The style is neat- I’d say if you like “junk journaling” this is your vibe and type of book- the poems are what you’d expect, telling a story throughout. I enjoyed it and would read more by this author!

An excellent collection of poetry that discusses mother/daughter relationships, what it means to grow into womanhood, and to grieve the person you once were and reclaim your power. My favorite kind of art work and poetry piece all in one. I loved the interweaving of the goddess Persephone throughout.

I received this as an ARC for NetGalley.

I don't have enough words to express how grateful I am for receiving an early copy of this book. Thank you, netgalley and Central Avenue Publishing.

I love poetry but it is difficult for me to find a book that I really enjoy. Trista Mateer's books never missed. This one included.

It hits close to home, I love all the themes she explores and I can read her poetry all day long and I still couldn't get enough.

The way she threads mythology in her poetry is exquisite. She's also the only poetry author that always brings the tears out of me.

I will read everything Trista will publish.

I enjoyed this collection the least out of the three that currently comprise the series it belongs to. It's still a wonderful collection of poems, and I still absolutely love the mixed-media style pages interspersed throughout the collections, but I didn't fall in love with it the same way I fell in love with the other two collections in the series. I really wish I had loved this collection because I was absolutely captivated by the other two in this series.

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc in exchange for a fair review
I was a massive fan of Aphrodite Made Me Do It, so I was thrilled to be given the chance to be an Arc reader for Persephone Made Me Do It. This second collection focuses on experiences with mother-daughter relationships, trauma, men, patriarchy, and girlhood while being spliced with pop art and collages. A personal favorite was the comparison of Persephone to the young women who live through abuse and come out still gentle. While I enjoy the style that Trista Mateer uses, I understand that poetry is very personal, so those not fans of more modern poetry will likely struggle to enjoy this collection. I'm excited to see whats next for Mateer

A few errors like missing letters

Beautiful words
Perfect to read in candlelight with a cup if rose tea
Love the addition of collages/art/mixed media/tarot
A call to arms for all women.
This quote "what has forgiveness done except elongate the line of broken women in his path"
It's for all women. We have all suffered and experienced trauma by men even if it just living in a patriarchal, unfair, rigged against women society.
This poetry collection is raw and passion and honest.
Read in one sitting.

Persephone Made Me Do It is the newest addition to the Myth and Magick series. I really enjoy reading this series. In this installment, we read the poets and Persephone's emotions and their feelings. Some of the poems hit me hard. I liked Trista Mateers' bold voice. Also, I like how illustrations and tarot cards give this poetry collection more meaning. If you enjoy reading poetry I highly recommend this poetry collection.

By now I have read several collections of poems by this fantastic poet and the only thing I can say is that she did not disappoint me this time either. The concept of the book is different from those found on the market and I loved the alternation of images, drawings and poems. I also find this series on Greek deities very beautiful and I can perfectly find myself in what the author writes.

This was such an intense and cathartic book, with poems talking to me about things I hadn’t even realized I was feeling yet.

*3.5 stars

I really enjoyed this series! I still love how Mateer writes it as if the goddess and the poet are having a conversation, alternating between the two perspectives. She's written all three collections in this same format and I think it works really well.

The poems in this collection didn't really resonate with me as much as the first two collections, but were still beautiful. As was the artwork throughout, however I think this collection relied a little too heavily on the artwork, as there seemed to be a lot more than in the previous collection. Or maybe I'm misremembering.

A beautiful poetry collection, with a Greek mythology twist.

In an age where poetry often takes a backseat to other forms of literature, 'Persephone Made Me Do It' by @tristamateer is a refreshing reminder of the beauty and power that poetry can hold. In a single, captivating sitting, I found myself completely immersed in a world of words, metaphors, and emotions, rekindling a passion for poetry that had been dormant within me for far too long.

This enchanting collection, which stands as the third installment in the 'Myth and Magick' series, artfully weaves together the mythical and the poetic. What immediately struck me was the author's choice to explore this profound poetry through the lens of Greek mythology, offering readers a fresh perspective on an ancient tale – that of Persephone. Even if you're not well-versed in Greek mythology, fear not; the book includes a dedicated page providing all the necessary background information, ensuring that everyone can dive into this narrative with ease.

I would confidently give the book a rating of four stars. Three stars are given for the beautiful approach in poetry, much of which deals with feminist themes. The gorgeous illustrations are a perfect match for the content and deserve the final star. The illustrations in this book are powerful and meaningful that if I owned a physical copy, I would cut out my favorite ones and frame them on my wall.

