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The Honeys
From Ryan La Sala, the wildly popular author of Reverie, comes a twisted and tantalizing horror novel set amidst the bucolic splendor of a secluded summer retreat.
Mars has always been the lesser twin, the shadow to his sister Caroline's radiance. But when Caroline dies under horrific circumstances, Mars is propelled to learn all he can about his once-inseparable sister who'd grown tragically distant.
Mars's genderfluidity means he's often excluded from the traditions -- and expectations -- of his politically-connected family. This includes attendance at the prestigious Aspen Conservancy Summer Academy where his sister poured so much of her time. But with his grief still fresh, he insists on attending in her place.
What Mars finds is a bucolic fairytale not meant for him. Folksy charm and sun-drenched festivities camouflage old-fashioned gender roles and a toxic preparatory rigor. Mars seeks out his sister's old friends: a group of girls dubbed the Honeys, named for the beehives they maintain behind their cabin. They are beautiful and terrifying -- and Mars is certain they're connected to Caroline's death.
But the longer he stays at Aspen, the more the sweet mountain breezes give way to hints of decay. Mars’s memories begin to falter, bleached beneath the relentless summer sun. Something is hunting him in broad daylight, toying with his mind. If Mars can't find it soon, it will eat him alive.
Mars has always been the lesser twin, the shadow to his sister Caroline's radiance. But when Caroline dies under horrific circumstances, Mars is propelled to learn all he can about his once-inseparable sister who'd grown tragically distant.
Mars's genderfluidity means he's often excluded from the traditions -- and expectations -- of his politically-connected family. This includes attendance at the prestigious Aspen Conservancy Summer Academy where his sister poured so much of her time. But with his grief still fresh, he insists on attending in her place.
What Mars finds is a bucolic fairytale not meant for him. Folksy charm and sun-drenched festivities camouflage old-fashioned gender roles and a toxic preparatory rigor. Mars seeks out his sister's old friends: a group of girls dubbed the Honeys, named for the beehives they maintain behind their cabin. They are beautiful and terrifying -- and Mars is certain they're connected to Caroline's death.
But the longer he stays at Aspen, the more the sweet mountain breezes give way to hints of decay. Mars’s memories begin to falter, bleached beneath the relentless summer sun. Something is hunting him in broad daylight, toying with his mind. If Mars can't find it soon, it will eat him alive.
344 pages, Hardcover
First published August 16, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,160 reviews
June 17, 2023
“It made me wonder what shape I'd be if I'd never met another human being”
this was so unexpectedly haunting in all the right ways. i truly knew from the first chapter that this was going to be a new favorite. the atmosphere, the mystery, the main character... all perfection. also, this book truly has twists upon twists upon twists, making it impossible to ever want to put down. and we always love a spooky summer camp in the woods setting, especially with a secret group of popular girls, with a extra hyped queen bee, up to maybe no good. i loved this book's discussion of the gender binary and in general i personally found so much of this story really powerful. and i think so many different types of readers will really love this one, so i recommend it with my full heart, but it can be very spooky, creepy, and gory so.... please keep that in mind!
trigger + content warnings: grief depiction, loss of a loved one, cancer mentions (childhood cancer mentions), blood depiction, talk of suicide, parental manipulation, anxiety depictions, funeral of a loved one, death, murder, violence, gore, lots of insect depictions (in a... horror book involving bees way... hehe), talk of spiders too, blackmailing (with manipulation/action of private photos being shown), bullying, harassment, misogynistic comments//sexism (always in a negative light), drowning depiction, fire depictions, and transphobia + homophobia.
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November 18, 2022
The atmosphere of a younger Summer Sons meets the grief of The Ghosts We Keep.
I believe this is one of the best books I’ll read this year, and the year has only just begun. What an exquisite piece of work! Loved, loved, loved it. The Honeys is startling. Thrilling. Breathtaking. Eerie. And at its heart, so very queer.
Don’t expect another Reverie or Be Dazzled. Above, I referred to Summer Sons, a queer very messed up adult horror story. Although The Honeys is young adult, I felt the same heat, the same tension, the same toxic masculinity, and the same grief seeping through the pages. Not being able to trust anyone, to be on your own. Wanting to find closure. The Honeys feels like dark academia in bright summer light.
The writing is descriptive, lyrical even. And so incredibly intense. That first chapter! My stomach flipped upside down, and I gasped for breath. Ryan immediately pulled me in and held me so tight that even if I had wanted to tear myself away from the story, I never could. Whenever I was doing something other than reading, my mind yearned for the story repeatedly. I couldn’t stop thinking about Mars’ journey through life, searching for what happened to his twin. My eyes wandered to my ereader, and my hands itched to grab it again. Aw, how I desperately want to hold a printed copy in my hands, caressing the cover, and look at it in admiration. Those wildflowers are so heavenly and sweetly creepy at the same time. When I finally closed my ereader, the story left me in awe.
