White Pine: Poems and Prose Poems by Mary Oliver

4 stars Another stunning collection from Oliver. I especially love her musings and observations of nature. The way she describes birds is absolutely perfect. Themes of this collection include nature, love, death, and aging. A few of my favorite poems here are “Porcupine”, “In a Dark Wood: Wood Thrushes”, “Stories”, and “I Looked Up”. A…

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A Little Like Magic by Sarah Kurpiel

5 stars An utterly stunning story of art, beauty, and permanence. The narrator is not happy about facing the cold weather, uncomfortable winter clothes, crowds, and an unfamiliar setting to attend the winter festival. She doesn’t see the point of making ice sculptures that are just going to melt. To make matters worse, on her…

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Blue Horses by Mary Oliver

3 stars Another beautiful collection of poems. This one didn’t resonate with me quite as strongly as the other collections I’ve read from her, but it was still a wonderful read. A nice exploration of life, nature, and relationships. Goodreads

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At Blackwater Pond: Mary Oliver Reads Mary Oliver

5 stars A wonderful collection of poems read by Mary Oliver herself pulled from throughout her writing career. A fantastic listen. Featuring birds, plants, and the natural world, Oliver reflects on beauty, virtue, death, and more. I loved listening to these poems and especially hearing Oliver tell them. She reads each poem with her own…

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Evidence: Poems by Mary Oliver

5 stars This is the second collection I’ve read from Mary Oliver and I loved it just as much as the first. Beautiful, splendid, contemplative poetry centered around the natural world and life in general. So many wonderful images invoked on every page. A fantastic reflection on life and the joy of witnessing the animals,…

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The Pirate and the Porcelain Girl by Emily Riesbeck

Illustrated by NJ Barna 4 stars A hopeless romantic with literal porcelain skin. A disgraced orc pirate who can’t control her anger. A secret society bent on bringing back the absent gods. There is so much at play here. Quick pace. Dynamic artwork. Plenty of action and adventure. A bit of romance. Definitely a fun…

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Swan: Poems and Prose Poems by Mary Oliver

5 stars Wow, what a beautiful collection of poems.  I picked this up on a whim from the Recently Returned cart at the library. I’ve been trying to read more poetry lately and was drawn in my the simple title and lovely cover art.  Then I started reading it. Oh my goodness. This is the…

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