Grey Matters is a vividly written set of poems that uses language to understand mental health and well-being. It is very clear from the poems and the author's use of language that they are advocates of mental health and have enough experience to write pieces that the reader can understand and connect to.

The poems dealt with the heaviness of the themes without being overbearing and still sensitive to the topics.

"I am the light and the tunnel
There are no detours-
no poppy-paved shortcuts
I am my only way out"

Thank you NetGalley and Kristen Costello for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

Loved the poems in this book - they were powerful and encapsulated raw emotions really well. Having struggled with depression and anxiety for most of my life, these poems were very relatable, which made me enjoy them even more.

Shoutout to how the poems were written as well! The way the lines and stanzas were written felt intentional, which helped to emphasise on certain points, unlike some other poetry books I’ve read before.

Thank you NetGalley and Kristen Costello for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

In diesem Gedichtband beschäftigt sich die Autorin mit psychischen Erkrankungen. Die Gedichte in diesem Buch sind daher vier Kategorien untergeordnet: über Angst, über Depression, über Essstörungen und übers Heilen. Diesen sehr sensiblen Themen widmet sich die Autorin in persönlichen Gedichten, die mir erneut aufgrund ihrer bildlichen Sprache sehr gefallen haben. Die verschiedenen psychischen Problematiken wurden anhand konkreter Gedanken und Verhaltensweisen aus dem Alltag sehr eindringlich und nachvollziehbar dargestellt. Ich hatte den Eindruck, die Gefühle des lyrischen Ichs nachempfinden und verstehen zu können.
Eine wunderschöne Gedichtsammlung, die zugleich unterhält und aufklärt und so einer gesellschaftlichen Gruppe, die oft übersehen wird, Gehör schenkt. Sehr empfehlenswerte 4,5 Sterne.


In English:

In this volume of poetry, the author deals with mental illness. The poems in this book are therefore divided into four categories: about anxiety, about depression, about eating disorders and about healing. The author devotes herself to these very meaningful topics in personal poems, which I really liked because of their figurative language. The various psychological problems were presented very vividly and comprehensibly using concrete thoughts and behaviors from everyday life. I had the impression that I could empathize and understand the feelings of the lyrical self.
A beautiful collection of poems that entertains and enlightens at the same time, giving voice to a social group that is often overlooked. Highly recommended 4.5 stars.

Poetry isn't something that I pick up very often on a regular basis but I'm so glad that I decided to request this one because I absolutely loved it. I know that poetry can be so subjective because it's all about how you interpret such personal stories and themes but this was such a win for me.

I absolutely love how Costello writes about mental health and the journey that this collection takes you on. I actually read this twice, the first time I flew through it because I was so enthralled. And then I immediately started it over so I could read it slower and just sit with each poem and really think about how I relate to them all.

Reviewing poetry is so difficult because I think that either you connect with it or you don't, but I loved this one and I really can't wait to read more by this author.

Thank you NetGalley, Publishers, and Kristen Costello for gifting me a copy of Grey Matters in return for my honest opinion.

4/5 stars

Wow, what an amazing collection of poems by Kristen Costello. As someone who struggles with their mental health, especially anxiety these really hit home. I loved reading about the struggle of everyday life written in poem form. It was inspirational to read.

If you are a lover of poetry or of inspirational writing then I definitely recommend this set of poetry.

Thank you NetGalley and Kristen Costello for granting me access to this book in exchange for an honest review. I just reviewed Grey Matters by Kristen Costello. #NetGalley As someone who feels that mental health is under diagnosed, still considered taboo, and still under treated this book was great. It speaks about topics that I feel each and every one of us have dealt with at one time or another. It brings light to many issues that we all face and feel. It is an amazing collection that is relatable. I feel everyone should read this book!

"Flight isn't always freedom."
"Perfectionism is the monster under my bed."
"I'd love to shrug off my perfectionism for one evening, drape it over the wooden rocking chair and wader weightless through the world just once."

Ummmmm....after reading this book, and crying some, I have determined that Kristen Costello must be protected at all costs. This beautiful human deserves to always have her head on the cool side of the pillow, her coffee or tea always warm, and to never have to hit a red light or traffic jam. THANK YOU, sweet Kristen, for writing some of the most beautiful poetry about some of the most ugly mental illnesses. As someone who struggles with anxiety and depression, your words gave the most vulnerable and accurate description of things that has taken me years of therapy to comprehend. I appreciate your raw and beautiful poems so much. They are going to help so many people find healing and grow in compassion.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for a copy of this book of poetry in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and Kristen Costello for the eBook.

I'm a sucker for modern poetry, and while this wasn't my top collection of all time, I still really, really enjoyed it. There weren't many poems that gave me that "gut punch" feeling that I love to find in poetry, but I still found poems I loved. Definitely recommend for fans of modern poetry!

It says a lot about the quality of the poetry that most of my kindle highlights for this collection are whole-ass poems. This writer definitely has talent, and the collection was full of the kind of potent little images that set my mind alight.

