Hello Lovely!: Inspirational Quotes & Poems on Life, Love & Empowerment

Bestseller Leav (Others Were Emeralds) draws on her previously published poems, novels, and Threads posts for this inspirational if sometimes overly sentimental collection of quotes. Leav’s literary morsels touch on universal themes like love and heartbreak, loss, and the struggles of artistic creation. Stripped from their original contexts, many of the excerpts—“It is your right to endlessly curate your life”; “Don’t stay where you are needed, go where you are loved”; “The distance from you is measured in how far I’ve come”—would fit right in as motivational posts on Instagram or Tumblr, the latter of which is where Leav got her start. Leav’s stated aim is to affect readers in the same way she was influenced by a quote she stumbled upon from the “late trailblazing tennis champion” Arthur Ashe. According to Leav, Ashe’s quote (“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can”) was the push she needed to post her poems online. Leav’s reflections on writing are the most worthwhile, particularly her attempts to dissuade writers from “chasing trends or aiming solely for critical and commercial success.” Instead, she advises, “Write for yourself. That is what the world wants.” Leav’s fans will appreciate this, and readers with writer’s block might find some encouragement. (Apr.)