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Where Hope Comes From
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Poetry (2021)In Where Hope Comes From: poems for a broken world, Instagram superstar and poet Nikita Gill returns to her roots with her most personal collection yet. Sharing a number of poems that she wrote when the world went into lockdown, this collection will include the phenomenal Love in the Time of Coronavirus which was shared across social media over 20,000 times, as well as her poems of strength and hope How to Be Strong and Silver Linings. This collection will be fully illustrated by Nikita with beautiful line-drawings, and moves her into an exciting new space in the market as she tackles themes such as mental health and loneliness.
160 pages, Hardcover
First published February 18, 2021
202 people are currently reading
9700 people want to read
About the author
Nikita Gill
27 books5,730 followersNikita Gill is a Kashmiri Sikh writer born in Belfast, Northern Ireland and brought up in Gurugram, Haryana in India. In her mid twenties, she immigrated to the South of England and worked as a carer for many years. She enjoys creating paintings, poems, stories, photos, illustrations and other soft, positive things. Her work has appeared in Literary Orphans, Agave Magazine, Gravel Literary Journal, Monkeybicycle, Foliate Oak, MusePiePress, Dying Dahlia Review, The Rising Phoenix Review, Eunoia Review, Corvus Review, After The Pause and elsewhere.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 582 reviews
August 5, 2021
Probably everyone on earth has been affected by the pandemic. Some have been more affected than others, either by getting sick or losing their lives, their jobs, or a loved one. Even for those who lost none of these, the pandemic altered everyone's lives in innumerable ways.
I think just about everyone has experienced a plethora of emotions over the last year and a half as the world ground to a halt in the wake of a microscopic enemy. Fear, loneliness, anger, hopelessness, depression, anxiety.... they are all common reactions to either the virus, government regulations, or both.
Many of us are still processing how the pandemic has affected us and it will only be years from now, when seen through the lens of history, that we will learn the true scope of how the world has been affected by this pathogen. For now, we're still learning to live in a world permanently altered and many are still trying to cope with the feelings brought about by realising we humans, even with our big brains and even bigger technology, are not as invincible against nature as we thought we were.
Writing these poems during lockdown, Nikita Gill explores a wide range of emotions, from hope to despair and back again. There were a couple I loved, particularly "In Isolation" and "A Reminder from the Stars":
"Constellations of stars exploded to bring you to life.
The molecules in your left collarbone come from a different galaxy than your right.
And by defiantly existing against all odds you are honoring their sacrifice."
Many of the poems are inspirational and a little too "spiritual" for my tastes. On one hand, I love some of the universe and stars metaphors, but saying the universe cares about us is silly and narcissistic in the extreme. What exactly is the universe if it's able to think about and care about and want to cuddle and love every person on this tiny rock orbiting a tiny star in the middle of a tiny galaxy in this unfathomably vast space we call the universe?
"After all, the universe is a kindly ancient thing. It gave love as a mother tongue to every being."
Um, yeh ..... okaaaay.
Many people like this sort of thing and will appreciate the poems more than I do. It's nice to find hope and meaning but, for me, it's like a child clinging to a security blanket. I find it more inspirational to look out at the night sky and the twinkling stars and galaxies that fill it and know there is no ultimate meaning or purpose. We are here for an infinitesimal moment and soon will be gone to spend the rest of eternity as we did before we were born.... as nothing.
Knowing this makes me appreciate the good things more and it helps keep the negative things in perspective. Everything is momentary; nothing, not even the worst suffering, lasts forever.
Still, I like this advice from the poem "Lessons for Future Selves":
"When life gives you lemons, hand them back and ask for flour you can make a cake out of."
If only it was as simple as that!
I think just about everyone has experienced a plethora of emotions over the last year and a half as the world ground to a halt in the wake of a microscopic enemy. Fear, loneliness, anger, hopelessness, depression, anxiety.... they are all common reactions to either the virus, government regulations, or both.
