The poetry in this book is very approachable, in the same manner that Rupi Kuar is. I listened to the audiobook, and I really enjoyed the narrator. Having the author narrate their own poetry really helps it feel more authentic, and since we could not see the drawings, I think it was very beneficial. Plus, she has the most adorable southern accent. When people say they don't have time to read poetry, I will recommend Maps for the Modern World.

This isn't the type of poetry I necessarily love but I did enjoy it. I really loved that the author used different forms of poetry to bring her message across. I also enjoyed the rhyming scheme of the poems.

It’s been a while since I read/listened to poetry and forgot how enjoyable it is. This audio-book was narrated by the author and listening to her was amazing. The ebb and flow of her voice made a big difference and I was fully immersed in the words.
I know I will be listening to this again as inspiration and quote it as many times as I can. Valerie June Hockett has gotten herself a fan!
Thank you, Netgalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for giving me the opportunity to listen to this book.

Ive been really into poetry for national poetry month and this one really surprised me. I liked the different poems that all linked together in some way for me. I was really able to relate to them and would like to read more books like this in the future.

MAPS FOR THE MODERN WORLD exceeded my expectations. The author has a strong voice on the page, the message delivered is hopeful and confident, and the narration is lyrical. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading poetry.

This collection was very upbeat for the most part. It felt like lazy afternoons in the warm, balmy sun. I appreciated the author taking the time to narrate her own work, as sometimes there is something lost in translation when another person reads your poetry out loud. The collection was positive, calm, inspirational, and meditative. I did find that some of the long syllable inflection was a bit distracting about 3/4 of the way through. But it was a lovely companion while I drove to work each morning.

Maps for the Modern World is a collection of poetry by Valerie June Hockett. She is a blue grass singer with a great southern accent. I enjoyed listening to her read her own poetry in the audiobook. However, I didn't connect with the poetry itself. Much of the poetry references spiritual beliefs that I appreciate, but do not share.

The narration felt a bit forced at times. This was really odd given that the author narrated the audiobook. Then, I looked at the digital sample pages on Amazon. At least one of the poems that fit into this category looks to have been intended to be written only - not spoken aloud. Maybe that is why I didn't connect with the audiobook.

The illustrations in the ebook are interesting and gave me a completely different impression of the book. I may have liked the poetry better if I had read the ebook instead.

I could appreciate these poems for what they were, but on a personal level they weren't for me.
The poems were accessible for all types of readers, however the narrator for the audio version may be one for acquired tastes. I listened to a few of the poems with some other people, some of which found it difficult to connect with.

I received an audio ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

Maps for the Modern World is a collections of poems and artwork by Valerie June Hockett. Hockett does a fantastic job of narrating the audiobook herself. There is a deepness to the poetry that Hockett's southern drawl belies. The poems are a good reminder to slow down and enjoy life outside the digital world. I recommend poetry lovers give this book a read/listen!

Maps for the Modern World by Valerie June Hockett was a collection of poetry that I wanted to enjoy but I failed to connect with.

While I did not mind the poetry, I just found it kind of boring for my taste. It was very unique to other poetry I have read though, which is why I continued on with it.

The narration by the authour was a unique choice. Her voice is very unique and a very acquired taste. While I did not mind it, I know of several people who would not listen to this based on the narrators voice.

Overall, this is a book/audiobook I would check out at the library, but I would not necessarily buy it.

I received an advanced audiobook from Andrews McMeel Audio through NetGalley. All opinions are 100% my own.

This collection of poetry was such a treat. It was soothing and lyrical. A beautiful call for change and a better world. An ode to the power of transformation. A reminder to seek joy, stillness, and gratitude in every moment.

The author's narration was stunning. I loved her rhythm, and delightful Southern accent.

'When you don't see a path before you, maybe it's time to fly"

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for early access to this collection.

Maps for the Modern World by musician Valerie June Hockett is a thoughtful collection of poetry that make us consider our perspectives, actions, and universal consciousness. There is varied structure and delivery for poems. I listened to the audiobook, which is delightfully narrated by the author, in a lilting, excited southern accent.

Thank you Andrews McMeel Audio and NetGalley for providing this audiobook ARC.

