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tales_of_monika's review against another edition
4.0
This was a tough read. It was a tough read but not because it was badly written. No, this book was REAL.
I don't often read poetry but I have never come across a poet like Elisabeth Horan. The poems in this book are so raw and filled with true human emotions.
There is no dancing around the subject. The poet is here to talk about her addiction and there is no stopping her. The poems she writes are truly reflecting how she feels. There is no romanticising of her addiction to alcohol and that in itself is a reason why the book is just so good. There are no metaphors, no sophisticated, hard-to-pronounce and what-do-they-even-mean words. Just the poet and her feelings.
Just a warning, some of the poems might not be suitable for those of you that are squeamish. However, some of the poems come with a trigger warning which I think is quite nice since not everyone is comfortable with topics such as self-harm and suicide.
Overall I think the book gives a fresh, straight to the point outlook on alcoholism and is a break from the over-the-top poetry we see every day.
I don't often read poetry but I have never come across a poet like Elisabeth Horan. The poems in this book are so raw and filled with true human emotions.
There is no dancing around the subject. The poet is here to talk about her addiction and there is no stopping her. The poems she writes are truly reflecting how she feels. There is no romanticising of her addiction to alcohol and that in itself is a reason why the book is just so good. There are no metaphors, no sophisticated, hard-to-pronounce and what-do-they-even-mean words. Just the poet and her feelings.
Just a warning, some of the poems might not be suitable for those of you that are squeamish. However, some of the poems come with a trigger warning which I think is quite nice since not everyone is comfortable with topics such as self-harm and suicide.
Overall I think the book gives a fresh, straight to the point outlook on alcoholism and is a break from the over-the-top poetry we see every day.
stephbookshine's review against another edition
4.0
*I received a free copy of this book with thanks to the author and Isabelle Kenyon at Fly on the Wall Press. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*
Elisabeth Horan opens her veins here and bleeds out onto the page, exposing her addiction, pain and self-loathing to the reader as part of her redemptive path of recovery.
These poems are dark, raw and very difficult to read, as Horan holds nothing back at all. She bravely explores her darkest times with us and shows the struggles – internal and external – to claw her way back from the hole of self-destruction she slid into unknowingly.
Some of the imagery here is disturbing, and it should be, as the poems deal with issues like self-harm, suicide, drug and alcohol addiction, mental illness, depression and self-hatred. Horan skewers herself repeatedly with her disgust at her actions and emotions, but in the very act of writing this ‘confession’ she also recognises the battles she fought and won and acknowledges her strength and bravery in coming this far and in owning her past honestly.
The language is very accessible, with simple punctuation, word play, and repetition of recurring themes that loop around, mirroring the cyclic patterns of both addiction and recovery.
Definitely not an easy read, but an important one – not just as part of the author’s own healing process, but for any readers struggling with similar issues and feeling alone and not understood. Elisabeth Horan has been there, pulled herself back, and offers a hand of hope to those on the same journey.
Here I go again, down the rabbit hole,
Chasing things I cannot touch,
Wrapping their oily arms around me,
Jagermeister, weed and American Spirits –
Vices I gave up years ago.
God, what I wouldn’t do for a cigarette.
– Elisabeth Horan, from ‘My Own Blair Witch’ in Alcoholic Betty
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpress.com/2020/10/08/alcoholic-betty-elisabeth-horan/
Elisabeth Horan opens her veins here and bleeds out onto the page, exposing her addiction, pain and self-loathing to the reader as part of her redemptive path of recovery.
These poems are dark, raw and very difficult to read, as Horan holds nothing back at all. She bravely explores her darkest times with us and shows the struggles – internal and external – to claw her way back from the hole of self-destruction she slid into unknowingly.
Some of the imagery here is disturbing, and it should be, as the poems deal with issues like self-harm, suicide, drug and alcohol addiction, mental illness, depression and self-hatred. Horan skewers herself repeatedly with her disgust at her actions and emotions, but in the very act of writing this ‘confession’ she also recognises the battles she fought and won and acknowledges her strength and bravery in coming this far and in owning her past honestly.
The language is very accessible, with simple punctuation, word play, and repetition of recurring themes that loop around, mirroring the cyclic patterns of both addiction and recovery.
