I didn't know what to expect of this one...when I read the blurb I thought it might be one of those easy chick lit romance books that I could read for light relief. I was wrong. But I loved being wrong this time. This book has depth. The characters are so well developed despite them only showing parts of themselves (you'll understand when you read). The Atlas of Us certainly has romance but it is so much more than that. It's a book that shows grief at its most raw and real from the eyes of a young person. It's a book that shows that although we want to be alone in our grief and anger at the world that took away someone we cherish, friendship heals and letting people see you for who you are is a risk worth taking if they are your people. Atlas, who renames herself as Maps on a hiking programme designed to help youths, has lost her dad and in doing so had lost herself. In spending a month in nature and grafting, she develops real friendships with the most unlikely of people. At first, scared to be herself, she hides who she is but slowly their bond strengthens and she learns that letting people in is not weakness.
The story is just beautiful. It's written so perfectly. And although it's classed as YA, I took so much from this book and this author. Thank you netgalley and harper360ya

WILL READ KRISTIN'S GROCERY LISTS. I loved her first book, and can report that I loved this one too. Give me more angsty, emotional teens! That's all I ever want!

content warnings: death of parent (cancer, prior to story), grief, underage drinking

this book follows a teenager attempting to find some direction in life following the death of her father. she’s working on rehabbing trails in the western sierras, something her father was passionate about. as she lets her trail mates in, she starts to think that they might know her more than anyone else.

books about grief immediately draw me in, so although this author was new to me, i figured there was a pretty good chance that i’d really enjoy this book. personally, i thought this was a great depiction of grief. so many different emotions are explored in atlas and they can mostly be tied back to her grief. she’s not 100% sad or 100% angry or 100% numb, instead there’s a blend of all these and more.

i recommend this book and i’m looking forward to reading more from this author.

I was sent this book from Harper360 YA in exchange for an honest review.

Atlas has been sent on a community service programme as a last chance to correct her recent behaviour outbursts, due to the recent passing of her Father from cancer.
This community service programme is a hiking trail where Atlas must step away from her everyday life and be known only by a nickname 'Maps'. In her hiking group she is teamep up with a group of people who need to learn to work together and look inside themselves.
A part of this group is King, who Maps (Atlas) finds herself gravitating to. But circumstances are not as easy as Map's hopes for and even though she tries to portray a normal girl, it doesn't stop her from connecting with the memory of her deceased Father on this journey.

In the beginning, I struggled to connect with this book as I am not really a big lover of hiking. And since I went into this book completely blind, I assumed that the hiking journey was going to be the main focal point. But there was a lot more to this book then hiking.
I found this book to be such a roller coaster of raw emotion. I could really feel Map's grief, and the really felt connected with her emotional journey. There was just so much poured into this book that it really resonated with me. The slow burning bonds between the characters was written so well and the chemistry was so encapturing.
This book has my heart!

I lost my mother recently and this book really resonated with me.
I absolutely loved it be prepared to shed a tear or two

This book focuses on grief and an 18 year old navigating the death of her father. The characters on her hiking trip were unique and balanced some of the sadness in the book. The romance piece was enjoyable for a YA book. The MMC needed to confess something and the FMC continued to interrupt several times so this miscommunication piece added unnecessary conflict.

wow. a fantastic exploration of grief, sorrow and the ways in which people shape themselves. thanks for the arc! cheers

A heart wrenching book about grief, loss and depression that is impossible to put down. Be prepared to shed a tear - this one really packs a punch.

This was heart wrenching, emotional book about grief, depression and the journey of self re-discovery. I wasn't expecting to cry reading this but I did. I loved this.

This book had some really amazing lines and thoughts about grief and life etc that really spoke to me. I liked the journey Atlas went on. I liked the other characters. I liked the setting. I think I might have been expecting something similar to one of my all time favourite books with a similar setting, but that's the only similar thing between the two. So it was definitely an unfair expectation/hope of mine.
There were a few things I didn't love about this book, but I don't really need to go on about them because it was always when teenagers were acting like teenagers. In a YA fiction book. Yeah. they are going to do that. So it's really not fair of me to be like I didn't like this YA book because of the YA aspects. But there you go. I did like this author's writing, it was my first of hers. She has a cool first name too.

