Let's talk Sad Angsty and At Least Half Gay by Samantha Tossou

Hey lovelies, welcome back!

Today's review is very special - as you'll have seen over on my social media, I have been promoting Samantha Tossou's debut poetry chapbook, Sad Angsty and At Least Half Gay. Sam is a close friend of mine and I am thrilled to be reviewing it today. *DISCLAIMER: This is an unbiased, honest review. I was not paid or influenced; all thoughts are my own*

As soon as I saw the cover, I got major Rupi Kaur/Amanda Lovelace vibes and the poetic style is very similar. Comprising of 11 poems all written within the theme of love and relationships. I love poetry that makes me feel understood and like it was written for me. Poetry that is honest, raw and from the heart – Tossou does just that. It is worth noting that some poems are of a sensitive nature. To err on the side of caution, I believe a warning should have been included at the beginning stating that the content may be triggering for some readers.

The writing is intelligent and fluent making this an effortless read.

If you do nothing else this month, at least buy this chapbook! It’s an engaging read and all the proceeds are donated - 10% to AKT, a charity that 'supports lgbtq+ young people aged 16-25 in the UK who are facing or experiencing homelessness or living in a hostile environment, with the remainder to fundraising pages for the BLM movement.

Until next time lovelies! 

Let's talk The Princess Saves Herself in this One by Amanda Lovelace

As a bookseller I get to stumble across many types of books throughout my day. One genre I never really paid much attention too was Poetry, until this little gem found it's way onto my trolley and into my heart.

Written in the form of narrative poetry, 'The Princess Saves Herself in this One' by Amanda Lovelace tells the story of one girls journey toward self discovery all the while made to appear like a fairy-tale.

Although it flows along like a normal story would, you can still pick it up and dip into it whenever you feel like it due to it's spiritual essence. I call it my chocolate read - something I indulge myself in when I need a pick me up. 

The use of so many fairy-tale analogies is just one of the many reason I fell in love with it. Everything spoke to me on a personal level and there are so many great quotes in there that can be separated and applied to everyday life on their own. My favorite - "a wannabe faerie in Converse". One colleague even described it as "me in a book".

Empowering and important Poetry about learning that your self worth isn't defined by people's opinions of you and that the only opinion that matters is your own,'The Princess Saves Herself in this One' is the perfect book if you are looking to get into poetry, a fan of Rupi Kaur or just love anything that has princess and faeries in it (like me!).