Thank you Netgalley for letting me read and review this book. I enjoy reading poetry, especially when it talks about difficult topics. This book definitely does that. Trigger warnings you should look up before you give it a read. But you should read this! I love the poems, they are moving, heartfelt, emotional, and heartbreaking.

4 Stars ( I received an e-arc from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review)

TW: Sexual Assault, Rape, Racism

Everyone should read this collection especially since all the recent news and protests going on in the world. This collection is a heartbreaking account of the struggles young black women face, yet so engrossing that makes you sit down and read it all in one sitting.

A thought provoking collection of poems discussing issues facing black women. It is definitely worth a read.

This was a brilliant book of poems. It was deep and moving. I read it quickly, but could have very well taken the time to savor it, and will definitely revisit it

Some Girls Survive on Their Sorcery Alone is a moving and brutally honest exploration of Ms Nurse's experiences as a black woman but also touches on sexual abuse in a way I could, unfortunately, relate to; as a result, I found myself rather emotional throughout. Nurse pulls no punches and this collection is honest and unflinching with a powerful message of hope and survival even through the most game-changing adversity. She reminds us that racism is still alive and well, connecting that to her experiences in relation to race and the growing sense of white privilege which is becoming ubiquitous the more time goes on.

It's a collection that is moving and gritty, heartfelt and heartbreaking and provides much food for thought. Despite her awful experiences, Nurse does not wallow in self-pity but and this is an often difficult read. If you enjoy harsh, raw and brutally honest poetry that is full of angst and emotion then give this a try. Those who appreciate Roxanne Gay's work will find much to love here. I feel as though the word enjoy belittles this book as a lot of the time it deals with negative life events; in this case, I think it's more accurate to describe myself as having much admiration for Nurse who lays her feelings bare page after page.

Many thanks to Northwestern University Press for an ARC.

A stunning collection of poetry! I loved how each piece can feel pertinent at a different time in our lives; they speak differently according to what is going on and how we fell at the time. This is a gorgeous collection that would be great as a gift or just to read, and re-read. I am so thankful to have been able to read this one!

there are not a lot of poems in here and are on the longer size. Overall I did not really like the poems.

Thiahera Nurse uses her voice to share about some of the issues that black women face in America today- there is death, assault, and living with the trauma of her ancestors being enslaved. We do not live in a post-racism society and Nurse reminds privileged readers (those who don't experience these issues) of that reality.

Trigger warning: There are quite a few poems that talk explicitly about sex and sexual trauma.

I received a copy of this ebook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Gritty, hard to read and thought provoking at times. I can’t exactly say I loved these or they were beautiful due to the nature of most the poems. But they make you think, they move you and that’s what poetry should do.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

This collection is full of truth, emotion and intelligence. Nurse refuses to apologise for being a woman, for being black and for being herself. These poems show a raw response to a range of topics - abortion, black women being murdered, violence, love and more.

It has to be noted that, at times, this is not an easy read but it is because of this that it is so important. Poetry isn't always supposed to be fluffy and light, in fact, this collection shows that it's important that pain is shown in other ways. That said, this isn't a pity party, there is undeniable strength in nurse's words and this felt more like a battle cry to others to embrace their lives and their experiences.

A 4* read from me, I'm really interested to see what Nurse does next.

I received a copy for review via Netgalley. Thank you to the publisher and author for this opportunity in exchange for an honest review.

I had a hard time rating this because on one hand, the subject matter of most of this poetry wasn't for me (it was very sexual in a specific way that is outside of my experience and interest), but on the other it's very well-written. I give it three stars, but will say that if the subject matter is your cup of tea the quality of writing is like 4.75 stars.

This selection of poetry from Thiahera Nurse is electric and gritty. She does not hold back her voice or the fire in their words and it is refreshing to read. She is offering her lived experiences being Black and as a white person I can only grasp some of the reality, but the fire with which she delivers her words is enough to leave an impression like a brand upon my mind. A completely unapologetic and harsh look at a life that has been through hellish realities.

A thoughtful and ambitious collection that hit several high notes. Not perfect but succinct and clear in its message.

I really connected with only a few of the poems. I liked that the poems were longer. I'm sure a lot of people are going to love it but I just thought it was okay.

"we are girls and ready to ride-or-die."

Despite being a 40 page book it took me a long time to read this collection because the poetry was full of hard feelings. It is unapologetic in its stance and I loved everything about it.

Mixed feelings. I'm not the biggest fan of contemporary poetry (or maybe I'm just trying to find a collection that works for me), but this is powerful. Nurse has a distinctive voice that does not shy away from depicting the crazy and wild, or the downtrodden and brutal through the body of the black girl -- she lives on, in spite of everything.

This was raw, heart-breaking and necessary at the same time. I don't read much poetry, but since I read Andrea Gibson's poetry, I'm keen to try more and this was different.
I'd recommend this if you like Roxane Gay and/or Andrea Gibson's work, but be cautious if you're triggered by rape, abuse or don't like strong language.