Reader discretion is advised, as “Persephone Made Me Do It” does wade into deep emotional waters. This book has the potential to expose some of your deepest wounds and emotions. Pay close attention to the book's thoughtfully included trigger warnings to keep your emotional journey safe and fulfilling.

Highly recommended to readers who love Greek mythology, poetry, and visual aesthetics.

Thank you Central Avenue Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

💕Thank you Netgalley and Central Avenue Publishing for the ARC💕
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Wow. Just wow. I am a super hard critique of poetry but this blew my mind! It is raw, it is real, it is deep, and it is intense but for all the right reasons. Definitely a must read for those who need to find strength in themselves and for those who’s inner child and the person they are becoming needs a hand to hold or a world to take over. The embodiment of Persephone was incredible.

Trista Mateer is the best poet of the generation: change my mind.

I have read several of this author's works and I always am in awe. The poems are so relatable. Though every collection has its themes, I absolutely loved the concept of this collection in particular.

Trista Mateer is so witty. Her poems give a nice gut-wrenching punch that make you feel like you just lost your dog. I can't wait to buy a physical copy of this collection so I can highlight all my favorite quotes and passages.

I would highly recommend this collection to anyone that loves poetry about girl power, sad stuff, and heartbreak.

Provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Another wonderful read from Trista Mateer, this time with the focus on the goddess Persephone.

The themes in this edition focus on womanhood and the role of women in society and adds some stunning images to back up and supplement Mateer's prose.

If you know the myth of Persephone, a number of poems here recount that although from a different perspective, as well as hearing from the author about how those issues are mirrored in the world today.

It’s no secret how much I love Mateer’s ‘Myth and Magick’ series. This third installation is, as with each previous publication, gorgeous. Vivid images of painted tarot cards, edited photos and softly drawn pictures amongst pain, love and anger. I’m drawn back repeatedly to reflect on the thought behind each word and juxtaposed imagery, and as is the way with good poetry, I find myself almost exploring something new every time I reread a section.

What is unique with ‘Persephone Made Me Do It’, is the acknowledgement that Persephone’s story has been told a multitude of times before. Considering I’ve recently been shouting non-stop about the masterpiece that is ‘Girl, Goddess, Queen’, another tale of Persephone and a similarly brilliant embrace of female rage and male twisted stories, it’s clear that there is a catalogue of retellings when it comes to Persephone. What Mateer is able to do differently with this series, is provide an actual dialogue on this between Persephone and ‘The Poet’, the muse and the writer so to speak. It brings an interestingly modern and at times very personal, relevance to the original myth.

There is a really interesting section when they examine who the villain is in Persephone’s story and can’t land a definite answer, each version of events changes when it's told. Mateer writes:

"All details change over time.
Arguing the truth is senseless.
Tell the story you can live with.”

It just hit me in a way that feels encapsulating and yet I’m struggling to find the words for. Mateer has always examined how men have influenced and changed female histories and lives but ‘Persephone Made Me Do It’ takes it to another level with how it has shaped our relationship with our own history. Our relationship with our childhood, our innocence and then with our old age. I’ve seen countless examples of the idea of the ‘maiden, mother and crone’, I was even taught in my literature class at school to look for those common female archytype’s, being told that every female character fits at least one. When Mateer questions this, puts it on a platform, and brings to life that relationship with who you were, the child you embodied but is still there, with the emphasis that “we are all the same woman” feels like a battle cry.

There is an inescapable feeling as a woman that sometimes you're fighting, not only to be heard and seen for who you are today but also against thousands of years of history where people succeeded in taking away your rights, writing over your stories and making an example out of you. That is what ‘Persephone Made Me Do It’ partly embodies for me. About being seen and heard. I hope reading this can make others feel the same and I highly recommend it.

🦇 Persephone Made Me Do It Book Review 🦇

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

⚠️ Trigger Warnings: Abuse, Death, Rape, Sexual Assault, Toxic Relationships, Abduction/Kindapping, Grief, Trauma, Death

❝ The end of every survival story: I wasn't ready to become what I had to become. ❞

❓ #QOTD Who is your favorite goddess? OR fill in the blanks: I am ___, goddess of ___. ❓

❝ I was a princess until I was old enough to be a bitch. ❞

🦇 In her latest poetry collection, Trista Mateer blends together mythology, tarot, poetry, and conversation to reveal a new side of a very old story. Alternating between the perspectives of a poet and a goddess, Persephone’s lore is explored, related to modern issues, and ultimately reclaimed. Her poetry is a reminder that every woman is a series of poetic corrections. Even with flowers in her hair, a goddess like Persephone can be out for blood. This is the third book in Mateer's Myth and Magick series.

