This is the first poetry collection I’ve ever read by jeff Foster and it wasn’t something for me. For some reason I couldn't get into this poetry collection. Maybe it was the writing or maybe I just couldn’t connect to the poems. I really liked the intro and after the intro, I just couldn't enjoy this collection. I’ve had this before that I just couldn’t enjoy a poetry collection. Perhaps it's just not the time to read this book and maybe later I’ll buy this poetry collection and read it again. Sometimes you just cannot enjoy a poetry collection and that's okay.

What a beautiful collection of poems, that truly highlight life and the meaning of our lives. This book is about deep meditation, embracing the messiness in life, the courage to stand up for who you are, and all the reason to keep living! I could quote so many of the beautiful literature pieces, but I believe this a must read for anyone!

Thank you to Netgalley, Jeff Foster, and Sounds True for the opportunity to read this book!

I will be publishing my review on Publication Day to all my social media handles.

A collection of meditative poetry that encourages the reader that it’s okay to feel human by experiencing their emotions to better understand themselves and appreciate their everyday lives.

Jeff Foster has crafted the type of poems that you can read between the lines of and they deserve to be revisited, especially during harder moments of your life. Not only that, but I really enjoyed the chapter descriptions too and connected with those write-ups just as much, if not more.

I waited a couple days to write this review because I’m still uncertain of how I feel.

This book of poetry is written in 4 parts. At times, I found it so disturbing because it uttered my exact feelings that I had not been able to put into words. At other times, I felt such a huge disconnect from the other. It was as though grief was only something he had read about and not experienced.

Here’s my big however - isn’t that how grief works? It’s so familiar and yet so foreign. I may reread this in a month and the sections when I thought, “what a fake!” will suddenly resonate with me the most.

Overall, this is one to add to my collection. I’ve enjoyed this as much as one can enjoy facing grief.

This book is divided into four parts and contains commentary and poetry from the author. While his book is different from other's out there, touching on things many people won't, it all seemed to be a ramble. And due to that, it just lacked sincerity for me. I feel like it would have been better for the author to focus on certain feelings or delve deeper rather than just superficially touching sensitive points before moving on.

It's a book that I don't regret reading because it contained anecdotes that I related to and he told stories and touched upon the human experience that many people won't touch. But I just kept wanting him to go deeper and reflect more and use more language that related to the senses that poetry is known for. And I was waiting for him to make me feel rather than feel like I was reading his feelings and was therefore unable to connect completely.

Thanks Netgalley for give a ebook copy from this author giving to me this experience.

Tbh I really enjoyed his ways of Express that's feelings. It's kind guy.
I guess that he might improves his poetry style in the future.

'You Were Never Broken' is a collection of poems that is different from what I have read before.
Yes, I have read poems before that talk about being in the present. That brush depression and not wanting to live. That talk about love. Still, I never read poems like these.

The poems are very open, very direct, and to me that was something I did not know I needed - but I did. I feel healed a bit after reading this.

I am not sure if this collection of poems had done as much good during the time I truly was going through depression, but they might have. They did now.

This book of poems is exactly what I didn't know I needed in my life right now. I could feel the emotion in these poems and it was therapeutic to read them. I can't wait to buy the book in order to have a physical copy.

This was a quick, four part read consisting of both poems and monologues devised from the authors own struggles.

He talks a lot about being in the moment, accepting failures and negative emotions, and being exactly who/where you are supposed to be and I found it to be somewhat rehabilitating. Glad I got to read this one! A quick and froward read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Jeff Foster and Sounds True for this eARC!

Jeff Foster’s new book, You Were Never Broken - Poems to Save Your Life is an intimate collection which draws on the author’s own experiences of feeling anxious, restless, and even suicidal to share insight and hope with readers.

Part poetry, part self-help book, You Were Never Broken is a beautiful reminder of what it means to be human and how to deal with some of the more difficult feelings that arise in life.

Foster challenges readers in the most comforting of ways, encouraging them to sit with their fears and difficult emotions instead of masking and suppressing them. The rawness and vulnerability in the verses is apparent and the reader is encouraged to embrace their own vulnerabilities with radical self-acceptance.

You Were Never Broken is the best poetry collection I’ve read this year, and whether or you have the same struggles as Foster or are an avid poetry reader, I’m sure there is something within the touching poems that will speak to you.

Many thanks to Sounds True Publishing and NetGalley for the advance copy.

Beautiful! The author to this book digs deep into the aspect of meditation and helps readers understand the aspect of letting go. Release the pain and heal the soul. The format is unique and I have never saw poetry written like this. It was well written.

You Were Never Broken
Poems to Save Your Life
by Jeff Foster

Sounds True
Poetry | Self-Help
Pub Date 28 Jul 2020


I am reviewing a copy of You Were Never Broken through Sounds True and Netgalley:


In this book Author Jeff Foster points out that meditation is touching life where life touches you.


We are reminded too of the importance of slowing down as well as the importance of listening to the silence.


