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1,747 Public Reviews Given
1,900 Total Reviews Given
Review Style
I would characterise my reviews as honest and polite. I try to approach each item as a writer and a reader. I keep writingML to a minimum as it is distracting to me. I am starting to experiment with templates, having never really used one before now -- please bear with me while I try to find one that suits my review style! I always try to be constructive, positive and encouraging in my reviews.
I'm good at...
Reviewing poetry, focusing on emotion, flow and imagery. I have a particular passion for short poetry.
Favorite Genres
Dark, Emotional, Experience, Nature, Personal, Psychology
Least Favorite Genres
Erotica (unless it's tasteful and non-clichéd!), Fanfiction, Religious, Sci-fi, Supernatural, Young Adult
Favorite Item Types
I prefer, and am most confident, reviewing poetry. But I do sometimes review short stories, essays and articles etc.
I will not review...
Erotica (unless it's tasteful and non-clichéd!), Fanfiction, Young Adult fiction, novels or novel chapters (unless I know you very well!), horror items rated above 18+ (though I am happy to review other genres with higher ratings), anything featuring vampires, anything written in "text speak" or any non-static or non-book items (except in special circumstances).
Public Reviews
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476
476
Review by Ghostranch
Rated: E | (3.5)
I like your poem but there is no reason why you can’t get this down to the required eight syllables in each line, it just takes some re-jiggling (is that a word?) of words or maybe some rephrasing. Take for instance this line:

‘It's only a test. It's only a test...’

Consider: ‘It’s just a test. It’s just a test.’

Or this:

‘Like a hot air balloon floats up, up and away,’

Could be: ‘Like a balloon, floating away,’ (Or something to that effect!)

Or have you just had enough? I felt like that with the rispetto but I got there in the end! Don’t give up and good luck! *Smile*

-Ghostranch.
477
477
Review by Ghostranch
Rated: E | (5.0)
Oh this is so sweet! Pets really do become part of the family don’t they? The ending is so sad; I had tears in my eyes. I like the first and last stanzas and how they tie in together. I thought that was nicely done. Hastings sounds adorable-I liked this part:

‘Catching mice, sleeping on the bed,
Getting cockle burrs in her hair.’

It reminded me of a cat I used to have. He always used to come home covered in those weird burrs, but we live in a town so I have no idea where he’d been! He always used to hunt birds and mice too and leave them outside the door for us. (So thoughtful!)

Anyway, thank you for sharing this. I really loved it.

-Ghostranch.
478
478
Review of I Lost My Mind  
Review by Ghostranch
Rated: E | (4.5)
I really enjoyed this poem. The rhythm and rhyme scheme are good and I like the playful tone. I like the last stanza best; it made me smile. I wish I could do that with my mind, maybe then I’d get some peace! I found this to be a sweet, light-hearted read. I think it has a good message (if I have interpreted that correctly!) that we shouldn’t get too preoccupied with over-analysing things and just learn to be more carefree.

Thank you for sharing it.

-Ghostranch.
479
479
Review of The Hunger  
Review by Ghostranch
Rated: E | (4.0)
I enjoyed this poem. It starts of as a sad piece but ends with hope. I like the message you have conveyed.

I had a little bit of difficulty with the flow. Nothing major, just some of the lines seem drawn out unnecessarily and this makes them quite awkward to read. For instance, in the first stanza, the repeat of ‘It is’ in three lines doesn’t read smoothly. Could this read better as ‘It’s’? Also, this part:

‘whatever the case just might be?’

It might be easier to read if you removed the word ‘just’. Of course, this is just my personal opinion!

Overall I think this is a good, strong poem. I liked this part:

‘Bursting my seams to fill the void’

And how you then came back to this at the end, tweaking it to make it more uplifting after describing how the void has been filled by happiness and love. I think that was very nicely done.

