The Ache of Healing: 105 Sonnets of Love and Contemplations is a poetry book by Christine Maalouf Abi Najm that deals with sometimes painful human situations in an empathetic way. Every poem uses the sonnet format and the book’s four sections discuss romantic love (Roses and prickles), personality types (Spirits and souls), locations (Places), and feelings about God and life’s purpose (Contemplations.) "Roses and prickles" is the longest section with over 40 sonnets and it shows a kaleidoscope of emotions about love, including anxiety and jealousy. "Places" is the shortest, sketching in verbal watercolors of hometown, immigration, and war. The other two sections provide thoughts about the meaning of living a life that’s often very flawed and pensive reflections on types of people.

An interesting collection, The Ache of Healing shows a good ability to apply the sonnet form to describe ordinary people experiencing real life. I found each one of Christine Maalouf Abi Najm's poems told distinct stories in small nutshells that captured emotional moments in time. Each one added more to the book until it was a flowing river of people, places, and memories with the substance of a novel and the terseness of music. One detail that greatly enhances the poetry is the personalized, often symbolic black-and-white picture that accompanies each sonnet and emphasizes its meaning. Through poems like “Tipsy!” “A cheater,” “His hair became white!” and “At a crossroad!” the author asserts her faith in God while remaining authentic to our troubled world and describing that world in a way that brings it close to home.

In The Ache Of Healing: 105 Sonnets of Love and Contemplations by Christine Maalouf Abi Najm, the reader will enjoy 105 beautiful pieces of artistic poetry that cause inspiration, reflection, and wonder. As the reader begins to ponder on the beauty of the words within each poem, they will feel the emotions and sensitivity expressed by the author. As Christine indicates: "A writer’s dream is to reach as many hearts as possible and to deliver a significant message to change people’s lives for the better." This book does just that and more. This book has something for everyone. The poems are divided into four areas from romance, relationships, and life to emotions that speak volumes to the reader. You will read poems reflecting Christine's emotions for her dad, her love for that special someone and the importance of having a relationship with God.

I enjoyed this book because there is so much richness presented within each poem, centering around pain and healing. Poems like Recklessness, Forbidden Adoration, Fifty Beats, To Dad and Love and Hate spoke to me. Many readers will be able to see and feel the passion that Christine has put into each poem to help them along on their own journey into healing. In this book, you will be able to see that you're not alone and that someone else is going through some of the same situations and circumstances as you are, how they were able to survive and to understand that you can too...through words. Words are universal, powerful and meaningful; let them speak to you today. Enjoy!

The Ache of Healing: 105 Sonnets of Love and Contemplations is a poetry collection that revolves around the themes of love and emotions in various forms and circumstances. Christine Maalouf Abi Najm starts off with a short introduction in which she explains the early death of her father and her mother as an inspiration. After that, Christine has organized the poems in four main sections: Roses and prickles, Spirit and souls, Places, and Contemplations. Each of these sections respectively deals with the themes of joys and sorrows in the emotions of love and romance, various people and personalities that inspire us or make up the world we live in, the places that leave an impact on us whether they be our home, nature, travel, and the moods and feelings of human emotion such as anger, happiness, envy, joy, sadness, etc.

The Ache of Healing: 105 Sonnets of Love and Contemplations by Christine Maalouf Abi Najm is a thoughtful and touching poetry collection. Christine's writing style is lyrical and the theme of human joys and sorrows with its ups and downs is universal and relatable. Some of my favorite poems are from the first and last sections of the book including Your Shaky Voice, Pitiable Love!, Life and Death, A Stout Woman, and Chronic Blue. The emotions in these poems and throughout the book itself are well expressed. I especially liked the ones that portray human sorrow which seem very heartfelt. This is a poetry collection that fans of the genre would love.

The Ache Of Healing: 105 Sonnets of Love and Contemplations is a work of inspirational and highly emotive poetry, and was penned by author Christine Maalouf Abi Najm. Separated into four different sections based on the content and message, these often uplifting and always exploratory verses traverse a wide variety of themes and ideas. From explorations of different kinds of romance and expressions of love to different personality types, senses of place and expressions of emotions, there is certainly something for everyone amongst these pages. The works are written and presented in sonnet form, with some line drawn illustrations to aid the ambiance of the work.

Despite its emotive and perhaps saddening title, healing is certainly the uplifting central goal of this excellent collection. Author Christine Maalouf Abi Najm focuses deeply on the emotional content of her work, displaying a wide variety of language usage and a talent for both rhythm and rhyme. Her sonnet forms take on a combination of traditional and newly developed rhythms, encapsulating both dynamic and peacefully beautiful lines such as “The lips of my love are brushed with honey.” From the highest to the lowest moments, from each and every perspective, this is certainly a multi-layered connection where anyone and everyone could find a piece to suit their mood. Overall, The Ache Of Healing: 105 Sonnets of Love and Contemplations is an excellent collection for poetry fans seeking a book to refer to again and again, and for those who want verses to bring healing and hope to their lives.