the witch doesn't burn in this one

I didn't expect anything less than amazing and that's exactly what I got.

White the first book in this series felt a little sad, this one felt like it was full of anger. Anger in the best way possible. Reading it made me powerful and confident, like nothing could bring me down. I'd like to hold onto this feeling (I'll have to reread this one a few times I think). There was anger about the world, about men pushing women down, about women never being good enough, but my favourite part was that there were solutions too. There were mentions of being confident because woman ARE good enough. There were mentions about how women should always be sticking up for one another. The whole thing just made me feel so GOOD.

As for the writing style, every word felt like it was chosen deliberately and placed in exactly the right spot. The formatting on some of the poems were different which only made it more interesting to read.

I couldn't wait to read this book and I can't wait to read her next book.

I spotted that this was available on read now, immediately downloaded it and have read it in 2 sittings, only stopping because I had plans.

The Princess Saves Herself in this One was one of my favourite reads of 2016- Amanda Lovelace just speaks to my soul. Her poetry is raw and beautiful and inspiring. I didn't personally relate to as much of this one but it still made me cry with both joy and anger. How do so few words make me feel so deeply?

I can't wait to buy a physical copy of this and add it to my collection, it's just wonderful. Now the wait for The Mermaid's Voice Returns in this One begins.

Using the motif of the fire that burned our female ancestors, Amanda Lovelace uses that same wrath and fury through scathing poems about the female experience and the related women-rage-fire within us. Especially with the rise of the “me too” movement in the past months, this is an important (and quick) collection that everyone should read to get a better understanding of rape culture, abuse, self-love, eating disorders and weight, the importance of sisterhood, and of writing poetry to further share our experiences. Many of these poems, especially the last section function as a rallying battle cry for women everywhere, literally mentioning the current social and political climate and how it must be upended and changed for future equality.

Now don’t get me wrong, I am certainly not one of those “feminazi SJWs” that get so much heat from the internet. Some of these poems did rub me the wrong way. Especially two sequential poems that glorify murder and dismemberment in order to communicate rage against male abusers, ironically followed by a poem where she denies being the “crazy ex girlfriend.” I have a lot of feelings about the societal approach to feminism that I haven’t quite figured my full opinion on, but I will say this: many of these poems are fueled by anger and make me feel the anger through the words. Rightfully so, a lot of the anger is directed towards men, which works for some poems, but after a while starts sounding a little too Tumblr-y for me. This works best when the overarching theme of witchcraft is tied with that fury, which was a very interesting concept.

Overall, there were many poems that made me smile, feel tons of emotion, and audibly cry “DAMN” in my living room, so despite my gripes, I do believe this is an excellent and important collection of poems from Amanda Lovelace.

i didn't come here
to be civil.
i didn't come here
to sit you down
with a mug of tea
& a blueberry muffin
to coddle you as
i try to convince you
that respecting
my existence is essential.

Much like the first book in this poetry series, Amanda writes about feminism with a pleasantly surprising level of intersectionality and care; she touches on topics like transphobia, menstruation, rape culture, body-shaming, eating disorders, romanticization of abuse, and more. Her thoroughness is the reason I keep coming back to her writing - as well as her unapologetic nature when it comes to tackling rape and abuse culture in particular.

That said, I struggled to even give this 4 stars (instead of 3, which I considered) because I struggled with the same problems I saw in her first book:

1) Repetition - much of the poetry in this book feels and sounds so much like the first book, or like other poems within the same collection. I feel like I read the same phrasing a few too many times, though I won't count off for this one as it'd probably be less noticeable if you didn't read every poem back-to-back like I did.

2) Her writing - something about her writing voice reminds me very much of the poetry I wrote on MySpace as a teenager, and not in a good way. If it was occasional, it would be a really enjoyable, nostalgic touch, but since it's almost every single poem, it begins to feel very dated.

3) Inspirations used - there were three or four pieces in this book that felt like that had been lifted almost verbatim from inspirational quote images and tumblr posts I've been seeing float around the internet for years. It would be one thing if it was vague wording or base paraphrasing, but some of the imagery painted is just too on-the-nose to ignore. It gave me a weird feeling of deja vu throughout several pieces.

All in all, I'm willing to round this up to 4 stars because, regardless of how I feel about her writing itself, the content is important. We need more feminist pieces. We need more rants about rape culture, abuse, transphobia, misogyny, and body shaming. I will forever applaud Amanda for taking the steps that she does to promote intersectional feminism through her work, and would recommend this to anyone who enjoys poetry of its kind. While I will probably not pick up her future works, as I think this book made me accept that her writing is not my cup of tea, I would still encourage you to give this book a try.

Thank you to Andrews McMeel Publishing for granting me this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Witch Doesn’t Burn In This One is a follow up to the author’s, The Princess Saves Herself In This One. Like the previous poetry collection, it talks about misogyny, patriarchy, feminism, abuse, and other things relating to it. While the previous collection used the trope of women always being saved by men as a metaphor, this one used the Salem Witch Trials to portray the oppression of women. It talked about how women are told to remain weak, that women are something for men before we are our own person. I think it did it really well and in a really powerful way.

The book is really dark and heavy since it does talk a lot about misogyny but it also encourages self love and the importance of it. I liked how it used the Salem Witch Trials as a metaphor since the horrific events themselves are a good portrayal of how women were murdered for not falling in line, to the point of being accused of being witches. The author used this as a way to talk about how it’s good to go against that and people thinking that’s wrong doesn’t matter. It’s an amazing and feminist collection of poetry.

4.5 stars

I was blown away by this fierce collection of poetry. There's just something about it that will speak to every single woman who reads it. The collection tackles important issues such as misogyny, feminism, abuse, the insidious patriarchy, and does it in super an amazing way - through symbolism and metaphors of the historic Salem Witch Trials. It's incredibly powerful.

The book is very dark, but I loved that. I did, however, have an issue with one or two poems which is why it's not getting a full 5 star rating from me (although I feel so weird rating something that is clearly based on the author's life). The issues are totally on my part as a reader being confused as to their inclusion in this particular collection (perhaps would have been better in another? Idk, I'm not a poet, just a reader).

Aside from that, I loved this collection and highly recommend it. A fantastic feminist poetry collection you NEED to read.

This book revived my soul.

I read the princess saves herself in this one back when it got traditionally published last year and I felt so so on it. I enjoyed it a lot and really loved her writing but didn't find myself in love with it like so many others. So I was curious how I would like this one and BOY WAS I IMPRESSED. I REALLY REALLY LOVE THIS BOOK. I didn't just mildly love it. I connected with this book in a way that I don't think I've ever connected with a poetry collection before. I love Amanda's writing so much! It just has a way of feeling like it's struck you right to your core. I felt myself holding my breath and gasping over how powerful these words were. I also really loved the added detail of the ink being red, it was a really nice touch. It tackled such big topics, but in a way that doesn't feel like a lot of other poetry. It makes you honestly feel like your reading a new genre almost. I just really loved it okay? If you haven't read anything by Amanda before or were so-so on princess, I cannot recommend this enough! I'm so excited to read more from her in the future and can't wait to read the rest of this series!

The witch doesn't burn in this one comes out on March 6th and I suggest you run and get it!

I loved the princess saves herself in this one so I knew I was more than likely going to enjoy the witch doesn't burn in this one, but everyone of my high expectations were exceeded. This collection was on an entirely new level to princess. It was absolutely incredible and I'm IN LOVE with all of it. There are so many empowering poems in this collection I feel like a changed person. Can't recommend it enough!!

I loved this one more than Lovelace's first installment in the series. Here are some of my thoughts:

- i loved the emphasis on womanhood and supporting sisters and the emphasis on supporting trans women, not just cisters
- the poems dedicated to other novels and fandoms were great, I recognized the reference to every single poem like that so it was nice
- definitely more empowering than the first, at least to me in my initial reading of this
- you don't have to read the first book in this series if you're interested in reading this one!

Overall, just a great follow up poetry collection.

I enjoyed Amanda's first collection of poetry but this... this just felt different and on a whole different level. It is so honest, so angry, and fierce.. I haven't read a lot of poetry in my life but this might be one of the best collections I've read. I long to be as bad-ass as she is, to be as bad-ass as the women she writes about.

I look forward to the next collection because it appears she only gets better and better.

3.75 out of 5 stars.

These are more than poems - they are battle cries, and every girl&woman (aka WARRIORS) on earth should hear them.

This is the first poetry of Amanda Lovelace's that I have read. And it was everything. Brilliant, breath-taking, fierce, fiery perfection. Also, the follow up to The Princess Saves Herself in This One which I have not read, but I now have on order, and am eager to devour. After reading this, I feel extremely clumsy at Words.

burn whoever tries to burn you.
- coven rule #2.

Amanda Lovelace speaks to my soul and practically every poem in this collection screams empowerment, resilience, intersectional feminism, women taking back power, taking back their agency, and I am so here for it. the witch doesn’t burn in this one made me feel like I could take on the world – it is raw and powerful and unashamedly honest.

ready for a
harsh truth?

women
don’t need
your validation.

we
already have
our own.

- my self-worth shouldn’t feel like an act of bravery.

Although Lovelace doesn’t shy away from difficult topics (rape culture, body shaming, eating disorders, and abuse to name but a few) she always comes back to the most important point – women are powerful, we always have been, we will always rise from the ashes and the abuse that we are subjected to, and we will do it together.

i’m
pretty sure
you have
witchcraft
running
through
those
veins.
- women are some kind of magic II.

To those who try to hurt, who try to control, who think they have the right to any part of a person: remember, we are witches and we will watch you burn.

I still need to pick up Amanda's first poetry collection because I adored this one! It has so much girl power and I love everything related to queens and girls supporting girls. I think about gifting Amanda's collections to young girls and friends who would love it and find them inspiring and make them ready to conquer the world and have them at their feet.

Thank you Amanda for sharing your thoughts and your heart.

All women should read this poetry collection. These poems are beautiful and empowering, and will no doubt influence young women to be brave and powerful, while not allowing men to limit their power or diminish their self esteem and self worth. I enjoyed reading 'the witch doesn't burn in this one,' just as i enjoyed 'the princess saves herself in this one.'

Seriously! What’s not to love? This book is all about girl power along the dark side. It was fierce, raw and real!! I loved it!

This was such a powerful, intense and passionate read. I loved the poems, the witch theme and the unapologetic way the author talks about experiences of herself and other women. This is a great book and I highly recommend it!

"Warning II: no mercy ahead"

Amanda Lovelace goes after the patriarchy and she doesn't take any prisoner.

A great collection of feminist and empowering poems for all the women out there who have ever been wronged by men (let's be honest, I mean /all/ of them).

As with her first book, I have mixed feelings on this one. I truly love her thoughts and ideas. Stylistically this leaves so much to be desired. This is just not my kind of poetry. I appreciate every idea she is trying to portray, but can't help but wonder if there is a more impactful way to do so. It is definitely worth the read even if poetry (or this style) are not your cup of tea.

Once again, Amanda Lovelace, has blown me away. Technically, my review might be a little bias due to an acquaintance/friendship? for at least four years now, though it's been a little less so due to us both being so busy. But despite this, I believe even without knowing her, I would still give this work 10/10 due to the fact she draws on important issues that so many women face on a daily basis. She does so in a way that stays with the reader, words put both elegantly but also bluntly. It's one of the reasons I love her work is that she'll tackle these things no one else will or if they try, are unable to put into words so well. Her words stay with you long after you finish and honestly drives you to want to fight and take action on these issues. It's truthful and empowering and doesn't fall into the traps of some poetry that get caught up in the words that becomes unclear what is being talked about.

Amanda Lovelace's new collection is a lot more mature then her first one. There's a lot more structure to her writing and the poems feel more fleshed out. I think she really evolved as a writer and it definitely shows throughout this collection. I loved the theme of witches strewn through the poems - it delivered the message perfectly. Lots of important and very current themes in this one. I especially loved the poems about sisterhood and girl friendships and I think those were the highlight of the collection for me. Definitely recommend this one!

Amanda Lovelace, aka queen of poetry, did it again! She slays dragons and wolves with her words, and burns the patriarchy with her power. Because women are some kind of magic, but we aren't delicate flowers made of sugar, spice, and everything nice. We are strong, we are fierce, and we are tired of your bullshit. We are angry (of course we are!) and we have the right to be. And the most important thing is that we are together in this everyday fight.

