I struggled a lot with this. I wanted to look at this collection objectively and in an isolated manner, however <i>it is</i> part of a series, so I do think it's fair to bring up the previous two titles.

We fought dragons with the princess in The Princess Saves Herlself in This One.
We used the fire designed to scorch us back against those who would watch us burn in The Witch Doesn't Burn in This One.
I wanted so much to take back the narrative in The Mermaid's Voice Returns in This One but I have to admit I was underwhelmed.

Poetry is something so personal, and though this book didn't ignite something inside me, like the two previous titles did, I know that doesn't discredit this book and the poems in it.
I still think amanda lovelace is a truly gifted writer, with a unique perpective because of what life has put her through.

Mermaid wasn't an instant favorite, but I am whiling to give it another shot later in the year.
I got a digital ARC from NetGalley but I am planning on keeping my pre-order for this book.
I still want Mermaid to join her sisters Princess and Witch on my shelves.

I felt there was a disconnect between the chapters in the book (the sky, the shipwreck, the song and the surviving) and the poems didn't really have that cohesive and organized feel I was used to from lovelace.

What shocked me was that the poem I enjoyed most in the book, and that I thought most related to the title and theme of the book wasn't written by lovelace but by a collaborator (Nikita Gill).

Actual rating: 3.5

<i><b>someone mistreats you again & you reply the
same way you always do ("oh, it's alright. i'm used
to it by now.") before looking down at your shoes.
it's there that i will write an invisible reminder to
you: don't ever take anyone's bullshit. if they treat
you as anything less than royalty, then show
them exactly what a mermaid-witch-queen like
yourself can accomplish.

- slay those dragons II </b></i>

My notes for this collection prove that a handful of Amanda's words struck home for me. In the world women are growing up in today there are words I see resonating with many and coming to terms with their own feminine strength. Beauty, growth, hurt, and freedom so many ideas flow through her poems. For the right reader this will be a beloved edition to your collection.

While I did enjoy much of what she has put her heart into here, I didn't find a lasting impression for myself. I give it such a high rating because of the poems I do love and because I believe this is a book others should try too. I especially appreciated she opened the book up to other poets towards the end.

Her honesty and take on poetry are art and I am grateful for the chance to have read them for review. Thank you NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for the opportunity.

Amazing! Amanda Lovelace does it again! Heartbreaking, real life, so vulnerable, but yet so good. As good/even better than her other two works. Would definitely recommend. A few triggers nodding to rape.

I loved This! Amanda's poetry is so so powerful and amazing! This poetry collection is something I feel like everyone should read.

I haven't read the other two books in this series, but I am going to check them out now. The poems in this collection felt very timely with the combination of the Me Too movement and all of the women's rights issues that we are having. For the most part they were poignant and well written. I'm willing to hazard a guess that the poetry in this is like the previous two so if you liked them you'll probably like this one.
My favorite from the collection was:

"when
our villains
win,
do not fret.
just
rewrite
the story."

A big thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This compilation of poems by @ladybookmad is about women who have gone through abuse, women who are suffering heartbreak and women who are healing. It's what you'd call minimalistic poetry. It is the last in the series, and how I wish I could read the other two!
I really enjoy this genre of poetry, while the debate of how poetic it is stays. It is wonderfully written and appeals to the sad, broken part of us that is tucked away somewhere. We often just push our broken pieces aside and instead of focusing on healing, we just go on with life assuming everything will be ok. Perhaps, it's books like this that remind us that we still are broken, parts of us remain unhealed. If you enjoy this genre of poetry, pick this one up!
Overall, a book that I enjoyed reading and would recommend you pick it up too! I

Getting to read this book early was really special for me. I don’t remember how exactly I stumble across “the princess saves herself in this one” but I was hooked from the very first line of the dedication. Amanda’s writing had a great impact on the writer I am today. It opened a door for me into a world of poetry I didn't know I belong to. I’m honored for the opportunity to watch this little princess fights dragons and grows up into a series of empowering books. This isn't a book that shies away from hard topics. Taking courage from the #metoo movement, The mermaid’s voice returns in this one is a story about finding the strength to tell your story. In her own, unique, fairytale-like style, Amanda is not only talking back her own voice she also encourages her readers to do the same. This book is for every (not so little) girl who still dreams of the day she would claim back her kingdom. It’s for everyone who struggles to find their voice. To tell their truth. To write their story. Whatever it is. The book also includes many poems from other contributors that make it even more special and deserve their own shout-out.