This was so well-written, the friendships in this book were >>>

This book primarily deals with the MC's grief (about her father's death) and the way she feels numb and unmoored, and the author has done a brilliant job of writing the slow path from grief to grief + healing. Legitimately sobbed at the cemetery scene at the end, the wholesomeness level was peak 😭

TWs - death of parent from cancer, grief, depression, betrayal

-- ty to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy!

This was honestly a really brilliant ARC to start off the year with and I’m looking forward to the rest! ‘The Atlas of Us’ by Kristen Dwyer is a wonderful novel that discusses the depths of grief, anger, joy, and self-discovery in a young girl called Atlas. I really loved this book because it didn’t dodge the hard bits that come with talking about feelings and facing everything with brutal rawness and vulnerability.

After losing her dad to cancer, Atlas James’ mother decides that, in a last-ditch effort, she should go to a community service program that is aimed at rehabilitation of the hiking trails in the Western Sierras. The program is led by the dad’s best friend Joe and real names are not allowed; so Atlas becomes Maps and finds herself with a fresh start with new people. Now working with a blank slate with no past to tie her down Maps must learn who she is underneath the story that was written for her and who she wants to be.

I really like this book because I think it is the perfect blend of messy teenage feelings and unfiltered vulnerability. The ‘found family’ in this book makes me so happy when I think about it: Maps, Sugar, Junior, Books, and King really do make it work even when everything seems to be at its worst. Even with all of the challenges that they faced, they all got their respective HEAs in the end. Junior and Books are the most adorable pair on and off the page, Sugar is just doing her best and that’s all we can ask, King is working things out slowly (which is fair enough) and Maps is rediscovering what it means to be a young adult going into the adult world.

One thing that really hit it home for me, was that the end was the beginning before the end came again. Now I’m aware that that probably makes little sense, but what this book really tries to get across is that the end is just another beginning and it does that perfectly. The writing in this book is amazing and it was a very fluid and relaxed read. I, at one point, actually complained about how well-written it was because it was going to make me cry (I came very close but not quite).

I would totally recommend this book to anyone looking for an adventure read with real unfiltered emotion.

The Atlas of Us is a brilliant and meaningful depiction of grief. The writing evokes such emotion and draws you in. I was pleasantly surprised at the depth of the exploration. The actual plot is a delight to read, it made me think of Wild by Cheryl Strayed in that we follow a female protagonist on a journey of self discovery. The book feels intimate and wild all in one. I thought the romance element was nice and complemented the story by balancing out the rawness. I wish I had this book when I was younger to read and help me navigate through loss. Thank you to NetGalley and HarperTeen for an E-ARC. This is a voluntary review of my own thoughts.

After the death of her dad, Atlas is struggling, traveling a path of grief so different from her mother's; as a last attempt effort to help her daughter, Atla's mother has enrolled her in a community service program cleaning the Western Sierras. Most of the kids in this program are there because their presence is court-ordered. Atlas's path hasn't led her there yet, but as a favor, her dad's best friend, Joe, takes her in this program.

She's given a new name, Maps. All the kids receive a nickname as they enter the program, and she's excited for the clean start, but the funny thing about grief is you can't outrun it. Dwyer's writing is so relatable; her style pulls you in, and you find yourself on the trails with Maps and her unlikely crew Books, Kings, Sugar, and Juinor. This book shows that grief isn't cut and dry, and navigating the world after your life has fallen apart is messy and rough, but there is hope.

I loved the journey this book took me on and all the feelings it gave me. Don't miss this read.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for this eARC!
This confirms that I absolutely adore how Kristin Dwyer just... rips apart my heart.
Atlas ('Maps') is struggling with the fact that everyone expects her to go back to 'normal' after her father dies of cancer. In a last effort to get her life back 'on track' and connect with her dad, she joins a volunteer group rehabbing trails in the Western Saharas. While she initially tries to hand behind fabrications, Atlas soon realizes that her team on the trail has become her best friends... and even more in the case of King.

