I think I have such a hard time relating to poetry because to my brain so much of it sounds like lyrics that an indie singer from the 90’s would write.

Out of the poetry books I’ve read recently, this one was the least likeable for me.

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. (The version I read was a finished copy.)

This is the cutest poetry collection ever! I love reading about self-healing and strength during trying times. As someone who’s been through a rough few years of divorce/custody, it makes me feel better knowing that someone else can relate to how I was feeling and still am feeling. I already have a finished copy ordered and can’t wait to tab it up and annotate it with all my relatable thoughts.

"Do not fight your courage because of uncertainty, you belong. We all learn by trying, birds aren't born flying"

These poems were so full of emotion, they felt really wholesome, supportive, and I felt genuinely seen, accepted and understood by Christi. I felt so heard in my own struggles, to fit in and be everywhere at once, to always be productive and reaching to be somewhere else, when I should just appreciate the journey I'm currently on, where I am now, and how far I've already come.

Some of my personal favourites from this collection are:
-Becoming a waterfall
-Waving at the Waves
-A fine place
-Handle with care
-Cocoon days
-We all have butterfly tendencies

This collection focuses on some really important topics like guilt, and anxiety, depression, abandonment, body dysmorphia, and hatred towards our bodies in response to the social attitudes that are so rife within our society, on how we should look to be defined as 'attractive' enough. Christi highlights how raw and painful it can be to feel betrayed and lost by someone you love, when they leave you, whilst you're still trying to cope with your own overwhelming and suffocating feelings. This was such a beautiful and wonderful reminder that it's okay to feel what you're feeling, and sit with said feelings, until you can find ways to cope. It's human to feel pain and sadness.

As someone who struggles with depression, I felt so understood in the poems around the consuming pain and guilt you can often feel suffocated by when you withdraw from those you love to try and manage your own feelings and emotions, and how intensely difficult it is to talk about such heavy and all-consuming feelings with those you love, in fear of worrying them or feeling misunderstood and abandoned.

This was just so beautiful, the illustrations, the poems, just everything about it was incredible. Full of immersive elements, and really insightful and empowering poems, reminding you that you are enough as you are, you don't have to please everyone in this world, or be accepted by everyone to be good enough.

I found the book really underwhelming - the writing didn't really flow and the imagery was repetitive. I did like a few themes that were represented in some poems, but overall nothing really left a lasting impression on me.

A nice collection of poetry but it doesn't quite live up to its title. I had to give up half way through the book because it just wasn't charming anymore.

I found it a bit dull and uninteresting for the most part and struggled to get through it till the end as there was nothing holding my interest. The author executes the poetry well but the emotion gets lost somewhere along the way and is unable to visualize that so it was hard to connect with this collection.

Had a lot of promise to start with, Unfortunately as it went on it just became more and more boring and my interest and attention was just not there there. I did end up finishing the book but it took me way longer than it should've for poetry. The illustrations were interesting. At first I didn't like them but then the more I looked at them the more I saw and the more I liked though it did lose me again towards the end.

The meaning of the phrase "don't judge a book by its cover." In all honesty, it got duller the more I read. I eventually gave up. At first, I found the idea to be really exciting. The execution, however, was poor. I could return to it in the future. Despite the author's unquestionable ability to write excellent pieces, I was unable to connect with these.

4.75/5 ⭐️

First of all, I want to thank the team of Netgalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for letting me be an ARC reader.

What I can say about Christi Steyn’s poetry is that her words touch your heart. When she speaks about the ocean in some of her poems, you can really feel the wave and a soft breeze. At least, this is what I felt while reading the poems.
I loved most of the pieces, a lot had me quite emotionally touched. It’s a beautiful work of art and I consider adding a physical copy to my shelf. 😊

A little background first to how I came to know about book. I have been following Christi Steyn on Instagram for quite a while. I really enjoy her narration and i believe she is one of the reasons my interest in poetry was rejuvenated. So thank you for the arc. It meant a lot.

About the book, I've found that i can't enjoy motivational poetry a lot. That's why i couldn't enjoy this connection much. The poems were simple and i am sure they'd connect better with a different kind of audience.

