This story follows Ranita as she navigates life after incarceration. Both moving and inspirational, Ranita must battle both inner and outer demons to regain her life back while dealing with grief. This book really highlights how those unspoken inner demons/traumas can affect one's life. It reinforces the fact that you really have no clue what someone is going through just by looking at them, even as someone in a person's inner circle.

The story takes us through a mix of Ranita’s childhood, life while in prison, periods during her addiction, and her current day to day life. While I enjoyed the story overall, at times it felt a bit slow. I like the fact that some parts of the story were open to your imagination but at other points I was really hoping for more details. The story did not end in your classic happily ever after, knowing recovery is never easy, clean and without its hurdles, which I appreciated.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I hate to say this, but I really didn't care for the writing style. The sentences were choppy and confusing. I had to keep re-reading certain lines over and over again. It was beyond frustrating. Otherwise, I think I would've enjoyed this novel. The overall plot was very intriguing and profound. It's about a queer young woman being released from prison after a 4-year sentence. She faces challenges with starting her life over again, and trying to get custody of her 2 children. I liked the symbolism and the emotions that came across, but I just wished the prose was stronger and more impactful.

Pomegranate by Helen Elaine Lee follows a woman named Ranita who is being released from prison after serving a four year sentence for drug possession. We follow her story and learn about her past as she tries to stay clean, fights to regain custody of her children, and falls in love.

I was initially very drawn to the story and enjoyed the writing style but felt like it never really progressed. The characters seemed unfinished, and their relationships to each other didn’t feel fully formed. The detached writing creates a disconnect with the reader, and because of this, I really struggled to finish the book.

I wish I enjoyed it more than I did, and I think Lee has a great story in her; it just wasn’t told in the best way. Nevertheless, thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this story!

Pomegranate by Helen Elaine Lee is a deeply emotional novel about a woman who is leaving prison and coming home. the journey towards true freedom, healing, and wholeness that Ranita takes is something you will want to read about. You will want to know her.

Wow...I was stunned by this novel. The synopsis grabbed me from the beginning, but I definitely can say I was blown out of the water. The writing is so mesmerizing and descriptive and poetic. Reading this felt like I was literally watching someone paint each individual brush stroke of Ranita's life that would undoubtedly come together into a painting of a magnificent, bleeding pomegranate. More so, the topics that this book covered were so tragic and hopeful and heartbreaking and inspiring all at the same time. It truly takes you on her highs and lows of successes and failures much like the everyday high and lows of someone struggling with addiction. Watching Ranita fight with her past, present, and future while facing society's injustices against being a black, queer woman and addict is truly a sight to behold. This book did a beautiful job of getting you inside her head and almost tangibly understanding what addiction and prison really is. Watching her also fight to better herself for her children and love was remarkable. It's a super tough story to read, but one that brings such important light to living with addictions, trauma, racial injustices, and the repercussions of choice.

Please note the trigger warnings posted!
(Addiction, alcoholism, emotional abuse, toxic relationship, sexual assault, rape, drug use, drug abuse, sexual content, death of parent, child abuse, confinement, racism)

Thank you Netgalley and Atria Books for a chance to read this in exchange for an honest review!

Pomegranate by Helen Elaine Lee is a stirring and thoughtful story about a woman’s path to forgiveness and a better future after her release from prison for opiate possession. Told in first person in the present and third person in the past, Ranita’s life unfolds to explain how she would up in prison and how she’s going to change her life now that she’s out.

I was especially moved by her relationship inside with Maxine, and her therapy sessions post-release with Drew Turner. Hearing Ranita come to terms with her queer identity was poignant, especially given her own complicated relationship with the church.

This is part slice-of-life and part memoir, and above all, a story of redemption and hope. It took a little while for me to settle in to the read, but once I was in I was all in.

Really enjoyed this book and the character Ranita. The story paced well and was believable. Ranita takes you on a journey of her struggles and how she moves forward to change her life and outcome. It was a great read.

Pomegranate by Helen Elaine Lee is a powerful, subtle, sad tale about a woman named Ranita.

I don't even know what to say other than you just have to read this phenomenal story.
I loved everything about Pomegranate.
Helen Elaine Lee sucks you into Ranita's life giving you a heartbreaking, raw, vivid and a realistic picture of what it's like for a queer Black woman and stigma in America.
Lee is such a talented writer, and you actually feel the things faced by her characters.
She has such a way for capturing emotion. I was utterly engrossed in Ranita's life.
Felt like real people going through real life emotions.
An interesting and thought-provoking tale that captivated me from the very beginning.
A memorable story I hope readers will love just as much as I did!

A story of recovery, mending, atonement, and courage.
A lyrical prose, Helen paints a humane and unflinching portrait of the devastating effects of incarceration and addiction, and of one woman’s determination to tell her story.

*I hope she continues to write more stories similar to Pomegranate.
Because she can create such a beautiful story!

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Atria Books,
Thank You for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!