Dear Girl

"I am not an object. I have a voice, something to say."

Listening to this poetry collection was an absolutely wonderful experience that made me feel empowered and motivated. It was so beautiful to listen to and I could honestly spend months just quoting line after line from these poems because they are all so gorgeously composed.

Between the narration of the poetry itself combined with the soft piano music in the background, I was immediately enraptured into the lyrical beauty of the words being spoken. I would, and most likely will listen to this audiobook more times than one because it is just that astonishing.

The entire thing speaks of truth and is not afraid to go into tough subjects which I appreciate. It is honestly a must-read.

I got chills many times while listening to this collection, there are so many short but strong poems that I know will be on my mind for a good while.

To end off I just have to note this quote, among so many others this was one that stood out to me and related to the most:

"I wrote to find the answers, instead I found myself."

I feel like this poetry collection was actually extremely powerful! It was geared towards women so that we could feel empowered and confident within ourselves no matter the situation you’ve been in! I listened to the audiobook and at first it took away from it because of the double voice but, I got used to it! I definitely recommend it to anyone who would like to read or listen to it!

Thank you NetGalley and Andrews McMeel for providing me with an unabridged audiobook arc.

I am not an avid audiobook listener (or audiobook reviewer) due to my spacing out issues. It caught me by surprise when I didn't space out while listening to this audiobook and it is all thanks to the compelling narration of Aija! The reason why I took this audiobook is that I loved this book the last time and I quote saying, "Whatever Aija puts out next, I am getting my hands on it!".

Narrated with perfect eloquence and the right intonation, Aija expresses life into her exceptionally empowering collection, which explores the raw endurance of womanhood-with inclusivity to women of POC and LGBTQ+.
I loved the intro and outro music: it suited the poems and Aija's narration! I have heard people say how sometimes the only narrator who can bring life to a certain work is the author. And it is the case when it comes to this one. There was such power in the voice of Aija that brought the best out of her poetry!
My favourite part of her narration was when she read the sarcastic lines that point of hypocrisy and blatant truth of the society we lived in. They had me chuckling!

I have no idea if I sound justifying in this audiobook review but you know you definitely have to try it when I, who:
i. constantly space out
ii. has only ever made it to the end of one audiobook: Dear Girls by Ali Wong
recommends it because
i. not once did I space out and was, in fact, transfixed paying it my attention WHILE I was writing back to emails
ii. made it to the end and the first thought was: THAT WAS FORKIN' AMAZING!

I got this book from NetGalley as an audio and I'm really glad.

The audio is read by the author, and I feel these poems are meant to be read, screamed, shouted. These are powerfully feminist poems rooted in empowering the disenfranchised.

The poetry covers a variety of topics, from body positivity to rape culture. Some talk about the wage gap, asserting yourself, relationships, and the love between daughters and parents. Aija Mayrock's definition of feminism is inclusive, discussing issues that would be beneficial to all women, including trans women, and also beneficial to men.

Mayrock has a beautiful lyrical voice that really took this experience as an audiobook in particular up to the next level. I couldn't believe this author was so young! They speak with an older soul, and years of life experience to feed their poetry.

I definitely recommend reading or listening to this book! I'm hoping to get a copy for my classroom.

This poetry book is so beautiful. And it really speaks to my soul. The words are beautiful and not hard to understand but are also deep. And this book talks about feminism in the very next level. It teaches equality towards male and female. And this book didn't just tackles "women" but also black women and trans-women. I didn't expected that I will love this one. This is the first ever poetry book that gives me chills and instantly became my fave. Definitely recommend this to everyone, not just for women but also for men.

This is the first time I have listened to a poetry collection in audiobook format. I thoroughly enjoyed being able to hear the poet narrating her own poems, as they came across in the way she intended. She is an excellent narrator and has lovely rhythm to her voice.

My only critique is that I enjoyed her softer tones more than the impassioned tones. When she was speaking faster and more "motivational speaker" I found it difficult to engage with the detail of the poetry and felt a tiny bit like I was being preached to. But I am splitting hairs with that comment, as the impassioned aspect is likely to appeal to many as a rally call.

The focus on what it is to be a girl / woman really resonated with me and she was very candid in her use of language. She addresses the sexualisation of women and our role in society well. I am keen to read the poems so that I can take more time to ponder over them and fully digest them.

As my library is in an all girls' school I feel this would be a solid addition to my collection.

Thanks to the publishers, author and netgalley for this ARC.