In her second poetry collection 'the witch doesn't burn in this one', Amanda Lovelace writes unapologetically against the manmade structure that oppresses women, and shows no mercy to misogyny. She also encourages women to support other women, and to always put themselves first and be their own priority.

This is an inspiring and empowering book that will make you feel that your rage is fair and that you're not alone, because we women are the fire. "Fire is catching and if we burn, you burn with us" 🔥

Man oh man! I loved this so much. Thank you to Netgalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read an e-arc of this amazing book. wowza. 2017 for me, was the year of poetry. I hated poetry growing up so in the past year, with modern poetry, it brought back a love for it that I once had. Modern poetry has such an impact on me and Amanda Lovelace is such an amazing poet. I can't wait to see what we get from her next.

Actual rating: 4.5/5

Last year, I fell in love with Amanda's The Princess Saves Herself in this One. Hard. Her poems rang true to me in a way not many other poems ever had. So it wasn't a huge surprise that I couldn't resist the opportunity to read it early.

Even though I wasn't bewitched like I was for her first book, I once again fell in love with her words and poems. In them, she talks about feminism, rape, girl empowerment and self-love among other subjects. And as a girl, they did speak to me. You could feel that she meant every bit of every word used in her poems.
I particularly liked the fact that she wrote some poems in homage of some books/musicals that I absolutely love.

Amanda Lovelace proves once again that though her poems may seem 'simple' to some, she is capable of writing powerful poems which can only make you feel something.

Continuing her same powerful, spare style from her debut, the princess saves herself in this one, Amanda Lovelace is back with another collection of feminist poetry. Angrier than princess, I feel like Lovelace is coming into her voice more with each book and I can't wait to see where she goes from here.

Amanda Lovelace has done it again! This collection of poetry was amazingly well written…I felt so many emotions while reading it. I teared up, I got angry, I felt shattered and then inspired. The collection, much like her previous one, touches on a variety of topics, including feminism, violence against women, rape, self-love and abusive relationships. Her words have so much power, each one carefully chosen and formatted for effect. I’m always amazed at how much she can say when only using a limited number of words. I can’t properly describe how reading this book made me feel. I simply don’t have the words.

I know this is a collection that I’ll come back to again and again. It’s a stunning companion to her debut and now that it’s part of a series…well I can’t wait for what Ms Lovelace will release next! This is most definitely, without a single doubt, a poetry book that everyone needs to read!

I don't know what peoples problems are with this book, because I enjoyed it so much more than the first book in this series of poetry. But then again, I tend to be the black sheep, baaahh.

Some of my favorites were "Expectations vs Reality" and "Women, we can spin gold out of dirt"!

This book could not have come at a better time. It filled me with rage, inspiration and hope. It is a battle cry.

I have been dying to get my hands on this book since I had heard Amanda was writing it. I absolutely fell in love with her first collection of poetry, and I am constantly praising it. This book was just as powerful and so inspiring. I felt completely empowered while reading it, and I couldn't put it down. Each poem is so accurate and emotional. You can really see Amanda's confidence grow in this book and each piece of art she chose to include was for good reason. I can not wait to get my hands on a finished, physical copy. If you have a chance to pick this up, please do. (I received an early copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review).

I loved her first collection of poems and I loved this one as well. It’s geared towards women and is a very important read for the current state of women’s rights. It was powerful and empowering!

"forget
being ladylike

(whatever
the hell
that means)

& allow
yourself to

show
the world
just how

unapologetically
angry

this
inequality
makes you.

let it all
g o.
-throw flames like a girl"

In her follow up to author Amanda Lovelace's debut The Princess Saves Herself in This One, she has moved on from women just saving themselves to burning down all the obstacles women face and have faced through history. Fiercely feminist and shamelessly angry, Lovelace channels how many women are feeling in today's world.

Yet again I find myself deeply moved by Amanda's words. When I finished The Princess Saves Herself in this One I was crying, tears staining the notebook I was writing in and convinced that somehow this author knew me personally because she understood so much of how I felt.

The Witch... is different. Because while Princess filled me with understanding, Witch filled me with rage. It made me want to stand up and fight for a cause I love, made me want to turn back time and fight for myself when I didn't.

it turned my blood to fire lit by the sparks those who have wronged me left in my eyes

This poetry collection is a homage to women. It's about us in all the ways that matter. But most importantly, it's about us in the ways some people don't want it to matter. This book will talk about the abuse —both of power and physical —about violence, about lies and omission, about the way women all around the world suffer from the standars and limits society has placed on us. That we as women have placed on us, too.

I finish this book filled with rage. Filled with fire, not a destroying fire but one to rebuild, to reborn from. And like the Phoenix does, women need to burn themselves to be reborn as who we want to be. Without limits, without judgement, only love and support for ourselves and those around us.

After all, women are some kind of magic, don't you agree?

I feel like some of the poams are a bit too similar to others cussing it to feel repetitive but overall I really liked it. There were some poems that are beautiful and I’m sure they’ll stay with me a while. I really love the overall messages, of Woman supporting women, self love, and burning down the patriarchy. It has many inspiring messages and I’m definitely glad I read it.

This one is a little bit different from the first book in this poetry series [book:The Princess Saves Herself in this One|30075802]. Differently from the first one, this one deals more with feminism than the previous one did, basically the whole book is about that, and so I ended up loving every single moment of it. I still don't know how to review poetry very well, but from the short amount of books that I have read from this genre, this one is definitely my favorite poetry book. I'm for sure going to buy and re-read this one when it comes out in March, so I can mark my favorite poems.

I actually liked this one more than The Princess Saves Herself in this One. This was empowering and found myself relating to so many of the poems. I loved that it dealt with so many topics going on today. I found myself sometimes saying "wow" with some of the poems that really made me think and reflect or delivered a powerful punch.

Amanda Lovelace has once again ripped out my heart causing laughter, rage, tears and immense joy. So much of this poetry really resonated with me. Especially regarding our president and she who should have been president. I can’t wait to get my own copy when this comes out.

Thanks to Andrews McMeel Publishing for the ARC!

This is the second book in the "the women are some kind of magic series", but you don't necessarily need to read the first one before this. I recommend that you do, though. I liked this one better.

In my opinion, the author did a great job writing about rape culture and feminism. Women all around the world can certainly relate to these words. Men should also read it to educate themselves and understand how we feel. I love the poems "how to prevent getting sexually assaulted" and "how to prevent sexually assaulting someone". They seem so obvious, but still, they're so important. With a few words, she sends a very powerful message.

And also, thanks for the trigger warning. I didn't find anything disturbing, but it's important to see that message there for those who might feel uncomfortable for some reason.

I admire poetry like this that is so raw and open. I thought this was a beautiful, pail filled effort that really packs a necessary punch. Thought provoking, intense, and uninhibited these poems will stay with you and impress themselves upon you.

Going into this book, I was not sure what to expect, having never read anything by this author before, and ended up completely falling in love with it. Lovelace unapologetically covers the topics she sets out to explore in this collection, through allegories of witches, fire, and the occasional pop culture reference.

With gorgeous prose and imageries which will resonate with readers, as well as make them cackle with satisfaction (in keeping with the witchy metaphors), this book is a veritable celebration of womanhood.

I highly recommend this to everyone, especially readers who wish to explore poetry revolving around themes such as feminism and womanhood. And for those who are perhaps not very familiar or comfortable with poetry in general, this collection is a great place to start as although it covers an array of significant topics, the prose remains very accessible to everyone, especially first-time poetry readers.

This was once again incredibly empowering and I am so happy I got this from Netgalley! Amanda Lovelace hits hard topics of abuse, rape, eating disorders and women's rights. We live in a time where women are told to be only seen and not heard. No one wants to hear our stories of the world being unfair to us just because we are only guilty of being women. Amanda Lovelace gets right in the world's face with this collection and is calling out men for what they have done not only in the past but to this day. This is a call to arms for women. We never ever have to be ashamed of our sex. We are a million times more powerful than men. And we need to recognize that! Thank you, Ms. Lovelace! You have told the world the story of the women who are being silence. Thank you.

So excited that I get an advance copy from Netgalley in exchange for a review. I absolutely loved this collection of short poetry just like I loved the first collection from this author. This collection has a lot to do with women and everything that's been going on lately in the news with rape culture, men abusing women and all the other terrible things they are capable of doing to women. It's also about empowerment and women rising above, supporting each other, and not taking it anymore in a misogynistic and unequal patriarchy society. This is a call to arms to keep going and don't back down when it comes to sharing your story and not letting men get away with shit ever again. Oprah said it best in her recent speech, a new day is dawning for women and men who hurt women your time is up. If you think you can hurt women and silence them you're so wrong. I love the message of this book and think it's such an important one for this day and age.

Although I have some qualms over whether The Witch Doesn’t Burn in this One is actually poetry, I do not have any trouble in acknowledging how important this book will be for a lot of women living in 2018.
I mean, who even cares if it should be classed as poetry or tumblr prose when each and every one of Amanda Lovelace’s compositions are as resonant and impactful as the ones included in The Witch Doesn’t Burn in this One. In so few words, she is able to convey an incredible amount of emotion in regards to the content and topics covered and you simply cannot deny the importance of each subject matter.
Whether you regard it as poetry or simply a book of quotes, at only 208 pages I can see this being the perfect book for women everywhere, to throw in their bags and flip to a random page when they’re feeling alone - because within these pages, Amanda Lovelace is always there to tell them that we are strong and that we can all get through this together.
Honestly, The Witch Doesn’t Burn in this One hit me like a punch to the gut and now, I can finally understand why so many of my peers have fallen head over heels for the feminist voice that we so dearly needed.

I’m as on the fence about Lovelace’s second collection as I was about the first one, but for different reasons.

Lovelace’s focus for this collection is less personal healing from individual problems and more broadly speaking about feminism and valid rage. While obviously pulling from Lovelace’s own political and feminist views I found these poems less personal than the first collection. Specifically the honest and narrative-driven nature of the majority of the poems in Princess that I enjoyed weren’t really here – it had a different focus. Yes the collection is split into themed sections reflecting on where the rage comes from, why it’s justified and what to do about it in roughly that order.

I found recurrent themes and images in the pieces – of fire and embers and witches and righteous female anger – both helped give this collection a consistency but also a repetitiveness. None of the poems in this collection hit me individually as some of the previous ones have. Special shout out to the prose poems, though, they were among my favourites.

Having said that, there are some good rallying cries and sometimes you do just need a cold dose of angry lines telling you that you are entitled to be frustrated with things, that it’s not OK, and that rage is a perfectly reasonable and often productive response. I particularly appreciated Lovelace’s statements about the importance of lifting up all women, how rage can be destructive or constructive and how it’s important we don’t burn things down merely for the sake of burning but instead with a purpose, and her reflections on the women that have gone before both in suffering and liberating.

An advance copy of this book was kindly provided by Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was amazing. I loved Amanda's first poetry collection and this one did not disappoint. I loved how she combined the imagery of witches into her poems and made them so vivid and real. I especially love the message of femininity and womanhood present in all those poems and some of them made me so happy to be a woman.

This book is definitely a must in my life and I am thus going to pre-order it.
Mark your calendars! This is not a book you want to miss!

I was given this ARC by NetGalley in return for an honest review.
As the introduction to this collection of poems states, it deals with abuse, assault, body issues, eating disorders and childhood trauma.
Having had personal experience with a few of these topics myself, reading these poems was truly a journey through a range of intense emotions.
I appreciated the poet taking her time and exploring the emotions before moving on and almost guiding the reader to begin the healing process. The anger and hurt and suppression felt leads the way to stand up, speak up and fight, which in turn leads to allowing the reader to heal.
Overall, I haven’t had a chance to read the first collection in this series, but will do so as soon as it is available at my local library. As the poet warns, her poems deal with a lot of sensitive topics and one should practice self-care at all times. Having said that, I appreciated the poet’s sincere and honest address of these issues and I would recommend this collection of poems.

Why are witches evil and wizards good when the only difference is their gender? This is the question that rolled over and over in my head while I read this book of poetry. I really liked the journey this collection took us through. I felt my anger build, especially in the poems about rape culture, and I was worried that this collection would do nothing more than promote anger (anger isn't bad, but anger alone doesn't help anyone), but the fourth part of this collection addressed that very nicely. Most of the poems individually I did not find particularly remarkable, but there were a few that struck me (and a few I disagreed with), and, overall, I thought the collection was beautiful and provocative. It definitely made me think: Why are witches evil and wizard good when the only difference is their gender?

