Child of the Moon

Everyone’s journey through trauma is different. I found this poetry to be honest and relatable to my own traumas. I am a child of the moon, as well, and I understand.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free copy of this ebook in exchange for an unbiased review.

I picked this book up from Netgalley.com as a preview to review.

I can honestly say this is a terrific book, the poems in here are so real and raw and i could relate to almost every single one of them; i feel like i could defiantly be a child of moon. I decided to read this at work in my downtime, and ended up reading the whole thing, i couldn't put it down. i've read a lot of things, but none have touched my heart the way this book has. I wanted to savor every word the author had to say. i would live in this book if i could.

Poetic words and images combine for a delightful reading experience. Recommended for readers who love verse.

This poetry book was really good. I liked how each poem was nice and short and didn't use to many metaphors. The fact that each poem was free verse really let you relate and it was nice to see everything just flowing instead of having to stick to a strict poetry format. Through each person's situation is different I found all the poems were written so that everyone could see something in it that related to their own life. I liked how all of the poems were written using normal English instead of old English which makes it hard to understand. Really good book, I found it really touching. Even though the poems were short and some were really simple I did find that they had very powerful messages attached to them if you look deep enough. Great read and I'm glad I got the chance to check it out. I found that these poems while simple were very powerful, and the flow to them was beautiful. The best thing about them was that even the shortest poems that were only like three lines were still just as powerful as all of the longer poems.

As a note, a copy of this novel was sent to me via NetGalley by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way.

Child of the Moon is one of the best collections of poetry I've read in years. Hands down, it truly is. The first thing you should know about Child of the Moon is, it's crackling with energy and despair and hope and shame and fear. We seek comfort in connection in our poetry, and this is one of those collections that is so gripping--you, too, will have whitened knuckles from holding it so tightly. From the very start, I felt as though I'd already seen a glimpse of Jessica Semaan's soul and that was a feeling that I could never shake.

You see, every line of Child of the Moon is so potent that, at times, it becomes a little overwhelming to the reader. This is not a bad thing. In fact, it's remarkable. I think that, while I felt truly connected to the prose even within the first page, it truly clicked with me whilst reading the passages from "Top 10 Self-Doubt Tracks (On Repeat)" and in every moment after that, I just knew, with a jolt of electricity, just how special this collection was. Semaan has a gift in exploring the darkness of ones self and it's just... incredible to read. And impossible to put down.

There's this aching quality to many lines in this book that I can't bring myself to describe. Perhaps it goes back to how potent the writing, the sheer emotion, is within Child of the Moon. But, I physically ached throughout this collection. There are far too many emotions and moments to acknowledge with it, but that merely tells you of the quality--that at its core, Child of the Moon reflects Semaan's soul and you cannot, and should not, look away.

This book is best reserved for the night-time. It's not unlike looking to the moon at the same moment many others do--you look into the sky and you just know there's someone on the other side, and you are suddenly... not so alone. There's this tone of understanding in so many of these poems, towards the end, and the way it ties into the themes and Semaan's prose is beautifully done. "Crater" is one of the most perfect, and simplistic, examples of this fact.

Semaan hits readers with a blunt honesty in poems like "When Nothing Can Take Away the Pain" or "The Many Ways I Suppress Myself" or asks the questions on the tip of our tongues via "How Did We Come to Disintegrate?" and then picks you back up, trying to piece her own self back together, with added commentary in "Paris, 2017", "Standing Rock, 2016" and "Healing #3"--the truth is, there is an abundance of poems to cite as must-read in Child of the Moon.

Which is just proof that you should read the collection.

Overall, Child of the Moon is a piece of art that demands to be heard. I loved it from start to finish. Told in a compelling prose, armed with stunning illustrations, Child of the Moon is something you won't soon forget.

Child of the Moon will be available January 8th, 2019. Just in time to start a new years journey.

BLOG: nexttoabook.wordpress.com/2018/11/05/review-child-of-the-moon-by-jessica-semaan/
GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2579282213?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1

This is a copy provided by the publisher and the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to them!