Thank you for sharing this. *Smile*

-Ghostranch.
480
480
Review of WHY AM I A NURSE?  
Review by Ghostranch
Rated: E | (4.5)
I think this a beautiful and emotional poem. Nurses have such a tough job but all the nurses I have met just get on with it, trying their best to put people at ease and working in some pretty unfavourable conditions. When I had to go to hospital several years ago, the doctors absolutely terrified me. They were so impersonal and brash. The nurses though were wonderful, trying to comfort me when I felt so scared. I’m really grateful for what they did for me. I like your first line best; it perfectly sums up what a nurse should be! I really enjoyed this poem and the message you have expressed.

Thank you for sharing it.

-Ghostranch.
481
481
Review of Relief  
Review by Ghostranch
Rated: E | (5.0)
I think this is an excellent poem. It contains just twenty-five words in seven short lines but you have made every single word count to convey a range of emotion to the reader. I love it when a poem can stir my feelings! That's what makes a powerful poem in my opinion. I think this piece is very effective and really has an impact.

Thank you for sharing it.

-Ghostranch.
482
482
Review by Ghostranch
Rated: E | (4.5)
I think this poem has an excellent rhyme scheme and a wonderful flow. The language is very subtle yet striking. I particularly liked this:

‘Down in Dreamworld’s soft, empty land’

It’s a very intriguing line! Some of the meanings in this poem have eluded me but I enjoyed the rather melancholy atmosphere you have created. I like the first stanza best. I think it is beautifully expressed and it really grabbed my attention.

Thank you for sharing this.

-Ghostranch (a fellow member of The League of Salient Troubadours!)
483
483
Review by Ghostranch
Rated: E | (4.5)
I think this is nicely written. I like the unusual way you have approached the prompt. The rhyme scheme is good and I generally liked the flow, although I found the third stanza quite hard to read. I really like the rhyming couplet too; it is heartbreaking!

Thank you for sharing this.

-Ghostranch.
484
484
Review of Battered Love  
Review by Ghostranch
Rated: 13+ | (4.0)
This was hard to read, not because of how it is written but because of the content. It’s quite a frightening poem because people really do have to endure this. I found it quite emotional. I think you get your message across really well.

Technically this could be a little sharper in places in my opinion. Sometimes the flow becomes a bit disrupted, for instance, the fifth stanza. It’s nothing major and I understand that line length and rhythm aren’t really important when writing such an emotional piece!

This part was my favourite:

‘how could you, my love be my enemy?’

I think it’s a beautifully written and poignant line.

Thank you for sharing this. I think it is a very powerful poem.

-Ghostranch.
485
485
Review of INSECT CROSSING  
Review by Ghostranch
Rated: E | (5.0)
A short yet effective poem that is bound to stir emotion in people! I like the contrast of the words ‘jarred’ and ‘tickling’ in the first stanza. One connotes a jerking movement and the other a more gentle one; the impression is quite comical in a way. Sorry, it probably wasn’t comical when it happened to you! Your strong language choices make it very easy for me to imagine this happening to myself and therefore I can sympathise!

I really enjoyed this; thank you for sharing it.

-Ghostranch.
486
486
Review by Ghostranch
Rated: 18+ | (4.0)
This is a very hard-hitting and emotional poem. The first line is shocking and really demands attention. I think the first stanza of this poem is the strongest. I like your description of tears as ‘burning rivers’ and grief as a flood; I think your language choices are very perceptive. I also like how you have placed a full-stop after each line, making them short and sharp, this gives more impact in my opinion.

I found the second stanza a little bit odd, I think because of the simile you use. Maybe it’s just I don’t know what you mean by a ‘china hutch’.

Again, the third stanza is very emotional. There is a real sense of disbelief and confusion as you try to understand what has happened and why it has happened. I really like this part:

‘Looking for the missing pieces,
each memory restored
and yet I still see nothing out of place?
Not even a trace on his face.’

I think it is beautifully expressed and I like the rhyme, it gives it a great flow.

I like how the last stanza ties in with the first, where you mention ‘rivers’ again. Should there be a comma after the second line of this stanza and should the ‘R’ of ‘Reflecting’ be lowercase? This would keep the grammar consistent with the rest of the piece.

Overall I think this is a very poignant and tragic poem; I think you convey your emotions really well.

Thank you for sharing it.

