Winter Solstice

This was a very quick read with poetry that really conveys the feeling of what it's like to know without a doubt that your loved one is very much in the winter of their life. The author did a good job of conveying the emotions around the realization of the diagnosis through the progression and final end. My sympathies to the author on the loss of her mother. Alzheimers is such a tragic condition.

arc provided by netgalley for an honest review

winter solstice goes into the poetic journey and path of a daughter trying to hold onto the memory of her mother who is losing her mind due to dementia. and tries to be able to still love and help her mother despite her mother being a shell of the person she once was.

this was a very short read but it was very sad and shows you how horrifying it is to see a loved one lose themselves to a disease that they have no control over. the realisation of the diagnosis really stuck with me and i think that anyone who has had lost someone to a disease they cannot control especially if it reduced them to someone unrecognisable, would deeply connect with this piece.

Talk about heartbreaking!!

Howard turned the sad moments of her mom's dementia into beautiful words. I could feel how devastated she was in each moment; it was written so well! I admire anyone who can revisit some of the harsh parts of their life and share them with others.

The other thing I admired was the different forms. I enjoy when people just write the words where they feel best, and Howard did just that. All of the words fell nicely on the pages.

Initially, I requested this book because of the cover. I love everything about the winter. However, it means so much more to the overall collection.

Definitely check this one out!

Beautiful poem.
It was a quick, short read, but it definitely packs a punch. I could feel the grief.

Brilliant but heart breaking.

This book is quite short. But it's about a woman who is losing her mother to dementia. Having lost my mother to this dreadful condition I found it especially hard to read. Putting words onto paper I am told helps with the grieving process. Dementia takes the person a little at a time. You get to watch their demise on a daily basis.

I particularly liked how the words were just written. So honestly.

I'll admit it was the cover that drew me to this book. But now it's so much more.
Give it a go. It's more than just a book.

Winter Solstice is a beautiful and heartbreaking poetic account of the end of life journey of the author's mother, who was losing her memory. This made my heart ache because I went through this with my Dad as well, and watched him eventually forget us due to Dementia. It is a tough thing to experience, but Diana Howard writes about this sad journey with honesty and compassion.

Anyone who has lost a loved one to Alzheimer's or Dementia will want to read this heartfelt account.

I received a free copy of this book from the publishers via Netgalley. My review is voluntary.

Thank you for this ARC, introduced as a memoir in poetry.
The poems represent Diana’s mother and her sad demise to dementia. The pain was felt in each poem, as were the beautiful memories, especially for her mums love of music.

A lovely little book and the cover is absolutely beautiful.

This is a poetry collection on the poets mither having dementia, loosing a loved one when theyre still around, witnessing them loose theirself. Diana really does have "a way with words". This made me very emotional as the complicated love for a mother is a struggle enough, I found myself grieving with her, the memories her mother had lost and the confusion. I'm so glad Diana was around to support her mother as much as she could.

A quick read, but packing such a powerful punch. Winter Solstice is full of beautiful, lyrical imagery and gut-wrenching feeling. My heart ached for the author, as she navigated such a difficult change in life.

Truly beautiful. To try to describe this properly would never serve to do it justice. A deeply emotional, heartfelt poem about the horrible disease that is dementia, and the ever present yet horrific reality that is illness, death, loss and grief. It will resonate with every reader, and is done in such a personal, emotive yet relatable tone that shows just how personal this piece is to the author. I am honoured to be offered this insight into your private pain in this way, knowing just how awful it feels.