thank you for allowing me to review this book!

this is mostly a 3.5 to a 3.75 stars. it's not a book i disliked, i am just slightly indifferent. although there were some poems and words that i enjoyed, it didn't have the emotional impact that i hoped for. sometimes they felt touching, sometimes they just felt like words to me. because of that, i ended up lacking the emotional connection that i like to feel when it comes to modern poetry. it also would have been more interesting to keep an epub version for kindle, since reading on netgalley is a bit annoying.

i'd still recommend this book for the cozy feeling that it gives in some poems, especially with the illustrations!

Me and modern poetry aren't always friends, so I always like to find new collections that I enjoy. This collection delves into a number of issues one might face when growing up and becoming an adult, navigating adult spaces. I enjoyed the writing styles of both perspectives, but I do wish that the different perspectives were better identified throughout the collection as I often found myself losing track of which perspective it was I was reading from. I did really enjoy the imagery and atmosphere created through the dual voices and found the talk of depression, anxiety, growth and learning who you are - plus talk about some of the struggles facing younger generations in the current day to be very raw and real, as well as relatable.

Before You Know It by S. K. Williams

Pages: 206
Genre: Poetry
Rating: 3.5/5 ⭐️

I knew going into this that it was a little sad and was a little surprised at just how dark this was. Especially part 2, where the author was in the deepest of their depression. There were some really great quotes in here and I’m glad I read it, but this made me realize maybe poetry is just not for me. I like how fast I fly through it but I tend to focus on the rhyme and the rhythm of the poem rather than what the poem was saying so I was rereading a lot. The illustrations throughout were really pretty and sometimes it added to the poem. Overall a 3.5 star rating!

I did get this as an ARC on NetGalley, this comes out April 2nd, 2024.

This was a sweet book of poetry. At times, I found it a little depressing, however I understand that the authors are sharing their highs and lows of their early twenties, and the trials and dreams we all try to grasp. It was very nice to read real & raw thoughts. I enjoyed the encouragement in many passages to give yourself grace throughout the journey.

Adolescence and early adulthood are developmental periods characterized by themes of feeling judged, trying to fit in, struggling to achieve success, achieving autonomy, navigating shaping one's identity, and other similar themes, These poems address many of the ideas and challenges of those stages. Someone 18-29 might identify with the experiences and struggles, but those older can be reminded of what it was like. I actually think this would be a great read for a parent of an adolescent or young adult to remind us what it was like.

'Youth can not know how age thinks and feels. But old men are guilty if they forget what it was to be young.' (Dumbledore, Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling). As strong as these emotions were for us at one point, when we move on and are dealing with different challenges, it becomes easy to forget what it was like to be experiencing those challenges but these poems are a way to feel those feelings again.

The cover is beautiful and the art throughout is not overbearing.

I couldn't connect with the poems. They lacked imagery and feeling for me, as if the emotions they tried to explain were not as powerful as they tried to be portrayed. There was something missing, and even though I wanted to enjoy it, it was just words for me.

Before you know it had me captivated from the get go. Feeling connected to the struggles our author endured at both 18 and late twenties. While not every poem was a hit for me SK Williams delivers a well rounded experience touching on subjects such as anxiety, student debt, body issues and feelings of not quite being enough. I would absolutely recommend this, especially for people doubting if poetry is for them. It's honest and relatable offering a true insight into what it means to grow up in today's world.
The illustrations were quite a nice touch.

I've been given this advanced copy, but all opinions expressed are my own

CW: Domestic Abuse, Depression, Alcohol, Fatphobia

4.5 / 5 Stars


The very first poem of this collection let me hope that this book would punch me right in the gut. And - it did.
It tackles self-worth and self-doubt, domestic (& sexual) abuse, depression, anxiety, and existencial dread besides other things. At times I also felt like there were hints of asexuality hidden in some poems as well. Can't say it was there for cerain, but I couldnt help but read some lines like that, since they reminded me of my own experiences.
Overall, this was a very personal, very touching and very well written book.
The only thing that left me with a bit of a bad feeling in my mouth is the weight stuff. A lot of internalizedd fatphobia in this one. And not just once. Not even twice or trice... I get that society tells us that we're worth less if we weigh more. But the words that were used and the multible poems tackling the authors weight were a choice. Just saying.

