Verse

‘Of Swans and Stars; Finding my own North Star, one poem at a time’ by E.M. McConnell – Review

Lee Hall

A uniquely emotive and descriptive collection of poetry…

E.M. McConnell delivers a fantastic array of poetry that touches on so many subjects and across the four parts there is something that will resonate with anyone who takes on these words.

From the subject of being hopeful to even myth and magic which made for a great way to finish the collection, McConnel’s brand of poetry is strong, brave and consistent throughout. In particular ‘O, My Muse’ spoke to me along with ‘Music’ where the description really shines from the very start.

‘The beat skips and slithers down the cord Dodging errant quavers with amusing grace…’

This collection took me on a unique journey of language, rhyme and magic encapsulated by a British charm. There’s modern references and a power in these words along with the occasional mention of dragons all framed by an excellent looking cover and brilliant formatting.

For anyone looking to take on immersive poetry, I’d highly recommend this one!

5 Stars

‘Where Darkness Meets Light’ by Sabrine Elouali – Review

Lee Hall

Thought-provoking poetry reflecting many themes surrounding the dark and light…

This is a rich collection of poetry that serves as a reflection of many themes that mainly surround dark and light. Some verses rhyme whilst others don’t but all of them have their own power whether it be poignant or even brief, poetry is a creative reflection of one’s inner thoughts and it can be impromptu or planned, I kind of gathered the vibes of both through the many poems by Sabrine Elouali which I enjoyed.

In particular, ‘Questions’ resonated with me and ‘Illusion’ which merely suggested some of the deeper thoughts that followed after reading them and that is the sign of any good writing, laying something out that evokes feeling, but the readers imagination is given freedom to do the rest. Having grabbed a digital copy of this collection for free, I’d say that’s more than a bargain for some great poetry.

5 Stars

Survive

Lee Hall 4 Comments

I’m stronger than the storm,

Survival for me is simply the norm.

No matter what life throws,

Or how dark this path grows.

My passion is sometimes all I can give,

But in the end, that’s how I live.

Even when those odds take a dive,

You’ll always find me being able to survive.

‘A Few of My Favourite Things’ by A.J. Ross-Etheridge – Review

Lee Hall 2 Comments

Fun, honest, thought-provoking poetry guaranteed to put a smile on your face…

A.J. Ross-Etheridge shares a colourful collection of rhyming poetry that covers a range of subject matter that’s consistently uplifting, honest and fun. From her best friend to nature and from regret to reminiscing about days gone by there were some moments that brought a smile to my face – ‘Growing up in the eighties’ comes to mind. While I don’t read much poetry this collection serves as a great advert for personal stories that embodies human feeling through rhyme and something the world needs more of because sharing emotion and thoughts is brave.

“It doesn’t make you weak to fall…”

Many of the verses are accompanied by some wonderful art-work although I read this one in digital format it still didn’t hold back the awesome drawings and colour much like what we see on the front cover. For anyone looking to escape through some verse for a while that tells heart felt stories about life then this is the one for you.

5 Stars

‘Life of Maggot’ by Paul Jameson – Review

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A masterfully written vision and song about the end of time…

Paul Jameson delivers his unique writing style to tell a story laid out much like a song about the end of time. The language and style immediately pulls you in with its classic but modern feel over the many chapters and short verses that keep the pages turning.

Pace and rhythm take centre stage in the seemingly apocalyptic world this story takes place in. We see the events from the view of ‘Maggot’ who is just a boy while chaos unfolds. Just what does the end look like? The author does a fantastic job of capturing this demise through description and visionary language that stirs the imagination by walking readers to the door but we are then given room to fill in the rest – this is story telling in its finest form and alongside that unique style makes for a stand-out reading experience.

“The Monsters, their Respectable, the Commons, all drown in the storm that comes…”

While there are some darker tones there are also brighter moments because this journey is seen through the eyes of a boy who can perhaps see past that darkness. Even when there is Plague, War, Famine and Death there is still magic to be found and perhaps this is something adults forget. No matter what bad is happening there is always hope and ultimately there is some light to be found somewhere. Life of Maggot is a book I highly recommend and served as a wonderful reminder of how awesome reading can be.