Dear girl is a collection of poetry exploring girlhood and womanhood. I enjoyed the feminist undertone across these poems.
My favorite was the stand up poem where she articulates the need for feminists to support black and brown women, and LGBTQIA+ women and non-bindary folx.
Overall, these poems were lovely, but left me craving more. Many of the poems felt very surface level, making it difficult for me to truly connect to it and feel moved by it. That however might just be a person preference, as I connect better to deeper more vulnerable works of poetry.
One aspect of the audiobook I did not enjoy was the music, especially while she was reading the poems. Some of the music didn't feel in sync and removed me from feeling the poems as strongly as I would have liked.

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

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this poetry collection. The words are so beautiful and important, and the the passion behind the narration was so empowering.

I loved to hear the emphasis and tone to the poems, as read by the poet. This is something I feel is hard to appreciate when reading the words on a page.

The soft background music goes so well with the poems and at first I thought I wouldn’t like the noise behind the voice, but I ended up loving it.

I would recommend this audiobook to everyone. I can definitely see myself purchasing a physical copy of the book, and listening to the audiobook again in the future.

I loved the audiobook! The narration was like a rap song - the poems started with Dear Girl, they were short and inspirational. It covers all phases of a women's life with a modern touch. As written and narrated by the author, I could see the emotion in poems. I will recommend the book to teens and young adults.

I received an audiobook copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for a review. This collection of poems is extremely powerful, thought provoking and emotional. This book screamed female empowerment in such a poignant way. Two parts that stand out the most to me were “Girls are told obedience is their middle name” this struck such a cord in me because in this society if you are not docile and sweet you risk being berated, abused, or accused of being a “nasty woman”. Another part that really left it’s mark on me was “it’s easier for me to hurt myself than to love myself “, I mean wow it Is such a powerful line. I am in awe of this book. This book is an easy 5 star ⭐️ read. #deargirl #aijamayrock #netgalley #poetry #poetrycollection

CW: rape

I have never listened to poetry on audiobook before, but I really enjoyed this one! It was read by the author, so I got to hear her words as she intended them to be read. This collection of poetry flowed together very well. I also liked this one on audio because it came across more like spoken word. I'd definitely add this one to my poetry collection.

I want to choose my words carefully but my mind is buzzing with thoughts of the many empowering poems that I'm having trouble getting it all sorted out. I wish that I had this book when I was younger, but when I was younger the author was younger. But I'll guarantee that my daughters have these word made available to them.
In today's society females are often corrected. Corrected on how we dress, act and even how we feel. Our natural body is one we have become accustomed to being ashamed of. We doubt ourselves, we hide, we change and we bash one another.
Mayrock did a phenomenal job of flowing words together to create the most impact in reminding us that we are WOMEN. We are strong, beautiful, smart and deserve so much more than we are given by our male counterpart and what we cast out and receive from other females.
Not only does she cover love and loss, she manged to bring new life to our menstruation and equability. She encourages us to support one of another as whole as women.
I loved every bit of this book. I loved that she narrated the audio book herself. Which in my opinion brought so much more fire to each and every word written & spoken.

It's such an honor to be able to review this book so thank you for giving me an opportunity to do so. It is a really a book of power. It is something that every woman should read for them to realize that they or we are as valuable as men, that a value of a person is not defined by their gender. It's something I can relate to because my actions have always been controlled due to my gender. I like the way it was narrated by the author. At first, I though she's rapping but she spoke with so much power. I like this one and it's something I will want to recommend to my friends.

DEAR GIRL was a fantastic, passionate audiobook! I would have loved this too to read in print, but the passion behind the author's narration was amazing.

The messages the author has in DEAR GIRL are empowering and important and should be heard by everyone.

When I was in middle school all the girls got a talk to teach us how to behave and act, specially in front of boys. They told us about having good hygiene, act modest, to cover ourselves with a properly length skirt, etc. When the conference was ending the speaker criticized feminism saying that the girls having feminist ideas will end up alone in a house filled with cats and even pointed out that feminist didn't wanted to have husbands and therefore they were lesbians, she told us ”in ten years when it is proved how right I am you will all remember me” and she was right on one thing: how much I think of her I hope she's fine and I hope one day she gets to read this book or a similar one.
This beautiful collection of poetry talks about feminism and how long we come, but also how far off we are to getting to have equality. It is a realistic take on feminism, how we need to raise warriors to survive.
It tells us that now we are heard, not by justice, but by us. That this is the era to choose not to stay silent but to speak up. That this is not the era of girls but their future. It also talks about the part played by society into raising girls that take so much time and effort into their appearance. The author told me for the first time that my emotions where not just irrational thoughts, to not cover my body with shame, to be lauder and take space and to held my wounds like crown jewels.
In all, this is a book every girls should read to remember to grow wiser, grow deeper but to never grow up.
And to answer the author: I found what I was looking for and more.

4/5 stars
I thought this was a beautiful "love letter to the sisterhood" as described by the poet. It was an empowering read that affirmed how if we are to value ourselves and each other, we have to stop demoting ourselves at the behest of the patriarchy. Should we continue to do that, along with putting down and competing with fellow sisters in a degrading way, we are only dismantling the entire women's movement that has come a long long way.
The collection speaks a lot of how we need to reverse the ways in which our rights and bodies have been disenfranchised. I also thought it was very accepting of all the differences that make us unique as well as all the trauma we have undergone. There is this particular poem I really liked and it goes as:
There is no such thing as weak women,
only women
who have not stepped into
their power.

Step into it.
The world is waiting"

Overall, a beautiful read that incorporates every aspect of being a girl and a woman and especially the inheritance of trauma from mothers and how it is a cycle going on and on, to go on and on unless we do something about it.

Do pick it up!

An honest, empowering collection of poetry. I truly wish I had this book last school-year, as many of my students would have benefitted from reading/listening to these messages of hope.

I received this audiobook from the publisher via NetGalley.

I was so blown away by this book that I'm struggling to form coherent sentences. Here are my notes as I wrote them.

Powerful. Resounding. Confident. Deliberate. Booming. Strength in softness. Explosion. Relatable. Empowering. Unapologetic. Camaraderie. Sisterhood. Hope.

Amazing. A feminist must-read.

A quick book of feminist poetry as read by the author. I find that poetry is best listened to when read by the author, the inflections and the emotions are there and more raw. Any woman would be able to relate to the themes in this collection.

I listened to the audiobook as well as followed by reading the ebook. This book is such a beautiful book. So empowering, so touching. It encompasses things women go through as children and as adults. Aija Mayrock says in this book from time to time that we shouldn't lose our childlike wonder while we grow wiser and deeper and I felt that.

While the poems might feel like something you have seen before or read before if you read poetry a lot, there are more important because the words are things we never should forget. This book is reaffirming in the extraordinary that a woman is, the magic in our eyes and lessons we never should forget.

This is that book you should get to when you are weary of fighting as a woman, as a person, the poems will strengthen you. I loved every bit of this book and Aija Mayrock's voice in the audiobook was a joy. Strong. I enjoyed listening to her.

What a powerful work of poetry. Dear Girl by Aija Mayrock is the battle cry of the ages. The strength of her lyrical prose will make you want to stand up and clap then pat your own back for being a woman. It is congratulatory and spirited and full of life. I can't believe this is a debut. As a fiction reader, this author makes me want to seek out a new favorite genre, poetry. Powerful, powerful, powerful!

I received an advanced review copy of this audiobook from the publisher, Andrews McMeel Audio via NetGalley, for my honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Absolutely incredible collection of poetry on various topics such as self-worth, confidence, ancestral trauma, heartbreak, and sexualization. I found so many of Mayrock's words resonating with my own experiences. Mayrock's voice adds power to her already powerful prose.

First of all, I’d love to say a huge thank you to NetGalley, Andrews McMeel Audio (publisher), and Aija Mayrock (author) for providing me with a free advanced copy of this audiobook. I’ve had my eyes on this title for a long time and I’m so glad for the opportunity to listen to it.
🌹
This was an amazing listen. I’m a sucker for poetry collections, and even more when it’s an audiobook. Aija Mayrock, the author and narrator, did a great job of narrating this audiobook poetry collection and conveyed the emotions and poems perfectly. The audiobook was also filled with lots of music and sound effects that add extra dimensions to the narrator’s performance.
🌹
The poems were excellent OMG. She touched on so many important issues while crafting such exquisite poems and reminding women and girls everywhere of their power. She talked about the male gaze, the disparity in upbringing of girls and boys, body positivity, love, loss, heartbreak, and female empowerment.
🌹
One of the most important and recurring themes in so many poems in this collection is that women learn to find, use, and love their voices. There has been no better time to dismantle the culture of silence than now, as all of our voices are needed to call out and fight against the oppressive force and nature of patriarchy.
🌹
This is aimed at and focused on girls, but it features sections aimed at boys, fathers, brothers, and sisters as well. There’s a call for accountability across board, and she does this in so many beautiful ways.
🌹
I recommend this collection for everyone. It’s so great. All of the praise and stars to this amazing poet!

