Soft Thorns Vol. II, penned by the incredibly talented Bridgett Devoue, is a poetic masterpiece that delves deep into the realms of vulnerability, resilience, and self-discovery. As I listened to this remarkable collection, read by the author herself, I embarked on a journey of healing and empowerment, feeling an indescribable connection to the raw emotions expressed within its verses.

From the very first poem, Devoue's words wrapped around my heart like a comforting embrace, gently urging me to confront my inner struggles and insecurities. Each word felt like a revelation, revealing the beauty in even the most fragile aspects of our existence. The author fearlessly exposes her wounds, inviting us to explore the intricacies of our pain and reminding us that we are not alone in our battles.

What sets Soft Thorns Vol. II apart is Devoue's remarkable ability to intertwine strength with vulnerability. Her words are both gentle and fierce, captivating and liberating. With every poem, she challenges societal expectations and empowers the reader to embrace their authentic selves. Through her evocative imagery and masterful use of metaphors, she creates a safe space where wounds are transformed into sources of strength and growth.

The themes explored in Soft Thorns Vol. II are both universal and deeply personal. Devoue delves into the complexities of love, heartbreak, self-acceptance, and the process of rebuilding oneself. She beautifully captures the ebb and flow of emotions, reminding us that healing is not linear but a continuous journey of self-discovery. The poems act as mirrors, reflecting our own experiences and evoking emotions that resonate long after the book is closed.

Devoue's writing style is a fusion of simplicity and profoundness. Her words have a lyrical quality that tugs at the strings of your soul. They are not merely ink on paper but a symphony of emotions, wrapped in the gentle embrace of wisdom and vulnerability. Each poem is meticulously crafted, leaving an indelible mark on the reader's heart.

Soft Thorns Vol. II is a book that demands to be savored. It is meant to be read slowly, allowing each word to seep into your consciousness and touch the deepest recesses of your being. It is a testament to the power of words and the transformative nature of art.

In conclusion, Bridgett Devoue's Soft Thorns Vol. II is a captivating and profound collection that invites readers to embark on a journey of self-reflection, healing, and empowerment. It is a book that speaks to the soul, offering solace and inspiration in equal measure. I wholeheartedly recommend this anthology to anyone seeking solace, understanding, and a renewed sense of purpose. Prepare to be moved, uplifted, and forever changed by the power of Devoue's words.

i think is great, specially since it's narrated by the author and she knows how her poetry is meant to be read. however, i didn't love her poetry. her style is a modern-ish, but not in the good way. the pacing was weird, the structure was ok but it was super repetitive. the use of the angel/demon metaphor was overdone and it got annoying

This collection of poetry was alright. I like that it was narrated by the poet herself. I would recommend reading along with the words to get the context of the structure as well as the illustrations.

Poetry is a tricky thing as it is so often a personal choice/preference. It was clear this collection was a personal one for the author and the meaning did come across in the reading. However in places I found I couldn't connect to the poems and they washed over me rather than hitting their mark. The Narrator as well I found I couldn't fully connect with, the voice too emotive in places that it came across as more dramatic on the panto side of things.
I feel this may have been better for me in its paper, but each to their own. On the whole, full of emotion, feeling and can imagine it was cathartic to write.

I received an advance reader copy of this book to listen to in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

Soft Thorns Volume 2 is a short collection of poetry relating to hurt, abuse, domestic abuse, shame and heartbreak. This book was beautifully narrated by the author and I enjoyed listening to these poems.
Some resonated with me and some missed the mark as I felt they had too much information within one poem all at once, but overall enjoyed this poetry collection.

Soft Thorns Vol. II was easy to read, had some insightful explorations of what it means to be human, and the narrator's voice was pleasant to listen to. Some of the sentiments were repetitive, but overall I would recommend this book to others.

Soft Thorns Vol 2
Soft Thorns Volume 2 is a short and sweet poetry collection about life and love and the complexities of self and romantic relationships. It’s quick and just thoughtful enough to be memorable.

I feel very old and jaded listening to the narrator, who is also the author, talk about herself in a way that suggests she is jaded.

She has a young voice and talks about tender admonishments. Being tender hearted. She talks of cycles repeating themselves as if merely knowing something exists in a cycle and wanting it to be different, would put an end to those cycles. If only!!

The only way to know love is to endure heart break and it seems B.Devoue has endured her fair share. I appreciate her willingness to be open and put words to her demons. If only to allow her readers the practice of putting words to theirs.

3 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Andrews Mcmeel Publishing for this free advanced audiobook copy.

I got book and the audiobook left my review on the print version. Would totally give this book to a friend.

Not the poems for me. Very straightforward heartbreak and self-help. I like some searing emotions in my poetry, but these were mostly narration at face value, with little interesting imagery, metaphor, or creative use of language. I'm sure this collection will have value for some, but it's not what I need at this point in my life.

I have really been enjoying the genre of poetry audiobooks lately. As someone who is going through a rather busy period of time in their life, listening to this audiobook was a chance to stop thinking about everything else and just let the words wash over me.
Audiobooks in general, but especially poetry audiobooks are a very meditative experience for me.
This audiobook just had the author narrating the book without anything additional added to it. I enjoy having the author narrate for the audiobook as it adds a feeling of understanding and immersion to the experience that is harder to experience with a different narrator.

