A tender and poignant collection of poems. A beautiful cover to boot! The subject matter did not speak to me and held me back from really sinking into it. But I can see how it would be perfect for someone I could recommend it to.

I tend to be very picky with the poetry I do read but this was such a beautiful, honest and raw collection of poetry. Very enjoyable. Makes me look forward to future books.

Girl Made of Glass by Shelby Leigh is a captivating poetry collection that intricately explores self-discovery, forgiveness, and self-love in four compelling sections. "The Nightmares" delves into haunting past moments, while "The Mirror" turns inward to examine insecurities. "The Shattering" explores the emotional impact of relationships, and "The Enchantment" concludes with a hopeful message of self-love and growth. Leigh's emotive and raw language leaves readers with a deep sense of vulnerability and reflection. This powerful collection is a must-read for those seeking a poignant exploration of the human experience and understanding of oneself.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book, as this book has already been published, I will not share my review on Netgalley at this time.

This was such a beautiful and honest collection of poetry. I really enjoyed reading it and I'm looking forward to seeing what Leigh writes next.

Initially I requested this book as I am a big poetry fan and the cover is stunning, however I ended up connecting with the work on a much deeper and intimate level than I ever thought I would.

With themes of heartbreak, trauma, self-doubt, and self-love, this is a collection I would recommend time and time again to those who have gone through similar battles. Everything is laid bare and honest in this collection, allowing me as a reader to empathise and apply the work to my own experiences which is everything I look for in poetry.

"I imagine the yarn pooling at my feet.

I imagine the things I could make if I were free.

I imagine a world where I am not tied to overthinking, anxiety, trying to please everyone.

When I am anxious, I imagine yarn at my feet, but the truth is I don't know who I am without these knows tightening inside me".

Shelby's writing is sharp and precise, honing in on the grief many struggle with when facing the present or reflecting on past mistakes, but offers solace in a brighter tomorrow.

Firstly, I'd like to thank Netgalley and Central Avenue Publishing for the eARC for an honest review.

This is my first Shelby Leigh book but I've be part of her mailing list for a while. I was really interested to see what one of her poetry collections was like. This collection is split into four chapters: The Nightmares, The Mirror, The Shattering and The Enchantment. Each chapter explores something different. By examining the past and how it can haunt our lives, seeping into our future through overthinking. Rewiring how we think is explored throughout this collection. The book's journey goes from dark to light.

I really loved the cover and thought the formatting was lovely with Leigh's word art throughout adding another layer for the reader. I probably would have found this collections so helpful as a teenager but didn't find that I connected with it as much as I would have liked to.

I really loved this book! I am such a sucker for poetry, and this really delivered for me! Would highly recommend to fellow overthinkers like me :)

Girl Made of Glass is such a beautiful collection. From the gorgeous cover through to the hauntingly memorable words – this is the first book of poetry I’ve chosen in a long time and I really connected with Shelby Leigh’s experiences.

Focusing on heartbreak, insecurity and healing, this book should be essential reading for anyone on a journey toward self-discovery and self-love.

Confessions in particular hit me hard….’I’m trying’.

I really took my time with this book. It’s not a long book but it’s a heavy, meaningful book. I could have read it in a day but I really sat with the poems. Took the time to feel and get what the poet was saying and how it made me feel. It was a beautiful ride.

This is a collection of poems however for me it read more like small reminders you'd see on Instagram. I did enjoy it and I think if you were going through a breakdown of a relationship it would be great, it perfectly captures heartbreak. However, as I read the online version I dont think it worked as well as if it had been a hardcopy.

Thank you for the arc.

I found this read so comforting.

This is a beautiful collection about, amongst other things, how our past mistakes can linger in our present and impact our future.

“How much of who I am today is because of past mistakes? Which ones haunt me still? These are the kind of questions I found myself asking while reading this collection.

“i wonder who i would be today
if I hadn’t spent years trying so hard
to be someone else.”

And then there’s the other side of forgiveness and love for my younger self. There’s a sense of belonging in these pages.

This collection was relatable and accessible. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it an look forward to more from Shelby Leigh
I would recommend this to absolutely everyone who loves to read.
Pub Date: 24 January 2023

"Please promise me you'll never let the sadness win."

I loved this collection of poetry. Girl Made of Glass is a beautifully written look into mental health when dealing with issues centering around anxiety, self-esteem, and self-image.
Despite touching on insecurities and feeling the need to “fix” yourself, Leigh does end the collection with learning how to accept your faults and show yourself the love you deserve.

"I don’t know who I am without these knots tightening inside me."

I really enjoyed this book of poetry by Shelby Leigh. Some parts were tough to get through, because you could feel the sadness and self-loathing. But to get to "the enchantment" part is so worth it.

This is the type of raw emotional poetry that makes y9u feel understood. It is also the type of poetry that like a good angst song, does hit right when your feeling cheerful. The words are like salve for the soul. Knowing you are not alone in the dark. I applaud Shelby Leigh for being brave enough to share her soul with us.

“the bad memories sit heavy on my lungs / and i don’t have the strength to push them off. / they make it harder to breathe, / but that’s okay. / sometimes i feel like i don’t deserve / to breathe easy.”

So, I started the year with some poetry, and I am totally in love with this collection. This poetry book is split into four sections. The first is The Nightmares, which explores our past; the second is The Mirror, which deals with insecurities; the third is The Shattering, which looks at relationships and how they can break us; and the third is The Enchantment, which focuses on self-love and growth.

The Enchantment was probably the section I connected with the least, but not in the sense of disliking it, I just found more common ground within the other sections. I found this to be a bit of a self-help guide, showing me that it’s okay not to be okay, it’s normal to feel the way I feel, but I also need to remember to love myself. The poet’s words really resonated with me.

I read the poems to my girlfriend, who doesn’t read at all, and even she was gripped by the words within these poems. When I finished the collection, she even asked me why I’d stopped reading, wanting more. Which leads me on to my only negative… I read this way too quick! I was not ready for the collection to end.

I will be looking out for future collections from this poet.

“my past tries to haunt me, / but really it gives me hope. / because when i look back, / i notice how different i am today— / it gives me the strength to keep / moving forward.”

Thank you to NetGalley, Central Avenue Publishing and Shelby Leigh for this DRC in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve read a quote before that said “the book chooses the reader.” Well excuse me, this book of poetry chose me, then attacked me from the inside out. (in a good way) I really can’t remember how long it’s been since I picked up a poetry collection. They always seemed like the same thing over and over. This one felt like I could’ve written it myself. The only thing I didn’t like so much was the all lower case writing style. I know it’s a personal preference for the author most likely, but it messes with my brain. The overall message was relatable and beautiful. Thank you for sharing your soul. 💖

I didn’t think I liked poetry until I read this book.

Thank you to Central Avenue Publishing for this ARC from Netgalley.

Poetry isn’t usually my thing but this was so beautiful and emotional. The poems were very relatable and made me feel seen. Beautiful poems on, body image, self reflection and loving yourself.

I gave this 5 ⭐️.

This has made me want to read more poetry.

A lot of the works within this book were very hit or miss for me. I either loved them or I hated them. I think there could have been more diversity with the poetry rather than them all being focused on one thing. perhaps telling a story instead.