This debut poetry collection tackled a lot of issues in just 97 pages. There are poems on eating disorders, immigration, parental relationships, language, religion, and the ways that culture and colonialism affect how we experience all of these. I found some of the metaphors to be a little cliche and clunky, but otherwise the language was really thoughtful and accessible. I’m grateful to have had access to this ARC through NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing!

This collection of poems were brilliant. I was left to about how I viewed immigrants and how might those views be a detriment to society at large. I definitely will be buying this for my poetry collection at home.

More Salt than Diamonds is a beautiful poetry collection. At times raw and gripping, other times soft and delicate. The treatment of immigrants, eating disorders, womanhood, and family are interwoven masterfully in these poems. Aline treated these poems with care and thoughtfulness, and they are accessible but not boring or “simple”. I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book is so beautiful! I can feel the pain and I can feel how was she feeling. I bet Author is the strongest person. I can feel it in her poeties. I don't read many poetries. but this one is beautiful!!

This collection is stunning. I tried to pace myself in reading a few poems a day because they were so poignant and compelling. I found myself thinking about a line or even a feeling from a line later in the day.

Nothing here is wasted.

Thank you, Andrews McMeel, for the advance reading copy.

This poetry collection is more of a personal one reflecting an immigrant family told from the perspective of a young person.

I find the writing really easy to get into and I find it thoughtful.

I find this collection rather short. I was expecting more from the blurb.

However, it's a good collection.

The poems in this book were gut wrenching at times, beautiful at others, and seamlessly intertwined. Aline writes about immigration, love, family, and her body in a way that allows her reader to grasp and understand her struggle while also being able to deeply relate to her stories. I think we (Americans) have this misconception that America is the greatest country and everyone else would give anything to come here, but we forget that people who do come here have so much they have to give up, so much to miss when they get here. Aline doesn’t sugarcoat immigration into the “American Dream” - she is very real about her conflicted feelings which is refreshing. I also very much enjoyed the way in which she wrote about her struggles with her body. Loved this collection!

Beautiful and heartbreaking poetry on life as an immigrant. Living a life of uncertainty in a new and foreign world. Sometimes a world you didn’t have a choice on coming to. Highly recommend. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I really did enjoy diving into this book of poetry. The words sweep you into the author’s life and family and beyond.

I was thrilled to get the chance to review Aline Mello's debut book of poetry ‘More Salt Than Diamond' via Netgalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing. It centers around the author’s experience as an immigrant from Brazil, as a woman, and the way those things intersect.

Racism, objectification, eating disorders, misogyny, and the mistreatment of immigrants are stitched together seamlessly, illustrating intersectionality with words. These complicated topics are sewn with one common thread: vulnerability. Good art is always vulnerable, and Mello peels back the layers of her resiliency with grace.

In the poem about her mother, the author's last line is, "I'm selfish. I want to die first." I got chills throughout my entire body, as I do when another artist or writer captures an emotion I haven't been able to put into words prior.

When talking about her father, she writes, "a father's lack stains like oil." Mello reaches deep into her roots, not just her country of origin, but her parents, their parents, and the ancestors before them. It's a meditation on generational trauma, bonds, and heartbreak.

I'll finish my review with a few lines from "Salt Water,"

Squinting in the sunlight, you will wonder
what part ocean, what part sweat, and
what part tears is the salt on your tongue

This is a beautiful debut collection, I highly recommend it.

''I am a moon longing for collision''

More Salt than Diamond is an amazing debut from Aline Mello. A great discovery to kick off the year. Recomended.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read this before publication date.

An amazing debut collection of poetry. Powerful writing with a deeply personal perspective. Her experiences bring depth to the subject matter of immigration. Aline Mello’s poetry is beautiful yet heartbreaking. I recommend everyone to read More Salt Than Diamond. This book of poetry was a fantastic start to a new reading year.

I read this beautifully written poetry book in one sitting. It was easy to read to relate too. Aline Mello told her story in a great way. If you’re looking for a poetry book that will make you feel something this is definitely the right thing for you. #MoreSaltthanDiamond #NetGalley.