An enjoyable set of works that, at its best, finds connections between nature and human sociability.
In this contemplative poetry collection, Bohm explores the appeal of bodies of water, the tug of romantic longing, and the need for calm.
In the opening poem, “September,” the speaker contemplates the fleeting nature of time, the heart’s endurance, and the “space between bank and boat, / the vast and impassable moat.” Water and shoreline imagery recur. In “Cold Feet,” the speaker asks, “Can I know this country / without putting my feet in the waters?” “Unconditional” reflects on the sea’s nonjudgmental, undemanding nature, which reflects the state of the speaker’s soul. “Nazaré (‘Et Vivam’)” expands on this sentiment, noting that the tides’ ebbing and flowing actions are “a balm for my heart.” “White Sails” and “The Distance” describe waiting onshore for a boat and searching the horizon for home, respectively, while in “The Seagulls,” the speaker compares herself to the titular birds, always returning to the sea. The speaker eagerly awaits chilly weather in “Autumn,” while “Winter” captures the empty restlessness of that snowy season. Other poems focus on love’s uncertainty and complications. In “Fragment,” for instance, the speaker walks under a gibbous moon, wondering, “Of what value is loyalty / without love in the heart?” “In Your Gaze” finds the speaker struggling to decide whether “To love you or to let you go,” and “Suspended” grapples with desire, comparing it to fruit still hanging on the tree. Later poems circle images of morning and night as speakers seek joy, peace, and rest. “Legacy” concludes the book with a poetic wish to be remembered for having loved.
In this understated but affecting set of poems, Bohm masterfully connects natural landscapes with human interactions, using bodies of water as a metaphor for the fluidity of relationships. “Something Like Grief” accurately depicts the pain of loss, and how it leaves one feeling “robbed of something that I had never possessed.” Many pieces, such as “It’s Not the Waiting,” offer astute wisdom, including “It’s not the waiting / that causes suffering, / but the doubting / and the unknown.” A pleasant musical quality runs through other poems such as “Synesthetic,” which describes music as droplets falling on the skin, and “Beat the Drum,” which conjures a beloved’s heartbeat. Most entries are in an easy, free-verse style, but the rhyming poem “Before the Dawn” stands out as unique, thanks to its rhythm and proverb-like content: “Impatient blossom, hear my song!— / I know the winter lasted long, / yet he wins faith who trusts in Time, / who, far removed from warmer climes, / would heed this counsel that I bring / and overwinter till the Spring.” The economy of Bohm’s poems is another strength; the writing often conveys a lot in little space, as in “I Came as a Stranger,” which states, “I came as a stranger, / even as a friend; / but I sang like a lover / and fell in love with you.” At times, though, that same spareness may leave some readers wanting more context and fuller characters. An enjoyable set of works that, at its best, finds connections between nature and human sociability.Pub Date: Dec. 26, 2025
ISBN: 9798999570925
Page Count: 277
Publisher: Self
Review Posted Online: March 16, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2026
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A sweet final word from an actor who leaves a legacy of compassion and kindness.
The late actor offers a gentle guide for living with more purpose, love, and joy.
Mixing poetry, prescriptive challenges, and elements of memoir, Heche (1969-2022) delivers a narrative that is more encouraging workbook than life story. The author wants to share what she has discovered over the course of a life filled with abuse, advocacy, and uncanny turning points. Her greatest discovery? Love. “Open yourself up to love and transform kindness from a feeling you extend to those around you to actions that you perform for them,” she writes. “Only by caring can we open ourselves up to the universe, and only by opening up to the universe can we fully experience all the wonders that it holds, the greatest of which is love.” Throughout the occasionally overwrought text, Heche is heavy on the concept of care. She wants us to experience joy as she does, and she provides a road map for how to get there. Instead of slinking away from Hollywood and the ridicule that she endured there, Heche found the good and hung on, with Alec Baldwin and Harrison Ford starring as particularly shining knights in her story. Some readers may dismiss this material as vapid Hollywood stuff, but Heche’s perspective is an empathetic blend of Buddhism (minimize suffering), dialectical behavioral therapy (tolerating distress), Christianity (do unto others), and pre-Socratic philosophy (sufficient reason). “You’re not out to change the whole world, but to increase the levels of love and kindness in the world, drop by drop,” she writes. “Over time, these actions wear away the coldness, hate, and indifference around us as surely as water slowly wearing away stone.” Readers grieving her loss will take solace knowing that she lived her love-filled life on her own terms. Heche’s business and podcast partner, Heather Duffy, writes the epilogue, closing the book on a life well lived.
A sweet final word from an actor who leaves a legacy of compassion and kindness.Pub Date: Jan. 24, 2023
ISBN: 9781627783316
Page Count: 176
Publisher: Viva Editions
Review Posted Online: Feb. 6, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2023
A far-reaching, mostly persuasive guide that seeks to change how people approach inner challenges.
Ion and Irimia’s self-help book presents seven principles that can alter readers’ lives.
Many people face internal roadblocks that keep them from succeeding. While therapy remains a common treatment option, it can take years to make progress. Fast Transformation Protocols, the method advocated in Ion and Irimia’s guide, is the opposite, only requiring a minor time commitment. The seed for FTP was Ion’s first company, a recruitment agency for corporations in Transylvania, Romania. On a trip with a colleague named Sara, Ion freed the woman from the perception of abandonment, making Sara understand that benefits exist in even the most negative situations. FTP primarily operates by asking many “weird questions” and utilizing seven universal laws: those of duality, reflection, transformation, synchronicity, eristic (i.e., argumentative) escalation, order, and fractals. The laws mingle concepts from science, philosophy, and psychology. Just a few of the numerous examples the authors discuss regarding the law of duality alone include the Babylonians’ concept of celestial cycles; the Chinese version, yin and yang; and, in biology, the balance of cell birth with cell death. Another inspiration is Carl Jung’s exploration of coincidences (the law of synchronicity) and archetypes (the law of fractals). Added to the mix is a helping of spirituality. The authors ask readers, when they’re contemplating life challenges, to consider sacred contracts, an idea that “before birth, your soul carefully chooses the exact context and circumstances it will incarnate into.” The ambitious guide is written in Ion’s voice; she’s a sensitive presence who seems to genuinely aspire to help others. She recalls that as a child, “I pulled my emotions inward and packed them tightly inside me, like delicate things wrapped in newspaper.” Yet this delicacy is balanced by a love of organization and rationality, reflected in this well-structured and mostly convincing book. Intriguing case studies demonstrate how the laws the authors discuss apply to real situations. But some readers will question the success rate. Using one of the seven universal laws is always shown as succeeding, although perhaps not immediately.
A far-reaching, mostly persuasive guide that seeks to change how people approach inner challenges.Pub Date: Sept. 15, 2025
ISBN: 9798993098203
Page Count: 313
Publisher: Inspired Life Circle LLC
Review Posted Online: Feb. 6, 2026
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