💜 As always, Trista Mateer coveys the perfect balance of love and heartache. Her writing opens old wounds and spills shared experiences of motherhood, girlhood, survival, and self-affirmation. Each poem is emotional and raw, matched with striking illustrations (many of which are designed as modernized, collage-like tarot cards). Mateer pulls inspiration from familiar Greek myths, thereby infusing her personal experiences with magic and power. These pieces are a reminder that women--fictional figures in beloved Greek myths and the real women in our everyday lives--survive and endure so much, but never go down without a fight.

🦇 These poems are brutally honest and empowering, but they're not for everyone. Of the three in this series, I believe this one is the most difficult to swallow. Though some of the themes are universal, many readers might struggle to identify with some of the poetry's harsher themes. The collages, while attention-grabbing, are often hit-or-miss. While some enhance Mateer's poetry, others distract from the central themes.

🦇 Recommended to fans of Nikita Gill's Great Goddesses and Rupi Kaur's The Sun and Her Flowers.

✨ The Vibes ✨
🌿 Feminist Verse
🌻 Mythology References
🌸 Part of a Series
🌷 Real and Raw
🌼 Art and Collages

🦇 Major thanks to the author @tristamateer and publisher @centavebooks for providing an ARC of this book via Netgalley. 🥰 This does not affect my opinion regarding the book. #PersephoneMadeMeDoIt #TristaMateer

Thank you to NetGalley for this advanced readers copy, in exchange for an honest review. Anyone who knows me, knows Greek Goddesses and Poetry are two of my biggest loves... The first time I picked up Mateer's work, Aphrodite Made Me Do It, I felt seen, loved and ached within the pages. It's no shock, that this achingly gorgeous collection is an easy five star review for me. The connection between mother and daughter is never, ever a simple tale- especially ones filled with trials and tribulations. Connecting to the readers inner child, understanding inner discrepancies in their personal truth and opening the wounds we all seemingly share as a collective, is Mateer's mastery at work. It's beautifully done. And I found myself highlighting about 90% of the collection! I hunger already for the next work of a poet such as Mateer.

This collection of poems was a perfect reminder that everybody can learn to be strong and confident in themselves.

I felt empowered reading every word.

The art in the book, really paired well with the poetry and enhanced the reading experience.

This was a refreshing pov from Persephone that is hard to come by because there are so many adaptations nowadays but this one is definitely one of my favourites

Thank you to NetGalley and Central Avenue Publishing for the advance reader copy.

If you decide to read this collection of poems please pay attention to the trigger warnings.

I have mixed feelings about this book, and it has affected my want to read the others in the series.
This was full of a lot of trauma but also there were poems in the book which will resonate with most women.

I wasn’t too keen on the layout and also the illustrations which felt like they were from a scrapbook or moodboard.
This feeling is amplified by the poems not having any structure and feeling like they were taken from journal entries.

ARC provided by NetGalley & Central Avenue Publishing.
Release Date: September 12th, 2023


Content/Trigger Warnings: Blood, toxic relationships, abuse, abduction/kidnapping, fire, grief, trauma, loneliness, rape, sexual assault, death

Author Content/Trigger Warnings: Abuse, death, fire, rape, sexual assault, & possibly more

"You cannot please everyone. You were not made to please anyone."



This isn't my first time reading from this author and I've typically enjoy their work. However, this was a huge miss for me. I loved a lot of the quotes that surrounded trauma and what ones does in order to survive through that and to come out of it. There were also some really great quotes that I adored, about grieving for the person who you used to be and grieving for the person in the now. I also enjoyed the tarot card aspect of this book as well. However, despite these few things I enjoyed, there were quite a few things that just didn't work for me on a personal scale.

The first thing that really hinder my reading experience was how heavily art focused this book was. That's not something I was really expecting. Some art or pictures, absolutely! Multiple pages that are just art collages, horrendously distracting especially when you're trying to paint this narrative, this story of a conversation being held between Persephone and the poet.

My other big issue was the heavy themes of mommy/mother issues. While I can relate to it with having my own toxic relationship with my own mother, it's not something I particularly want to read about, be repeatedly hit over the head with for an entire book, or even remember. And I wish I could say it was just one section or portion of the book, but it's literally one of the biggest themes of this book and spans throughout every single section. This just wasn't it for me. I think there will be many readers who love this and really connect with it, but for me, it just wasn't it.

Overall, I think many poetry lovers will enjoy this book and connect with it some way. The art collages may be hit or miss for some readers. It felt very distracting at times, but if you like that aspect in book then you'll probably enjoy this more. I think I went into this just expecting more and it just missed the mark for me, on a personal level.


All thoughts, feelings, experiences, and opinions are honest and my own.