Dear Girl is a collection of poems talking about strength, resilience, heartbreaks, wounds, and relationships. They are divided into five parts based on their themes. The audiobook is around an hour-long, read by the author herself. I loved the poems that talk about the importance of gender equality in the current world. The poems provide a definitive yet necessary push to the girls and women thriving in the 21st century. The poems are hard-hitting and impactful. I'm sure each one of the readers will find something relatable in them. The narration is impeccable with added musical effects at apt locations. The overall experience is similar to listening to someone actually perform Spoken word poetry. A great pick for those looking for an easy yet meaningful read.

Dear Girl is a poetry collection with advice to girls. This poetry collection supports feminism. It mentions important issues like rape, racism, and gender.

This is my first time listening to a poetry book on audio and I know it will not be my last. Dear Girl was quick listen and I really enjoyed it.

The narration by the author, Aija Mayrock was wonderful. You could feel her feelings through the words and hear the emotion in her voice.

Thank you netgalley and Andrews McMeel Audio for providing Dear Girl in exchange for an honest review.

Dear Girl is a book of poetry for women of all kinds. It discusses important topics of the sexualizing of women, the #metoomovement, equality, and how we should look at ourselves and treat other women.
There is nothing about this book that I didn’t like. Every word resonated in my bones and soul. I listened to this one because I have a deep love for spoken poetry and hearing the words has a bigger impact on me and I recommend the audio version of this one for that reason as well.

I loved this book. It is something to be shared with everyone. Girls are taught so much different then from boys and this really helps you understand that.

Dear Girl // by Aija Mayrock

From the NetGalley description: "From a poet and celebrated spoken-word performer comes a debut poetry collection that takes readers on an empowering, lyrical journey exploring truth, silence, wounds, healing, and the resilience we all share."

Dear Girl by Aija Mayrock is a book of poetry about the female experience. It is a love letter to all women and speaks about the many different situations women have gone through, both positive and negative. It fuses melodies with spoken words in a way that enhances the listening experience. This is one of those books where I am immensily glad to have chosen the audiobook over the print. It is very well done. Having the author read their own poems always also adds another layer of authenticity that in my opinion cannot be had often when another person narrates instead. It blew me away how someone could put this many topics (race, feminism, sexuality, intersectionality, etc.) into such a short book but she did it so well and I feel oddly validated having listened to it. Whether you are a woman yourself or not, this is worth a listen.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing me with this free audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

great audiobook ! I like it when authors read their own work.
book rating ::3⭐
audiobook rating : 4⭐

“Dear girl, you will be believed”
A powerful journey through womanhood. Real powerful and a must read to understand our power as women, cause the future is female. I listen to this audiobook and the power behind the words will forever stay in my mind, in a positive way. As well the music in the audiobook creates such an emotional journey.
Thank you NetGallery for this audiobook.

This is a poetry book for women. It deals with a lot of different topics such as the #me-to0 movement, the right for a woman to decide who she wants to share her body with, as well as, a woman's right to be heard, just to name a few. I really liked that the book was narrated by the author because it made it feel more impactful coming from her the way she wanted it to come across.

4 stars, rounded up from 3.5/5.

This was a good collection of poetry that had an uplifting, empowering message. What kept me from liking it more is that what made the poet stand out, Aija Mayrock's originality and insight, seemed sometimes blocked in by less original thoughts. The effect was that one minute of every ten really caught my attention, while the other nine sounded well-crafted, but like something I'd heard already. If it had all been the latter, I wouldn't have noticed, but the brilliance of that one minute made the other nine seem less so. I'm looking forward to hearing more from Mayrock in the future, especially as Mayrock hones in on what makes her poetry stand out.

The narrator/author has a very soothing and pleasant voice. This is my first audiobook for poetry and it’s always strange the way someone will pace their poem is much different than the rhythm I have in my head. My one thing with poetry is I love a poem that invokes some kind of emotion and I didn’t quite get that in this audiobook. Overall, the poems were strong, and had a powerful message.

Such a great audiobook
Dear girl is a short poetry collection about empowering, wounds healing and the resilience we all share. It’s indeed a journey through poetry.
If you are a mother, a father a brother or a sister, if you are a girl or a boy you should read this novel. Every girl needs to read it. IT was brief yet so empowering and consistent and made me think about a lot of things: about life, about my choices and about myself
I should read more poetry and more about women empowering.

