Through a heartfelt, sometimes heartbreaking, prose the author brings to life hurts, hang ups, and horrors that are deeply felt and difficult to forget. Poetry that is able to portray a feeling so well that you can sense it rippling underneath your skin is not what I had expected, although, it's exactly what I felt whilst reading this. You can feel not just grief but all the bittersweet, broken, hard edges of what Schrader is expressing through the pages and each word carries a weight all it's own. This was an extraordinary glimpse into the core of human emotions.

E.F. Schraeder believes in ghosts, magic, and dogs. The author of Liar: Memoir of a Haunting (Omnium Gatherum, 2021), which was an Imadjinn Award finalist (2022) for best horror novel, Schraeder is also the author of a story collection, several poetry chapbooks, and a forthcoming full length poetry collection. Recent work has appeared in Lost Contact, Birthing Monsters, Mobius: The Journal of Social Change, Lavender Review, and other journals and anthologies. Schraeder’s nonfiction has appeared in Vastarien: A Literary Journal, Radical Teacher, and elsewhere. A Rhysling nominated poet, Schraeder is an Active Member of the Horror Writers Association. Her newest collection is The Price of a Small Hot Fire.
Because this book deals with an estranged parent, what caused the estrangement, what the effects of the estrangement had on the speaker, etc. This is poetry rich with pain, as in “Alternate Words for Estranged,” which contains lines like
I plucked recurring nightmares like invading weeds, flung
them to the scorned realm of my unconscious
beneath layers of ice so thick I froze, stunned
by the quickest glance in their direction.
Here, Schrader is delving deep into the emotional pain connected with this book, and using the dreamy images of horror—nightmares, realm of unconscious, etc.—drives that grief forward for her readers. This is a painful book to read, but the pain is cathartic and well worth the journey.
Elsewhere, Schrader taps into childhood stories, sometimes relating the memory, and sometimes using them as vehicles for the overarching themes of the book. For example, “Returning to Narnia,” has lines like
Strange to ignore the pine needles littering her hair,
to skip over clumps of ice on the floor,
to blink out her sopping wet slippers. Curious,
how they mistook the smoky scent of that checkered robe.
Here, Schrader uses the character of Lucy to work as vehicle for the abandonment and the lack of interest felt by the speaker in this poem. It’s poem that works to explain the emotions earlier in the book, and the way Schrader taps into childhood and childlike imagery in this book works, especially because the juxtaposition against the other emotions and poems only serves to heighten their effect.
Overall, The Price of a Small Hot Fire is, as Schraeder describes, about “complicated grief, responding to the death of an estranged parent.” The whole collection creates a narrative arc, centered around loss and pain, as well as survival and resilience. It is a strong collection from an already established writer, and something horror readers need in their collection.

I’m not one for poetry, but having recently lost my mother, I thought this work might resonate with me, based on the description: A careful study on estrangement and loss, The Price of a Small Hot Fire excavates the archetypal horrors of monstrous motherhood, from abandonment and unsteady reconciliation to the grave. Experimental and intimate, E.F. Schraeder’s collection gives voice to a semi-autobiographical examination of a griefscape from a queer lens.

I experienced the abandonment and to the grave storyline, but reconciliation was nonexistent. So this work did not hit home for me, but it may for someone that likes poetry and that has repaired their familial relationships. It’s not the poet’s fault that my mother was a terrible person from her first breath to her last, so I gave this 4 stars, as the writing itself was well done.

E.F. Schraeder has indeed lit a small hot fire in this new collection of poetry.

There are elements of romanticism and horror surrounded by meditations on loss and abandonment that pull you in and don't let go. I'd definitely recommend this for a stormy night curled up by a fire and wanting to feel your feels.

Thank you to Netgalley and Raw Dog Screaming for the chance to review this stunning piece.

A harrowing examination of grief and memory, The Price of a Small Hot Fire feels like EF Schraeder has left their heart laid bare before us, hoping against hope that we will guard it safely. They write with such intense vulnerability, laying out a scar-stained life and allowing us to follow every curve therein,and the experience is heartbreaking. Though there were many moments of brilliance, such as the simple complexity of "Forgiveness Spell" or the clever metaphor of "Return to Narnia", it's the titular poem that really deserves the highest praise, a small, simple examination of the things left we leave undone, and the memories we leave behind, followed beautifully in the book's last piece, "One Paper Bag". It has been said that in specificity one finds universality, and though, as the author mentions in their preface, everyone grieves differently, Schraeder's examination of grief feels like it plunges directly to the core, hitting us all where they know the pain lies.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a review copy.
This is a collection of poems exploring themes of estrangement, yearning, losing, and loving. The poems are intimate, searing, painful, and breathtakingly beautiful. Strong 5 stars.

I think this collection wasn't for me, and there are several reasons why: I have been absolutely fortunate to never have lost a parent, or have a... really strained relationship with my parents, although we're not really close, either. I think also I'm not really built for poetry as I'm someone who is always multi-tasking and doesn't have a lot of time to really savor something that deserves to be savored. Those are both highly personal things, and do not affect the work at all, just my own enjoyment/connection to it!

(I do find reading poetry is much better when I can slow down and read it as if someone is speaking it to me.)

The forward billed the collection as "horror poetry" but that's not something I really got out of this either. I suppose that too is subjective: the horror of losing someone you are so very intimately connected to, and how intertwined that they (she) are (is) into your own life. The imagery was lovely and put you in the moment.

Thank you to NetGalley and RDS Publishing (Raw Dog Screaming Press) for the chance to read this collection in exchange for my honest review.

I was crying by the end of the first poem, and that is not a bad thing. Schraeder’s poems not only tell the story of the estrangement, (re)connection, and death with her mother, but also speaks to anyone who has had a similar experience. Reading this set of poems, I felt as if I was reading a mirror into many of my own experiences with my mom.

