Overall, I liked what the author was doing here. You could clearly see she was processing, healing, and learning. Exactly what I used poetry for when I was much younger...around 17-20. I think if I had read this at a younger age I would have enjoyed it a bit more.

I liked that the topics were about body image, healing from heartbreak, and finding solace in books and writing. I feel like that described me to a tee when I was a teen...or hell, even now really.

The artwork was pretty and meshed well with the writing. I liked the handwritten look of some of the quotes or lines...but I'm not sure if it was because I was reading an e-arc or what, but some of the words on those pages were blank or hard to decipher.

Overall, I think this book would work well for young teens. For one, because they can relate to most of the topics written about. But mostly I like the idea of young people reading this because Trista's poetry seems to exude a message of hope. It's like yeah, this bad thing happened...but things will be better. Or yeah, I feel really depressed...but not all days are like this. I think that's an important message for impressionable people to take away after reading this. We heal. We find good days. We make new memories. Things wont stay this bad.

Mateer is a master of many styles of poetry. This collection felt really different compared to her previous collections, yet at the same time, her familiar voice and style shined through. If you are a fan of short-form, relatable quotes (and beautiful artwork to accompany them), this is a great read for you! Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for providing me a free copy in exchange for an honest review!

I haven't read a book of poetry in such a long time that really touched me. The rawness of the authors words resonated with me- I get that. I feel like this book helped heal me in a small way, from heartaches of the past. I read this is one sitting. I hope to read more from the author in the future. I also enjoyed the illustrations- though the ARC copy I received did not have the illustrations complete yet. I wish both the author and illustrator the most success.
Thank you for letting me read this in exchange for an honest review

4.5/5

As a preface, I’d like to thank NetGalley and Random House Children’s for approving me for an eARC of this collection!

When I read poetry, I usually try to spread it over a few days, even if it’s just two. Or even a few separate sittings, at the very least, so I can think about it.
I finished this in an hour.

When the Stars Wrote Back is the latest poetry collection from Trista Mateer. It centers around ideas of love, self-love, and family. There are some darker images in here, so definitely beware the trigger warnings for drug abuse, rape, etc.

This book was beautiful. I found myself wanting to highlight a line in nearly every other poem, if not more. The way Mateer weaves the stars slowly into her poems really blew me away. The sections worked perfectly, and I felt like I was going along the journey of healing with her. It felt like a true dive into the deepest parts of the poet, like we were reading straight from a journal. All the images I’ve added on this page are screen grabs from the book itself, as they were too beautiful alongside the work not to share. They really enhanced my experience.

Given that my copy was an ARC, some of my drawings were incomplete, and this makes me want to rush out to find a physical copy and write all over it. I might be reading this again right after I post this.

The strongest parts for me came from the longer, almost prose poetry. One that really sticks out is Cherry Coke Zero, as it feels like an introduction that weaves you through the ideas of body image and the tangled relationship Mateer has with her mother. Seeing how this played out through the rest of the collection was truly beautiful; following as Mateer wished she was enough and began to learn she could be enough if only for herself.

I gave this 4.5 only because it is not dissimilar to other collections out now, moving through trauma and love to find self worth. The central theme of the stars adds a perfectly braided narrative through the collection, keeping all the strings of ideas Mateer has tied together. The titular poem turned the whole book for me, as she clearly came to grasp what it is to live and to love with the help of the stars.

Overall, this may not be a classic poetry book that will last decades, but it made a difference to me today, and probably will continue to make that difference for at least the near future. Isn’t that all that matters - that your words speak to someone? I think this collection is far better than any of the young adult ones I’ve read recently, and I hope readers of this genre will be picking this one up as soon as they can.

(A slightly extended review is available on my blog here: https://meganehandley.wixsite.com/nerfienotes/post/when-the-stars-wrote-back-poetry-review )

I'd like to say that reviewing poetry is hard, but I have read and reviewed really good poetry. The kind of poems that leave you reeling and force you to think. This just wasn't it for me.
The author plays with a mix of different lengths / styles of poetry in this collection. I found her 'list' type poems to be very repetitive. Her short form poems left a lot to be desired- that being said, her long form poems like Cherry Coke Zero were really enjoyable to read. (the author does admit within the book that she feels poetry doesn't need to be good, doesn't need to connect with readers, it just needs to be written)
Overall, as a collection, this just wasn't 'it' for me. To me, this read more like a feminist manifesto filled with one liners than a poetry collection. I also did not enjoy the addition of so many graphics. It felt as though the book was trying to make up for its lack of substance by adding kitschy images.

*Thank you Random House Children’s + NetGalley for the digital ACR in exchange for review!*

I am so in love with the stars and I love that this book expresses the way I feel about them, in there way of making you feel small in this big world. We are made of stars and I believe that this book does an amazing job portraying that, whether or not that was the intention. “I am my own universe”
I love the writing and so many of the poems I just read them over and over to sit with them and think about them. The only complaint I have in the arc ebook didn’t show the calligraphy written poems but I can’t wait to own a physical copy so I can enjoy the full effect of the book. Thank you to the author for writing this beautiful poetry collection and being vulnerable. Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for this arc copy

“The page always listened when no one else would.”

I have recently been enjoying poetry a lot more than I used to so I was excited to receive this collection on Netgalley.

I did relate to a lot of the poems throughout and found myself connecting to more poems because of it. “Cherry Coke Zero” was probably my favorite in the entire collection with “The Poem Does Not Have to Be Good” coming in a close second.

