Thanks to @netgalley and #orbooks for a free copy of #womenofresistance for my honest review.

This is a collection of feminist poetry by 41 authors and edited by Danielle Barnhart and Iris Mahan. The description said a feminist stance against the new administration so I knew it was something I wanted to read.

These poems span sexuality, race and gender identity. I really liked the idea on this book and thought it was well executed. I don’t read a lot of poetry but because this is a collection you get a variety of different styles some that I enjoyed more than other but the different styles did not distract from the overall stories, experiences and messages each piece told.

I had a hard time getting into it because of the ARC formatting which left a lot to be desired but once I got over the horrible formatting I appreciated for the gem it is.

Check it out!

I absolutely devoured this poetry collection, in the same way that I do the words of Rupi Kaur.

This is a timely and topical collection from a diverse range of contributors, and while some of the form was experimental to the point that it was lost on me (Matriot Acts, for example), others were just incredible and felt like they had captured the current political pulse so well (I loved Ode to the Pantsuit! Evoked all the #ImWithHer feels!)

Thanks to OR Books and Netgalkeybfor my review copy

I enjoyed this poetry book and don't want to give much away about it. But I do want to say that this book is worth the read, it covers different topics (from many different points of views.) that are filled with truths and so many feelings. From empowerment, womanhood, racism, war, to abuse, feminism, violence, rights and everything in between. Like most poetry books, I didn't love every poem but I felt that each poem brought something to this book. This book is written by many different poets, who a few I've heard of and some were new to me. When reading you can tell a different kind of poetry styles in it.

One of my favorite lines is Denice Frohman, “Hunger”.
I want to believe
I'm a better woman now that I', Writing poems.
that when I say, poems I mean another way to say, revenge.

A big thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a quick but hard-hitting collection of poems. It is also the perfect example of intersectional feminism in the 21st century. The poems range in the sub-topics they explore. Some are political, some are personal, whilst others cast a critical eye on society and the perception of women across different countries and cultures.

This collection is important as it focuses on the different ways in which women fight and resist those who wish to stop us from reaching our full potential. Hence the title 'Women of Resistance'. Each poem had a distinct voice and the different experiences came through powerfully as well.

Powerful and inspiring; a poetry collection you don't want to miss out on. You will become acquainted with some new writers you may not have discovered before as well. The type of poems and the rhythm also differ as well across the collection.

Highly recommend!

Excellent collection of poetry! Definitely some "Adult" themes and references, but I am putting on my shelf for students to browse.

I wanted to love this, I really did. I appreciated the variety in voices and perspectives, but quickly realized that this collection was not for me. I found the photographs distracting, taking away from the text. The text was way too hit or miss for me, and to be honest, mostly miss. I found the first two sections the strongest and I was very happy with how the collection was arranged.

I LOVED this book! I love to read poems either to relax, or enjoy the possible emotional connection. And WOW! This one was strong, full of emotion. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
It wakes up different feelings in you. Fear, happiness, fight, anger, nurture, sadness, and many more. I'll definitely buy a copy for myself to go back to it from time to time. And I'm sure it will make a fabulous gift for many people.

Highly recommended!

Big thanks to NetGalley and OR Books for this ARC, in exchange for an honest review.

What a book!

I am blown away by the strength and emotions of the poems in this book. I think this is not only for women. Definitely not. Everyone, should read, as men also have mothers, daughters, sisters, wives, lovers. Some lines in this book are like a punch in the face, fragments of womanhood, fragments of desire, pain, fear, determination, not giving up, resisting.

A fabulous read, I'll be welcoming this book to my library.

Thanks for NetGalley and OR Books for this Advanced Readers copy, in exchange for an honest review.

This was a great anthology and I'm glad that I read it, but poetry is so hit or miss for me that while I enjoyed some poems in this collection, a lot of them went right over my head. I enjoyed The Witch Doesn't Burn in this One so much when I read it last month so I thought I would be right on board with this as well, but this book is anthology of many different writers so all the poems are very different and I just couldn't get into it as much as I got into that. If you generally like poetry - and more importantly if you like many different styles of poetry - you will probably love this, but unfortunately for me it was more like 'I love the idea but get kind of lost in the execution'. Still, it's a really interesting book and I absolutely love that cover.

What I Liked

One of the main thing I like about this collection of poems is the fact that you can tell it is written by a wide array of women. You can tell they all have different life experiences and circumstances. For me, that is a sign of a well rounded collection. Due to this the poems are very different from one another, but they all share that single thread with one another. Feminism, strong women. This also led to there being so many different voices and I found myself really enjoying the scope of styles and stories that these individuals wrote.

Another thing I liked about this was the fact that this was a collection labeled as feminist and was truly feminist. It talked about equality of all. There were poems that dealt with race, violence, and of course gender issues. It was a nice seeing a collection and a book labeled as feminist saying "All. All. All!" instead of "Us. Us. Us!"

