I hope you know you are loved. I hope things get simpler for you, peaceful. Spend your days with easy breaths and soft words. You deserve light through your windowsill. I hope it comes your way soon. You were always miles away. Maybe you were just always meant to be miles away. The distance saw us together in a dream and thought we were better off without all the mess. Thank you to Andrews McMeel Publishing for sending me an ARC to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.* Some of the poems were too straight forward for my taste and I was not a fan of all of them. This was actually my only main problem the whole time I was reading it. But there were ones that really touched me (like, seriously, they touched my heart. . . literally one tear drop down my eye type) and I liked how the poems are not just thrown together and there is actually some find of flow to it in each section if you pay attention to it enough. A lot are pretty much related in a way. If ever the reader gets to reading everything. I really have to say that the 2 and 3 part where cute and lovely but please don’t read the first one if you are mentally not that stabled.

You’re beautiful without even trying but each time I bring you a flower it ends up dying and you don’t see how I look at you you just keep crying and the saddest part is that you’re so special but you think I’m lying Beautifully written as always,it explored themes such as love and heartbreak, fear and courage, depression and hope. The poems about depression resonated with me the most as it is something I struggle with for over a decade now. There are days where triggers are around every corner, lurking in shadows where darkness spills heavy breaths and tight chests. Anxiety is a devastating thing. No matter how many times you are told to “breathe” it feels as though the air has all but thinned, and despite every logical reason to remain calm, you feel like a ship without its sails in the middle of a raging storm.Who made you feel this way Like your heart’s too heavy And all its soft parts Are gone? Who made you feel Like this toxic thing Like no one Wants you And you don’t belong? Who made you feel Like your scars Aren’t beautiful And your baggage Isn’t worth carrying? Who made you feel Like you don’t Deserve everything And you aren’t Someone worth keeping? Just tell me where It all went wrong So I can make you feel Like you really belong And can I just say. . . the jellyfishes. are so cute. they stole me and sold me into reading this and finishing it. And don't you just love that metaphor? The jellyfish tends to hurt everyone, but inside, they are soft creatures. This particular collection speaks about when you’re translating from a place of hurt to a place of healing and love. I love the way this ‘series’ progressed in terms of themes. It’s nothing too heavy but is enough to uplift you. One of the best parts of this collection—as well as Peppernell’s other works—is that it is written in a truly unique voice. It stands out among a sea of modern poetry dealing with similar topics and makes for a very captivating and refreshing read. The heartfelt and genuine nature of these poems is easily recognizable. They are seemingly simple but truthfully so profound and intricate. Peppernell’s words consistently empower the reader and contain a level of sincerity that turns this work into a brilliant gem of a book. It’s 3am and I am lying alone Because you just hung up the phone We’ve spent half the night arguing Because you’re there and I’m here But what else can we do I guess this is growing up When things don’t work out And you fight to hold on Until you realise that sometimes The only thing you have Is to keep moving on

There is so much noise The city never sleeps And I long for just one day everything is so quiet You and I could hear the clouds moveFull disclosure: I was supposed to participate in a promotional blog tour for this book, which is why I received a copy of it. However, as evidenced by my star rating, I most certainly did not enjoy reading it, and as such, I decided to forfeit my spot in the tour. Still, many thanks to the blog tour organizer for providing a review copy. The second is about mental illness, which was quite a jump from the first topic, and I wasn’t sure what to think at first. But I liked these poems quite a lot. The third section is about self-doubt and I thought this was the weaker one of the collection. It could have been combined with mental illness, I think.

A fun thing is that you can either read through this volume in one go or dip in and out of to fill your head with beautiful images and I can see myself doing both in the future. If you’re a fan of Rupi Kaur’s work or of instapoetry, Pillow Thoughts may be for you, but otherwise I wouldn’t recommend it. Chicago I’m in Chicago and you’re at home, how can we be so in love and yet so alone? It’s been so hard, how many more days must we be apart? All the nerves in my heart, wondering if things have changed, All the time apart, wondering if we’ll still be the same. I’m in Chicago and you’re at home, and I’m watching life pass. I miss you when I am alone. The illustrations in between sections in this book are also my favorite out of the three books!! They’re wonderfully designed and matches the particular section’s theme.To summarize everything, Pillow Thoughts is a portfolio of generic content framed using totally obsolete structures. Structurally, it’s atrocious. Lyrically, it’s atrocious. Stylistically, it’s atrocious. Perhaps the only remotely positive thing I can say is that I am incredibly blessed to have received only a digital copy of this book; otherwise, had I been given a physical copy, I would have grieved for the trees that died and ultimately lost my shit altogether.