‘Dear Girl’ is a brief, empowering collection of feminist poems that document the life from girlhood to womanhood in contemporary society. Some of the subject matter included aesthetic expectations, double standards, and sexual assault. The poems and narration were strong and inspiring at times. I think it would have resonated more with me if the poems were more autobiographical. They were often more about general experiences. It was a good collection, but I wanted more depth and vulnerability.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC.

This book of poetry was put into a 44 min powerhouse of a performance audio read by the poet Aija Mayrock. This book is described as, "a journey from girlhood to womanhood in poetry...a love poem to sisterhood," and wow it really left such a deep impression on me. It starts off talking about motherhood and girlhood and how we as mothers should not silence our daughters and reign them in, while we let our boys run wild. We should teach our daughters that their bodies belong to them, that they have all rights to it and should not be shamed by it. It talks about the sisterhood we all share with other women and how we should support one another instead of allowing our insecurities and childhoods to cause us to lash out at one another or bully/shame each other. It speaks of how your wounds can be worn like jewels in a crown, that they make you stronger not weaker, and so much more. I highly recommend every woman hear this as an audiobook because the poet spoke it so poignantly, and there's also music in the audio as well. If you are looking for poems of solidarity, strength, empowerment, resilence, please read this short book of poems. I received the audiobook from Netgalley in return for an honest review. I enjoyed this so much that I just bought the book as well. Its a powerhouse, please read or give it a listen!!

This is a collection of poems around the central theme of women empowerment.

"I am the woman I am today because my father never clipped my wings. even in disagreement, I hear his voice. all pride and no shame say- "And yes that is my daughter. " "

"Instead of 'How was your day?' messages, we get, 'You up? Wanna come fuck?' "

"Leaving someone you love is like leaving home, and knowing you can never return."

"Heal your wounds, Dear Girl, so your daughter isn't born with the same ones."

"Your boss will tell you to stop giving him eyes "If you want a raise, you gotta compromise. Show me what lies above those thighs." "

This was my first audiobook from NetGalley and was the prefect way to start. It was also my first time listening to poetry read as an audiobook and I am converted.

The narrator( also the author) had a lovely pleasant voice which allowed the poetry to flow. It was also fantastic that the author and narrator were the same as she got to put emphasis on the pieces she wanted to.

The poetry itself was beautiful and it was great to see such topics as LGBTQ+, POC, rape culture and body positivity discussed with such honesty.

Dear Girl is a collection of poems on feminism, equality, girlhood, and womanhood. Description of the book says: "Dear Girl is a journey from girlhood to womanhood through poetry...". Younger women and girls will probably like it.

I'll try this one as an ebook, too. It is interesting to hear poetry as an audiobook, especially if the author herself reads it. But it is very challenging to rate poetry. While it resonates with some, with others it won't. The music in the background is beautiful, and I like it. But I think it should be quieter and softer.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to listen to this! All opinions are my own.

This was really fun to listen to. The poetry was beautiful and followed well.
The narration was well done, the voice was soothing, and complimented the poetry well.
I would recommend this to anyone.

This poetry collection packs such a severe punch.

Touching and memorable, Aija Mayrock successfully manages to write about such an array of struggles we women face in so few poems. As with every collection of writing, there will be some sections that resonate more with certain readers. I definitely felt that. Yet, rather than making it fall short for me in a rating sense, it made me want to give it a reread to educate myself on the problems that women who aren't in my position face. This is a collective look at a gender that is often pitted against one another, and yet somehow wraps itself up in a 'we should all be in this together' bow. Beautifully done.

Thank you to Net Galley for this audiobook ARC.

Every girl/woman needs to read this poetry collection. What a beautiful collection of powerful works all about what it is to be a woman and the struggles we face every day. If you are not one for poetry check out the audiobook. It is beautifully spoken with the correct cadence. I would prefer to listen to poetry because you get the true emotion out of the text.

“Dear girl” is more than a poetry collection, is a very relatable journey from girlhood to womanhood. It’s a collection of empowering poems about feminism, sisterhood, healing, and resilience.