What I Didn’t Like

One thing I did not like, which is more me being unprepared than any fault of the book itself. Some of the poems were difficult, which I think they need to be to be true to themselves. But, this being unexpected made some of the reading difficult. But, as soon as I knew what some of the poems might be exploring I was fine. It was just the initial surprise. So just a warning, some of these poems explore very difficult situations.

Overall Thoughts

I would have to say I enjoyed this poetry collection. It explored the voices of an array of writings giving it a distinct feeling of authenticity. It also gives a voice to those who have gone through difficult experiences. It really makes you think outside of your own bubble and forces you to face it. If you enjoy feminist literature and poetry I would say you should pick this collection up. It was wonderful.

This is a great selection of excellent poetry. With poetry coming from women of all different backgrounds, ths book encompasses light hearted moments and incredibly hard-hitting poetic moments that make you take a breath, this book has the perfect title for what it holds inside.

Covering a wide variety of topics from the power of the pantsuit to surviving trauma, this book covers a wide range of topics from own voices that truly feels like a fightback against the world these women inhabit. Poems such as ‘The March’ by Achy Obejas for me really represent that feeling and it makes for such inspiring and deeply motivating poetry collection for a better world.

A heavy read in it’s moments, Women Of Resistance is a collection of honest and refreshing poetry that makes you think and sometimes makes you smile, and if you need some feminist motivation to take on the world, this is the book for you.

Inclusive, Intersectional, and Feminist AF

I want to believe
I’m a better woman now
that I’m writing poems.
that when I say, poems
I mean another way
to say, revenge.
(Denice Frohman, “Hunger”)

My god understands how slave women plucked pearls
from between their legs rather than see them strung up by the neck.
(Elizabeth Acevdeo, “An Open Letter to the Protestors Outside the Planned Parenthood Near My Job”)

This little grandmother
was ordered to pull down her paintings
because the Rabbi was offended
by her version of Eve: 9 months pregnant,
unbroken & reaching for another apple.
(Ruth Irupé Sanabria, “On Mate & the Work”)

Compiled in response to the 2016 election, WOMEN OF RESISTANCE: POEMS FOR A NEW FEMINISM features the work of fifty feminist activists; some established poets, other relative newcomers; from all walks of life. The collection is both timely, and depressingly timeless: sexual assault, objectification, interpersonal violence, racism, police brutality, the suppression of women’s voices, disenfranchisement, white supremacy; all are issues that we’ve been fighting for far too long. (Cue the meme, “I Can’t Believe I Still Have To Protest This F***ing S***.”)

Some of the poems I loved; others, I struggled with; and a small handful I skimmed over altogether. The collection’s greatest strength is its inclusiveness, diversity, and breadth of voices. And yet, WOMEN OF RESISTANCE is a little uneven, and I can’t say that I always “got” – or even enjoyed – the poems featured here. (To be fair, poetry isn’t my strong suit, and I’ve been feeling a little burned out on it lately to boot.)

THAT SAID, when a poem resonated with me, it was often a loud and resounding affair. There are some truly astounding pieces of verse in here! In particular I adored the work of Denice Frohman (“Hunger,” “A Woman’s Place”), Kimberley Johnson (“Female”), Jacqueline Jones (“Civil Rights”), Kim Addonizio “To the Woman Crying Uncontrollably in the Next Stall”), Laura Theobald (“Getting a UTI”), Elizabeth Acevdeo (“An Open Letter to the Protestors Outside the Planned Parenthood Near My Job”), Ada Limón (“Service”), Stacey Waite (“The Four Nights She’s Gone”), Patricia Smith (“What She Thinks as She Waits by the Door”), Ruth Irupé Sanabria (“On Mate & the Work”), Mary Ruefle (“Woodtangle”), Rachel McKibbens (“Shiv”), and Lauren K. Alleyne (“Ode to the Pantsuit”).

Usually I prefer reading ebooks on my Kindle, since it’s easier to highlight text and take notes this way, but this particular book looks its best on an ipad or other full-color device. There are some neat black and white protest photos here and there, and the formatting tends to stay true to the original.

Excellently organized and entertaining. A real winner for the publisher and the reader.

As soon as I saw this book I knew I had to read it. I adored the cover. I adored the title. I adored the concept. And now, after I have finished reading it, I can safely say that I adored the content.

The nature of the poems collected here are to promote feminist ideologies and to draw attention to the racist and misogynist thinking, the cultural appropriation, and the lack of diverse representation still prevalent, in contemporary society.

Anthologies, penned by various poets, are never going to please every reader, and so I was not expecting for every poem to resonate with me so deeply. The nature and style of each work of prose differed drastically but the core theme that combined them all made this continually impactful and deeply emotional. I found not a single poem that failed to trigger my emotions, in some way, and every poem here was deserving of its place, in this anthology.