“she didn’t kiss frogs
she kissed great white sharks.” - Amanda Lovelace

This was my first Amanda Lovelace poetry collection and definitely not my last! the mermaid’s voice returns in this one is the third book in the Women Are Some Kind of Magic trilogy. I will be picking up the first two collections after reading this one.

Amanda Lovelace has a gift and I am so immensely grateful that she is sharing it with the world. Each poem feels like it’s written for the reader. There is something magical about connecting with poems. This kind of poetry is what keeps the genre alive and breathing. the mermaid’s voice returns in this one centers around finding one’s voice. The title referencing to the Little Mermaid made me smile. It was like having my younger self gift me with a new voice. Reminding me how much my voice matters. The emotion I felt while reading the collection stayed long after. My favorite piece in the collection made me SO nostalgic.

“when i tell you i’m still waiting for my hogwarts letter, what i mean to say is i never meant to be here for so long.” - forever wandering lost & wandless.

My eyes watered after this piece. I grew up with Harry Potter and all its magical goodness. It made me sad, yet also carried so many possibilities. Growing up in a small town, not leaving has always been one of my biggest fears. Reading this, I knew I was not alone. It’s such a grateful and satisfying feeling.

I 100% recommend this poetry collection if you like modern poetry or liked previous collections by Amanda Lovelace. It’s going to take you on a journey of self-acceptance and finding your voice.

* Thank you NetGalley for providing me with this arc in exchange for an honest review.

*I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

This book, I must confess, wasn’t for me. But I know it’ll be perfect for many. While I prefer more imagery in my poems, more originality in its metaphors, there’s plenty to enjoy here for fans of the genre.

This read like an unpolished journal of mismatched, so-called-poems; some of them were good, many weren’t, but everything felt real. The verses are personal, and the writer tackles her struggles with brutal honesty; I appreciated this.

Amanda Lovelace’s "the mermaid’s voice returns in this one" is the third and final installment in a trilogy of poetry books titled “women are some kind of magic”. This entry features a foreword by Lang Leav, and more than 10 poems by other authors. It culminates the series naturally, with a familiar, female voice that comes across more mature, more resolute —grown.

PERSONAL HIGHLIGHTS:

• The book opens with a trigger warning. Lovelace’s decision to include this first, formatted to look like a poem, is commendable. I believe most writers —despite their want to be read— can learn from this decision. Prioritizing the reader’s well-being through such a simple gesture, even at the risk of losing a reader, says a lot about the person behind the pen.

• Throughout the book, there are many poems about a mermaid; a mermaid that finds her voice, keeps her voice. It felt like this mermaid was somewhere between Andersen’s and Disney’s Ariel. The ongoing motif added structure to the book. I wasn’t particularly fond of these poems, but I enjoyed how the fairy-tale was turned on its head and used as an empowering theme.

• The titles at the end of the poems; it made the reading experience feel a little like a mystery —like going blind into a movie, having not seen its trailer. It made me read most poems more than once, taking the title into account during the second and third reading, thus enchanting the experience.

To summarize, if you liked Lovelace’s first two books, or you enjoy the poetry of poets like Leav or Kaur, you will like this one. If you’re looking for something more profound in the writing itself, this book might not be for you. Don’t mistake me, though; the subjects are complex and deep and nothing here is treated lightly.

Trigger warnings (as stated by the author): child abuse, gun violence, intimate partner abuse, sexual assault, eating disorders, self-harm, suicide, alcohol, trauma, death, violence, fire, and possibly more.

Wow. In the amazing conclusion to the “women are some kind of magic” series you get a powerful ending to a powerful series. Amanda delivers strong poems that honestly take your breath away. Whether she is packing a punch or making you cry, it is delivered beautifully. She includes a chapter with poems about survival by a powerhouse collection of female poets that alone make the book amazing. Each poem made me fall in love with her writing all over again.

I haven't read the previous two books, The Princess Saves Herself in This One or The Witch Doesn't Burn in This One, although when Princess was released I was dying to get my hands on it. Now after reading more poetry, this one included, I'm even more likely to pick up books 1 and 2.

3,5 stars

The Mermaid’s Voice Returns in This One is the conclusion to Amanda’s Women Are Some Kind of Magic Poetry Collection. As were the previous books this book is in brutally in your face and deals with various triggering topics. What pleased me was to see that there is a page at the start of the where the big triggering content was warned for. For the most part this book is about sexual assault. Abuse.

Where in the second book I felt there was a lot of filler poetry that was not the case for this book. The book is divided into 4 parts and each part has poetry that really fits with the theme. There was also a more positive tone to the poems in this one, which made it feel like a fitting ending. She really finds her voice again.