Definitely not an easy read, but an important one – not just as part of the author’s own healing process, but for any readers struggling with similar issues and feeling alone and not understood. Elisabeth Horan has been there, pulled herself back, and offers a hand of hope to those on the same journey.
Here I go again, down the rabbit hole,
Chasing things I cannot touch,
Wrapping their oily arms around me,
Jagermeister, weed and American Spirits –
Vices I gave up years ago.
God, what I wouldn’t do for a cigarette.
– Elisabeth Horan, from ‘My Own Blair Witch’ in Alcoholic Betty
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpress.com/2020/10/08/alcoholic-betty-elisabeth-horan/
halfmanhalfbook's review against another edition
3.0
Death: ‘THERE ARE BETTER THINGS IN THE WORLD THAN ALCOHOL, ALBERT.’
Albert: ‘Oh, yes, sir. But alcohol sort of compensates for not getting them.’
Terry Pratchett
I have always liked this quote from Pratchett, not only is it amusing, but it contains so much truth in it. I like a drink, a few pints down the pub with some friends every now and again, a couple of glasses of wine over dinner or a contemplative whiskey while reading a book late on a Friday night. However, alcohol has earned its moniker, demon for a number of reasons. It is very easy to go from a modest drinker to a heavy drinker to an alcoholic without yourself or anyone noticing your dependence on the bottle. Owning up to this to your self and others takes an immense amount of courage.
That time when
I was so bad
When I said
Hahahaha, I’m fine
Of course I’m not fine though —
drinking too much
Horan has that courage to face up to the things that she has been doing and part of facing that has been to write her thoughts down on the page. She pours out her feelings and actions in these verses at her very lowest points. This raw and emotive prose makes this a very tough read at times and there are subjects that are about some very dark moments in her life. It is difficult to like poetry like this given how bleak some of the poems are, that said there is immense power in her words that will help someone facing some of the same issues that she has.
Favourite Poems
The It Girl
The Light Was Not for Me
Albert: ‘Oh, yes, sir. But alcohol sort of compensates for not getting them.’
Terry Pratchett
I have always liked this quote from Pratchett, not only is it amusing, but it contains so much truth in it. I like a drink, a few pints down the pub with some friends every now and again, a couple of glasses of wine over dinner or a contemplative whiskey while reading a book late on a Friday night. However, alcohol has earned its moniker, demon for a number of reasons. It is very easy to go from a modest drinker to a heavy drinker to an alcoholic without yourself or anyone noticing your dependence on the bottle. Owning up to this to your self and others takes an immense amount of courage.
That time when
I was so bad
When I said
Hahahaha, I’m fine
Of course I’m not fine though —
drinking too much
Horan has that courage to face up to the things that she has been doing and part of facing that has been to write her thoughts down on the page. She pours out her feelings and actions in these verses at her very lowest points. This raw and emotive prose makes this a very tough read at times and there are subjects that are about some very dark moments in her life. It is difficult to like poetry like this given how bleak some of the poems are, that said there is immense power in her words that will help someone facing some of the same issues that she has.
Favourite Poems
The It Girl
The Light Was Not for Me
stephbookshine's review
4.0
*I received a free copy of this book with thanks to the author and Isabelle Kenyon at Fly on the Wall Press. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*
Elisabeth Horan opens her veins here and bleeds out onto the page, exposing her addiction, pain and self-loathing to the reader as part of her redemptive path of recovery.
These poems are dark, raw and very difficult to read, as Horan holds nothing back at all. She bravely explores her darkest times with us and shows the struggles – internal and external – to claw her way back from the hole of self-destruction she slid into unknowingly.
Some of the imagery here is disturbing, and it should be, as the poems deal with issues like self-harm, suicide, drug and alcohol addiction, mental illness, depression and self-hatred. Horan skewers herself repeatedly with her disgust at her actions and emotions, but in the very act of writing this ‘confession’ she also recognises the battles she fought and won and acknowledges her strength and bravery in coming this far and in owning her past honestly.
The language is very accessible, with simple punctuation, word play, and repetition of recurring themes that loop around, mirroring the cyclic patterns of both addiction and recovery.
Definitely not an easy read, but an important one – not just as part of the author’s own healing process, but for any readers struggling with similar issues and feeling alone and not understood. Elisabeth Horan has been there, pulled herself back, and offers a hand of hope to those on the same journey.
