The Dark Between Stars - Atticus

Title: The Dark Between Stars
Author: Atticus
Publisher: Atria Paperback (Simon & Schuster), 2018 (Paperback)
Length: 228 pages
Genre: Young Adult/Adult; Poetry
Started: January 1, 2019
Finished: January 1, 2019

Summary:
From the back cover:

In his second collection of poems, Atticus turns his attention to the dualities of a lived experiences - the inescapable connections between our highest highs and lowest lows. He captures the infectious energy of starting a relationship, the tumultuous realities of commitment, and the agonizing nostalgia of being alone again. While grappling with the question of how to live with purpose and find meaning in the journey, these poems offer both honest explorations of loneliness and our search for connection, as well as lighthearted, humorous observations. As Atticus writes poignantly about dancing, Paris, jazz clubs, sunsets, sharing a bottle of wine on the river, rainy days, creating, and destroying, he illustrates that we need moments of both beauty and pain - the darkness and the stars - to fully appreciate all that life and love have to offer.

Review:
After reading Atticus' first book, I immediately followed up with his second, released just a few months ago. Thankfully my issue with the first book - that it was all sweetness without any darkness - is resolved for the most part here. The poems are still mainly romantic and optimistic, but there's a nice variety with this new instalment.

Recommendation:
If you have a choice between the author's first book of collected poems or this second one, I'd definitely go with the second.

Thoughts on the cover:
The photo for the second cover is more aesthetically pleasing (at least in my opinion) than the first cover's.

Love Her Wild - Atticus

Title: Love Her Wild
Author: Atticus
Publisher: Atria Paperback (Simon & Schuster), 2017 (Paperback)
Length: 230 pages
Genre: Young Adult/Adult; Poetry
Started: January 1, 2019
Finished: January 1, 2019

Summary:
From the back of the book:

With honesty, poignancy, and romantic flare, Love Her Wild captures what is both raw and relatable about the smallest and the grandest moments in life: the first glimpse of a new love, a late-night drive singing along to a car radio, the irrepressible exuberance of the female spirit, the simple pleasure of a good whiskey. Atticus distills the most exhilarating highs and the heartbreaking lows of life and love into a few short lines, ensuring that his words will become etched in your mind  - and will awaken your sense of adventure.

Review:
I've been on a bit of a poetry kick lately; I read and enjoyed Nikita Gill and Rupi Kaur, and figured it was time to read more. After seeing a news feature of Atticus on CBC, I was intrigued and decided to buy his books. The endorsements on the back of the book are from Teen Vogue and Karlie Kloss, so I was a little concerned that his poetry would be a bit juvenile, but I would classify it as more blissfully naive than juvenile.

Atticus' poetry, at least in this first book, mostly revolves around love and romance. The poems read as penned by someone in their 20s who hasn't really experienced deep heartbreak or any kind of devastating loss, or if he has, then he just hasn't included anything about that subject matter in this collection. It's all very endearing and optimistic, and perhaps I'm a bit too old and jaded to really enjoy a whole book full of pure love and optimism without seeing much of the other side of things. I can see why teens and young adults love his stuff though, it's like a literary shot of oxytocin.

Recommendation:
This first collection is enjoyable, but I'm not sure if it's one I would re-read. Perhaps the second collection will be a bit more varied in the subject matter.

Thoughts on the cover:
The photography that accompanies the poems is sometimes quite stunning, and the cover is an example of what you'll see throughout the book.