Thank you to Central Avenue Publishing and Netgalley.
There were some poems in this collection that struck me and several that I didn't personally connect with, but ultimately I think that Alix Klingenberg is a skilled poet, just not necessarily the one for me -- as even the poems I enjoyed and connected with, I wouldn't rank among my favorites.

Thank you NetGalley and Central Avenue Publishing for the chance to read and review this book.

Long story short, this book was 3.5 stars.

That being said, Alix Klingenberg has serious potential. While the second half of the book veers towards more basic, standard, common everyone wants to be a poet and writes the same, the first half was actually pretty solid with pieces I loved. A good edit would have made this a 4 star or higher read. The author had a style that came through, while being simple, and yet not sounding like everyone else, and you also felt something while reading those poems.

Can't wait to check out her next book!

This is one of the best poetry I read this year! Mesmerising, deep, spiritual, poetic and full of vibes. Especially love those monthly titled, those connected with the weather, nature, emotions and things happening around. Alix has a delicate voice, she write words that made you stop to think and feel, to reflect and lost in the moment. I highly recommend this especially if you love poetry!

2 stars

This was not a terrible poetry collection, but I didn't care for it. Poetry is an expression of emotion and sometimes you connect with the way the poet expresses their emotions and heart. I did not connect with Alix Klingenberg. In fact, some of the poems were downright corny and uncomfortable to read. I think some will absolutely love and adore this collection. It, however, was not a hit for me.

I couldn't personally get into this, but I see the value of it for so many people I care about. This will definitely be a holiday gift this year <3

What a lovely book of poems, they speak to you and tell you so much. I have not yet finished the book as I am trying to make it last as long as possible (before starting it again).

The formatting of this eARC really threw me off as I’m used to poem being on separate pages and the poems are all formatted together in this. Aside from that issue, I really enjoyed most of the poems in this collection! I found myself connecting with more poems at the start of the collection than towards the end. I also think that quite a few of the shorter poems in this just did not touch me. However, I think that overall this worked well and I would recommend it to other poetry lovers in my life.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

I feel like some poetry resonates with you and others you read and it just hits in a different way, and for me this was one that caught me off guard and made me really think about other things. Some of the poems I just felt were so compelling to read and really hits you.

Some of these I didn't necessarily click with, but I do think that you can't *always* click with all of the poems.

Very insightful and the writing was beautiful.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in return for a fair and honest review.

While the title seems eclectic, Bread Sex Trees captures how Klingenberg sees the world and what they hold dear, perfectly. This collection is about life and hope, particularly about finding hope and promise within ourselves, within those we care about, and in the little moments that occur in the vast world we experience daily.

Klingenberg's style fluctuates between confessional, affirmation, and rich long-form narrative poetry. The latter is certainly Klingenberg's strongest voice and most original, but I appreciate how Klingenberg uses second person address at times to hold the reader in their thoughts.

An enjoyable collection, easily savoured and easily related to.

This year for me is all about embracing and cherishing different kinds of poetry collections in all their uniqueness, weirdness, and deepness, giving a wider perspective to look at and appreciate contemporary poets’ understanding of poems (and their modernness) as such.

Bread Sex Trees is an extraordinarily engaging collection of poems that resonate with modern-day as well as old-world sensibilities, with nature and human emotions playing a critical role in bringing out the subtle poetical nuances and building a solid foundation for healing poems.

These poems—more than a hundred of them—are so fresh and unique, both in their treatment and in their execution. The author has just expressed and poured out her feelings, no holds barred.

They are simple and structureless; no syntactic or grammar rules whatsoever are followed, yet they are filled with visual-enabled verses that ooze words, replicating the seasonal changes of each month of the year with great finesse and precision.

The author connects and works on the themes of sex, spirituality, philosophy, nature, love, loss, messed-up family systems, and queerness with such ease and spontaneity that one has to revisit each and every poem to understand the deeper meaning that is hidden in all its glory.

This poetry collection definitely adds to the bookshelf as one of my favourites of this year, hands down.

Poetry lovers should not miss this collection.

I felt so connected to this book from the very first verses. This is intimate as well as universal, soft yet bold, raw and sensual and strong and vulnerable and tender. I thought I would take my time and slowly eat it but much like a box of chocolates I couldn't resist and just devoured it in one sitting, from lunch to dinnertime. It's the first set of poetry I've read that covers the pandemic period and it made me feel embraced and understood retroactively, because it was hard to find people who could comprehend me so completely back then and reading this now feels refreshing and safe. Klingenberg touches on subjects such as femininity, grief, (re)connecting with nature, motherhood, sex, the divine mundane and, of course, lots and lots and lots about love. Her cadence and rhythm are loose and boundless, and this is the kind of poetry I love most, the type that feels fluid and flowy rather than adherent to metrics and a particular, unwavering style. This is the type of poetry I aspire to write too, though I have only dipped my toes in these waters; "Bread Sex Trees" will certainly be in my go-to list when I need inspiration and reference. I'm very glad that this book found its way to me and I hope to read a lot more from this author in the future!

My favourites: "It Was The Year", "I Smile Instead", "Convicted", "I Keep Chosing Pink", "Saw Red", "I Searched for Home for a Long, Long Time", "Consider This", "I Become Rain", "Learning to Wait", "If You Are What You Love Then I Am...", "Fall is for Writers", "Tabula Rasa", "Sensitive Bodies are Only Good for Poetry", "Diana", "This is How You Do It". Yes, that many lol.

Bread Sex Trees

Bread Sex Trees is a poetry book by Alix Klingenberg. It is also the name of one the two introductory poems to the book, and an excellent choice, as the theme of the book follows the theme of the poem.

What I enjoyed about this book:
The layout: Follows the months of the year, similar to the way chapters give you some guidance. The poems, though having different themes and emotions, somehow compliment each other so well following the format, as it feels like you are following a journey.
The writing: The range of emotions evoked by the words, including pain, love, sadness, hope, and freedom. The format of individual poems changes, showing creativity and feeling natural and human.

Some favorites: Both/And, Things I Want to Hold, The Circle, Fall is for Writers.

I first discovered Alix on Instagram. Seeing authors on Instagram is just a small view of their art, and I’m so excited to see my favorite poets when they launch books. I look forward to seeing more of Alix’s work.

One of the saddest contemporary collections of poems I have read so far. No doubt the writing style is what I would like to have if I wrote anything (omit laugh at never writing anything). It would be nice to listen to it as an audiobook.

Alix Klingenberg’s poetry is so evocative — of outdoor scenes and places and indoor coziness. The need to be creative, and to express emotions and desires. Of her love for her family and friends. It’s rich and sumptuous and, at the same time, spare and elegant. This is a lovely collection that deserves to be widely read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Unabashedly candid poetry. It took a minute for it to grow on me, but by the end, I was in love. The poems really resonated with me.

There is a subtle progression in this book. The initial vibes have an underlying feel of sadness—dull and pervasive, like the dark grit and grime of a big city. But by the end of the book, there's an opening up, a lightness, a freedom that comes from accepting oneself, hopefulness.

A beautiful book about living a life true to oneself.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was a very unique poetry book. The poems were sensual and goes through the seasons. They are fun and creative!! Thank you netgalley for allowing me to read this book. #BreadSexTrees #NetGalley