Here I go again, down the rabbit hole,
Chasing things I cannot touch,
Wrapping their oily arms around me,
Jagermeister, weed and American Spirits –
Vices I gave up years ago.
God, what I wouldn’t do for a cigarette.
– Elisabeth Horan, from ‘My Own Blair Witch’ in Alcoholic Betty
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpress.com/2020/10/08/alcoholic-betty-elisabeth-horan/
Elisabeth Horan opens her veins here and bleeds out onto the page, exposing her addiction, pain and self-loathing to the reader as part of her redemptive path of recovery.
These poems are dark, raw and very difficult to read, as Horan holds nothing back at all. She bravely explores her darkest times with us and shows the struggles – internal and external – to claw her way back from the hole of self-destruction she slid into unknowingly.
Some of the imagery here is disturbing, and it should be, as the poems deal with issues like self-harm, suicide, drug and alcohol addiction, mental illness, depression and self-hatred. Horan skewers herself repeatedly with her disgust at her actions and emotions, but in the very act of writing this ‘confession’ she also recognises the battles she fought and won and acknowledges her strength and bravery in coming this far and in owning her past honestly.
The language is very accessible, with simple punctuation, word play, and repetition of recurring themes that loop around, mirroring the cyclic patterns of both addiction and recovery.
Definitely not an easy read, but an important one – not just as part of the author’s own healing process, but for any readers struggling with similar issues and feeling alone and not understood. Elisabeth Horan has been there, pulled herself back, and offers a hand of hope to those on the same journey.
Here I go again, down the rabbit hole,
Chasing things I cannot touch,
Wrapping their oily arms around me,
Jagermeister, weed and American Spirits –
Vices I gave up years ago.
God, what I wouldn’t do for a cigarette.
– Elisabeth Horan, from ‘My Own Blair Witch’ in Alcoholic Betty
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpress.com/2020/10/08/alcoholic-betty-elisabeth-horan/
halfmanhalfbook's review
3.0
Death: ‘THERE ARE BETTER THINGS IN THE WORLD THAN ALCOHOL, ALBERT.’
Albert: ‘Oh, yes, sir. But alcohol sort of compensates for not getting them.’
Terry Pratchett
I have always liked this quote from Pratchett, not only is it amusing, but it contains so much truth in it. I like a drink, a few pints down the pub with some friends every now and again, a couple of glasses of wine over dinner or a contemplative whiskey while reading a book late on a Friday night. However, alcohol has earned its moniker, demon for a number of reasons. It is very easy to go from a modest drinker to a heavy drinker to an alcoholic without yourself or anyone noticing your dependence on the bottle. Owning up to this to your self and others takes an immense amount of courage.
That time when
I was so bad
When I said
Hahahaha, I’m fine
Of course I’m not fine though —
drinking too much
Horan has that courage to face up to the things that she has been doing and part of facing that has been to write her thoughts down on the page. She pours out her feelings and actions in these verses at her very lowest points. This raw and emotive prose makes this a very tough read at times and there are subjects that are about some very dark moments in her life. It is difficult to like poetry like this given how bleak some of the poems are, that said there is immense power in her words that will help someone facing some of the same issues that she has.
Favourite Poems
The It Girl
The Light Was Not for Me
Albert: ‘Oh, yes, sir. But alcohol sort of compensates for not getting them.’
Terry Pratchett
I have always liked this quote from Pratchett, not only is it amusing, but it contains so much truth in it. I like a drink, a few pints down the pub with some friends every now and again, a couple of glasses of wine over dinner or a contemplative whiskey while reading a book late on a Friday night. However, alcohol has earned its moniker, demon for a number of reasons. It is very easy to go from a modest drinker to a heavy drinker to an alcoholic without yourself or anyone noticing your dependence on the bottle. Owning up to this to your self and others takes an immense amount of courage.
That time when
I was so bad
When I said
Hahahaha, I’m fine
Of course I’m not fine though —
drinking too much
Horan has that courage to face up to the things that she has been doing and part of facing that has been to write her thoughts down on the page. She pours out her feelings and actions in these verses at her very lowest points. This raw and emotive prose makes this a very tough read at times and there are subjects that are about some very dark moments in her life. It is difficult to like poetry like this given how bleak some of the poems are, that said there is immense power in her words that will help someone facing some of the same issues that she has.
Favourite Poems
The It Girl
The Light Was Not for Me
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