This is one book I’ll be returning to multiple times to study the poems individually and as a whole. Schraeder’s use of imagery (my favorite being monster & blue jay) weaves a beautifully painful story throughout the poems. Schraeder clearly has an ear for words and an eye for formatting poems. I was impressed at the use of structure to enhance the meanings of some of the poems.

I want to specifically reference No Degrees of Separation in my review, as I feel this poem perfectly encapsulates so much of what this book shows. The childish nature of the nursery rhyme combined with the pain of the complicated relationship and history with a mom she loved and had to accept that she loved in spite of all the hurt she’s experienced and the absence she’ll never be able to fill now.

This was such a great read and so beautifully done! It flows so well that it doesn’t even feel like you’re reading and you can tell each poem was written with real, raw emotion. I loved it!

My favorites poems were:
I’m Not Afraid Of
Lavender Maybe
Forgotten Children & the Woods of Disapproval
Life in Fragments

Thank you SO much to the publisher and NetGally for the eARC in exchange for an honest review! I can’t wait to pick up a physical copy!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a free ebook ARC of The Price of a Small Hot Fire by E.F. Shraeder. This review is my honest opinion.

I highly recommend this book to fans of poetry, especially to those who have been through traumatic experiences and want some sort of catharsis. The introduction by the poet did a wonderful job of “setting the scene” so to speak. Many of the poems are filled with playful sound devices. My favorites were “I’m Not Afraid Of,” “Hurricane Pantoum – for Frankenstein’s Mother,” and “Thing I Have Done to Feel.” This collection is worth your time, especially since it’s such a short read. Most of the poems are short enough that they only take about thirty seconds or less to get through. Interestingly, once I made it through the collection, I noticed many of the poems were mirrors of concepts and titles from earlier in the book. My only criticism is that I’d like to see the author write some longer poems as well.

“and I woke alone remembering all I'd forgotten: how love tastes of saltwater and fire, how easily I burn.“

A short collection of poems regarding motherhood, grief, anger, and the thoughts and emotions one has in regards to their past. This book followed a non-linear narrative, which was enjoyable, and the author also took care to make it not seem confusing, as non linear narratives can sometimes be. The poems themselves were generally lovely - I write poetry myself, and so I got the feeling that they’d been written at different times in the author’s life. Which was fantastic - the differing vocabulary and techniques and emotions all meshed into an emotionally charged but subtle narrative, complicated feelings stripped down their bare essentials. I absolutely loved some poems to the extent that I saved them on my phone. Others, I quickly skimmed over. But most I simply enjoyed. Some horror metaphors, if you’re squeamish, but there aren’t too many. A beautiful, poignant look at the complex relationships we have with our mothers, even after they leave us behind.

I enjoyed this book of poems from E F Schraeder. I like to read poetry occasionally, as it is a different form for me, and some aren't enjoyable. This one was, and couldn't wait to read the next one. #ThePriceofaSmallHotFire #NetGalley

I forgot to finish this before it expired (oops!) but I enjoyed what I did read. Looking forward to finishing it in the future!

The Price of A Small Hot Fire is a collection of poems that are incredibly intimate with feelings of anger, disappointment, grief, and loss. Quite honestly, it’s hard for me to review because I don’t read a lot of poetry, however as a somewhat casual reader, I found it to be very emotional and feel like it will resonate with most people, even those who have not had a strained relationship with a parent. It has some biting horror elements that cause a little wide eye eyebrow raising, but not in a macabre way. Overall, it’s a good read if you are looking to let your heart weep a little.

As for that cover art, it has a sort of Rorschach feel to it, but the imagery of a child facing and almost being engulfed in flames is a great touch.

Rated up. My rating 3.5

Thank you to NetGalley, E.F. Schraeder , and RDS Publishing for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion and a voluntary submission.

3.5/5 stars
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book in exchange for an honest review!
I am the first one to admit I do not know much about poetry, but I did enjoy this book. The words were honest and raw. The poems were short and quick to read. The depictions of mothers, relationships, and motherhood in this book were interesting and I could relate to many of them. If you are interested in the concept of this book and enjoy poetry, give The Price of a Small Hot Fire a try.

Reading through these poems was a roller coaster of emotions. From anger to sadness to grief and last of all to loneliness that you can always expect but never prepare for.
From one to another the words flowed in a way that made me want to keep reading, to get to more, to see in what way the next one will hurt.
At times I was left wanting more and some just didn't hit the way some others did, but overall they told the story that they intended to tell. And I was more then happy to let them.

No soy mucho de poesía, y si le sumas a eso que el inglés no es mi primera lengua, no he terminado de disfrutar este poemario.
Agradezco a NetGalley y a los editores por darme esta copia anticipada.

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I'm not a poetry reader, and if you add that English is not my first language, I didn't enjoy that much this collection.
Thanks to NetGalley and the editors for giving me this ARC.

yep this wasn't for me. if i've got to highlight, the introduction was perfect, beautiful, brilliant. some of the poems were nice, but i felt cold with a lot of them

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest feedback.

This book was everything that poetry should be in my opinion - flowery, filled to the brim with prose, with an emotional gut punch. That said, sometimes it felt that the writing was trying a bit too hard and that made some of the pieces harder for me to connect with. As someone with a contentious (at best) relationship with her mother, I found so much of myself reflected in this collection, and would definitely recommend it to people with similar experiences.

This was a short, bittersweet, but powerful collection of poems. I found some of the poems to be hauntingly beautiful and others to be sobering. Some brought out deep emotions, where others brought a small chuckle or smirk. Poetry, like art, is subjective and I know a lot of readers will be able to resonate with many in this collection.