When I hear the word “poetry” I immediately feel intimidated because I’m not a poetry girl! But her poems go down easy. And by easy I mean they tug on your heartstrings and make you go “finally someone put this feeling into words!” This collection is equal parts finding yourself in her poems and finding perspective. I can’t pretend to know anything about poetry, but I can tell you how this book made me feel. It’s art meant to draw connection. Haters will say it’s not abstract enough, not complex enough. (Not stuffy enough!) But she describes life, and love and being a person so beautifully, so accurately, you can’t help but sink into every poem. So maybe I AM a poetry girl? Big thanks to NetGalley and St Martin’s press for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

I never considered myself a poetry lover until I found Lyndsay Rush “Mary Oliver’s Drunk Cousin” on social media.

Her writing is beautiful, the poems topical and relatable. I flew through this book and then went back to read it again a second time and savor it. Highly recommend.

Every couple of years I fall headlong into poetry and this I think marks the beginning of another poetry rabbit hole...

I absolutely was blown away by Lyndsay's poems. There is a lot of inspiration from her childhood, early adult years, dating years, life with a partner/spouse and all that comes with it (kids), about life in your 30s, about the pandemic, about work environments, about being a woman, etc.

I felt like she was peering inside so many windows into my lived experiences and this is a book I NEED a physical copy of.

If poetry isn't your jam, TRY this. It is relatable, readable, and reminiscent. It inspired me and will definitely be on my shelf to read again and again.

THANK YOU to #netgalley for a copy of this book. This volume of poetry will be published in mid-September.

I really enjoyed the first two parts and saved lots of quotes from them! The second two parts just felt cornier to me, so I didn’t connect with them as strongly.

I love poetry but have recently fallen into a slump.. It just seemed like I couldn’t find what I was looking for in a book of poetry. The cover of A Bit much was really cute and attracted me from the start. I’m so glad I found this one because it was really something special and just what I needed!

A lot of the time I feel like poetry speaks directly to the soul, and A Bit Much did just that. I loved how she split the poems by mood so I can find exactly what I need in the future. She writes about the female experience in such a beautiful, haunting way it made me want to just sit calmly while I let the words sink in.

I will for sure be buying a copy of this to have on my shelf to return to when I need it, and I know every time I read it I will find something new to relate to or love. That’s the best type of poetry, in my opinion.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press/St. Martin’s Griffin for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

After following Lynday's Drunk Mary Oliver instagram account, I've been inspired to read more poetry and was delighted to see she has a book of poems coming out this fall! I loved the way this collection is organized by mood -- no matter how I'm feeling, I'm able to grab a selection of poems that will make me feel slightly less alone. She includes a mix of funny poems and ones that are quite devastating, but they're all short, punchy, clever, and thought provoking. I so enjoyed the reading experience and know I will go back to this book time and again. Can't wait to hold a physical copy in my hands!

Thank you to St. Martin's for the early review copy.

Lyndsay Rush deserves everything good this world has to offer. I will take this book with me everywhere I go for the rest of my life. It will be concerning to most.

I've loved Lyndsay's poetry online for years, and this book is all the best of that work and more. Her voice is so uplifting, empowering, validating, freeing, kind, celebratory, and touching. This poetry collection is a topper 🎉

This book of poetry is something you will want to eat while closing your eyes and chewing slowly.

Lyndsay Rush has put together a collection of poetry that sums up what it means to live life to the fullest. Her poems simultaneously honor the aches and joys of womanhood, motherhood, and humanhood.

Page after page, poem after poem, is filled with words that will have you laughing and crying and whispering the lyrics to tubthumping. Run, skip, or cartwheel to your local bookstore to preorder this gem for everyone in your life who’s a bit much!

3.5 Stars

I haven't read a lot of poetry but I enjoyed these. I enjoyed the way it was organized and I spent a little time each day reading poetry. It was a nice break from all my other reading and I would shake my head agreeing with what the poem was about.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for the advance readers copy of this book. Really enjoyed this one!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this arc.

I loved this book of poems. It’s not Robert Frost and I certainly don’t want it to be. I knew I would love it, because I love Lyndsay’s Instagram account, Mary Oliver’s drunk cousin, which constantly makes me laugh and swoon in equal parts. Her irreverence, her humor, her candidness, her generosity, makes her poems untouchable and magical in many ways. Highly recommend!

Completely wonderful, as expected. What a joy to read. I was so looking forward to this work after following Rush on Instagram, and it did not disappoint.

A Bit Much, as a collection, has some great poems that help celebrate womanhood. I loved "Ordering from the Kids' Menu" and found it to be the poem that rang with me the most about how growing up and growing old are not the same thing.

I found the poems to be redundant and sometimes felt like trying too hard to sound cool and deep, but really did not need that much breadth. Overall, a fun collection of poems but leave more to be desired than the typical "Instagram Poet."

I can’t wait for all my gals to read these poems. We love @maryoliversdrunkcousin and we deserve this book.

I will not be publicly reviewing A Bit Much, unfortunately, due to the ongoing marketing boycott of St. Martin’s Press.

This is okay! I find that I read a lot of mediocre poetry these days and this pretty much slots right in there as well. If you like new-wave poetry it'll probably be your thing.

This collection just made me smile and feel warm and fuzzy. Rush’s words are funny and relatable. She gives you the tender gift of loving yourself more. It is a humorous declaration of self love. It was such a fun read.

Love everything Lyndsay writes! This book does not disappoint and I cannot wait to get a copy in my hand!

I wouldn’t know good poetry if it hit me over the head, but I thoroughly enjoyed this. No surprise as I’ve followed Lyndsay on Instagram for years and loved her writing there.

The collection was thoughtfully organized by mood and emotion, which I appreciated. I can see myself revisiting this over and over in the future.

now I don’t know anything about poetry…but I know that lyndsay rush does. I laughed, I cried, and sometimes i felt too seen I needed to close it and reflect. what a special gift this book is; and I can’t wait for it to be shared with the world!



thank you netgalley & st. martin’s press for the advanced copy!
out september 17th!