I don't often pick up poetry, but when I saw the name of this collection, it instantly caught my eye. Seeing that it was written by a Chicagoan, I knew I had to give it a go! I enjoyed this collection so much! Byas doesn't shy away from any topic and her poems bring you through all the emotions - anger and disgust on her behalf, nostalgia as she recalls childhood memories and experiences, just to name two. I grew up in Chicago, albeit in a different part of the city, and the personality and life that Byas gives Chicago in this collection shines through and brings me right back home. I am sure to pick up anything else Byas puts out!

Many thanks to NetGalley for letting me read a preview copy of this via audiobook. The poems were so personal and intimate that I found myself closing my eyes and imagining I was experiencing the scenes she was painting with words, including smells. So vivid! Great job narrating too, it really drew me in

I liked these poems about growing up in Chicago. The poet deals with growing up in a city, being a young woman and the challenges that come with that. The poems were easy to read but powerful

This is the first poetry I've read since college. This is a beautiful book. The writing is wonderful and I really felt connected with the author. These poems are very personal, Byas really bares her soul.

4 ⭐️ One of the best poetry collections I’ve had the pleasure of reading. This is a personal, vulnerable, and intimate collection of poetry depicting the author’s experiences growing up in the South Side of Chicago as a Black woman. It explores everything from a Wendy’s drive thru to sex to the author’s relationship with God and everything in between. Listening to the audiobook has the bonus treasure of being read by the author herself, adding another layer of meaning to an already meaningful collection.

Thank you to NetGalley, HighBridge Audio, and Taylor Byas for the free audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Taylor Byas poetic voice must be heard! I found her narration to be very soothing and subtle in its approach but always powerful in its delivery. It's a privilege to listen to a poet read and even more when they read their entire book and I feel forever grateful after this delightful listening experience.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to listen and review this audio book.

It's been a while since I've read a poetry book this moving and been rendered speechless. If you have the book and the audio book, that would be ideal, but it wasn't necessary for me to understand the poems.

Byas's narration is so calming and relaxing that I almost found myself being serenaded to sleep (in a good way, I promise!). Her words are very clear and the hint of sass in some of the poems came out clearly.

Halfway through this book I was already recommending this to my students.

I'm picking up the book itself to revisit.

A beautiful and cohesive collection! I don't always love poetry, but I enjoyed the structure and how raw the author's emotions were. I highly recommend.

This collection of poems centers around the author’s experiences growing up in Chicago as a black woman. Byas explores themes of family dynamics, community, abuse, and self-discovery, offering vivid insights into various aspects of life. Her writing is vibrant, bringing each moment to life with emotional resonance. It’s some of the best contemporary poetry I’ve encountered, although admittedly my exposure to the genre is limited. I look forward to seeing more by this author!

Favorite poems:
The Early Teachings
You From “Chiraq”?

I often struggle to fully understand poetry. It’s one of my least read genres but listening to poetry read by the author is really special. The title alone is so clever and learning about someone’s life in such an intimate format is always such an honor.

Happy pub day to I DONE CLICKED MY HEELS THREE TIMES by Taylor Byas! I loved this poetry book! It was inspired by The Wiz and each section is titled a song from the musical. These poems revolve around the south side of Chicago, family, relationships and sadness. I loved the references to Beyoncé, Dr. Dre, Jay-Z and Urban Outfitters. I loved the emotional poems that explored how some men imposed on her womanhood, body, and sexuality. I loved the varied forms which included an elegy, free verse and erasure. My fave poems are This Kill Bill Scene Has Me Thinking About Weave and Girl-Fights and Men Really Be Menning. This is one of my fave poetry books of 2023! I just reread this on audio read by the author and I loved it!

ARC audiobook provided in exchange for an honest review.

I love how this book of poetry is narrated by the author! It really brings the words to life to hear them read how she wrote and envisions them! Many of the poems have a much deeper meaning involving relationships, friends, and family, and discovering who you are. I truly enjoyed her work and look forward toward to reading what she releases in the future!