Can we talk about this adorable cover art for a moment? Holy cow, that’s adorable. A kitten with eyelashes holding flowers in its paws while butterflies hover around its head in the bright purple and pink background…who wouldn’t stop and look at what’s behind that cover? Okay, moving on.

I like poetry. I like the highbrow stuff published in the Poetry Foundation magazine. I like the classics I read in my AP English courses in high school and various college courses. I like niche poetry by the likes of Axl Barnes and Wrath James White. I even like some of the poems about whiskey and self-love that this book pokes fun at. And I like poetry that doesn’t take itself too seriously. So naturally I enjoyed this book.

This was a fun book. It’s like reading memes and disappointing affirmations punctuated by silly little sketches of cats, flowers, and cowboys with wings. This will appeal to a subset with a specific sense of humor. When I started reading, I was marking nearly every poem to highlight in this review but quickly realized that I’d be sharing the entire book. So instead, I’ll say that my absolute favorites were the ones that poke fun at poetry in general. The Poets Strike is one of the longer ones in this book, namely because it delivers its critique of various styles of poetry by using each style in its own verse. I read the words and noted the style and laughed. I’m also a big fan of #sponsoredpoem and the rejection letter to ‘dear penthouse review’ series. On a personal note, this was just what I needed on an evening when everything was overwhelming. I got an hour of smiles out of this collection of poetry that ultimately doesn’t mean anything and sometimes you need that.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me. This collection of poetry is lighthearted, fun, and snarky af. I’ve already added several of his books to my tbr. If his poetry is any indication of his style of humor, I’m sure I’ll enjoy his novels. Shaffer has authored several parodies of famous titles, but you may recognize him as the author of the Obama Biden Mysteries.

Big thanks to Andrew Shaffer, 8th House, and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. You can buy Not Today, Satan on Amazon and or read it as part of your Kindle Unlimited subscription beginning September 5, 2023. Print edition is published as of this writing.