I'm Sad and Horny

by Haley Lu Richardson

From actress Haley Lu Richardson—a raw, beautiful, and playful debut collection of poetry about the chaos of being a twenty-something girl in this world.




i always wanted to be a pop star

so i could catharize my woes, heartbreak and general experience of life in whatever vulnerable, valiant, or petty ways i wished

unfortunately i’m tone deaf

so instead, i wrote these poems

i share them with hope you relate

and resonate with the words in ways my favorite songs resonate with me

i hope they make you giggle

i hope they make you feel a little more okay with your own life

and even a smidge less alone

thanks for buying my sad ‘n’ horny take on existing in my twenties

love, haley lu



I’m Sad and Horny explores the highs and lows of living life deeply in your twenties. From ghostings and breakups to depression masturbating and finding a little inner peace—Haley Lu captures it all. Through wit and tears, this poetry collection showcases the versatility and personal side of the critically acclaimed actress. Thoughtfully designed with bold and evocative art accompanying each poem, I’m Sad and Horny celebrates the relatable and rewarding journey of loving too hard and finding your way home.

Genres: Poetry, Audiobook, Nonfiction

144 pages, Hardcover

Published November 4, 2025

Reviews

[Maddie · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75 stars rounded up. Thank you to the publisher for my gifted copy!!

[Reynareads · Rating 2 out of 5]

Giving it 2 stars because the cover is beautiful and the author's photo is hilarious. That alone made me buy the book but this is one of those moments where I am actually considering returning the book because wth. I'm a huge fan of poetry and I'm aware there are many styles. I don't know what this was. I have bipolar disorder and it reminded me of those random thoughts I get in the middle of the night. One thought turns into a completely different one and before I know it, I've confused myself. Some of the poems here really had potential, I was getting excited and then they just fell flat. For $28, I'm really upset I paid that much for a poetry book I read in 10 minutes.

[Moxie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review—and I’m so glad I did.

I’m Sad and Horny had me hooked by the title alone, but the poems delivered even more than I expected. Haley Lu Richardson writes with the kind of vulnerable, chaotic humor that made me laugh and nod and feel so weirdly seen.

It genuinely felt like reading a late-night group chat between me and my brain. She puts into words the little spirals and soft moments of existing in your twenties in a way that feels both raw and comforting. And the pictures and personal touches between poems?? Loved. It kept the whole experience intimate and engaging.

I’ve read a lot of poetry, and this one was refreshingly human. A little messy. A little sad. A little horny. And totally relatable.

[Lauren Carrere]

I’ve always loved Haley Lu and will continue to support her career! I just didn’t like many of these poems, which sucks cause I typically love stuff about 20-something girlhood chaos

[Landice (Manic Femme) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m so sorry but this was.. not good 😭

[Tiffinie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Deeply and bleakly millennial

[Carly F]

A super quick, fun, and dirty time. Would listen again for sure.

[dani · Rating 2 out of 5]

thank you simon books for the free book to read & review!

the art throughout this was awesome and i liked how each was unique to its own poem. the poetry itself is of its own kind and there were 2 or 3 that i really enjoyed and felt to be relatable to me.

the rest were very silly and fun to read as i pretty much zoomed through this in less than ten minutes. overall this was a style in writing that i dont particularly favor in poetry unfortunately so there were more misses than hits for me, but it was a good time going through this nonetheless!

[Indy · Rating 5 out of 5]

i love haley as an actress, so i bought this poetry book of her.
the poems were really different then the poems i usually read, but i liked it. they were a bit more chaotic and with humor. i also loved the pictures in the book and fun random quotes or side notes about the book.
only thing is i cant really understand the feeling of being an actress so that was harder to sympathize with.
but overall loved the poems, made a list of favourites but it got way too long... oops ;)

[Chelsea (2_girls_bookin_it) · Rating 4 out of 5]

**3.5 stars

Thank you Haley Lu Richardson and Simon Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

I honestly chose this book because the title made me laugh. And while the poetry had me laughing one moment at the ridiculousness of it, it also had me reflecting on another poem in the next. It was a quick listen that I think Millennials and Gen-Zers will appreciate.

[Sarah Nichols · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun book to help me get out of a reading slump and I highly enjoyed it!

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

i got a copy of this book when i attended The Drew Barrymore Show last week. i’ve always loved Haley Richardson and the projects she’s been part of, but hearing her talk so openly about her book “I’m Sad and Horny” made me even more excited to read it. after diving in, i completely understand what she meant; this collection captures the raw and beautiful experience of being in your 20s, when vulnerability feels both terrifying and necessary.

haley’s words are deeply relatable and unfiltered, showing what it’s really like to live through the highs and lows of self-discovery, heartbreak, and hope.

my favorite poem, “Held,” resonated with me the most. it beautifully reflects the moment you finally allow yourself to feel everything and the power of holding onto yourself through it all.

this book isn’t just poetry; it’s a reminder that it’s okay to be messy, emotional, and human!

[Elaine MacDonald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ugh to be a woman!!! These poems brought me right back to my twenties. “sit down guy” and “placeholder” hit so hard. But my favorite is “safe at the colosseum” 🥰

Also loved the art in this!!! Felt like it was actually a part of the poems.

[anonymous side quest · Rating 2 out of 5]

poetry doesn't mean finding words to rhyme like "assistant" and "insistent". loved the book design though. would've been better as just a photography book or collage book

[Katy-Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

4 1/2 ⭐️, but really this is just me wanting more 🙈

Haley Lu, I would fight people for you

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

*hardback

Thanks to Simon & Schuster / @SimonBooks and @haleyluhoo for my #gifted copy of this one in exchange for my honest opinions.