This is a precious book, that I will give to anyone who had been through rough situations or are currently struggling with something in their lives. Jessica shines so bright with a simple and honest way to write about her feelings. She is the kind of writer who doesn´t have a filter, therefore she delights us with her true colors.

I liked so much the idea that Jessica has to highlight in her poems the pain, sadness, impotence as feelings that are ok. It´s normal to feel like that sometimes, it´s NATURAL and we AREN´T ALONE!

She opens up her heart, through dark times, where fear, shame, and sadness broke her in million pieces and through that she had attention to tells us that we have potential, we are the child of the moon who have shadows and dark places, but we have the power to heal ourselves.

“To have a narcisissistic parent
Is to become parent of your parent
Because all you see is a child throwing tantrums, so you adult up”

I felt the painful journey through her childhood: the war, her family and then the pressure of the internet, her depression and finally to reborn a strong woman healing all of her traumas.

Happy readings,

Next to a Book.

Title caught my attention at first. I loved the illustrations. Poems are good too. But i couldn't find what i was expecting. I liked her writing. I know a lot of person connected to poems but i couldn't. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in exchange for an honest review

I really enjoyed this book of poems. I was in tears for some because of how moved I was. Jessica Semaan gave us some really raw feelings in her words. I also have to say that with a poem I always thought that you had to have them set up away, but thanks to this I have seen different ways used and give just as much meaning as the more traditional ways.

I loved the illustrations and the cover of this book. As someone who has anxiety a lot of the time, i felt as my own words were on the page. That someone finally got it and that they were able to get it on paper for me.

Beautifully written, sometimes heartbreaking but still other times witty, this book is for all of us with personal trauma and darkness as well as everyone who sees the darkness in their societies.

Healing <3

In this debut poetry, author Jessica Semaan brings us on a journey of walking from darkness into light. With her childhood traumas caused by the Lebanese Civil War and broken family background, she writes her honest experience of fear, shame and despair that is slowly healing through the touch of unconditional love.

Focusing on self love and the struggles she faces, I found comfort and, through that, courage to face the challenges in my daily life. It is a very powerful book with so much honesty and truth. And hence, I would recommend it to everyone.

Thank you Jessica for sharing your life and turning your experiences into art and empowerment.

I want to thank Andrews McMeel Publishing for allowing me to review a copy of this book through NetGalley.

I received an ARC in exchange of honest review.

Jessica Semaan's Child of the Moon is nothing like any poetry book I've ever read before. Each page is full of surprises and I love the freestyle writing of her. It's dynamic. Some only consist of one single sentence, some feels like a short essay but I'm all in for it. This book is one wild ride. Aside from Semaan's childhood experiences, traumas and pains, she also complemented it with sweet verses of self-love and recoveries.

First of all I’m not big on poetry. I don’t feel like I quite understand it but some of this collection really hit me. I felt really connected with the feelings and growth the author had. She didn’t just focus on the trauma she experienced but the recovery side also which I feel is very lacking when it comes to mental illness.

Some of my favorites are Shame #1, the things I wish she told me growing up, how did we come to disintegrate?, Healing is a long process, I numbed, what they called you, and to become the woman I am.

A lovely little book filled with beautiful poetry, some of which I related to on a deeply personal level. The illustrations were a delight, too.

"Child of the Moon" is a beautiful book. It is raw, relatable, and emotional. It inspires the reader to embrace the pain or trauma they have experienced to be able to move on and heal. It is blunt and thought-provoking. The author deals with narcissistic parents, war, activism, pain, being someone else, finding your true self, and so much more. A reader might relate and have more use for this book than 20 self-help books combined. This is a good book for anyone at any stage in life as it also describes generational healing and growing up and becoming a parent. I truly loved it and is probably one of my favorite modern poetry books.

Incredibly raw and honest poetry collection about the journey through the darkest moments and into forgiveness and healing. I appreciate and admire the author for sharing these parts of herself so openly and bravely.