Whenever I read a collection of poems, I don't know what to say and this one is not an exception, poetry books are not like a fantasy book that gives you characters, places, history, they give you feelings, but to be honest this book didn't make me feel much , I felt that his poems about love that cover most of the book are very generic (for me) this does not mean that it is not good but that it is very repetitive, not having more to say about this book I finish my review. (This book was not what I expected, the strange thing is that I never expected anything from it)

A beautiful collection of poetry. I love that the author narrated the audiobook, I think it gave it more weight.
Highly recommended

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* Not super into poems but thought this sounded interesting so i checked it out, not too bad tho still not super into poems ngl lol

I was really able to relate to these poems (which is something I look for in poetry) I just wish it was longer! I didn’t want it to end!

I received this book for free from Netgalley in return for an honest review.

I have recently been gorging on poetry. With every fibre of my being, I devour it. Very rarely do I savour it. This audiobook gave me the opportunity to take my time with the words, to let the emotion wash over me and absorb it.

Listening to poetry is one of my favourite things to do. I’ve started reading all the poetry I read aloud, to properly understand its rhythm and flow. Hearing the poet read this in her own way was really cathartic.

The poems are infused with pain and reminiscing. This is my favourite kind of poetry, the kind that speaks to someone who doesn’t hear the poet, who has hurt them irreparably.

Unfortunately, this one just didn’t work for me. I think this is partly because it was an audiobook that I listened to. I couldn’t distinguish when each poem ended and it felt like one run on commentary, losing its rhythm at times and sounding more like a letter. Some poetry works like that, but maybe this would have worked better for me on paper.

I think what I have learned here is having the written version is so important when it comes to poetry. Hearing it is fascinating, but reading along with it would have, I believe, been more impactful.

4/5 Good collection!

I listened to an audio book of this and really enjoyed it! I hadn't read the first volume from this author but I wasn't lost at all :) I really liked the authors writing in this and the deepness of its contents. If you enjoy poetry collections like milk and honey than you should check this out!

I read/listened to this early on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I loved Soft Thorns and was so excited to get my hands on the audio of Volume 2. Bridgett gets down to the nitty gritty of relationships. She tells it like it is and knows she is writing for all of us. Hearing her read her own work helped it feel even more real.

Some poems are good, but mostly I wasn't impressed. I didn't like the style. The cover is amazing, and I like the main theme and title of this poetry book. I usually like to hear poetry read by the author. That's how I know how it is supposed to sound. And often, this makes the poetry somehow better. But I didn't see anything special in this narration. Here, in my opinion, it didn't improve it in any way.

Thanks to the publisher for the opportunity to listen to this! All opinions are my own.

This collection of poetry is the second installment to Soft Thorns by Bridgett Devoue. It writes about themes like love, relationships, unrequited love, and abuse. (There is definitely some potentially triggering content, so please, be careful going into this.) It’s a really raw poetry collection. It almost reads like a diary. As I was reading it, I felt like Bridgett was sharing secrets with me. It’s vulnerable and emotional, and I think that’s going to allow readers to resonate with it a lot. There were definitely some poems and lines that hit me really hard.
I didn’t fully love the writing. I usually have an issue with modern poetry that the writing is a little too simple and straightforward (which is obviously a personal preference), which was the case in this book. However, if you like that style of writing, I think you might really like this! Still, there were definitely parts that resonated with me a lot.
Also, I really loved the audiobook narration; the narrator has such a comforting and beautiful voice, and it definitely made me enjoy it more. One thing I loved about the first book were the illustrations. Since I listened to this on audio, I couldn’t see them, unfortunately, but they’re the same style as the first book so I’m sure they are beautiful!
Overall, I would recommend this if you like modern poetry and the themes are something you think you’re going to enjoy.

“𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘮𝘺 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘭 𝘰𝘯 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘭𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘧𝘭𝘢𝘮𝘦.”

Let me start my review by telling you that I went into this with doubt, the last book I read filled with poems wasn't a good read. I found out I had nothing to fear after the introduction, Bridgett Devoue just takes your heart and stabs it with words, till your heart bleeds as much as hers. I have never felt the things she did, and yet I can relate to every word ... Every poem... I had to pick one quote (because that is what I do often while writing a review) but I couldn't just pick one quote, I had to pick many because this book is filled with so many beautiful quotes and poems. | Advance Review Copy generously provided by NetGalley.

“𝘐 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘪𝘯 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘯 … 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘺 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘯.”

Bridgett Devoue puts down her words on paper so carefully, yet her words cut through hearts. Her words are innocent hidden in guilt. Pain mixed with love and lust. Hope combined with rejection. It's like Bridgett Devoue grabs your heart, shaping it, just like your hands would shape a piece of clay.

"... 𝘞𝘩𝘺 𝘩𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘯, 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘯𝘰 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘦𝘭𝘴𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘯."

𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝑰 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆𝒅:
• The cover is just gorgeous and I am loving the title of the book!!!
• Bridgett Devoue reads her poems in the audiobook, this makes the poems she wrote even more thrilling and hurtful (if that is even possible).
• There are so many beautiful quotes and poems in this book! It's hard to read/listen to a poem she wrote in this book and not feel something. Every poem was as beautifully painful as the one before.

“𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘭, 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘢𝘧𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘺 𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘴.”

𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝑰 𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆𝒅:
• Nothing.