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I read the reviews on the book we’re talking about today, y’all.  I don’t often do that on a book I’ve already read, but I did, and then it got me to overthinking, and then I stopped.  And I decided they don’t matter.  I adore this book and if others don’t see what I like in it, then I guess I’m grateful they gave it a shot.  If you, like me, need more help not overthinking things,  sign up here to join us as we talk through  Don’t Overthink It: Make Easier Decisions, Stop Second-Guessing, and Bring More Joy To Your Life by Anne Bogel our next Virtual Book Club on Friday, March 26th at 7:30 p.m. CST!  Don’t overthink it, just let Anne guide us all towards more joy, and mostly likely more books too!

Sometimes you need another go at a favorite from the past (which is one of my considerations for a favorite – the likelihood that I’ll reread it), and sometimes you need to should on your reading buddy until she reads it too.  Sometimes you even open the shrink wrapped boxed set that’s been on your shelf for a year and a half because after reading a book on kindle, you needed to hold it and it’s boxed-set sisters and be able to write in them (in pencil, I’m not a monster).  This book was made for such a time as this!  The first book in the Women are Some Kind of Magic series, The Princess Saves Herself in this One by Amanda Lovelace, is one of those books.  This is a book of poetry that spoke to my weary, battered soul a little over two years ago, and again this past weekend.  Please approach this book with caution.  There is quite literally a page of trigger warnings opposite the table of contents, and I encouraged Ashley to read it with a journal and maybe some tissues.  She’ll tell you how it hit her, but that’s how it hit me.  

I feel like one more note needs to be added before I dig into all the feelings I have about The Princess Saves Herself in this One.  I know nothing about poetry.  I feel like my college English classes included maybe three titles of poetry (I remember two, so we’ll say three), and the reading lists were probably a page long for each of them (there were two, for 12 hours total, SO. MANY. BOOKS.)  Really the closest I come to poetry knowledge is roommates who were in a poetry seminar, that’s it.  Some of the reviews say this book isn’t poetry.  Maybe they’re right, maybe they’re not.  I don’t know, and honestly, I don’t care.  These words on pages speak to my soul. That matters to me, and that’s it.  

The Princess Saves Herself in this One had me intrigued at the concept.  As I’ve already mentioned, I don’t typically read poetry, but a princess saving herself, I’m in.  From the dedication, I was all in.  

“for the boy who lived.
thank you for inspiring me to be 
the girl who survived…”

If that’s not a hook, I don’t know what is!  In the words on the subsequent pages, Lovelace describes her past, her unmaking, and her reformation.  Her life has brutal aspects that she does not shy away from sharing, and those aspects are the reasons for some of her trigger warnings.  It’s not just the hidden hurts of her past though, it’s also the heartbreak that most people experience sooner or later, and how she describes it, as well as her words of solace for herself and her readers.  It’s how she talks about healing from her loss, from her lack of love from those who should have loved her most, and how she persevered when others didn’t.  

This text feels like the cover, a contrast of light and dark.  In order to thoroughly value the light, we need the darkness to make it stand out.  Lovelace shares of the bruises on her soul AND she shares of how she has and readers can

“grow a beautiful garden
from your aching
and teach yourself
how to thrive from it.”

This month, as we read and celebrate that women are, truly, some kind of magic as we read the works by women, depicting women of our past, present, and future, I want to share these words from this text, words that left me considering, vulnerable, and grateful despite all the bruises on my soul:

“who would
i have
been without
the inspiration
behind my
demons?
– probably not a poet.”

I don’t know who I’d have been without those experiences that left me bruised any more than any of us can know what would have happened if we’d have made another choice in any of a thousand situations.  What I do know is the inspiration of our past experiences, the joys and the heartaches both, has made us into the strong, capable, compassionate women we are today and even if I would wish some of the pain away if it would do any good, I would not wish any of those hard-earned pieces of me away, those pieces that feel like some kind of magic.  Perhaps some of the trepidation, the hesitancy, but not the strength or the desire to love others well.  Never that.  I give The Princess Saves Herself in this One five emphatic stars and will be rereading it, and reading the rest of the box set quite soon, now that it’s out of the plastic.

What texts speak to your soul?  Do you have a favorite poem or collection of poetry?

~Nikki 

Dearest Readers, I am going to remind you that this is not a Thursday post so I am not required, or much inclined, to tell you the author’s biography. Mostly, because if you read the words of Amanda Lovelace you will be privy to the intimate details of her story. If you want more information, where to follow her on all the socials, and a complete bibliography, her website is a good place to start.  I did listen to my book buddy and read these poems (I call them poems) with a journal, but I didn’t write much down until I was done. Let me share that with you here:

So, maybe you don’t read gut wrenching emotional poetry about the amazingness of womanhood while listening to Florence Welch singing about how regrets collect like old friends (Shake It Out). Maybe you should listen to your book buddy when she tells you to not read the poetry and get the feels at night (before bed) so you have some respect for the next day (waves, cause it’s 1:30am), but also when it’s the next thing you need to read and write a blog post about you read what you need to and just deal with the feelings and repercussions.

Oh, all the things Amanda Lovelace said in the princess saves herself in this one reminded me of the journals and pages of words I myself used to write down. Mostly for myself to understand my own feelings, to process what went on in my mind and my heart. There was quite a bit of poetry written when I was in high school and then more journalising as I became better at ‘adulting.’ I miss the precise nature of placing words together for optimum impact. It is a glorious process.

Maybe, also, you take some middle of the night selfies because you are really feeling your (clean!) hair today even though the color has faded and your roots are atrocious.

So, I’m a little bit of a squirrel in the middle of the night and I write a little more stream of consciousness. But, you get the point. Lovelace’s words brought up so much from the past and the present that it makes one reconsider what the future holds. I highlighted 8 full poems, all of them hitting me for different reasons. But, my most favorite is this:

“when i die,
do not
waste
a minute
mourning me.
i may go,
but i will
leave behind
all my
thousand & one
lives.
-a bookmad girl never dies.”

Because what are we here but bookmad girls? Living the lives of those who came before us and the lives of those who live only in our minds by reading their books and discussing their stories? So, read on, readers. Share your immortality with the world through the words you and others have written. It will be worth it.

I put the next two books in the women are some kind of magic trilogy on hold from the library and I’ll probably read them before the month is over if they become available. (or read Nikki’s dead tree books if I’m desperate enough.) The digital library I use doesn’t have any other of the books, which is a bummer, because I want to consume, and more than likely own, all. of. them. Everyone needs a reminder of their own badassery.

Speaking of badass women on this  International Women’s Day, I want to share with you the newest song release of my favorite band, Lake Street Dive. Being a Woman was written by Bridget Kearney, the band’s bassist and it 100% conveys the exhaustion that we feel by being a woman in these here times. I would love to say that the lead singer is a ‘friend of the blog’, but Nikki and I just happened to go to high school with Rachael Price, and I have always thought her voice sounded like poetry. [Nikki: Because Rachael’s voice is beauty.] Lake Street Dive’s new album, Obviously, is being released on March 12th!

~Ashley

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