Child of the Moon captures the journey of grief, trauma, and probably most profoundly- healing- and the many, nonlinear forms it comes in. Jessica Semaan's diverse range of poetry will inspire a connection with anyone who is lost, lonely, or suffers from self doubt.

I was moved by Semaan's ability to open herself in such a raw and relatable way to all of us fellow children of the moon, and I appreciate her hard hitting honesty in areas we need to hear it most. I also loved her poetic devices, such as rhyme, which I feel a lot of poets I've read recently have done away with. I enjoyed how some verses were fun and clever, while others resonated on a deeper emotional level, and that everything was different.

Besides the genuine, heartfelt, and resonating writing- the illustrations between the sections are simply beautiful. I think I will be purchasing a physical copy if just for the illustrations.

I read this book in one sitting because I couldn't put it down, bookmarked half of "New Moon," and already know I will be returning to it again soon. Thank you Jessica Semaan for sharing your empowering story with us and thank you Andrews McMeel Publishing for the free copy of this book.

Child of the Moon by Jessica Semaan is an openly raw, honest and touching poetry collection filled with grief, loss and hope.
A deeply moving collection whereby the Author strips bare to the intimate parts of her life's journey through grief, forgiveness, and healing.
The notion embedded by the author to embrace ones pain felt through loss and trauma to work past it and learn to heal is prominent and profound.
Notably the authors courage to share her experience of loss, war, difficult parents and an internal turmoil of being someone else and the journey to find herself is truly humbling and relatable.
A thought provoking and honest collection that I deeply resonated with and enjoyed imensly.
4.5 stars

Thanks to Jessica Semaan, Netgalley & Andrew McMeels Publishing for this advanced copy in return for an honest review.
(All opinions are my own and are unbiased)

This collection of poetry was so raw and honest and the journey through healing was so beautiful and well-written.

Unquestionably, this is one of the best poetry books I have read this year. The prose and poems included in this anthology narrate the author's experiences since her traumatic experience when she was still young in Beirut until she got older. Readers could feel Semaan's anxiety and melancholy when she was still in her lowest; the times she was crying and seeking for help, and her long process on moving forward to self-healing.

Child of the Moon is sort of a diary of Jessica Semaan when she took a time off and try to search for answers for all the problems, sadness, and desperation she had. Most probably, a lot of readers could be able to relate to one or more of the writings in this astonishing book that reflects the current state they are in. The book is divided into four sections that is related to the moon's phases and phenomena: Blood Moon, Half Moon, New Moon, and Flower Moon. The first two remarks the anguish and sorrowful part while the last two, which I like best, is about optimism and giving hope to all readers.

This is an outstanding book that will make you feel an assortment of emotions and is truly remarkable for its beautiful content. A highly recommended to anyone who are fond of reading poetry books or who also loves to write poems on their own.

This book is a relatable, emotional, and honest take on trauma and healing. It's her debut collection and I cannot wait to see what she does next.

This is my first time reading the poet. I hope it won’t be my last and I look forward to reading more of her work. I love reading and writing poems that are personal, that look inward or use personal experiences to gain insight into external ones. I really don’t like poems that deal with nature and trees and sunsets and other such shit. Child of the Moon is chock-full of the kind of poems I adore. I really loved the illustrations. They added depth and detail to the words. The poems are beautiful, intense, tender, emotional and completely relatable. I loved the fact the poems are varied in length, some one or two lines up to two or three pages. The poems in the final section, Flower Moon are the longest and a bit deeper than those gone before. They were my favourites. I really enjoyed Beirut 1988, The Mourning, Shame #1, Wall of Shame, Paris 2017, Sitting With The Child Of The Moon, Leila and Nour and Fuck Changing Yourself.

"The bad news is you can only heal yourself.
The good news is you can only heal yourself."

Child of the Moon is a poetry collection and a story—a tale of abuse, healing, survival, colonialism, immigration, self-loathing, feminism, pride, and finding everything we need within ourselves (with a little help from the moon, of course).

