Thanks to Central Avenue Publishing and NetGalley for a copy of 'What Will People Say' in exchange for my honest review of it.

Taniya Gupta's poems are honest and relatable. As a South Asian myself, I could relate to some of the poems and understood her perspective and words well.

A good read with powerful messages about mental health and being South Asian.

This was like a raw rollercoaster, y’all. Some real feels, but let's be real – it's got its clunky moments, kinda like it's in a rush to spill all the stories.

She's sippin' tea through the chapters, tying it to her culture. It's like she's spillin' the tea with you, and that's cool. The poems hit hard, but sometimes they're a bit heavy-handed and, let's say, juvenile.

Her writing style's like a smooth ride – easy but packs a punch. Patriarchal trauma? I felt that. It's this clash of tradition and modern life, especially for women. Gupta bares it all, showing how those expectations can feel like a never-ending drowning session.

As a South Asian woman, this hit home on a more deeper level, but honestly, it's worth a read for everyone. Even my West African self felt it. Powerful stuff.

Cheers to Gupta for opening up her chest with this one. 🍵

Thank you Central Avenue Publishing for the opportunity to read the ARC of What Will People Say.

Taniya Gupta's poems really hit home. As a South Asian myself, but born and raised in America, I could still relate so well, which is to say, Gupta's messages are so powerful and important in spreading awareness about women's mental health.

I think that this is a really good poetry collection with some slight flaws. I think it tried cram too many stories which made it feel rushed at times.

“What I have never had the courage to say is / in our culture / a boy is a blessing from god / while a girl is considered a tragedy / you are congratulated for having a son / and consoled for / a daughter” (10)

I think the poems are raw and feeling, but also clunky, juvenile and heavy-handed. I liked the idea of pairing different parts of the book with certain teas. While this is clearly a compelling life story worth telling, the poetry itself was not for me. I only truly liked one poem in the whole collection—I’m just not sure this poetry collection is saying anything new or speaking to me in any particular way. Hopefully it finds its audience, as I am definitely not it.

Taniya Gupta’s debut poetry book is eloquent, heartbreaking, and hopeful. I tried to find a favorite poem, but I could not choose.

The correlation and ties each chapter had to tea was a beautiful homage to her culture and made the poems feel as if she was there sharing her story over tea as friends.

Her narrative writing style is easy to follow as well as hard hitting. In many areas I related to the deep patriarchal trauma while also breaking for her own pain.

This is a book I will definitely buy a physical copy of.

Thank you for the ARC copy.

4/5! This was a beautiful collection and I was surprised to find out it's the author's debut. I loved how this book was sectioned off with each tea pairing, but also how it's structured to start with their more early experiences and end on a lighter note with the "rejoice" section.

1st) Each section of this book is paired to a different type of tea that the author felt fit the vibe of the story in its current state at that point in the reading. I was here for it. Talk about immersion.

2nd) Gupta really opened up the chest when it came to writing this collection. Not only does it really show the way tradition and modernity clash when it comes to women/daughters and the roles they are expected to perform in society, but it also showed the raw side of how those expectations can make it feel like we are always (as women/daughters) in a consistent state of drowning.

A beautiful work.

Thank you NetGalley for the advance reader copy of this book.

Holy mother of God! This collection of poetry was telling me that "see, it's not just you" and my god, wasn't this such a brilliant yet heartbreaking collection of words weaved gorgeously. I loved how Taniya gave us some tea suggestions in the middle as well.

As a woman who was bought up in a South Asian country, let me tell you fellas. The boxes we try to fit ourselves into just keep on increasing with our ages. It's been a journey unlearning most of the shit our mother's had to endure and I hope our generation and the next to come would just be there for women, instead of being against them because all in all, fuck what the people would say. That's a sentence I would like to never hear in my life time.

Thank you netgalley for this ARC and congrats Taniya on a brilliant piece of work. Wish you nothing but the best

Now this is poetry I can get behind! I typically struggle with poetry, but Taniya Gupta's style works for someone like me who can't do flowery descriptions and obscure metaphors. Her poems are straightforward, to the point, yet clearly crafted artistically. Also, the tea pairings to go with each section? Lovely. I wish I had had all the teas she suggested. Collectively, the poems amount to a memoir where the pain in life coexists with the tender and beautiful moments.

(Thank you to NetGalley, Taniya Gupta and Central Avenue Publishing for letting me read this ARC)

This poetry collection (or book) was heartbreakingly beautiful, starting from a deep perspective of sorrow and up to finding your own self worth and voice.

It is a great and well written collection with great depth and also pairs each part of the book with a cup of tea (which is one of my favourite parts as a tea-lover). I loved that we got a little bit of Hindi written here and there throughout the poems (mostly in the titles) and I really liked that it showed both the nice things about culture (food, ceremonies etc) but also the sad parts of culture and how it to grow up as a woman around the world.