The thing that makes me rate this 3,5 stars is that in the fourth part of the book we get poems from a few other poets as well and for me they took the flow out of the whole. The rhythm and the feel of these were so different to Amanda’s that it was a bit jarring. I don’t think it was the right way to end this book.

While I know I should have picked up the other two before this one, I noticed it was available for me to read via Netgalley (Thank you♡), so I decided to try out poetry.
I loved it.
Not the best poetry I've read but still impacting and beautiful.
I liked how Amanda let other people put a poem in The Mermaid's Voice Returns In This One, such as Jenna Clare and many others.

"can't
a prince
a princess
a n y o n e

just
come along
& gaze
upon me
with such
adoration
it's
as if i'm
the gem
of the deep,
not the rubble
of pompeii?"

This book was so powerful. Keep in mind of the trigger warnings and practice self care when involved with any of her books. They are moving, powerful, and thought provoking. 5/5 every time!

I received an e-ARC of this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I already heard a lot about amanda lovelace and her poetry, so I was really excited when I received an e-ARC of this beautiful book - and it didn't disappoint me. Instead, lovelace's poetry left me speechless. I especially liked the fairytale metaphors! But be careful: please read the trigger warning before starting this book. Some of the poems are very dark and emotional, but I liked that a lot.

I really want to buy amanda lovelace's other books now, and I'm looking forward to reading them!

The conclusion of this poetry series did not disappoint! I found myself bookmarking a lot of the poems, specifically the ones with fairytale metaphors and the ones about books. I will admit, I was not a fan of the last part of the book where a bunch of other poets contributed, but other than that, I enjoyed this collection.

(please please PLEASE Read the trigger warning before starting this book)
The Women Are Some Kind of Magic poetry series is one ofmy absolute favorite collections. This was probably my least favorite of the three. It's a very good collection however it's VERY dark. This was not the empowering and uplifting collections I was used too. The Mermaid's Voice Returns in This One deals with child abuse, violence and self-harm. It's a hauntingly beautiful collection of poetry that will stay with you for a long time.

This was one of the many anticipated reads I had for this year. It wasn't until early last year that I've come across this authors poetry and has been devouring her work as well as her opening my eyes to poetry. I will admit I was never into poetry until this author reading her captivating words and getting that feeling of being understood.

This is the final book the Women are some kind of magic trilogy (Not even sure if that's the right word for it?) If you loved the first two books you'll love this book as well as much as I did. But there is the bonus feature of getting a couple of other authors which surprised me and I was pretty pleasantly surprised how seamlessly all the poetry worked together from different artists. It even now got me wanting to know more and branching out to see whats out there. I was already becoming a fan of Nikita Gills work but there was a couple of other names I was unfamiliar with that I'm now going to look out for. Back to the book I just loved it not much to say without spoiling it but it is in connection with the previous books but could be read as a standalone if you are new to this series or author. But I do recommend reading this book but even more so pick up the first book to it. This series is heart breaking, uplifting, and empowering an your not going to want to miss it.

The final chapter to Lovelace's poetry anthology and this one just gets deeper and darker than before. A great set of poems dealing with various personal issues that are relatable to many of its readers. I will definitely be on the look out for a box set of this anthology to purchase for my home library!

"she didn't kiss frogs.
she kissed great white sharks."

Thanks to Netgalley I am voluntarily reviewing this book after receiving a free copy.

When I first saw that this book was coming out I was excited but sceptical because I really enjoyed the first book in this series but I didn't enjoy the second book. I am really happy that this book was as good as the first one. It flowed so well as we read through an Amanda we haven't read before. She expresses each emotion flawlessly and has such a tactful way of writing about dreadful topics.
I love how as I read through I could see that different poems related to other books and films, such as Othello, Tangled, Maleficent, Sleeping Beauty, Romeo & Juliet etc. It really showed me how well read the author is and to use such great authors in her own work just showed how much she appreciates good writing.

"will i have to spend the afterlife
finding ways to hide from you?"

On page 53 she writes a poem relating to Tangled the Disney film. I have a special place in my heart for this film and to see poetry about it really made my day.
I also enjoyed the fact that to last chapter was filled with other poets' poetry as well as Amanda's. All the pieces were brilliantly written and related to the topic of the book exactly.


"i'm deciding my firsts from now on."

Overall, I found this book incredibly engaging and one that I will probably read again. Amanda Lovelace has done a brilliant job on this trilogy and I wish her every success when this book is released in a couple of months.


"you are sad now.
you are not sad forever."