“This book is a laboratory of poetic experiments in the alchemy of life. While we all hope for a brighter world, it can be difficult to see how to navigate through the raging storms. I have to believe we are the creators of the world we see each day and that the stillness that can be felt in the wake of every storm holds the key to the map of all change. A map that can be drawn only by your own hand.”- from the Foreword of Maps of the Modern World

Maps for the Modern World is a wonderful poetry collection for me to have read at the beginning of National Poetry Month. When I saw the bright cover, sun/compass illustration, and Valerie June’s name, I knew that I had to read it.

As I write this review, I’m listening to/watching Valerie June’s KEXP performance, and she radiates warmth through the screen. I think that she was able to cultivate that sense of warmth within this collection as well. I will say that her style of poetry isn’t a style that I naturally gravitate towards. It is a kind of poetry that I don’t know the name for, but I’ll just call it abstraction poetry (think Rupi Kaur & Lang Leav). The sort of poetry that is focused on these big concepts like love, life, sadness, triumph, but tries to be more direct in what it wants the reader to take away rather than making use of poetic devices. I think that this sort of poetry resonates with a lot of people who find that poetry is too stuffy and purposefully inaccessible. Maps for the Modern World is filled to the brim with abstractions and is sometimes a little bit woo-woo in a way that reminds me of reading a Dr. Bronner’s castile soap bottle, but perhaps those are the reasons that I adore this collection.

In the acknowledgements, Hockett mentions that she started writing poetry everyday after the death of her father. So it makes sense that many of these poems are about the transformative nature of death and endings, about death being final but also being a transfer of energy. She also explores agency. There is a whole poem about how our civic duty does not end at the ballot box, how our civic responsibilities cannot be passed onto politicians. She writes about periods, pads, and tampons. She writes about God and spirituality but doesn’t proselytize. Her poetry is so different from, yet so similar to her music.

My favorite part about this collection is that she writes about her experiences as a Black woman in some of these poems, and there are little doodles throughout of a figure with kinky, free-flowing hair. I love that these poems are representations (though not always directly) of Black womanhood that is rife with kindness, gentleness, quirkiness, occasional light vulgarity—Black womanhood that is ever working towards compassionate justice, committed to mindfulness and the natural world, and always open to exploring uncharted depths no matter what others may think.

There are benefits to both the physical text (with its many adorable doodles and to see the words and line breaks on the page) and the audio (because Valerie June has the coolest Tennessee accent and a beautiful voice).

All in all, there are so many pieces from this collection that resonate with me: “Responsibilities After Voting,” “A Goddess Mantra (To Be Repeated),” “Spirit’s Spell,” “Ode to Fuckin’ Feelin’,” and “Comfortably” particularly stood out. This collection is like a warm mug of tea the way that it radiates warmth and suggests being present for the moment at hand, being mindful.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Audio for providing me with an ARC and the opportunity to listen to this lovely collection in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Valerie June Hockett for the chance to provide an honest review for a copy of the audiobook.

Valerie June Hockett provides a view into her thoughts and personal philosophies in this poetry collection. A sense of optimism and hope as she writes about humans and our space within society, large and small. The poetry flows across, letting you feel less alone, when listening to her voice bring the words to life. Part may be the fact she's got a twang, which for this southern woman far from home, feels like comfort. Hockett's words are soothing.

It's not like my usual style and love--Emily Dickinson for those don't know--yet the contemplation of life seems tangible. Like you're looking inside a private notebook of thoughts. The feelings of belonging, of nature, of life, match so perfectly to what I need. My favorite section is probably Earth and Other Worlds. However, the final section really spoke to me as well. I found the calls to action among the words to be very appealing.

I really "The Words" the most. Reminded that words travel through time and space, in how we still discuss lives millennia between.

Content: 4.5/5 stars.
Narration: 3.5/5 stars.

I had to speed up the narration. Sounded like they slowed the twang down too much. That twang is what really sells the work, frankly. There's a feeling of truth in that space.

This book is not just a collection of poems, but an insight into the world hidden within our inner being. It is a gateway to all the places we ever wanted to go, but never really found our way around.