Many of us are still processing how the pandemic has affected us and it will only be years from now, when seen through the lens of history, that we will learn the true scope of how the world has been affected by this pathogen. For now, we're still learning to live in a world permanently altered and many are still trying to cope with the feelings brought about by realising we humans, even with our big brains and even bigger technology, are not as invincible against nature as we thought we were.
Writing these poems during lockdown, Nikita Gill explores a wide range of emotions, from hope to despair and back again. There were a couple I loved, particularly "In Isolation" and "A Reminder from the Stars":
"Constellations of stars exploded to bring you to life.
The molecules in your left collarbone come from a different galaxy than your right.
And by defiantly existing against all odds you are honoring their sacrifice."
Many of the poems are inspirational and a little too "spiritual" for my tastes. On one hand, I love some of the universe and stars metaphors, but saying the universe cares about us is silly and narcissistic in the extreme. What exactly is the universe if it's able to think about and care about and want to cuddle and love every person on this tiny rock orbiting a tiny star in the middle of a tiny galaxy in this unfathomably vast space we call the universe?
"After all, the universe is a kindly ancient thing. It gave love as a mother tongue to every being."
Um, yeh ..... okaaaay.
Many people like this sort of thing and will appreciate the poems more than I do. It's nice to find hope and meaning but, for me, it's like a child clinging to a security blanket. I find it more inspirational to look out at the night sky and the twinkling stars and galaxies that fill it and know there is no ultimate meaning or purpose. We are here for an infinitesimal moment and soon will be gone to spend the rest of eternity as we did before we were born.... as nothing.
Knowing this makes me appreciate the good things more and it helps keep the negative things in perspective. Everything is momentary; nothing, not even the worst suffering, lasts forever.
Still, I like this advice from the poem "Lessons for Future Selves":
"When life gives you lemons, hand them back and ask for flour you can make a cake out of."
If only it was as simple as that!
September 13, 2021
I love Nikita Gill's poetry so much, and this was my favorite collection yet. Despite the incredibly emotional experience of reading this poetry collection about the pandemic while it is still ongoing, Nikita's optimism and hopefulness were a balm for my soul. I feel that we sometimes manage to have the inexplicable luck of picking up a book at exactly the right time, and that was me, reading this poetry collection tonight. I don't know if you'll ever see this review, Nikita, but if you do: thank you.
Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this review copy in exchange for an honest review!
———
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Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this review copy in exchange for an honest review!
———
twitter | booktok | bookstagram | blog
February 11, 2021
*sent by publisher
Really great! Felt especially connected to the parts dealing with living through a pandemic.
Really great! Felt especially connected to the parts dealing with living through a pandemic.
December 14, 2023
I find poetry a meditative experience. Especially if it touches you at the right and perfect time. Like when we may be experiencing vulnerability, or a need for reflection.
This particular book was a donation to my Little Free Library Shed. Most times, I will walk away from poetry, but the title grabbed me. Especially when it shared that the poems spoke to resilience, healing and light.
Because…
I truly believe we need more light in this world.
And…
I also believe the light shines from within each of us. We just need to believe it.
I also believe in hope.
And…
These series of poems, written at the height of the pandemic, speak to hope. At a time, when hope seems so lost and elusive.
In her first poem, “And a message from the universe” she shares…
Listen.
I am saying
That if you change your thoughts,
You, too, can change your universe.
There is something powerful in that message.
Because…
Truly thoughts have power. And if we all believed that, we could feel our own strength.
There are also some beautiful sketch illustrations that convey its own soft heart-felt message before she moves through her sections.
So…
Many of her messages, designed to bring hope, also call on each of us to find our own strength. Her poem “Affirmation for living on” showcases this…
You are still here.
Despite what time tells you.
Despite the loneliness.
Despite the darkness.
Despite the pain.
Despite the gritted teeth
And drowning thoughts.
You are still here.
And that matters
More than you know.
Her poetry…
Beautiful. Heart-felt. Transformative. Thoughtful. Contemplative.
It allows us great opportunity for reflection…
And…
Hope. In others. In ourselves. In this world.
Which makes this book, a true keeper.
February 3, 2022
FEB 2022: 5/5
All of my below thoughts still count. I love this book and turn to it in times of crisis. There’s nothing that Nikita Gill can’t convince me of.
