Thank you NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing

I think you can really see the growth in her writing in this one. I do prefer it so much more over her previous works. It is a good poetry collection to read when you are on your healing process and in your love yourself era.

First thank you to NetGalley without you I would not be able to read this book.

Second, I loved this book so much I found so many poems that I loved. I felt I related to some of the poems. My favorite was that’s just how it goes sometimes. Because let’s face it that is life. When you read it you will relate to so much of it. At least that’s how I felt.

Third, go buy this book.

While there are certain aspects of this collection of poetry by Amanda Lovelace that I can appreciate, I've found that I don't care for poetry that is overly personal in nature. I prefer to be able to relate to the poetry that I read and this was not a collection I could relate to at all.

I have always loved Lovelace's work. I find myself feeling a lot of the same feelings as she does and she explains it so well. As someone who struggles to put my thoughts and feelings into anything that makes sense I really appreciate how she captures it. Always a fan and super happy I had the opportunity to read this.

Such a beautiful collection of poems!

Firstly, I LOVED the illustrations, they are stunning and deserve a review of their own in all honesty. This whole book felt so thoughtful and intimate from the dedication at the beginning all the way through to the last poem.

Amanda’s honesty cuts through so clearly in this collection and there are some really vulnerable and raw moments. Saying this, I was amazed by how respectful they are when talking about negative experiences involving others and the peace they have found with the good and bad they’ve encountered.

This book is dripping with maturity and character growth and the butterfly illustrations make sense because I really felt an evolution of perspective throughout the poems.

I also admired the contrast between big, heavy topics and simple humble gratitude of hazelnut lattes - this felt like a real story told through the medium of poems and that comes through so strongly.

Structurally, it would’ve been nice to have sections (empowered, weak, brave etc) as some of the poems were organised together with similar themes and it became repetitive if I didn’t know that this section was going to be about self empowerment or family relationships etc.

Also would’ve loved some more work on Amanda’s relationship with her craft as that was mentioned in the intro so it would’ve been nice to see that fleshed out a bit more.

⭐⭐⭐⭐✨

I just ADORE Amanda Lovelace, she never disappoints with her authenticity. I so appreciate her ability to emulate and articulate real life human struggles. This collection feels like a chat with a dear friend, reminding you of your own power and beauty. Amanda’s poems inspire and uplift, making you feel seen and understood. 💖 Her words are simple yet profound, lessons of pain, resilience, and triumph. This book is a heartfelt reminder that we all have the strength within us to save ourselves. Absolutely loved it!

I am obsessed with the cover and all the PINK! I can't wait to purchase a physical copy - so beautiful!

Thank you NetGalley, Andrews McMeel Publishing, & the author for my ARC!

I haven't read from Lovelace in a while, and to be honest, I expected her writing to be a bit more mature after all these years. I think the topic is great, I appreciated how it followed a healing storyline, and their metaphors are great, however, the majority of the poems feel like Instagram captions with "Who's Afraid of Little Old Me" by Taylor Swift as the attached song to the post, which is perfect for some people, but isn't my kind of poetry

I’ve been a big fan of Lovelace since “The Princess Saves Herself”. I was SO excited to see a new collection from her and immediately read the entire thing. I think what I am discovering is that I prefer the angrier/sadder poetry vs the “I’m healed and positive about life” poetry. The collection was good and there were a few I saved that really hit home but the majority of the collection just unfortunately did not do it for me. I’m so happy that Lovelace is finding their peace and healing from the trauma they’ve endured but I guess I’m just a sucker for things that remind me of mine.

Amanda Lovelace’s works will always hit for me and this was no exception. I think it’s that Amanda has deep and important messages, but the fairytale and whimsicalness intertwined gives a sense of lightness and hope to even the darkest of themes. I feel like I could trust her with my innermost feelings because she’s trusted us with hers. Although I don’t know that anything’s gotten to the level of their very first *for me,* I loved the self discovery and building up of others that were reiterated throughout this collection. The aesthetic of this one was also great for me; I loved the lunar themes of the illustrations.

It’s always a bit difficult to review poetry collections, as there are some poems that really hit home and others that are just meh.
Overall, I always enjoy Amanda Lovelace’s poems and this one is no exception. I forever love the imagery and emotion put into each poem and I just enjoy this style of poetry.
Highly recommend, especially if you have enjoyed their other works.

There were poems in there that really hit home with me. I love her style so much. I already have this book pre-ordered for the library I work at. I can't wait to share it with library patrons.