"Trauma robbed me of my potential.
May all my pain turn into healing so the women who come after me don't have to carry it
and can live their potential."

Semaan's writing style isn't my favorite—far from it, to be honest—but the messages being portrayed in this collection are so powerful, and important, and beautiful. My heart ached for her throughout the entire thing, and I feel grateful to have been allowed this glimpse into the author's life.

Thank you so much to Andrews McMeel Publishing for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

After taking half of a Xanax a minute ago, I don't know what to say about Child of the Moon. Semaan's first acknowledgement is to her therapist. That's bold, even if it's sad. How do we end up so broken? How come we have to be traumatized by our parents, friends, partners etc.? And why, oh why, don't we ever get all the answers? Or even if we do get some answers, we still feel broken.

"I visited the darkness and returned with a book of poetry"

Semaan's writing is raw and straightforward. She says all the awful truths I try so hard to forget, to act as if they are not there (even if my own therapist strongly advises me not to).

"Alone in despair
Drenched in sweat
I opened my eyes
I am a burden
I deserve to die
I checked my phone
No one to call
I am a burden
I deserve to crawl"

So why should you read this collection? Maybe because you need to know you are not alone even if it may seem that way. Even if you're desperate and cannot breath. Even if you just want it all to stop... everything to stop. You are not alone.

"Grief #3
Mourn the many selves you have not become
Mourn so you can make space for the self you have always been"

*I thank Jessica Semaan, Andrews McMeel Publishing, and Netgalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

Child of the Moon by Jessica Semaan

3.75 stars

“You are not a victim. You are closer to God in your pain.
For your pain is the source of your creation. And creation
is divine. Your pain is the source of healing yourself and
others. And healing is divine.”


Poetry is hard to review. It’s personal, introspective, and often times it’s more for the writer than the reader. It’s cathartic and meant to be freeing. Child of the Moon is a process that seems to show that. The beginning is very bitter and angry. I could feel the resentment at the trauma Semaan faced and I was put-off. I’ll be honest, I wasn’t feeling this poetry book because of its bitterness. Then, I kept going and I connected more, especially in the last section—Flower Moon. I believe this is because I am more in the same healing process of the Flower Moon than of the opening—Blood Moon. I had once been bitter and enraged, but now when I think of that person I once was because of the trauma I experienced I want to weep (and shout praise to God for healing me past that brokenness). I am happy I read this because I am big believer in talking about trauma. I believe that the trauma we experience makes us who we truly are down to our core. Vulnerability is so important and I find that we live in a society where everyone wants to be vulnerable, but not actually go past the trauma. Meaning we share our trauma, but not the process of healing. The trauma is ugly enough to compare like our latest Instagram selfies, but God forbid, we compare the ugliest thing we as humans experience—healing. Healing is ugly, but even more beautiful. Because you can’t get to beauty until you’ve faced ugly. Semaan does that with her poetry collection and I respect her for that. I needed a day to ruminate and think about this collection and I like it more and more the further I get away from my first impression. Also, the art in here is colorful and so great.


The problem I have with this collection is the simplicity of the poems. My biggest complain is that the vast majority of the poems are lists. I love lists, but I don’t think it always works in poetry format. Your list could be the realest and truest thing out there (Healing #1 & Healing #2), but that doesn’t make it a poem. It makes it a powerful image that will be pinned on Pinterest. She also has a tendency to write a lot of two-lined poems. It’s all very tumblr and quick. I’m not opposed to this form of expression, but it isn’t really a poem, more of a reflection of a conceptual idea. The only poem I liked that did this style was “Faith”.


Poems I Recommend:
Despair
When you can’t love yourself
When your home is a faraway land (my favorite)
Sitting with the child of the moon
What they called you
You are not a victim
Alone by the creek


“It’s never too late to bloom.”

Whimsical Writing Scale: 3

Art Scale: 5

Plotastic Scale: 3.25

Cover Thoughts: I like the cover a lot, but I’d love it so much more if some of the striking art that’s inside was exhibit on it.