I did however feel like the collection as a whole could have done with some thinning. Each of the sections felt like it repeated itself a few too many times, and that perhaps it would have benefited from being worked into two books instead of one, so that the poems could really sing. Although I appreciate that not everyone reads a poetry book from front to back like I do. If you were dipping into the book every now and then, you probably wouldn't have the same issue.

But overall, fantastic writing and I'd love to read more from this poet.

I really enjoyed some of the poems in this book, very heartfelt and as if you’d lived through a lot of what you write. Touching words in places, feel like some could be improved with a few more lines or a few less but over all good.

Thank you Netgalley for an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I loved some of the poems, without getting too personal, I felt those words were incredibly relatable and heartfelt. If we were rating poems individually, some would surely be 5-stars for me. Since others didn't hit the same, there was inconsistent and some repetitive messages, I overall rate this compilation as a 3-star. However, this poetry collection does show this author has incredible potential and I do look forward to future works as this was a solid collection.

Absolutely gorgeous!
Really enjoyed it✨

Thank you Netgalley, the author & the publisher for the review copy.

This is one poetry book that I just loved. I've had a bad case of poetry collections this year and it was so great to find one that I could relate to. The pieces are honest, raw and I'm so happy to see minimal repetition because nothing makes me want to close a book faster than reading the same thing over and over and over again. The collection covers a variety of sensitive topics without making the reader believe they are the problem and the problem is them, and it's not preachy about it. Well done!

Grey Matters was sent to me for an honest review.

I loved this book as someone who experiences loads of mental health issue, it was great knowing that I was not alone in this struggle. I found that Kristen Costello portrayed these issues in a way that I have always struggled to explain it. Costello uses beautiful imagery with her words that they almost paint a picture in your mind. The book itself is easy to read and split into parts so you can read which part you relate too. Each part is made up of mental health issues which is helpful if you want to read about a certain issue. I enjoyed reading this book and even cried and will be recommending it to family members.

What a beautiful collection of poems, some of them hit deep but they are thought and feeling provoking.

My list of favourites, and those that really resonated with me are:
Dissociation,
Control,
Pouring,
Lost Leisure,
Missing Out,
Achievements,
Changing,
Reasons to Go for a Walk,
Staring Contest,
My Geometry.

These poems left me feeling like I wasn't alone in the world. They made me feel understood and seen. This will be a book I reread when I feel my poor mental health creeping back.

I watered all the plants except for me and wondered why I wilted.

The thing about mental illness be it depression, anxiety or anything else, we keep it so hush hush that talking about it is considered a big deal. Like the blurb of the book says - struggle is real but talking about is well , that is not always encouraged.

When I myself suffered from anxiety, talking to friends was like a gateway for me. It helped ease my symptoms, it helped me find a way to "find help." Yes you heard it right. Even after being a doctor, it wasn't easy to get help.

Depression is a spiral staircase inside an elevator sinking down a well.

So I could relate to these poems with more depth, emotions & fervor. They hurt me , healed me, soothed me like a balm which burns at first but relieves the pain later.

The poems are short and to the point and it made them easier to grasp and understand. Kristen has touched all the subjects related to mental illness, from how one experiences depression to how it feels to finally get better after what feels like a lifelong struggle.

Tell the the hard time not to get to attached to me , I'm only passing through.

Thank you Netgalley and Kristen Costello for providing me with ARC in exchange of honest review

(Thank you to NetGalley and Kristen Costello for letting me read this ARC)

So I want to start off by saying that this poetry book takes up a few dark subjects and is very raw when it comes to them and might be a little triggering for some so read at your own risk.

But apart from that this was beautifully written and just pure raw emotions that brought me to tears. And I think that a lot of people would find these poems describing pretty much how they feel/felt going through the same things as the author did.

For this being my first ever poetry book ever read of the author I did enjoy it but I do wish that there was a little trigger warning for eating disorder because that was very very raw, but that might just be a personal preference. Otherwise I think the poetry book was beautifully written and very good.

Grey Matters by Kristen Costello.

The author really puts herself in the shoes of several issues the book takes on.This is an amazing poetry book that gives the reader the hope that someone understands.Be sure to also look but the trigger warnings.

Thank you at @netgallery and @Kristen Costello for allowing me to read this book.

Struggle is universal. But talking about it? Well, that’s not always encouraged – especially when those struggles involve mental illness.

Grey Matters is a poetry collection that urges us to have conversations about the things we’re told to suppress – to bring our darkness to light. It provides refreshingly honest and relatable depictions of anxiety, depression, and eating disorders while also offering sparks of hope to readers – healing may not be a linear process, but over time, it is possible. Things aren’t always black and white: Sometimes, the very thing you’re fighting (your own mind) can also be what saves you.

For me this one was a miss, but it's praised by a lot of others reviewers, so maybe chech what others wrote :)