I went into this book expecting to read poetry and possibly save some for the future to read again, what I got was a whole experience.

D. A. Andrews took a pen and scribbled out a window into her soul and the reader gets to take a peek inside. This book was a mix of poetry, self-help, and a personal diary. As a nosey person, I really enjoy getting insight into other people’s lives and understanding where they come from and why they are the way they are. It is like picking up clues and putting them together to form a beautiful piece, even if there are some cracks and missing pieces. I always believe those are the most impressive because it shows what a person has survived and endured to make them who they are now.

She takes the reader on a journey through her mind, heart, and culture. She explains what some Jamaican phrases mean and more about what is valued to her family above everything else. We get insight into her family life, both growing up and a small sliver of where they are now.

While reading, I just knew the author was older, maybe in her 40’s, just trying to give advice to others or show others that it is okay to fail and get back up again. It is okay to “live in the grey” and “cry in your closet”, as long as you don’t stay there. I was surprised to see the author is not even 30 yet! She has an old soul and has a lot of wisdom and life to share with others already.

She wrote of her past relationships and explored the way she was treated. This is where I think a lot of people can relate to her and her journey. I feel we have all experienced heartache, pain, lies, and trauma from intimate relationships and I had a visceral reaction to a few of the poems. I wasn’t expecting it but I sat there with it and went through those emotions with the author.

We see her for her. We see her mistakes, her understandings, and her acceptance of things. We see she is working through her issues but also see the how and why she understands the world the way she does.

The book itself is gorgeous. The colors are tranquil and soothing to the soul while reading. The tarot cards and different designs in the print are eye catching and they made me happy. It is also short and will take no time at all to read through them but can be read again when needing someone else to relate to when you are in a dark place. It’s a beautiful piece of art to have on your bookshelf and to be able to admire for years to come.

Pros:

• The beautiful art and colors
• The soul deep insight into the author. It’s vulnerable, real, and very brave to put out there to others to read.
  

Cons

• I wanted more of her story.

Lessons I took away; Live in the grey, black and white can be exhausting. It’s okay to cry in a closet, sometimes people need a good cry.

Cover Score: 9.0/10

Book Score: 9.0/10

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More books by D. A. Andrews