| Title | : | Break Your Glass Slippers (You Are Your Own Fairy Tale, #1) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1524851892 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781524851897 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 160 |
| Publication | : | First published March 17, 2020 |
| Awards | : | Goodreads Choice Award Poetry (2020) |
more midnight dances with yourself."
amanda lovelace, the bestselling & award-winning author of the “women are some kind of magic” poetry series, presents a new companion series, “you are your own fairy tale” the first installment, break your glass slippers, is about overcoming those who don’t see your worth, even if that person is sometimes yourself. in the epic tale of your life, you are the most important character while everyone is but a forgotten footnote. even the prince.
Break Your Glass Slippers (You Are Your Own Fairy Tale, #1) Reviews
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Another gorgeously written, relatable poetry collection from Amanda. I love how she structured this collection to be poems from the narrator and poems in response by the fairy godmother of Cinderella. It was really clever, and, as always, I highlighted and adored every poem in this collection 🥰
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I have been staying away from this collection for almost a month after getting the book because I was trying so hard to calm myself down...and not wanting to lose my sanity while reading it. Because I knew I would freaking love it!!!
And yes, how can I be wrong when it comes to Amanda Lovelace's books!
And....
I absolutely love it!
Her books get me. Too real. Too deep. Too raw. Too freaking liberating. Too damn lively. Too damn empowering as always!
What I totally didn't expect was the amazing colourful illustrations! Bonus point alert!
This collection talks on themes of body shaming, women being rivals of women, what defines a family, love and relationships, acceptance, feeling invisible and unworthy, being alone versus loneliness, standing up for oneself, mixed feelings and overall, as always, it's about hope and getting stronger, more independent as a person and most importantly, being kind to oneself.
And about the illustrations? Oh, it gave me all the magic feels; the fairy tale feels and how I used to see everything during my childhood days and how different the real world actually is from the fairy tale world.
What I do not understand:
It's the trigger warnings given at the beginning of the book (like with all her books!). And there's a whole lot of it there!
I do not see the point of giving such trigger warnings as I do not get to read any of such in any of the lines in the contents.
I feel it is rather unnecessary and it might put some readers from reading this amazing book.
Thank you #NetGalley for the copy of #BreakYourGlassSlippers 💖 -
"if you can no longer recognize the face reflected in the bathroom mirror, remember this: you are ever-changing. ever-spinning, too, just like mother earth. when you fall from the pure exhaustion of it all, you have every means to get back up & start over again.
keep going, little dancer.
keep going."
I have read every one of Amanda Lovelace's stark yet beautiful poetry collections and found each both much the same, in terms of basic theme, and yet starkly different, in their chosen confrontation of it. Each has also provided me with much to ponder over and take away from it.
Lovelace consistently touches upon the most raw and real aspects of her personal history and translates these into messages that her readers can feel just as deeply. Every collection also transforms from the initially painful to the burgeoningly hopeful, and to the ultimately empowering. -
This was supposed to be a retelling of Cinderella, but it felt more like walking down a virtual Etsy aisle full of all of those cliche sayings. You know the ones -
"I am not my bad decisions."
"Every new moon is a chance to start anew."
"The universe is always guiding you."
I read this book of poetry gagging on the inside. Great concept, poor execution. -
Amazingly, I did not hate this as much as I hated the witch doesn't burn in this one. In fact, and perhaps even more amazingly, I did not hate this collection at all.
However, for her sixth published poetry collection, Amanda Lovelace shows very little growth as a poet and as a writer. Much like her previous books, her pieces tend to get annoyingly repetitive to the point that it sort of feels like she's plagiarizing herself (but she isn't, I guess). Her poems remain contrived and insubstantial. The way she explores themes, such as body image issues, mental health, and (white) feminism, is still really surface-level.
In addition to these shortcomings, I can't help but notice the astonishing lack of metaphors in Break Your Glass Slippers, which is really odd for a collection that's a loose reimagining of Cinderella. I expected a lot more creative parallels and metaphors, but instead, I was given really bland, really preachy poems. The "fairy godmother says" pieces were, in my opinion, the worst because, aside from coming across as incredibly preachy, they also seemed inorganic and forced.
I think that, in comparison to her previous works, Break Your Glass Slippers isn't Amanda Lovelace's worst. However, this small poetry book isn't memorable at all. For the most part, I felt utterly bored and unimpressed.
This one isn't for me, and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone either.
* I received a digital ARC of this book (via NetGalley) from its publisher in exchange for an honest review. -
I got the early review copy of this poetry retelling and cracked it open immediately, I had zero chill. It was a good call because this is my favourite read so far from Amanda Lovelace. It was definitely less sad than some of her previous work and it was incredibly empowering.
The poems are told in a way that depicts a retelling of Cinderella. There are various narrators such as fairy godmother, Cinders and Charming. Fairy godmother was my favourite, instilling sage words for any women to have affirmed to them. The prose was simple and yet beautiful, it touched me on an emotional level.
her precious fairy tales showed her what would happen if she found her prince, but they never prepared her for what she should do if her prince turned out to be her unhappily ever after –cinderella
This book is so easy to read front to back, and I can definitely imagine myself rereading it but also dipping in and out of it. From what I can see from the electronic copy, the illustrations are beautiful and colourful but also simple. I can’t wait to see them in the flesh in a real book.
This is poetry that is suitable for young women and older alike. There are f-bombs that might make this unsuitable for younger girls however, the messages are powerful and empowering. I will be buying this for my daughter.
you are the only set of keys to your castle.
the rest of them are nothing but bad copies.
Thank you to Andrews McMeel Publishing for the early copy to devour.
This review can be found on
A Take From Two Cities Blog. -
Break Your Glass Slippers is a collection of poetry themed with female empowerment. It's a love letter to the girl who is tasked with breaking toxic cycles and it's a siren call to females everywhere that we are worthy of more. I loved that
Amanda Lovelace counteracts every negative message with an example of positive, healthy self-talk. This is therapy right here. Check it out.
Note: Significant trigger warnings are listed before the poetry begins. Please seek these out if needed.
Thank you to the following for permitting me access to an advance reader's copy (ARC) of
Break Your Glass Slippers. This generosity did not impact my honesty when rating/reviewing.
Source: NetGalley
Author: Amanda Lovelace
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
Genres: Poetry
Pub Date: March 17, 2020 -
I'm not saying the poems were bad or anything- they weren't- but I enjoyed the whole aesthetic of the book much more.
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"Break Your Glass Slippers" is the first book in the new series by celebrated poet Amanda Lovelace. As the name hints, I began this one by hoping it to be a poetic retelling of the Cinderella tale. The first part (there are a total of three parts) goes as expected. The later parts want us to stop believing in fairy tales, but instead write our own life story. A powerful message indeed.
It is also a tale of feminism and misogyny, poetically explaining the two terms and subtly pointing out how, sometimes, when one tries to be the former, intentionally or unintentionally becomes the latter.
Thanks to the author and the publisher for the ARC. -
This book is a mess.
On brand for Lovelace, the book starts out with a needless and undeserved trigger warning. Generally a text would have to touch on serious issues for that. Not with Lovelace.
All the “FAIRY GODMOTHER SAYS” poems read like fortune cookies written by a drunk aunt trying to comfort a niece she thinks is just okay. It’s platitude on platitude without saying a single thing. It is Diet White Feminism at the most common level. Gen Z readers will have aged out of this level of “morality” by the 8th grade.
Something I’ve been struggling with when it comes to Amanda Lovelace’s work finally became clear when reading this—Lovelace only writes victim poems. VICTIM POEMS Every poem is about how someone hurts you, someone else is toxic, you were blindsided again and again. There is not a single word about when Lovelace/the reader is to blame for things going awry. A mistake is made—it is because you had no clue! It is never that you have patterns of behavior.
These VICTIM POEMS fein feminism when in actuality it is about blaming others of all genders for one of the most important feminist rights we have—to make our own mistakes, learn from them, and work through the consequences as fully realized humans and adults. Pretending that feminism means that women can do no wrong is inherently anti feminist.
