This book of poetry is about motherhood and battling postpartum depression. I have experienced neither, yet that didn’t matter one bit. These poems are raw, real, beautiful, and powerful. Not only are the poems brilliant, but they also form a complete, well-rounded collection. Emmie, your poetry is truly exquisite. You are an incredible mom. You already had me crying on page one of your message to your daughter. Also, Emmie, and all other moms out there who have suffered from postpartum depression, as well as all moms generally, I’m sending you the biggest telepathic hugs. You are incredible, you are so strong, you are brave, you are so so loved, and you are doing such a good job raising another human.

To anyone who likes poetry or is a mom or knows a mom or has experienced the burdens of grief or sadness or depression or not feeling like you’re enough or like you’re doing enough, read this collection of poems. They are truly special.

Favorite poems:
Here, now
Prelude
Unsensing
Blues
Imposter
The dragon
My dagger
Crossroads
I will not
Hope
Make some noise
All I ask of you
Feel
Living
From me to me
One
Explained
Ours
The next best
In the end

I felt a good bit of these poems in my SOUL. It’s like seeing someone else describe how my PPDA was and I am sobbing. I absolutely loved this so much and it was such a short and quick read but the emotional impact of it was so spot on. If you’re a mother, I definitely recommend checking these short poems out.

Thank you so much to Emmie Vale and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-Op for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This poetry collection is a bold and raw look into life post birth when it should be all joyous, instead depression and overthinking takes control and Emmi has really captured her experience and perspective of the situation she lived through and all she experienced with emotional detail.

Some stand out poems to me were:

An Omen, on the early pain of nothing going right and feeling nothing can or will.

Missing Records, lack of evidence of anything you raise being concerned and worried about.

She, Selfless, about the strength of a lone new mum and all they have to do caring for themselves as best they can and this nee little dependent one too.

k.o, was a literal reflective poem, of how we say the opposite to stop worry so instead of everything being ok, it's not but we wish to raise no concern.

I Count To One, I relate to so hard as an only child I realise growing up I was so lucky and my parents gave so much and I've seen others with siblings struggling more with timelessness from parents and pain of them splitting for reasons eventually too where as for one life can be more stable and the family unit stronger, one can mean a strong family unit for sure despite what anyone says, an only one is a precious one and the self awareness of putting them first over the worry of trying again and all you could worry about facing again shows depth of awareness to protect not hinder your family.

Misplaced, about fighting judgement from others for your conclusion in building a family, again was a bold and secure message in knowing what you need to do over anyone else's judgement which shouldn't even come into such a decision where the reliance is on you not them.

This was a deep emotional ride but I know so many people will feel it and sit with it relating to themselves within the poems too.

Lost in the Milky Way
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I felt all these poems. They were beautiful, hopeful, raw and filled with so much sorrow. I feel like any mother, whether you've dealt with postpartum depression or not, will find truth in these words.

Favorite poems:
•a plea
•if
•speak up
•living

Book highlights:
•book of poems
•raw emotion
•motherhood and postpartum

lost in the milky way was a testament to motherhood and the duality that is encompassed in that. Every paradox, every complicated turn of emotion was ripe within Emmie's heartfelt words. She speaks all the essential truths about motherhood that we are collectively too scared to speak into existence, for to admit it would be to admit defeat. She stands triumphant in her defeat and comes out the heroine of a book well-read.

Her poems are grounded in a gritty reality that make them all the more relatable. It feels both like a private diary and the long-lost letter that every child hopes to find from their parent after they are gone.

Bravo to weaving one of life's hardest journeys into a succinct, beautiful body of work.

Review posted on Storygraph May 16 2026 -- https://app.thestorygraph.com/book_reviews/46e9d2af-88f0-4810-acde-fa94f49c2f29