Made it a mission of mine to read more poetry this year. This was a lovely poetry memoir. It felt more personal than just reading text, poetry made this seem more heartfelt. Really lovely.

I didn’t know if I would like this book, because I didn’t know how much I would actually be able to relate to it. I’m not divorced, I don’t have kids. BUT, I actually was able to relate to a lot of Lainey’s poems, simply because I have gone through my own traumatic experiences and I have experienced pain in my own life. I learned that even if our exact situations aren’t the same, we can still glean from other people’s lives and feel less alone because of what they have gone through. This book of poems is beautifully written, both raw and emotional! Well done, Lainey Oslin!

Thank you Net Galley and publishers for an advanced copy!

it was a very differnt book to what I usually read so I don't really know how to rate it but I generally liked it so 3,5 stars.

I never read anything like this: reading poetry but also reading about a person's life, struggles and tips, if you want to call them that.

What first drew me in was the title of the collection and the cover art. I got a sense that the collection of poems would be about change and growth tied heavily to nature, and the first handful of poems solidified those ideas for me. I also appreciated the author's note and how Lainey Oslin set out what started her whole writing journey for this book and what drove her to want to write about how she processed her past and made her way to recovery. In this note she tells the reader, "What you're about to read is part memoir, part poetry book, part self-help guide, and on some pages part love letter," and although I feel that in many ways Oslin kept those promises, I often felt at times while reading her book that her entries fell short of the mark.

There is no doubt that Lainey Oslin is a very lyrical writer; her ability to self-reflect and connect themes related to healing and recovery with her perspective of the world was, at times, very engaging to ready and really drew me in. However, I felt that the overall length of the collection was perhaps a bit too long. I think many of the poems, though important to the writer to express for her own healing, were not engaging or introspective enough for the reader to really connect with. Many of the poems felt personal only to the the writer, as if she were sharing journal entries meant only for her eyes because the phrasing was coded for her own memories; and as open as she is with her past, there are memories we can't visualize or touch in her poems that creates a feeling of distance or obscurity for the reader. I also think if the poems were cut down and focused solely on her healing journey (i.e. her addiction, the turning point, the healing process, etc.) that would've made it a stronger collection overall for me.

There were many poems I enjoyed in this collection, and I am glad that I read the book. However, I'm not sure it is a book that I would want to read again and again, though I would still recommend that anyone who has gone through similar things to Lainey Oslin give it at least one read through.

I am glad I decided to give this poetry collection a try, since now I know I wouldn't have wanted to miss it for the world.

It had me getting emotional at the simplest but purest of lines. Her life experience is different from mine, but she describes it with such intensity and delicacy that I could relate and see myself in her words.

Her poems carry wise words and lessons that I needed to hear again, to be reminded of.

So raw and real. The author pours her soul onto the page, she is so vulnerable and open. This collection feels more like a journal than a book, that's how intimate it is, touching on difficult topics such as dealing with loss and change, coping with trauma, nature, addiction, and the importance of always searching for yourself. I enjoyed the story underneath the poems. It felt like we were progressing from a dark place, to a good place, and back into a dark place, showing just how life is a collection of ups and downs.

I wasn't a big fan of this poetry since the theme was kind of inconsistent with the title since not all the poems matched the theme quite well. I also with the authors were written below the poems since navigating to find the authors of the poems was quite hard. That being said, some of the poetry was quite beautiful in prose, but it just wasn't enough to keep me engaged.

Raw and real. It feels almost intrusive as Lainey Oslin exposes her soul to you on these pages. This extensive work of poetry has a journaling feel to it making it seem as though you broke into your friend’s diary. She explores many themes of weather/nature, addiction, coping with trauma, and the importance of self-exploration and self-discovery, especially through movement.

I had to take this in pieces as the weight of it was so palpable. A couple of my favorites are “pct” and “mind games”, both of which had my jaw dropping at her ability to capture those emotions. A lovely and heartbreaking piece of art.

Dieser Gedichtband handelt von dem Gefühl, verlassen zu werden und danach alles in Frage zu stellen, das man sein Leben nannte; aber auch von der Liebe zu seinen Kindern, was Elternsein bedeutet, vom weitermachen und wieder aufstehen, nachdem man am Boden war, vom Überwinden einer Suchterkrankung und davon, zu sich selbst zu finden. Die Autorin hat ihre Gedichte in sechs Abschnitte geteilt und widmet sich in diesen jeweils einem anderen Fokus.
Insgesamt hat mir dieser Gedichtband gut gefallen. Emotional hat er mich über lange Zeit leider nicht erreicht, dennoch habe ich immer wieder schöne Zeilen und Passagen gefunden, die mich berührt haben. Es hat sich für mich stellenweise nach zu viel vom gleichen angefühlt, auch wenn insgesamt eine Entwicklung im Verlauf der Gedichte erkennbar war.
Meinen Geschmack hat dieser Gedichtband nicht ganz getroffen, dennoch bin ich mir sicher, dass er andere berühren kann und empfehle daher, sich selbst einen Eindruck zu verschaffen.