5 Stars – Beautifully written and hands down one of the best books I have read in a long time.

‘Hearts and Spears’ by Somto Jefferson Uwazie – Review

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A unique and thought provoking collection of emotion-resonating poetry…

Hearts and Spears is a unique and thought provoking collection of emotion-resonating poetry that covers a multitude of subjects. From deep emotion all the way to politics and even nature Somto Jefferson Uwazie has left no stone unturned while constructing this journey that readers will enjoy every word of. There’s a certain balance of rhythm within these words that stretches across all of the poems – something that resonated with me because many poetry collections feel like they are mashed together but in this book they feel like they are supposed to be there side by side to convey a wide array of emotion.

There are some real moments where our kind poet has shared some life experiences such as losing a beloved pets and even his love for food. So many inputs represent the social element of life from the value of teachers to the wonderful but endangered species of Africa. We see pictures and illustrations throughout that heighten the senses and add value to the journey. Every poem is them crowned with a quote to remember from a famous figure and even some from our host. For anyone looking to take a journey of variety through some wonderfully crafted poetry then this is the one for you!

“Life offers one omnipresent constant,

Hope hope and even more hope… “

5 Stars – Reviews left via Amazon and Goodreads

Got to Keep Going….

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All I know is that I got to keep going,

The destination I’m not knowing.

These writing seeds I’m constantly sowing,

Waiting for that wind of destiny to be blowing.

You’ll never know if you don’t try,

Rejection and it’s reasoning doesn’t matter why.

Closer than ever to success I cannot deny,

Anything less and I’ll be telling a lie.

Still this worthwhile journey bares some fruit,

Results inconclusive and not absolute.

The tree’s I’ve grown are strong at root,

Bolstered by good people and readers to boot.

Weekly Ramble #96

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The sheer will to never give up has it’s rewards and as an author good things can happen if you support the industry and trust your own instincts as a story teller. That sort of shit people will embrace and unconditionally follow. And then there is old lady luck, she’s had a way in the past of turning up unexpectedly for me, that is while being mostly absent my whole life.

I’m not really a believer in her, because deep down in my heart of hearts I believe we can engineer our own destiny. We can dedicate ourselves to turning that tide to our own advantage through mainly hard work and sheer will. You can out chance the odds, you can out fate destiny and you sure as hell can out fortune that thing called luck.

Momentum is something I have a lot of right now and I’m wondering when it will be snuffed out. I’m weary of stuff like that because even though I’m the first to shout my achievements to the world, I’ve never really achieved much or even won anything in life. Perhaps like my father famously said, if you work hard enough you’ll have your day. Well maybe mine beckons…

This is just a little reflective piece acknowledging how things seem to be going from strength to strength at the moment for me. My social media is skyrocketing, this blog is growing and my author efforts are on the cusp of something bigger – I hope. Bookbub is what beckons… but no matter what, things are better than yesterday…

Why I write…

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Many of us create to beat the blues,

So don’t blame me for the two star reviews.

Something I might have made way back when,

Are possibly words I’ve moved on from since then.

Although it may still be a piece of me,

Publishing it to the world set it free.

There will be a thousand days of ‘thinking it through’,

But that writing gave me something to do.

My stuff may never be your cup of tea,

But I wrote it for me, not for you…

Yeah, it might feel a little passive aggressive but don’t judge, it’s not aimed at anyone in particular. I found this in my notes while having a clear out of half written notepads so I thought I would share it. I thought I had already put it up on here but couldn’t find the post anywhere… It captures a certain mood most creatives go through after releasing their work into the world.

Humanity is late…

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We always seem to find humanity too damn late, 

In times of struggle we all forget how to hate. 

There isn’t a soul alive this hasn’t affected,

Never before have we been so well connected. 

Even though we’re confined to our own places, 

We still get to see our friends and family’s faces. 

While the end seems to be nowhere in sight,

You have to believe one day it’ll be alright…