3.5 stars

This one didn't resonate with me quite as much as some of their previous works, which of course is a completely subjective, personal experience. A handful of standout poems made me feel seen and validated, but generally this collection felt very, well, general - a lot of poems seemed to be about the same few topics/perspectives, and it felt like there were more platitudes ("life will work out, even if not in the ways you expected" type sentiments) than specifics. But because poetry in particular is so reflective of the reader's headspace as much as the author's, my emotional disconnect could absolutely be caused entirely from my end.

I've been a fan of Amanda Lovelace's work since the beginning. She Followed the Moon Back to Herself is written in a similar style and cadence to her other worse, even if it's autobiographical. Overwhelmingly, the development of this collection is Lovelace falling in love with herself and having self-confidence to navigate life on her own terms. It's beautiful and empowering.

I’ve loved Amanda Lovelace since her first poetry book. Reading her poems always lift me up and make me feel good. Reading this is like getting a hug when you didn’t realize you needed one.

Amanda Lovelace has created a classic masterpiece once again, fit to inherit the cosmos. Lovelace is an incredible poet, who's words always astound me. Definitely worth a reread.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. This book officially publishes on 10/29/24!

This poetry book is a quick but extremely important read. I am a fan of this author from her past books, and this one is something special. Equal parts endearing and empowering, it is the perfect picture of a self-love journey. I can absolutely see myself re-reading this one, and would recommend it to anyone needing a bit of empowerment in their lives. Even though I have received this as an electronic ARC, I will likely be purchasing a copy for my shelves for any re-reads. If you do decide to pick this one up, please check the relevant trigger warnings before doing so.

Thank you to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this poetry collection. I have been a fan of Amanda Lovelace for several years now and will read anything she puts out.

I received an e-ARC of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

I adore Amanda Lovelace's poetry. I relate a lot with her subject matter and reading her works gives me strength to get through my own situation. I will say that it does touch on sensitive subjects for those who may want to read it. I would give it 6 stars if I could. I also love the artwork on the cover and in this book.

she followed the moon back to herself is a poetry book about the author's personal life. In my opinion it could also be considered as one big poem, since they were all connected. If you're reading this poetry collection i advise you to read it all in one sitting. To me it wasn't anything memorable, i honestly think that i would have appreciate it more if it was only one. I'm not judging her story, because from what i understood is really intriguing and i would love to hear more about it, but the poems felt too simple. I literally cannot tell you anything about any of them. this is only my opinion and you might really connect with it as i hope you would, this just wasn't for me.

thank you netgalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for this arc.

Really lovely connection. Her poetry is very accessible and easy to approach and connect with. I think readers will appreciate the representation and connection.

I LOVED this !!!!

When I tell you I am running to the store the second this comes out to buy it, I mean it. I NEED to own it as soon as possible.

This was my first collection by Amanda Lovelace, though I've always seen her around and wanted to read her poetry and let me just say, after reading one collection, this collection, I am ready to call her my favorite poet. Truly, I loved this collection so much It was beautiful, enjoyable and relatable and I just cant wait for others to experience it!!!

I am so HONORED that I was picked to read this before its publication, truly an honor.

She followed the moon back to herself was a good collection of poems but none of them really stood out for me.

In her latest poetry collection, 'she followed the moon back to herself', Lovelace offers a captivating narrative of personal growth, self-discovery, and resilience.

If you enjoy Instagram poetry, this is likely right up your alley. That being said, Lovelace provides the following warnings about sensitive material in her preface: body image issues, eating disorders, self-injury, alcoholism, misogyny, religion, suicide, death, trauma (and possibly more). If any of these upset you, please tread carefully.

Lovelace's dedication sums up the book's themes nicely: "to the woman going through the darkest night of her soul — don’t give up yet. it gets better. it always gets better."

arc read! :)

I used to be a huge fan of Amanda when she made her debut in 2017, so I was extremely excited to see her new collection come out on NetGalley! I even used a quote from her first book as my high school graduation senior quote—I loved it that much. This book had a lot of self-reflection and self-love poetry that I gravitated towards. I especially enjoyed the poems on body positivity. No poem exactly stood out to me, however, which is reflected in the 3-star rating.

