustrations make it a book you will want to be mindful in recommending. The alternating voices of Aphrodite ("I live with one version of history/and everyone else lives with another") and the narrator ("I"m trying to remember to make room in my life for the person I am now, not just the people I have been") echo one another through the pages, and create a book of insight, healing, and yes, even love.

3.5 stars
I received this book as an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I really liked the concept of this book, with the mythology aspect, interwoven poems, and beautiful pictures with text. I found some lines to be particularly poignant, and I was highlighting my kindle copy throughout. I'm not very familiar with mythology, so I think I probably missed some of the connections and poetic comments. Some of my favorite quotes included, "They saw parts of me they didn't understand and they broke them off." "I wrote my own story and still said all the wrong things." "The someway she rose from the sea, you rise like a phoenix from the ashes of things that no longer serve you." I thought this book had a lot of comments on feminism and what it's like being a woman, and a lot of the quotes really resonated with me.

I was pleasantly surprised by Mateer’s collection. This is not my usual genre but I am trying to explore it more and this is a great addition to my reading this year, feminism and mythology woven together with some raw moments and brutal honesty.

The collection reads very much like a diary rather than a book which I suppose comes from Mateer’s blogging background and fits with that style very well. It will do well with readers who enjoy Rupi Kaur as it blends art and free flowing poetry together in a similar way.

Note: the cover of this is so beautiful, I will definitely have to pick up a final copy when released because I need that on my shelves!

"Every scar is evidence of growth"

I have read this twice already and I am pretty sure those won't be the last. Aphrodite Made Me Do It is a collection of verse and poems regarding tough topics such as body image, sexual assault, rape, eating disorders, physical abuse, gore, blood, death and fire. I really liked how the author put in what the specific trigger warnings are in the beginning of the book to prepare the reader for what they are getting into. I loved the various quotes and I connected to a lot of the poems. This was a quick read I read it in less than 30 minutes. Like I said I feel like I will be needing to reread this when I need some advice, or a pick me up with the various quotes. The author shows you through the poems and Aphrodite that you can be your own healing.