Cover Image: Look I Bought Plants

Look I Bought Plants

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

A simple straightforward book. Great for new plant lovers or people who have been gardening for years.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you Netgalley for letting me read and review this book. Look I Bought Plants is supposed to be a hilarious collection on daily life, friendship, and dating distills the millennial experience into 200 short and cheeky poems. I don't think the poems were very funny and they were basic. I liked some of the poems, but overall I did not enjoy this book.

Was this review helpful?

This is a book with some poems that - to me - don't really feel like poems at all. I know it is a satirical work, but I feel like it still should feel like the genre its trying to be? The drawings are very fun though.

Was this review helpful?

This was a cute little book but wasn't what I was expecting and wasn't really for me. I enjoyed the illustrations and a few pages made me chuckle, but overall this fell flat for me.

Was this review helpful?

Absolutely loved this book. Not my normal go to type of book but no regrets at all! Highly recommend.

Was this review helpful?

As well all know (and complain about a lot), adulting is hard. Sometimes you just need to stay in, get comfortable on the sofa, and enjoy poems about other people’s struggles with being an adult. Authors Eva Victor and Taylor Garron have collected their poems into Look I Bought Plants: And Other Poems about Life and Stuff, to help us all put into words the stress of having to deal with life as an adult.

With sections divided into Living, Friendship, Dating, and And Every Other Damn Thing, they share their thoughts about fitting into last summer’s swimsuit, watching Friends, Trader Joe’s frozen taquitos, roommates, being ghosted, group chats, edibles, Diet Coke, baseball caps, spin class, buffets, AirPods, and dogs.

Have you been catcalled by a myriad of men, none of whom were hot? Have you considered getting bangs as an alternative to processing your disappointment with your life? Do you think about Oreos more than any man you’ve slept with? Have you been drunk in the grocery store? Do you spend your time thinking about how your ancestors suffered so that you can smoke weed every day? If you answered yes to any of these, Look I Bought Plants may be the poetry book you need.

With self-deprecating humor with a large side of snark, Victor and Garron offer up questions and curiosities about modern life for readers to ponder, agree with, argue with, and laugh at. Look I Bought Plants would make a perfect gift for a good friend or someone you were wanting to turn into a good friend, for someone who is struggling with a challenging time of life, or for someone celebrating a milestone (like buying plants).

Witty and biting, honest and charming, this book points out the best and worst parts of being an adult, and that dealing with them all is something we all have in common. I really enjoyed Look I Bought Plants. It makes me feel connected to others and grounded in my own life. The authors’ openness about their own frustrations and shortcomings unites us, and I feel like I have found some of my tribe. This book may not be for everyone, though. There is some cursing, talk of sex, alcohol and marijuana. But if that’s your thing, then by all means, dive in headfirst, the water’s fine!

Egalleys for Look I Bought Plants were provided by Chronicle Books through NetGalley, with many thanks.

Was this review helpful?

This felt like the terrible attempt of a millenial trying to make fun of herself. And failing miserably. Honestly a shame that these "poems" weren't published during Tumblrs golden age because it would have been a hit.

Was this review helpful?

I really enjoyed this poetry collectioh! It's very similar to Milk and. Honey but even more relatable.. It's incredibly readable and it only took me an hour to read.. The tone is very sarcastic and it works for me!

Was this review helpful?

Funny quick read. Hits all the hilarious parts of being an adult at this time. There were quite a few poems I could relate too.

Was this review helpful?

Victor and Garron had me hooked after just a few pages. What is better honestly than self-deprecating poetry about our culture and the problems surrounding it today? I found this book of poetry particularly gift-able to the 20-something/30-something readers who will relate so deeply. It's sort of like reading 200 tweets (or scrolling on your phone for 20 minutes) but if all of the tweets were funny, well-written, and relatable.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Was this review helpful?

I loved the silly reflections ... the meatball sub and the one on the latte being my favorite. The R-rated parts were a little too frequent (but really how a mind might work). Overall, it was an enjoyable flip through and I will be looking at the book again. I wish there were more collections of glimpses like this!

Was this review helpful?

There as an art to what is sometimes referred to as “Instagram poetry.” I delight in it, I think when it’s nailed down it lacks a punch and really conveys meaning in a short amount of words. This, was not that. This was... lazy. Shower thoughts. Ramblings before bed when you’re on the phone with your friend and you think you said something clever but the next morning it’s not as clever. A few poems stuck with me but most just fell flat.

Was this review helpful?

Musings from a young college student? Possibly. I did laugh and find a few poems on the deeper side - would be a cute coffee table book. But I was expecting a little more substance.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for honest feedback. To put it bluntly, I did not like this book. This is a collection of “poems” that remind me of quirky IG posts or even just a parody of modern “poetry.” I know it’s supposed to be funny, not so serious. But I only liked maybe 1 or 2 out of everything that’s offered. I definitely wouldn’t spend money on this. Some of the pages are just a few words slapped on, and they’re not funny, insightful or important. Cant recommend, but I do think some of them are good and the cover is great.

Was this review helpful?

Funny, insightful and poignant. Great to read cover to cover or to dip into occasionally. This collection of short poems, presented as a stream of consciousness, is artfully and imaginatively arranged with sections on: living; friendship; dating; and every other damn thing..

Was this review helpful?

This book is reminiscent of other popular poetry novels, but with a bit more rude and candid. A fun, quick read for an afternoon with coffee.

Was this review helpful?

Look I Bought Plants and Other Poems About Life and Stuff by Eva Victor and Taylor Garron is a collection of ‘poems’ about life, friendship, and dating. The ‘poems’ read more like sayings and some were pretty relatable. My personal favorites were ‘why would I ever for any reason professional or personal leave my bed?’ and ‘I am a gemini sorry’ (because I am a gemini). #LookIBoughtPlants #NetGalley

Was this review helpful?

Look I Bought Plants was disappointing to me. It wasn't quite what i was expecting from the title. As well as not being my poetry style i normally prefer.

Was this review helpful?

I did not enjoy this. I know the poems and the authors were trying to be relatable and create art out of the hellish experience that is adulthood and this pandemic, but it felt like they were just complaining. I didn't feel any camaraderie with the experiences and didn't like the poetry form and style.

Was this review helpful?

This laugh-out-loud compilation of poetry for the slightly depressed is a self-deprecating, cynical, yet somehow positive peek into that weird in-between age of #adulting: are you failing or figuring it out? We’re all not sure, that’s what makes this so funny and relatable. It’s poetry for those everyday let downs. An ode to acting like you’ve got your shit together. If you think Mr. Noodles is a good lunch but you’re old enough to know it’s not - and you make it for lunch, anyway - you’ll love it as much as I did, you kindred spirit in bumbling around life, you.

Was this review helpful?