DNF @ 50%

I've read another book by Nikita Gill in the past and even though it wasn't my favorite, I enjoyed it. Unfortunately, I can't say the same for "Where Hope Comes From" since I had to force myself to go as far as I did.

This is what I call self-help/inspirational poetry and it's just not for me. I find myself rolling my eyes on the exasperated and melodramatic phrases that enforce positivity instead of critical thinking of tough situations. I couldn't connect with the majority of the poems, but some of them were okay. I also believe that some readers would love the unrelenting positivity, I'm just not one of them.

While this wasn’t my favorite work of Nikita’s, I did really enjoy this book of poetry! It was very uplifting in a time where hope is hard to find and a light in the darkness that is happening in the world! Nikita has a beautiful way with words that always resonates with me at the exact time I need them!

A beautifully written book of poetry, from an author I have never read before, in a time when we surely need it. The cover and artwork inside are also stunning.

Thanks to Hachette Books and Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5


I do not read a lot of poetry, and I've never read any by Nikita Gill before. But I was very intrigued by the idea of Nikita Gill so directly tackling the pandemic - and the challenging year we've all been through - in poem form along with a kind of bigger declaration of how all of us together make up this wonderful, fantastical universe combating the loneliness many of us felt during this extremely trying time.

I cannot even count how many times I would be reading through one of the poems and it would just hit me how much I related to the words on the page. How they fit into my own personal feelings and experience from this past year especially as it's been over a year and I've started to reflect upon where me and my family was this same time in 2020 with each passing day. These poems are so relatable and kind of stand as a testament of life.

What's more, it's a testament to the strength of the human spirit. Gill makes sure to highlight that these experiences are not singular. That they are shared by everyone. While there are variances, every single person was hit in some way by this pandemic. That we are not as alone with this as it oftentimes felt. I think that human connection is one of the most important things to convey in all of this. That we've all felt the loss in some way, shape, or form. It's something that will stay with all of us for the rest of our lives. But looking to the smaller victories, things we learned, people we loved and spent our time with, etc. that's where we succeed.

I can certainly see myself going back to this collection sometime in the future as a look at where we were in 2020 and hopefully as a prediction of where we will find ourselves.

I'm sad that this just wasnt for me. This was my first time reading the authors poetry. I did like a few of them.

Where Hope Comes From: Poems of Resilience, Healing, and Light is an outstanding collection of poems which were written after the world went into lockdown as a result of the Corona virus pandemic. The author poignantly speaks of isolation, anxiety, loneliness, fear, and all the other emotions that we have felt during this most difficult and trying time. Yet she also speaks of resilience, strength, our ability to rise up and be better for our struggles, reminding us that this too shall pass, life does go on, and there is much to be celebrated with each moment, each day.

Reading this gave me a breath of fresh air and perspective that I so very much needed! Where does hope come from? This book!! Don't miss it!

My sincere thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Books for allowing me to read an ARC of this book which is scheduled to be published on June 1, 2021. All opinions stated in this review are my own.

I haven’t read Nikita Gill’s poetry before, but I will definitely read more in the future. It’s clear and simple, and this collection in particular perfectly captures the universal loneliness and pain and strange beauty of 2020.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy.

I love Nikita Gill's poetry and I loved many pieces from this collection. I think it could have been a five star read for me as it did capture so much of what 2020 has been like for many. However, once I read Reminder for Days of Uncertainty, I had a hard time with the remainder of the book as that piece felt incredibly demeaning to women who have suffered miscarriages and/or infant loss. I can see how it may have been interpreted in a different way but unfortunately it had a major impact on me moving forward - consider that my disclaimer.

This poetry collection was great. I was initially nervous to read this as the majority of poems are directly linked to the pandemic, and I wasn't sure that I wanted to consume more media related to the pandemic. However, I found the poems to be poignant, relatable and inspiring. I enjoyed the majority of the poems, and appreciated some of the affirmations. I also really loved the illustrations that were placed throughout the collection; they were beautiful and tied nicely to their respective poems.

Some of the poems really hit me hard, and I loved the imagery and theme of stars/constellations/the sky. I felt like each poem was crafted with intent, and I can see myself going back and re-reading some of the poems again and again.

My favourites in this collection:
- No Accidents
- The Answer
- Stay
- I Wonder What They Would Put in a Museum for Our Times
- After the First Death
- In Self-quarantine, Watching my Cat from my Bedroom Window
- Notes on Survival
- Small
- The Present
- 2020 Redux
- In Isolation
- Affirmation for Days of Self-Loathing
- Reminder for Days of Uncertainty
- Listening to the Rain at the End of the World
- Kindness
- 93 Percent Stardust (might be my favourite)
- Where Hope Comes From

* Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I already loved Nikota Gill's poetry and style prior to this book, but her unique voice put into words how this entire pandemic year has felt. She reminds us that it's okay to grieve, and that surviving is an act of hope. After a year where I've been completely unable to do more than exist from day to day, this collection is a balm for my heavy heart.