Dear Girl is a timely collection of poetry, a love letter to women everywhere. I found the tone to be very refreshing and energizing. Dear Girl imparts hard-learned lessons and generates reflection. This is a meaningful collection, but ultimately this book is a rallying cry to women to be strong and support each other. When the world is exhausting, reading a poem or section from this book would be an excellent respite. I received an audiobook of this poetry collection, which is read by the author herself. Mayrock has plenty of passion and infuses the poetry with the care and emotion that can only be given by the author. The effect is something like going to a spoken-word poetry slam. Dear Girl releases August 25, 2020. Thank you to Aija Mayrock, Andrews McMeel Audio, and Netgalley for a free audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This is a beautiful little book of poetry, focusing on the strength of women - the women we are, and the women who made us. The content can lean into darkness at some points. Maybe not quite triggering, but definitely alluding to the major challenges of modern womanhood, so be mindful.
I listened to it as an audiobook, so the experience is very much like listening to a spoken word performance. I tend to listen while driving and multitasking, and I didn't think this was a great book for that BUT if it's what you're focusing on, or if it fits into something else you're doing, like gratitude and reflection rituals, it could be a good choice.

"Dear girl,
You ask me what I wish for you.
I simply say -
Never allow any soul to clip your wings
You were not born an ember,
You were born a flame."

☆゜・。。・゜゜・。。・゜★

[4,5]

☆゜・。。・゜゜・。。・゜★

I Liked so much this book. That goes without saying, but the reasons are the most important and please READ this book. Dear Girl is a book that everyone should read to understand many things about many topics, such as feminism and women in general. How to educate a girl to be self-confident when she grows up, how to teach her that her body is hers and that she must both respect and enjoy it.

Dear Girl is a small collection of poems that I listened on the audiobook format and it is narrated by the same author. That makes it very valuable. I love how the author narrates her own words, with a force and power that not just anyone could do. In fact, the first thing that interested me about this book was the fact that it was narrated by the author.

They are simple poems, but with a lot of power and without a doubt beautiful. I will continue reading the following books by Aija Mayrock, as it is a promise for the poetic literature of the future. You should read Dear Girl if you want to start reading poetry, because they are not very complex poems but full of power, strength and love.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. Definitely give it a go and take a read. It has interesting content which keeps the reader intrigued. I really found the book a pleasant read.

This audiobook is definitely worth a ponder, worth a listen. It's contents inspire confidence and pride in all that is a woman and introspection to figure out the things that keep us held up. And to band together as women against any and all that advocate our oppression. Short and easy to follow.

I hate even writing a review for poetry because it's someone's heart and soul. Their feelings and emotions bled on the paper. Who am I to critique that writing?
I listened to Dear Girl and I loved that the author narrated her own words. She mixed in music with her poetry and that added to the dramatics of it. It's an added bonus to get to hear it from the author since she knows exactly how she wants it heard and read. Her beat and inflection in her voice carried with her powerful message of empowering ALL women.
With all that said, I felt the Aija had a lot to say about ALL women. From BIPOC women, to LGBTQ+ to survivors of abuse. She covered all her bases and what better time to do it than now when we are fighting for equality for all. BUT, a lot of the verses seemed to be phrases I'd heard before. Somewhat generic if you will. If she got behind some of those phrases and put more of her emotions into it, it could've had that much more power to it.

Overall, Aija Mayrock is a young woman that just completed her debut work of poetry in Dear Girl and put it out there for all to read and I commend her for that. She has a bright future ahead of her and I would like to see where she goes from here. 3.5 stars

****Thank you Netgalley for my audiobook in exchange for an honest review****

<i> One day
I'll be able to read a book of poetry
About existing as a girl
As a woman
As an object
And not have it cater to men who think they're one of us

One day
I'll be able to sit down and listen
To the voice of a girl
Of a woman
Of a poet
And not have to roll my eyes because of
Performative virtue

One day
I'll be able to share what a book has been about
Without an asterisk after the word girl
The word woman
The word female
Because the meanings of those words will be clear again
And no longer obfuscated

One day. </i>

3.5 stars

This book talks about periods, being objectified and made voiceless, rape, rape culture, female socialisation, the very experience of growing up as female. It's pretty powerful stuff. It's a pity transactivism has such a hold on the talented female poets who are coming of age. Womanhood and sisterhood are powerful animals and we don't need to worry about men's feelings in this house.

It's very liberal feminist (i.e. not really feminist at all) which is disappointing, but if you can get past the yay!pornography and frequent delivery of rhythmic single sentences parading as "poems," a lot of it is incredibly poignant. I hope that Aija is able to better explore what a woman IS, that her analysis improves, and that she reads more poetry by radical women, but she's on a good track right now.

