This collection of words is a window into the deepest, darkest parts of the soul. I can't thank Ari B Cofer, Central Avenue Publishing, and NetGalley for a peer inside.
The poetry and prose takes you on a journey that is so personal and relatable in the saddest ways. The emotion is palpable and the journey is draining. Through the darkness of the first half come a light shining in recovery, but it is not without reality. Cofer does an amazing job of expressing the smallest parts of recovery - doing it for yourself, because you want to see another morning - and the emotional strain it takes.
I highlighted so many phrases of anxieties and pressure, but without a doubt my favourite piece was "dandelion". It's the moment when you step out of the picture frame that someone else has built for you, and realise who you are on your own.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I received an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Publication date: January 4, 2022.

Paper Girl and the Knives that Made Her is a beautiful collection of poems on depression, suicidal thoughts and actions, healing, trauma and self-love. It’s both deeply emotional and reflective, written in a way that feels like you’re reading a novel. The storytelling is wonderfully done and the writing is beautiful, with good metaphors and comparisons. Reading these poems was a soul-stirring experience and I’m grateful the author shared her emotions with us.

Cofer’s poetry is beautifully raw and real. I found the topics relatable and powerful, expressing feelings that I have experienced in ways I haven’t thought of before, and highlighting others in ways that evoked huge amounts of emotion in me.
The formatting of the ebook made it slightly difficult to parse at some points, as it was unclear where one poem ended and the next began, but this is a technological hiccup rather than a reflection on Cofer’s fantastic work.

Ari B. Cofer's Paper Girl and the Knives That Made Her is a poetry book discussing rape, trauma, and healing.

This was the book I ended 2021 with and I'm hoping you'd read it as well.

Just the first few poems of this collection already got me tearing up. I am not kidding when I say this is a hard-hitting, heart-wrenching and truly emotional read. The author really went into detail about mental health, among any other things.

I was too emotional to finish it in one go. But mind you, when the author starts talking about healing, suddenly it just hits. It's so hopeful, and personally there's a lot of reflections I've had after reading it.

Available now on Amazon and other stores!

Note that I was sent an early copy of this book by the publisher via Netgalley, nevertheless, this is an honest review and all thoughts are mine.

This is a beautiful collection of poetry. It deals with Cofer's mental health and we see how writing has helped.
I find that writing helps me too and much of this collection I found I could relate to.

Thanks NetGalley & Central Avenue Publishing for this ARC!

This isn’t the most complex or original poetry collection I’ve ever read, but that could be due to my age. This poetry isn’t meant for me–it’s meant for adolescents who need to read poetry they can identify with. This poetry echoes the aches, pains, longings, and desires of teenagers in that singular way only the poetry of the young can.

There are numerous references to present-day pop culture, but the most obvious pop culture reference of all is how the poetry itself doesn’t read entirely dissimilar to the lyrics of a Taylor Swift or early Halsey song. Cofer even references Olivia Rodrigo in one poem.

Cofer clearly has a budding talent, but that’s what it is: budding. It’s still young. It’s still growing. It’s not quite blooming. But for the target demographic, I think it’s just the right time.

Thank you Net Galley for this advanced copy. I think poetry is very individualistic for the reader. It is how the reader takes it. There were a few lines and poems that really stood out to me (black widow and the second boy). However, I didn’t love the whole book.

2.5/5 Okay prose collection

*Make sure to read the trigger warnings for this collection before reading if you are interested in this.*

I really enjoyed this author's writing style but I just found myself checking the page number every few pages and wondering when It'd be over so I bumped half a star for that. I like the few bits of art and the longer almost diary entries like texts we got in between every few pieces. I'm not too big of a fan of the cover but it's definitely isn't even close to the worst I've seen and the foilage is something that makes it stand out from others.

I'd recommend this collection to anyone who likes darker-themed poetry or prose collections. I used to be a lot more into this sort of prose writing but find it's not always up my alley anymore so if you like it you will definitely like this book more than I did!

(Sorry for any bad grammar I try and be decent with my writing most the time in my reviews but I am super tired today and my brain refuses to function properly. Also, Happy new years everyone!)

Disclaimer: I received an e-book copy of this from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Gracias a Netgalley por el envío de una copia avanzada a cambio de una reseña honesta.

