Tainted Lionheart


Poetry - Love/Romance
78 Pages
Reviewed on 04/24/2021
Buy on Amazon

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Author Biography

Christine Weimer is a New York City-based content writer, three-time author, and award-winning poet whose work has been published in various anthologies and literary journals. She holds an MFA in English and is the co-founder of a woman-owned and operated press, Our Galaxy Publishing, an educational and service-based platform championing inclusivity and diversity in publishing. She can mostly be found sharing her introspections on her Instagram as they ebb and flow. If lost, check the crevices of Washington Square Park—look for the disheveled lady with toddler in tow.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Asher Syed for Readers' Favorite

Tainted Lionheart by Christine Weimer is a compilation of the author's original poetry, narrated in three phases through which the poetess has traversed while navigating the aftermath of absolute heartbreak. The first part of the anthology, Bruising, begins with the hope and optimism that springs from an emotional well even when we know the territory we are entering is dangerous. There is blame cast and longing still, our hearts raw from the foolishness that leads to inevitable destruction. There is pain. It's agony, really. Agony with such depth that we see no way out. Weimer follows this with part two, Brooding, wherein we see a transition to anger and awareness that begins the process of setting blame on the one who claims to be blameless. Finally, Weimer takes us to Breathing in part three, where a shift in power is reinstated in the spurned party with pieces such as Chaos that reads, “I am the ruler here, I am the master of the domain that upheaval thinks it can rest in...”

To put how moved I was reading the work of Christine Weimer into perspective, Tainted Lionheart is the 418th book I have reviewed. This collection of poetry is the most poignant, most touching, most profoundly raw I have read in a very, very long time. It's not easy or comfortable—and it's not meant to be. The first two sections will resonate deeply with readers who, at some point in their lives, found themselves crawling on the floor, sobbing. The final phase reveals the evolution toward acceptance despite not always being in possession of understanding, and in spite of the fact that we will likely never be whole again. And that's okay. My favorite poem is in part two, Brooding, and is called Pumps. In it, Weimer latches onto the potency of a counterblow when an injured party rises to eclipse the shiny novelty of the one they've been replaced with, at which time it is simply too late. There will be no more hitching of wagons to Weimer's shooting star. This is a fantastic book of poetry. Very highly recommended.

K.C. Finn

Tainted Lionheart is a work of collected poems in the emotive, healing, and cathartic writing sub-genres, and was penned by author Christine Weimer. The work is intended for the general reading audience and contains a three-part journey that explores the notion of pain and how we undergo it as a process of healing. Especially concerned with matters of the heart and emotional anguish, the work allows the author to express her own thoughts and feelings on healing from betrayal and heartbreak, whilst also serving as space for others to explore their pain and relate to her experience. What results is a deep and inspiring exploration of how self-worth is built, and rebuilt, over time.

Author Christine Weimer has crafted a masterful collection of poignant verses with plenty of catharsis and relatability to offer her readers. As the apt title suggests, there is both power and vulnerability in the work, which combines poetic phrasing and metaphor with stark statements and sentiments of overcoming and working through emotional pain. I found there was something to relate to on every page, though for me the inner messages and deeper resonance of works such as ‘Broken’, ‘Chameleon’ and the short but seminal ‘Counting Clocks’ left verses and lines ringing in my head long after I’d set the work down. As each phase moves along and we relate to the author more deeply, so the journey becomes one that we can share with her. Overall, I would highly recommend Tainted Lionheart to fans of emotional realism, metaphor, and beautiful wordplay and for poetry enthusiasts everywhere.

Vernita Naylor

Bruising. Brooding. Breathing. It Comes in Phases. Let these powerful words sink in. Tainted Lionheart by Christine Weimer is a thought-provoking, gut-punching, and raw collection of over ninety types of poems and poetry that immediately makes you pause and go inward. This inward stance causes you to tap into and get a connection with the author as the words of rhythm and the rhyme of the pages speak. When you mouth the words of the poems within this book, like Lioness, Plain Sight, Aimless, Finding Me and Inhale, let your mind explode as you're taken down the rabbit hole into another journey in place and time. Let the words cover and embrace you. See the author's transparency and into her soul as you read these poems. Depending upon where you are in your journey currently, you may find yourself in these words.

I really enjoyed each poem that Christine Weimer provided in Tainted Lionheart. Poetry of pain, passion, discovery, and reflection shows that with self-love and boundaries, healing can take place. Life happens and with each step, we're to forgive, learn and grow. This collection of poetry will touch you in many ways so that you'll want to tell others about it. Words are powerful and speak volumes. If you're looking for words that can reveal your deepest thoughts and incite within you a way to express yourself, this book is a must. Today's culture states that it's time for healing. Grab those closest to you as you collectively read this book. Be real about the bruising, look for ways to overcome the brooding, and breathe into your release. Enjoy!

Astrid Iustulin

There is nothing more eloquent than an impressive debut collection to announce to the world that a poet is born, and I believe that this time I have found one. Tainted Lionheart, Christine Weimer's first collection of poems, is among the best works I have ever read. Divided into three sections (Bruising, Brooding, and Breathing), Tainted Lionheart tells a story of pain and recovery in which the poet's dejection, resilience, and above all her strength are the guiding threads of her journey from darkness to light.

Tainted Lionheart is a precious collection for many reasons. First of all, it reveals Weimer's literary skills to the world. Her mastery of the poetic form, together with her frankness and emotions, are elements that make the book personal and captivating. I especially like Weimer's references to natural elements, which conjure up powerful images. Moreover, Tainted Lionheart has a consistent narrative. The development is easy to understand thanks to the division into three sections and the deep analysis of the dominant moods. Overall, each poem is functional to the other. I consider them as pieces of a puzzle, which, when put together, give you the general picture. This picture is one of vitality and energy, and if, on the one hand, it reveals Weimer's strong character, on the other, it encourages readers to be strong themselves. Weimer is right when she states in the introduction that "we are lions." This empowering message is something we all need to hear. I think this is the valuable teaching that Tainted Lionheart aims to give.

Sefina Hawke

Tainted Lionheart by Christine Weimer is a love poetry collection that will appeal most to a diverse audience of adults and young adults interested in love poetry that focuses on more than just the positives of love. This author uses poetry as a medium to share the perspective that understanding pain is part of healing from it. Through numerous verses, betrayal, coping, worthiness, heartache, and more are explored in this three-part collection. The collection is organized into sections: introduction, bruising, brooding, and breathing. Are you ready to go on an emotional charged journey that will take you through all that is involved in life and love? It will make you examine yourself and those around you.

Tainted Lionheart by Christine Weimer is a well-written love poetry collection that really made me stop and think about myself, life, and love. The book avoids the love stereo types like love at first sight or Disney-style love. Instead, the collection has a very open and honest feel to it as it dives right into every aspect of love, regardless of if the aspect is positive or negative. I found that the poems really spoke to be on a deeply personal level, especially the poem titled Contortionist. The poem just really resonated with me with how one person claimed to bend over backwards for one person while it was truly the other person who did so. This poem really showed the disconnect that can exist between words and actions in a relationship between two people.