Watering the Soul by Courtney Peppernell

Watering the Soul Reviews

• 
  Lou (nonfiction fiend)

  Watering the Soul is a powerful, inspirational guide to living your best life, drinking in the moments before they pass you by and is written primarily in verse form. It encourages you to breathe, slow down and give yourself time to heal and appreciate the world around you. To live in the moment and take it all in. You can feel everything shift as each moment settles into existence. A gentle, nudging self-help guide in the form of poetry with beautiful prose and plenty to ensure this is a title you will turn to again and again when you need a little boost and in the times you may need a steer in the right direction. It's a calming read complemented by the whimsical illustrations interspersed throughout.
  
  Admire the present. Don't worry about the future; it'll come soon enough. It focuses on breathing in life, grounding yourself, exhaling worry and anxiety, accepting yourself as you are and bringing comfort and reassurance to those in need of it. It carries a message requesting you to not only be kind and patient with others but with yourself, too, something we often fail to consider. Allow yourself time to do what matters most to you, what makes you happy. Surround yourself with positivity, supportive people and most importantly see yourself thrive as you begin to truly cultivate your soul using the recipe supplied within these pages. Highly recommended.
• 
  Natalie all_books_great_and_small

  I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.
  
  Watering the soul is a beautiful and comforting book of poetry and prose by Courtney Peppernell which isn't too dark or heavy and does leave you feeling like you have been comforted by someone who understands you and cares.
  I have read one other book of poetry by Courtney Peppernell and loved it but this one is the best of the two I've had the pleasure to read so far.
  This book was very uplifting and thought provoking and I found myself rereading some of the poems time and time again.
  This beautiful book of poetry is coupled with some really beautiful illustrations at the start of each section, much like the one on the front cover of the book.
• 
  Colton

  3.5 Stars. Repetitive at times but overall enjoyable
• 
  Jan Agaton

  Although some of the poems fell flat for me, I think this is Courtney Peppernell's best work by far, from the 5 or so poetry collections of hers that I've read at least. I especially appreciated the poems towards the end of the book, in the "Find Your Light" section.
• 
  moonofchapters

  wunderschönes cover, tolle innengestaltung, titelliebe und teilweise gute texte. aber eben nur teilweise... ich hatte das gefühl, alle zwei seiten das gleiche wieder und wieder zu lesen. die abwechslung hat gefehlt und manche texte haben für mich auch keinen sinn ergeben und eher zusammenhangslos gewirkt. in ein paar wenigen konnte ich mich dann doch wieder finden, habe nachgedacht und konnte etwas mitnehmen. der schreibstil hat potential, aber insgesamt war es mir einfach ein wenig zu eintönig und fremd.
• 
  Alisa

  Pure cuteness in a form of a book. Courtney Peppernell's work always feels comforting to me but this one was especially so. It just felt like one big warm hug. Also, this collection felt a bit different from her previous work. This one did not focus on loving other people, but instead it focused on self love and self care. Everything about this was so cute. I feel like if I ever need a pick me up or a friendly shoulder I can just pick this book up and find it in here.
  P.s. the artwork was also so so cute.
  Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
• 
  row

  that was. an absolute. train-wreck of a book for me. i felt like i was reading the same poems over and over again, with each one either being centered around exhaustingly overdone cliches like “hope” and “kindness”
  
  there were at least 15 poems about slowing down to appreciate coffee and sunsets and i wish i were joking
  
  i was 100% here for the poems that weren’t lecturing me to become a better person though 😭 the ones centered around being in love were very sweet and well thought out.
  
  all in all 1.5/5 because that took me a painful amount of time to get through but i *did* highlight stuff
• 
  Peaches

  I like to believe that sometimes in life things happen at the exact time you need them. This book happened right when I needed it, it's beautiful. I welled up a few times and I'm so glad I have this in my collection. I will treasure it.
• 
  Veronica

  Ugh. It’s the same poem rewritten over and over, with a vocabulary of no more than 50 words and the emotional depth of a thimble. I’ve heard better work at my middle school’s poetry slam…
• 
  Brina

  „This is the story of your soul and how it can be grown again.“ - Ein schöner Slogan für dieses Buch und somit hat dieser kleine, aber feine Satz direkt mein Interesse geweckt. Da ich Gedichte im Allgemein sehr mag, habe ich mich somit sehr auf „Watering The Soul“ gefreut und hatte hohe Erwartungen. Leider konnten diese nicht immer erfüllt werden.
  
  Zuerst sollte gesagt sein, dass Courtney Peppernell definitiv schreiben kann, was sie bereits u.a. bei „Pillow Thoughts“ unter Beweis gestellt hat. Die Mischung aus Gedichten und Essays ist auch in diesem Fall an sich gut gelungen, nur wirkten einige der Texte schon fast zu durchdacht.
  
  So gut und wichtig einige der Texte auch sind, so wirken mir diese doch zu konstruiert, zu gewollt und oftmals schon fast zu kommerziell, was ich von Courtney Peppernell bislang noch nicht gewohnt war.
  