I loved the first book in those series and I loved those one just as much. These poems are about feminism and being a strong woman. I loved the way she wrote these poems And the subject material about what alot of us woman have been through.

Amanda Lovelace once again shares poetry that seeks to share a widespread message of empowerment to female-identifying individuals who may just be in need of that additional written validation.

After hearing so many wonderful things about GoodReads Choice Award winning poet Amanda Lovelace's debut book, The Princess Saves Herself in This One, I was stupidly excited when the opportunity arose to review her new collection, The Witch Doesn't Burn in This One.
I am a big fan of poetry and I am conscious that I don't read nearly enough. I found The Witch Doesn't Burn in this One to be a great introduction to the genre of feminist poetry and I really enjoyed this awe-inspiring, authentic collection of powerful poems.
So many poems spoke to me on so many different levels. The content covers an array of subjects including feminism, body-shaming, eating disorders, the glamorisation of abuse and self-acceptance.
However, the collection itself is based around the metaphor of the Salem Witch Trials - and ultimately the oppression of women.
Whilst the actual style of poetry is not necessarily my favourite, I still really enjoyed reading this anthology. The poems definitely had the desired effects of evoking all sorts of emotions within me.
The passion that Amanda Lovelace writes with really shines through in her works, along with the anger and raw emotion that she pours into her words.

I found many of the poems to be inspiring, particularly 'Things I Still Struggle to Say and That’s Ok', '& I’ve Only Just Begun' and 'We Tried to Warn You' (“Red lipstick, an external sign of internal fire.”- Possibly my favourite quote from a poem ever.)
There's no denying that, as a woman reading this it made me feel strong and also rather powerful in a way that other other poetry collection has before. I felt as part of a team - women united as we battle against the injustices that many of us face and it has to be said - that is a damn good feeling. I'd go so far as to say it's liberating - despite the words and content coming from a place of anger and injustice. (In fact, some of the content is very dark indeed - but it has it's place and works well to contributing to the overall message portrayed by the book.)
This is a great book to skim through and to refer back to when you need to; whether you're struggling with an issue in your life or are just looking for some inspiration.

A fiery and compelling book for fiery and compelling women.

Many thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review.

An amazing collection of powerful poems. I loved ‘the princess saves herself in this one’ and amanda’s Second collection doesn’t disappoint at all. I’m looking forward to having a physical copy I can carry around with me.

Amazing and relevant; Lovelace has magic in the tips of her fingers and I am consistently impressed with her artistic endeavors.

A very powerful collection of feminist poetry. Lovelace is unflinching and bold in the ways she condemns the ways society has failed or actively harmed women, and it makes for a very compelling read. I wanted to pick up her other book of poetry, The Princess Saves Herself In This One, prior to reading this, but after reading this collection I feel an urgency to do so.

Just as good as her first work, the witch doesn't burn in this one packs a punch.

"red lipstick: an external sign of internal fire. - we tried to warn you."
This poetry book comes at a relevant time with the political climate in the world today. It focuses on the inequality and abuse women has to overcome. Split into four sections, the poetry transitions from obstacles to standing up for women, fighting back, and empowering each other, as women. It touches on issues like insecurity, rape, sexual abuse, etc.

I finished this entire book within an hour.

Thank you Netgalley, the author, and publisher, for allowing me to read this ARC, in exchange for an honest, unbias review.

I've heard lots and lots of wonderful things about Amanda Lovelace's powerful and feminist poems, and after a few teasers of her work, I was determined to find out what my own reaction to her work would be. And just like the bold red letters on an otherwise simple cover, The Witch Doesn't Burn In This One without doubt makes a statement. Not only did I instantly connect with her style of poetry and the way she expresses herself, but I could also relate to some of the topics she discusses in her poems. Powerful, enchanting, inspiring and so well represented in both the words and format of her work! There a trigger warnings involved for a wide selection of sensitive themes, but all used in a way that will hopefully encourage women to finally stand up for themselves and say 'no more'. The Witch Doesn't Burn In This One simply blew me away and I can highly recommend it to fans of strong, empowering and feminist poetry.

I haven't read any of Amanda Lovelace's poetry before now, but I am so glad to have read this collection. Women's empowerment poetry is a genre I can totally get behind. Her use of format and impactful words really spoke to me and had me nodding in assent at my desk while I was reading. Wholeheartedly recommend for every woman in my life.

Woo girl, this collection is even better than the first. Deeply personal, yet entirely relatable and relevant. All women should read this book so we can all feel a little less alone in this world.

Lovely collection of poetry. I liked the writing, and even though some poems didn't make me feel anythings, there were some that felt as if they had been written for me.

I really enjoyed this. Normally poetry doesn't really do much for me but I just read this in one go. The topics this discussed were amazingly well done and so important right now. There's many poems I really loved. However there were some that went a bit too far in the hatred towards men.

In this beautiful collection, Lovelace writes about everything and anything, and I love that she doesn't care if she makes her readers uncomfortable. I almost felt that she actually strives to make them uncomfortable, because the dishonors and wrongdoings that we receive from the world and from ourselves aren't pretty and comforting. It's real and ugly. Her words bring light to things I've found few published authors to touch on.

Lovelace continues to write powerful, moving poetry that speaks for women in an extremely unique voice. She's a voice to be recognized and I hope that her success in the world of beautifully structured words of art continues.

I'm not usually a fan of poetry, but Lovelace's work seems fresh, original, and powerful. Her feminist take on women's issues covers a variety of topics (from abuse to body image) and provides a sort of rallying call for all women to work towards equality and self-love. Little hints of humor also give the reader a break from some of the heavier topics. A must-read for all females out there.

From the author of the princess saves herself in this one, comes the sequel collection of poetry the witch doesn't burn in this one. This collection empowers women to take control of their own fairy tale and celebrates the femininity.

It touches a wide range of topics from healing, loss, love, and much more. 
I really enjoyed the overall sense of girl-power these poems gave out and the very straightforward tone of it all. For example:

"If
you can't
root for
 yourself, 

you don't 
just cut down
your tree

in order 
to spite
the ground

no--
you breath
step back,

& give yourself
the necessary
room to flourish.

- from the grimoire of the green witch"

The thing I like about contemporary poetry is the straightforward language used where it's not flowery and you don't have to reread it ten times and decode what each word means literally or metaphorically to understand it and that's what's shown in this collection. I also loved the trigger warning page in the beginning, which I think should be present in every book that has a possible trigger in it. Since I haven't read the first book, I'm not sure if it's include in that one as well.

However, there are a few things that weren't exactly my cup of tea. For example, there were quite a few really short poems and/or definitions included that I felt were just fillers and did not need to be there. The use of short 3-4 word poems can be powerful and impacting if used sparingly, but in this case I felt like it was a bit too much (e.g. some were back to back).

One other thing that bothered me is that while reading it, I felt angry. To me the book radiated hatred (mostly toward to male population) and I almost did not finish it because I did not want to keep feeling that way, but I pushed through. I do not believe I've read a book that made me feel like that. While reading in general, different emotions can be presented and felt throughout the book and in my opinion this book was more on the angsty side.

This was beautiful and so powerful. I think this captures the experiences that women go through accurately. I love how she tackles subjects such as transphobia, rape culture, eating-disorders, etc because those subjects usually aren’t talked about. Times are progressing, but we all still have a long way to go.

Each poem was so breathtaking and passionate. The emotions were raw and genuine and heartbreaking in some places. Everyone should read this.

I was excited to get my hands on this one! The Witch Doesn’t Burn in this One is an amazing continuation to The Princess Saves Herself in this One. Many of the poems had a powerful message behind them and this book was very inspiring to read. The writing was beautiful and I found myself flying through the pages.

Amanda Lovelace does not disappoint! Her insightful poetry conveys a meaningful reckoning of how patriarchy assaults us daily. Women readers are especially in for a treat with this book!

This is the second installation in Amanda Lovelace's collection entitled Women are Some Kind of Magic. Her centralized theme remains the same: women are magical, strong, empowering, and we deserve more than what we've been given.



This book pushes a more aggressive message than the first, pushing self love, self worth and the idea that it's okay to be selfish, it's okay to yell, and it's okay to fight back.

This is a collection written for the times we are facing now. When everything we have been fighting for with women's rights are at risk of being taken back from us.

I liked the first collection ( the princess saves her self in this one ) better, but these hit home all the same.

The Witch Doesn't Burn in this One is one helluva crafty collection that has a vast array of thought-provoking poems.

While there were a few that I found myself rolling my rolls at, I found myself majority of the time flipping each page faster than the next because I enjoyed this work so much. Ms. Lovelace's ability to weave in sensitive topics along with humorous ones that don't deter from the overall impactful message that this book is trying to convey to its reader must be appreciated; she is able to take something bad and turn it into something good and uplifting.

Some other things that I loved about this collection:

-homages paid to other influential people and their work.
-the formatting.
-that this read like a story even though you can extract and enjoy each poem separately.
-the trigger warning at the very beginning which outlined everything that was going to be touched on. (this was super considerate and much appreciated!)

Here's a little taste of what this witch Amanda Lovelace has to offer in her book that comes out on March 6th, 2018:

some
fathers
will
c r a c k
their daughter's
teeth
with skinned
knuckles

&

when
her lover's
fist
comes
for her
she will
offer him
an open-lipped
smile.

"it's just like home,"
she'll say.

-she didn't even have to tap her feet together.

--

women
learn
to sense
what who
danger
looks like
just
by catching
another
woman's eye
from across
a crowded
room.

- survival.

--

dish?

woman

ingredients:

I. sugar
II. spite
III. everything not-so-nice

directions:

I. preheat cauldron to 375 degrees.
II. mix together ingredients in a medium to large bowl.
III. add more spite if necessary. (& oh, will it be necessary.)
IV. boil 10 to 12 minutes.
V. eat. have the seconds&thirds&fourths you were always denied. lick fingers when done.

- from the kitchen witch’s cookbook.

OVERALL RATING: 3.5 stars

Thanks a million to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC. Quotes are subject to change upon publication.

Amanda Lovelace's poems somehow always manage to make me feel like I could climb mountains with the pent-up feminist rage dwelling inside of me.
I admit, I've never been the biggest fan of analyzing poems back in school and that is probably why I enjoy Lovelace's poem so much: they are accessible, pack a punch, and make you feel - above all else - empowered.
Moving away from the more personal take in The Princess Saves Herself in this One, Lovelace returns with a collection of poems about women and a battlecry. We should no longer be afraid, we should be unapologetically ourselves, and revolt against the kingdom of misogyny reigning us all.
It doesn't matter if you've heard the message before, it's the way Lovelace manages to remind you how inherently powerful and magnificent you truly are while calling attention to barriers we make for ourselves because of what we have been told all our lives to be, that make this collection what it is.
Lovelace's power lies in how relatable her words are, she doesn't need heavy metaphors to bring her point across, and yet her language never fails to be beautiful and entrancing.

P.S. huge shoutout for the trigger warnings included in this poetry collection. I know some people actually perceive trigger warning lists as spoilers for the content, but I couldn't be happier about it being included.

Amanda is one of my favorite poets, her writing is magical. Like her first novel she writes about feminism, and touches on topics like transphobia, menstruation, rape culture, body-shaming, eating disorders, romanticization of abuse, and more. I LOVED this collection !!! I HIGHLY recommend this book, especially if you enjoyed the first one. I think this is a collection that everyone should read.

This collection of powerful poems needs to be shared with every woman in your life. It is very timely, yet is inspired by the timeless tales of the women who have come before us. I love how Lovelace intertwines and bends the words and works of other women.
I read from cover to cover twice before I could sit The Witch Doesn't Burn in this One down. It is one of my new favorites.

"red lipstick: an external sign of internal fire."

I was so thrilled to get a copy of this from NetGalley, I've been waiting and waiting for the sequel to Lovelace's first book and then I finally got a copy!

the witch doesn't burn in this one is such a powerful collection of poetry, I think I liked it more than the first book, not because one is written better or anything. For me her first collection really hit home because of all of it's messages on grief and healing and loss, the book hurt more to read.  the witch is different, it's about power and anger and self-love and these were all things I needed to really take in this year. 

I probably read this book in less than a day but now I really want to own it so that I can read it again. I really recommend this book to you all. Even if you're not really into poetry, Amanda's poems are easy to read and the poems all talk about real issues and real problems and they're very easy to resonate with. I gave this book 4 stars on Goodreads.

