Pillow Thoughts II Book Review

“I know life isn't always about bright colors and fireworks. Sometimes the colors aren't always clear, and our days get so hard they hurt. But settle down with me, hold my hand, let me kiss you. All I want is to know you more. Better than anyone else has before.”

I have a soft spot for poetry and an even softer spot for Courtney Peppernell's poetry. It was the summer of 2017 and my best friend and I were spending the day in Barnes and Nobel. We were reading the poetry books, copies were scattered on the carpet around us, when I pulled out "Pillow Thoughts." We fell in love and bought two copies, exchanged them and wrote each other notes through out it before returning them to each other. So, not only do I have a sweet memory attached to Peppernell's poetry but her writing is wonderful. My best analogy is it is like eating your favorite candy. She goes about difficult manners in an honest yet comforting way, it is the comfort food of poetry. The right combination of what you need and want to hear.

"Pillow Thoughts II" explored love, heartbreak, long distance and happiness. Everyone is guaranteed to find a poem they will fall in love with and say "hey, thats me! How'd she know?"

My favorite was this:

"I've never really been good at much

Other than catching planes and writing things down..."

Poetry is unique because it can capture a complicated feeling so precisely and unite so many people together in a certain emotion. Peppernell deserves all the praise she can get. She captures the human heart so perfectly. Plus there are adorable jellyfish throughout the entire collection. If I had one complaint it would be that I don't have a print of one of her poems and a jellyfish hanging in my bedroom.

Overall Rating: 5/5

Content Warnings: None