The Atlas of Us is a searingly beautiful and real story from Kristin Dwyer. Atlas is struggling after the death of her father. She ends up on a community service program where they rehabilitate wilderness trails in the Sierras. Before he got sick, Atlas’ father helped with the program and gave the area special meaning to Atlas. As she wrestles with her feelings of grief, Atlas bonds with her team and does intense physical labor. When Atlas develops a connection with a member of the team, does their relationship have a chance of continuing when the trail ends? 

I LOVE Atlas!! She has all the emotions and I felt them so deeply. Kristin Dwyer is so good at writing about grief and the many ways in which we experience it, including anger. I loved how Atlas is given the freedom to experience her grief however she needs to. Atlas and King are drawn together right away, sparking an intense and captivating connection. Even while doing community service in the wilderness (not necessarily the most romantic place!),  Dwyer creates intricate romantic moments that add tension and depth to their relationship. I loved the supporting characters, especially Books. Dwyer’s writing is hilarious and filled with witty banter. Everyone is on the trail for their own reasons and the team must learn to work together to start to heal. 

This book would be perfect for fans of the exploration of grief and deep emotions from The Summer I Turned Pretty. Kristin Dwyer's writing is delightfully nostalgic, melancholy, relatable, and heartwarming. She's an auto-buy author for me at this point, as I know she will sweep me up in her story and give me all the feels. I can’t wait to read what Kristin Dwyer writes next!

Thank you so much to Kristin Dwyer, HarperTeen, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.