 "there is no witch hunt. there are no match boys. there are no burnings."

I love Amanda Lovelace a lot. Her second book is a more carefully structured than The Princess Saves Herself in This One, more of a narrative than a collection of themed poems. Dripping with righteous feminist rage, and what I call "Prettiest broken girl". There is a refusal to be quiet, or to pretend to be okay that I adore in her work. Princess sells well in my store.
I'd recommend it to anyone who is reading Rupi Kaur, Sylvia Plath, Handmaids Tale (because of the Netflix series), or Brave.

I loved The Princess Saved Herself in This One, so when I heard there would be a sequel of sorts, I was intrigued. I wasn't entirely sure that the fairy tale conceit would hold up through multiple collections without feeling redundant, but this book proved me wrong. The poetry is beautiful, empowering, and incredibly timely. I was especially moved by the last 30-40 pages of this collection. I will be recommending this for purchase at the library where I work, and also recommending it to patrons and friends.

I really enjoyed this

The Witch Doesn't Burn in this One is the second collection of poetry from Amanda Lovelace and takes it up a step on the themes from the first one. Some of these themes include feminism, patriarchy, female empowerment, abuse and more.

In the first collection, the overarching theme was a princess slaying those dragons. This one's theme throughout each piece was witches at the stake fighting back from oppression. The second collection seems to be stronger (and sometimes harsher) than the first, but it's what made it better for me. That, and I really have an aversion to women be called princesses, so this collection did a much better job at grabbing my attention and holding it to the end.

The only part where it sort of breaks you out of the trance of reading is some of the pop culture references and pieces inspired by other pieces that quite a few readers may not recognize. Other than that, it's a solid piece of work that brings politics and social issues to the forefront without sacrificing creativity.

I really enjoyed The Witch Doesn’t Burn In This One by Amanda Lovelace. Her words are captivating, bold, and unapologetic. She is an empowering voice for others and uses her words to start fires many have been silenced out of making to save themselves. I felt so empowered after reading, nodding yes, and yelling THIS after reading so many poems. Her words are so necessary in modern poetry and literature. How have I not read her work sooner!? Getting my hands on her first collection ASAP and will be purchasing a personal hardcover of this once it releases.

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with this ARC for review.

I ADORE THIS BOOK!

FIVE HUGE stars all the way!

Amanda's poetry is such a gist to the world!

It can't get any more up close and personal than this. Amanda's poems are so incredibly direct and authentic and utterly intimate. reading her poetry feel like you are having a conversation with her. Strong, daring, challenging, and assertive. Just the way we should ALL react to sexism! With all consuming fire. Take no prisoners. No mercy

I didn't know how WITCH could surpass PRINCESS, but it did. I had tears in my eyes and a fire in my heart after reading the second book in this series. I am not a poetry person, at all. It makes me yearn for more writing like this, empowering words laid out in a thoughtful way that all people can understand. This needs to be taught and heard on audiobook. I am so moved by this title.

Beautiful and brilliant. Lovelace has absolutely done it again. She manages to grab a hold of you, and although you do not share all the experiences of life that she writes about, you can still connect to the feelings portrayed. Brilliant work and I'm looking forward to reading more from Lovelace in the future.

4.5

I love the idea of this collection of poetry being part of a series and a followup to The Princess Saves Herself in this One. The connections are deftly felt.

As with the first book, Witch is raw and gritty. I felt like the poems themselves were less internally personal for the poetess and more externally personal and empowering for women as a whole. Given the current discussions in the media t these poems are also quite timely, yet it's undeniable that these issues are ones that stem much longer than many of us can comprehend. Lovelace offers words of understanding while encouraging women to stand up to have our voices heard and condemns those who take advantage while promising they'll one day see vengeance enacted upon them.

I loved the open-eyed outlook the poems represent. I felt like, for the most part, the poems had a nice flow about them. There were a couple of times where I felt like a poem was misplaced in the sequence of things. Not that they weren't worthy of inclusion, but could have possibly been included in a different spot to keep the continuity going strong.

I look forward to seeing where Amanda Lovelace's poems lead us next.

I was so excited when I first got the ARC for this book. Amanda Lovelace's voice is so amazing to listen to. Her thoughts on abuse, misogyny, and violence vibrate so well through her writing. And although it takes on a dark and angry tone, the message still empowers women and challenges the ways of society. Although it is the sequel to the princess saves herself in this one, anyone can easily pick up this one and still understand everything Lovelace sheds a light on.

With a strong voice, Lovelace draws in references from other events from our time as well as the stories of women and speaks of how not to burn from the matchmaker boys.

THIS IS AMAZING. Even better than the first. Lovelace is coming along as a poet. Her tributes are powerful, her words are fiery, and her message is loud and clear.

“the witch doesn’t burn in this one” is a stunning and empowering poetry collection. While it doesn’t delve too much in Lovelace’s personal life like her first collection did, it still ends up being completely relatable and raw. You can feel Lovelace’s wrath towards anyone who has ever wronged a woman. This collection is about taking your power back and that’s exactly what I feel inspired to do.

Thank you Netgalley for an e-copy! The Witch Doesn’t Burn in this One is another great collection of poetry. I’m truly loving Amanda’s style, and this book’s very inspirational! Again, just like her first poetry book in this series I felt every single one of her emotions in every poem. The anger, strength, willpower, and determination that you read will make you want you put your own words onto paper. Definitely can’t wait for the next book!

I am a huge fan of Amanda’s previous poetry collection the princess saves herself in this one. I thought it was emotional, powerful, and honest. I loved it. But, I think the witch doesn’t burn in this one is far better. It’s angry, fiery, fierce, magical, and very empowering. It’s full of messages of self-love and uplifting other women. While her previous poetry collection seemed much more personal, this one is much broader. It mainly tackles misogyny, abuse, and rape culture. I love that this book has such an angry tone as if it literally doesn’t give a single fuck about men’s feelings and I loved that.

I also loved the symbolism of this collection and how Amanda used the witch trials to highlight how across time women have been accused of witchcraft when they haven’t fallen in line. It is dark and brutal full of blood and fire, but there are plenty of trigger warnings needed for this, which Amanda does list at the beginning.

Overall, an empowering and brilliant feminist poetry collection. Amanda Lovelace has definitely grown as a poet since her last poetry collection so if you loved the princess saves herself in this one, then you need to get your hands on the witch doesn’t burn in this one. I can’t wait for the next installment, the mermaid’s voice returns in this one. And I can’t wait to read whatever else Amanda writes in the future.

3,5 stars

One of the things when you step out of your comfort zone is that you can find remarkable things. Amanda Lovelace’s poetry certainly is that. This is only my second poetry collection I’ve read, but it certainly has not put me of it. On the contrary.

One of the things I knew before going in was that Amanda’s style would be quite different from the style of poems I read in The Goblin Market. Where there is more subtleness in those, Amanda’s poetry is in your face. With the topics she chooses to take on that is much needed. Feminism, abuse, patriarchy and so on are just a few things she touches upon. Things that are topics of discussion these days. That are current. Important. You can’t be subtle about those things. They wouldn’t listen.

The collection of poetry is divided into four sections. For me the second section called The Burning was the strongest. Poems like Abuse is Nothing to Romanticize, Expectations vs Reality and Everything is a Distraction are strong poems with so much needed messages that a lot of the current patriarchy do not want to hear.
While saying I enjoyed reading this poetry collection isn’t quite the right word, as a woman I felt strengthened and validated in my own experiences. And I haven’t even dealt with half of what other women have endured.

Having said that, I can’t quite rate this up to 4 stars. The reason for this is the filler content that is scattered throughout the collection. I don’t think the collection needs it and I think it takes out perhaps some of the punch. In a collection with about 200 pages it was just too much.

You know that moment when you get a book that you have plans to savor? Especially with poetry, where you’ll read a poem here or there, whenever the mood strikes. Next thing you know, you look up and time has passed and the book is over. That’s what happened when I got my hands on the witch doesn’t burn in this one by Amanda Lovelace (also known as ladybookmad). I devoured the collection in one sitting and I have zero regrets.

Last year I purchased her first collection, the princess saves herself in this one, not quite knowing what to expect, but willing to give a shot since I had heard a lot about the book through Tumblr. I was not disappointed. From the moment I opened the book, I was sold (No. Really. With a dedication to Harry Potter, how could I say no?). It was intense, with an overarching tone of sadness amidst the poems of overcoming the various trials.

But the witch doesn’t burn in this one has an entirely different mood to it. Again, I was sold from the beginning, but I quickly realized this collection was about empowerment, strength, and rebellion—just like the character of Katniss that Lovelace makes a nod to at the start.

Just like with the princess, this book knew right where to hit: the feels. Every time I thought, “This is it. This is the most relatable poem. This one is my favorite,” Lovelace one-upped herself and proved there was still more to come.

While the witch can easily be read by itself, it is my personal recommendation to read Lovelace’s first collection before beginning her sophomore release. Both are strong on their own, but the impact they make together is profound.

While poetry isn’t something I often reach for, a couple months ago I picked up The Princess Saves Herself In This One because of a booktuber’s recommendation, and loved it. So when I saw this sequel on Netgalley I just couldn’t help myself. This compilation of poetry is exactly what 2018 needed. It’s a lovely and daring reflection on what it means to be a woman. While you read, you can really feel the resentment toward the toxic masculinity of the patriarchy and also the underlying support that Amanda Lovelace is trying to build up under all women! Every poem felt raw and real and I finished this read with a sense of empowerment that I would really love to share with female readers everywhere! And while this is certainly a highly recommended book for female readers, I would suggest it just as highly to any of my male followers. The Witch Doesn’t Burn In This One simply has too many important messages for anyone to skip out on! Can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy of this book on March 6th when it is released.
.
*Spoilers -ish*
After the dedication to Harry Potter in the first book, I really, REALLY enjoyed the dedication to Katniss Everdeen in this sequel. Hats off, Amanda Lovelace, a truly lovely read.

The Witch Doesn't Burn in this One is a continuation collection from The Princess Saves Herself in this One, including even more empowering stories for women and girls to read about. The poetry in it is, of course, as amazing as the first in the series. It is moving and great for empowering females or just anyone who can relate. As with the first book, structurally it is split into 4 sections: 'the trial'; 'the burning'; 'the firestorm'; and 'the ashes'. The messages are still as important as in the first book, but I felt like I couldn't connect with the poems as well because they felt similar to the first.

Some of the pages truly stand out and make an important note, especially the pages surrounding sexual assault. The describe things we should discuss more openly but rarely are brave enough to, Amanda manages to portray these subjects in an incredibly moving way.

More detailed review on my website but this was definitely another collection of poems from Amanda that I adored!

I loved her first collection of poetry, but this was even better. Not only does lovelace capture the anger/fire metaphor well, but there are excellent references to current political and pop culture that make it timely. I loved the Hamilton/Game of Thrones/Handmaid's Tale shout-outs, but I know there are more. Plus, she actually says what they're from, so no inside jokes. Already pre-ordered.

This is the sequel to the first book and it was just as great or even better then the first. 
It goes into the loving of yourself, feminism, and many other topics that go deep into many things and truly move your heart. 
I give this 5/5 stars

It is hard to find the words to convey exactly how this book makes me feel, but I will try my best. I cried while reading this book from beginning to end. This book is a love letter to women and everything that we are. It is drowning in emotion and it is taking me with it. I think every woman should read this.

"get up, you are nobody's doormat"

Amanda always has the most beautiful writing styles, and her writing leaves me in tears in the best way!

Amanda did it again. Wow. I think I loved this more than Princess. It was the fire I needed to keep going and keep standing up for my sisters. I absolutely adored the red font. Red is the color of fire and blood, both of which we do. I loved the little nods toward witchy language and I'm calling my group of close friends my coven now, for sure.

I loved how she played with form more in this one and actually made symbols or pictures out of the words of her poems. I think there's a certain delight in reading an copy of this book purely for the lists of poems who start out with the same sentence or initial stanza. It was really cool to watch the transition on the computer and watch the bottom change. The sections were on point and I loved the story that introduced each section and continued as the over arching theme of the collection. I loved the small collections of poems within the overarching collection. Gosh, I can't wait for Mermaid and I really need it now.