  Dennoch werden in ihren Texten sehr wichtige Themen angesprochen, die nicht nur einem selbst gut tun, sondern auch anderen Menschen. So geht es in „Watering The Soul“ unter anderem um Selbstfindung, Vergebung, Selbstliebe, Respekt für sich selbst und anderen gegenüber, aber auch darum, stets für Neues offen zu sein.
  
  Kurz gesagt: „Watering The Soul“ ist insgesamt eine gute, allerdings nicht überragende Sammlung an Essays und Gedichten und kann großteils mit einfühlsamen und nachdenklich stimmenden Texten überzeugen. Wären einige Texte etwas mehr aus dem Herzen heraus und weniger kommerziell, hätte ich sicherlich noch mehr Freude an diesem Buch gehabt.
• 
  Heather

  This collection of Courtney's poetry definitely did not disappoint! I have read their collection of poetry Pillow Thoughts and fell in love with Courtney's poetry. This collection of poetry was different from her past poetry but, is still absolutely brilliant! Courtney is a poet that I will read everything they write! While I was reading this collection I definitely felt inspired to make sure others in my life know how much they matter because you never know what they may be thinking in their head. I highly recommend any poetry by Courtney Peppernell!
• 
  Sami

  I feel like I gained nothing from this book. I did not think it was well written and the messaging was not profound. It did have very cute art though..
• 
  Naadhira Zahari

  Watering The Soul by Courtney Peppernell is an uplifting read about healing, growing and learning from past mistakes. This book is such a great read for the soul especially for those who feel lost and in need of encouragement to continue their life journey. To take things slow and overcome any hurdles in their own pace and ability.
  
  This book was so good and immediately after I finished reading it, it feels like I could overcome anything life throws my way. I think I picked it up at the most perfect timing because deep down, I totally need this kind of read right now.
  
  I really like the theme of this book especially the cute plant creature. The illustrations totally match the message this book is portraying. And that is to nurture the seed and watch is fester and grow to be the most beautiful version it can be, a metaphor of what we are truly capable to achieve in life.
  
  I would totally recommend you to read this book especially for those who are feeling hopeless and adrift. This book is like a warm embrace, constantly repeating and motivating you to rise back up like never before.
• 
  Benicia Noia

  Muchas gracias Netgalley por el envío de una copia de este título.
  
  Este poemarío contiene poemas muy profundos, con mensajes importantes para la vida de cualquier persona que alguna vez se haya sentido perdida o dañada. Es una mirada compasiva a nuestra propia vida, las acciones de los demás y nuestro actuar con el entorno.
  
  Lectura agrabable y ligera.
• 
  Varga A

  This was the first time I read poetry and wow.. I think this was a perfect place to start and I will definitely be reading more of her collections 🤍
  
  This poetry collection focuses on self love, healing and how to grow your soul 🤍
• 
  Sanna S.

  beautiful. i picked this one up whenever I needed a reset. it always had the perfect words for me. couldn’t love it more.
  
  “And then I heard her
  whisper through the dark ,
  “Be patient with me,
  for I cannot make sense
  of all this mess in my heart”
  -pg. 160
• 
  Carrie

  2.5 Rounded up. I loved the title, concept and art but a lot was repetitive and left me wanting more depth.
• 
  Janina Clark

  Some parts were really great. Some parts were not as engaging.
• 
  Valerie

  “Know that who you are will never be a burden,
  Even if there are parts of the universe still learning.”
  
  
  Review to come.
• 
  m ★

  back in my poetry era ig! anyway this is free therapy
• 
  Neel Soman

  Watering the Soul is almost great.
  
  I'll start with the good parts. The actual concept of the book is brilliant: poetry and prose masquerading as a self-help book disguised as an instruction manual. Each section (or "Step") is well-themed and cohesive, and each begins with a delightful illustration by Melbourne-based Justin Estcourt. Courtney Peppernell's prose is relaxing and vivid all at once, depicting slices of a woman healing from some unknown hurt that is just vague enough for pretty much anyone to relate to.
  
  Unfortunately, I found a lot of the poetry to be a little bit boring. A lot of it follows the "Instapoetry" stereotype of randomly chopping up sentences into short lines for no particular reason. Here's an example that I randomly turned to:
  

  I just want to take
  your hand in mine,
  let you know that
  everything
  is going to be okay.
  
  That even if you feel
  scared, alone, uncertain-
  there are still moments
  to be had and
  dreams to be lived. (p. 47)

  
  To me this accomplishes nothing, but of course the style does have its fans. Admittedly I am not familiar with any of the author's previous work, which I presume most other readers would be before buying this collection.
  