I received a copy of this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest, voluntary review.v

"There is no progress when we march in different directions"

I really enjoyed listening to this short poetry collection and felt it really moved me when it talked about how we, as women can often be divided when in fact we should stand united against many oppressions. The audiobook was well narrated and easy to listen to, particularly with the musical overlay which added to really poignant phrases.
I thought it was very clever that "Dear Girls' could be interpreted as both a letter to girls and also as a term of endearment. It made it feel as though Aija Mayrock was both speaking to me whilst also sharing personal experiences and speaking from the heart.
This is a beautiful piece that covers topics ranging from the justice system to love for parents to more harrowing passages about sexual violence. I would say proceed with caution if you find any of these subjects triggering, however Mayrock handles them with respect and gives them the space they deserve. If anything I would love for this book to be longer as I could have listened all day.

These poems were absolutely incredible and so very relatable! It didn't take me long to love this book, as the first two poems could've been written right for myself. Of course the fact that Aija narrated the book herself made it so much better. I felt like I was sitting in a poetry reading the entire time. The subjects of her poems were deep and sometimes hitting it right where it hurts. They gave me a feeling of not being alone with the emotions I go through.

This is a really great collection by a wonderfully inspirational author. These poems center the experiences of women and girls to turn toward activism and activist possibilities. A great audiobook!

Dear Girl is a powerful feminist collection of modern poetry dealing with a number of issues with lyrical beauty. It muses on gender inequality, rape, and other feminist issues. The poems are unapolagitic and empowering, inclusive, and important.
There is so much truth in the verses, along with a lot of humor and heart- which juxtaposed with the heavy topics is nothing short of breathtaking.
The audiobook is narrated by Aija Mayrock, whose talent in spoken word poetry beautifully brings her works to life. There's so much emotion and power behind her words. I was in awe listening to her performance.
Many thanks to Andrews McMeel Audio and NetGalley for the advance copy.

Dear Girl is not something that I would typically pick up, but between the pink cover ( my favorite color) and Netgalley’s new audiobook feature, I felt like I couldn’t pass it up. In 2020 I am striving to branch out into a multitude of genres, poetry being one of them.

“You’re cruelty is no match for my spirit.” I need to remind myself of this daily. Sometimes all it takes is one simple act of another to bring me to my knees.

For being quite short, this book produces an impactful punch to the gut. This book hit me in the feels more than just a few times.

“ You are told to quiet down, I hope you grow LOUDER! “

“Equality is not just about calling someone out, equality is about accountability.” This statement could not be any more factual , especially in the world today.

“Leaving someone you love is like leaving home and knowing you can ever return. “ In fact, it’s brutal.

“Your past lives with you, dear girl, but you are not your past.” But, man oh man does it come back to haunt you.

“ I wish I could hold you and say the world will protect you but I know it will not.” This is such a sad fact for our youth; our children.

“...You are alive, not for nothing, you are alive.” Please look in the mirror and tell yourself this every single morning.

“Dear Everyone: grab ahold of your voice, it is time to make a choice, to believe survivors, to pay us all the same, to give women of color equal access and opportunity; to protect the safety of trans girls everyday. Make the choice to change the climate. Make the choice to not stay silent, this is not the era of girls, this is the future of girls.”

I am an ally to everyone and I mean that whole- heartedly. I’m for equality no matter what race, identity, gender or religion you are. I am not here to judge. Therefore, unethical treatment in any way shape or form depresses me to the highest extent. No one can help the way they were born, please stop ridiculing others for things that are out of their hands to control. I could go on forever, in fact I could probably write my own version of “Dear Girl” and maybe call it something like “We are all human.”


A solid 4 ⭐️.

Thank you very much to Netgalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for allowing me to read this book In exchange for an honest review. This book was released on April 07, 2020. I strongly encourage picking it up.

The reason why I couldn’t give this book 5 stars is I feel like the rhyming became a bit unnecessary at times, and wasn’t really necessary. I also wish that their was more of a transition from one topic to the other.

I loved this collection of poetry. It's relatable, empowering and very fitting considering all that is happening currently. I would recommend this to all of the amazing women in my life.

“I wrote to find answers; instead I found myself.” This is a beautiful exploration of womanhood, trauma, and shared experience.

I don’t read a lot of poetry. I follow a few poets on Instagram and last year I read collections by Rupi Kaur and Mary Oliver. Those were the first since my freshman college English courses. Mainly, I have avoided poetry because I am an impatient reader and if I have to take too much time to process I usually don’t. However, dipping my toes in the water has been nice and these haven’t bogged me down.
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This book is one I’ve seen around on Instagram in the last few weeks. I got an ARC from Net Galley. It will be released on 8/25/20. It’s quite short. It’s only 45 minutes long. It’s read by the author and she did a wonderful job with the narration.
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These are a collection of anthems for young women and women. They deal with some of the current issues in our society. The Me Too movement, rape culture, pay inequality, etc. You get the drift. It’s very good and worth checking out!