I fell in love with Amanda Lovelace's writing after reading "The Princess Saves Herself in This One" That book helped me to learn love and forgiveness. "The Witch Doesn't Burn in This One" was the complete opposite. It taught me to embrace my reopened wounds, and harness my pain. It caused an eruption in my soul, and gave me a healthy way to feel anger and rage that I had bottle up. Amanda is an incredible writer, one who can elicit the most visceral response I've ever felt towards a poem. She thankfully does include a trigger warning, which is not to be ignored! Reading "Witch" was a surreal experience, many of the poems felt like they had come from my own mind, as they pinpointed my emotions so accurately. An emotional roller coaster, but worth it.

"The Witch Doesn't Burn in This One" is the feminist answer to centuries of male dominated poetry that relegate women to nothing more than fragile flowers and damsels in distress. Amanda Lovelace turns that narrative on it's head, a poetic Call-To-Arms of powerful women to embrace our flaws, and take our rightful place in the world. This is a book that will stay with me for the rest of my life, and I hope it helps other people as much as it helped me.

Thank you, NetGalley, for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

My second foray into contemporary free verse poetry went much better than my last, if my high rating is any indication. The Witch Doesn’t Burn in This One is my first read from Amanda Lovelace, covering topics ranging from historic female oppression to the 2017 Women’s March.

And I have to say, I thoroughly enjoyed myself.

At first I didn’t know what to expect and my hopes weren’t super high, but both Lovelace’s dedication and trigger warning at the very beginning made me sit up straighter. This is a woman who both knows and respects her audience, and the more I read, the more I realized that, yeah, I am getting feminist poetry from a female perspective. How novel! (You may think I’m being facetious, but I’ve had a lot of Male Feminism™ thrown in my face lately that has not been great, so this was a breath of fresh air in a room full of Axe body spray.)

Unlike my last poetry book, this one had structure. Glorious, beautiful structure. Not just with the poems themselves (and many of them were structured in interesting and unique ways) but the book as a whole. Lovelace splits her poetry into four parts: the trial, the burning, the firestorm, and the ashes, and within each of these parts, her poems build in ferocity, passion, and content. You really feel like each part is taking you somewhere, building you towards something.

With symbolism largely revolving around witch burnings, imagery of fire and ashes and the rage they come from abound, but I never got bored with it. It never devolves into the raging feminist stereotype for me. So much of it is about women taking back our power, expressing our anger, getting back at our oppressors, but the endgame is one of action, dedicated to leaving the world better than when we found it. There’s a lot of healing taking place.

That isn’t to say the poems pull their punches. Many deal with topics such as sexual assault, insecurity, eating disorders, fear, powerlessness, violence, and the venom that comes with them. They call out the patriarchy, the laughable “Not All Men” saying, and the 2016 US election. All the while, Lovelace pays tribute to women, both fictional and real, by name and by identity, regardless of race, religion, or gender. There are poems dedicated to Eliza Hamilton, Hillary Clinton, Diana Prince, Emma Sulkowicz, and many more that had me sitting there, stunned, when I realized who and what they were about.

So would I call this form of free verse real poetry? Well, poetry is about making you feel something. It’s about making you think and keeping you company. There were so many times I was nodding along, going, “Yeah. Yeah! YEAH!” in my head because the words and lessons in Lovelace’s work were so relevant to me. I have lived so much of this female experience, and I have seen other women go through the more terrible consequences that come with the crime of being born women.

I felt angry and heartbroken at times, but also hopeful and empowered AF. I felt called to action, both for societal change and for personal change, namely to always treat other women like family because they are. We’re all going through a lot of the same stuff and our differences can only enrich and teach us, not divide us. We are united in more ways than those who seek to oppress us want us to know.

Is this real poetry? You bet it is. Mission accomplished, Amanda Lovelace!

The Witch Doesn’t Burn In This One by Amanda Lovelace on Netgalley and holy shit. I am in love with it. I read it in one sitting. And plan to read it again tomorrow, I am not gonna lie. This is a picture of me after a heartbreak, a heartbreak that left me feeling shattered and alone. This is the first time after that, that I actually felt empowered and this was because of Amanda Lovelace’s first poetry collection that I read, The Princess Saves Herself in this one.
The Witch Doesn’t Burn in This One by Amanda Lovelace was amazing. I absolutely loved it, so much. I really connected with the poems, they were so raw and emotional and it seemed as if Amanda was talking right to me. As if she understood all the struggles I have been through and am still struggling with. It’s like she personally gave me a kick in the ass to become a badass and to overcome all my struggles and remind me of my worth. And remind me that my life is a gift. That being female is a gift and if other can’t see that it is on them and not me. I do not fail because somebody is unable to appreciate me. And I should never allow people to walk all over me.
I can’t wait for this poetry collection to be released because honestly Amanda Lovelace’s poems are my absolute favourites. They are the poems I turn to to give myself motivation and remind me of my worth. I am picking this collection up as soon as it is out of shelves. I highly recommend you do the same :)

I don't read poetry very often but I had read The Princess Saves Herself In This One by Amanda Lovelace before and loved it which is why I am grateful to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book! These poems are so empowering I literally got goosebumps reading some of them. Absolutely loved this collection and I would recommend it as a must-read for everyone.

Full disclosure: I received The Witch Doesn't Burn in This One from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

4 Stars

Amanda Lovelace’s writing has improved dramatically since The Princess Saves Herself in This One. Or at any rate I enjoyed it a great deal more than Princess.

Things I loved:
-The message: WOMEN ARE COMPLEX HUMAN BEINGS LIKE ANYONE ELSE. We can be rageful and vindictive too.
- The homages to classic like Christina Rossetti’s Goblin Market, Laurie Halse Anderson’s Wintergirls, and Lin Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton.
-The eating disorder representation was well - done and realistic.
-The emphasis on sisterhood and women strength
-That there is an included list of triggers

Things I wasn't crazy about:
-Amanda Lovelace’s style is a bit repetitive for my taste

Bottom line: I liked it and would recommend it

Thank you, NetGalley, for the review copy!

Poetry usually isn't my thing at all but after a bunch of people whose taste in books I really trust kept recommending "the princess saves herself in this one" I finally bought the book and am so glad I did. I loved it and have been looking forward to this second instalment in the "women are some kind of magic" series ever since.

And luckily "the witch doesn't burn in this one" is great! It's intense and raw, full of important things and feminist thoughts and while it didn't resonate with me as much as PRINCESS did, I still loved WITCH - a lot! There is sooo much great stuff in here, so many of these poems are timeless and relevant and inspiring.

Amazing book, awesome poetry and a definite recommendation! And now I can't wait for "the mermaid's voice returns in this one" …

Feminism is on the point. Provocative. Strong opinion of a woman. I love this so much because these poetry can inspired women to stand tall similar to men. To stand mighty and high like men. Keep producing these kind of poetry. No problem on a very simple and plain poetry, Anyone can read easily without needed any literature knowledge background.

"The Witch Doesn't Burn in this One" is a collection of poetry that any woman will be able to relate to. Through her poetry, Amanda Lovelace discussed topics such as love, accepting oneself, woman's rights, and other feminist topics. Each of these poems is very relevant in today's world. One thing I wish there was more of was personal stories. While I got a sense of the author's feelings on these topics, I do not feel like I got a look inside the author's head.

Caution warning: from the author: "sensitive material relating to: child abuse, intimate partner abuse, sexual assault, eating disorders, trauma, death, murder, violence, fire, menstruation, transphobia, and more."

Amanda Lovelace renewed my love of poetry with her first collection of poems, The Princess Saves Herself in This One. The amount of Post-its I used to mark up the meaningful parts baffles the mind. When I saw that her second book, The Witch Doesn't Burn in This One, was available on NetGalley I leaped at the chance to experience more of her intense, personal, beautiful words.

"haven't you

ever wished

you could

dance

in the ashes

of everyone who

ever doubted your worth

& scoffed at

your words?"




There are a lot of topics covered within the pages of this book and it's done so eloquently. Amanda knows words and her craft is executed well. There are poems where the meaning is deeper, some where it's surface level. There are lines that jump out at you for the accuracy they give.



"they don't even know what's coming. how cute."




I found a strong feminist voice coming through on the page. It faced off against toxic masculinity, against societal expectations; for women, for yourself. The content isn't only about the here and now. The Witch Doesn't Burn in This One reaches back in time and traces the path that women have carved out of history to the modern day and offers a view of how the present, the future, can be.



"they scratched it

out the history books,

but on all the

great innovations

you will find

scorch marks

in the shape of

a woman's

magnificent handprint.

do not forget:

we need to be

the history books

now.

- women are libraries about to burst"




There are moments that could be difficult to read and more than could be impactful, that will remind you that there is magic within, a fire that can ignite and inspire, consume, and empower.



"burn whoever tries to burn you."

- coven rule #2

An emotionally draining though uplifting and enraging read. Absolutely wonderful.

I’m not a huge fan of modern poetry... but when you relate to someone’s writing, to their experiences, to their message... you can’t help but love their words. 💕

If you loved her previous book, you will love this one EVEN MORE! It’s relatable, empowering, and completely amazing!

Overall rating: 4.0 stars

This collection is a love letter to the women who resist. It's a rallying cry for pushback against the patriarchy, against misogyny, and against the current administration. It's a reminder that women can go through trauma and come out of it stronger. Amanda Lovelace's poems are feel-good and fiery and feminist. They are also very accessible to those that may be a little scared of poetry. Lovelace is among the important poetic voices of a generation that are bridging the gap between traditionally published poetry and social media poetry. She's definitely a writer to watch.

I’ve read a bunch of poetry collections written by men this year, and each one attempted to adress sexism and feminism, and failed. They upset me, and made me angry. So of course I wanted to read Amanda’s new collection. I’m damn glad I did.

Amanda’s poetry style is the short, free form poetry most contemporary poets use. But unlike her first collection, this time her poems vary in length and slightly more in style. It helped make the collection balanced, and also carried out her specific themes and sections nicely (especially when she had parts I and II of poems).

I really appreciate the content of this collection, and the tone. It’s angry, it’s empowering. It seeks to expose or yell about all the shit women face in day to day life. It celebrates women, and condemns the men who treat us like were less than. It’s a collection on behalf of women and all the we haved faced throughout history. It’s also intersectional; in more than one poem it discusses different relgions, cultures, and sexual orientations (including transgender). These poems tell the world, especially men, that we’re taking up the mantle of our mothers and standing up. That we’re humans. End of story. We deserve respect.

I can’t properly put into words how much I enjoyed this poetry collection. It’s full of feminist rage and empowerment. We need all the empowerment we can get. Sexism is bullshit and rape culture is bullshit. Some of the poems come across really strong, and that may not be your cup of tea. But there is a trigger warned at the beginning of the book for rape, and other sensitive topics which I appreciated. Also, Amanda has a poem that says some women wear makeup because they want to and that it’s nobody’s business. Compared to a similar poem by a male which completely missed the fact that some women enjoy wearing makeup, Amanda’s poem is perfect.

"The Witch Doesn’t Burn In This One" is the feminist contemporary poetry collection we all need. If you’ve been reading countless male poets lately like me, please please please pick this up next. Men oversimplify things and are writing about feminism from a privileged perspective. So read more female poets. Definitely read this collection.

Amanda Lovelace has won my respect and my heart after a rollercoaster of a collection of poems in her first book, the princess saves herself in this one, and this following collection only adds to that. After her first novel that went over the many events of her life, I was able to grasp a portion of her life and it felt so full coverage I was wondering where she would go next with this book. She went deep and right into feminism and I couldn't have been happier and more appreciative.

Empowerment is more important than ever and so is speaking up about women's rights and equality, especially as seen with all the talk of movements like #MeToo and the Women's March. The entire collection was also incredibly relatable. Her first book was relatable but applied pretty specifically to the events she lived through, but this one spread to include what many women face daily.

I felt such a strong connection to these words and they really tugged at my heart and pushed my brain and I could feel this string that tied all women together: the experiences I had went through without even realizing how many other girls did too .(Not the cases like rape or catcalling necessarily but the more of the subtle things of being told to smile, subconsciously taking up less space, etc.)

I know guys might be like, I'm not a girl why should I read this, but I would recommend for boys to read this as well, it shows you just how much women have to go through to reach the equality most guys are born with. Girls, please pick this up, you deserve to know how powerful you are, despite race, religion, physical appearance, etc. , because women truly are some kind of magic.

This is a love song written for women!! Wowwwww!! I feel empowered, recharged and motivated to change the world after reading this.

