"Leave This Song Behind" is a poignant anthology of poetry that captures the raw emotions and diverse voices of young people facing the complexities of adolescence. Co-authored by John Meyer, Stephanie H. Meyer, Adam Halwitz, and Cindy W. Spertner, the collection delves into the universal themes of love, loss, self-discovery, and resilience. Through a mosaic of verses, the authors skillfully navigate the turbulent waters of youth, offering readers a glimpse into the minds of the next generation.

The poems, contributed by a range of young writers, showcase a remarkable depth of introspection and authenticity. The language is both evocative and accessible, allowing readers to connect with the myriad experiences expressed within the pages. The collaborative nature of the anthology adds layers of perspective, fostering a sense of community and solidarity among its contributors and readers alike.

"Leave This Song Behind" is a testament to the power of words as a means of expression, healing, and empowerment. Whether you are a teenager navigating the challenges of growing up or an adult seeking insight into the adolescent experience, this collection resonates with emotional resonance and artistic merit, making it a compelling read for anyone interested in the transformative journey from youth to adulthood.

Teen poetry has always fascinated me. Partly because I did plenty of it in my day. This collection is a good read and allows you to truly see from different perspectives. It is a diverse compendium, each poem making a mark in its own way.

Absolutely loved Soft by Mahalia Sobhani.

Leave This Song Behind is a collection of poems that depicts different life situations teens experiences: such as depression, problems with parents, sexuality and love issues, to name a few.

Fast read! I could sometimes see the difference in the different authors writing styles but it all flowed together very nice!

I received this poetry collection from Netgally in exchange for an honest review. Poetry is subjective and even more so when put into an anthology like this. This is really a 3.5 star rating, if there were half stars to give. For me there were some stellar stand outs, some blows to my heart, and some that were just okay. I love reading young poets because you can really read some stars in the making and that is always exciting.

I think this is a great read for young people who want to get into poetry and those that already love it. There are gems in here that are deep in their simplicity and hard hitting in their quietness. It is most definitely worth the read and it supports young writers.

I was unable to finish the book .. it’s not my type of poetry hard to read and understand the real meaning of the poems .

DNF. I couldn't connect with this book at all and found it really hard to get into. I had high hopes for this, which is a shame.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for this arc for an honest review. I loved so many for the poems in this book and I’m really glad I read it. Dear Me, From Me and Don’t Fall in Love by Clair Podges were my favorite. There are so many talented people in this world and this book is no exception. The students that were able to have a piece in this book, they were able to speak to me and talk about subjects in such an emotional way. I love how each section is so different from the next. “I pretend I’m watching my life circle around the drain slowly until it gets sucked away”
B. E. A. UTIFUL.

I thought most of these poems were well structured, but were often short in range and without much prompt. I found that quite a few of them evoked emotion out of me, while others seemed to just sit on page. I'm very glad I got to read them and see tons of poets put their words onto paper, but I felt like there wasn't much direction in the collection. I would like to see more of these if possible and see where they go!

if this book were influenced by the dead poets society their legacy remains intact in the words of those youth voices who released a little of themselves managing to share their thoughts that the world so much omits their own youthful mind or experience.

This is a collection of poetry from the last five years from the Teen Ink series. There is a wide variety of poetry in this book making it a good choice to read during poetry month. There are seven sections featuring various poetry elements. The writers use their talented voices and thoughts through their poetry in this moving collection. Since there is a wide variety readers might not enjoy every poem, but will find some styles and thoughts they could enjoy — at least appreciating the talent. Subjects are what you expect from teens with some being effective while others might not. There are also a variety of topics featured in the poems too from love and life to healing and hope. This is interesting and worth reading.

I really enjoyed this one. I love poetry and I thought it was really inspirational. I found a lot of poems that were very touching. Each poem is written by a different person so they each feel and flow a little differently.

Thank you HCI Books and Netgalley for this ARC.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book of poetry, written by a variety of people and many teens.
A lovely book that has encourage me to read more of this genre.

This one was a Did Not Finish (DNF) for me. I just could not get through with it. I got bored somewhere in the middle and was not able to finish it. I am so very sorry!

I enjoyed most of these poems but, it took me a little longer to read than normal. Maybe if it would’ve been more organized into related sections I wouldn’t have been a little confused on the rest of them. However, the poetry was very well written and I would read more from the majority of the poets.

wonderful anthology of poetry written for teens. It reflects on the many aspects of teen life which resonates with readers. Very thoughtful and deep. I enjoyed it a lot.

I was not much impressed with this book. THough it was categorized, I didnt find much motivation to go through all the poems listed and I had to force myself to get through them. Some were nice and they did strike a spot, but the overall effect of the book was underwhelming.

It is beautiful poetry that makes you wonder what peoms would you write of teen life. Just a while ago, my daughter reminded me that I am a teenager, she might mean that I was once a teenager. A different lens to look at universal experiences.

I have this a 2/5 starts. I didn’t really care for any of these poems. None of them stuck out to me or made me feel much. I liked how they wrote about different things, I didn’t dislike them but I didn’t totally like them either. I just found them to be okay. Thank you to net galley for this earc.

Leave This Song Behind: Teen Poetry at Its Best certainly lives up to its name. There is no shortage of talent here and much skill to be admired.

The teens show their ability to poignantly, humorously, or anything in between, evoke the pictures in your mind, the feelings, and the emotions they are describing or documenting. Some of these poems are quite raw, some quiet, some painful, some joyful. There is something for everyone here because poetry is, and is supposed to represent, life.

The book is divided into sections Come to Your Senses; Less is More; Get into Shape; Let Me Tell You a Story; Shall I Compare Thee to...?; I Wasn't Expecting That; and Love, Life, Death (and other overwritten themes). However, whatever the section, talent abounds.

These wise, communicative youth, fuel my hope and belief that poetry will never die out as long as someone is willing to put pen to paper and tell their unique truth in verse.

Kudos to all of them, and many thanks to NetGalley and HCI Books for allowing me to read an e-copy of this book. My review is strictly my own, unbiased reaction to this book.