I’m so glad this book found its way into my life. I think Lutz is brilliant with words! The flow of each poem told a story, and I appreciated the honesty and vulnerability in them all. Thanks to NetGalley for the copy.

I received a copy of Schoolyard Crushes & Prozac Prescriptions by Tori Lutz thanks to the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I am not typically one for poem books, but the title of this one hooked me enough to give it a shot and I am glad that I did. There were multiple poems that resonated with me and phrases that struck me so hard I had to read them aloud to my husband (who had no desire to hear them but listened and was amused anyway). It was a short read and definitely worth it.

Loved the prose and felt the heartache and growing pains that one feels with mental health related issues.

I related to a lot of these poems, and the author did a fantastic job conveying mental illness in their words. I really resonated with ON A SCALE OF 1-10 HOW ARE YOU FEELING TODAY? I thought this was beautifully written and it hit me a little harder than I was expecting.

The Deppress-ipes was also one of those "oof, this is too real" poems because it is literally just about surviving with the basics of nothing.

I recommend anyone reading this if they love poetry and specifically if they have ever struggled with depression and/or anxiety.

Thank you for the chance to review this arc!

Tori Lutz’s Schoolyard Crushes & Prozac Prescriptions is a debut that feels like opening an old journal you forgot you kept — the kind filled with first heartbreaks, quiet panic, and the kind of honesty you only learn to speak after surviving yourself. Lutz writes with a softness that doesn’t dilute the pain, and a sharpness that doesn’t overshadow the hope. It’s a delicate balance, and she handles it beautifully.

What I appreciated most was how grounded these poems feel. They’re not dressed up or overly abstract; they’re lived‑in. You can feel the weight of mental health struggles, the confusion of early love, and the bittersweet nostalgia of looking back at who you used to be. There’s a through‑line of vulnerability that makes the collection feel cohesive, even in its brevity.

A thoughtful, emotionally honest debut that I’m grateful to have read.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This poetry collection focuses on early life and how crushes and mental health can collide side by side growing up.

Some Stand Out Poems To Me Were:

Even Good Stories End, alikening our stories, the pages of our life chapters and bookmark moments in life too that we remember even years on like revisiting chapters in a book.

If Hallmark Made A Card For Everything, was a funny ironic poem about even bad situations having a suitable card made for them even if inappropriate!

Mind Races, about how you can wonder if you linger on someone else's mind how they do in yours too.

Littlest Surprises, was a fun metaphorical poem about alikening a dress, to a partner, finding a fit and joy at surprises you encounter.

A great collection showing how growing up can be tough not just for facing crushes but also dealing with mental health too.

Thank you Tori Lutz for sending me this review copy for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The only way I can think of to describe this book is vulnerable chaos. There are so many emotions swirling around, and they suck you in and won't let you back out until you have finished the book. We dive into the depths of mental illness, pain, then back to joy and around and around we go. It's so mad and wonderful at the same time. It's hard living in a body that is full tilt intense 24/7 and Tori describes it perfectly.