Child of the Moon by Jessica Semaan

‘In between being your mother and father,
I forgot to be your daughter
And became the child of the moon

“In her debut collection, Semaan offers an upfront &moving glimpse into the true nature of healing: an imperfect, nonlinear journey”–Amanda Lovlace, bestselling author of the princess saves herself in this one

An illustrated poetry collection about finding light in the darkness. Set against the backdrop of the Lebanese Civil War and the author’s turbulent family life, Child of the Moon is a powerful reflection on her journey through fear, shame and despair, and the unconditional love that helped her begin to heal from childhood trauma.’

Child of the Moon by Jessica Semaan spoke to me on a deep, visceral level. Each poem is a snippet of soul, plucked from the author’s deepest and darkest places. From a childhood steeped in war, and in familial trauma. The author turned to the ever present moon, a constant source of solace. Interspersed among the (hopefully) cathartic poems are drawings of the moon, and people in solidarity. These are poems of trauma and abuse, of guilt, anger, and shame, and of hope and acceptance. Many poems dealt with issues of self-worth and self-confidence, a dearth of which I suffer from. This collection gave me hope, a feeling of not being alone in my sense of shame for merely existing. Recommended for any who have ever found themselves feeling lost and alone. Seek solace in the moon and find a friend who will never abandon or judge you.

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

 

 

What If? by Anna Russell

Russell’s What If? is a story written out as a book. It follows a young boy who loves to drum. And who has to repeat or ‘do over’ certain actions or tasks, thanks to obsessive thoughts. Josh is a counter, one suffering from OCD who must count things. As his problems grow worse, Josh consents to talking to a therapist, and to taking medication to help quiet the obsessions. As the OCD grows worse and begin to cause issues in school, Josh’s father doesn’t make it easy. He strips Josh of coping aids, and questions why Josh can’t just stop acting on the thoughts, can’t just turn the thoughts off. Can things ever work out in Josh’s favour?

I loved the poem format of the story. I’m finding more and more books that tell their whole stories this way. As a poet myself, I find this a delightful trend, and hope it fosters a greater sense of appreciation for poetry in groups that might otherwise discount it. As a story about a teen coping with OCD, I 100% grok this. I suffered from it badly, starting in middle school. I’m a checker, and organiser. I used to have to check door locks ten to fifteen times in a row before being released from the compulsion. Or check electrical items to make sure they were off. And you know, deep down, this behaviour makes no sense, but the surface thoughts don’t let go. If the door’s unlocked, a stranger might get in. If things are left on, they might catch fire. Josh’s thoughts, his actions, and reactions were so relatable to me, and certainly will be to any out there suffering from this vicious anxiety disorder.

***Many thanks to Netgalley and West 44 Books for providing an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

 

 

Two Become One by R Lodge and B Swinyard

Two Become One by R Lodge and B Swinyard is a brilliant, bewitching collection of poems with themes of love, openness, resilience, and hope. Many of these poems sparkle with Rumi-esque wisdom, whilst others are full rich in philosophy. A few call to mind cheesy love poetry, but in a good way, that brings a goofy smile. My favourites tended to be the more philosophical ones. This is a wonderful choice for poems to marinate upon and revisit often. They will invigorate and uplift. Equally, they will invite the reader to slow down and find new insight. Proceeds from the sale of this book will go to two UK charities that focus on medical research- the Motor Neurone Disease Association and Sarcoma UK. Highly recommended! I’ve ordered my own hardcopy.

***Many thanks to Netgalley and Troubadour/ Matador for providing an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.