It's no surprise to me that this book is a 5 star read.

I've been following Victoria Hutchins on Instagram for a while and I love how authentic, gentle, and kind she is. This book felt like her presence; it felt like a soft hug from someone you love. The way Hutchins describes death is so beautiful and loving. Hutchins entire viewpoint during this book is love being behind everything. This didn't feel like just rhymes and riddles but thought-provoking poems that gave me hope.

I highly recommend this especially if you are a sensitive person. Victoria Hutchins has got our back.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me an Advanced Readers Copy of this book.

First off, thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me the absolute privilege of getting to experience this poetry collection ahead of time in exchange for an honest review.

I am struggling to know exactly what to say here because the only thing that comes to mind initially is; yes. Just yes, yes, yes.

This poetry collection flows beautifully. I really enjoyed the layout of the book and the different sections. I found it easy to read and yet it gave me pause a few times as I had to really sit with a few of the poems.

Initially, I was almost weary the first time that god was mentioned in a poem, as I have a different experience of god than within religion. As I kept reading though, and Victoria explored the concept of god in another couple poems, I knew I found a poet who just resonated with me.

These poems are digestible, honest, relatable, hopeful, and more. They really do explore the challenges with being human sometimes, but what is different is there's an uphill path to hope throughout them. I hadn't realized how much I needed to read a few of these at the exact moment I did, honestly.

I am absolutely going to be looking for more from this poet! I hope she continues to write and share with the world. <3

*I will be posting a review to instagram within the next week as it gets even closer to publication. Ig: @readwithbee

"Make Believe" is a collection of poetry that you'll wish you could have stumbled upon and experienced during your lowest lows, or when you felt as if no one understood you, or you felt worthless, or believed life wasn't worth the effort. If you're in a place where you still feel this way, or there's an unhealed piece of you who brings these thoughts back to mind, "Make Believe" is the perfect book of poetry to pick up.

The section of "Make Believe" that resonated with me the most was "Part III: A World Where Hope Grows Back". I found many of the poems throughout this section to be beautifully written and illustrate deeply painful and personal human experiences that many people struggle to vocalize. The messages throughout this section are some that I would share with loved ones or my therapy clients, or just re-read for myself when I need to! Another aspect of Hutchins's poetry that I resonated with were topics related to body image and not feeling worthy.

This was one of the best collections of poetry that I have read in a long time! Poetry is so personal that it can be hard to "judge". However, the topics and experience that Hutchins writes about are so universal that I believe many women and girls will connect to this book in a variety of ways. Thank you to NetGalley, Convergent Books, and Victoria Hutchins for providing an early digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts and review!

I cannot stress enough how worth it this book is if you love poetry. I truly believe that books find you at the right time, and Make Believe was no exception—it cut right to my heart. Victoria writes about growing up within yourself in a world that can be so hurtful, but she weaves in layers of humor and hope that make it all the more powerful.

This was a beautiful book of poetry. Hutchins is one to watch. Her voice is easy to resonate with and her words are lyrical.
“When was the last time you were alone with your heartbeat and the sky?”
So gorgeous.
Thankful for this ARC.

This delicious collection of poetry left me emotionally wrung out in the best possible way. It’s full of nostalgia, hope and encouragement. Hutchins’ writing wraps around you like a hug from your best friend. It’s beautiful and deep while still being simple and accessible. It’s a book that I would suggest to women of all ages. It’s truly a reminder that we can find joy in magic in every corner of life if we just look.

I’m an avid listener of Victoria Hutchins’ podcast Soul Gum, so when I heard she was releasing a debut poetry collection I knew I would have to pick it up as soon as possible. These poems are beautiful, conjuring up images of childhood, the bittersweet nostalgia of discovering that the world is not as we thought it was — for the bad, but also for the good. I highly recommend this collection if you’re in the need of a pick-me-up.

Make Believe is a modern "poetry" collection that just feels like all the other poetry that is getting published these days and I'm feeling over it. I would like to see something different coming out in the poetry world.

I was unfamiliar with Hutchins before reading this lovely collection. We tend not to read poetry these days, which is too bad, Take these poems, which move through the phases of life, one at a time to savor the language and appreciate the message Hutchins is sending. Thanks to netgalley for the ArC. For fans of both poetry and Hutchins.

I am not usually one for poetry of any kind but I adored this so much. It is so gorgeous written and I cannot wait for the book to be officially released so I can post quotes because I highlighted so much in my arc copy. I very rarely highlight in books and I was highlighted so many lines because this book was beautiful and so many lines were so impactful and I will be thinking about this book for the rest of time. It is getting bought as soon as it comes out because I need to share with the world this book. I need to get everyone I know a copy of this because of how much I loved it

I enjoyed this collection and think it will be perfect for those who are just getting into poetry! I like the themes and that I could understand and relate to most of it. There are quite a few poems that I really liked, but a lot of it was just ok/not as memorable. I think it could have been shortened and still gotten its point across.

My favorite poems were:
- welcome to the world
- come out, come out, wherever you are
- birthday cake recipe (feeds none)
- shapeshifter
- what peace weighs
- let her eat cake
- reasons to stick around for a while
- that’s cringe
- object permanents
- things I don’t say to strangers I used to know
- for the one you don’t know how to help
- playing god
- what heaven spells like
- don’t save joy for last

I also enjoyed the passage “Open the door when pain knocks, but leave the porch light on for joy.” And “We forget: From outside the cocoon, it looks like nothing is happening.”