So good. Such an inspiration for women- magic, light, strength. Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced copy.

I was so excited to read an advanced copy of this collection. Being a fan of The Princess Saves Herself in This One, Amanda Lovelace didn’t disappoint. The references to The Hunger Games and The Handmaids Tail as well as political commentary were fantastic. Lovelace sends a powerful message of the need for women to build one another up. I can’t wait for her third collection to come out. *ARC provided by NetGalley

I recently read The Princess Saves Herself In This One, and was completely stunned by everything about it. I loved Amanda’s writing style and the story it told as it unravels. It actually brought me to tears, or should I say sobs. When I saw this one on Netgalley I had to give it a try and request it. Let me tell you I was NOT disappointed. I loved this one even more than the first. The writing is impeccable and really spoke to me in ways I can’t get out on paper.
Poetry is a pretty new thing to me, and I want to read ALL the poetry out there! After reading this one, it’s going to be so hard to live up to my idea of amazing poetry. I loved the fact that the author had trigger warnings, just in case you are sensitive to certain topics. I feel that is completely necessary in this day in age. I definitely found this one as a more feminist read than her first, and I loved it!
I found this one extremely empowering and inspirational. If you are new to poetry I feel like this is a wonderful place to start. It was a stunning and emotional read and I would highly suggest reading her first book of poetry before entering into this one. I feel the first was a stepping stone into the amazingness that is this book!

Amanda Lovelace crafts beautiful poetry and imagery within these words.

Often times it felt familiar and overdone as far as structure and poetic style go; however, the message was needed. It was understood clearly.

If you want to feel empowered, please pick up this book. Encourage women to read it, so they understand that there’s a fire within them that must not be extinguished. Let it crackle and flame as it spreads and defends womankind from the abuse it has withstood for too long.

Happy reading. (also, the trigger warnings are rightfully placed. keep this in mind, for there are sensitive topics.)

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy.

This book is on fire! A poetry collection that speaks so much truth it just gets you to the core of everything you’ve always wanted to say—everything you’ve thought about and more. Amanda (@ladybookmad) has crafted an EMPOWERING message to all. She magically weaves ALL the topics that challenge us today with love & respect. I cannot stress how much I love this book. I felt such raw surge of energy--that seriously made me feel like I could fly.

The Witch Doesn’t Burn in This One is a great array of poems that left me feeling bold and empowered. It was a nice, quick read that was very well written.

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

I really enjoyed this book. It goes well with many of the issues that have been in the media recently, particularly the #metoo movement. I think this book will be relatable for many women, and encourage them to be themselves, and not change for a man. I like how she wrote it with a theme in mind, and all the poems connected to the theme, whilst being distinct. I plan to purchase a copy for my classroom when it is released. My students have been loving the new style of poetry lately, and I can definitely see this one being popular too.

I read this book in about an hour and a half, so it's a poetry book you can fly through. There were parts in the beginning that whilst I loved the feminist slant, i didn't connect to. But the middle and ending were much better. I love the intersectionality of the poems and the look into rape culture and the misogny in the media. I also really liked how much this focused not just on personal issues but the issues that join us together as women, and how we can protect one another. Taking inspiration from recognisable places like the handmaid's tale or Hillary clinton's election campaign really elevated the second half and opened it up to everyone. It isn't the most fantastic poetry book i've ever read, but I would now be interested in reading the author's first book.

Amanda Lovelace has once again made an inspiring masterpiece. For me, The Witch doesn't burn in this one is by far my favorite out of her work. The way she handled such sensitive topic in a raw and inspiring way makes this book all the more relatable. You can feel the pain, you can sense the struggles, and the anger, and the sadness..everything. It inspires girls to stand for themselves, to work together to achieve everything that has been taken from us. We as women are the worst coven and nobody should mess with us because we bite back. One may not be into poetry, but I truly recommend this book.

Award-winning poet Amanda Lovelace is back with The Witch Doesn't Burn In This One, the follow up to The Princess Saves Herself In This One in the Women Are Some Kind Of Magic series. The collection of poems will be published on March 6th 2018 by Andrews McMeel Publishing.


Blurb:

The witch: supernaturally powerful, inscrutably independent, and now—indestructible. These moving, relatable poems encourage resilience and embolden women to take control of their own stories. Enemies try to judge, oppress, and marginalize her, but the witch doesn’t burn in this one


Lovelace commands language in a way that is dark and painful, yet holds beauty in the anger that permeates throughout the book. It's the wrath of a woman fed up with the shit she has been dealt, and that of her fellow women.


Her modern style of writing is at times blunt, raw and honestly shocking in a way that truly makes you think. It calls out society, rape culture, abuse and all things taboo and lays it bare in the powerful words she chooses.


With the current #MeToo and #TimesUp campaigns this book truly is a book worth reading when it comes to feminist poetry and the power of a woman's voice when we stand up for ourself, when we decided enough is enough.


I throughly enjoyed reading this book. The language and emotion Lovelace uses had me in tears and laughter several times. Her poetry is relatable, and unabashedly forward when she talks about the problems women, and the world, face in changing our views on a mirriad of topics.


The message here is clear, and Lovelace is screaming it from the rooftops; we are powerful and we will not burn.


4.5/5 stars


I received this eARC in exchange for an honest review. Thoughts expressed are purely my own.

I haven’t read The Princess Saves Herself in This One, although it has been on my radar since it was published. I was thrilled to receive a copy of The Witch Doesn’t Burn in this One from the publisher and NetGalley – thank you!

I enjoyed this collection of poetry for several reasons. It is accessible to all (poetry lovers and haters alike) as the writing is straightforward. The shortness of each poem drives the collection along quickly, and I swear the rapidness of my page-flipping could have started its own tiny fire of feminism. There were several poems that I bookmarked, including "get up, you are nobody’s doormat", "the plot twist we’ve all been waiting for", "warning I", "i refuse to pretend anymore", "fragile masculinity", and so many more (those are just the first 5 bookmarks of 17). This collection speaks to the troubling society we are currently living in and does not shy away from the uncomfortable. It is important and empowering, and I think it will speak to all women who read it (and perhaps some men).

This collection is not receiving a full five-star review from me, as I found some of the poems a bit repetitive and less substantial. These poems would have been good on their own, but within the context of the collection they fell a little flat. I also am starting to dislike the trend of putting the title at the end of the poem, as frequently done in this collection. I understand that writing the title in this way incorporates it into the body of the poem more and adds an extra punch to the poem, but I’m tired of it. However, this opinion has not impacted my rating of the collection, as it would be unfair to judge a stylistic choice based on my personal opinion.

Having read this collection, I am excited to go back to read Lovelace’s first collection and whatever she writes in the future.

Ever since I heard about The Princess Saves Herself in this One, I've been wanting to read it badly. I am lucky enough to be approved for a copy of The Witch, and since this is the first poetry by the author I read, I don't know what to expect.

However, based on the notion of witch and the quote at the back of the book, I expect a powerful and burning poetry. This collection meet those expectations, and even went beyond. They are full of anger and rage, of being repressed and following what other's want. Of being blamed and repressed for just being a women, for just be. But they are also filled with hope that we can love and reclaim ourselves, encouragement to do just that, and support fellow sisters. It give us a sense of support, that we are not alone in the experience, and there is something wrong and we can start to make it better by reclaiming ourselves.

I understand that poetry works differently for each reader, but this one is very powerful to me and I am very grateful for the opportunity to read it.

the witch doesn't burn in this one is Amanda Lovelace's second and highly anticipated poetry collection in her 'women are some kind of magic' series. Carrying on in true Lovelace fashion, the witch doesn't burn in this one explores women's rights, and how they are oppressed within society.

The witch: supernaturally powerful, inscrutably independent, and now—indestructible. These moving, relatable poems encourage resilience and embolden women to take control of their own stories. Enemies try to judge, oppress, and marginalize her, but the witch doesn’t burn in this one.

the witch doesn't burn - in my opinion - is way better than the princess saves herself in this one. TWDBITO explores the ancestry of women and focuses more on a woman's relationship with herself rather than physical or emotional abuse that she may have suffered. I am in no way saying that Lovelace talking about physical and emotional abuse is boring/rubbish, because it isn't, it's just that I can relate to TWDBITO more than the princess.

Whilst I was reading this poetry collection, I bookmarked so many poems that really captured my heart. By that I mean the poems that I could really relate to, not in a broad sense because that would have been nearly every single one, but the poems that seemed like they came right out of my autobiography. And there was a lot! I wish that I could share with you all of the poems that I loved, but in order to do that, you should just go out and buy the collection, otherwise, I would be writing down nearly every single poem in this blog post. But I've picked out a couple for you that really sum up what this poetry collection is like:

over the span

of centuries

animals evolve to

survive their surroundings,



so

what happens

when women

finally



learn

to

throw

back?

(this.)
(this.)
(this.)
(this.)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

women

learn

to sense

what who

danger

looks like

just

by catching

another

woman's eye

from across

a crowded

room.

- survival


I have heard (and read) a lot of debate surrounding this type of poetry, with people calling it 'Tumblr spacing' and saying that anyone could do it and get published. My answer? Do it then. Try and see how easy it is to put your deepest and darkest secrets down onto paper and turn them into fluid yet snappy poetry that people across the world can relate to. It's hard. And anyway, what is the definition of poetry? It doesn't have to rhyme or look a certain way or talk about a certain subject. Poetry can be/look/sound anything that you want it to be and modern poets have done exactly that; Amanda included.

I think the whole reasoning behind why I thought the second collection was better than the first is because it focused on women empowering themselves through joining together, like the women's marches. I loved that Lovelace included politics in her poetry and it was nice to see recent problems being included. It meant that I could really relate to the poetry and 100% understand what Lovelace was on about because she was using contemporary examples.

I can't wait for the third poetry collection to come out, and the title of the third on is the mermaid doesn't lose her voice in this one. I can't wait to see what else Lovelace has to offer.

Disclaimer: this book was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Amanda Lovelace is incredible.
If you've read The Princess Saves Herself in This One, you already know The Witch Doesn't Burn in This One is a MUST READ.

Lovelace writes poetry that is relatable and powerful. She conveys so much emotion with her short poems. Her poems make me feel as though I am a part of a strong sisterhood of women supporting women. This collection is full of feminist fire. I loved every single page.

I usually don't love writing that feels like it is making very generalized assumptions about men, but every once in a while, reading powerful feminist poetry is just what I need.


"walls
should
only
be built
to keep out
flammable
tyrants.

-& we will ensure that he fails."

This was a wonderful read with hot tea flowing during a lazy March storm. I am not a poetry aficionado, but the feminist themes of Ms. Lovelace's work drew me to her, and I will absolutely be recommending this collection.

Amanda Lovelace writes so strongly about female power that, after reading these poems - and all the tips sewed into them- I feel empowered. Like I can finally deal with things I haven't been able to deal with for y e a r s.

After reading both The Princess Saves Herself in this One and The Witch Doesn't Burn in this One it is clear that Amanda is taking us on a journey of self-acceptance, self-love and sisterhood. She teaches her readers about pain, rough times and empathy. She teaches about forgiving yourself, not forgiving others when they don't deserve forgiving and about j u s t getting through the day.

And sometimes that's all we need.

I'll admit that I haven't read the princess saves herself in this one, but since I began dipping my toes in modern poetry, I knew I wanted to give Amanda Lovelace a try. the witch doesn't burn in this one is powerful, even in its brevity. It is a call to arms, a knowing glance shared by two women who've never met, an "I see you" to those who feel invisible. There was something so validating about reading this collection and if Lovelace's first book was anything like this I'm sure fans won't be disappointed.

Provided at the beginning was a list of trigger warnings, which I will copy here:
"child abuse, intimate partner abuse, sexual assault, eating disorders, trauma, death, murder, violence, fire, menstruation, transphobia & more."

the witch doesn’t burn in this one is the sequel to Amanda Lovelace's debut poetry book that took the world by storm a few years ago - the princess saves herself in this one.
"Enemies try to judge, oppress, and marginalize her, but the witch doesn’t burn in this one," is what the synopsis says, and it's honestly true.

I received an eARC through Netgalley, courtesy of Andrew McMeels Publishing, in exchange for an honest review.

the witch doesn’t burn in this one is split into four parts — trial, burning, firestorm, and ashes.