Ryan, whatever this book took away from you, it gave me. It gave me Mars’ story, chills, personal awareness, and so many things to think about, and you touched me deeply with this gem of a book. Thank you so much!
Many thanks to Scholastic (Push) who provided me this wonderful ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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I believe this is one of the best books I’ll read this year, and the year has only just begun. What an exquisite piece of work! Loved, loved, loved it. The Honeys is startling. Thrilling. Breathtaking. Eerie. And at its heart, so very queer.
Don’t expect another Reverie or Be Dazzled. Above, I referred to Summer Sons, a queer very messed up adult horror story. Although The Honeys is young adult, I felt the same heat, the same tension, the same toxic masculinity, and the same grief seeping through the pages. Not being able to trust anyone, to be on your own. Wanting to find closure. The Honeys feels like dark academia in bright summer light.
The writing is descriptive, lyrical even. And so incredibly intense. That first chapter! My stomach flipped upside down, and I gasped for breath. Ryan immediately pulled me in and held me so tight that even if I had wanted to tear myself away from the story, I never could. Whenever I was doing something other than reading, my mind yearned for the story repeatedly. I couldn’t stop thinking about Mars’ journey through life, searching for what happened to his twin. My eyes wandered to my ereader, and my hands itched to grab it again. Aw, how I desperately want to hold a printed copy in my hands, caressing the cover, and look at it in admiration. Those wildflowers are so heavenly and sweetly creepy at the same time. When I finally closed my ereader, the story left me in awe.
Ryan, whatever this book took away from you, it gave me. It gave me Mars’ story, chills, personal awareness, and so many things to think about, and you touched me deeply with this gem of a book. Thank you so much!
Many thanks to Scholastic (Push) who provided me this wonderful ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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November 28, 2022
Wait, I hated this.
The Honeys is a genre defying book about Mars, a genderqueer teenager who travels to his sister's former summer camp to investigate the circumstances of her bizarre death. Beyond that, everything else is a spoiler, but I wanted to talk about why I didn't like it.
1. The pacing is bad. The first 50 pages or so have some cool promise and are perfectly readable, but it dissipates into "no plot just vibes" very quickly. What I struggled with is that many of those scenes are supposed to be meaningful- they are deliberately added with a clear conflict or element of intrigue, but its 'oops all mcguffins', and rarely does a mystery truly build. Stuff happens to Mars, but that stuff serves neither the character, nor the greater plot. No character is developed as a result of the circumstances of over half of the book- and the mystery/suspense/thriller elements are nearly non existent.
2. Representation. I can speak from a genderqueer perspective when I say its all over the place. Mars will be mad that he is called a boy, but exclusively uses he/him pronouns through the story an regularly makes it a point to confirm that he can relate to being a guy and a girl (which is what GQ is..both..not NEITHER) It was okay rep, but sort of all over the place and I didn't vibe with it at all.
I also am starting to realize that these YA contemporaries that deal with real life social issues usually miss the mark and feel really forced sometimes. They lack the grace and maturity of adult books with marginalized characters existing in a hostile world.
3. The characters- or lack of.
Mars is fine and has a pretty cool internal monologue. I liked him. He does have a crush/love interest and I liked how Mars had layered feelings about him and it wasn't pure OMG I LOVE HIM. He finds him annoying and weird at first. It takes him time to warm up. That element is fun. The love interest also sadly gets minimal development and is largely there just to fill a "we needed some romance" quota.
The Honeys is where this really falls apart. The book is named THE HONEYS so you expect a lot from these characters. They are initially described as standard rich mean girls with some mystery to them, but their attachment to the plot does not even happen until midway through the book, and they are nearly irrelevant overall. The girls are challenging to tell apart and don't have very strong or interesting personalities. they show up early on in the book and its exciting, but quickly lose their luster. Nothing about them is interesting at all.
4- Finally, the book gets weirdly experimental with its writing style towards the end and its unpleasant to follow.
The twist is sort of interesting, but does not make up for the rest of the book and isnt executed well. The whole end is just a mess.
The Honeys isn't a book I can recommend to anyone in good faith unless you are someone who reads books for representation and nothing else. Its not good at being a thriller, a character drama, a romance, or...anything really. Skip this one and snag a YA thriller that is fun to read.
The Honeys is a genre defying book about Mars, a genderqueer teenager who travels to his sister's former summer camp to investigate the circumstances of her bizarre death. Beyond that, everything else is a spoiler, but I wanted to talk about why I didn't like it.
