It's Tough Being A Grown Up!

by Malika Bhandarkar

It’s Tough Being a Grown Up! by Malika Bhandarkar is a smart collection of poems covering pop culture, food, romance, magic, and mischief. With humour and grace, it explores the quotidian questions and realizations that bind us where is my share? when is my turn to rewrite the rules? what do you mean I'm not the centre of it all? ...and other lessons from the University of Life.

These lyrical poems are what poetry should universal, uplifting, and a breathing space for readers to reflect on their place in the world—with a smile.

Written in the vein of Roald Dahl, Shel Silverstein, Dr Seuss, Ogden Nash, Judith Viorst, and Vikram Seth, It’s Tough Being a Grown Up! adds to the oeuvre of these poets who have smoothed life’s edges with their benevolent humour and philosophy. It offers readers essential voices that are gentle and joyful. The poems within are tools meant for prying light and laughter from a landscape too often cloaked in gloom and doom, setting the world to right in rhyme.

Genres: Poetry, Nonfiction

85 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 14, 2024

Reviews

[Emma Freddura · Rating 3 out of 5]

So I am not usually a poem reader but I found the title of the book relatable. Out of all of them, I'd say 4 poems stood out for me.
Netflix you got me wrong
The answer is yes
Blue
Outgrown
The others I may have not understood or did not find them relatable.

[Natalie all_books_great_and_small · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Eram Hussain · Rating 4 out of 5]

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".

[Chelsea May xxx · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you net gallery for the arch. I am not a fan of poetry books at all. But this book was such a quick fast read there was only one poem that stuck out to me throughout the whole book. The author is such a good writer and all the poems are so well written and done in such a good way. Just sadly not a book for me xxx

[Tawheeda Rufah Nilima · Rating 2 out of 5]

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

[Whitney Scheibel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really loved the title and cover of this book. The cover is really attractive and fun!I haven't read much poetry but I decided to give it a try. Reading the title, I thought it would be more relatable and more about adulthood. Perhaps maybe things that are a collective experience that most could relate to, but I found that wasn't the case (at least for me). Sometimes the rhythm in the poems seemed to be slightly off to me, but that may have just been a stylistic choice on part of the author (or maybe just my personal preference)

However, I enjoyed these the most:
Report Card
Netflix, You Got Me Wrong
I'm Not a Pigeon
The Importance of Name Tags
Plates & Bowls

Thank you to the publisher Atmosphere Press for providing an advance reader copy via NetGalley

[Fi · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's a lot of poems I related to and that made me emotional. But I believe it's not for everyone and people whose first language isn't english and have not much familiarity with it will have a tough time understanding some of the poems.

[Gennifer Tetreault · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy of “It’s Tough Being a Grown Up!” from NetGalley in exchange for leaving an honest review.

This was a quick read, and was easy to put down and pick back up again to continue reading.

The book consisted of thought provoking poems, however it was a bit more juvenile than I anticipated. The writing style resembled Dr. Seuss. The poems covered many various topics which I did enjoy.

I would give this book three stars, and would recommend it as a quick read for readers who enjoy poetry.

[The Book Times · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a fun to read. It talks about the small and insignificant things that matter in our life. I'm glad that this one was not about love and pain, like all other poetry books. The theme mostly revolved around childhood and family. My favourite among these were - Report Card (that says result may not be the end of everything) and Velcro Friends (that talks about clingy friends). There were subtle mentions of my favourite famous personalities like Harry Styles and Enid Blyton. Anyone who is new to poetry can dive into this one as it is not complex.

[Emi · Rating 4 out of 5]

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. 

[Alanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book of poetry describing the realities and sometimes struggles of growing up. The poems gave me a bit of a Shel Silverstein vibe which was very fun. There was great humour throughout and there were some really good views on all aspects of becoming an adult. The poems describe situations that I think most adults have experienced, with little bits of the author's heritage thrown in to add a little extra flair.

I received an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

[emmie♡⋆｡°✩ · Rating 5 out of 5]

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!

[Laura · Rating 1 out of 5]

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.