——
As with all of Nikita Gill’s books, Where Hope Comes From is as poignant as ever. A soulful elegy to a tumultuous year, this book feels like a warm hug to soothe your aches and heal your scars. Gill speaks the words we’re afraid to say, the ones about how constant positivity can be so toxic, about how we need to heal in order to grow, about how no matter how alone we feel in self-isolation, we’re never truly on our own. This was just beautiful, and I cannot wait for the world to experience it.
Thank you to Orion Books and Nikita Gill for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
All of my below thoughts still count. I love this book and turn to it in times of crisis. There’s nothing that Nikita Gill can’t convince me of.
——
As with all of Nikita Gill’s books, Where Hope Comes From is as poignant as ever. A soulful elegy to a tumultuous year, this book feels like a warm hug to soothe your aches and heal your scars. Gill speaks the words we’re afraid to say, the ones about how constant positivity can be so toxic, about how we need to heal in order to grow, about how no matter how alone we feel in self-isolation, we’re never truly on our own. This was just beautiful, and I cannot wait for the world to experience it.
Thank you to Orion Books and Nikita Gill for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
February 10, 2023
"Take heart that you have managed
to rebuild yourself a thousand times
after every bad day.
That is no small thing."
Loved this little collection of poetry. It's empowering and beautiful!
to rebuild yourself a thousand times
after every bad day.
That is no small thing."
Loved this little collection of poetry. It's empowering and beautiful!
November 27, 2021
I liked about three poems and found the rest rather trivial.
Maybe I'll reread in a couple of years after this pandemic is finally over and almost forgotten and remember how awful it's been.
》We have calcium in our bones,
iron in our veins,
carbon in our souls
and nitrogen in our brains.
93 per cent stardust,
with souls made of flames,
we are all just stars
that have people names.《
Maybe I'll reread in a couple of years after this pandemic is finally over and almost forgotten and remember how awful it's been.
》We have calcium in our bones,
iron in our veins,
carbon in our souls
and nitrogen in our brains.
93 per cent stardust,
with souls made of flames,
we are all just stars
that have people names.《
December 8, 2021
I just... call me a snob, but more than half of this wasn't poetry, and almost all of what was was... not good. I love the sentiments behind work like this, but it always reads like a freshman's first drafts, I don't understand the editing process for this style.
January 5, 2023
A powerful thought provoking collection of modern poems.
A little push to everyone out there struggling against the difficulties of Covid 19.
Such a beautiful way of guiding hope we all need.
A must read :)
A little push to everyone out there struggling against the difficulties of Covid 19.
Such a beautiful way of guiding hope we all need.
A must read :)
April 19, 2022
Relies heavy on cliche. I’m going to sound like a raging cynic here, but I hate ‘we are made of stardust’. So is the Pacific Garbage Patch…. what is the point exactly besides trying to feel special? It’s not like this is a specifically human thing, it’s everything. As a poet, I understand the urge to use it, but as a scientist, I just hate it.
I have read some of Nikita Gill’s poems before, fairytale and mythology ones (which I wouldn’t give 5 stars, but I did like). I think they work better when they have a specific topic away from her inner self. The topic of this collection was, I suppose, Covid and isolation. Most of the poems just felt very surface level and privileged to me though. Like what I would expect a person to tell me about grief that hasn’t been through any great loss before. That’s not to say that I am assuming the author hasn’t been through any great loss, but if she has, she is not letting us in and connecting in the way this type of poem would require. My greatest problem with these was that they relied heavily on cliches. It was like a solid book of cliches. Some even used idioms, but not as some witty poetic device. So many were similar to affirmations when I was looking for poetry.
I have read some of Nikita Gill’s poems before, fairytale and mythology ones (which I wouldn’t give 5 stars, but I did like). I think they work better when they have a specific topic away from her inner self. The topic of this collection was, I suppose, Covid and isolation. Most of the poems just felt very surface level and privileged to me though. Like what I would expect a person to tell me about grief that hasn’t been through any great loss before. That’s not to say that I am assuming the author hasn’t been through any great loss, but if she has, she is not letting us in and connecting in the way this type of poem would require. My greatest problem with these was that they relied heavily on cliches. It was like a solid book of cliches. Some even used idioms, but not as some witty poetic device. So many were similar to affirmations when I was looking for poetry.
June 3, 2021
"Love yourself dangerously. In all the places no one else dares to love you."
I once told someone that I loved deeply and with unconditional favor, "I love you", without hesitation, hoping to express what had been bottled up in me for years.
Those were the last words I spoke to them.
This gem reminds me of that love.. free, unexpected, bravely taking its place in the Universe making its way through the strangeness of our current reality.
This collection of poetry does just that !!
Each piece, in this collection is skillfully crafted, weaving together a nations hopes as we stretched from mourning lives we once knew before the pandemic to rebuilding our tomorrows of a better day!!
Nikita Gill does an amazing job capturing our truths as we heal on this journey.
I once told someone that I loved deeply and with unconditional favor, "I love you", without hesitation, hoping to express what had been bottled up in me for years.
Those were the last words I spoke to them.
This gem reminds me of that love.. free, unexpected, bravely taking its place in the Universe making its way through the strangeness of our current reality.
This collection of poetry does just that !!
Each piece, in this collection is skillfully crafted, weaving together a nations hopes as we stretched from mourning lives we once knew before the pandemic to rebuilding our tomorrows of a better day!!
Nikita Gill does an amazing job capturing our truths as we heal on this journey.
Read
September 28, 2022A lot of this is very 2020-present centric, but it also just is about loneliness and human connection and hope. I found a lot of it very, very moving.
July 2, 2021
I have no words to tell you how much this book means to me right now. Nikita Gill's words are, as always, therapeutic. She understands me so well even though she knows I don't exist. And as I read her words in this book, I feel the hope bubbling up inside me. I feel I can do anything. And it's not just because the words and sentences and poems are so beautiful . It's because acceptance plays a huge part in feeling that way.
Thank you, Nikita Gill, for writing, for existing, for understanding. <3
Thank you, Nikita Gill, for writing, for existing, for understanding. <3
June 24, 2022
the dose of beauty and optimism and hope i needed on this two year anniversary of a pandemic we thought would be two weeks long. 🥴 this is the first book i’ve read from Gill and i loved it — its truly stunning, woven with reality but more so with fervent hope, shining a light on the bright and the beautiful in the midst of a season that’s felt dark and depressing. grateful for the poets who help us feel less alone in it all. 🤍
March 31, 2021
After one full year of the pandemic and social distancing, these are the kind of comforting words we all need right now. Who knew that during the pandemic I would find a new love for poetry. This is going in my favorites stack. Make sure you check out the authors Instagram account.
Empowering and hopeful, I look forward to reading more from Gill. She’s a bright light. ⭐️
Empowering and hopeful, I look forward to reading more from Gill. She’s a bright light. ⭐️
June 19, 2023
Most poems were felt “fake deep.” I resonated with a few, but not enough.
One line that made me put the book down and walk away was “When you find yourself empty of love, remember that you are 70 percent water. Who do you carry all those lakes and oceans in you for if not to nourish yourself, your own thirsts?”
Okay?????
One line that made me put the book down and walk away was “When you find yourself empty of love, remember that you are 70 percent water. Who do you carry all those lakes and oceans in you for if not to nourish yourself, your own thirsts?”
Okay?????
September 19, 2021
Uninspired, repetitive, and lacking depth.
December 13, 2021
4 stars.
A nice collection of poetry! These poems center around the coronavirus and the pandemic and all that it brought with it. I enjoyed how the words of despair were mixed and even blended with the words of hope. I also really enjoyed the artwork throughout the book. It added a really nice touch.
A nice collection of poetry! These poems center around the coronavirus and the pandemic and all that it brought with it. I enjoyed how the words of despair were mixed and even blended with the words of hope. I also really enjoyed the artwork throughout the book. It added a really nice touch.
