unlock your storybook heart

This is the third book in Lovelace's “you are your own fairy tale” trilogy, but it can be read as a standalone (which is what I did). It's loosely inspired by a few classic fairy tales, most obviously Beauty & the beast.

It's mostly filled with affirmative poetry, the kind that is all about justifying yourself, self-care, feminism, diversity, and the value in loving a normal life. I feel like I wasn't really the audience for this—this kind of Instagram poetry—but I imagine it's perfect for teenagers who seek for meaning.

It's a bit of a frustrating collection for me, because as much as it is filled with platitudes, it sometimes teases a poem of some imagination, a neat idea, but never capitalised on it. The main thing I dislike about this kind of collections is that they are TOO positive: yes, I get it, people read this kind of stuff to feel good about themselves, but it wouldn't hurt to have a poem every so often to make people question themselves.

Disclaimer: I received an ARC for this book in exchange of an honest review.