I love Amanda Lovelace’s poetry collections. And this was really good but i didn’t love it as much as i did the others.

Amanda Lovelace is back with another beautiful, feminist poetry collection, and I was so delighted to read it! This one was loosely based on the myth of Persephone, and I loved all of the imagery that evoked! As always, her poetry was feminist and inspiring, but I do sometimes wish that it was a little meatier. Some of the poems and the formatting reminded me of the poetry people would write on xanga, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. As for the formatting, I do wonder if the print book will also have the artwork of flowers on every other page? It turned this 150 page book into a collection of just 70 short poems, but other than that, I truly did love this collection.

This book of poems was everything I needed at this time in my life. Poetically putting into words things I have been feeling and dealing with. Making me smile and just bask in the strength and awesomeness that womxn are. I really needed this book and it's totally going in the permanent collection.

Thank you @ladybookmad @netgalley and @andrewsmcmeel for the advance copy of this book - it’s one of fall releases that I am most looking forward to!

To begin with, this books is aesthetically stunning, with a gorgeous cover, stunning full-colour art between the poems and a beautiful typeface and layout. In general I find books from Andrews McMeel are beautiful but this one is especially so.

The poems are a loose reimagining of a modern-day Persephone’s thoughts and perspectives on her experience, but really I feel they are fairly representative of the experiences of many. The poems themselves are short and deceptively simple, giving a lot to unpack beneath what appears to be an easy-read surface.

I’ll definitely be picking up a print copy when the book comes out so I can revisit these poems many times over.

CW: intimate partner abuse, sexual assault, cheating, child abuse, trauma, death, violence, misogyny, body image, eating disorders, alcohol, fire

Thank you to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for an advanced electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! I saw this collection online yesterday and knew I wanted it immediately, especially after just having reread some of her first book hours before seeing this on NetGalley.

In this poetry collection, the author warns you from the start about potential triggers. Then, she dives right in. The poetry is strong and relatable, and though I've seen lots of people hesitate to consume any sort of literature that even mentions the pandemic, this one touches on it in such a stunning way that I think anyone could appreciate it. The poems pack punches and I was taking screenshots on my tablet so I could reference back to my favorites often. This is definitely one that you should be sure to pick up!

Amanda Lovelace's poetry is raw, real, heartbreaking, honest, and lovely. Reading her poetry gives me all of the emotions, and it's kind of a cathartic experience. The illustrations in this book were BEAUTIFUL too! This book did not disappoint, and I loved the theme of women being strong for their own sake and not for anyone else. I look forward to reading more from her. I received a free copy of this book from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Amanda Lovelace is the gift that keeps on giving. This is not my first poetry collection of hers, but it is my favourite. I really liked the dual perspective… we get to see the flowers and the fire and most importantly we are reminded that we can BE both.

Poems I adored:
- commit to putting out more fires than you start.
- she never needed a weapon to be powerful.
- will i get to do all of the things i want to do?
- happiness is the revenge, after all.

I definitely recommend this collection of poems and will be buying a copy of the finished book when it is published in October.

With thanks to Amanda Lovelace and NetGalley for providing this advance copy to read in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve read all of Amanda’s books, but I feel that this one fell short. Her words intended to inspire self love and female empowerment. This collection just didn’t seem as deep as her other works.

I see what Amanda Lovelace was trying to do with this collection, but I feel as if it fell short. I have enjoyed most of Lovelace's work, but this one just felt like this was an entire collection of forced poetry. I think there was only a few poems that actually spoke to me but the rest of them felt very dry and boring. This is a short collection and yet I kept checking to see how many pages I had left.

This was such a great read. It’s like a pep talk in poetry form- if you want to feel like a bad bi*ch, READ THIS RIGHT NOW.

The trigger warnings at the beginning was incredibly thoughtful and so important, and I appreciate Amanda Lovelace including that.

The artwork and cover art are spectacular, beautiful yet simple. Matched the theme of the poetry perfectly.

Lastly, this is my first Amanda Lovelace book and I WILL be reading her work again. It’s like she took the words and thoughts out of my head and wrote them so beautifully and heartbreakingly. I thoroughly enjoyed these poems.

“I’m the only one who will be in my life forever” is what I am saying to myself every time I feel like I need someone else’s approval. Amanda Lovelace is a poet whose work resonates deeply with me and Flower Crowns and Fearsome Things was equally as incredible as previous works.
This is what I want my female students to read. I want them to feel as empowered by her work as I do.
Thank you to Netgalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

Amanda Lovelace is a new-to-me poet, but I’ve seen her works around. The covers are all cool and minimalist. I was instantly drawn in by the gorgeous cover on this one, too! The poems are short and punchy, focusing on loving yourself and putting yourself first. A good introduction to Lovelace for sure! I’ll definitely check out her other poems soon.

Rating: 3.5

In this poetry collection, Amanda looks at the duality that can exist within a person. She cites her inspiration as Persephone, who both rules over the spring season and the Underworld. Within her, she is both life and death, the first stirrings as it awakes from winter's slumber and the very end as the soul departs from the body and makes its final journey.

Through her poems, she shows how this duality exists within herself. She is both vulnerable and strong. She is both someone who has felt uncertain and someone brimming with confidence. The poems read like quick punches, jabs against whoever tries to hold her back or make her feel less than. At times though, this duality misses the mark. She has poems that are clearly about how she dresses for herself, how she is not trying to appease anyone. Then there are those where she talks about how she is wearing something particularly in the hope of catching someone's eye. These felt like they derailed the overall flow of the book for me. Can't quite place my finger on why, but they didn't feel like they fit. (Another section that threw things off for me were the more current references to the pandemic, but that didn't bother me as much since it's such a thing of our time right now, and it pins the book to this very moment.)

I love the message behind her poems, and the illustrations are gorgeous in this poetry book. It is a beautiful volume to add to her collection.

Flower Crowns and Fearsome Things by Amanda Lovelace is a standalone poetry collection that resonated deeply within my body and mind. The juxtaposition of the flower and fire elements that comprise our femininity is explored in alternating verses, and provide a deep emotional dive into the female psyche. So much of this collection touches upon personal experience, betrayal, and the ongoing struggle to find meaning and a sense of belonging. The beautiful illustrations serve to enhance these evocative words, and are truly sublime. As with Ms Lovelace's previous work, this is a collection that I will return to again and again. 4.5 stars

Many thanks to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for an ARC.