A Bit Much: Poems is DEFINITELY going to be the poetry book of 2024 and on all of the fiction lists of 2024! CALLING IT!

This was SO good. Each page I was like "no this is my favorite one!" "wait, no this is my favorite one!*

This is Lyndsay Rush's debut poetry collection and you can find her @maryoliversdrunkcousin

This collection is described as "a book of poetry for people who didn't even know they liked poetry" and I FEEL THAT!

I discovered Rush because of her poem "It's Called Maximalism, Babe, and honestly I just want to get a house with a library and wallpaper the walls with that poem.

Rush knows just how to use humor to make light of the reality of the world, especially for women.

Some of my favorites from this collection:
✨Someone to Eat Chips With (1 literally laugh *each and every* time I read it)
✨ Be st Fri ends (this is it / the main event)
✨Loving Each Otter (Wait, there's more!)
✨We're Not Getting Any Younger, Woman (plans are like foreheads)
✨Dawn Soap and a Toothbrush (Fuck me up if that isn't great relationship advice)
✨These Are the Days
✨Hysterical (Do they make a "Rage Spiral" scented essential oil?)
✨She's a Bit Much
✨It's Called Maximalism, Babe (Why shouldn't I?)
✨”What Have You Been Up to Lately?" (Making tiny, beautiful things I'll be proud to leave behind)
✨A Hump Day Blessing (being busy is not a personality)

Get your hands on this beauty, releasing September 17! 🗓️

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Lyndsay Rush for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. 💗

This collection of poetry is perfect. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading Rush’s work (@maryoliversdrunkcousin) on Instagram. So to immerse myself in a whole collection at once is right up my alley. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

A very enjoyable read. Some of the poems made me laughed, in a good way, and others made me reflect and think about my own experiences, and how perhaps we are not all alone in our inner journeys. I would definitely recommend this poetry collection.

Thank you St. Martins Press and Netgalley, for the free ARC, in exchange for an honest review.

An enjoyable read! I laughed out loud, found myself shaking my head at the pages a few times (thinking "yep, that's it exactly"), and bookmarked several poems. I couldn't get to five stars -- for a few reasons, some of which are: it's a short collection / many poems are similar / quite similar to what's already posted on her Instagram account -- but will pass along the name of the book to a few friends I know would enjoy it.

I found Lyndsay through Instagram and I’m so glad I did. She touches on topics that help me remember that I’m not alone and that what I experience as a woman is truly a part of the full human experience. I can’t wait to read the next anthology of poems.

Otherwise known on Instagram as @maryoliversdrunkcousin, this is Rush’s debut collection of poetry, and it’s a treat. She writes with snark and humor but also heart and heaviness.

The title poem talks about switching the perspective of being referred to as “too much” (as women so often are) to a joyous, even envious position. Many of her poems spoke to me, particularly “Let Go and Let Goddess” - so much so that I’ll have to get this one in hard copy.

Beautiful collection of poetry. Thank you for providing me an arc of this wonderful book in exchange for an honest review. I greatly enjoyed each poem. This was a lighthearted whimsical read and i'm glad i was able to read it. will definitely be recommending this book to everyone i know.

I eagerly awaited the publication of this book!! After following Lyndsay's poetry online I couldn't wait to get my hands on a physical collection of her poems. I haven't read relatable, moving, life giving, "seen feeling" poetry in a long time. Reminiscent of Mary Oliver meets Mom blog I love reading her collection - and I think you will too! This is a must read and a book that, even though I have a digital copy of, I need to purchase one for my bookshelf as well.

Poetry is an odd thing to review because it feels somehow more intimate than fiction, or even a memoir. That being said, Lyndsay Rush’s collection is a joy to read and a beautiful reminder that poets still exist. I for one am thankful that they do. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

Lyndsay did what the book summary promised-- I actually enjoy poetry! You do have to go into the book with a level of millennial whimsy (not derogatory, I pinky promise!) and openness, but some of them still hit hard as a "baby" Gen-Z. With the perfect balance of silly and serious, I bookmarked so many of these poems so that I could go back and reread them, which is something that I absolutely did not expect.
Of course, I didn't expect anything less from one of the creators of my favorite podcast ;)

Thank you so much to the author, St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was just delightful! I haven’t read a poem book in a minute but this one was a delight and so relatable. I loved it!

I loved this book of poems so much! These are fun, heartwarming, hysterical and touching. If you're a Kate Baer fan, you will love these. I saved so many poems and pages, and I have it preordered and am excited for a physical copy to reread.

I found these poems interesting but more like thoughts on paper rather than complete works. I am sure this would be enjoyable to others though!

Sometimes I don’t feel smart enough to enjoy poetry. And sometimes I LOVE it, and feel like I am so understood.

This was such a fantastic collection. If you want to try to get into poetry, this collection is approachable and enjoyable!

Bravo! This book of poetry is so relatable and touching. I laughed, smiled, and got teary. Beautifully done. I’m already looking forward to more from Lyndsay Rush.

Thanks @netgalley @stmartinspress and @maryoliversdrunkcousin for the chance to read A Bit Much before its debut on September 17, 2024.

Have you ever been told you’re a bit much? Then this is the poetry collection for you. Told with Lyndsay’s signature wit, the 140 poems will make you laugh and cry and groan in recognition. It’s organized by emotions/vibes, which I loved. Lyndsay has the ability to capture the hope and pathos of our modern times perfectly like when she writes the poem equivalent of “look for the helpers” in “In Florida, an Invasive Snail Is Helping Save an Endangered Bird.” She writes that “right this very minute someone, somewhere is holding the door open for a stranger/ conceding the parking space/ calling their mom back/ letting love override their long-held beliefs…”

Pre-orders really help debuts, so don’t forget to get your copy!

A Bit Much is a collection of beautiful poems by Lyndsay Rush.

I have long followed her on instagram and I am a proud sharer of the poems she has posted there.

This books is a wonderful continuation of her content from instagram.

I look forward to purchasing the physical book so that I can highlight the pages!

These poems were not my cup of tea. They feel like diary entries more than anything else. Lyndsay Rush is an interesting poet, but prose-wise, I didn't like how the poems came off as hokey and mediocre. I absolutely love poetry, but modern poetry seems to be lacking substance and intrigue. If you like silly and inspirational poetry, then you might enjoy this.

Lindsay Rush gained popularity on Instragram as maryoliversdrunkcousin for her fun, uplifting, sometimes snarky poetry. That all comes through with her published poetry collection. I think there’s an interesting question here about context: do poems that work on the internet necessarily work on the page?

Personally, I had a hard time separating the poems in the book from their original context. I felt like I was reading internet poems. If you’ve followed Rush on social media, the poems have everything you already know and love about Rush’s voice, with some of her biggest hits, such as the titular poem. This collection is easy to read. The messages are clear and empowering.

I read a poem about Rush’s niece accompanying her to the airport after a visit while I was spending time with family in my hometown. To my surprise, my two-year-old nephew said he wanted to ride in the car as my mom dropped me off at the airport at the end of my visit. The poignancy of that synchronicity will probably stick with me more than anything else, but I’ll be eager to return to this collection when I want a little nugget of uplift.

Recommended as a gift to your best friend. your sister, or yourself.

I absolutely loved A Bit Much. Rush created poetry that feels relatable and fresh, which is something that I often struggle to find when reading a poetry collection. My personal favorites in the collection were "Code Red," "All of the Awkward Things I Missed During the Pandemic," "Basically an Archaeologist," "Almond Joys," and "The Darkest Day of the Year." I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys poetry that feels a bit fun, but also cuts to the melancholy feelings that all of us have.

Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC.