Have you ever read a poetry book and related to every single word the author wrote? If not, you might want to grab a copy of Denise Alicea’s poetry book and feel like you are her friend. Believe: A Poetry Collection by Denise Alicea is a collection of poems about love, womanhood, friendship, faith, and identity that will resonate with every reader. With a little over thirty amazing poems, Alicea shares her experiences as a Latina woman. Celebrating her culture, faith, and identity, she talks about issues like dealing with loss, love, feeling angels around us, and celebrating who we are. Alicea shares some beautiful words about Puerto Rico that will make everyone proud, regardless of the country they come from, because her words are not meant to only talk about the beauty of Puerto Rico but also the richness of Latin culture. Some of my favorite poems were “The Trodden Path," “Latina Pride," “Believe It," “Tear Down These Walls," “Empowering Me,” and “Love from a Distance," as I felt these were some of the poems I connected with the most. This is the type of book that feels like a hug when you are feeling sad or broken; it can lift your spirit. The book is exceptionally well edited and completely free from errors. The poems are also amazingly cohesive and easy to read, and the author’s writing style is simple and familiar. There is nothing negative I can say about Believe: A Poetry Collection. This is, without a doubt, exactly what the author said: poetry for the soul. Because of everything I have said, I am glad to rate this book 5 out of 5 stars. Rating it—anything different than a full rating—should be considered a crime. Everyone who loves poetry will enjoy this book, but females with a Hispanic background will identify with it the most. This book is suitable for everyone, regardless of their age, gender or background. The book is extremely cohesive and easy to read, something that not everyone achieves when creating a poetry collection. Overall, this is an amazing book, and I am sure it will help women and Latinos feel proud of themselves.

Believe: A Poetry Collection has a lot of heart and soul in it. The experiences expressed within it tie in seamlessly with the world that we are living in today, and the poems are without any doubt incredibly relatable. One poem, in particular, resonated with me, titled "Flashbacks," and impacted me on a very profound level. Especially the lines, "Flashbacks come unbidden, unannounced, /Memories from the past, once lost, now found." Your ability to simplify and cut the words down into exactly what you mean is also commendable.

Believe: A Poetry Collection by Denise Alicea is a highly romantic, sumptuous celebration of a beautiful world vision. There is something irresistible and irrepressible about poetry written with the pure intention of lifting people’s spirits and making the world a better place, and Alicea rises to that task with complete sincerity and real artistry. In a mixed offering of rhymed poems and free verse, Alicea defines a beautiful vision for a more gracious, tolerant, hopeful, compassionate, and positive human landscape. From The Trodden Path: "So let us walk with angels/On this journey called life." There is a call to action hidden in the exquisite simplicity of this couplet – a sense of awakening that infuses the rest of the collection with a quiet but urgent exhortation to recognize and expand upon the beauty that is around us and within us. As halcyon as Alicea’s poetry is, there is also a deeply rooted sense of strength and resilience underlying the gossamer. In Empowering Me, she writes: "I walk with all the women of the ages/Legendary Queens of times past/Women who would not sit down …" We should all be grateful that Alicea has chosen not to sit down. Hers is a much-need poetic voice in this care-weary world, and timely as well. Believe by Denise Alicea offers a balm for flagging spirits and a lifeline to those wishing to find the beauty behind the world’s pain. Believe is a gift straight from the poet’s heart, sure to find the hearts of readers everywhere.