Thank you, Netgalley and Andrews McNeel Publishing, for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

This is a poetry book consisting mostly of free-verse. The author talks about her own experiences with trauma -about family, romantic relationships, passions, war, race, gender…
It has more of a diary vibe which makes it feel more personal, sincere and raw.

I personally like it when poems are this raw. Some people argue against it -like they do with Rupi Kaur’s poetry- criticizing the lack of rhymes and other aspects they think poetry should have. I like that rawness that doesn not require a certain style. It’s one of the things that i like about poetry in general: that it doesn’t have any boundaries. It is all about how the author chooses to express their feelings and i think Jessica Semaan does a great job doing that while also appealing to the reader.Her poems also stand-up from the others by not refraining from using modern-day references such as tinder, headspace and xanax.

Another thing that i like about this book in general was the illustrations. They went well with the poems and enriched the narrative (even though i couldn’t see them in their original colour because i had the ebook version). My only suggestion would be filling up some of the blank spaces with more illustrations as there were a lot of almost-empty pages due to the shortness of the text.

All in all, i connected with this book in a lot of ways and maybe the fact that i am also from a troubled country made that connection even stronger (representation matters!). But even if you are not a minority or had the issues Semaan talks about in her poems, you can find some valuable lessons in this book.

so many statements in this are a projection of my own thoughts and anxieties
i fell into this, no, i crumbled.
self doubts are real and hard to live with, especially when others may not understand the struggle
constantly thinking the worst, believing the worst, knowing the worst is happening; even when it's not.
it's all in my head.
but it's real enough, right? i have to fight that, though.
we have to be better for ourselves and others, we have to search far into who we are, under the surface, we have to fight the dark cloud that swarm our heads and hearts

"you do not have to achieve anything for me to love you, i will love you even when you fail."

when this book spoke about parents and being raised, i understood. striving constantly for that motherly love and acceptance, almost becoming fixated on it so you carry it into other areas of your life, searching for that love from someone else, feeling desperate for something you didn't receive as a child that you still want, no, need, as an adult.

i understand the way the mind twists things into being negatives even if they're being told to us as positives.

"in awe of what it takes to be a human"

getting to know my pain instead of seeing it as an enemy, unwrapping it's layers and learning about myself have helped me become more accepting of myself, finding the better parts, seeing that, yes, sometimes broken is beautiful, because broken is only a chance to put pieces together again in a way that is stronger than before, and better understand the lines across the surface, it just shows where i've been

i want to trust what people say.

"trauma robbed me of my potential" or maybe it gave me the doorway to be who i should be, with a deeper knowledge and understanding of how things work, and what others go through, maybe i've been looking at it wrong all along and my trauma is a blessing to being a better person. instead of defining myself by the bad, i need to see it in an obscured way that shows me the good it has caused.

"behind the grief, the forgiveness
behind the forgiveness, the love
behind the love, more love"

i am learning this process, of letting go and moving forward and letting joy in, positivity, love. more love.

"healing is not only about you."

"to heal is to sit in full presence with what aches. once it feels seen, heard, honored, it will retire to the backseat, and only then can you drive."

i needed this. i've been learning before i read this but seeing it from someone else makes it more clear. i can't let my pain control me. or make me someone i'm not, when i can be more.

"it takes one human to make us feel seen, heard, and safe for us to move the mountain in our way"

i found that person last year and they've helped me a lot with getting to the point i'm at today, where i can attempt to be better than i've been and notice when i've been holding myself back, not someone else, not my past.

"the bad news is you can only heal yourself
the good news is you can only heal yourself"

"they took your childhood but you can claim your adulthood"

"don't trust anyone who cannot show their anger, fear, or sadness. if they can't be in the company of their shadow, they won't have company for you when you are in yours."

i don't like this scary thought, i want to believe people are more abstract than that, that just because they can't face their own doesn't mean they won't support you through theirs. i want to give the benefit of the doubt and protect those people who can't handle the darkness even if i attempt to.

