Cover Image: Flower Crowns and Fearsome Things

Flower Crowns and Fearsome Things

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Member Reviews

I was so lucky to be able to read this twice. Because I listened to it two times because I wanted to hurt my heart and cry. The writing was beautiful as always and Amanda sure knows how to rip someone's heart out.

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I sort of expected Lovelace to narrate the audiobook and she did a really good job! The audio actually had a little bit of extra in it – sometimes Lovelace would expand on a poem, or explain why she wrote the poem. I like how simple the poems were and at the same time meant a lot. As always I could see the passion she had for writing in her poems – both for poetry and for the topics in general.

Persephone is a big part of this poetry collection. Some people see the (Hades and Persephone) myth as a happy one – where Hades and Persephone are in love; others as more of a horror story – where Hades kidnaps Persephone and tricks her into eating the pomegranate seeds. This collection focuses mostly on Persephone and her knowing that she’s more than just a love interest, that she’s powerful and she knows it.

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I'm not a big fan of poetry in general and therefore don't know how to talk about it very well, but the poetry collections of Amanda Lovelace (including this one) have never disappointed me. Lovelace has such a wonderful way of writing and the reader did such a wonderful job bringing these works to life. I will definitely be recommending this one and Lovelace's others to anyone who wants a gentle introduction to poetry.

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I already love this author poems but hearing them read aloud was just priceless and yet such a intimate affair as well.

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Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an eARC of this title in exchange for my honest review.

If you have seen any of my other reviews about this author’s other poetry collections, then you know that I have had a pretty hit or miss experience with them. The highs were high, but the lows were really low. So, I said that if and when I read this book it would be the tie breaker to determine whether or not I will be continuing to read her work.

All that being said, I was pleasantly surprised with this one. I actually enjoyed the time I spent listening and felt more connected with the poems and the intent from the author. I think she did a nice job narrating her poems this time. (Perhaps part of the reason I didn’t enjoy the others was because of the fact I listened to them on the NetGalley Shelf app?) I liked how personal this one was with the author mentioning her thoughts as well has her hopes for the poems, the future, and the state of the world.

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I loved this collection. The poems were beautiful and hearing them read in the author's voice was perfect. I loved hearing the author's explanation for certain poems they added more meaning to the poems. Persephone and Hades is always fun to visit I love how it was adapted in this.

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this felt like a compilation of reject poems from her previous books, there was nothing new or interesting in it

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Really nice at a regular pace and a nice quick audiobook for those wanting something like that. A good collection by the author.

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Somehow this is even more beautiful and meaningful when you listen to the words. Even stronger in my memory and my heart.

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This was an intresting collection of poetry I loved all of the postive stuff and not my favorite by amanda lovelace but still a good one to check out!(:

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I have enjoyed all of the poetry books that I have read by Amanda Lovelace. She knows just how to pull those heart strings and touch on those hard topics. I loved the tie in with Persephone in this one. I felt like it was just so right. I loved how she shows that we as women have more than one side. We make mistakes and are allowed to change our minds. We are human after all. Thanks to Netgalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for the ARC of this in exchange for my honest review.

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Lovelace's poetry always speaks to my heart, and this collection was no different! I stand a bit taller; hold my head a little higher. And the audio is excellent as well!

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I knew that Amanda Lovelace wrote The Princess Saves Herself in This One so I was really looking forward into reading/ hearing some of her most recent work.

Flower Crowns and Fearsome Things is a collection of poems dedicated to women (in my humble opinion). The poems display some strong topics such as feminism, women empowerment, but even makes some good points about the struggles of women.

Important note: the audiobook (and I assume the printed copy would do the same) has a trigger warning at the beginning because the book covers difficult topics.

I enjoyed listening to the audiobook, and I would definitely try more of Amanda's poems.

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This was a good poetry book looking into feminity and the soft and fiercest of it. I listened to the audiobook and was surprised by how short it was at only 39 mins. I really liked that she followed a theme and based it around the Goddess Persephone (springtime and the underworld). There were also elements of the struggles the author faced during the covid 19 pandemic. She speaks such truth its enlightening. I liked that she explained the meanings behind the poems. However, I struggled to find the ending of the poem and the beginning of her notes. The author narrated her own work which I often like but in this case she sounded very nervous and it made me fill nervous listening to it.
When listening to this book I did feel an element of self help which is a main focus of this collection. As a women it made me feel understood or slightly empowered.
I have always loved poetry that insights feelings of emotion.
I just wanted more poetry maybe at least an hours worth and a better distinction between poetry and notes. As poetry is so personal it might me slightly lacking for me but perfect for you. Always try a sample before declining poetry. Thanks to the author and publishers for bring more poetry for us all to enjoy.

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More poetic magic from Amanda Lovelace! I've loved each of her books and this one was no exception. Hearing it in the spoken word format really brought a new element to the words and I can't recommend the audio enough.
Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy.

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I love hearing an authors background on their work. This was a very nice audiobook where I got to listen to Amanda Lovelace explain her previous work. Hearing the origin explained through the mouth of the author elevates the previous work. I would definitely recommend this for future poets and writers.

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I really enjoy Amanda Lovelace's poetry so I was really looking forward to this and I was not let down. This is the first time I've listened on audio and I really enjoyed it, the author did a great job. The commentary on some of the poems was a nice touch and added a lot to the audio book.

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Thank you to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for providing me with the audiobook for review.

I love amanda lovelace's poetry. I'm aware it is not for everyone but every time I read them it feels like self-care. Flower Crowns and Fearsome Things is inspired by the Greek goddess Persephone, goddess of spring and Queen of the Underworld. I also liked the two poems related to the pandemic. This poetry collection also includes some very stunning art!

The interesting part of the audiobook is that it includes commentary of the author about some of her poems and what inspired her.

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Many thanks to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Audio for the ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.

This is not my first Amanda Lovelace poetry collection that I've read. It is the first that I've read as an audiobook. The audiobook is narrated by the author and includes commentary on some of their poems including the writing process and inspiration. I appreciated these tidbits and they added more context to enrich the listening experience. However, I wish there was a break of sorts or a transition between the poem and the commentary. There were times where I wasn't 100% sure if it was part of the poem or not. I think that concern would be addressed if I also had the physical copy in front of me. Overall I think Amanda did a great job narrating and instilling emotion into the poetry.

This collection is inspired by Persephone, the Greek goddess of spring and queen of the Underworld. Her relationships, her journey and her characteristics. There are themes exploring femininity, definition of strength, respect, individuality, power, and soft vs fierce. I adore a Persephone retelling and the author delivered for me. Within the poetry I feel a connection with Persephone's thoughts, emotions, and fears. I felt like she was my Virgil and we were navigating Hell together. As much as I enjoyed this collection, it's not my favorite; however, it will not be my last. Amanda Lovelace is an auto-read for me.

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I enjoyed this. I connected to the message and I feel like more poetry needs to be written like this. Empowering and soft. People can be both. I would like to thank the publisher and Netgalley for an Audio ARC of this. It was fast paced and meaningful.

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