Review of Cornucopia of Poems, Quotes and Short Stories

Post by **Petal Davids** » 24 May 2025, 03:47

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Cornucopia of Poems, Quotes and Short Stories" by Dawn Balchin.]

3 out of 5 stars

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In the book Cornucopia of Poems, Quotes and Short Stories by Dawn Balchin, the author creatively shares her passion for love and life. The title is an accurate assessment — an abundance of ideas, emotions, and thoughts. Balchin’s words reflect a deep appreciation for both animate and inanimate objects in life. She recklessly shares her loss in love and her pain in understanding her relationships.

I enjoyed the quirky way she brought perspective to non-living items through dialogue. For example, the author shares the conversations between mundane items like forks, plates, books, and roses. Balchin's personification of these objects reveals a delight in the simplicity and the value of using ordinary things to tell a story.

Her zeal for protecting the environment and her caution about abusing nature are commendable. She strategically places these thoughts throughout the book as a subtle reminder to the reader. Despite the painful experiences in love or our everyday disappointments, her writing compels us to pause and remember the beauty in nature. Her voice echoes a rebuke, accompanied by the consequences of neglecting our world.

The short sayings were refreshing; they were frank, take-it-or-leave-it, nonchalant quotes, not needing an interpreter.

The content in the book is ordered alphabetically and arranged according to themes. However, the author's raw, deliberate, unfiltered thoughts are not overly structured or forced to rhyme, a display of her authenticity as an artist. If you are looking for rhyming poetry, you won't find much in this book; rather, what you will notice is the author exercising a literary license to convey her unique style.

The images in the book also revealed the author's creativity and displayed her passion for capturing not only her thoughts in words but also in pictures, which were all in black and white. A few of these images depicted in color would have positively supplemented the author's message and improved my reading experience. I also disliked that some material had different titles but the same or similar content; one poem also included the same image.

The duplication in content, grayscale images, and grammatical errors account for the 3 out of 5 rating.

Overall, I enjoyed the author's creativity through her words and images. I would recommend a more mature audience for this book, as some material contains subtle romantic innuendos.
The author gives “Glory to Allah” in one of her poems, which would be acceptable for a Muslim audience. Nevertheless, the material is universal and not overly religious.

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Cornucopia of Poems, Quotes and Short Stories
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Post by **Kibet Hillary** » 25 May 2025, 13:39

I am glad that the quotes do not require an interpreter, as they are self-explanatory. Additionally, I am happy about the emphasis on nature conservation and the need to focus on sustainability. I look forward to read this book; thanks for the review, @Petal Davids.

Hills Christopher Albert · Post by **Hills Christopher Albert** » 28 May 2025, 08:10

Thank you for such a detailed and balanced review. I’m intrigued by the author’s use of personification—giving voice to everyday objects sounds both whimsical and thought-provoking. I also appreciate your honest take on the repetition and grayscale imagery. It’s good to know the collection leans more toward raw, expressive writing rather than traditional rhyme. Sounds like a book that invites slow, reflective reading. I’ll keep it on my radar!

Post by **Petal Davids** » 11 Jun 2025, 10:06

Kibet Hillary wrote: ↑25 May 2025, 13:39 I am glad that the quotes do not require an interpreter, as they are self-explanatory. Additionally, I am happy about the emphasis on nature conservation and the need to focus on sustainability. I look forward to read this book; thanks for the review, @Petal Davids.

Thank you for your comments Kibet.

Post by **Petal Davids** » 11 Jun 2025, 10:06

Hills Christopher Albert wrote: ↑28 May 2025, 08:10 Thank you for such a detailed and balanced review. I’m intrigued by the author’s use of personification—giving voice to everyday objects sounds both whimsical and thought-provoking. I also appreciate your honest take on the repetition and grayscale imagery. It’s good to know the collection leans more toward raw, expressive writing rather than traditional rhyme. Sounds like a book that invites slow, reflective reading. I’ll keep it on my radar!

Thank you for your kind words Christopher Albert.