Scan barcode
violetbooklover's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Body shaming, Chronic illness, Confinement, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, and Sexual harassment
kalira's review against another edition
3.75
The one that hits hardest for me remains, however, the very first one - In The Shape Of A Poem
Graphic: Body shaming, Eating disorder, Homophobia, Self harm, Medical content, Medical trauma, Abortion, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Sexual assault
pabi's review against another edition
3.0
Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use, Self harm, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Pregnancy
diana_raquel's review against another edition
4.5
“It is one thing to want help and another to have the language to ask for it.”
Sweet, Young, & Worried by Blythe Baird is a collection of poems about suffering and healing, love, queerness, loss, mental health, and feminism. I didn't know what to expect from this book. I don't read a lot of poetry (I try to read more, I swear), but the title of this book caught my attention and I decided to enter the giveaway. Imagine my surprise when I receive an email telling me that I had won a digital copy!
It was a pleasant surprise in the sense that I love it! The poems are raw and emotional. Some of them touch on very serious and dark themes that can be triggering to some people. Others just "hit the feels" and makes a person feel understood. As someone who struggles with mental health and anxiety, some of these poems were very relatable. I felt seen and understood.
I didn't know what to expect from this book, but I love it and I have plans to read other books by the author. Really recommend it!!
Graphic: Eating disorder, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Abortion, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, and Homophobia
kylakahrin's review against another edition
5.0
I first heard Blythe Baird’s poetry through the Button Poetry youtube channel nearly 10 years ago. I bought her previously published poetry collection, If My Body Could Speak, as soon as it hit shelves back in 2019 and have read it many times over the last three years. I am so honored and grateful to have gotten an eARC of this newest collection of her work.
As I expected it to, Blythe’s writing hits me like watching old home videos. I am, thankfully, not in the depth of my mental health struggles like I was when I first found Blythe’s spoken word. Still, her words resonate with a part of me that will only ever hibernate and never fully retire. My favorite pieces in Sweet, Young, and Worried were “This Must Be Enough” and “Guilt Doesn’t Live Here Anymore.” Growing up with her poetry and reading it again now has made me appreciate and grieve the years I spent in the same boat as her. It’s heavy and hard to swallow but it’s real and it’s important. Massive TW for eating disorders, self harm, suicide and suicidal ideation, and abortion.
5⭐️
Thank you Netgalley and Button Poetry for the eARC!
Graphic: Eating disorder, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Abortion, and Suicide attempt
angelsowllibrarian's review
2.5
I was hoping that this poetry book with lead more with queerness and healing than ED and SH like the author's previous books. But, as the author wrote in the book, "I still don't know how to write about the things that didn't hurt." I understand that both ED and SH are things that linger, but I have finally gotten myself out of that mental space so reading this felt a bit like backsliding for me. Or like trying to be nostalgic about being sick again, if that makes sense.
I enjoyed the longer poems because they felt more substantial to me than the shorter ones did. I understand why there are more short, bite sized poems than there are long, deeper poems. Poetry like this is very personal and making yourself open and vulnerable for strangers to have pieces of. I just wish there was maybe a few more longer poems to think more deeply about. I enjoy the author's voice so I'm looking forward to the day when they're able to write about more than things that hurt.
Moderate: Eating disorder, Homophobia, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Animal death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Grief, Abortion, and Suicide attempt
james1star's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Eating disorder, Mental illness, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Suicide, Abortion, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Homophobia and Sexual assault