Title: Honeybee

Author : Trista Mateer

Publisher: Central Avenue Publishing

Publication Date: 05/01/18

Rating: ★★★★

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This is a book of poetry that follows Trista’s relationship with a girl who stole her heart–a relationship that caused her so much happiness, change, heartbreak, and emotional pain throughout the span of time. And the poems that flowed from those emotions that Trista experienced were so powerful and relatable.

I loved that Trista created a book of poetry but it is also a story. The poems are presented in chronological order through a relationship and break up–starting out with the initial over-powering feelings of attraction when you meet someone, the first stages of falling in love, and then moving on into the conflict and heartbreak and long process of letting go.

One interesting point that I made to myself was when I was nearing the end and I seriously had the though “geeze, I’m kind of getting tired of hearing poems about the same person”. But even just that single thought was so relatable. We all know what it is like to experience that heartbreak–and I am sure that there were people in my life during those times that were so tired of hearing me go on and on… heck, I was tired of having my thoughts go on and on. Sometimes moving on is so needed… but you just can’t yet.. you aren’t ready. And this author really captures that struggle well.

Honeybee is about a relationship–mainly the ending of said relationship and the hurt and effort that it takes to get over that loss. But it also has some other themes woven into its pages. You get to read some of experiences that both women went through during the time in their life when they were discovering their own sexuality and, therefore, having to endure the opposition of a not-so-understanding society. I feel like there are a lot of titles that cover the perspective of homosexual individuals… but this was the first time I had read a title that gave the perspective of a bisexual individual. It was very eye-opening because the comments that they endured and the challenges that they faced were very different from those of a homosexual. And we need more eye-opening in this world!

I have to say… I usually don’t pick up poetry. I decided I needed to ‘shake things up’ and start including different genres to give myself some variety. I am really glad that this was one of my choices. I really enjoyed Honeybee and I think that I will now make a habit of always having a book of poetry that I am reading. It’s nice when you have a limited amount of time to sit down and read because just reading one page packs such an emotional and through-provoking punch, that you really feel satisfied. Thank you Trista for broadening my horizons!

 

Thank you to Trista Mateer & Central Avenue Publishing for providing me with a DRC via NetGalley of this novel in exchange for an honest review.