  Even some of the prose is somewhat meaningless. Let's take a short story titled "The Swing" as an example (note that most writings in this book are not given names). We have our narrator talking to "Life," who is slowly constructing a swing. The narrator is impatient, but Life insists that they must take their time. Eventfully the swing is built and the narrator is happy - the moral being that "if we are not patient, then we will not be able to fly" (p. 166). But the narrator does point out that "Surely it does not take this long to build a swing," and Life gives no explanation as to the dangers of rushing. I felt cheated out of a satisfying conclusion to this story, because the reader has to just accept that Life is correct. I suppose that could be the point, though.
  
  Overall, Watering the Soul is by no means bad, it's just... not something I would spend money on for myself. Perhaps as gift, though. It conveys a beautiful and unique sentiment that seems to be targeted to young people growing up and making major life changes. Young people who are doing just that, watering their souls.
  
  Thank you to NetGalley for providing a digital advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
  
  This review originally appeared on
  figurefifteen.com/watering-the-soul
• 
  Reading_ Tamishly

  Thank you, author and the publisher, for the advance reading copy.
  
  This collection is the best so far from the author.
  
  The writing is far more mature and comforting than her other previous collections.
  
  Most of the lines talks about acceptance and comfort.
  
  The writing is quite calm and it would be a far more better experience for you if you pick up this book when you're looking for comfort.
• 
  Jenni

  5–
  
  “I had been grateful, because spending time with you was like listening to the rain right before I fall asleep. Being around you was like lying down in the middle of a meadow, arms wide, feeling the earth beneath my skin, knowing that a beautiful story was about to begin.”
  
  “We have today, tomorrow, and forever to learn what it means to grow.”
  
  Wow. This was my first time reading a full poetry book and may I just say it was seriously amazing. I absolutely loved the themes in this book about slowing down, being present, and enjoying the little things in life. It mentioned common themes about cherishing love, being kind, loving yourself, moving on despite hardships, and truly processing all of your emotions. It was a beautiful collection to read and I even made a key of my favorite poems from it so I could easily access them again. If you’re a deep thinker, I’d highly recommend reading this book, it was therapeutic and reflective! Loved it!
• 
  nidhi

  I was reading the burning maze along with it and somehow Apollo's haikus seemed better than whatever courtney peppernell wrote
• 
  Maddie

  DRY. how does this have over four stars? it's repetitive positivity oozing prose poetry. and it's poorly written
• 
  Steph Warren

  *I received a free ARC of this book, with thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*
  
  This is an absolutely beautiful collection; a mixture of poetry and poetic prose encompassing many themes, including mindfulness, forgiveness, love and acceptance.
  
  The book forms a love poem to a loved one, but also to oneself, and to life itself – the dark and the light of it.
  
  Reading through this book felt like a healing, meditative process and made me immediately resolve to try to be a better person – kinder, more thoughtful, more patient, more grateful – without any sense that the author was attempting to ‘preach’ or lecture me into self-improvement.
  
  With the feeling of a wise, serene spirit who simply offers to share those qualities with those who might need them, my main take-away from this wonderful little book is that I am going to need more Peppernell paperbacks to grace my shelves. (The covers are gorgeous too!)
  
  Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
  
  https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpres...
• 
  Cherlynn | cherreading

  I enjoyed this collection, which is quite different from Courtney Peppernell's Pillow Thoughts series. Watering The Soul focuses on self-love, self-care and kindness. I greatly resonated with the themes of slowing down, enjoying the little moments and to just breathe, as well as those about letting go of your fears and learning to forgive yourself.
  
  The whimsical fairytale vibes, including the illustrations and short stories, were all in sync with the theme of watering and nurturing your soul.
  
  Some have said that this is the author's best work and I agree. Not only does it feel more relatable and meaningful, her writing has also matured.
  
  Overall, this is a very inspiring and uplifting collection. We could all do with some of the reminders and lessons in this book from time to time.
  
  Thank you to Netgalley for an e-ARC of this book.
• 
  Nicole Wylie

  3.5/5
  If you like Rupi Kaur Poetry, you will probably like this collection. the poetry is what I like to call accessible. It is straight forward and not too deeply metaphoric.
  I did enjoy the longer prose and the blocks of text describing memories. those were well written and vivid.
  However the shorter, "shower thought" aspects of the book I enjoyed less, it seemed to be filler and take away from the content of the book.
  The book is well structured taking you on a clear journey of redemption and self growth, the moments that happen really shape where the author is mentally and parallels the prose well.
  It was very relatable to me and my experience with leaving teen-hood, figuring out who I am and being nice to
  myself through the hard times. like most poetry collections there were things I liked more than others but it was a cute read.
• 
  DeAnne

  *I received a copy of this from the publisher through NetGalley.
  
  Having read something of Courtney's before I was excited to pick up another of her collections. This one especially spoke to me, especially in the times we are in right now. Also, I absolutely loved the little artwork within the collection, which added to the overall theme of the collection. I really liked the way this was formatted and the subjects discussed - it's definitely a collection about self care and healing, which is important for everyone. All in all I really enjoyed the collection and will read more from Courtney in the future.