A lot of people have tried to replicate the success Kaur had with Milk and Honey. I think that Rupi Kaur does it really well, writing super short but tasteful poems and allowing us to read in-between the lines. I don’t have anything against this style of writing, which is often referred to as “tumblr poetry”.

I wanted her to prove that people are just hating on this to hate on it. I went into this knowing that everyone uses Swimming Lessons as the blueprint for bad celebrity poetry, but I wanted Lili Reinhart to prove me wrong.

Reading this might be my villain origin story? Thank you to my team, The Good Vibes, for reading this with me! 🥰 Whenever I see something beautiful, I want you to see it, too.” Personally, I hope that Reinhart continues to pursue writing! I would love to read more of her work. I think some poetry fans may be tempted to dismiss this book because of Reinhart’s work on Riverdale, but I would recommend giving it a chance. Overall though, I was really impressed by Reinhart’s debut collection! It’s a gorgeous little book, inside and out. I think the book could have been tighter, and more impactful, if some of the weaker poems had been cut. The book was structured in a way that made the relationship focused poems feel a bit repetitive. I will say, however, that some of the poems in Swimming Lessons fell a little flat for me. The illustrations that are scattered through out the book were also a beautiful addition.

I also loved the poems in which she discussed her mental health, they felt the most raw and relatable to me. In one poem, she describes herself as a hopeless romantic, and that quality shines through in her writing. Thus, I was happily surprised to find that I really enjoyed Swimming Lessons. Though I think highly of Reinhart and admire how open she is when discussing her depression, my previous experiences with books written by actors have been mostly negative. Tbh, I went into this book with fairly low expectations. In her debut poetry collection, Lili Reinhart, of Riverdale fame, explores relationships and mental health in a straight forward and relatable style. Thank you to for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review!

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