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cycling books crime novels non-fiction theological books more reviews
international literary journals
best of birdsong
birdsong collective
Yep this was the best of the three birdsong journals that I have read. I really really enjoyed Lauren Wilkinson's 'fat house'. Skipped a couple of other stories because of their graphic sexual content. Other than that is was a good read.
3.5/5
Yep this was the best of the three birdsong journals that I have read. I really really enjoyed Lauren Wilkinson's 'fat house'. Skipped a couple of other stories because of their graphic sexual content. Other than that is was a good read.
3.5/5
birdsong #18
[free paperback zine]
Lovely free zine and quick read. Nice writing, however it seemed like every entry needed to be sexually charged. A bit of variety would have been nice.
2/5
Lovely free zine and quick read. Nice writing, however it seemed like every entry needed to be sexually charged. A bit of variety would have been nice.
2/5
birdsong #17
[free paperback zine]
Thanks birdsong for sending this across the Atlantic for me. It was a good read and a quick read. My highlight was Jess Paps' Aquarium picture.
3/5
Thanks birdsong for sending this across the Atlantic for me. It was a good read and a quick read. My highlight was Jess Paps' Aquarium picture.
3/5
Relief: A Christian Literary Expression
Brad Fruhauff
Volume 7, Issue 1
[Kindle ebook]
This was another wonderful edition by Relief. I loved turning the final corner and finding a play waiting for me. Well done Jay Torrence with Ivywild.
My highlights were:
Creative Non-fiction
Innocence and Sorrow, by Ellen Finnigan.
Poetry
Raised, by Ryan Pendell
Because Jesus Loves Me, by Thomas Cochran
In which the Buddha Reads Aloud Firecrackers Instructions, by Elizabeth Harlan-Ferlo
Second Fruit, by Jack Stewart.
4.5
Volume 7, Issue 1
[Kindle ebook]
This was another wonderful edition by Relief. I loved turning the final corner and finding a play waiting for me. Well done Jay Torrence with Ivywild.
My highlights were:
Creative Non-fiction
Innocence and Sorrow, by Ellen Finnigan.
Poetry
Raised, by Ryan Pendell
Because Jesus Loves Me, by Thomas Cochran
In which the Buddha Reads Aloud Firecrackers Instructions, by Elizabeth Harlan-Ferlo
Second Fruit, by Jack Stewart.
4.5
Relief: A Christian Literary Expression
Volume 6, Issue 2
[Borrowed Kindle ebook]
Another excellent effort from the 'Relief team'. My highlight was the poem 'Scent of Magdalene's Hair', beautifully written by John Gosslee. I enjoyed David Holper's effort with his poem 'Heaven Comes Last David', Jae Newman's poem titled 'The Apple Seed' and the fiction of Matthew Gesicki with 'The Virgin Martyrs'.
I love that Relief was once again willing to tackle some of the more difficult subjects, such as ageing, sickness, breast implants and rape. Well done Relief for another excellent edition.
4/5
[Borrowed Kindle ebook]
Another excellent effort from the 'Relief team'. My highlight was the poem 'Scent of Magdalene's Hair', beautifully written by John Gosslee. I enjoyed David Holper's effort with his poem 'Heaven Comes Last David', Jae Newman's poem titled 'The Apple Seed' and the fiction of Matthew Gesicki with 'The Virgin Martyrs'.
I love that Relief was once again willing to tackle some of the more difficult subjects, such as ageing, sickness, breast implants and rape. Well done Relief for another excellent edition.
4/5
Relief: A Christian Literary Expression
Volume 6, Issue 1
[kindle ebook]
This is a fantastic literary journal. With the exception of Blackmail Press, I have found the New Zealand literary journals that I have read to be totally spineless when it comes to covering social issues. Relief just sucked in all of the big issues, discussed them and left them wide open for interpretation. Even though there was plenty of room for argument I never felt as if I was being expected to conform to someone else's way of thinking.
I thought 'A Field of White Crosses' by Jessica Becker was an excellent creative non-fiction short story. It was a miserably sad tale of molestation and abortion, which left me feeling deflated, drained and angry at the complex set of circumstances that girded it.
I will buy more Relief journals and hope that they continue to tackle the hard subjects. I also long for a Kiwi equivalent.
5/5
[kindle ebook]
This is a fantastic literary journal. With the exception of Blackmail Press, I have found the New Zealand literary journals that I have read to be totally spineless when it comes to covering social issues. Relief just sucked in all of the big issues, discussed them and left them wide open for interpretation. Even though there was plenty of room for argument I never felt as if I was being expected to conform to someone else's way of thinking.
I thought 'A Field of White Crosses' by Jessica Becker was an excellent creative non-fiction short story. It was a miserably sad tale of molestation and abortion, which left me feeling deflated, drained and angry at the complex set of circumstances that girded it.
I will buy more Relief journals and hope that they continue to tackle the hard subjects. I also long for a Kiwi equivalent.
5/5