Poetry is so subjective and this collection didn't really stick with me, personally. I listened to it as an audiobook, which I think may have contributed, because I tend to absorb better when I read with my own eyes. There were a few poems that I enjoyed but nothing really stood out, and there were none that were particularly memorable when I finished listening. I also wonder if maybe horror poetry just isn't my thing.

I'm sure there are people out there who will love this though!

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

(Un)Teather took me on a journey I wasn't prepared for. I simply thought Poetry and Gays right up my alley. For the most part I enjoyed quite bit of the poems. Not loved them but enjoyed them. I've recommended this collection to a few friends looking for similar themes. But I found myself both uncomfortable and put in situations I kind of wished I knew ahead of time. It's somewhat graphic in nature and works on many levels because of it.

But I found especially towards the back half it lost its way. The writing stayed excellent throughout the entire thing.

Equaling out to be a solid 3 stars.

this was a petty good poetry selection. I didn't love it but I did relate to some of these passages. the ones I related to I love so so much.

Horror poetry is new to me. I really enjoyed it. It was creepy. I enjoyed these. The narration was perfect for the subject matter. Thank you to NetGalley and Greenleaf Audiobooks for the arc in exchange for my honest review,

(Un)Tethered was a very thought provoking enjoyable quick read. The dark, grim themes were well done and enjoyable. It also had a very well matched narrator.

Listening to this felt like you were in a cabin in the woods, slowly tripping out on some sort of mushroom. Beautiful and "wtf is happening" at the same time.

There is a rhythm to the works of S. V. Segal. This is a piece of art whose content is, at times, into the inky onyx depths.

The narrator of the audiobook does a beautiful thing bringing these segments of poems together in a melodious manner. I’ll be honest I listened to the book twice because is was even better the second time.

Reading poetry is a practiced endeavour and coming across this collection was a pleasure.

A few lines that stuck with me;

“Calloused hearts viscerally crashing against bone cages.”

“Small chunks cling to your ligaments. They feel familiar— like getting strep throat for the third year in a row.”

Thank you NetGalley and Greenleaf Audiobooks for the audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

I wasn't as pulled into the audiobook as I was hoping, but the poems were still good. The one minor thing I didn't like was the "we are all stardust" type of poems. It's something I complain about in pretty much every poetry collection I read as it's just overdone at this point.

Poetry is always really hard for me to rate. It's so subjective and raw, and it just feels wrong rating it anything less than 4 stars.

Honestly, the only reason I'm giving this one 4 stars is because I listened to it as an audio book. This was my first time listening to poetry vs. physically reading it. I found I don't really like it. I need to be able to reread parts and really reflect on each poem.

With that being said, I need to buy the physical copy to do a reread.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ALC!

I don't read poetry. However, as it is the summer and I'm in an adult reading program, I decided to venture out to other genres. I liked it! Can I give deep profound thoughts on it? No. But it was an enjoyable listen. The narrator was very soothing to listen to. It's a short listen, so perfect for an evening of chores or something. There is some body horror stuff so just be aware before you dive into it.

“Glass was made to shatter
And you're the most beautiful thing
That was created to break."

This was a fast read with perfect pacing. As soon as it was over, I started it again. Segal has put together a book of varying styles, lengths, settings, and more. Even the most abstract pieces painted a vivid picture in my mind, while the darker titles (like Urge) provoked a physical reaction - gooseflesh and shuddering - from the visceral language.
I’m glad I read this as an audiobook, sometimes when I pick up a book of particularly raw or personal poems, my own fear turns my inner narration cynical and mocking. The narrator brought the appropriate gravity and mysticism necessary to these haunting poems. While some poems, like Interchange, didn’t resonate with me, I found most of the book to be touching. The reading kept me engaged with the visions and emotions, rather than reading from a distance.

I wish the audiobook had longer pauses between the poems (or that the NetGalley app allowed for easier rewinding between chapters.) I often wanted to reflect on the poem I'd heard before the next one started, and often wasn't fast enough to the Pause button, but this is a minor gripe.

This was a very interesting poetry short story. It says its a poetry collection, but i love when they put them together in a way that you become enthralled in the story. I felt like it was being read right to me. I connected with it and was sad that it was over because I felt like I had just pressed play. The narrator was amazing. They spoke with so much feeling, that you felt it too. I cant wait to read more by this author.

A touching and deeply emotional book of poems. There were a lot of beautiful passages in here, especially about love and loss. One of my favorites was "The loudest silence is in a hospital waiting room."

<i>“If we loved the living the way we loved the dead, the dark would just be evening. the earth, simply a bed.”</i>

this was, in my opinion, good not great. i think, more than anything, it was just a case of reading a poetry collection through audiobook format wasn’t the right move. i think a lot of stuff went over my head this way but i did rlly like some bits so i’ll probably reread this eventually as an ebook. poetry is so subjective tho and the messages and themes were important so i definitely still recommend.

This was a profoundly deep and raw collection of poetry that will wrench the gut yet of any who have been in these situations. I resonated with a few of the poems, but I felt each and every one of them in my soul.
For her debut to be this heartfelt and honest I can't wait to see what else she does.

The poetry wasn’t consistent throughout the book and felt a little disruptive as I was reading it.

Some poems were really well done and other didn’t hold the same quality.

Would read another book of poetry by this author.

I have mixed feelings about this collection of poetry. A few of the poems were very insightful and interesting. I really enjoyed the use of metaphor and allusion. But some of the poems just didn’t work for me. I will say though that I did listen to this, and I do wonder how much of my view of the book is based on the listening, and not being able to see the words

I loved this audiobook but I realized I’m not an audio poetry person. I ended up buying the kindle version. I wanted to highlight the beautiful turns of phrases the author uses. The narrator has a great voice, and I found myself immersed in the poetry while listening and reading. The poems are beautiful. I loved the language used and the flow of the words. I don’t read poetry often but I really enjoyed this.

I loved this collection and I can't wait to get a physical copy. The poetry had a gritty tone and the order of the collection told a story, which I always love with poetry. Short and sweet but it packs a punch.

3.5 ⭐️

<i> You bit me,
And when you lost your tooth,
You blamed me.

I guess self-awareness
Is for people with canines
Instead of fangs. </i>

There is a lyrical quality to this collection of poems by S.V. Segal, and brought very effectively to life by narrator Nicola Delgado. I don’t claim to know much (if anything) about poetry, but I enjoyed listening to this audiobook.

Thank you S.V. Segal, Nicola Delgado, NetGalley, and Greenleaf Audiobooks for providing this ALC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.