I read Kristen Hornung’s work from the perspective of a fellow survivor. ‘Too Jagged to Hold’ deserves infinite praise and recognition for the power it conducts through its pages. Though this collection is short, the poignant imagery and emotion Hornung crafts feels infinite. It is not often I feel empowered by the writing of a stranger but, after reading this book, I am reminded of the strength and fortitude in sharing our stories and the power of poetry as a form of processing.

To the author: thank you. I read this book on a whim, not expecting to be so genuinely moved and inspired by your writing, so I feel immensely grateful to have come across your work. Though I do not know you, I am proud of you and look forward to reading more of your poetry in the future.

TW: Rape and trauma mentions.

A brave collection of poetry inspired after rape and the trauma following it showing the fragility of life years on after the traumatic event occurs.

The collection also looks at the cycle of life and loss, family and expectations and reality of your own situation.

It was deeply moving emotive poetry and you could really immerse yourself in feeling everything as you read through the collection, especially if you know anyone who has faced trauma, it was so honest and open it really was a courageous collection to write and share and I know it will help so many survivors feel so less alone reading this, realising others do, sadly, understand the same depth of pain and trauma.

Healing takes courage and so does sharing your poetry with the world. One poem was written contemporaneously at the police station. Normally, when I write reviews, I like to put down an estimate of reading time to give people and idea of length. But these poems are meant to be read slowly. You're meant to sit with them a while. Hopefully this collection will help people. Five stars. I received an ARC from Netgalley.

I related to this poetry collection from the perspective of an abuse survivor and as a person survivors, for whatever reason, decide to tell their stories to. Maybe they sense it in me, the sharing of trauma.
One of the most striking things about going through something like that is the need to separate my self from my sense of self -- it's like I have to look at myself from the outside to dull the memory and the sensation. This is expressed so beautifully here, as are the casual and not so casual reminders that happen periodically.
Survival isn't something that happens all at once; recovery becomes part of identity, with the broken pieces stronger over time.
Thanks to Ms Hornung for allowing me a review copy. I appreciated this and hope to share with others.

4.5 A heartfelt and beautiful collection as someone who has experienced similar things this resognated alot. Be wary of themes before going in but I definitely recommend!

Sharing such a painful experience takes courage. Thank you Kristen Hornung for being brave and letting us read your beautiful words. Such a heartfelt collection and written beautifully.

Trigger warnings: Rape/sexual abuse, emotional abuse, self-harm, suicidal ideation, mental health struggles, grief.

Kristen Hornung's poetic craftsmanship is nothing short of phenomenal. What a talent it is to take something so incredibly awful and turn it into a beautifully worded hug for those who need it.

I didn't expect to have been emotionally hit quite so hard by this book. But the rawness and authenticity of this short collection of poems surrounding sexual and emotional abuse, and the long-term impacts that follows as a result, moved me to tears.

"to thaw I invite pain to bite me" —
I am an avid poetry fan and a massive advocate for mental health. But until today, I had not read a line that hits the nail on the head regarding what it's truly like to be in so much emotional pain that you welcome physical pain as an outlet, quite as well as this quote does. Simple yet strikingly powerful.

By emptying her truths onto paper, Hornung has very likely filled many survivors like herself, with the knowledge that they are not alone, that they are seen, and that their feelings are valid.

To Kristen Hornung; thank you for your vulnerability. I truly believe that this book will act as a beacon of light for many survivors — guiding them towards acceptance, and an understanding that they are not alone — ever so gradually helping those people to piece themselves back together.

Thank you to NetGalley, Kristen Hornung, and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for gifting me this eBook in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. All opinions are my own.