[Holly · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thank you to netgalley for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review

I read a lot of poetry books but this one just fell short for me. It didn't feel that relatable for the most part. There were some poems that I enjoyed and felt I related too - specifically plates & bowls, blue, what will you be? ... But other than that i just didn't feel too much with them!!

I love the cover though and the title is fab.

[Anastasiya M · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a collection that I enjoyed reading far more than many of the ones I've read this year so far so that was a relief. The writing format used isn't found much anymore in modern poetry so that was a plus, sticking to some of the more traditional styles. Most pieces were more tell than show and some were too straightforward. There were also not many that I could relate to but they were interesting to read.

[Emily | bookwhispererem · Rating 4 out of 5]

ℝ𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 𝔽𝕠𝕣𝕞𝕒𝕥: 𝐸-𝐵𝑜𝑜𝓀

ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨: 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐮𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞���𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐩𝐨𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐲. 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐣𝐨𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐮𝐩𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐥𝐲𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐦, 𝑰𝒕'𝒔 𝑻𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝑩𝒆𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂 𝑮𝒓𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝑼𝒑! 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐬 (𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐮𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐬) 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞. 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐃𝐫. 𝐒𝐞𝐮𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐡𝐞𝐥 𝐒𝐢𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐢𝐧.

𝒯𝒽𝒶𝓃𝓀 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓉𝑜 𝑀𝒶𝓁𝒾𝓀𝒶 𝐵𝒽𝒶𝓃𝒹𝒶𝓇𝓀𝒶𝓇, 𝒜𝓉𝓂𝑜𝓈𝓅𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑒 𝒫𝓇𝑒𝓈𝓈, & 𝒩𝑒𝓉𝒢𝒶𝓁𝓁𝑒𝓎 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒜𝑅𝒞! 𝒜𝓁𝓁 𝑜𝓅𝒾𝓃𝒾𝑜𝓃𝓈 𝒶𝓇𝑒 𝓂𝓎 𝑜𝓌𝓃.

[Britney Pelletier · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[❤️ Kalli ❤️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually really enjoyed this read! It was a fast paced poetry book that I was able to finish within a sitting which is something that I love! These poems made me giggle to the book, and sometimes made me a little sad and nostalgic for my childhood. Thank you to Atmosphere Press for approving this Arc in exchange for honest review!!

[Lauren E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

These poems are witty and poignant, taking you back to grade school when you just had to make a good report card, and then, all the way through middle age and beyond. The works celebrate life, even the bits that are difficult or downright absurd. Reading this poetry is like spending time with the one person who gets you and makes you feel seen. Enjoy!

[Sofia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Net Gallery ARC, thank you
Perfectly composed body of work. These poems smell like indian spice, and feel like a hug. I found a long lost friend in them. Someone, that understands me, knows the struggles. Yet, it's light and super fresh. It's more of a Rupi Kaur poetry and not Emily Dickenson. Modern, not classic, but I appreciate both styles so I really had a nice time with it.

[Preethika · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Orinthia Lee · Rating 2 out of 5]

#97 - 2024

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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.

[Kira K · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This is a cute collection of poems covering the stages of ageing (or growing up) from childhood to adulthood with relationships, and families in between. It was interesting and somewhat thought provoking to read the poem on names as I’ve never thought of it that way before.

[Casey Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 stars. I received this book from Netgalley. These poems were a quick, fun read. Many of them made me laugh. My favorite ones were:
- Fortunes Told
- Conditions
- Pounce-ciations
- I Love what you love
- Velcro Friends
- Magic Carpet

[Jennifer T. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was short, sweet, humorous, and uplifting little collection of poems about life, love, and adulthood that many can identify with, especially the poem about Netflix.

**Thanks to the author and publisher for the e-arc I received via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.**

[Sophie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book. I felt the poems were basic, but enjoyable. I enjoyed my time with the book and could see someone new to poetry really enjoying this.

Thank you again, NetGalley.

[Cheyenne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you, NetGalley and Atmosphere Press for this advanced reader's copy. This was a fun book of poems about growing up in the style of Dr Suess. Very fast read and super cute. Each poem had it's own little quirk.

[Liz Townsend · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book. Unfortunately, this book of poetry was not for me. No nuance or depth.

[Linn van den Heuvel · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very different than what I expected. Lots of poems but nothing really made sense 🙈

[Joanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.