“What the moon gave her” is a Rupi Kaur esk, delightful journey back into nature and the comfort of the unknown. A purposeful demand to protect our bodies, as Steyn writes to uplift young female minds especially when the collection is set during pandemic isolation.

This was a beautiful collection of some of the most lyrical and enchanting poems that traveled over such beautiful topics. Really enjoyed how it was broken down into parts and how each of them discussed a specific stage. Poetry is something I rarely pick up but I thoroughly enjoyed this collection.

This poetry collection felt a bit heavier than I thought it would. The author tries to infuse a positive perspective into some of her poems, but it feels as if the author is trying to convince herself more so than imparting wisdom to the reader. There are a few poems that really felt like they hurt, there was so much emotion behind them. The collection is worth a read broken up over time and maybe not if you are feeling overly vulnerable. But if you’ve ever struggled these poems will help you feel seen and let you know you are not alone.

I should have read some of her poetry before reading this. I picked it up because of the pretty cover, the inside does not do the cover justice. These are the most basic, cliched poems with no rhythm or meaning. I like instagram poetry generally, but this was like reading a middle schooler’s assigned poetry that they did the night before. If you want an example of her style, I feel her poem “Goodbye” does a good job showcasing.

I enjoyed reading this collection of poetry! I definitely resonated with some of the poems and I loved the important topics that were brought up. I also loved how each chapter had different themes which kept me wanting to read more!

The only thing was that I didn’t connect with some of the poems but that’s also due to personal preference and experiences so others could connect with it a bit more.

Thanks to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for the chance to read the e-ARC of thys book in exchange of an honest review.

I barely touches poetry book, but I was intrigued by the title and the cover that gives mysterious yet calming enchanting vibe. This book is a collection of poems written by Christy Steyn with a nature themed poetry that talks about life, self-discovery, self-love, etc. I certainly love most of the poems, from the dictions, rhymes, and the message conveyed within, but there are some poems that I can't resonate with also. Overall, it's a nice and calming read, suits to read when you're in the mood to relax or drifting away from the world for awhile.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read an advanced copy in exchange for an honest and impartial opinion. Although I don't think this is targeted specifically to a young adult audience, I think teenagers would find it very appealing. Adults like me, however, might have more tempered thoughts. As I read this, it made me think of Instagram poetry. This is very much in that style--short, earnest poems dripping with emotion and clichéd imagery. Collectively, I felt they were very surface level, and while some of the lines really resonated with me, I didn't feel a striking connection with any of the poems. However, as I said before, the honesty of opening up emotionally would be a huge draw for a younger audience. A side note on the illustrations: I found them distracting and unnecessary.

I received a free copy by publisher via NetGalley in exchanged of an honest review.

I loved chapters 1-3, I would've given five stars to each. Chapter 4 felt like a self-help book and chapter 5 was poems about love without actually feeling love and I did not like the drawings, they were unnecessary and some of them were bad taste.

Nevertheless, this was a good book.

WHAT THE MOON GAVE HER by Christi Steyn is a collection of poetry about growth, rebirth, loneliness, fear, healing, and more. It's told in multiple parts, each of them focusing on a different part of the journey of self-improvement and self-love.

The beginning was really strong for me. I was excited because I felt really connected to the poems, and I was loving the writing. It's not written in free verse; it features a lot of metaphors and rhymes, which I normally love. In the first handful of poems, it worked really well, but as the collection goes on, it becomes repetitive and a lot of the rhymes don't make sense, and feel really forced.

When I read poetry, I need to either really relate to the poems and enjoy the writing, and in some poems in this collection, I felt both, whereas in others, I didn't end up feeling either. So I have mixed feelings about it. Some of the poems were so wonderful but then there were times when I just wanted to stop reading the book all-together.

To sum it up, if you like rhymes and metaphors and don't mind some repetitiveness, and if you're interested in themes like self-love, healing, and growth, you could definitely enjoy this poetry collection. If you prefer straightforward simple writing, it might not work for you.

Even though I didn't entirely love it, I'm still glad I read it because the poems I loved made it worth it.

I love this! This author is amazing. I loved everything about this book. As the summary states, this is a poetry collection born from self-discovery. It really made me think about things and reevaluate my life and struggles. Highly recommend!