Omg this is so coquette pinterest board and I LOVE IT!! Minus the beautiful aesthetics of the book, the poetry was also so beautiful and was very unique. I haven't seen formatting like this in a book ever. I absolutely loved it. The poetry was so beautiful and I wish there were even more poems included!

I thought it was decent, but I felt like it was at a reading level that I couldn’t really understand.

In the realm of contemporary poetry, Emily Perkovich's Manipulate Me, Babe—I Trust You stands out as a brilliant collection that pushes the boundaries of words and form. With a unique blend of visual artistry and knife-edge poetry, Perkovich mesmerizes readers with her ability to manipulate language, bending it to her will. This collection serves as an eerie reflection of a manipulative relationship, delving into the complexities of control and the sacrifices made to maintain it. Perkovich's mastery lies in her seamless fusion of literal and figurative elements. She fearlessly offers her body to abuse and her poet's mind to control and contort, leaving readers in awe of her unwavering dedication to her craft. The seemingly erratic play with form adds an intriguing layer to the collection. Fragmented words and unconventional line breaks create a frenzied rhythm that mirrors the tumultuous nature of the explored themes. However, do not mistake the erraticism for a lack of precision. Perkovich's knife is sharp and newly honed, wielded with calculated accuracy. Each word is carefully chosen, each line meticulously crafted. The poems in Manipulate Me, Babe—I Trust You hold an undeniable power—they cut, punch, burn, and settle on the reader's feverish forehead like a cold rag. They haunt the bones like a chorus of unfriendly ghosts that refuse to fade into the shadows. Beyond mere evocation, each poem possesses an intoxicating quality that lingers within the reader's subconscious. Perkovich's words burrow deep, capturing the essence of the human experience with an intensity that is both captivating and unsettling. The collection transcends the boundaries of traditional poetry, engaging the reader on a visceral level. Manipulate Me, Babe—I Trust You is a testament to Perkovich's ability to breathe life into the written word. As she continues to redefine the possibilities of poetry, her work serves as a reminder that this art form is far from stagnant. It is a living, breathing entity that has the power to provoke, challenge, and transform. With each turn of the page, she invites readers into her realm, where they become willingly possessed by her words. In conclusion, Manipulate Me, Babe—I Trust You is a mesmerizing collection that showcases Emily Perkovich's exceptional talent for manipulating language and form. It is a haunting exploration of control, sacrifice, and the indelible impact of words. This book is not for the faint of heart; it possesses the ability to captivate and haunt long after its pages have been turned. Prepare to be enthralled, challenged, and forever changed by the poetic brilliance of Emily Perkovich.

This one just wasn't for me. I feel like poetry, and personal tastes in poetry, is extremely subjective, much more so than reading a novel. It wasn't for me, but I love that people like Emily Perkovich are writing and publishing poetry, and I hope this book will find the readers who need it most.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Manipulate Me, Babe is a fresh take on a book of poems. The graphics were fresh and intriguing. My favorite poems in side were "I Guess in the End We Just Moved the Furniture Around" and "I've Been Meaning to Ask." Those looking for a darker set of poems touching on a set of taboo subjects will enjoy this.

I think the poetry was a little new-age for me, and I had a bit of a hard time following some of the writing. If you're looking for something deeper and more provocative than Rupi Kaur, you'll find it here.

The formatting of this was cool but genuinely gave me a headache while trying to read it on my Kindle - reading on paper would probably be better. I also wish the book was a little longer, as the ending poem felt abrupt.

Other than that, this was a good collection of poetry and I'm intrigued to read more of the author's work!

I recently read "The Number 12 Looks Just Like You" (out this week), but Perkovich isn't done—here it's a chapbook exploring themes including grief (and perhaps pre-grief) and mental illness. The poems lean physical: tucked into a knife or structured as a flowchart or graph, sections repeated or tangled. (It's readable on Kindle, but if you read an e-copy I'd recommend a bigger screen, with color.) It's a slim work, just twenty-odd poems, but it packs a punch. Bring your symbolism work and your detanglers, your sideways-reading skills and your questions.

Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.

Absolutely loved this collection of poetry. The formatting really added to it, I quite enjoyed that aspect and made me nostalgic to the poetry I read when I was younger. I read this on my kindle and as far I could tell the formatting didn't get jumbled up the way eBooks sometimes too! I think this would be even better as a physical book so I will be purchasing that too.

I can very confidently say that before this the last time I read a piece of concrete/ visual/ shape poetry was in high school at least ten years ago. That being said I enjoyed the physical act of reading this a lot, poetry and this kind especially forces you to interact with the words differently. Pages have to be flipped in order to understand, each word has to be directly confronted no skimming allowed here.

