Publishing date: 15.11.2024
Thank you to NetGalley and Querencia Press for the ARC. My opinions are my own.

Saldy, this collection was not for me. I didn't connect with the work and didn't find the poems themselves to be anything fruitful. The collection explores themes of queerness, gender identity, grief, religion, and family. In theory, this should have been something for me. But it wasn't.

I found the writing style to be a little juvenile and "blocky" if that makes sense. Just couldn't connect with it and found it a little hard to read and interpret properly.

Final ranking and star rating?
2 stars, D tier. Not for me. I don't think I was the intended audience. If you find any of the themes described interesting, then it will probably stick the landing.

The poetry in the book was lovely, and the way the author was able to tell a story throughout the poetry.

*real rating 3.5 stars*
in the acknowledgements at the end of this poetry collection, the author thanks "brown fems, catholic mystics, and grieving children out there," stating "this book is for us". unfortunately i am 0/3, which probably explains why i didn't 100% connect with their work.

however, i do highly recommend this collection for anyone who fits any of that criteria, as the author had a lot to say about the grieving process, family dynamics and religion. a lot of it went over my head but i did particularly enjoy their commentary on the queer community, especially in the poem queer ten commandments.

overall, i was not the target audience for this collection, but i still enjoyed it as an eye-opener to a community so different to mine.

Truly excellent discussion of the intersectionality between queerness and catholicism. My favorite poem in this collection was "god only makes mistakes with intention." Thank you to Netgalley for providing an eARC to review

In *Something Close to God,* Erika Del Carmen Ruiz delivers a deeply moving novel that explores themes of faith, self-discovery, and the healing power of love. The story unfolds in a small, close-knit community where each character is grappling with their own struggles and yearnings. Through evocative storytelling and lyrical prose, Ruiz takes readers on a journey of redemption, connecting the everyday struggles of her characters to larger questions of spirituality and purpose.

The protagonist, a woman searching for meaning after a series of personal losses, is at the heart of this introspective narrative. Through her, we see how pain and loss can be both isolating and transformative, pushing her to seek solace in unexpected places. The novel doesn’t shy away from difficult questions about belief, identity, and the limits of human resilience, making it an honest and challenging read that resonates on many levels.

One of Ruiz’s greatest strengths is her ability to capture the nuance of human emotion with subtlety and grace. Her characters feel real and complex, and her portrayal of their spiritual quests is both respectful and nuanced. Ruiz is careful not to prescribe answers, instead allowing the characters’ journeys to unfold organically, with all the messiness and uncertainty that accompany genuine introspection.

*Something Close to God* is not just about faith in a religious sense but also about finding faith in oneself and in the goodness of others. The book beautifully illustrates how moments of kindness, forgiveness, and understanding can be life-altering and, in a sense, bring people “close to God.”

For readers looking for a heartfelt and thought-provoking story that delves into the complexities of spirituality, resilience, and community, *Something Close to God* offers a rewarding experience. Ruiz’s writing is compassionate and powerful, making this novel a memorable exploration of what it means to find strength and grace amid life’s challenges.

I wanted to love "Something Close to God" because it's bursting with potential. I mostly just enjoyed my read but found the writing style a smidge juvenile. Ruiz uses really beautiful words but doesn't weave them into metaphor. The old "show don't tell" advice is what comes to mind when thinking of this collection. The themes are a home run though! Queerness, religion, gender fuckery, and patriarchy are the forefront of Ruiz's collection. It was refreshing to read many of these poems but I felt there was more to be said with less words.

As always with somewhat critical reviews, this is obviously an opinion, and doesn't change the fact that this collection overall is impressive and that Ruiz has talent. I believe they have potential to get even punchier and fresh with their craft and I look forward to seeing it.

My favorite poems are: "my gender seeks out god", "meeting the virgin mary on top of a hill overlooking san bernardino", and "the virgin mary cradles me through queerness."

Something Close to God by Erika Del Carmen Ruiz is easily my favorite poetry collection I’ve ever read. Ruiz has brought us a collection of poetry surrounding topics of queerness, navigating religion, the importance of community, and the long, haunting process of grieving a loved one. I think anyone who is interested in poetry should read this, especially if you are looking for more #OwnVoices written books.

I loved the way Ruiz wrote these poems- they felt raw, and cut right to the bone while also being beautiful. I couldn’t put this poetry collection down, and easily highlighted a third of the poems because they stood out to me so much. I especially loved the poems about growing up in the MCR era, and poems that centered around the difficulty of giving and accepting love as a fat queer person, since I could relate to those. Overall an easy five star book, and I will be keeping a close eye out for future works by Ruiz.

a wonderful collection of poetry. touches on queerness, gender identity, fatphobia. very relatable for an enby librarian like myself :) also really loved the poem "gerard way gave birth to me." music is such catharsis, and i def looked to MCR for that as a kid! looking forward to more from del carmen ruiz

This collection of poems explores the realms of depression through reflection on self-identity. grief, and the many challenges associated with life. Erika Del Carmen Ruiz illustrates the journey through self-acceptance after longing from the acceptance of those we put on a high pedestal. while separating oneself from stereotypical religious beliefs. Erika Del Carmen Rutz Writes their story in a way that turns pain and discovery into a lyrical masterpiece. I thorough y enjoyed reading this poetry collection and highly recommend. I feel that these poems will resignate well with those who have gone through the process of self-discovery whether it be with gender identity or separating for what is expected of you and becoming who you are meant to be.