It made me smile. It made me cry even more... but in a good way?

I was deeply moved by the poignant story of Atlas James, a character grappling with the devastating loss of her father and her setbacks. Her journey of self-discovery, set against the scenic backdrop of the Western Sierras, was both heart-wrenching and beautifully depicted. As Atlas, now 'Maps,' and her diverse group of companions rehabilitate trails, the story elegantly explores themes of grief, healing, and resilience. This book is a testament to the transformative power of nature and human relationships in the face of loss, making it a profoundly moving and inspirational read.

I really enjoyed reading The Atlas of Us as an arc on NetGalley. It’s definitely not something I’d usually go for but I am trying to step out of my reading comfort zone a bit this year. It’s well written, short and feels like a good representation of grief. I enjoyed it - thank you!!

After the death of her father, Atlas loses herself in grief. She ends up spending her summer in a program for youth who hike the trails of the Sierra Nevada Mountains to clean them up and keep them safe for others. All of the young adults have been given nicknames to use and Maps, as she’s now called, has to learn to co-exist with her trail group - King, Books, Sugar, and Junior. As she learns to open up more and the group feels more like family, Atlas wonders what will happen once the summer ends.

I loved this book! The author did an amazing job of weaving together the story of five broken youths trying to figure out their lives, interspersed with descriptions of what working to clean up a trail is really like, and tips on how to appreciate nature. There were a lot of tear jerker moments scattered throughout as Atlas/Maps struggled with her grief. However, there were also a lot of fun moments where I laughed at the antics between the characters. I will definitely recommend this novel to students (and adults!) who enjoy realistic fiction.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #HarperCollin’s for an eARC of #TheAtlasofUs by #KristinDwyer in exchange for providing honest feedback.
-5 stars

Thank you NetGalley for the digital ARC

5⭐️

Simply wonderful and well written story. I cried, I laughed, fell in love with the characters, and became totally invested in their story. This was a story of grief that was incredibly realistic and gives all the feels. Targeted towards a YA audience but compelling enough for a more mature reader.

"The Atlas of Us" by Kristin Dwyer is a captivating exploration of self-discovery and the healing power of connection. Set against the breathtaking backdrop of the Western Sierras, the novel follows Atlas, a young woman struggling to cope with the loss of her father to cancer. In a bid to rebuild her life, Atlas embarks on a community service program, rehabbing trails in the wilderness. Adopting the pseudonym Maps, she joins a diverse team—Books, Sugar, Junior, and King—each with their own stories and struggles. Together, they venture into the wilderness, where the exhausting days become a refuge, allowing Atlas to confront her past and dismantle the walls she had erected to shield herself from pain.

Kristin Dwyer excels in creating rich, well-rounded characters that breathe life into the narrative. The camaraderie among the trail companions is palpable, and as they navigate the challenges of the wilderness, a profound bond forms. The clever use of pseudonyms adds an intriguing layer to the story, symbolizing the characters' journey of shedding pretenses and embracing vulnerability. Dwyer's skillful storytelling brings forth the complexities of grief, healing, and the transformative nature of genuine human connections.

The novel's pacing is masterfully executed, keeping readers engaged in Maps' physical and emotional journey. Dwyer's vivid descriptions of the Western Sierras enhance the immersive experience, making the wilderness an integral character in the story. As the group nears the end of the trail, the emotional stakes rise, and readers find themselves eagerly counting down the days alongside Maps. The evolving relationships, particularly with King, inject a nuanced depth into the narrative, elevating it beyond a simple coming-of-age tale.

In "The Atlas of Us," Kristin Dwyer delivers a touching and resonant narrative that lingers in the reader's heart. The novel is a celebration of resilience, the healing found in unexpected places, and the beauty of rediscovering oneself amidst the grandeur of nature. With its genuine characters and powerful themes, this book is a testament to the enduring strength of the human spirit and the profound impact of authentic connections