TW: Este libro trata temas como la depresión, autolesión, ansiedad, suidicio.

Este libro me transmitió tanta melancolía, tristeza y dolor que sentía que debía tomar respiros de la lectura por momentos. Si bien tiene unos versos maravillosos y una prosa poética admirable, la intensidad del libro me superó e hizo que mi lectura fuera un poco lenta.

No obstante, esto no quita la belleza de la escritura de la autora y que realmente logró su objetivo de transmitir lo que sentía en cada palabra.

This is another on that I just did not enjoy the writing style and it kind of ruined the whole thing for me.

A stunning, raw and dark collection of poetry which looks at some serious topics such as racism, sexual assault, mental illness, suicidal ideation and self harm. Ari is very honest and brutal with the reader and it was refreshing and beautiful to see her leave absolutely everything of herself on the pages. An author I will be keeping an eye out for in 2022.

Wow...
This was an emotional roller coaster from start to finish.

This was a raw look into the harrowing situations Ari has gone through. This book is not for the faint of heart. This books deals with very sensitive topics and doesn't shy away from them either.

This book brought me to tears by the end. There were some parts where I related so strongly and felt like she was talking right to me.

Every page was written in different styles which made this even more enjoyable to read. The illustrations were a beautiful added bonus.

A must read for anyone in need of healing.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I feel that these poems and the anthology is very reminiscent of Amanda Lovelace and her anthologies. The poems feel very dark and hard to get through, I've struggled with some of them. I appreciate the level of intimacy that is conveyed through the poems and that these are clearly very personal and are very effective at portraying difficult topics. I appreciate how Cofer uses a number of contemporary references throughout, such as Olivia Roderigo and Olivia Gatwood.
The poems are very well written however they do feel a little repetitive at times in terms of topic and some of them do feel too narrative and maybe long however it is hard to fault the intimate poems that are being bravely shared with readers. The use of illustrations within the anthology are perfect and beautiful, they break up the poems and are yet create artistic transitions between poems and themes.

I don't feel like I would be giving this book justice if I didn't give it 5 stars. This collection of poetry is exactly what I was hoping for when I saw it. The author makes every piece of writing so relatable, even for certain situations that I haven’t experienced for myself. It really made me *feel* something. I don’t want to say much about the poems themselves because I feel like everyone should experience this collection in their own way without preconceived notions. The author has such a great writing style and experimented in so many ways, but they all worked well as a collection. The little graphic drawings in between were a great added touch.

Thank you to NetGalley and Central Avenue Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Paper Girl is an emotional and reflective poetry collection that I flew through, whilst somehow also lingering to allow Cofer's words to leave a mark on me on every page. This was a challenging read but one that I will never forget, and whilst this book won't be for everyone, if you are touched by this book, that will stay with you forever. The poetry is exquisite and the changes in form and structure mean you will never tire of turning the page. When I get a physical copy, I will definitely be annotating.

“i think about how we are both paper
but i was the one who got the cuts.”

Genre: Poetry, New Adult, Self-Help
Actual Rating: 5 stars
Content Warnings: Given by the author (10/10 for that)— Discusses mental health conditions, suicide/suicidal ideation, self-harm, sexual assault, gun violence, and violence against POC. Briefly mentions body dysmorphia and drug/alcohol use, and other tough topics.

First things first, I must say I came into this book a bit biased. I have loved Ari B. Cofer’s poetry (and illustrations) on instagram for years. I have been on her email list/tender poets club for a while now too. I came in knowing I would love this book. I knew it would be great. But yeah, not even my wildest thoughts could’ve predicted how much this book would move me.

This debut poetry collection does not disappoint. It’ll take you through an emotional rollercoaster, for sure, but it’ll also soothe you with doodles and drawings scattered between the words. These drawings are characteristic of Ari B. Colfer’s work, as can be seen on her social media (@ari.b.colfer on instagram, check her out, you won’t regret it), and they add a special touch to this collection. I know doodles and drawings aren’t an innovation when it comes to contemporary poetry books, but hear me when I say that Ari’s drawing hit different. With their bright colors and harsh words, they bring so much to this book.