First of all as soon as I opened this book mail I was instantly impressed by the binding and overall look & feel of this book. I’m contemplating leaving it out on my coffee table because it feels almost like a homemade journal that someone painted on and that title is intriguing.

There were also photographs throughout this poetry collection which was a nice touch, as were the annotations throughout. It almost felt like you were reading through someone’s creative diary.

Also, I liked the original cover the author came up with. I can see why she’s bummed there didn’t use it lol.

As far as the poetry, some I liked better than others. Overall, it wasn’t my kind of poetry but I’m also in my 40s. However…..did I enjoy reading it? Yes. I just thought it was cool overall.

[Jadyn Kavanagh · Rating 1 out of 5]

i love haley lu richardson so much (in five feet apart)

this felt like a cry for help

and might i add. i read this walking around in indigo. it was not it :(

[Meredith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This felt like reading Haley’s diary and I loved it. It was messy and vulnerable and perfect. I don’t think the haters understand what she was trying to accomplish and that’s unfortunate for them.

[Eli Dhios · Rating 2 out of 5]

ponele voluntad Haley

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like this actress so I wanted to read her poetry! Some poems were better than others but I enjoyed the creative collages and visual art inside more.

[Dulce Hernandez · Rating 2 out of 5]

i think haley lu is very endearing from the interviews i’ve watched of hers, but this debut poetry collection didn’t necessarily do it for me. a lot of the poems felt like they were aiming for shock value, which derailed the narrative, and i’ve read instagram captions that feel more vulnerable and heartfelt. that said, i initially read the print version and then switched to the audiobook narrated by her, which illuminated more of her personality and cadence. i think there are ways to be raw and vulnerable, and maybe if this collection were further developed, we could’ve gotten there. being in your 20s is messy, so i do appreciate any effort at trying to materialize that in this day and age.

[Kelsey Mannarino · Rating 5 out of 5]

Haley Lu is an icon! What can’t she do!

[Lili Kókai · Rating 1 out of 5]

This should have stayed in the drafts.

[Elizabeth Nicole · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wanted to love this, I really did. I've been a fan of Haley Lu Richardson's acting work since Five Feet Apart. But unfortunately I didn't.

I found the writing very amateur throughout the vast majority of the book and it didn't feel like that much thought or effort was put into it. Like a lot of it felt like it was just stating the obvious. I wanted to feel like I got to learn something about Haley and get to know her a bit and I felt none of that. It felt incredibly surface level.

A couple poems I did enjoy however were 'grandma reincarnate' and 'if it's hysterical, it's historical'. Those felt a little more put together and like they actually had some meaning. Like with the former I liked the comparisons to her grandmother and the things that link them together.

edit: I've been informed that the copy of the book that I received had major formatting issues, impacting the quality of the book. I've since reread the book and my review isn't changing because what I commented on has nothing to do with the formatting and all to do with the text itself. I will add that I thought the photos in the book do a good job at adding some context.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC to review.

[Anastey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley, Simon & Schuster, and Haley Lu Richardson for sending me this advanced review copy for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Unfortunately this writing style wasn't for me. It's chaotic and mostly feels like randomly throwing a handful of words at the page to see what sticks. It felt like it was written by a young teen. It's constantly bouncing from thing to thing like a ping pong ball thrown by child on a sugar high.

UPDATE: Re-read on 8/15 after being contacted by the author. The original ARC I received was an incomplete corrupted copy.

My review on the writing style did not change at all, but the editing for the whole book was much better on the updated ARC copy I received. I did really enjoy the whimsical yet strange photos, and how much nicer the text was laid out. It was fun to look at! The improvements bumped my rating up a star.

[heather | booksbyheath · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not necessarily an ode to your 20’s but rather an ode to her break up

[Stephanie ✨]

*This is not consider NF but the poetry is about her life so I'm choosing not to rate as it feels NF*
Mini Book Review:
Thank you so much to Simon & Schuster for the complimentary copy of the book!
Thank you so much to Libro.FM & Simon.Audio for the complimentary ALC!

This book is out now!

I was introduced to Haley Lu a few years ago when she starred in "Five Feet Apart" and then her season of "White Lotus" and was excited to see that she released a book of poetry. I felt like you could feel her emotions in the poems. They often were short; heck one was even one sentence. I thought this was an glimpse into the life of a young woman in her 20s who has dabbled in relationships, trying to figure out who she is. One thing that stood out was the artwork instead the book that accompanied the poems. I thought they were a fun touch to the text!

Haley narrated the poems and I love her speaking voice so listening to her read her poems was such a treat. The book/audio is very short and easily digestible if you have 30 mins (if that) and want to check it out.

[Vick · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/4 stars. You know what? She lets you know from the very beginning that this is just a compilation of okay poetry— some weird and goofy, some kinda sad. But it’s just her stream of consciousness. I like that it’s a little messy, and you she lets you know she was inspired by a random journal entry of hers she reread.
I’m sure any girl in their 20s can relate to a handful of the poems in the book. No one can make me hate her for this lmao

[Gabe · Rating 4 out of 5]

So while halfway through, I felt like these poems weren't my cup of tea. I felt like I wasn't the target audience. But as I read more, I really appreciated that Haley Lu wrote these and they seemed for herself and her target audience. Isn't that what poetry is for?

After I read with this mindset I really liked the poems a lot more. I'm a fan of Haley Lu Richardson and enjoyed reading her poems. Hopefully she does more.

[Daffodils_and_books · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to Simon and Schuster for the gifted ebook to read and review.

Unfortunately, I’m Sad and Horny by Haley Lu Richardson was not my favorite poetry book. I think the concept had a lot of potential but the writing style is under developed and at times incoherent. I did like that it navigated topics that are relatable for women in their twenties.