This is a beautiful collection of poetry, which look at feminism, colonialism, social change and other socially important themes. I loved how Coker could be soft and light but also harsh with her words when the emphasis and power is required, the soft and light being just as powerful as the stronger worded poems. This is an important collection and should definitely be in libraries and education, for the inspiration of the young and hopefully better generation and generations to come.

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

This was a moving and impactful collection of poetry, with themes of feminism, deconstruction and colonialism. Funmi Coker examines what it means to be a girl and a woman in society, especially reflecting her own background in Nigeria. Several poems stood out for me, including 'How do you sleep?' and 'Burn', and there were none that I really, disliked (although some I enjoyed less than others). Coker does not shy away from using brutal language to make her point in some of the poems, but in others she has the lightest touch. Both types were equally powerful. This is a poetry collection I could reread and take something new from it each time. Coker is an important voice and this collection I'm sure will be an inspiration for young black women.

This book was sent to me as an ARC on NetGalley. However all opinions are of my own.
This is a collection of poems which deals with a number of social progressive themes which include feminism, black progression, womanhood and social change.
Short and snappy but left a punch,

A beautiful and sometimes heartbreaking poetry collection about issues that I think we all need to understand and learn of.

Letters to Lilly is a collection of poems addressed to a little black girl named Lilly. These poems collectively cover the themes of racism, slavery, and feminism. While I couldn't relate to some poems, some poems really resonate with me. I have been trying to get into poetry genre for a while and this was a perfect start for me. One of my favorite poems out of this collection was 'How Do You Sleep?'. This poem challenges systemic racism, sexism, and homophobia.

The tone of the poems is very powerful and leaves a deep impact on you. Will recommend picking this up.

Letter to Lily is an ode to the girl child out there.
I really don't know how to review poetry books but this book talks on knowing your identity, challenging the status-quo. Overall it highlights the struggle of being a woman. A woman challenging the system when she has been told to be quiet.
A moving and powerful poem. Would definitely recommend this book for anyone looking for something inspiring yet light to read.

A very enjoyable book to read. I highly recommend this book. Very well written. Great Read!!
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Net Galley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

If you are looking for some strong, kick ass poems filled with feminism, look no further than this little gem.

Poems that are inclusive of everything, honest, and get right to the heart of matters. Letter to Lilly is a fantastic short read.

Rated 4*

Rating 3.5

My first poetry collection read for the year. This was a solid piece of work. I really connected with some of the poems as they pulled on my heartstrings. Some beautiful and heart wrenching pieces about Feminism, race and other important topics.
There were a few however that I didn’t fully understand, so can’t properly express my feelings. As someone who is no longer religious, the passages relating to God or religious aspects didn’t connect with me and took away from the writing personally. Of course this is a personal preference, but the theme is widely used throughout the collection.
This is a feminist collection that I would happily recommend to others. You can tell the author put her soul into these pieces and I’m happy for them that it is getting published.

Thank you to NetGalley, BooksGoSocial, and Funmi Coker for the opportunity to read Letter to Lilly in exchange for an honest review.

This is a (very short) collection of poems that encompass a number of social progressive themes, such as embracing one's identity, feminism, Black progression, womanhood, and social change. I was hoping for a book written in poetic verse with more of a narrative, but even though each poem is stand-alone, they really come together to highlight a number of issues in society today. After reading the author's bio at the end, I can guess a lot of these poems really come from the heart and her own experiences.

While I cannot write a review that embodies the essence of this book, I can touch upon some of the poems that really stood out to me most.

"Invention" is a great poem about tradition and how, historically, men and women had very defined roles, but contemporary society pushes to abolish those traditions and make something new.

"A Pint of Madness" addresses a similar topic, though is more about how society often treats women and puts them in specified slots where they belong, taking away their freedom.

"This is How We Live in This Shell" is an interesting poem that addresses the topic of "all lives matter" and what it  feels like from the Black perspective of that phrase and the initial Black Lives Matter movement. This one is so short, but so powerful. This poem contains multitudes when it comes to seeing the perspective of a Black woman in society today.

Those are just my three favorite of many brilliant poems. They may be short, but Coker is a fabulous writer. The reader can really feel the thought and emotion behind the words. They say less is more, and that statement has never been more true when it comes to this collection of poetry.

What an incredibly powerful collection of poems.

I'm in awe at how elegant yet raw these are, the emotions shine through. I can imagine just how powerful these would be when performed.

There were a lot of poems that resonated with me and a few didn't, and yet I could sense the sentiment in them.

Definitely revisiting some of these lines again!

I could objectively appreciate what the author did (craft-wise) and tried to do with this collection and I do believe there are some powerful poems in here that others may resonate with way more than I did.

Gracias Netgalley por el envío de una copia digital a cambio de una opinión honesta.

Este libro es una colección de poemas que tratan sobre el racismo, la feminidad, el feminismo y el amor propio, siendo los temas principales los citados primeramente. Me gustaron varios poemas, tenían un estilo de verso libre, lo que siempre es agradable de leer. Me gustaron las metáforas y comparaciones, así como las referencias y el homenaje a la mujer, resaltando su valor en la sociedad y como ser viviente.

Es un libro para disfrutarlo en un día, de lectura muy amena.

I really enjoy poetry, however I couldn't get into this. I found it was your "traditional" poetry. I like poetry that tells a story or has a deeper meaning, I am also a sucker for a rhyming poem.
I found some of these felt like they were short stories but were hard to keep with. They didn't flow to me and therefore I struggled to get past 50%.
At the start it says its for women/girls/teens which i do agree with, as if you can get into them they are very feminist heavy.
They weren't my cup of tea but that doesn't mean others wont enjoy them.

It is sad to say that although the first half of this book was beautufully crafted , the next half was a major major let down . These poems revolve around womanhood , the beauty of being a girl , patriarchy , racism , equality and woman empowerment .Although I enjoyed majority of the poems , a few of them were in my opinion misleading and felt like it came from a place of internalised patriarchy . However that maybe just my interpretation and it was altogether a lovely , quik read as a whole.

I very much enjoyed reading through the poetry in this book. Whilst I could not relate to all of the writing I could completely feel all of the words. As a women this book of poetry is very relatable and the stories told within it are of things that women have been suffering with for many years. A great collection.

I absolutely loved this collection of poetry. It truly connects to every part of your heart and soul. A Letter to Lily is thoughtful and beautifully written.
I would recommend this book to everyone and everything. This book is a letter to the soul.

'Letter to Lilly' is a collection of poems that talk about feminism and how girls are treated in this world, it ralks about racism throughout history, from slavery until recent events. Most importantly it treats it like an issue, because it is one. It doesn't treat it gently, because the world is harsh, but it treats it in such manner that anybody 10+ can understand.

This collection of poetry is beautiful. It touches on racism and feminism, which I think is very important in the world right now. She expressed how many people are feeling, so I think this would be helpful for many to read.

A really nice collection of poems that address race, patriarchy, feminism and the beauty and strength of the black woman. Some of the poems really stood out to me and I think this is a really great book for impressionable young women, irrespective of race. But certainly black girls will benefit from having a writer who writes in their own voice, one who writes for them. Definitely recommend.

Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for the e-arc.