"i became a better person only when i saw i was a bad one, too"

i recently wrote something similar to this and agree so fully and love that it's here in front of me, this is so important to realize and admit, to yourself and others. i've hurt people even if i didn't mean to, and i can't deny it just because i didn't intend it or see it, their feelings are valid and i have to own up, that my words sometimes will hurt, that just because i think i'm loving positively, sometimes negatives sneak in. other people's feelings are valid even when i'm the cause of their bad feelings, i can't take that truth or perspective from someone, i can only say you're right and i'm sorry and i'll do better.

"i am the abuser and the victim
[i realize i have become both
trauma is a complex beast
that turns us into who we fear most]"

acceptance of this is the only way to find a way out of the cycle, to end the abuse.

"fuck changing yourself
[i stopped wanting to change myself
instead i began becoming more myself]"


"love is chanting in the background, even when you can only feel the tears hitting your face.
sometimes you just have to close your eyes and listen a little harder."

An amazing read, my absolute favorite poem being “to have a narcissist parent”. Jessica Semarang definitely took her writing from a deep dark place that took great courage to share with us. Any review wouldn’t give it justice, just buy this book....

A very straightforward narrative of experiences of pain, loss, oppression, trauma, woven into something beautiful, healing, acceptance, forgiveness, and love!

Child of the Moon is touching, has reached out to me from the author’s perspective of cathartic freedom. Expressing what’s it was, and what will be. With the feeling expressed in the beginnings was overwhelming for me. And what I liked about it is that when you progress reading farther in, there is these feeling that you’d catch. Feelings of empowerment as a person of cultural minority, as a woman, and my personal emotional pieces of baggage too.

I love the voices that say that it is okay to feel emotions, it is okay not to be okay too, it’s is okay to fail, it is okay to be happy, it is okay to be where you are, and as a person who values mental health, these are mantras of positivity. I love the empowering tone it gives off the readers. Not only with mental health but with the systematic oppression happening around, men dictating what is what, which is which, that my way it the only way, Semaan’s isn’t afraid anymore, it’s all written raw and straightforward, damning it all to hell.

Lastly, the illustrations throughout the book were splendid! They are addicting to stare at, the colors and the pen strokes, I adore them. (I am not an art critique but I really love them!) Plus the incorporating of the art with the workpieces of poetry complemented most of them.

This has been such a deeply moving and relatable collection of poems and prose. I felt connected to her words, having experienced some of what Jessica writes. And, the illustrations were brilliantly magnificent. I highly recommend this book.

"behind the grief, the forgiveness
behind the forgiveness, the love
behind the love, more love"

I already forgave and let go of the reason of my broken heart. I am letting joy engulf me and give more love not only to myself but also for the people around me.

Child of the Moon is a very straightforward narrative of pain, grief, loss, shame, trauma and healing. Every poem had me hitting hard. It is so raw and honest that I can relate to almost single entry. Jessica says all the awful truth that all of us tried to forget.

Also, I really liked the illustrations, it added more depth and emotion in the poems.

This is my first read of Jessica Semaan and I'm hoping it will not be my last.

Jessica Semaan has crafted a touching and raw collection of poetry in Child of the Moon. Drawing on her experiences of living through the Lebanese Civil War, as well as parental abuse and neglect, her journey to healing comes through in her words, making the rest of us think that maybe it is indeed possible to heal.

Craters
"The closer I got to the moon
I saw its many scars
And I knew it would understand me”
– Jessica Semaan

This poetry collection took my breath away. It was one of the most relatable collections I’ve read. Emotions leaked between the lines and the writing evoked various feelings I prefer to suppress. A few times my eyes glassed over with tears. To relate to someone’s words from across the world is always a gift. It makes me feel less alone. I know someone out there understands me and what I’m going through. Even though our experiences aren’t completely similar, there is still this connection of understanding. Like we are all somehow connected through trauma.