Life and art are arrays of ambiguity and gray areas. Beauty comes from many different directions, not just the extremes. Still, Lovelace writes as black and white as a TV in 1962! There is no ambiguity when it comes to her philosophy, there is only the sympathetic “reader” (an obvious insert for Lovelace herself) and the women stacked against her, men who use her for her body/mind/style while sapping her, the “evil” mother figure, and on a few lucky occasions a friend who is helpful.
The only kind thing I really have to say (knowing that Lovelace would classify me as an evil witch) is that the art in this book was very well done.
I’d give it zero stars but that isn’t an option. -
Ahh! I just don’t understand what people see in this poetry book. Besides the concept and overall message, the poetry is so terrible! That could be partly because I’m a guy, but that sucks that a poetry book can’t be enjoyed by both a guy and a girl!!! It’s as if this book was written for 8 year old girls. Let me share one of the many terrible poems:
“He may have a pretty face,
But that doesn’t mean he isn’t dangerous.”
That’s what was on a page! Just that!! Unbelievable!! -
The ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoyed this poetry collection very much. I really liked how Amanda Lovelace took some of the original Cinderella tropes and changed them to put them into her own poems. I especially liked how the fairy godmother was presented as the supporter we all need in life and also how we can all be our own fairy godmothers.
The poems in this book are empowering and promote self-love. Also, the illustrations are gorgeous, especially the ones of the painted sky.
I really recommend this one! -
probably one of my favourite poetry collections I've read by Amanda Lovelace! I loved how this one was so body positive, but also talks about what it means to truly be a feminist, what it means to live in a world with so much misogyny. I loved the poems about the godmother, it shows such a healthy motherly relationship. truly a beautiful collection! (4.25)
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ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley.
A completely novel approach to the Retelling genre.
For those of us who grew up loving fairy tales but always craved more.
This fits perfectly with Lovelace's Women Are Some Kind of Magic Series, which is high praise in itself.
I often say that we tend to be much kinder to the people we love than we are to ourselves.
We would never say half the stuff we tell ourselves in our worst moments to our loved one - and isn't that really telling?
This book is like a conversation with a loved one, it strips away the harshness we often inflict on ourselves and softens the edges, soothes the hurt.
I can't wait to see what's in store for the rest of this series. -
ARC kindly provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Andrews McMeel Publishing.
Amanda Lovelace incorporates fairy tales in her latest poetry collection about self-love, empowerment and feminism. In the midst of the community quarantine the poems soothed me and uplifted my spirit. Admittedly, I disliked her previous collections and there poems here I still find redundant and basic.
Luckily I'm in a good mood to appreciate its flaws. It's a good collection but not the best one I've read. The rundown sentences need to change and its originality needs to step up. -
Unfortunately, this collection just wasn’t my favorite of Lovelace’s work like I’ve said about the other books in this collection it just feels more like a self-help book and less like poetry. Nevertheless, Lovelace did include some amazing advice but still, it read somewhat like a motivational twitter account rather than poetry.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with this arc in exchange for an honest review. -
Originally published on The Nerd Daily | Review by AB Endacott
I’m never certain how I feel about this kind of confessional writing, when an author lays themselves bare in an upfront and clear fashion. It would be a lie to say I’ve never drawn on personal experience in writing my own books, but the memory or emotion that I use is hidden beneath layers of worldbuilding and plotline so that it is almost unrecognisable (often, even to myself). Lovelace says in the author’s note of Break Your Glass Slippers—a series of poems that form a story of self-acceptance and self-love—that the drew on her own experiences in crafting this work. And as one traverses the delicate phrasing of each poem, it feels increasingly like trespassing into a private diary.
With that in mind, there is something incredibly brave about being so honest in putting to paper the thoughts that traverse the mind and the, at-times, very ugly relationship one can have with oneself. In recent years, this has become increasingly common, especially for writers of so-called ‘instapoetry’. I would argue that Lovelace’s work is a cut above the strings of words that can be found under the one of the many relevant hashtags on Instagram (I’m won’t list any here because I don’t want to subject you to them). For one, Lovelace takes her personal experience and broadens it into a universalised narrative about women undervaluing themselves and navigating a fraught path to remedying this. Additionally, Break Your Glass Slippers does indeed follow a narrative thread, with each poem offering a piece of this story. That alone made it an enjoyable, easy read, as the poems built upon what came before, interplaying in theme and idea, making this more than a mere collection but a genuine story.