-Ghostranch.
487
487
Review of Relief  
Review by Ghostranch
Rated: E | (4.5)
You have really captured the feeling of relief in this short poem. I would never have thought to describe it in such a way but your poem has made me think! Relief really is a ‘breathy’ emotion isn’t it, as we ‘sigh with relief’!? I hope you get what I mean! I like this part:

‘my brain fills with air
and causes all my thoughts
to just flit through
the pores of my skin’

It is a very unusual and creative description in my opinion. I like your use of alliteration in this piece; it gives it a nice flow. I also like how the structure becomes narrower at the end, drifting off, visually showing what you have said in your words.

I really enjoyed this poem. Thank you for sharing it.

-Ghostranch.
488
488
Review of winter  
Review by Ghostranch
Rated: E | (4.0)
This is really sweet! I particularly love the image of the of the snow globe. I noticed one spelling error/typo: ‘biterness’ should be ‘bitterness’. Also in this line:

‘all of these symbols equal up to’

I’m not sure that the words ‘up to’ are necessary. The sentence still makes sense without them and I think it flows better. But ‘equal’ is quite a jarring word anyway in my opinion. Maybe the word ‘means’ would sound better? Of course this is just my opinion!

I really enjoyed this poem but I was also left wanting more!

Thank you.

-Ghostranch.
489
489
Review of Perceptions  
Review by Ghostranch
Rated: E | (4.5)
I really enjoyed this poem. I like the scattered structure. It’s almost as if the poet is wandering aimlessly with these thoughts just drifting. It’s a sad piece and I imagine something a lot of people can relate to. I really like the ending; it is very wistful. Mostly I liked your creative approach to a common subject.

Thank you for sharing it.

-Ghostranch.
490
490
Review of In remembrance  
Review by Ghostranch
Rated: E | (4.0)
This is a very sad piece. I recently lost someone too so I can really relate to some of what you have expressed here.

I have one very small suggestion. The word ‘converting’ in the fourth line doesn’t read very well in my opinion. I think it makes the sentence awkward. Maybe ‘Turning’ would be more suitable?

But overall I think this is a really strong piece. Your description says this is a work in progress, do you plan on adding more to it? Please let me know if you make any changes, as I’d like to read the final result!

Thank you.

-Ghostranch.
491
491
Review of Kirby  
Review by Ghostranch
Rated: E | (5.0)
This is a very poignant piece. Pets really do become part of the family don’t they? It is so hard to lose them. Both of my cats died at Christmas and the pain was unbearable. I also have two dogs and they are my best friends.

I think your poem is very moving; the emotions are expressed beautifully. I love the ending of this poem best. I like that it ends with some hope rather than sadness. I also think the picture is adorable! This poem is a wonderful tribute to your Kirby.

Thank you for sharing it.

-Ghostranch.
492
492
Review of He Chose Me  
Review by Ghostranch
Rated: 13+ | (5.0)
I think this is a lovely poem. It’s short but very sweet. I like these parts:

‘He could have anyone he wanted—
Any cookie-cutter blonde or dark-eyed vixen’

and

‘But he chose me.
Strange little me with my flaws and imperfections’

I learnt a new meaning for a word from your poem too-‘cookie-cutter’. My scientist brain was confused at first, because this is a species of shark! But then I looked it up and found a new meaning. So thanks for that!

I really enjoyed this; it was nice to read such a happy poem.

Thank you for sharing it.

-Ghostranch.
493
493
Review of CALM CHAOS  
Review by Ghostranch
Rated: 13+ | (5.0)
Wow this poem is intense. Although it is a short piece, it really packs a punch! I like the way you have approached this. It is very matter-of-fact and really has an impact for this reason because the horror of this act speaks for itself. What a terrible thing to have happened.

Thank you for sharing this.

-Ghostranch.
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494
Review of CURSED  
Review by Ghostranch
Rated: E | (4.5)
As you know, I’m no expert on this form but I think you have done a great job. The rhythm is fantastic; I was swept through this piece and such a pace! The only thing I have to question is rhyming ‘naught’ with ‘caught’. It seems a bit of stretch to me, or perhaps this is just a difference in pronunciation?