In my home language, Afrikaans, the authors’ surname means moon. Directly translated from Afrikaans to English her name would read ‘Jessica’s Moon’. I thought about this throughout reading the collection. It carried the essence that the author was meant to write this poem collection. I’m not the most spiritual person, but to me this was close to spiritual healing. It shows how vulnerability and loving yourself is important for self growth.

Semaan did a brilliant job of dividing the collection into five parts, each relating to a different phase of the moon. Beautiful illustrations throughout brings the words to life. I liked how the moon was constantly mentioned and seen throughout the collection. It helped keep the moon theme prominent while there were still various underlying themes explored. People from various walks of life will be able to relate to this collection. I highly recommend this book to anyone who feels alone or who is going through a rough time. This collection is here to tell you that you are not alone.
You are a child of the moon.

I really, really enjoyed this collection. I related to so many of the poems, and even the ones I didn't, I felt so empathetic. I felt as though I grew close to the author, and it was inspiring. This collection has everything I look for in poetry- emotion, relatability, and realness. It was truly moving and I look forward to more from this author.

One of the best poetry collections out there, Child of the Moon very smoothly explains the essence of self-love, of finding oneself before finding others who can make us happy, of growing through time and pain, and of appreciating our own beauty--while also, involuntarily, applauding the quick illustrations between some poems.

The poems are nothing cliche, and it's a diverse collection in terms of two-liners, one-liners, and even some prose making it to the pages. Right from the importance of self-love to plucking out the bystanders within ourselves, the poems--intentionally or unintentionally--works as a guide too. It's a refreshing set of rhymes and aesthetics that will make you feel nice by making you feel your own self.

"Not everyone will like you
One day, you find a yellow orchid in your room
But you don't like orchids
A week later, the orchid starts flourishing
But you still don't like orchids
Two weeks later, you notice a golden reflection on its surface
You start disliking the orchid a little less
A month later, you bow to the orchid
For despite your dislike the orchid kept flourishing
And just like the orchid not everyone is going to like you
But as you continue flourishing many will admire you"

I received a digital copy of this via Netgalley but that, in no way, influences my rating and/or opinions about it. Thank you, Jessica Semaan and Andrews McMeel Publishing!

Absolutely beautiful and genuine. Child of the Moon oozes emotion and infinite bravery.

I received my copy of Child of the Moon from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A passionate, personal collection of poetry that is well-written and vigorous in its self-exploration and in expressing deep emotions. There is a righteous anger in a lot of the poetry that worked for me.
My only qualm with the book is that I didn't love the illustrations. I'm sure they'll work for others, they just aren't in a style I particularly enjoy.

This book is composed by poems and some drawings.
The author reflects on some aspects of her life.

I really enjoyed this book. It is very well written, and I identified with the poems.
Really pleasant read

Jessica Semaan really pours her heart into this debut collection. Very powerful writing! Even the introduction is written with such eloquence. Fear, shame, and despair resonate throughout the book. The author takes the reader along her journey of trauma and healing. Highly recommended!!!

A story about healing and survival. So many people need to understand that it’s okay not to be okay.

I did enjoy this set of poetry. I think some people can relate to what she has put into the poems and others can learn from it.

Hauntingly beautiful phrases and even more beautiful illustrations. Child of the Moon tells raw stories that are truly unforgettable. A must-read for poetry lovers

Thank you Andrews McMeel Publishing for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Raw and eloquently written poems. Ms. Jessica Semaan unapologetically expressed her feelings and struggles into words and I felt it. Her poems are also uplifting but not in a preachy way. What makes this collection powerful is that it exudes sincerity. I enjoyed it and finished it in one sitting.

Many thanks to my dear friend, Justine, who recommended this to me. (Check out her review by clicking her name)

Don’t ask me why I am feeling this or that
I will tell you lies
Ask me how I am feeling this or that
I will tell you the truth

This is one of the few books that caught my attention when I was browsing Netgalley some time ago. It has a beautiful cover and upon reading that it’s a poetry book, I knew I had to read this!

