As We Soar represents a journey, woven with verses that embrace social justice, self-actualization, and love. Sandra Leon-Gonzalez invites us to reflect and listen to the whispers of history, the echoes of resilience, and the quiet strength of human connection.

Come along on a journey from ancestral legacies to history’s echoes in the present day. Against this backdrop, it can be really hard to find the calm in the chaos and the signal in the noise; this book is a call to remember, to feel, and to rise and reclaim one’s own narrative, breaking generational curses and giving hope to future generations.

Each page is a call to rise, to reflect, to awaken and to embrace the transformative power of truth and tenderness. A testament to the beauty of becoming, As We Soar is both a mirror and a lantern for those daring to dream of a more just and compassionate world.

Review

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "As we Soar" by Sandra Leon-Gonzalez.]

Post by Ami Sanghavi » 12 May 2026 09:23

First and foremost, I absolutely loved the minimalistic book cover of this book titled “As We Soar” by Sandra Leon-Gonzalez. If you observe it carefully, the title begins in the bottom-left corner of the book and then moves upward towards the top-right portion. I felt that this was really thoughtful because the word “soar” means moving upward, and thus, the word placement of the title rightfully represents this on the cover.

In this book, a series of poems has been included within 4 sections, which are "Ancestry," “Let Freedom Ring,” “Power is Internal,” and “The Focus of Love." In my opinion, the poems in this book are not complicated poems filled with metaphors and complex language that make readers feel stupid, but they are straightforward, direct, and emotional in nature. There are some poems that revolve around issues relating to the struggle for freedom of Blacks and racism, and there are some that touch upon issues related to women’s rights and empowerment. Then again, there are some poems that deal with self-respect, peace, family relations, and love.

The first poem I liked in this book was “Driven.” The reason is that in this poem, some very inspiring people, such as Harriet Tubman, Martin Luther King Jr., and Rosa Parks, have been mentioned. To me, this poem seemed to be very motivational. Another poem I enjoyed reading and analyzing was “Peace Wins." I would say that this is the poem that left an everlasting impression on my mind because it speaks about keeping negativity away from our minds. To me, it seemed to be very relaxing and soothing.

Another favorite poem of mine from the collection comes near the end of the book, titled “Home.” I loved the way in which the poem was written, consoling the inner child in an emotional yet not exaggerated manner. Like, the idea that the child within finally “found her home” felt emotional and comforting to me, especially after reading so many poems about struggle and resistance earlier in the book. Apart from these, there are a lot of other poems I appreciated, such as "Born To Be," "Lost," "The Essence of Time," "Just Listen," "Empowered," and "Heart Held."

In summary, the central theme conveyed in this collection of poems is that people must never allow society, fear, and pain to define their value. Moreover, another thing that I observed about the book and greatly admired is its profound relationship with strength. This is because the strength mentioned in the book involves not only learning and growth that one undergoes from pain and suffering, but also the choice of love amid any adversities.

Also, it is my opinion that the book will enable individuals to raise their heads up, embrace themselves, and just keep moving on, no matter what hurdles lie in front of them. There were some poems that appeared to be better than others, but the truth of the matter is that the feelings expressed in all the poems were sincere. Whether the subject matter was race, feminism, body image, politics, relationships, or peace of mind, the underlying theme is the same: that individuals have to understand their value and refuse to be dominated and intimidated by fear. The one thing I loved most about this book is the fact that every poem had 1 or 2 accompanying images.

With all that being considered, I would give “As We Soar” 5 out of 5 stars. I don't have a single bad thing to say about this book. Not only does the book lack profanity, but there is also no sexual content whatsoever. I would recommend “As We Soar” to anyone interested in inspirational and reflective poetry books. As a reader, you will not only think about how the world affects us, but you will also be able to evaluate your connection with yourself.