I really enjoyed this and I think your first and last lines are particularly striking.

Thank you

-Ghostranch.
495
495
Review of Lost  
Review by Ghostranch
Rated: E | (3.5)
I think you have made a good start with this chapter but there are several errors and places that are a bit confusing. In my opinion, if you spent some time editing, you could greatly improve this.

I noticed several spelling errors/typos in this piece:

i = I

It's they're fault this started anyway. = their

Pasted = passed

mummbled = mumbled

sreechy = screechy

Also, the tenses are a bit confusing and make this hard to follow in places. I found this piece quite rushed too. I personally would have liked to have known more of what was going through the main character’s mind when she found out that her Dad had died. Of course this is just my opinion, feel free to totally disregard it!

However, I like the first paragraph; it is quite intriguing and leaves the reader asking why hasn’t this person seen their parents in months? This gets answered in the next part, but that also poses more interesting questions! I think the ending of this chapter is good as well, although I think you are missing a word in this sentence:

‘I had no idea how felt.’ Should the word ‘she’ be in there?

This last part left me with a real sense that something exciting is going to happen next!

Thanks for sharing this and good luck with the rest of your story.

-Ghostranch.
496
496
Review of Sad Reminders  
Review by Ghostranch
Rated: 13+ | (4.5)
I found this piece quite sad. I love the first line; it is very emotional and really drew me in.

The only problem I found with this poem is the flow. This sometimes gets disrupted because the lines are quite uneven.

But overall I really liked this; the emotion is beautifully expressed. The second and third stanzas in particular stand out to me. I also like this line:

‘Sad reminders fill her memory box,’

It is very striking.

Thank you for sharing this and again, congratulations on coming third in the contest!

-Ghostranch.
497
497
Review of Notice My Love  
Review by Ghostranch
Rated: E | (4.0)
I really enjoyed this poem. The rhyme scheme is brilliant. I like the first stanza too; I’m not exactly sure how one can ‘watch’ a voice but it sounds good!

The rhythm is a bit awkward in places but I understand that when writing an emotional piece, the rhythm isn’t always the most important thing! Perhaps making the lines more even, a bit like in the third stanza (which flows really well in my opinion) will help with this.

I like the third stanza; it’s interesting because the language choice is harsh here compared to the rest of the poem. The last stanza too is very effective. This is a poignant piece and probably something that most people can relate to.

Thank you for sharing it

-Ghostranch.
498
498
Review by Ghostranch
Rated: E | (4.0)
This is an unusual poem that throws up some questions!

I really like the first line but I think in this context ‘brake’ should be ‘break’. The next part is quite confusing:

‘Ten unforgettable days
Changed my life...To my dismay ?’

It leaves the reader questioning why you would ask ‘To my dismay?’ But that’s a good thing in my opinion! A poem should make the reader think!

I love the last stanza of this poem. It is beautifully written.

Thank you for sharing it

-Ghostanch.
499
499
Review of Forgiveness  
Review by Ghostranch
Rated: E | (5.0)
Wow! I think this is incredible. The opening is beautiful and really drew me in. This piece has a strong, clear message and I think the way you have conveyed it is very original. I think this poem is perfect-the language choice, the flow, the atmosphere, everything! It stirred my feelings.

Thank you

-Ghostranch.
500
500
Review of PERCEPTIONS  
Review by Ghostranch
Rated: E | (4.5)
I was drawn to this poem because of your description. As my name says, I’m grieving at the moment so anything that says it will bring comfort to those who are grieving is quite alluring!

I think your poem is beautiful and I can definitely relate to a lot of it, as I’m sure a lot of people can. I think you describe the mood swings particularly well; it’s strange how one minute somebody may feel numb with shock but the next they are crying uncontrollably. It keeps happening to me and it’s scary!

This part is particularly poignant:

‘I can't remember what you look like.
I can't remember your voice.
I don't see your face in my dreams.
What's the matter with me ?
Didn't I love you ?’

I had tears in my eyes when I read that.

Thank you for sharing this.

-Ghostranch.
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