Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an e-copy of this book.

Although I was drawn to this book by the cover, the title and the description, it wasn't quite what I expected. To me the writing felt very personal, as though I was eavesdropping on private diaries or dreams. I didn't really engage with the works (I'm not sure what to call them - not poems, I think - essays?), but perhaps looking at them again later might elicit a different response. I suppose I just didn't know how to understand and work with them.

I have mixed thoughts on Quickwater Oracles by Ruth Thompson.

First, I have never read a book that read like this one did. I found that incredibly fascinating. However, I was expecting this in a typical poetry form. I would consider this to be a bunch of short essays or stories.

I had mixed thoughts on the poems/essays. Some I really connected with and loved. Others I was completely lost on. I loved the theme of nature throughout the book, which is initially what got my attention.

Like I said earlier, I have mixed feelings on this book. It is not one I would buy, but I would rent it from my local library. I would like to try more of Ruth Thompson's work in the future.

I received an eARC from Saddle Road Press through NetGalley. All opinions are 100% my own.

Quickwater Oracles is a collection of heartfelt and thoughtful poems by award winning poet, Ruth Thompson. Each piece leaves you feeling as though you’re floating and free from worries. Thompson focuses on creating vivid imagery that whisks the reader away on a magical adventure.

This is by far my favourite collection of poems this year. As a Buddhist and new comer to tarot, I love how Thompson incorporates spirituality into her work. I’m a huge advocate for mental health and understand the importance of meditation, journalling, and discussion. It was refreshing to see pieces of work that reflect this. My favorite poem in this book is Duffy. I felt a deep and personal connection to this piece. It’s such a beautiful depiction that those who part from this physical world are still with us in spirit.

Thank you to NetGalley and Saddle Road Press for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Hello everyone! I am the author of Quickwater Oracles. I just wanted everyone to know that I have revised this galley – in part, because of some really useful feedback from reviewers here and elsewhere, so THANK YOU to those who take the time to review books! I have uploaded the revised version here. It is now shorter, reorganized to be more accessible, and some of the longer philosophical channels have been removed. So if you had downloaded the previous version to review, I wanted you to know that there is a new version. And thank you to reviewers who loved the book – I am very grateful.

The paragraph and short essay style of poems aren't for me. Thus, I was unable to fully enjoy it since it is not my cup of tea. My respect and admiration to the author for her wise words and for sharing her stories. Thank you for letting me read the book.

A beautiful collections of poems from a new perspective. It is thought provoking and a breath of fresh air. I will go back to these over and over again.

This book wasn’t really what I was expecting, and I could not engage with it.
This is not strictly speaking a collection of poems, more a series of “channelled” conversations with animals, rocks, water and various other aspects of nature conducted by author Ruth Thomson.
Exclamation marks litter the text and on the whole the short passages don’t work as poems, or, indeed, as anything. They are more like “teachings” with much talk of “energies”, which made me think of all those self-help books like “The Secret” about “connecting with the universe”. If you like those books then you will probably enjoy this, but for me it just seemed like a load of New Age nonsense.

This is very different than anything I’ve ever read before, and I adore it.

It made me feel the way I did when I was a child exploring the woods behind my great-grandparents’ home, searching for something magical.

Definitely something I will be rereading and meditating alongside for years to come!