Perhaps one of the things which remains a sticking point for me is the claim that this is a Cinderella retelling. While there are elements that draw upon the essential story elements of the Perrault/Brothers Grimm Cinderella that we know (largely thanks to the Disney adaptations), because I knew this was a derivation, I kept making mental comparisons to the original. This drew me out of the experience of reading through the poems as though they were a piece of work in their own right. While Lovelace’s schtick is retelling and reinterpreting classic fairytales, this one seems to deviate quite far from the very established events of the Cinderella story which was a bit jarring. Nevertheless, there were some pleasing engagements and inversions of aspects which are present in the original fairytale. For one, the idea of a toxic family relationship is interestingly portrayed. Further, the portrayal of ‘Prince Charming’ intersects with relatively recent discussion and critique of the idea that the magic solution to a woman’s disempowerment is the attention of a man. This was one of the fresher depictions I’ve seen thanks in large part to the form and the delicate word choices of Lovelace. The thoughtful deconstruction of the sense of being ‘saved’ from being unnoticed, alone, and unloved by a man seemingly sensitive enough to see what others don’t is done masterfully, pulling tropes that are uncomfortably familiar to too many people in servicing a broader point – that the only person who really needs to see your value is you.
Complimenting the poem-story is a series of beautiful illustrations that force pause and allow the reader to contemplate the words. They’re a lovely touch, and the full page pictures complete the experience of the story.
Ultimately, Break Your Glass Slippers is a thought provoking collection of poems that cohesively tell a story asking us to see our own value and beauty beneath whatever dirt others may have put there. Having read a lot of mediocre poetry within the course of my work, this is definitely not it, and it is a fitting addition to the other work for which Lovelace has been so rightfully praised. -
This is probally one of my favorites by Amanda Lovelace! There are a lot of trigger warrings in this that its hard to list it all...
But I love how her writing have grew a lot!(: -
I’ve read several of Amanda’s poetry books in the past and always enjoyed them but this is by far my favorite. I really connected with these poems and I feel like Amanda’s books keep getting better and better. I’ll always be excited for her releases and I can’t wait to pick up a physical copy of this book to add to my poetry shelf.
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3.5 stars
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3.75
I've read almost all of Amanda Lovelace's poetries at this point, but this was the one I liked the best. -
It’s..a bit cringy? eh -
Thank you to Netgalley and Andrews Mcmeel Publishing for allowing me to read an e-arc copy of this book. It was just released last month on a March 17,2020.
5 stars!
I went into this book already knowing that I thoroughly enjoy Amanda Lovelace’s poetry. In my eyes , this author can do no wrong. Her subjects are relatable and her words run together so fluidly.
If you’ve seen my review on “The Princess Saves Herself in this One” you will know that her words hit me where it hurts, forcing me to think of subjects in my past that I DON’T want to think about— abusive past relationships, my Dad dying from cancer, never feeling good enough...but these thoughts are always there in the back of my head just waiting for the right time to rear their ugly selves.
While nothing can compare to that first book that I read of hers and nothing cut me quite as deep, I still found myself resonating with “ Break Your Glass Slippers” in many ways. By its title, most would first think of Cinderella, leaving her shoe behind for the prince to find. However, in this story Lovelace has changed the dynamic in that,
“ ...The princess doesn’t recklessly leave behind a glass slipper for the not-so-charming prince. In this fairy tale, the princess takes a hammer to them, shattering both to pieces.”
The artwork in this collection is stunning. It contains everything from the clouds, the stars and moon to broken mirrors and Victorian birdcages.
This story speaks upon self image, and that no matter how hard you try to be someone else, you will always still just be you. You need to learn to feel comfortable and happy in your own skin.
“ ...She slips into dress after dress as if she’s trying to slip into someone else’s life. — Much to her dismay, her reflection stays the same.”