I really liked how this collection reflected on the years between 18 and 28. Seeing this 10 year span and the different feelings through the time was a great experience. Many parts felt very relatable and made me feel things, which is what I am personally looking for in a poetry collection.

Gorgeous cover and title. The poems are deeply moving and profound. I thoroughly enjoyed sharing this with my fellow librarians. The consensus was that the poems would fit well with our poetry lovers.

I thought I was going to love this collection of poetry because of the themes of mental health and the struggles of early adulthood but sadly it ended up not really being for me. While a few poems spoke to some part of me, most of them left me feeling nothing and I was honestly just waiting to get to the end.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I was really moved.
A collection of poems, which tells of adolescence at the arrival of adulthood.
A difficult journey and these poems touch you deeply and make you think a lot about all the struggles you have had or are going through.

Very good

I was given this book by NetGalley in exchange of honest review. So, I want to say thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, as well to SK WIlliams.

To be honest, this was the first poetry book I've ever read and surprisingly good. I like the writing style. The way SK Williams describing it was magnificent. I recommend this book to anyone who loves or want to try to read poetry.

I enjoyed this book. I believe I would have enjoyed it more in my younger days, but it was set for a younger audience. I did tall my daughter who is the correct age group for this book she needs to read it.

I’m not normally one that picks out a poetry book. But after seeing the cover and then reading the description I figured I would give it a shot. I’m glad I did. I don’t know much about poetry but I do know I enjoyed this book. It was raw, emotional, and very relatable. I felt like it could have been me writing these(if I could right poetry) instead of reading. I love that it hit the target audience of 18-28.

I was given this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Before You Know It is a poetry collection where the poems seem to get better as the book goes on. The poems subject matter is immensely relatable. There is a deep connection to humanity on the authors part, and how the understand the world. How its communicated to the reader. There are passages in this that will stick with me for a while as I mull over the words. Feel them
In effort to be completely transparent, while I think it was an overwhelmingly positive experience with this collection, I don't think this style of poetry does much for me. It's the sort of poetry that comes in spades these days--sentences broken up stylishly, more stream of thought than anything with real structure. Notes App Poetry, if you will. I don't say this dismissively either. There is a lot of good that comes with this style. It's accessible and easy to understand. There is beauty in that, in being able to communicate what you want and have people understand. But with the absence of the technical mastery it takes for rhyming verses and more traditional poetry structures, it's hard to measure that aspect of the collection. Is it good? Is it bad? I don't know. The subject matter is moving, but is it enough?
For me, no.
For others, definitely. I know there are tons of people who enjoy this style of poetry, and I dearly hope those who do pick up this books.
Additionally, shout out the cover artist because this is just gorgeous.

this made me bawl my eyes out. it spoke on the rough road i have ahead of me as well as put a lot of my feelings into beautiful words.

This collection of poems really captured the journey of young adulthood. The uncertainty, not knowing if you’re making the right choices, and the growth throughout were relatable. It was great that both authors were able to shed light on different experiences to show the range of feelings during this period in a persons life. This book made me want to check out their other work!

I bookmarked and was nodding my head to so many of the poems. They are so relatable and express so well the feelings and thoughts a person goes through between the ages of 18-28 but it can also be relatable for ANY part of your life. I wanted to share so many of the poems with friends who also enjoy poetry but couldn’t so i told them they NEED TO BUY IT. The poetry was so beautifully written

As a 23 year old who feels pretty lost majority of the time at this stage in life, this book of poems made me feel really seen.

There were quite a few that didn't even really seem like poems more like statements of life experiences which is fine it just pulled me out of the flow a few times.

But there are some really good poems in here and so much relatable material. Sometimes at this age/this point in life it can feel like you're all alone and everyone else has everything figured out so it's nice to read this and see that maybe it isn't just you. I liked the dual perspective especially for this, two people in different situations and still feeling lost and alone. At this age I think that "what am I doing with my life" question is constantly hanging over your head so I appreciate this book being a reminder that probably everyone experiences that feeling.

I also really like the cover and the structure of the book. The writing was very vulnerable and emotional at times and it was really lovely, I really like the whole idea behind this book of poems and I think it delivered on its intent.

3.5 stars