The author reminds us too of taking the time to slow down, to allow ourselves to feel both the joys, and the sorrows, and of the importance of having the courage of standing alone.


If you are looking for a good book, of Mediative Poetry, one that will remind you of the importance of taking a moment just to breathe, I highly recommend You Were Never Broken.


I give You Were Never Broken five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

This collection of poems was an interesting way of looking at life and the troubles that come with it. Especially good were the poems that encouraged that its okay to feel and to love the feeling and let it pass through you. This book was a great inspirational book, not only for those who are struggling with tough feelings, but for all people.

I received an advance copy in return for an honest review from NetGalley.

Firstly can I just say I squealed in delight upon receiving this book. I had heard so many great things about it and wanted to read it myself.

In summary, with a very intelligent and healing tone, this book, Jeff Foster, delivers an exceptional break from reality for those who need it most. As a mediation rookie (and skeptic) this opened my eyes to what I have been missing out on… “True meditation just means being awake and alive to this precious moment”

This book truly spoke to me. It established a connection with the reader from the very beginning. I felt as if Foster was speaking directly to me, and it was so relaxing and helpful that sometimes the tone of the book turned into the voice of my psychologist (whom I am a huge fan of) so this was a welcomed surprise.

I quite often long to be told I am worthy and that I have purpose in this world, and this book confirms that without even knowing me. Like I said, it SPOKE to me. With a very warm tone every sentence and every word in so incredibly comforting. I want Jeff Foster to be my friend, and be there to listen to me and encourage me of my darkest of days (but now I have this book).

The phrase “cry the tears you were never allowed to cry” resonated with me. Here I was thinking I was the only one not allowed to cry. We all have our different interpretations of this phrase i’m sure, but how did Foster know. It’s like he knows ME! This book has taught me new things, and reminded me of things I already knew, but forgot.

Foster has taught me to find joy or beauty in what was previously a burden and a shame. I do believe this book will truly and genuinely save some lives. Beautiful, broken, hurting but not sick, lives. I cannot wait to reach for it again on my darkest of days. Overall, an absolute pleasure to read.



My sincerest thanks go out to Sounds True and Netgalley, for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion

This was a collection of poems from a poet I've never read before. Themes of unconditional love resonate through them. The author looked at life's troubles, and the poems gave the reader things to ponder.

The book is divided into four sections:

1. A Field of Meditation
2. Saying yes to the mess
3. The courage to stand alone
4. Reasons to stay alive

This is a quick read overall. Some of the themes/poems seemed a bit redundant, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing.

As with most poetry (and even books, in general), these poems will connect with some readers more than others.

This is a great collection of very emotional poetry by an author that has obviously been through a lot. I could easily empathize with a lot of the content and gut wrenching sadness. If he was able to find purpose again, anyone can.

I like how he divided the book into 5 parts:

Part One : A field of Meditation
Part Two: Saying Yes to the mess
Part Three: The Courage to stand Alone
Part four: Reasons to stay Alive

Beware some of these are not uplifting but each of these poems is meant to make the reader feel. I was just amazed with this collection and raced through because I felt like I was right there with him. I have had my dark times too. A necessary read!

Thanks to Netgalley, Jeff Foster and publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Available: 7/28/20

I enjoyed some aspects of this book but didn’t find as much comfort within it as I had hoped. While it was certainly empowering and I found some of it helpful to ponder, it seems to be missing a little of the focus on moving past what makes us feel so broken. While I understand it can be helpful to look to the future rather than into the past, it would have been good to have a little bit more in there to feel less alone, This book feels like it’s for a very specific stage of trauma healing as well (or perhaps specific type) where mindfulness and attempts to move on are attainable and reasonable. There’s a lot to be celebrated in that stage, and I hope people who are there find this book and make it theirs. Sometimes it’s enough to just be present. There’s power in that alone.

3.5/5

You Were Never Broken is a collection of poems, written by Jeff Foster following a period of depression and physical illness. Each poem directly addresses the reader, which I liked, and speaks about unconditional love for the self, giving yourself freedom to experience emotions without preconception or judgement, and allowing yourself to embrace life in all its beauty and pain. Although the poems were not the best or most lyrical I have ever read, I enjoyed the calm, meditative tone that the book has and felt uplifted and comforted by Foster's words.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an eARC in exchange for a review.

I tried my best to enjoy this poetry however it really just wasn't to my liking and I found it very hard to get through however I do think Jeff Foster has a way with words and will attempt to pick up more from him in the future

🌞🌞🌞 2.5/5⭐

I liked some poems from here. Some of them made me think about my life and made me question my mental health, but the rest of the novel was just not memorable.

The theme is fine and how it was written was beautiful, but I felt, for the most of it, like I need to sleep, I almost felt asleep one time so that's not a good sign.

I really liked the passages that were written about the every part of the book. About the life of the author, they were fantastic and I love them.

And even I liked how he talked about spirituality and God, even though I'm an atheist.

So, it wasn't a fantastic poetry collection, but neither an awful one, it was something in the middle.