April 21, 2023
"I blame my father for things he cannot control. I blame my father for things he can control but chooses not to."
April 3, 2021
চমৎকার!
March 25, 2023
Nikita Gill is someone I accidentally started following through Pinterest... oddly enough... and the day I came across her first poem was a gift. Her writing is the kind of poetry that fills in all the cracks. She's such a fulfilling poet and after this year of hell, reading something so beautiful that was inspired by something so tragic was inspiring in and of itself.
Where Hope Comes From is a hug of comfort from what we have been through since the start of the coronavirus and a love letter for what is to come from it. We have seen and felt such darkness but there is so much value that we can take from this if we look carefully enough.
I absolutely loved this. I have so many poems that I've bookmarked in my eARC just so I can find them in the printed copy later and tag them. This was a gift and on a day where I finally got to book my vaccination appointment.... it really did fill me with hope.
Thank you to NetGalley/Edelweiss+ and Hatchette for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Where Hope Comes From is a hug of comfort from what we have been through since the start of the coronavirus and a love letter for what is to come from it. We have seen and felt such darkness but there is so much value that we can take from this if we look carefully enough.
I absolutely loved this. I have so many poems that I've bookmarked in my eARC just so I can find them in the printed copy later and tag them. This was a gift and on a day where I finally got to book my vaccination appointment.... it really did fill me with hope.
Thank you to NetGalley/Edelweiss+ and Hatchette for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 3, 2021
This felt like forced positivity. It didn't feel effortless or fluid. It's repetitive and kind of basic poetry. I feel bad disliking this book, because I can obviously sense the good intentions behind this, and I'm glad if this actually gave you hope and warmth, but I just couldn't stand it. It's just trying too hard for me.
I also disliked the watercolors, (I'm going to sound like a snob) they're like very amateur and some just plain bad and cringey.
I also disliked the watercolors, (I'm going to sound like a snob) they're like very amateur and some just plain bad and cringey.
February 24, 2021
Poignant pandemic poetry.
July 8, 2023
Nikita Gill’s poetry is a reminder of simplicity, kindness and grace.
I read this collection in one sitting. Over a night of insomnia where all seemed not well. Over a period of such rawness that I was struggling to find a grasp and stay rooted.
And it gave grace to my gravity. Weight to my floating. Embracing kindness to my fragmentation. And above all, hope.
Thank you Nikita. Your books have a place in my home, and your words of wisdom will forever be my kind companions. 🩵
I read this collection in one sitting. Over a night of insomnia where all seemed not well. Over a period of such rawness that I was struggling to find a grasp and stay rooted.
And it gave grace to my gravity. Weight to my floating. Embracing kindness to my fragmentation. And above all, hope.
Thank you Nikita. Your books have a place in my home, and your words of wisdom will forever be my kind companions. 🩵
Read
April 7, 2025I bought this book after seeing a few of the author’s poems making their way around Instagram. Those poems gave me hope, so I decided to find out where they came from. It was this collection, written during the pandemic. Some of the poems are very specific to Covid, others are easier to apply to the world as it is five years later. Either way, it inspired me to start writing poetry again which is helping me figure out if I have hope and, if I do, where it comes from.
August 30, 2025
in the poetry of existence,
the oak tree stands tall,
despite the winds that try
to knock it down.
the grass grows again,
even if it is cut every two weeks.
the stars shine, defying
their own death across time.
the birds migrate across a sky
that promises heavy storms.
ane the leaves shed at autumn
and sprout again at spring.
all of this says,
if brave was easy,
it would not belong
in this family.
it is in our DNA, our bones.
we all have if in us to be heroes.
the oak tree stands tall,
despite the winds that try
to knock it down.
the grass grows again,
even if it is cut every two weeks.
the stars shine, defying
their own death across time.
the birds migrate across a sky
that promises heavy storms.
ane the leaves shed at autumn
and sprout again at spring.
all of this says,
if brave was easy,
it would not belong
in this family.
it is in our DNA, our bones.
we all have if in us to be heroes.