I am a long-time Nikita Gill fan, and so any time she has a new poetry collection I am DOWN. I was very excited to receive an ARC of Where Hope Comes From from NetGalley because I honestly needed Gill's poetry to just help me get through the day.

Where Hope Comes From: Poems of Resilience, Healing, and Light might be Gill's best collection yet. During the quarantine and the ongoing pandemic, I've been reading a lot of poetry because that's where I find my comfort. Many of the collections I've read have been good (and some haven't been), but Where Hope Comes From is the collection that feels most of the moment. Gill is one of the few poets (and probably the best) writing about what it's like to be alive right now amongst the pandemic: how we're all dealing with depression, loneliness and the inability to socialize, the inability to properly grief and bury our dead... She writes about these subjects with a lot of empathy and isn't afraid to ask questions to which she doesn't offer answers because no one can. I also enjoyed how she wrote about the pandemic in perspective to history and how societies have dealt with and come back from pandemic times.

If you need a poetry pick me up right now, you really can't go wrong with Nikita Gill. Where Hope Comes From is fantastic, and I highly recommend it!

Nikita Gill has been one of my favorite contemporary poets since I stumbled across her collection Fierce Fairy Tales several years ago. Where Hope Comes From is her collection of poems written during the pandemic that captures the struggles of loneliness and sense of loss, but also the pervasive hope that keeps us going.

The structure of the book is woven around the lifecycle of a star to split the poems into sections. I thought that was an interesting way to structure it, though I didn't consciously take much note of the way each section of poems were connected. I enjoyed the series of mantras and the fact that they were well spaced throughout the book also to avoid them becoming repetitive.

The poems included in this collection painted an accurate and lyrical portrayal of life in lockdown and put into words many of the emotions and circumstances I've personally experienced during the pandemic.

While I sometimes find pandemic reflections tiresome at this point in time, these were quite the opposite. Gill manages to capture the dark feelings she experiences in a way that is relatable and does not feel self-pitying. Her words also encourage the reader to remain hopeful in a way that is approachable without being patronizing.

I found this best to dip into for a few minutes throughout the day. I've already revisited several of the passages I bookmarked on days I needed extra encouragement and I can't wait until this is released in the US so I can get my hands on a physical copy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Books a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A collection of poems the author wrote during the Coronavirus pandemic. Loneliness and hope weave themselves into almost every line. Touches of astrology remind the reader how grand the world works and that beauty comes from tragic or grand experiences. I’d recommend this collection to any who find themselves struggling or have struggled with the loneliness the pandemic has caused. However, if you need distance from Covid-19 discussions then you may not enjoy this collection at this time.

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the arc of this book*

Nikita Gill’s voice is as strong as ever in this collection that is essential reading during the coronavirus pandemic. Gill manages to capture both the pain and hidden beauty and value of connection during these lockdowns, focusing on the power of human connection and how it perseveres despite an illness that demands we stay apart.

Absolutely LOVE Nikita Gill and this gorgeous collection of poetry. After 2020 And the beginning of 2021 being so challenging, a book of hope is what we all need. HIGHLY recommend!

I did not really enjoy this book of poems. I have liked reading Gill's poems on instagram in the recent years, but I didn't enjoy that the majority of these poems were about the pandemic. I don't think society is ready to read these, it feels too soon!

This timely and beautiful book of poetry is exactly what we need after the last year. Addressing many of the events of 2020, but focusing very heavily on pandemic and isolation, this book brought me comfort in a way I hadn't realized I needed. Nikita Gill's writing is beautiful and heartfelt, and the art in the book is subtle and elegant.

I have loved every book of Nikita Gill's I have read and this collection is no different. Each poem was raw and emotional, and perfectly summed up how hard the last year has been for everyone in the world during the COVID-19 pandemic. I felt seen in the poems and I think I will revisit them over and over again.

Where Hope Comes From weaves a line of light through the darkness of the 2020 pandemic. The poetry is both highly accessible/easy to read and deeply emotive. I found myself reading poem after poem aloud to my husband because the words cried out to be shared. It felt like stepping into a book where you see a reflection of your own heartaches. Absolutely beautiful. And I plan to buy my own copy. ❤️

I don't read much poetry. It's not something that I'm usually into, but I so enjoyed this collection. The author's thoughts and feelings about living through Covid and quarantine are universal. Even through trauma there is always hope. A very comforting read.