Whilst I was prepared for the emotional impact, I was quite unprepared for the sheer level of it. These poems say their message with a shout, not a whisper. They are brash and unapologetic. They are angry and self-righteous. They are inclusive and empowering. They speak of old hate and new prejudice. They teach that love is love is love is love. And they understand that all we humans are the same, no matter how we try to betray our own kind. They made me feel powerful, inside my woman's body, and they also made me feel weak. They prompted discomfort, whilst they listed off previously unimagined horrors. And they welcomed it. They triggered heart-rending sorrow, at the ways humanity has failed its minorities. And they delighted in their teachings. These words, from powerful feminist voices, are words of the heart and they spoke to their kind.

This promotes that past hate can be eradicated and that change can happen, if manifestos such as this one continue to exist and are spread and shared and loved. I found new ways my heart could break, at the hatred of mankind, but I also found closure to my grief in the message this anthology ultimately conveys: the message of hope. A hope that we can do better, be better, and maybe already are better for reading this.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the editors, Danielle Barnhat and Iris Mahan, and the publisher, OR Books, for this opportunity.

Loved these poems and stories. Great for women’s history month. Very empowering.

As someone who is not into poetry but extremely into women's rights, this collection blew me away. It is emotional, powerful, and an amazing collaboration between artists. I recommend this to anyone in the world: male or female, straight or gay. This collection can shed so much light on women's issues for those not a part of the community. I will be buying a copy of this for all my girl friends.

Dear Women of Resistance: Poems for a New Feminism,

It’s not you. It’s me. I tried to appreciate you for what you were but came to realise that you and I were simply not compatible. Not wanting to give up before giving us a chance I read you from cover to cover. I’ll admit that some sparks ignited here and there when I read passages such as:

“When a woman tells the truth, she is creating the possibility for more truth around her.” - Danielle Barnhart and Iris Mahan (from the Introduction)

“From ashes rising, from rubble resounding, these bodies are borne and forged indestructible by the fires of demolition.” (from the Editor’s Note)

Although I loved your cover and the diversity you showed in the awesome illustrations of women, I’m afraid we weren’t meant to be. You’re not what I’m looking for in poetry and that’s not your fault. You are what you are and I’m not asking you to change for me.

You remain true to yourself and there will be plenty of readers who will love you for it. The many voices within you have the potential to change perspectives and lives with their words. Reach out and take hold of those who will appreciate you for who you are.

Your anger, political in nature and righteous, made me want to draw away rather than step closer. I respect your anger. You’ve earned it and have the right to voice it. Maybe you can’t see the possibility of light in the distance and in the circumstances that’s understandable.

However I need to be able to see, even if only in my imagination, that there is a light shining brightly and that it is possible for us to reach. The promise of the light is what motivates me to keep moving and striving for change. For others having what’s wrong with this picture placed in front of them is what they need to search for the pieces that will make the wrong right.

Let’s face it; what we’ve done in the past hasn’t worked out so well for us. Regardless of how it happens our goal is the same. We’re just on different paths to the same destination. I have to believe we will make it to the light of our destination.

I wish you many inspired people who will take up the mantle with you and accompany you on your path towards change.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and OR Books for the opportunity to read this book.

I love this. This is a book I intend to purchase in print so that I can keep it on my nightstand for random nighttime reading. It's also one that will be gifted to my girlfriends who are also women of resistance.

This is an amazing poetry collection from a variety of viewpoints, in a variety of styles, on the experience of not just being female, but being of any group that's been marginalized or stigmatized or had (having) to fight for their rights. Very inspiring, heartbreaking, angering and NECESSARY.

Women of Resistance - Poems for a New Feminism is a powerful anthology of feminist poetry edited by Danielle Barnhart and Iris Mahan. With contributions from 41 poets, including names such as Elizabeth Acevedo, Mahogany L. Browne, Jacqueline Jones LaMon, and Trish Salah, Women of Resistance is honestly heartstopping at times, so familiar it might take your breath away, and also heartbreaking because there is still so much work to be done.

Read this book slowly, read every word, and read it aloud. Hear your voice rise with the power that the words will infuse into your heart - these poems are for us all, and for our children, and should be read, told, recited, and read again.

Women of Resistance is everyone, is a fight for real equality, encompassing all gender identities, races, ethnicities, and sexuality; songs of pain, of love, of questions, of the toll that patriarchy and racism and classicism have taken on our society. The poems resonate so hard in me, inspiring me, and are a collective account telling me that we are not alone, we don’t need to fight alone, we are in this together. They talk of depression, of war, of injustice, of sexual assault, of childbirth, of abortion, of loss, of love, of breastfeeding, of racism, of brutality, of sisterhood... Of everything.

This anthology of amazing artists hit me like a punch in the stomach but also lifted me to my feet - this is really us, and we can keep using all the tools and talents that we have to make a change.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for the copy - this is one that I will be reading over and over again.

Women of Resistance - Poems for a New Feminism will be published by OR Books by March 13th, 2018.