The Price of a Small Hot Fire

Beautiful writing. Fluid and evocative. These poems invite thought and contemplation to distill their essence.

This was a short, bittersweet, but powerful collection of poems. I found some of the poems to be hauntingly beautiful and others to be sobering. Some brought out deep emotions, where others brought a small chuckle or smirk. Poetry, like art, is subjective and I know a lot of readers will be able to resonate with many in this collection.

Thank you NetGalley and E.F. Schraeder for allowing me to read your book.
The collection to me went hand in hand. The poem were simple yet still thought provoking. Beautifully written.

I enjoyed this book of poems from E F Schraeder. I like to read poetry occasionally, as it is a different form for me, and some aren't enjoyable. This one was, and couldn't wait to read the next one. #ThePriceofaSmallHotFire #NetGalley

The Price of A Small Hot Fire is a collection of poems that are incredibly intimate with feelings of anger, disappointment, grief, and loss. Quite honestly, it’s hard for me to review because I don’t read a lot of poetry, however as a somewhat casual reader, I found it to be very emotional and feel like it will resonate with most people, even those who have not had a strained relationship with a parent. It has some biting horror elements that cause a little wide eye eyebrow raising, but not in a macabre way. Overall, it’s a good read if you are looking to let your heart weep a little.

As for that cover art, it has a sort of Rorschach feel to it, but the imagery of a child facing and almost being engulfed in flames is a great touch.

Rated up. My rating 3.5

Thank you to NetGalley, E.F. Schraeder , and RDS Publishing for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion and a voluntary submission.

3.5/5 stars
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book in exchange for an honest review!
I am the first one to admit I do not know much about poetry, but I did enjoy this book. The words were honest and raw. The poems were short and quick to read. The depictions of mothers, relationships, and motherhood in this book were interesting and I could relate to many of them. If you are interested in the concept of this book and enjoy poetry, give The Price of a Small Hot Fire a try.

“and I woke alone remembering all I'd forgotten: how love tastes of saltwater and fire, how easily I burn.“

A short collection of poems regarding motherhood, grief, anger, and the thoughts and emotions one has in regards to their past. This book followed a non-linear narrative, which was enjoyable, and the author also took care to make it not seem confusing, as non linear narratives can sometimes be. The poems themselves were generally lovely - I write poetry myself, and so I got the feeling that they’d been written at different times in the author’s life. Which was fantastic - the differing vocabulary and techniques and emotions all meshed into an emotionally charged but subtle narrative, complicated feelings stripped down their bare essentials. I absolutely loved some poems to the extent that I saved them on my phone. Others, I quickly skimmed over. But most I simply enjoyed. Some horror metaphors, if you’re squeamish, but there aren’t too many. A beautiful, poignant look at the complex relationships we have with our mothers, even after they leave us behind.

Reading through these poems was a roller coaster of emotions. From anger to sadness to grief and last of all to loneliness that you can always expect but never prepare for.
From one to another the words flowed in a way that made me want to keep reading, to get to more, to see in what way the next one will hurt.
At times I was left wanting more and some just didn't hit the way some others did, but overall they told the story that they intended to tell. And I was more then happy to let them.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest feedback.

This book was everything that poetry should be in my opinion - flowery, filled to the brim with prose, with an emotional gut punch. That said, sometimes it felt that the writing was trying a bit too hard and that made some of the pieces harder for me to connect with. As someone with a contentious (at best) relationship with her mother, I found so much of myself reflected in this collection, and would definitely recommend it to people with similar experiences.

E.F. Schraeder believes in ghosts, magic, and dogs. The author of Liar: Memoir of a Haunting (Omnium Gatherum, 2021), which was an Imadjinn Award finalist (2022) for best horror novel, Schraeder is also the author of a story collection, several poetry chapbooks, and a forthcoming full length poetry collection. Recent work has appeared in Lost Contact, Birthing Monsters, Mobius: The Journal of Social Change, Lavender Review, and other journals and anthologies. Schraeder’s nonfiction has appeared in Vastarien: A Literary Journal, Radical Teacher, and elsewhere. A Rhysling nominated poet, Schraeder is an Active Member of the Horror Writers Association. Her newest collection is The Price of a Small Hot Fire.
Because this book deals with an estranged parent, what caused the estrangement, what the effects of the estrangement had on the speaker, etc. This is poetry rich with pain, as in “Alternate Words for Estranged,” which contains lines like
I plucked recurring nightmares like invading weeds, flung
them to the scorned realm of my unconscious
beneath layers of ice so thick I froze, stunned
by the quickest glance in their direction.
Here, Schrader is delving deep into the emotional pain connected with this book, and using the dreamy images of horror—nightmares, realm of unconscious, etc.—drives that grief forward for her readers. This is a painful book to read, but the pain is cathartic and well worth the journey.
Elsewhere, Schrader taps into childhood stories, sometimes relating the memory, and sometimes using them as vehicles for the overarching themes of the book. For example, “Returning to Narnia,” has lines like
Strange to ignore the pine needles littering her hair,
to skip over clumps of ice on the floor,
to blink out her sopping wet slippers. Curious,
how they mistook the smoky scent of that checkered robe.
Here, Schrader uses the character of Lucy to work as vehicle for the abandonment and the lack of interest felt by the speaker in this poem. It’s poem that works to explain the emotions earlier in the book, and the way Schrader taps into childhood and childlike imagery in this book works, especially because the juxtaposition against the other emotions and poems only serves to heighten their effect.
Overall, The Price of a Small Hot Fire is, as Schraeder describes, about “complicated grief, responding to the death of an estranged parent.” The whole collection creates a narrative arc, centered around loss and pain, as well as survival and resilience. It is a strong collection from an already established writer, and something horror readers need in their collection.