3.5 ⭐️

This is such a beautiful book!

I had really hoped to connect more with the poems, however there were some that resonated with me and made me feel all the emotions. I just think for me personally I didn’t vibe with the authors writing and how he structured this book. I can see a lot of other people enjoying this book, and I would definitely recommend picking it up.

There are thousands of pieces of poetry that have been written in this world, and so it is certainly an uphill battle to write poems about love that don't feel repetitive/done before. While there are some beautiful sentiments in this book, most of the poems talked about love in ways I've seen many, many times before.

I also found the font too small (and it couldn't be adjusted), which is an accessibility issue.

I found this collection of poems to be beautifully written. The first part contained very sweet and loving poems that showcased the author’s love for their person. Some of the poems, I found to be very heart-wrenching and felt the words speak to me on a deeper level. I really liked that this collection of poetry connected you with a range of different emotions and it almost felt like sometimes the author had written out thoughts from my own head. The voice and soul spoken through the poems was like a beautiful tragedy and I really enjoyed reading it.

Serenity is a collection of poetry that were an equal mix of heartbreaking, haunting and beautiful. The book also had artwork that enhanced the pages of wonderful prose. The longer length poems were so captivating and told such thought provoking feelings. The shorter poems didn’t seem to capture the same magic. I give this collection 4 stars.

Thank you so much to Andrew’s Mcmeel Publishing and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Serenity was a very pretty compilation of poetry, and I enjoyed reading it. However, I will say that the poetry didn't speak to me the way that other collections have, so it wasn't as emotionally reactive as I'd like. I do think it was a good collection about love, family, and grief, so I can see other readers being moved by it, and I would still recommend the collection.

This was an absolutely gorgeous collection of poems.

I cannot praise these high enough. There is a strong focus in relationships, both with oneself and with cherished ones.

Each poem was unique but they all tied together into one beautiful collection. All of the poems are short, but powerful.

I cannot wait to purchase a physical copy of this book to read it again.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

poetry on love, and loss and emptiness. There is a void within these poems, a sense of someone missing. Sad and relatable and at times heartbreaking. I found the longer poems to give more than the shorter once which felt like an afterthought in comparison.

This collection of poetry is a beautiful depiction on how you can choose joy in your life. Despite the past, the wounds inflicted upon by others, you can choose to see the best. I would recommend this book to anyone who is in a tough place as perhaps a guiding light, a small push, towards hope.

Serenity
Poems
by F.S. Yousaf
Pub Date 01 Mar 2022
Andrews McMeel Publishing
Poetry



I am reviewing a copy of Serenity through Andrew’s Mcmeel Publishing and Netgalley:


Serenity is a collection of poetry that is both soft spoken and powerful. Serenity captures the constant battle of fear and courage that lives within us.


There are a hundred poems featured in Serenity, with accompanying illustrations. This collection of poetry allows for the perfect escape to daily life
helping readers refocus energy and kindness toward themselves and their cherished relationships.



I give Serenity five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

I received an Advanced Readers Copy of this book via NetGalley and the publishers in return for an honest and fair review.

I think this book was very moving and heartfelt. I recommend it to anyone thinking of picking it up.

Serenity is put into three parts, Acceptance, Hope, and Tranquillity. I was able to read it in about an hour and a half. It is a fast read but I recommend you take your time on each poem to get the most out of them.

What I like about this book is that you can feel the authors emotion in each poem and you know they are coming from a place of sincerity.

This is something that I write while I was reading and I think it sums up my thoughts on this book: "There's something about poetry, specifically love poetry, that makes you feel like you're intruding because you can feel the truth in the words. It's like you're reading something so close to someone's heart that it almost feels wrong to read but at the same time it's so beautiful you can't stop".

I hope I find a person one day that will love me as much as this author loves their person.

This book is a solid three stars. It falls perfectly in the middle in terms of modern poetry. Like most modern poetry it focuses on romantic relationships and their impact on our lives. The individual poems were well written and full of beautiful symbolism and emotion. I enjoyed it but I didn't think it was as good as some other poetry collections I've read recently.

”There is so much that passes by me
that I feel as if I am missing out.
Life moves so quickly, and it doesn’t intend to slow down.

I have learned
that despite how fast others are going,
the only pace that matters is yours.

No one has lived or will live
the life you carry.”

There were a few poems that I really liked from this collection, and I really enjoyed the illustrations throughout the book. I did find that for me personally I didn’t find a lot of them to be relatable or deep in the way I like poetry books to be, but again I think based on other reviews it’s more of a personal thing.

Overall I think this was a nice, quick read with a beautiful cover and illustrations and many will probably enjoy it!

First off, thank you to NetGalley and Andrews McNeel Publishing for granting me access to this book ahead of
publication date.
Acceptance. Hope. Tranquility.
This collection of poems evokes the feeling of a deep breath and calmness surrounding you. The author did an impeccable job putting these three emotions into words while creating a collection focused on self-love and devotion.
I would definitely recommend this book to all the poetry lovers out there!

I can't seem to pinpoint one particular emotion while reading this touching book of poems. Most of it is relatable and evokes bittersweet memories, the rest makes me think and feel. The poems are passionate and moving.

Rating: 4.25 🌟
First and foremost, I'd like to express my gratitude to Netgalley for providing me with an e-ARC of this poetry book.
The major reason that take me quite long to finish this ebook was only that I sought to linger over each as well as every poetry in it since it's so brilliant. The author had written about something we all go through at some point in our lives, and it impacts us differently.

The author is extremely talented. The words flow beautifully on the page, there are a few simple-yet-whimsical illustrations for symbolism, and somehow the author managed to capture my feelings and thoughts in perfect clarity. I honestly felt like these poems were written for me. They are so relevant to the situations in my life right now. I needed this book. I want to read more by him!

Thank you Net Galley for the ARC e-reader copy!

Shared on my Instagram @lizzies_little_library_

Note: Thank you to Netgalley & publishers for allowing me access to this arc in exchange for an honest review!

My Review
This is a fantastic collection of poems, as they are simple but heartfelt. It is clear when reading that the author feels passionate about every one of the topics.

The Good Things
1. The love that the author discusses is clearly based on emotions that he has truly felt.
2. My favorite poem is With Fire Comes Rebirth. It is gorgeous and poetic in the perfect way.
3. There are a few illustrations in the book, and they are all gorgeous. I wish there were more!
4. The cover is STUNNING. I would display this book in my home because of it!

The Bad Things
1. Out of the three sections, the second, Hope, shined more than the rest. Not necessarily a bad thing; I just was much more captivated by the poems in that section than the others.

Another great collection by F.S. Yousaf about love and life! Yousaf's style is so eloquent yet simple, which I love about his work. The poems about self-doubt resonated most with me, although many topics are covered in this beautiful book. Also, the cover is stunning.

Unfortunately, I did not really enjoy this poetry book. The poems were not really the type of poetry that I enjoy, but I do think other people may like it more than I did.

This was okay but not so mind blowing to me. It didn't captivate me or got me thinking deeply or anything like that. It was mostly optimistic. Pretty words which lacked dept.