My main problem with this collection was that most of the poems were too short for the message they were conveying. I felt like 1-4 lines was not enough to pack the emotion that I know the author was feeling, but as the other said herself in one of her poems, “The poem does not have to prove itself to anyone”. I love that. Because you know that writing poetry helped the author, so even if it doesn’t help you, who cares?

The copy I received, and I also saw a few other reviewers comment on, had some art pages that were missing words, but as it is an advanced copy, I assume that will be fixed in the future.

I also adored the artwork throughout, and it added a little more substance to the poetry. I think this was a well put together poetry collection and I’m excited to see more from this author.

Trista Mateer has a way with poetry that constantly blows me away. This newest collection is no different. Capturing the emotions through the journey of self-acceptance, these poems feel like friends, some are hard to swallow but all are raw and very real.

Five stars. If you like contemporary poetry, don’t let the young adult label dissuade you from reading When the Stars Wrote Back. I absolutely love Trista Mateer’s poetry and have been looking forward to her newest work for months now. Very relatable and empowering. Check this one out.

Thank you Net Galley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Poetry is ultimately a deeply subjective genre. I found Mateer's poetry (combined with her artwork) to be very personal and introspective, which I think is the mark of good poetry. I don't think it's particularly revolutionary, but I did enjoy it and I think it would be a great addition to a bookshelf for poetry readers processing trauma, body positivity, and occupying space in the dominant society. Make sure you take a look at the trigger warnings listed before diving in so that you're in a good headspace!

There were some poems that struck a stronger chord than others. A strong poetry book, but it also wasn't different enough that it breaches a 3.5 rating. If you're a fan of milk and honey, or the OG salt. by nayyirah waheed, you'll likely enjoy this collection!

Some TWs to be aware of; suicide, eating disorders, body image, alcohol/drug use, and assault (emotional and sexual).

Thanks to Random House Children’s and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars.

As far as postmodern poetry goes, this collection is pretty solid. I would say, however, the middle section was not as strong and at times, the poems feel somewhat repetitive. This is common with collections of this size and so I don’t fault When the Stars Wrote Back too much for this. The illustrations accompanying the poetry is a nice touch and complements the tone of these pieces quite well. Poetry is one of the most subjective genres, but I do have confidence this collection will appeal to seasoned readers who enjoy confessional style, as well as younger readers dipping their toes into the genre.

Unfortunately the only format available to me is the kindle app on my ipad and /or iphone. I really love the cover and the description. For that I gave it 2.5 stars. I can't wait for this to be published. Bummed that the kindle app was not an available format for digital ARC.

this is the third Trista Mateer collection i've read and there's just something about her writing that gives me chills every time. i don't personally relate to every topic she writes about, but the ones that i do relate to, i relate hard.

I love all of Tristas work and this book was no exception! I fell in love with every word and page, she has a way to make you feel everything she writes even if you cant relate

Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with an ARC of When the Stars Wrote Back!

This book certainly contains lovely poetry - all of which I enjoyed reading through in one sitting. That said, I have been reading a lot of poetry lately, varying from Dickinson to more modern authors, and these poems fell somewhere between "good" and "average." If you are a younger reader, however, I do believe you will enjoy this much more than me!

Pub Date: June 2, 2020

This book was very good! The author wrote her poems with total honesty. I really enjoyed how at the beginning it was all hopelessness and no growth but towards the end the poems were all about confidence and change. I’m not a huge poetry fan, but I thought these poems were good. I think this book could be really inspiring to others who have gone through what she has. I haven’t been through most of the events she has so I didn’t really connect to the poems. Nonetheless, I really enjoyed reading the poems. I liked how this book can be read fairly quickly and is easy to read. I recommend this book to anyone who loves poetry or just wants to read a quick and interesting book.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Books for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

"When I couldn't get what I wanted out of life,
I turned to literature:
miles and piles of books
bouquets of midnight-blue pens.

The page always listened when no one else would."

I have never felt a quote as I felt that. That one reached into me and pulled out my soul for the world to see in 5 short lines!

When the Stars Wrote Back is a collection of beautiful and thoughtful poetry. They make you think. They make you feel. This collection in particular resonated with me as it mirrored a set of thoughts and feelings I've experienced myself in my lifetime. I love how the author touched on deep and sensitive topics and then in the same collection touched on happier subjects. I love her style; it's easy to read and really pushes the emotions behind the words to the surface. I really enjoyed the illustrations as well- they were beautiful yet simple. Perfectly suited to this collection. And that cover is the most gorgeous cover I have seen this year!

"I will not be a fairy-tale mermaid
willing to give up her own voice for love."

I think this one just wasn't a great fit for me. To begin with, I *want* to be a poetry person, and keep trying it, but it's not always my thing. This one appealed to me with it's synopsis and frankly gorgeous cover - I also loved the illustrations. Some poems, I totally enjoyed, even if they didn't feel like poetry I'm used to, because the overall message worked for me. Some I didn't. I also had trouble with some feeling like they were missing multiple words, I thought at first it was just because it's an unfinished ARC, but no one else mentioned it in their reviews that I can see, so I'm thinking maybe it was intentional and I didn't "get" it?

I don't know much about poetry so whenever I review it you must know it just comes from personal enjoyment and attachement to the poems. This book read a lot like someone's journal. It felt very personal and I really like the art included in it but at the same time the poems felt a bit jumbled, jumping from one topic to another and back again. It kind of felt jarring. Besides that these poems just didn't really connect with me. So yeah, not really my favourite.

This poem book was so beautifully written. I resonate with some of these poems. I love the way that it was formatted and written. Thank you to publishers and author and illustrator behind this book. It was a short read but it was powerful. It covered a few hard topics and in my mind, the author did a good job on tackling them. I highly recommend this book just for anyone!