This was a fun read. The author gave lots of detail of her culture and growing up which was interesting.

I personally don't like the cover but the layout of the book itself is good and the poems fun.

Thank you for the arc

This book wasn't for me at all. I thought I'd like it, because of the premise, and it being poetry, but I just couldn't agree with the world view the author presents.

I'm sure other people would like it, if you like poetry that rhymes.

But many times it felt to me like something was missing. The rhyming wasn't presented in a fun way, and the themes didn't have a punch. Perhaps I had too many expectations. I didn't finish the book, though. I have no idea if the poems improved later on or if I'd have related more to other poems.

The poetry collection, 'It's Tough Being A Grown Up!' by Malika Bhandarkar was a quick read. There were a few poems that I really liked but some didn't really hold my interest. Overall, it was a short and fun read that occasionally piqued my brain.

Publishing date: 14.05.2024
Thank you to NetGalley and Atmosphere Press for the ARC. My opinions are my own.

The book as a meal: Comforting oatmeal with banana slices and jam
The book left me: Wondering how many childlike traits I have carried to adulthood

Negatives:
Some poems were very relatable and others were not at all

Positives:
Lots of relatable themes
Fast paced and doesn't overstay its welcome

Features:
Seven chapters filled with lighthearted and sweet poems, reflection and wonder about adulthood and childhood

Why did I choose this one?
The idea of poems about adulthood in a lighthearted tone sounds wonderful. Right up my alley, as I have not been an "adult" for very long and struggle a little bit with all the nuances.

Pick-up-able? Put-down-able?
Devourable. Another collection that got gobbled up in a single sitting. Very fast paced and the poems are not too long.

What was the vibe and mood?
It almost felt like a talk with your parents about why you can't do this and that because you are of age now. A little silly lecture. Or looking back at your childhood and remembering how easy it was. Wondering why you always wanted to become an adult as a child.

Final ranking and star rating?
B tier, 4 stars. This was a very sweet collection that strutted right up my alley. The only reason it does not get 5 stars is because the poems themselves are not that distinct from other works I have read, and they were not all that relatable. It was still very good and I will recommend this to others. Especially to my teacher friends, I feel like this would fit well in a high school and college class.

Favorite poems:
I'm not a pigeon
Tummy worship
The importance of name tags
Scented
A dream or a promise?
An affair
Velcro friends
Social media safari
What will you be?
Outgrown

Thank you, NetGalley and Atmosphere Press for providing an eARC.

I loved the title and found it relatable.

3 poems stood out for me:
- The Importance of Name Tags
- The Answer is Yes
- Outgrown

Unfortunately, I didn't find the others relatable or I just didn't understand. It's a nice poetry book, but sadly, it's not a book for me.

I feel this is so relatable, from the most mundane stuff of the daily life but also the nostalgia, the doubts and the expectations of being an adult. Read it in one sitting and was very captivated by it.

5⭐
absolutely wonderful! the poems in this collection are witty, smart, humorous, and romantic; i couldn't get enough! an extremely impressive debut poetry collection.

my favourite poems were:
"Brand Identity for Baby"
"Colinizers Guide to Self-Awareness"
"Tummy Worship"
"I Love What You Love"
"Plates & Bowls"
"Lepidoptera Census"
"Outgrown"

i shall carry these poems in my heart like little gems; put them in my sky as little wonderful stars.


thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with this arc!

Fast read of poems which some will connect and others won’t. I enjoyed her style and the content of some very relatable topics. This would be great for a high school class.

A good collection of poems depicting modern life, where you’ll be able to find something relatable or you can reminisce through childhood, young adult life and the latter years. Quick and enjoyable read

I absolutely love this, especially the poem titled "Pounce - ciations". All the poems in this book are so relatable, especially to teenagers. This is perfect for my students.

It really is tough to be a grown up! I absolutely enjoyed this book and I can see my patrons loving it too!

Mallika Bhandarkar's "It's Tough Being a Grown Up" is a lovely book filled with relevant stories and comedy about the ups and downs of adulthood. Her approachable writing style makes the book both pleasant and soothing, reminding us that we are not alone in battling life's hardships. A fantastic book for anybody searching for a casual yet important read.

I really loved the title and cover of this book. It's Tough Being A Grown Up! is a collection of lighthearted poetry about the difficulties of being a grown-up along with other themes such as childhood, romance, food and pop culture.
I loved the "The answer is yes" and "Report Card".

Thank you to NetGalley, Atmosphere Press, and Malika Bhandarkar for this e-book in exchange for an honest review.

This poetry is like a patchwork of what it means to have a child-like point of view and then to grow up. It's dealing with the constant changes of our society and dealing with the changes of our lives. It touches you in a way only poetry can speak to the heart. In a very easy to read poetry pose similar to styles of Dr Suess, this is a fun, must read book.

#netgalley #netgalleyreview #atmospherepress #itstoughbeingagrownup #malikabhandarkar

This collection of poetry was a quick, nice read. I grew up reading Shel Silverstein, and some of these poems reminded me of how those made me feel. I found some relatable, while others were not. Yet they are all well written.

Thank you NetGalley for this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

It's Tough Being A Grown Up! is a collection of lighthearted poetry about the trials and tribulations of being a grown-up but also touches on other topics and themes too such as romance, pop culture, food, magic, and mischief. I enjoyed several of the poems but found the book just didn't hold my attention or captivate me like most poetry books do.
The writing and format of the book is great - I just don't feel it was for me, unfortunately, as I'd had high hopes going into this one.

Perfectly composed body of work.
These poems smell like spice, and feel like a hug from an old friend. A friend, that understands you on a different level, someone, that feel like a family. It's about simple daily struggles, love, friendship, discovering your identity. It's light andefresh. It's short, but leaves a mark in your soul. I feel lucky that I was able to read it, and discover the author. Thank you!

It's Tough Being a Grown up was a fun collection of poems. I felt that the writing was easy to understand and the themes very relatable.

I always love and adore a good poetry book. So I keep searching for them. Whether it’s classic poetry or modern: I love to read them all to understand poetry a bit more, to find solace in them and to appreciate the world of poems. To me, poetry is magic. It's a kind of miracle that happened to humankind and I am very grateful for it.

Talking about modern poetry, I haven’t yet found much that can be my favourite or that I would read again. Either it's just a bunch of quotes that you find in Pinterest or some motivational speeches in disguise of poetry.

But this book isn’t like those. Not at all. These are poems. It looks like poems. And I really appreciate it. I want to talk about two things regarding this book that I find interesting.

First of all, there are seven chapters and all are different. The division of these poems into these chapters are nicely done.
And it's not just a collection of some poems about adulthood; it covers pop culture, romance, magic and mischief and some other things. The book is balanced.

Secondly, as I said earlier, these are poems. These feel like poems. The poems are lyrical. There are metaphors and references of books and characters as well. So that's really something that I adored.

Yet, this book is not for me. Because the kind of poems that I like aren’t these. I prefer poems that are soul-wrenching, that are blissful, that make me wander, that make me think. I want to read a poem and think right after. I don't mind spending my days and nights thinking about a single poem. And these poems didn't make me think and this is the reason this book is not for me; it's not my kind of poetry.

It's an easy read, very fast paced and you can read it in one sitting. People who are new to poetry or want to start this genre, you were warmly welcome to read this book.

I am grateful to #NetGalley for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review.

#ItsToughBeingaGrownUp#NetGalley

I really enjoyed reading this. It was a beautiful collection of poems that are great for young children!