Content wise fans of "My Year of Rest and Relaxation" might also enjoy Perkovich's work. You will be uncomfortable but don't worry there is always a couch to fall into.

Review posted to GoodReads.

Manipulate Me Babe - I Trust You by Emily Perkovich is a collection of modern poetry. I am not en excpert at poetry, but I do enjoy poems about love and heartbreak once in a while. And the title really intrigued me! So, I started reading it.

The most interesting thing was the format of the poems. A poem written inside a knife and many others. The problem was that I couldn't read them all. Maybe if I had a physical copy I could. But even with the zoom in, the letters weren't so easily readable.

I am rating it with 2 stars, because I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would, I didn't even undertsand some poems at all. But some were talking about abuse and mental health and they were like a punch in the stomach. Raw and on point.

Maybe this collection wasn't for me, maybe some other readers can really get into the meaning and love it! However, if you are into modern poetry and you want to read about abuse and mental health, maybe you could give it a try!

Thank you NetGalley, Gutslut Press and Emily Perkovich for the copy!

Hallelujah! ..... (Jeff Buckley's version, of course. lol)
I have finally found a collection of what we're calling "modern poetry" that's incredibly free of the "just push ENTER randomly" syndrome. Looking at you Rupi Kaur and Amanda Lovelace (especially Amanda, dear God...).

I was truly beginning to give up. I just couldn't understand how SO MANY PEOPLE were awarding books of "poetry" where someone just writes a sentence, and then chops it up into random stanza-like shapes. Oh, it looks like verses, so I guess must be poetry! Right? Later, I was so glad to know that I was not the only one who felt the same.

Poetry must have rhythm, lyricism, well-formed analogies.... I don't know what else. But you know it when you see it (or read it). And, thank Goodness, that's what I finally found with Emily Perkovich. Where have you been all my life???

Now, THIS is what deserves to be called "modern poetry". Not only the poems were beautiful lyrically, but they were raw, gut-wrenching, and REAL.

I've heard some people complain about the constant changing in formatting in each poem, but to be perfectly honest, I thought they were fun. And they weren't there just to look "cool", they always served a purpose.

I cannot wait to read more of Emily's work, and I'm probably reaching here, but the nods to The National's "Graceless", and Phoebe Bridgers's "Smoke Signals" were just the icing on the cake. And if by chance I'm completely wrong here and you don't know any of those songs, Emily, go for it, you won't be disappointed.

I've been trying to come up with a good way to describe this poetry collection and I think I've found it - manic trashy Barbie punk. Very good stuff. Some of the formatting wasn't my jam, but I think a lot of other people will dig it.

An inspiring hybrid collection of poetry and graphics that tackles themes of abuse, addiction and mental health. This was so uniquely formatted, making for an interactive and engaging reading experience. I loved all of the poems equally, so I couldn't possibly pick a fav. All in all, this was a lovely read and a perfect first delve into Emily Perkovich's work! <3

This little book is a work of art! It did take me some time to piece the pages of the digital preview together for it to make sense (because the layout here is EVERYTHING, not just text), but when it is in print, I’m sure it will be the absolute bomb! Love! So much love!

What an interesting read. I loved the visual complexity of each poem—it really added to the reading experience. As for the poetry itself, I resonated with a few of them... others just seemed like word salad / wordy for the sake of being wordy. But overall, an enjoyable read, if only for the formatting alone.

I highly enjoyed the creativity in the layouts of each poem. It felt like indulging in a new journey each page. There was some stuff that either didn’t resonate or make sense to me, however overall I found this to be an enjoyable read.

I really enjoyed reading this poetry collection. It felt so different to any other poetry thst I have read, definitely recommended!

This style of poetry was very different. I enjoyed the layout of it and wished more followed the lead like this.

Omg this is so croquette pinterest board and I LOVE IT!! Minus the beautiful aesthetics of the book, the poetry was also so beautiful and was very unique. I haven't seen formatting like this in a book ever. I absolutely loved it. The poetry was so beautiful and I wish there were even more poems included!

I love poetry that rips my heart out and I can really relate to, and with a title like this, I thought this was the perfect book for me. There were certain poems that I really got into, and some really fell flat. Maybe it is just me and I couldn't go as deep as needed, but the formatting of the poems was really hard to deal with. I read this on my kindle and even enlarged the fonts and it was still a struggle for some of them. I think that the way the poems were laid out on the page distracted me immensely. I would suggest maybe waiting for a print version of this one.
All in all it was a solid read, but didn't gut punch me like I was hoping for.
Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for an early copy.