Please note that it needs content warnings for child abuse, intimate partner abuse, sexual assault, eating disorders, trauma, death, murder, violence, fire, menstruation and transphobia. The author and I both recommend practicing self care before, during and after you read the witch doesn’t burn in this one.

One poem in particular stands out in the witch doesn’t burn in this one for me, and I think really speaks to the theme of this trilogy.

“Over the span

Of centuries

Animals evolve to

Survive their surroundings,

So,

What happens

When women

Finally

Learn

To

Throw

Back

(This.)” - prophecy II

Where Lovelace's first book dealt a lot with the pain she's dealt with in her life, the witch doesn’t burn in this one channels that pain into rage.

The Amanda Lovelace choker collab has been listed, 50% of profits are donated to RAINN https://t.co/Ptdmn0W4sE pic.twitter.com/zezSFOzZio

— Raven Beads (@raven_beads) 3 March 2018



Lovelace also changes up her format a little bit to go a little bit heavier on the prose poetry, and it works well. She doesn't pull a single punch in the witch doesn’t burn in this one, and I loved every page.

My favorite poem is she, near the middle of the book.

I highly recommend fans of Rupi Kaur and Nayyirah Waseed read this collection as well as the princess saves herself in this one. I know that I personally will be eagerly awaiting the third book, the mermaid's voice returns in this one when it releases next year.

I actually quite liked this poetry collection, though slightly less than the first one. The overarching theme of female empowerment was refreshing, and well, empowering. I just felt so inspired throughout reading the entire thing, so much I literally flew through it. I love the messages in this poetry book and the homages to certain people and other works. It was very masterful and well done. My only problem was that a few poems just didn't click well or sound right in my head. That is likely just a personal opinion. Again, just a few poems I wasn't the biggest fan of. I loved every other one with all of my heart. I would highly recommend this to just about everyone.

Loved It! If you're a female and you want to feel empowered, you have to read this book!

This is Amanda Lovelace’s second poetry collection, after ‘the princess saves herself in this one’. This collection is just as enjoyable as her first, and this one is a unique concoction of politics, anger, cultural references and feminism.

I love how Amanda’s poetry is so powerful and personal - her words suck you in to her world and make you *feel*. This poetry is also timely, with topics such as the Trump administration and the Women’s marches, with homages to Hamilton, The Handmaid’s Tale and The Hunger Games.

Highly recommended.

This is the second poetry collection in Amanda Lovelace's Women Are Somekind of Magic series. Similar to its predecessor themes are pretty heavy and Lovelace does begin the book with a trigger warning; some of the poems were particularly relevant from references to popular culture and (fairly) recent events like the 2017 women's marches; the main theme of women historically being persecuted as witches is explored from both a misogynistic oppressive viewpoint but also one of strength and empowerment and a reminder of what of owed to the women which have previously fought to get women's rights to where they are today.

I read this in one sitting and found it to both extremely powerful and a bit of an emotional roller-coaster, I gave this five stars and actually enjoyed it more than The Princess Saves Herself in This One (which I also gave 5 stars to).

One of my person favourites:
red lipstick:
an eternal sign
of internal
fire

- we tried to warn you

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review

Amanda Lovelace returns with her sophomore poetry collection and does not disappoint. Leaving behind the softness of her previous collection, the princess saves herself in this one, the witch doesn't burn in this one holds back no emotion. Anger and a need for both redemption and revenge ripples through the collection as the narrator comes to terms with their own self-worth and past traumas. 

Broken down into four sections--the trail, the burning, the firestorm, and the ashes--strong themes of anti-patriarchy smolder through images of women being burned at the stake. With each poem, the narrator's power grows as she begins to acknowledge the history of how women have been treated all along and how the present and past mirror each other. Women may not be physically burned at the stake, but it doesn't mean they're not still hunted. That there isn't still work to be done to ensure a bright future for the women who will come after us. 

Written in a style akin to spoken-word poetry, it is easy to hear Lovelace's voice, and the emotion behind the words, in each poem. Part thank you to the women who came before her, part reminder to her fellow poets to keep going, and part warning to all those who would cause harm, Lovelace makes her readers sit up and take notice. She may be a princess, but she's also a witch: someone not to be underestimated. Someone who is just getting started.

I didn't really enjoy this book until the second half. Personally it just didn't resonate with me in the way I hoped that it would. I particularly like part three though, and that, as well as the fantastic imagery and evocative phrasing, is what redeemed this book for me.

I gave this book 5 stars. I loved this book as much as I loved the first one. It was full of empowerment towards all women. Full of clever metaphors that made everything 10 times better.

I’ve seen a lot of reviews where readers give this author shit for the way she chose to write her poetry, saying it isn’t real poetry because of how she had her line spacing and the way she chose to present it on paper. I think that’s utter bullshit. There is this thing called a Poetic License meaning you can express these emotions and stories in any way you would like. There are no rules to poetry and the fact that so many people are saying it isn’t real poetry tells me that they know nothing about poetry. Now that I’ve said my piece on that, let’s get to the actual contents of this book.

I felt incredibly empowered after reading this, I don’t care what people say about this, but this book made me feel so powerful. It kind of reminds me of that book from Friends that the girls read and got all empowered as women.

I love the use of metaphor in this book. It’s like I’m reading a fantasy that also applies to real life. I’ve always wanted to be a witch.

To read this novel, you don’t have to read The Princess Saves Herself in This One, but I would highly recommend you doing so. It’s a great lead in to this one.

This poetry collection does cover a something very controversial- the Trump Presidency. I personally don’t like Trump or anything he’s been doing, he scares me. His followers scare me. I feel like it was important for the author to broach current events in her poetry, I’m glad she did it. It gave substance to what she was trying to say.

This book is for the feminists out there. Would highly recommend this one.

What I really enjoyed about this poetry collection is the straight-forwardness and feminist aspect. The poems can be empowering, even those which deals with rape, abuse and other crappy stuff.

I'm pretty sure you have witchcraft running through your veins
- women are some kind of magic

I was excited to read the Witch doesn't burn in this One! I read and loved The Princess Saves Herself in this One! I enjoyed reading The Witch doesn't burn in this one just as much! It makes you feel proud to be a woman, as well as inspired and powerful! One of my favorite poems out of the collection was this one.

They scratched it out of the history books
but on all of the great innovations
you will find scorch marks in the shape of a woman's
magnificent handprint
do not forget we need to be the history books now.
-women are libraries about to burst

This poetry collection is powerful, raw and beautiful. I think every woman should read this collection of poems.

I received an ebook copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Easily the most powerful poems I have read this year, or last year, and probably the year before that as well.

This is probably because I have not read Amanda Lovelace before, in any of the aforementioned years.

Amanda has taken the trope of witchcraft and witch-burning to weave a collection of poems that deal with issues like abuse and shaming and identity. My favourite poems were the ones that dealt with fat-shaming, something I am learning how to deal with, now that I am fat. Thank you, for writing those, Amanda.

Some of the poems are very visual - taking shapes of flower petals, or letters that melt - not illustrations as such, but words that are shaped or designed in a certain way. There is one poem which is just pen scratches - you have to read it yourself to experience it. I kept turning the pages for stunning poetry like this. Some pages had me stunned for seconds, maybe even minutes. Powerful, stunning, unapologetic, savage. Some poetry may leave you in tears, or provoke pyromania.

I have a digital review copy of this, but I'm definitely going to buy a print copy so I have something to cuddle with on the evenings I need some tender cuddling.

Oh wait, seems I forgot to use the f-word. Feminist. There you go.

First off, in no way is my rating objectively reviewing this collection on technicalities (I'm not a fan of how modern poetry is written and this was no exception), it's purely based on how much I enjoyed this book. That being said, this was one angry, uplifting, witchy, women celebratory book and I really liked reading it! In comparison to Lovelace's first poetry collection, The Princess Saves Herself in this One, this collection had much more pronounced feminist, anti-patriarchy, themes incorporated in the poetry, interlinked with other themes such as body image issues, domestic abuse, rape, societal pressure on what is expected of women and finally self-love. The diversity of themes in this collection is actually what kept me going because it did get repetitive on the witchy part and although I loved it, at certain points I was just too full of it already. Nevertheless, I liked how not only every poem was linked with the greater theme of the book but also how two three poems in quick succession maintained thematic similarity and made the flow of the book quite on point.

I really liked the coven rules and the specific 'homage'/'dedicated' poems that the author wrote. However, some poems/prose was so raw and evocative whereas others were just meh. Some poetry could very well be prose and even though some pieces which are termed as poetry did communicate what they wanted, they just were not poetry to me and that is even worse than pointless words because I understand what the author is trying to do with this but I just cannot accept it as 'poetry'.

Example:

"red lipstick:
battle cry.
battle cry.
battle cry."
- we tried to warn you II

Also, this had some problematic stuff like in the piece, 'did you really think you'd get to mourn the house you set aflame?', the author kind of bashes men who are trying to bring awareness to gender inequality issues by writing the stories of women because she says that their stories lack the essential 'smoke'. But then again that's the author's opinion and one thing that poetry will always be is, opinionated.

Despite these issues and some others, I enjoyed reading this collection because it was very inclusive and empowering, some of the poems can actually be used as self-help chants. It celebrates modern women: mother of dragons, breaker of societal shackles and forever unburnt witches. I felt like I was reading this with a room full of inspiring women surrounding me and that's a feat for the author!

P.S. for some reason while i was reading this, the image of khaleesi with her dragons breathing fire in the background persisted in my mind lol

The witch doesn’t burn in this one tells a story.
A story of strength, a story of feminism, a story of women.

I don’t know what to add. Feminism is everything and this book was everything. Made me feel a lot.

Also, FINALLY, a book that starts with trigger warnings.

Wow, I absolutely loved this! And I was not entirely expecting to because usually I just do not 'get' poetry, but I still keep trying. Anyway, I have seen a lot of people give this book lower ratings because they don't like the 'modern' poetry style of this book, and I totally understand that because poetry is so subjective but I think it's what allowed me to really get into this. This is less what you would generally think of as poetry and more like ...almost really just prose but the way she breaks up the lines and arranges the words on the page are what gives it a more poetic feel and way of being read.

This is great for me because I kind of hate poems that rhyme and also that use long flowery words because I never know what they are actually saying. This style of poetry is very up front and direct and I think it fits the subject matter very well because it's just hard to sound angry when you're rhyming. There's a long list of trigger warnings at the beginning [basically everything you would expect from a poetry collection on women's rights] but I thought all of the topics were handled incredibly well and respectfully. I never read the first one because like I said I am so hit or miss on poetry, but I am definitely going to go pick it up now

After finishing this book, I am struck by the same sense of awe that I felt after reading Lovelace’s first poetry collection, the princess saves herself in this one. Her voice is such a strong one, and as you read her words you feel this overwhelming sense of strength and empowerment, and it makes you want to scream from the top of your lungs. I love how the simplicity of Lovelace’s poems contrasts with difficult subject matters, and I also love how she draws from her personal experience when writing- it means that the poems are raw and show so much vulnerability, but this makes them all the more relatable.

My only critique of this collection is that to begin with, the poems play very heavily on the witch-burning theme, to the point where the metaphors seem a tad overdone and the poems a bit forced. However, as you continue to read you can see that Lovelace comes into her own, and you begin to recognise the familiarity of her voice. So if you read this and at first don’t connect with it, I’d definitely recommend continuing, as halfway through it really begins to shine. You won’t regret it.

(As a side note, I also love the fact that at the beginning of this collection, there is a list of trigger warnings. This is so important, and makes the book accessible to just that many more people. Lovelace is amazing.)

I liked this one more than the princess saves herself in this one. Maybe I didn't pay that much attention to that one or maybe it didn't have the same impact as it would have if I hadn't read it so close to milk & honey by Rupi Kaur (which I thought was better). Whichever the case, this sequel was better. The message of feminism, female empowerment and independence felt stronger and louder and the poems felt more meaningful.

There were some of them with which I couldn't identify because they involved experiences that I've never had, but nevertheless I was empathic towards the author. At first it may seem a bit "dumb" or "not real poetry," but with each poem the book takes form little by little and it sets a fire inside you that you won't be able to extinguish.

I really enjoyed this collection of poetry. I felt as if the poet was very angry about things that had happened in her life, and her only release was to write about it. She visited several major issues happening in today’s society. I feel as if this poetry will help many women on their path to recovery and dealing with their pain. This collection of poetry should be read by every woman, not only those dealing with abuse, rape, etc.