We cannot all be perfect, and if we were what would set us apart from one another? We must not be so cruel to ourselves; instead appreciate the body that we are given. I fear that if we were given the power to change all of the flaws that we think we have, there wouldn’t be much of us left. “Every night when she’s finally alone, she takes a red marker & circles the parts of herself she would most like to disappear—her thighs, her stomach, her upper arms — until there’s no part of her left untouched.” While this is extremely sad, it is a 1000% accurate depiction of how many women ( and men) feel. Amanda encourages us to STOP judging ourselves, STOP comparing ourselves to others.
“ It’s not an easy thing to accept yourself in the way you are. Some people spend their entire lives trying to master it. But if anyone is strong enough to face the challenge it’s you.”
The author also touches on the topic of enemies and that most often they are standing right in front of you, disguised as the best of friends. “ Villains almost never look like cackling witches, cruel stepmothers, ot bratty stepsisters. They’re so much quieter than that, & I think that’s what makes them so menacing. In some chapters of your storybook, you’ll find them hiding everywhere— even in the faces of those you hold dearest. They never reveal their true intentions until you’ve already trusted them too much, & just like that, everyone you know has turned into a stranger.” Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.
Relationships are another part of this tale. Fairy Godmother warns us that looks can be deceiving. You could choose a partner with the kindest eyes, or the sweetest smile, but it doesn’t always turn out that they are a good person. “He may have a pretty face, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t dangerous.” How many of us have chased at least one person person with a gorgeous face or an incredible body? I know I have, too many times to count. Ask me if I’m with them now? No. Stop chasing the exterior, true beauty cannot be seen on the outside; rather get to know people for who they are. In fact, while you’re satiated by their looks, they’re addicted to your attention rather than you.
“ You may be Cinderella too, if you find that any part of this story happens to speak to you.”
I will continue to pick up EVERYTHING Amanda Lovelace writes. -
I received an advance review copy from Andrews McMeel Publishing through Netgalley; all opinions are my own and honest.
4.5 stars
I absolutely adore this collection. Amanda Lovelace has always been one of my go-tos for reassurance and emotional comfort, a reminder that I'm doing just fine and I am enough.
I've never read anything quite like it, the mix of Cinderella retelling with self-discovery and relationship building, all in thoughtful free verse; I would've liked to see the Cinderella motif extended through part ii, but that's a minor critique — I do like the themes and topics that are included.
If the rest of this series is consistent, I'm sure I'm going to love it just as much as Amanda's other works.
content warnings: -
The Arc of this books was provided by the publishers via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Un libro asombroso. Es la primera vez que leo algo de esta autora y quedé impresionada. Este libro me llegó directamente al corazón y es algo que todas deberían leer. Es hermoso y me sacó algunas lagrimas. -
I truly wish I saw what everyone else seems to see/feel when reading a poetry book by this author. This was by no means her worst book but it didn't feel like anything extraordinary. The second part of this book was probably my favorite out of all three. The poems seemed to have meaning and power behind them. I also appreciate the self-love narrative she weaved throughout this novel. I'm a firm believer in the notion that if you can't love yourself then you can't love somebody else. Though I will say that I found the lack of capital letters at the beginning of sentences and lack of capital I's in the middle of sentences a tad bit pretentious.
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Reading the books nominated for the Goodreads Choice Awards: Book #7
“there is strength in vulnerability and true courage in accepting who you are.”
I read
The Princess Saves Herself in This One in 2018, and it definitely wasn't for me. So my expectations were lower with this one, which is why it took me by surprise. A few of my original criticisms do still stand, and modern poetry still isn't quite my thing, but I'm challenging myself to read outside of my comfort zone & try to finish as many Goodreads Choice Awards nominees as possible. The writing here was quite beautiful, and I loved the illustrations throughout. The only reason I'm not giving this any higher is that I did still feel there was something missing, but this is a big improvement from her original series! -
not gonna lie i remember next to nothing but not that it was bad, just a little bit forgetable. I'll still read these collections though because they are refreshing and a nice pick-me-up for whoever is reading it.
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Lovely poems. Lovely feminist retelling of Cinderella.
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3.5✨