In English:

This book of poems is about the feeling of being abandoned and then questioning everything you called your life; but also about the love for your children, what being a parent means, about carrying on and getting up again after you've been down, about overcoming addiction and finding yourself. The author has divided her poems into six sections, each with a different focus.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book of poems. Unfortunately, it didn't reach me emotionally for a long time, but I still found beautiful lines and passages that touched me. It felt like too much of the same for me at times, even though overall there was a noticeable development over the course of the poems.
This volume of poetry didn't quite suit my taste, but I'm sure it can touch others and I therefore recommend getting an impression for yourself.

A truly beautiful and vulnerable collection of poetry. I found myself stopping and reflecting many times throughout.
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Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to review this book.

The book as a meal: A comforting meal that my mom made, and while eating she tells me about her life
The book left me: Curious and hopeful of my aging and future experiences in life

Why did this call out to me?
I really liked the design of the cover, and the synopsis sounded like something I needed at the time

Pick-up-able? Put-down-able?
Pick-up-able, really enjoyed reading this and reflecting on my own womanhood

Progression?
There is absolutely an underlying story here. It felt like we went a bit back and forth from a dark place, a good place, and back to a dark place again.

Issues:
Arrangement of the contents can be a little messy and hard to keep up with
Not organized chronologically

Good things:
Relatable topics, either to myself or people in my family
Feels hopeful even in the darkest of times
Beautifully told lifestory in the shape of poems

How did it feel to read?
I am having a conversation with either my mom or grandma about my life, and she in turn talks about her life and experiences. We are having a vulnerable moment, and that is beautiful.

What mood would I read this in?
Migth come back to this again if I become a mother in the future to see if I connect even more with the poems. Otherwise, if I need some motherly words and none of the women in my life is available, this will bring some of that same comfort

Where does this fall in my tier list ranking?
A tier. Beautiful collection, and resonated deep within me

Favorite poems:
im not the same again today
origin story
recovering
moving day
ransom demands
messes
my valentine
what god does | part 5

Growth is not linear, and reading I'm Not the Same Again Today allowed me to reflect on my own journey. I haven't been married, or divorced, or given children, but I have been alive and anyone who has been alive knows the feeling of letting dreams die. The value of a poem hinges on its ability to impact and benefit its reader, and how it helps the reader connect to the world in turn. You like myself, may not have the same life experiences of the author, but we all know disappointment, regret, hurt and the process of changing, I think in poetry simplicity of language is often confused with simplicity of thought, but in I'm Not the Same Again Today I was reminded of moments from my own life and found the words to describe the feelings - some of which still haunt me, or some that I still explain to people as an important starter guide to understand me. I think this book is best read slowly or with intention, to give yourself time to reflect and meet the author with your own emotions and you may be surprised what you find within yourself and in I'm Not the Same Again Today.

I was unfortunately unable to connect with this poetry book and it didn't flow the way I typically like to read my poetry. With the right reader though, this will be a beautiful collection of poems.

I really wanted to love this as I felt the idea of a memoir as poetry had so much potential, but unfortunately a lot of the poems fell flat for me. I couldn’t feel the raw emotion through Lainey’s writing as it felt like she was more focused on telling a story.

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

While I loved that the authors poems centre on motherhood and hiking, I just couldn't connect with this collection.

Lainey Oslin is a poet and lyrical storyteller from Washington State. 'I'm Not the Same Again Today' is her debut poetry collection. Part self-help and part memoir, her collection wrestles with addiction, divorce, betrayal, and grief while celebrating love, renewal, creativity, and family.

Oslin's poetry is vulnerable and straight-forward. The journey through her healing process forms the backbone of the collection, with verses chronicling her experiences on the trails serving as a testament to nature's ability to both ground and alleviate our pain. We watch hope seep through the text. The narrator's confidence grows as she learns to be unapologetically herself. This is a poetry collection about coming out on the other side.

This collection presents complicated situations through uncomplicated poetry. It's easy to consume. Quick to get through. If you've experienced divorce, you will feel seen in the first half of the collection. This is an inspiring read if you want to connect to poetry that knows what you've been through. 

Stylistically, the poetry follows a simple narrative structure. Honestly, too simple for my taste, but I recognize that this style might be what gives it mass appeal.

'I'm Not the Same Again Today' will be released on June 18, 2024. I received early access through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

"If you're lucky and life is long, you'll get the privilege of grieving a great deal"

Incredibly thought inducing collection, that I think will resonate with a lot of readers. Beautiful writing, very lyrical and interesting - my favourite was Doorways, Lightning and Mind Games. Not a collection for bulk reading - I think of it more as an encyclopedia of emotions and moments.

Also loved the Acknowledgements - which is a rare thing to enjoy in a book I feel heh.

This poetry book was very lyrical and pretty. It was nicely written that gave me a lot to think about. I think a lot of people can relate to this collection of poems in some way. Overall, a very good read!

Beautifully vulnerable and dynamic poems that demonstrate resilience and bravery of being human. Each section shows her journey to find healing and growth through her genuine honesty for real life experiences. I was moved deeply - incredible work!