Thank you, NetGalley and Amanda, for this arc copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for allowing me to receive an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own

she followed the moon back to herself by Amanda Lovelace is filled with self love, personal growth, and acceptance. I have always been a big fan of her work and this is no exception! Thank you so much for sharing this part of yourself with us!

2.75 stars

It is so hard for me to rate and review poetry, because I feel like as a reader it either hits you or it doesn't. There was nothing structurally wrong with the prose, or the content, but it just wasn't meant for me at this time in my life, and that's okay.

I did find it a bit... lacking? Which is only why I dropped it slightly under 3 stars *for me*. It felt like it was just scratching the surface of some thoughts/feelings/topics that I could have related to, but didn't actually get into anything deep enough to grap my spirit.

With that said, there were a few poems that I bookmarked because I felt them, and if they were posted on Instagram I would absolutely share to story. But will I remember this in a few months or a year? Probably not. And again, that's okay.

I received an advance review copy for free from NetGalley, but I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Poetry has always been my go-to during reading slumps, and Amanda Lovelace’s words can pull me right back into the joy of reading. She writes with such beauty and vulnerability, weaving her signature fairytale themes into the journey of self-healing and empowerment. It made me appreciate the small, magical moments in life that we often overlook.

Although I couldn’t relate to every poem, they made me wish that those who need these words will find them. There’s something deeply healing about her writing—it feels like stepping into a fairytale where, despite the struggles, you know there’s hope on the horizon. Even the poems that didn’t resonate with my personal experience reminded me to look beyond myself and appreciate the different paths others are on.

Amanda’s poems are a reminder to embrace the beauty of transformation, and her work leaves you feeling stronger and more connected to the world around you. I highly recommend this collection for anyone looking for something to inspire and comfort.

This book was a tad too Instagram poetry-vibes for me. I enjoyed some of the poems. Most were just okay. I loved the themes and the art. Overall, the book didn’t have that many poems. I was able to read the entire book in about 30 minutes, which I don’t think would be worth buying yourself unless you plan on rereading it a bunch of times.

Trigger warnings (as stated in the preface):
Body image issues
Eating disorders
Self-harm
Alcoholism
Misogyny
Religion
Suicide
Death
Trauma

Thank you to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have always found it very easy to immerse myself into Amanda’s poetry, even if poetry was something I hated in school. The way they write makes it very easy to understand and relate to. The only part I struggle with, is that it seems to be the type of poetry I would’ve found on tumblr in the 2010s. Which is neither a good or bad thing.

Thank you NetGalley for sharing Amanda Lovelace’s latest book. I adore Lovelace and regularly share her other works - I am the friend that will push poetry on you even if you say you don’t like poetry. I’m a poetry peddler.

If you like Lovelace’s work you’ll enjoy she followed the moon back to herself. This reads very much like her other books in style, tone and subject matter. For those reasons I loved it. I also would have loved to see a little more growth, a take on a different angel, something that seemed a new. So I loved, this is a strong 4 star but it falls short of the 5 star for me because there’s a promise of more right around the corner.

First, a big thank you to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for the ARC of Amanda Lovelace’s poetry collection “She Followed the Moon Back to Herself" – “the tenth poetry collection from Amanda Lovelace deviates from the well-worn path of fairy tales & myths, instead bringing readers face to face with the person behind the poems that have made her beloved.”

I will start by saying I love Amanda Lovelace - I have been following her and her work for a while and have loved everything she’s created. I believe that I own quite a few of her works. She is the poet who really got me into reading poetry more often.

The content of this collection is about learning how to accept and love oneself. Her poems are uplifting, encouraging, and it shows understanding on a deeper, more complicated level. This is definitely a collection that you can read any time of year, and especially when you need to reconnect to yourself. This is a beautifully written, powerful collection that is honest and self-reflective.

As always, the illustrations in the book are also amazing and fit with the poems. Definitely a must buy for me.

I received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.