I never read any poetry before and I used to think that it could be complex and difficult to understand but after reading Dear Girl, my opinion changed. It was so easy to read and so beautiful, I really enjoyed it. I picked it up on NetGalley because of the cover that I found really pretty and I did not regret it. The voice is powerful. It is about empowerment and it really is uplifting. I think every girl and woman can relate to most of the poems, they are just so simple and yet so full of truth. As said in this poetry collection, we need to support and help each other, so let’s do it; it’s about women everywhere. The poems are a call for women all around the world to rise up and be heard. This collection is not about reading something you have never heard before, but reading about something you have maybe not been able to formulate before, about something you may have not been told before. I don’t know what I was looking for when I started reading but I definitely feel like I got more strengths after.

I loved the poems in this book, and especially the variety of topics that they entail. They are truely uplifting, playful and serious at the same time. It was great exploring the words.

I had hoped to listen to these poems in audio-form, for what is more awesome than to listen to the author reading these poems aloud? Unfortunately the file never started playing after the first second. On the other hand, fortunately there was the 'normal' e-book copy for me to read, and that was a pleasure already.

Dear Girl is a fantastic collection of powerful poetry that focused on uplifting girls and women. The poems were short but you could really tell that each word was carefully chosen. The subject manner wasn’t new. I’ve seen it in other contemporary poetry collections, but there was just something so impactful about Mayrock’s words. They are short but brutally honest and discuss many issues that impact the lives of women around the world. 

"Dear girl,
You ask me what I wish for you.
I simply say -
Never allow any soul to clip your wings
You were not born an ember,
You were born a flame."

The poems are a call to action. They are inspiring, empowering and make you want to rise up and speak out! I experienced this poetry collection as an audiobook and I think that really contributed to this feeling of wanting to do something and take action. The author narrated it herself and spoken word poetry has also been a favourite of mine. Her voice is so emotive and full of power. I felt her sadness, anger, happiness, etc. But more importantly, I felt like I was listening to a close friend tell me about her hopes and dreams. Listening to the author made it more personal. I just planned on listening to the collection while making dinner but ended up finishing it in one sitting. I couldn’t stop thinking about it, that’s how beautiful and powerful the poems were! 

“Dear everyone,
Grab ahold of your voice. 
it is time to make a choice 
to believe survivors
to pay us all the same 
to give women of color equal access and opportunity
to protect the safety of trans girls everyday. 
Make the choice to change the climate. 
Make the choice to not stay silent.
This is not the era of girls, 
this is the future of girls.”

I highly recommend this collection, especially the audiobook, to lovers of spoken word poetry. Also, since the writing and topics are within a similar vein, if you have enjoyed Amanda Lovelace’s poems, I think you’d also enjoy these as well.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.* What a delightful collection of poems. The collection is a celebration of feminism, womanhood and growing up. Some poems are sad, some inspiring, but all are beautiful. It is also a call to arms in these uncertain times. 'Unite us through persecution' she tells us. 'We've got equality, but public policy shows the contrary..'
I look forward to reading more of Mayrock's work and would definitely recommend her work to fans of poetry and those keen to lift up women.

Fast read but one that won't leave me anytime soon. Powerful words from a debut poet about women supporting women. While this was a good read, I feel it would have been a five star read if I was younger. Younger readers (teens and early twenties) will probably really connect with this. The audio was brilliantly executed and produced. It made me want to hear this poet speak/perform in person. I will recommend this to all of the younger readers I come into contact with.

I was able to review Dear Girl audiobook for free from Netgalley and Andrews McMeel Audio for providing me with an advanced ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoyed listening to the audiobook especially since the author Aija Mayrock narrates it herself and this is her debut poetry collection.
The poems are on point and empowering. This collection is about feminism and about becoming a woman. The poems make you think about them, about life, about the world and about everything. This book reminds us women that we need to support each other, believe in each other and build each other up instead of tearing each other down.

This is the BEST THING I HAVE EVER HEARD. Incredible poetry, incredible reading, incredible poet. I'll be telling everyone I know about Dear Girl. Beautiful, emotional, raw, inspiring - I wish I could go back and give it to my teenage self. Absolutely adored this - amazing publishing.