To be honest, I don’t know how to review a poetry collection since I know that every collection I read is too special for the author and not giving it 5-stars is wrong. Child of the Moon feels too personal, I know it is, and it tackles emotional issues like childhood trauma, family conflict and self-healing which I think the author delivered beautifully. It’s raw and powerful, started a bit dark but ended in a much lighter note, with a comforting note from the author.

Children of the same moon #1

Your moon and my moon are old friends
Let’s make them our cocoon
And lie in each other’s arms

There are beautiful illustrations in between entries and I like how simple the words are. It’s easy to read, much of a free-verse style, and the title itself is compelling. You will also feel different emotions with each page, there were times I felt angry, sad, hopeful and inspired which made me love it even more.

Overall, I liked this book! It tells us things about having a broken family, cultural diversity, surviving inner war, and most importantly, healing.

This is an excellent poetry collection. I often have issues with modern poetry feeling all the same and feeling like the short, staggered poems keep me at a distance. However, Semaan has a rhyme and cadence to her poems that draw me and in and wrap me in her feelings. This collection has very short more modern poems and also longer more stylized poems. As with all poetry collections, there were ones that didn't quite work for me as a reader, but overall, this is a really good one.

This poetry collection is very powerful. I loved it a lot. Many of the words presented were memorable and very lyrical.

Thank you Andrews McMeel Publishing for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I cried while reading this book because I started remembering words and feelings I never shared and never knew I had. Everyone goes through trauma in different ways. I found this poem to be honest and relatable to my own traumas. I am a child of the moon, and I understand.

"To the women that sweat, cried, bled for me
I dedicate this ink to you"

This book is a relatable, emotional, and honest

I love that this collection of poetry is both beautiful and reflects childhood issues and problems and how those may play out in adult life. This is a fantastic collection of poetry; I am so glad to have had the opportunity to read it and look forward to seeing a hard copy in the future!

‘In between being your mother and father,
I forgot to be your daughter
And became the child of the moon

“In her debut collection, Semaan offers an upfront &moving glimpse into the true nature of healing: an imperfect, nonlinear journey"--Amanda Lovlace, bestselling author of the princess saves herself in this one

An illustrated poetry collection about finding light in the darkness. Set against the backdrop of the Lebanese Civil War and the author’s turbulent family life, Child of the Moon is a powerful reflection on her journey through fear, shame and despair, and the unconditional love that helped her begin to heal from childhood trauma.’

Child of the Moon by Jessica Semaan spoke to me on a deep, visceral level. Each poem is a snippet of soul, plucked from the author's deepest and darkest places. From a childhood steeped in war, and in familial trauma. The author turned to the ever present moon, a constant source of solace. Interspersed among the (hopefully) cathartic poems are drawings of the moon, and people in solidarity. These are poems of trauma and abuse, of guilt, anger, and shame, and of hope and acceptance. Many poems dealt with issues of self-worth and self-confidence, a dearth of which I suffer from. This collection gave me hope, a feeling of not being alone in my sense of shame for merely existing. Recommended for any who have ever found themselves feeling lost and alone. Seek solace in the moon and find a friend who will never abandon or judge you.

***Many thanks to Netgalley/ Andrews McMeel Publishing for providing an ecopy in exchange for a fair and honest review.

It's kinda traumatic and depressing, but also really good and I loved it so much!
Will mostly go out and buy this book, despite having already read it...

After Amanda's Lovelace books I thought that there wasn't going to be a poetry book that hit me that hard, but ...wow. Just wow, this book is surreal.

I really liked this book!! It was that poetry book that I was waiting for and came in the perfect time.
Since I read The princess saves herself in this one, I struggled to connect with a poetry book. However, the half moon part and "The magic I wish she told me growing up" really hit me hard. I almost cried.
I felt so identified with most of the poems and I think that is what poetry is about: being able to feel through words what the author felt physically and mentally in a period of time. I am not here no criticise her writing style because I have no idea how poems "should" be written. I am basing mi opinion on what the book made me feel. So, I think Semaan did a great job, it's like all the poems here are speaking to you, to help you, and I really appreciate that.