When I heard that The Daily Victorian was writing a poetry book I didn't imagine that I'd actually be approved for it. I've had two of her poems saved on insta for God knows how long and they've helped me through so much that I was fully planning on just getting the book in March.

I guess I'll be getting the audiobook then.

The five star review is a good summary of what I feel for this book; I adore it. I read some of the poems while having a cry. I needed a bit of hope and something to keep going; and I'll keep coming back to them. Victoria Hutchins says all the things I used to believe in when I had hope. It feels like a hug in a book.

I will say that you should check out some of her poems on insta before reading the book or even just go for the audiobook directly. Being able to read them in her voice does help a lot.

Thank you NetGalley and Convergent books for the chance to read and review this ARC!

Was so happy to get the e-ARC of this poetry collection, as I am a huge fan of the author's wonderful hopeful social media presence! I loved the second person narration. Interesting reflections on childhood/ girlhood and how we can keep those versions of ourselves alive. Would be a great collection for people getting into poetry. Overall a great pick me up collection.

I am newly getting into poetry as I have seen some collections on bookstagram and have found myself really resonating and expanding my thoughts by them. This is the first poetry book I have read and it did not disappoint. This is a beautiful collection of reflection on childhood, on what was lost along the way, and of nostalgia. It really made me reflect on some many self beliefs and and "shoulds". This book gives messages of healing and self discovery, and finding joy and I think we could all use that in today's world. Thank you so much to the author for sharing her words with us. Thank you to the publishers for allowing me the opportunity to ARC read this. I look forward to having a physical copy on my shelf some day.

Make Believe is a beautiful collection of poems that takes you through a journey through life. First we start out asking ourselves to bottle up the magic and wonder of youth, then move to awkwardness of growing up. Eventually the collection comes around to thoughts about Heaven and even Death. While it is often very difficult to connect with EVERY poem in a collection, this collection, as if reflects on life, likely has something for everyone.

There are several themes through ought the collection including the questioning of religion, sexuality, performative womanhood, growing up in the digital age and the meaning of life. If you are someone interested in exploring the these ideas, I would recommend giving this collection a read. Again, some poems didn't land as hard as others for me, but I tend to expect that when I'm reading a collection. I pull out what resonates and leave the rest for someone else to love.

Personally, I found that these poems were well written, poignant, and became my overall favorites;
1. Sugarcoat
2. It's not too late
3. is the party dead already
4. shapeshifter
5. so relatable
6. you can work when you're dead
7. same love. different language

Overall, I enjoyed Hutchins' take on these deep and meaningful topics and her use of metaphor throughout her work. While there were entries that did not resonate directly with me, I hope that the intended audience finds those pieces.

I don't read a lot of poetry, but I follow Victoria Hutchins on social media and love her thoughts on life so I was hopeful I'd like her book of poetry, too.

I didn't just like it, though, I loved it. The poems in Make Believe touch on mental health, body image, falling in (and out of) love, sexuality and so much more. They're thoughtful, heartfelt and sometimes even a bit dark, but never without hope.

If you've ever felt nostalgic for what was, heartbroken, lost, or confused about who you are or your place in this world, then this book is for you. I bookmarked and highlighted so many of the poems and I'll be going back to this book over and over again.

Favorite quote: "I have so much to do, you always say. But the doing always gets done. It's the living you should keep an eye on."

Thank you to NetGalley and Convergent Books for providing this book for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I recently read a book of poems that was empowering and a little angry. It felt like that was what this was trying to be but came off as someone with depression venting. Having said that, I feel like when I was depressed, I might have found this more relatable/likable but at this point in my life I did not relate to these poems and found it hard to read.

this book?? highlight-worthy as heck. i swear i was fighting for my life not to underline every other sentence. victoria hutchins has this way of making you feel like she’s sitting next to you, reading your mind, and putting your exact emotions into words. it’s not the kind of poetry that tries to be all deep and complicated—it’s simple, raw, and relatable in a way that hits straight to the chest. like, ow.

what to expect:
✔️ nostalgia & childlike wonder
✔️ soft existential crises (but in a hopeful way)
✔️ poetry that feels like a hug
✔️ themes of healing, self-discovery & joy

the poems feel like diary entries—sometimes messy, sometimes repetitive, but always honest. there were a few that confused me, a few that felt like they were saying the same thing in different ways, but honestly? i didn’t mind too much.

if you’re in a weird place in life, feeling lost, or just need a little reminder that hope still exists, this book is for you. nothing extravagant, nothing overly profound—just simple, beautiful words that remind you to believe again.

thank you to netgalley, the author, and the publishing team for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Final review to come in the future, maybe, but here's the short of it at 3am after finishing Make Believe.

Sometimes you come across something at the right time, and it makes you cry and feel like the world isn't quite so unsightly and impossible. That was this little book of poetry.

Like most (if not all) poetry there were lots of poems that didn't resonate for me, but there were a few that did and that is special. The whole experience was consistent - easy but not inane. I have had a difficult time with poetry from "instagram poets". I find Rupi Kaur's poetry atrocious, for example. This was a risk but it paid off in pleasantness. There's nothing groundbreaking; it's not going to echo in your mind as poetry that changed the words and the world because of it. But, it might just make you take a breath and feel the air there and be in the moment, and that's enough.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Convergent Books for a free e-arc of this title in exchange for a review.

I really enjoy how nostalgic this book makes me feel! Would definitely recommend reading, fast paced and enjoyable