January 25, 2022
I was first recommended Nikita Gill’s poetry of healing, ironically, by a person who would go on to cause me a lot of trauma. And it's to recover from her trauma that I need to read this book. Smile. Life, eh?
Amazon showed me this book over the weekend while I was buying groceries. And something about that title hooked me in. Gill’s poems are not difficult for the mind - they are gentle, draw you closer, and whisper warm words of comfort. I needed to read this. I so needed it. I loved the way Gill weaved in the cosmos to show us that resilience, healing, and light are already within us - in that vast galaxy of the Universe we have everything we need.
Amazon showed me this book over the weekend while I was buying groceries. And something about that title hooked me in. Gill’s poems are not difficult for the mind - they are gentle, draw you closer, and whisper warm words of comfort. I needed to read this. I so needed it. I loved the way Gill weaved in the cosmos to show us that resilience, healing, and light are already within us - in that vast galaxy of the Universe we have everything we need.
Read
September 12, 2022"Let the love you don't know how to give anymore dance out of you another way"💗
May 20, 2021
I’ve been a fan of Nikita Gill for quite some time. Fierce Fairytales is one of my favorite poetry collections, but I’ve adored her poetry outside of that specific book as well. I thought Where Hope Comes From might be the book that offered FFT some major competition. Unfortunately, I didn’t connect well with this one.
Gill’s letter to her readers in the beginning of the book is deeply heartfelt, but the poetry throughout didn’t give off the same vibe. I think she wrote about a lot of meaningful topics, but much of this collection felt generic to me. I thought the poems felt forced, rather than words generated from the theme of heartbreak and isolation. That’s not to say they didn’t genuinely stem from those things, but the actual ache didn’t translate on paper for me, despite being so brutally evident in the past. With all this being said, I did occasionally stumble upon a line or two that took my breath away. Those experiences were, sadly, rare.
I must note, however, that her drawings in this collection were absolutely gorgeous and, overall, it was within the visual art that I found the most depth.
I will continue to read Nikita Gill’s work and I’m sure there will be more to admire in the future. Not every collection will be a hit for me and I accept that.
I am immensely grateful to Hachette Books for my digital review copy. All opinions are my own.
Where Hope Comes From can be preordered now and will be available on June 1, 2021.
Gill’s letter to her readers in the beginning of the book is deeply heartfelt, but the poetry throughout didn’t give off the same vibe. I think she wrote about a lot of meaningful topics, but much of this collection felt generic to me. I thought the poems felt forced, rather than words generated from the theme of heartbreak and isolation. That’s not to say they didn’t genuinely stem from those things, but the actual ache didn’t translate on paper for me, despite being so brutally evident in the past. With all this being said, I did occasionally stumble upon a line or two that took my breath away. Those experiences were, sadly, rare.
I must note, however, that her drawings in this collection were absolutely gorgeous and, overall, it was within the visual art that I found the most depth.
I will continue to read Nikita Gill’s work and I’m sure there will be more to admire in the future. Not every collection will be a hit for me and I accept that.
I am immensely grateful to Hachette Books for my digital review copy. All opinions are my own.
Where Hope Comes From can be preordered now and will be available on June 1, 2021.
November 22, 2021
Nikita Gill's short book of poems is like a cup of mild tea; warm, soothing, and best consumed in small sips, so that each sip might settle the nerves as it's absorbed into the blood.
The poems are straightforward, clear, and gentle in their use of language. There is a softness here that suits the subject matter--the poems are written for people who have lived--and are still living-- through these extraordinary times. They're clearly also for Nikita herself, with daily mantras acting as both a guide for us, and a reminder for her, to acknowledge grief, to remember our own strength, and to be always, always be kind.
A lovely collection of gentle poems for people who will benefit from soothing words.
The poems are straightforward, clear, and gentle in their use of language. There is a softness here that suits the subject matter--the poems are written for people who have lived--and are still living-- through these extraordinary times. They're clearly also for Nikita herself, with daily mantras acting as both a guide for us, and a reminder for her, to acknowledge grief, to remember our own strength, and to be always, always be kind.
A lovely collection of gentle poems for people who will benefit from soothing words.
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