On top of that there were some encouraging words for anyone going through the same thing as the author had been through and also some mantras for both the author and the reader that is really inspiring to take with you from the poems to find your strength when needed.

I will definitely recommend reading this and will definitely keep an eye out for more poems by Taniya Gupta

This poetry collection is very precious to the author and now to me. I anticipate myself rereading this several times. The organization of the story from "little girl" to "rejoice" displays the author's maturation and life experiences, as well as her grief and delight. I adore this story because, despite our differences in culture and color, the beauty of experiences is that they are far more shared than you might think. I really like being able to learn about another culture through this book, and I learned a lot that I didn't know before. I also wanted to mention that I grew up in a conservative family from the Bible Belt in the south of the United States. The phrase "what will people say" frequently overused down here. While I am proud of my neighborhood, many of the issues raised by author Taniya Gupta are also common in this area. I genuinely believe that teen girls and boys (as well as adults) should read this to better understand difficulties in many communities.

Taniya Gupta bares herself to the readers in a collection of captivating poems, each symbolizing a significant event in her life, while tackling essential subjects such as family relationships, how girls and women are seen, and the expectations that burden them in patriarchal countries. It was profound, poignant, and surprisingly approachable. Definitely recommend!

The author's journey is reflected in these poems. It elicits a wide range of feelings. The poetry include cultural anecdotes, terrible experiences from her past, and everything else. Thank you to the publishers at Central Avenue and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review these poetry.

Dear reader,

You’re about to go on a journey.

Brew a cup of tea, grab a blanket, and settle in.

Taniya’s poems are stories of life. Poignant, raw tales…not just about the life of one woman, but the lives of many women with stories previously untold.

What I found so beautiful about this collection is that by reading these poems, we are witnessing truth lovingly and carefully woven together through the power of written word.

This book is so needed in the world right now. It’s a tale of connection, vulnerability, love, and freedom. There’s healing in every word.

So take a sip of tea (don’t worry, Taniya has recommendations included!) and dive in.

Lovely collection of poems by a South Asian author, I really enjoyed the split of chapters progressing throughout her life, discussing important topics and themes that impacted herself and have most likely impacted all women in one way. Really powerful and moving read.

Taniya Gupta's beautiful words and smart formatting create a melancholic atmosphere that exactly represents what it feels like to a be a woman. Even though she and I don't experience the same culture or similar upbringings, I could still relate a lot to her through the neverending feeling of forever being a little girl, not feeling in control of your body and decisions and being always molded and expected to act pleasingly.
It's powerful. It's honest. It's heartbreaking. It's real.
If you're wondering what will people say about this book, I can assure you it will be good.

Thank you to the publishers at Central Avenue and NetGalley for the chance of reading this.

Thank you so much for the copy and introducing me to this new writer. I liked the poems, they were simple and yet so haunting with their truth.

Thank You NetGalley for this arc!

I picked this arc for its title [and the fact that it had a hijabi on the cover]; the title hit a little too close to home. i usually dont enjoy “self help-ish” poetry, but this one was good. it dove deep into how women are treated in society and how it affects us for the rest of our lives. a lot of this book had me in my feels because of its gloomy tone, but i was filled with hope at the end. this author hit a lot of important points and it made her heart breaking book enjoyable. i connected with this poem, not because ive been through what she has, but because the author has a good way of making you really understand her feelings. her words are impactful and beautiful.

I absolutely adored this collection of poetry, and feel the need to purchase a hard copy for myself once this has been published.

Tanyia Gupta's debut poetry collection feels raw, honest and urgent. The arrangement means the reader is taken on a journey with the poet, a journey through to healing.

Emotional, assured and evocative. What a debut!

(LOVED the idea of pairing each section with a specific tea too!)
Emma Perry

Thank you, Central Avenue Publishing, for the advance reading copy.

This collection of poetry has a lot to say; has a lot to tell and has a lot to share.

The collection talks about how typical Indian families welcome a girl child Vs a boy child; gender discrimination and abuse towards girls/women.

Reading this collection breaks my heart as I know most of the things the author has written is true and we all see happening right in front of me.

I just wish authors compile poems in such a way that it doesn’t seem like copied from other popular works by other authors.

No complaints regarding the writing and the compilation though.

As arranged (and lovingly paired with teas), Taniya transmits the poems in What Will People Say with an intimacy that makes readers feel like she is confiding in us. We can't help but to care deeply for the hurting, fierce, grieving, joyful, and loving being that emerges from the pages. Somehow, in sharing her story, she has also shared part of ours.