Very repetitive and I felt like I've read this before. No unique or interesting prose. I wasn't impressed or moved by any of these poems, Unfortunately, this just isn't for me. Not a good book for reading poetry but if you want self-help mantras you might enjoy it.

The title and description of the poetry collection, Velvet Dragonflies, drew me in, but when I first started reading, I wasn’t sure I would love it. The book opens with the word “flight” and the phrase “the path back to yourself will be unique”. The collection seemed like a self-help book written in verse with advice like “nostalgia will keep you renting space in toxic places”, “honesty is like cardio for the soul”, and “love for yourself can never arrive too late”. But, as I continued reading the poems, which are surrounded by large amounts of white space, I did realize that the book offers some beautiful words and worthwhile ideas.

The book is divided into sections labeled “viscose” (a solution used to manufacture rayon), “koigu” (a type of yarn), “damask” (a patterned fabric formed by weaving), and “charmeuse” (a lightweight fabric with satin weave). The content in each section seems to build and replicate rather than being distinct, and with this structure, the poet implies that a tapestry is being woven from ideas about self-love and forgiveness. The last section, called “landing”, brings closure to the opening “flight” and states that life has no order of events. This made me realize that the repetition in each section is purposeful, allowing for the reader to flip back through the pages and read the small poems without worrying about narrative order.

The collection offers thoughts on how fear and ego can hold us back and on the importance of letting go of relationships that no longer serve us. The focus lies with courting self-love and appreciation through the healing of personal wounds and the acceptance of individual faults. The poems speak to the necessity of boundaries and propose some phrases that will stay with me such as “home is not a place, it’s a feeling”, “do not waste ink trying to rewrite someone’s narrative of you”, and “the universe reacts to your intentions, not to the opinions others have of you”.

Self-help books are not my favorite genre because they often operate with the absence of passion found in real world relationships, but I did enjoy this interesting collection of poems and will certainly circle back to pages which spoke to me and helped me to see my life and the world through a new lens. Velvet Dragonflies is a beautiful read for those who enjoy innovative poetry and philosophical thinking.

Thank you to NetGalley for a free copy of the book in exchange for a fair review.

Disclaimer: I received a gifted copy of this book from Netgalley, and I'm in return providing an honest review.

This book is a collection of poetry about mental health, trauma and healing. A lot of it reads like Instagram poetry, and if you like that kind of writing, it's probably for you. Myself, I'm a bit neutral about this book. I think its because this book doesn't make me feel as much as I would like it to. There are some good poems in this book, Dose of Honey being one of my favorites. But I tend to gravitate towards poetry that evokes emotions. This one didn't really do that for me, it read more like affirmations you might find in an app on the apple or android store. The poems are validating, and I can appreciate that. But some of it just fell flat for me.
This book comes out November 7, 2022.
Thank you for the ARC, Netgalley.

"Learn to honor you and your flowers first,"

This was a beautiful poetry collection that explored a lot of relatable topics from a variety of different perspectives. There were different repeating structures of poems throughout the collection which explored themes of ego, self-love, connections and friendship, growth and self-discovery, and moving on.

There were quite a few poems that I really felt connected to, particularly those talking about moving on from past relationships. If the previously mentioned themes were interesting to you, I think you'll definitely find a poem that you really enjoy.

I will say that whilst there were poems I really loved, overall I think the collection had more misses than hits for my personal taste. This collection had a lot of poems, but a lot felt very similar as they all explored similar themes through reoccurring motifs. Whilst there was some beauty to focusing on similar concepts, the magic of reading did slowly drain away as I kept reading.

Another issue I had with the collection was on a structural level, as I felt like the five chapters didn't have a purpose. As the poems all were building on the same themes and motifs with the same tone, there wasn't enough to separate the different chapters from one another. For example, if you put a poem from the 'damask' chapter and the 'viscose' chapter, I would not be able to distinguish them. I would have liked the poems to be separated from the 'flight' chapter at the beginning, a middle chapter, and then the short 'landing chapter, as this would be reflective of the overall theme without adding unnecessary chapters.

Overall, if you enjoy poems of self-discovery and reflection, this could be a great choice for you. Whilst I think certain poems lacked the same depth shown in other pieces, it was generally enjoyable altogether.

Velvet Dragonflies is a nostalgic and uplifting collection of Billy Chapata’s latest poetry. Following the flight of the dragonfly and personal growth, Chapata takes readers on a journey filled with examples of his personal growth and how they may apply that to their own lives. In particular, he focuses on nostalgia, forgiveness, and fear. Several of his poems felt extremely accurate and wise. I was particularly struck by the focus of several poems of letting people leave your life who no longer want or need to be there and how to make peace with that idea. Chapata also focuses on how what he once needed or wanted from someone may no longer be the case and how to find closure from that. This was a moving and impactful collection of poetry. Thank you to Billy Chapata, Andrews McMeel Publishing, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It felt like this collection was written as a message to me specifically and I appreciate that but also despise it, if you get what I mean? Would have rated it four if not for the rather preachy tone in some places.

This book read more like a self help book than poetry, I do think it would do well in that genre instead. Bu as poetry, it was rather cliché, gave me a vibe like ah yes I have read these same lines a thousand times over. There were certain poems within the book that were beautiful and emotional but those were comparatively rare than the others. I do think this writer does have real potential though. Perhaps I was just not the right audience for this book and there is a different type of poetry reader who would understand and appreciate this more, but for me, it was a total and utter miss.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

Rating: ⭐⭐.5/5

I cannot say if these are poems; it only seems like a collection of (unsolicited) advices to me. Though, it had a few wonderful takes, too, which could serve as reminders to anyone's self-love journey. Besides, I'm afraid this book isn't made for me for two reasons: 1, some words felt like they were shoved down my throat that it sounded narcissistic; and 2, repetitive concepts. However, it's very easy to read. Just tiny pieces to put on the walls that could act as your guiding voice. Recommended to young readers who are new to poetry that might need some wisdom about love, connections, heartbreak, and loss!

Thank you to the publisher/author & Netgalley for providing a free soft-copy. No review was required; all thoughts are my own.

This book. It's absolutely beautiful and I wish I had words because I don't have words, it's just such a wonderful, beautiful book. It's just such a healthy perspective on healing and love and I so very much enjoyed it

I'll be adding a physical copy to my library, because there's so many poems I want to revisit again and again

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free ebook copy of this. No review was required and all thoughts are my own

A poignant, potent and intimate collection of poetry linked and connected together in wonderful ways.

I really needed these words. It feeds my soul reading this book. I believe everyone should read this book. Thank you so much for the opportunity to discover this gem!

🦋 ARC REVIEW 🌼

➼ I have loved @iambrillyant ‘ s quoted poetry for a long time , yet I never knew the face or the real name behind it .. until a few days ago . I finished Velvet Dragonflies this morning at like 5 am because I needed these poems .. like my soul needed them . They resonated so well with the here and now in my life . From my inner child to the self love / the ways we allow ourselves to lose parts of us .. every single itty bitty word , tore and rebuilt my heart/soul as I went.

➼ It was a privilege to read this as an ARC from @netgalley & Andrews McMeel Publishing. It releases November 8, 2022 . Be sure to snag it while it’s out . You won’t regret it .

➼ Rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

(Included is a synopsis with the authors photo as well as some aesthetic photos with some of my favorite poems from the book)

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