Blank Space
by Beth Bacon
Pixel Titles
author website // amazon (available on KU) // goodreads
Blank Space is a book similar to my own The Blank Page, in that Beth Bacon and I both explore the space in a book and its many possibilities. Blank Space follows the narration of a young child, encouraged to fill their journal in school, but struggles; the idea that the blank page does not necessarily need to be filled. It is a space to find rest. Blank Space uses its format very well. Using clear language, and colourful illustrations, whilst Blank Space is aimed at middle grade readers, I think there’s lots of appeal for older readers too.
Table for One
by Laura Ashley Laraque
Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
author website amazon (available on KU) goodreads
Table for One is a collection of poetry on love, and giving yourself to someone so fully that you neglect your own needs ‘I have come to learn that the more you allow people to eat at your table for one, the more you’ll starve and never survive’ the book begins with a couple of poems where love between narrator and this person develops. From there the narrator writes from a place of perspective, and lessons she learnt for the reader to take away. The narrator gives their thoughts from love on beauty, her own voice and strength, ‘her heart became lighter her confidence became stronger and she only had to do one thing she had to say NO’ The narrator uses a dining experience theme, to centre the poems chiming the emotions of pain, regret, anger. This is prose as much as it is poetry too. The poetry stuck to a rhyming form, but I felt that made some of the poems too rigid.
Searching for the Truth
by Maranda Russell
author website // amazon (available on KU) // goodreads
I enjoyed reading the thoughts of Miranda Russell in Searching for the Truth. Subjects covered were of of beliefs, forgiveness, injustice, nature, death, religion, our own personal journeys, amongst many more. Subjects I’m sure we have all had our thoughts on at some point, Maranda Russell has struck on universal truths. Life Without Art was a fantastic poem, posing the question what would life be without art? And the line ‘what would give us the courage to wake up each morning and face this dull, mediocre life?’ made me push a triumphant fist in the air. Seeking Truth was another such poem that I agreed with. As was Where you Should Be. Poems which give thought, or comfort. Searching for the Truth was a book I enjoyed immensely.
Mildew
‘Doubt is its own kind of mildew. You scrub and scrub to make it leave, only to turn your back –’
Poetic Insights 
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