Maps for the Modern World was an extraordinary experience. Poems are divided into several theme-based categories. They all connect so well with each other and take the reader on a self-discovery journey. The structure and dynamics of this book left me in awe. We are welcomed by the lines about consciousness, awareness and dreams. They are lines of hope, motivation and encouragement. Then we explore the grief and transition to other worlds. I am not sure if it was the poems themselves or an incredible emotional narration (or maybe both) that made me shed a tear while listening. So beautifully written, they were a comfort I never thought I needed. The last poems are a call for action. They are revolutionary lines that bring to the light topics of environment, Mother Nature, equality, migrations and a better future.

On the other side, some parts were a bit overwhelming for my personal preference. I felt like they dived into spirituality more than I expected and am comfortable with. However, for some people, it may be completely okay or even a charming part of this book. I listened to the audio version of Maps for the Modern World narrated by the author Valerie June Hockett and even though it took me some time to get used to the narration, as soon as I did, it was like music to my ear and it embellished the overall experience.

**Thanks to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest opinion. I listened to the audio version of Maps for the Modern World narrated by the author Valerie June Hockett.

Excellent book of poems read by the author with her fantastic accent. As a southern breed woman myself, I find comfort in a southern drawl. I am also a huge fan of Valerie June's music although I didn't put two and two together until after I finished that audiobook.

Just listen to it. Chances are you'll find a few poems you relate to.

"Maps for the Modern World'' is a book that can be appreciated by a specific audience in a specific mood. For people who tend to not like the form of modern poetry this much - and, partially, I'm one of them - this might not be the poetry collection for you.
Personally, I'm not sure I'd categorize this entire book as poetry. Some of it definitely was, but a lot of this was two-line quotes that, however beautiful, I don't think qualify as poetry to me. Also there was a lot of "space bar poetry", aka sentences separated by space bars so they look like poems.

However, even though I wouldn't consider a big part of this book as poetry, I still found this collection of gorgeous quotes very nice. The essence of it emphasized on self-empowerment, self-love and trying to take control over how you look at the sadness around you in order to enjoy life more. It was very spiritual, positive and optimistic and it felt like a self-help book with all the empowering quotes! I'd recommend it if you want to read something that will make you feel happy!

About the audiobook, the author is narrating it herself, which made it super special! She narrates it with so much passion and love, you could tell from her voice and that made it even better!

This poetry book is just confusing to me. It is divided into 5 sections with each section having an introduction. I didn’t like the introductions. It felt like an ‘explanation’ for the poems to come, directing the reader how to feel almost. There are also decent illustrations, but some of them are just not it. They felt like a waste in all honesty and added no value to the poems.

This poetry collection reads more like hopeful, positive, motivational quotes from Instagram. And while that can be nice occasionally, having an entire collection of it just felt a bit overwhelming, especially as an audiobook. Some of the poems don’t have any substance. The poems just tell you what to do or how to feel rather than letting you dwell on them or evoking thoughts or emotions from the reader. Some poems felt lazy.
For example:
“All is but a dream.
Dreams are everything.
Every hard time
I’ve ever had
I dreamed my way out of it
-hope”
This poem leaves no room for the reader to think about it. There’s nothing to take away from it which in my opinion makes it lazy.

Some of the poems deliver the obvious. It felt like a waste as a result.
For example:
“By the time you get to where you are going
Everything you did will seem so small
You will realise that it has always just been
A series of tiny steps
— tiny steps”
This poem just conveys...the obvious. I don’t know how to explain it properly but it doesn’t add anything of new to the collection in my opinion.

Overall, I didn’t enjoy this collection, sadly.

I really enjoyed this book. It was short and full of inspiration. All the feels. I like poetry, so it’s not surprising that I would like this. It is one to revisit. I listened to the audio version, but I would love to read the book as well. I think you get a different feel when you read poetry quietly.
Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion

I love Valerie June's soulful music, so I was excited for the opportunity to listen to her read this book of poetry. Her reading is sing-songy with a charming southern drawl with the occasional giggle - I could hear her smile and loved seeing what words she drew out and which she raced through or whispered. The poetry is similar to many popular modern poets like Cleo Wade or Rupi Kaur who write short truths, life lessons that are somewhere between inspirational quotes and poetry. After listening, I bought a presale copy so I can have the physical version to refer back to.