Not all poems in this collection are perfect—some are more like a broken down sentence pretending to be a poem—yet I seriously couldn’t recommend this poetry book enough.

I would recommend this book to people who’ve hurt before but are halfway through (or fully) mending now. This book could be a tough read for anyone who’s vividly living through a mental health crisis right now or who is still processing a traumatic event. Be careful when you grab this book. Be gentle with it and with yourself. But grab it once you’re feeling up to it, as it’ll be healing in and of itself.

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much to Central Avenue Publishing for letting me read an early copy of this book. I preordered a physical copy this morning because 1) I love Ari’s poetry, and 2) It’s just that good and I feel a need for a physical copy even though I’ve already read it.

“you will remind yourself it’s not your fault.
you did not choose to be raped,
the rapist chose to be a rapist,
you’ll remind yourself to let go.”


p.s. This review has already been posted on Goodreads and will be posted on my blog on Sunday, December 26th. I've attached the link, even though it won't be available until then.

I just don't think that this was for me. I couldn't relate to it in a lot of ways but I also could relate to it in a lot of ways. I felt like the recovery process was almost skipped over and hardly mentioned and it focused more on the before and after. This book will definitely help a lot of people that have experienced many of the topics that were discussed within it. I'm unsure as to why religion and God are mentioned so many times despite the author saying that they don't believe in religion later on in the book.

An e-ARC was provided to me by NetGalley and Central Avenue Publishing in exchange for an honest review

Paper Girl and the Knives that Made Her is so much more than a poetry collection. It’s an uncomfortable look into the darkest parts of life that you can’t take your eyes off of.

Content warnings are necessary for this and are included in the beginning of the book but for those that are looking to read it content warnings include: mental health conditions, suicide/suicidal ideation, self harm, sexual assault, gun violence, violence against poc, brief mentions of body dysmorphia, brief mentions of drug/alcohol abuse and other tough topics.

Paper Girls felt like I was reading my own diary. It left me feeling seen in ways that I didn’t know were possible. It’s a punch in the gut to those who have experienced the hardships mentioned in the content warnings. I’ve read countless books that spoke of mental illness and addiction and assault but none of them stuck with me the ways this has. My mind has been wandering back to it since completing my first read and I can say with confidence I’ll be reading it again.

I’ve heard countless times that art is supposed to make you feel something but this book doesn’t just make you feel something, it makes you live something. It makes you feel like you’re an unwilling accomplice in every trauma that unfolds and you can’t pull yourself out of it.

The grimiest memories that spent years hidden revealed themselves as I read this and I seriously stress that the content warnings are necessary but if you feel you can handle reading it I can’t suggest it enough. So many poetry collections read like romanticizations of trauma and tragedy but this couldn’t have done that less. If I could force everyone that doesn’t believe in mental illness to read this I genuinely believe it would change their minds.

Overall this was heartbreaking, uncomfortable and more real than I was ready to experience but it was a masterpiece above all else. Some people are born to write but others are born to tell stories that stick with people like a cold you can’t shake and that’s exactly the type of person Ari is.

Heartbreaking and healing - the odes to survival and living a life true to yourself is what makes this book such a captivating read. There are moments where you feel like the author simply took a mirror to your own thoughts and feelings and made you really look at them.
But at the end, the paper girl survives and the knives that tried to kill her and destroy her did not do so and no matter what happens, they will never destroy her.
There are content and trigger warnings at the beginning of the book and they are well-deserved as there are topics in this work that are hard to read and deal with - so please pay attention to them.

This book was so beautiful. I’ve followed Ari on Instagram since before their page reached 5k, and I have to say that she has always been incredible, but she has certainly grown as an author. Her words are real and raw, and I couldn’t have been happier to be able to read this collection before it hits the shelves! I even pre-ordered a copy for my personal collection!

The collection starts simple with some relatable pieces about heartbreak. It moves into some more serious topics like racism, sexual assault, mental illness, but it also touches on a subject not many do: the “after” timeline of rape. The processing of it. The gray area that not many have the courage to speak on.

I definitely loved this collection of poems. It is not suitable for all, since the poems/issues can be hard for many to read, but it will open your eyes to the one truth: the world is cold and bitter, but it is also beautiful.