Honeybee by Trista Mateer | Rating: ★★★★☆

As a note, an e-galley of this novel was sent to me via Edelweiss by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way.

We're just a few months away from the republication of Trista Mateer's collection of poetry, Honeybee. Yet so, so far away. Is it May, yet? It is very likely that you have seen her work as it originated, in various forms, but the truth is that this will be the book of poetry that people will talk about in 2018. Mateer perfectly captures the essence of growing into and out of love; the rise of romance and the fall into heartbreak.

What Trista writes is this--the dull ache of losing the person you love and the aftermath of both parties as they are trying to move forward with their lives. As she writes out her feelings, exploring the ups and downs, with a sort of frankness that is often difficult to convey in so few lines, you find yourself going through the motions with her. It's like falling in and out of love right with her. You're consumed instantly and her prose echoes within you. Honeybee is honest, complex and startlingly beautiful.

Through the years, I had only caught glimpses from Trista's works. Those bits and pieces are featured within Honeybee and all drawn together in a new light. This edition remains the same in tone but with a few key differences. Honeybee is not meant to be read alone; its pacing is so achingly real that you devour it within a small window of time. Longtime readers will recognize this trait instantly, as it carries us forward.

Honeybee speaks to me on many levels--the striking observations of how people acknowledge simple turns in our sexuality. As a bisexual woman, it is not a fun experience to tell people you are who you are and Trista Mateer gets that. She also truly captivates the reader with her experiences of love, loss and all the observations she makes. If anything, Trista Mateer's Honeybee stands out because of how realistic her portrayal of life is.

When you pick it up, you find a twin soul and you're in it for the long haul. It's that brilliant. I've always said women are magical and so is poetry--Trista Mateer is at the front of the line when it comes to the next greats in poetry.