I really enjoyed Lovelace's first collection of poetry, and was very eager to read her second. She's noticeably grown in this one. She's still building on the themes from the first book, of feminism, moving beyond pain, and learning to love herself. There's also a lot of anger here, and I suspect much of the poetry was written post November 2016. But she takes that anger and uses it as fuel, and it surges throughout the entire collection. Whereas the first book felt very cathartic and reflective, this one felt like a call to arms.

The princess returns with a fiery vengeance in this one and I am here for it!

The Witch Doesn’t Burn in This One is Amanda Lovelace’s second poetry collection, as well as the second book in her Women Are Some Kind of Magic series, and I absolutely loved it.

I adored her first book of poetry, The Princess Saves Herself In This One, and have been eagerly anticipating the release of her second collection ever since I finished reading Princess. But as breathtaking as Princess was, I think I liked this book even more. Amanda has grown as a writer, and it really shows in her second book.

Amanda is an amazingly talented writer, and her poems have a way of making me feel empowered and ready to take on the world. Both of her books, although different in many ways, are equally emotional and empowering. Princess was a more personal read, and although it was still very much about feminism and giving a voice to women, Witch really shined when it came to showcasing the power of women.

Amanda skilfully crafted together a passionately angry collection of feminist poems that were thought provoking and inspiring. This collection was so liberating, and made me want to go out and burn things and shout inspirational things about feminism and the rights of women to anybody who cared enough to listen.

I can honestly say that I have felt even more powerful ever since I finished reading this book, and I am so happy that this inspiring book exists.

Amanda is taking the poetry world by storm, and I cannot wait to find out what she has in store for us next!

Much like "The Princess Saves Herself in This One" Amanda Lovelace writes about feminism with a pleasant and appreciated level of intersectionality and care; she touches on topics like race. rape, abuse, romanticization of abuse, body-shaming, transphobia, menstruation, rape culture, eating disorders, and more. Her thoroughness is the reason I keep coming back to her writing as well as her unapologetic nature and her intensely relatable approach.

However, despite my appreciation for all of the above, there were still a few issues that prevented me from committing to a full five star review, namely repetition. It felt to me that there were direct ideas and even phrases that were used repeatedly in a way that felt a bit clunky rather than intentional and it lifted me out of the tone and the overarching narrative that the book seems to have. It disrupted that flow enough to where I feel that this book did not have the same emotional impact on me as "The Princess Saves Herself in This One" did—which left me weeping and raw.

Her writing style is also unique in that I feel that it is both very conversational but still very clearly reads as one expects poetry to read in pacing and phrasing. It bridges a gap between talking intimately with a friend and expressing emotion in a way that only poetry seems to be able to do. A lot of people dislike the simple style and claim that it is not very good poetry, but I disagree wholeheartedly. One of the things that makes Lovelace's collections so powerful is that it is like reading a whole book that is made up of poems. It is like I sat down and spoke to someone about a shared pain and a shared healing and there were moments that stood out on their own, but the whole conversation was a whole and important. I can't wait to see more from this poet!

Enjoyed this set of poetry, although it doesn’t resonate with me as well as the first poetry collection did. But anything with Witch in the title is a love for me!

4.5/5 Stars

Last year I fell hard for Amanda Lovelace's first poetry collection and knew I'd be clamoring for any new works she published. That's why I jumped at the chance to read The Witch Doesn't Burn in this One early. Taking on the broader topic of womanhood, Lovelace delivers an intense and inspiring treatise that should set the world ablaze and I've got five reasons why below.

Top 5 Reasons The Witch Doesn't Burn in this One is Fire
1. Empowering. Honestly these poems made me feel like I could do anything. All of the emotion was fuel to my soul and my passions bubble over just thinking about these words.
2. Sisterhood. Women supporting women, forever and always. Women understand the difficulties their sisters face and are best qualified to have their backs. These poems spoke to this while remaining inclusive.
3. Timely. We're living in a time where women are taking back their power and these poems speak to the very heart of what's happening in the world. Lovelace addresses abuse, assault, eating disorders, and more important topics that need to be seen.
4. Self-Love. With constant bombardment from outside sources it's hard to look inwards, but practicing self-care and self-love are extremely important. These poems were excellent reminders to put myself first.
5. Fire. The metaphors to flame spread through this collection capture perfectly the anger and rage women have held in for so long. Also the connections to history especially the Salem Witch Trials were incredibly poignant.

Overall The Witch Doesn't Burn in this One by Amanda Lovelace was a powerful collection of poetry centering women and their experiences. The fire was fierce and her words spoke volumes. It invokes such visceral emotion and I couldn't put it down. I highly recommend this one as well as her first collection, The Princess Saves Herself in this One, and cannot wait to buy a copy for my shelf.

I liked this book so much more than Amanda’s first book. It seemed more authentic and it spoke to me more. And I loved the witch theme throughout the poems and the comparison of the hate of feminism to witch burning. It spoke to my soul and I will re-read this book again and again when life seems overwhelming.

I received a free advanced copy of this book from NetGalley for review consideration.

It's not terribly often that I read a book of poems that is so intensely easy to relate to, but Amanda Lovelace has written exactly that. I've only read excerpts from "the princess saves herself in this one," but it already seems that Lovelace has grown as a poet. She's got some exceptional turns of phrase in this collection, and it is especially satisfying to read these verses if you are a survivor of an abusive relationship.

I was a bit hesitant to read this poetry collection since I wasn't thrilled with her previous work, The Princess Saves Herself in this One. But I do want to read more poetry so I went for it and I liked The Witch Doesn't Burn In This One a lot more.

This poetry collection focuses a lot on feminist themes, flame similes, and the archetype of the witch/ bad girl. I found that The Princess Saves Herself in this One was a bit too dark for me with all the themes of cancer, rape, and body issues, whereas The Witch Doesn't Burn In This One did have some dark themes but the main message was empowerment. I found myself bookmarking a lot more quotes and getting the chills while reading The Witch Doesn't Burn In This One.

I just felt so empowered while reading this collection of poetry. If Katniss Everdeen read poetry, I think she would be a hardcore fangirl of The Witch Doesn't Burn In This One. Highly recommend if you're looking for some empowering feminist poetry with fantastical themes.

I started following Amanda Lovelace's writing after recieving her first book, the princess saves herself in this one, from a book club i was in at the time. Her poems about the princess who through finds her rescue to herself rather blew me away, and the witch doesn't burn in this one followed suit. This is the second installment in the women are some kind of magic-series.

Disclaimer: I received this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Unlike it's predecessor, which pages told of loss yet eventual survival, the witch doesn't burn in this one tells of rage and revenge - both from the witches burned long since, and from their descendants. It desplayes the power of anger in a way women's narratives so rarely do - anger about people who have hurt them, about discrimination making for a constant uphill battle, about a world seemingly not made with them in mind. I'm also thrilled to se the explicit inclusion of trans woman in the text - an issue that is far too often forgotten by feminist prose.

The writing style, whilst definetly interesting, is somehow manages to be it's own strength and downfall all at once. Feeling more like slam poetry than anything else, you can tell the words are very deliberativly picked and far stronger together than any of them could be on their own, but it felt, to me at least, that the text would've held so much more had it been performed rather than just read. Of course, having someone go around and read every poem to every person wanting to hear them is a bit much to expect, but, somehow, I was still the feeling that it could've been "more", which, incidentally, made the text in itself feel lacking.

I loved this poetry collection even more than Amanda Lovelace's first one. The poems felt very current and were easy to connect with. I would highly recommend it.

This was a great sophomore release by Amanda, and, from beginning to end, it was an empowering read!

This collection of various stories from different authors about witches were interesting to read. I enjoyed some stories more than others but there are a variety of topics and characters that can captivate anyone. Some of the authors in this book have made me want to look up them individually and read more of their work. I look forward to another collection of stories of this caliber, perhaps for a different magical or supernatural being, such as mermaids.

the witch doesn’t burn in this one is a poetry collection about feminism, being confident, rape and many more inspiring subjects.


the witch doesn’t burn in this one is the first poetry collection I read written by Amanda Lovelace and I cannot wait to read her first book, the princess saves herself in this one. Amanda Lovelace’s poetry is so beautiful and inspiring and I couldn’t stop reading!


My favourite poems from the collection are:

the best kept
secret.
but i owe some things to myself, too.
trouble trouble.
survival.
you are your own lighthouse.
we tried to warn you.
they wanted us weak but they forced us to be strong.
my body rejects your desires.
expectations vs. reality.
everything is a distraction.
how to prevent getting sexually assaulted.
how to prevent sexually assaulting someone.
what men dream about.
she.
things i will struggle to say & that’s okay.
a witch knows mirrors do sometimes lie.
we need you here & whole.
your winter will come to an end.
no one will be left in dark, dusty corners.

I didn't think I would like it as much as I did. Due to the general hype around Milk and Honey, I've kept away from poetry books because I just didn't get it. But with The Witch Doesn't Burn In This One, I do. I get it. It conveys such important messages and I want everyone to read it and learn something from it.

What I liked
- The structure was adding more meaning to it and made it easier to read a portion of the poems at a time, while that portion was still a coherent set.
- It was incredibly artistically pleasing and I think most people would agree.
- It deals with so many important issues that everyone should have thought about at least once in their lifetime and try to change themselves for the better in order to make this world a better place for everyone.
- I don't think I've missed anything by reading this one first instead of starting with the The Princess Saves Herself in this One.

*eARC kindly provided by Andrews McMeel Publishing via NetGalley*

Very short, a little repetitive in some places, but also super enjoyable and relatable. I love poetry, and I appreciated this a lot, and it has so many pretty, fiery words. I just don't have a whole lot to say about it! I'm still getting used to how poetry collections are generally published, so I wasn't always sure how well the structure worked out here. And I do think the criticisms of it are valid. However, I think it's worth a read! It's super quick, and female-focused, which I love.

some destruction is beautiful.

Rating: 3.5 Paw Prints!

After reading and loving the princess saves herself in this one last year, I knew I would need to read Amanda Lovelace's next poetry collection. The witch doesn't burn in this one is full of so much anger and intersectional feminism. It is feisty and fierce, and it is perfect for the #MeToo movement.

The Witch Doesn't Burn in this One is a follow-up to Lovelace's previous poetry collection titled The Princess Saves Herself in this One. These are poems full of vim and vinegar, full of fury and rage. There are poems that rail against how women are treated in general, how men attempt to keep women down, eroding confidence, about how women are seen as 'not good enough’. These poems, they promote women's confidence as well. They lift women up, pushing against stereotypes. There were a few of the poems that left me uncomfortable. Ones that dealt with murder of oppressors. Still, this is an important collection that everyone would benefit from reading.

***Many thanks to Netgalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I was able to borrow a copy of this book from a friend, and I really enjoyed this collection. I connected with a lot of Amanda Lovelace's works in the past and I wasn't disappointed by this one. Highly recommendable for avid fans of the genre.

I love the poetry created by Amanda Lovelace and this collection does not disappoint. I enjoyed experiencing the storyline and emotions throughout the poems and feeling somewhat closer to the writer through shared thoughts. I would always recommend Lovelace to anyone, poetry lovers or not.

After reading Amanda Lovelace's *The Princess Saves Herself in this One,* I was hooked on her poetry. Needless to say, I eagerly awaited the arrival of *The Witch Doesn't Burn in this One.* This collection of poetry was well-written, well-executed, and clearly driven by passion. It surely satisfied my craving for feminist poetry, as well as tackling a variety of issues, including sexual assault, female empowerment, and body positivity. Although it was a quick read and some poems were relatively short, they were packed with deep meanings, themes, and strong words. Collectively, I went through a range of emotion while reading. The poems were able to evoke a very strong, raw feeling within me, as well as inspire me and motivate me. Once again, Lovelace has proved herself as a strong voice in contemporary poetry and I greatly look forward to her next release.

Thank you to Amanda Lovelace, ladybookmad, Andrews McMeel Publishing, and Netgalley for this advanced reader copy of “the witch doesn't burn in this one” for an honest review.

I continue to be madly, head over heels, in love with all of Amanda Lovelace’s poetry. From the Process to the witch, I love the empowerment her books talk about. Wrenching women from their roles and putting power back in her life, and all those who read her works.

I will continue to recommend her to my students, and purchase her for myself and my poetry loving friends.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This book contains moving poems about women. I could not recommend this enough to women in my life.