3-3.5

closer to 3.5
maybe even 4

"it'll be you, deciding your life deserves hope. making a life worth believing in."

"when i was twenty-five, i wanted to sign up for dance lessons, but i thought i was too old. that it was too late. if i could go back in time, i would shake my shoulders & say, listen to me- we are only here for a second. you will be young for every moment of your life, & then you will be gone. don't waste another second of the music wondering if it's too late to dance."

i think this may be one of the best poetry collections i've read.

it's all about life, experiences, getting through the cloudy grey days, it is so connected to everyday life & it reminds you to never stop living. this collection is such a great reminder to never give up on yourself & to never stop living. it's easy to get caught up in everyday responsibilities, but it's good to remember that you have to live your life, you have to believe in yourself and you have to try & do all the things you want to in this life because only one thing is guaranteed & it's that everyone dies. it's a very inspiring collection, this is definitely one i would flip back to to remind myself to live life to the fullest.

this was a nice collection of poems! It was a quick read since it was a short collection of poems, but I was enjoying reading them!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for this complimentary ARC in exchange for an honest review!!

I flew threw these poems and absolutely loved them. The author does a great job of infusing her views and beliefs without being overwhelming with them. The collection is hopeful and bright, and a breath of fresh air.

3.75 stars.

‘Welcome to the world. You’re going to get hurt here, and then you’ll beg for seconds:

Can I have just a few more seconds?’

A nice collection of poems :)

This is Victoria’s first book! I look forward to reading more of her work.

Ideal for any poetry reader.

I'd never heard of this author and don't typically read poetry but I was intrigued by the cover and the description of this book so decided to give it a tryl.

I read it in one sitting as it's really short and I've always found poetry format so much faster to read. I really enjoyed this book. Some of it isn't what I would consider poetry. More like a mixture of poetry, passages, and thoughts. The poems on body-image and eating disorders had the biggest impact on me as I've went through that my entire life so I could really resognate with it. This book was a pleasant surprise and I recommend.

This book is really lovely. Maybe it's my age, perhaps its my life experiences, but a lot of these poems resonated very deeply. Nostalgia, struggles with life, trying to be yourself in a society that tells you not to be, these poems deal with these subjects. I'm really glad I came across this book.

Make Believe by Victoria Hutchins is an astute and utterly beautiful collection that resonated quite deeply with me. These are verses that I will revisit again and again, and they will undoubtedly hit in new and profound ways each and every time, reflecting the ever-evolving journey of the self. Highly recommended.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Convergent Books for an ARC.

What a nostalgic poetic collection. I loved this so much. These short poems were so well written, with so much feeling and a poignancy that won’t be forgotten. If you are needing a quick, deep, collection of depth - look no further. I loved this!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This anthology of poems related through a persons life, but showing emotions that each and every person has felt. These poems allow you to be seen and understand the world doesn’t end in bad situations. Thank you NetGalley and Convergent Books for this ARC!

What a beautiful collection of whimsical human emotion. I wouldn't so much call these poems as pretty, bite-sized, thoughtful insights, which is a complement (better than poems in my opinion!). They made me feel better knowing other people feel the same pricks of the pain of life as I do (some pain pricks, some stabs).

Thank you Convergent Books and NetGalley for this ARC!

There were a couple poems that completely blew me out of the water. "unbiting the apple" and "high-school best friend" were absolutely beautiful. I re-read them several times, they were that good! Similarly, this line is one of new favorite quotes: "I don't know the way out of your woods, but I'll stay with you in the neck of them". That aside, I prefer poetry that is a bit more abstract. The writing felt less lyrical and more to the point.. Because of this, Make Believe didn’t resonate with me as much and I would have hoped.

I enjoyed this collection, but it didn't strike me as unfamiliar. I felt like I was reading a lot of the same poems I've read in other collections, just re-worded. Not to say that they were cliches necessarily, just not as insightful as I look for in poetry.

{Thank you bunches to NetGalley, Victoria Hutchins and publisher Convergent Books for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!}

I'd never heard of this author and don't typically read poetry but I was intrigued by the cover and the description of this book so decided to give it a whirl. I read it in one sitting and really enjoyed this book. Some of it isn't what I would traditionally consider poetry. Maybe a mixture of poetry, passages, and myth-like stories. I felt more connected to nature, my body, the beauty of life, living in the present, interconnectedness. The poems on body-image and eating disorders and aging and death had the biggest impact on me. This book was a pleasant surprise and I recommend, especially for existential, creative, imaginative individuals who are desiring more connection/appreciation for their bodies and the earth/cosmos.

Thank you NetGalley and Convergent Books for this ARC!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. This book is absolutely beautiful and nostalgic. I resonated with a lot of the poetry because of things going on in my life currently, but it did nothing but bring me so much hope for the future and why I am still here. If you are struggling, please please read this! Victoria Hutchins has become a new favorite poetry author for me.

Thank you to the publisher Convergent Books and to NetGalley for this advance readers copy in exchange for my honest feedback. Oh how I needed this book in my life right at the perfect time. It spoke to me. It made me smile. It made me cry. It made me realize I am not alone on this crazy scary journey we call life. Sometimes I feel the world is too loud and everything about living every day scares me. Thank you to the author for writing this beautiful piece. It will be one that will stick with me for a long time.

I absolutely cannot wait to purchase this book of poems for each and every single one of my friends. From the very first poem I instantly connected and felt each word and line. I was sent on a wave of emotions and felt like I was journeying through life with the author. Several poems hit deep, especially the ones dealing with body image and the poem Permission Slip resonated on a level I can’t describe. I have a feeling this will be a book of poetry where it’s read and re-read where the spine will become worn and broken just as my Rupi Kaur books have become. Victoria Hutchins has a gift with words and capturing what it is to be a woman and this millennial cannot wait to read more from her. This book of poems is “a reason to stick around for awhile”.