I really don't feel like rating this book. It's so raw, so impactful, so full of anger, and sadness, and talks about such personal and traumatic experiences (that mostly deal with family) that it's...a lot. It caught me off guard, to say the least, and I found it way too intense and raw and truthful to be able to read it on just your average day. I'd really need to be in a certain headspace to be able to read poems like these, so I couldn't read all of them before my ARC expired. Just be aware of that it could potentially be as equally triggering than healing to some people, especially if you can relate to some of the experiences or feelings mentioned in the book.

In diesem Gedichtband beschreibt die Autorin eindrucksvoll ihre Erfahrungen mit häuslicher Gewalt, mit Religion (Mormonismus), mit Unterdrückung und mit Diskriminierung aufgrund ihrer Sexualität. In meist längeren Gedichten beschreibt sie beklemmende, alltägliche Szenen aus ihrer Kindheit und fängt dabei sowohl die Angst, als auch die Loyalität und emotionale Zerrissenheit ein, die Kinder gegenüber ihren gewalttätigen Eltern oft empfinden. Sie reflektiert ihr eigenes Verhalten und scheint ihre innere Stärke zu finden, um das Erlebte hinter sich zu lassen. Mich haben diese Gedichte sehr berührt. Insgesamt empfand ich die Sammlung als etwas kurz, gerne hätte ich noch mehr gelesen. Sehr empfehlenswerte 4,5 Sterne.


In English:

In this volume of poetry, the author impressively describes her experiences with domestic violence, with religion (Mormonism), with oppression and with discrimination based on her sexuality. In mostly longer poems, she describes tormenting, everyday scenes from her childhood, capturing the fear as well as the loyalty and emotional conflict that children often feel towards their violent parents. She reflects on her own behavior and seems to find her inner strength to leave what she has experienced behind her. These poems touched me very much. Overall, I found the collection to be a bit short and I would have liked to read more. Highly recommended 4,5 stars.

Isnʼt that what we wanted? To be cherished more than our uncertainties, louder as though youʼve attained the pinnacle of joy. However, some of us are indeed loved louder—through screams, through deafening cries of pain echoing within the four walls of your so-called home. “Love Me Louder” is a haunting collection of poetry that explores the pain from domestic abuse, generational trauma, toxic religion, and sexuality. The poems are raw, rough, like being forced to eat something sharp—a battle against control, a yearning for the torment to cease.

Netgalley is fantastic for discovering hidden gems like this! This book is actually available to read, no need to request for approval, so I recommend it if you want a short read to complete your Goodreads goal. 😊

I loved this collection. I really enjoyed the story it told throughout each poem. I found it was really easy to connect with the poems. I would definitely buy this one for my shelves.

Although, I personally cannot say that I have experienced what the author has, "Love me Louder" is a book that manages to teleport you into a world of raw emotions. The poet's words have this extraordinary ability to make you feel the pain they have endured.

The authenticity of the emotions portrayed in "Love me Louder" is commendable. The book delves deep into themes of love, heartbreak, and self-discovery, offering relatable glimpses into the universal human experience. Even if you haven't personally felt the same pain, the poet's writing invites you to step into their shoes and explore the depths of their emotions.

"Love me Louder" is more than just a collection of poems; it's a journey of self-expression and healing. The poet's vulnerability and courage shine through, making it impossible not to be moved by their words.

"Love Me Louder" is a collection of powerful poems about the abuse and hardships of life. The author's raw and honest reflection on their experiences, including coming from a broken family and enduring heartbreaking traumas and abuses, is captured in these deeply meaningful poems. The author's prose deeply captures the traumas and abuses that they have experienced in an intensely personal and affecting manner.
Overall, "Love Me Louder" is a thought-provoking and emotionally charged work that will leave a lasting impression on its readers

Hurula’s chapbook tells a story of one’s experience in a broken home and a broken family, and how they were affected by this throughout their life. It also gave us insight into how the narrator overcame the hardships of life and the hand they were dealt. Love Me Louder filled me with emotion and captivated me so much so that I read it in one sitting. Pages filled with confusion, shame, pain, rage, and heartache. A troubling family dynamic is presented to us through these poems and undoubtedly makes you feel for the narrator, even if you haven’t experienced exactly what they have gone through. And if you can somewhat resonate with the story like I did, at times it can feel like the sharp pieces of that broken home we are reading about were being thrown at you. The parts that I didn't resonate with still weighed heavy on my chest as the narrator puts you in their shoes with their powerful words.

The poems were heartbreaking, some more than others, as we see a child who is hyper-aware due to their home life and an unfortunate consequence of who had a hand in raising them. We see a community of people who failed to protect them, though as we look more deeply we think that perhaps they too were a product of their environment. We see love, which maybe isn't really love, being accepted because they were guilted to forgive, to erase the bad because there had been some good in their life. As everyone deals with trauma and abuse differently, I think this was a reflection of the author's. Although topics weren't delved into too deeply or spoken about at great length, we must consider that some may not want to revisit these events in their lives, some may not be able to fully remember them, and sometimes you remember only the surface of it. Additionally, many times the abuse experienced is repetitive and I think that this was captured in the chapbook.

A sad, but beautifully told story with a somewhat comforting and empowering ending. I was moved by this work by Tyler Hurula and was left with heavy feelings.

Thank you NetGalley and Querencia Press the ARC of this chapbook in exchange for an honest review!

*Check trigger warnings as this story mentions topics such as verbal abuse, physical abuse, childhood trauma, and alcoholism*

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read and review Love Me Louder by Tyler Hurula.

This chapbook reads more like an autobiographical work set in verse than an anthology. What the author went through was horrifying, but while evaluating this book, you do register that it is remarkably well written for a first collection. You aren't lost and all over the place; Tyler Hurula anchored it to a certain period of their life instead of picking and choosing random things. I particularly loved "Forgiveness Has Eight Wobbly Legs".

“𝐈 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐮𝐭 𝐚 𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐤𝐧𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐩𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐲 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬.”

While certain poems resonated with me more than others, this collection didn't quite captivate or impact me as I had anticipated, especially given the subject matter. I found moments of repetition in some sections and longed for a deeper exploration, particularly in the conclusion where I hoped for a more profound resolution and aftermath. Nonetheless, I appreciate the author's intent and acknowledge that some of the poems truly struck a deep chord with me within such a few pages.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.