1. The pacing is bad. The first 50 pages or so have some cool promise and are perfectly readable, but it dissipates into "no plot just vibes" very quickly. What I struggled with is that many of those scenes are supposed to be meaningful- they are deliberately added with a clear conflict or element of intrigue, but its 'oops all mcguffins', and rarely does a mystery truly build. Stuff happens to Mars, but that stuff serves neither the character, nor the greater plot. No character is developed as a result of the circumstances of over half of the book- and the mystery/suspense/thriller elements are nearly non existent.
2. Representation. I can speak from a genderqueer perspective when I say its all over the place. Mars will be mad that he is called a boy, but exclusively uses he/him pronouns through the story an regularly makes it a point to confirm that he can relate to being a guy and a girl (which is what GQ is..both..not NEITHER) It was okay rep, but sort of all over the place and I didn't vibe with it at all.
I also am starting to realize that these YA contemporaries that deal with real life social issues usually miss the mark and feel really forced sometimes. They lack the grace and maturity of adult books with marginalized characters existing in a hostile world.
3. The characters- or lack of.
Mars is fine and has a pretty cool internal monologue. I liked him. He does have a crush/love interest and I liked how Mars had layered feelings about him and it wasn't pure OMG I LOVE HIM. He finds him annoying and weird at first. It takes him time to warm up. That element is fun. The love interest also sadly gets minimal development and is largely there just to fill a "we needed some romance" quota.
The Honeys is where this really falls apart. The book is named THE HONEYS so you expect a lot from these characters. They are initially described as standard rich mean girls with some mystery to them, but their attachment to the plot does not even happen until midway through the book, and they are nearly irrelevant overall. The girls are challenging to tell apart and don't have very strong or interesting personalities. they show up early on in the book and its exciting, but quickly lose their luster. Nothing about them is interesting at all.
4- Finally, the book gets weirdly experimental with its writing style towards the end and its unpleasant to follow.
The twist is sort of interesting, but does not make up for the rest of the book and isnt executed well. The whole end is just a mess.
The Honeys isn't a book I can recommend to anyone in good faith unless you are someone who reads books for representation and nothing else. Its not good at being a thriller, a character drama, a romance, or...anything really. Skip this one and snag a YA thriller that is fun to read.
August 18, 2022
Ryan La Sala's newest YA queer novel, THE HONEYS, is the best YA book of the year. I said what I said. It may even be the best YA novel I ever read (take that Karen McManus!). This book dives into some serious topics under the guise of a summer camp horror novel.
The story focuses on Marshall Mattias (Mars) and his life after the death of his sister Caroline. His wealthy and politically-connected family decides to send Mars to the prestigious Aspen Conservancy Summer Academy in his sister's absence. This summer camp was Caroline's life and Mars wants to go out of respect for her and find out if he could find out more about her death.
When Mars arrives to Aspen, he finds that the gender roles at this camp do not fit with his genderfluidity is not-so-subtly unacceptable by Aspen's standards. Include bullying and toxic masculinity, Aspen is not the environment that is healthy for Mars. That is, until he finds the group of girls who his sister befriended, aptly named "The Honeys." The Honeys got their nickname because they maintain the beehives behind their cabin and are beautiful and confident, intimidating and selective with who they associate with. Mars decides to befriend this intriguing and mysterious group in hopes it will give him answers about his sister. However, the longer Mars stays at Aspen, the more he realizes that this prestigious summer camp has a lot of secrets that they will protect from people uncovering at any cost.
This book is amazing. CHEF'S KISS AMAZING. I loved Mars and I loved the unexpected romance in this book. I loveeeeeed the twists that I didn't see coming. I loved the way Ryan La Sala handled the themes of gender, sexuality, and bullying and using the book as a metaphor behind these topics. I couldn't put this down and alternated between audiobook and the physical copy. Both the physical copy and audiobook are amazing and I highly recommend choosing either. This book will be my go-to recommendation for teachers (in fact, I messaged a friend who is a high school teacher that she needs this book in their school library ASAP) as it touches so many important topics for teens. I wish I had this book in high school, I probably could have handled the bullying that much better. Ryan La Sala is going to help save lives with this book and no, I'm not being dramatic by saying that. Bullying is a core struggle of the queer community and this book is so unapologetic. If you know someone who is struggling with bullying, get them this book. I will never forget THE HONEYS.
The story focuses on Marshall Mattias (Mars) and his life after the death of his sister Caroline. His wealthy and politically-connected family decides to send Mars to the prestigious Aspen Conservancy Summer Academy in his sister's absence. This summer camp was Caroline's life and Mars wants to go out of respect for her and find out if he could find out more about her death.
When Mars arrives to Aspen, he finds that the gender roles at this camp do not fit with his genderfluidity is not-so-subtly unacceptable by Aspen's standards. Include bullying and toxic masculinity, Aspen is not the environment that is healthy for Mars. That is, until he finds the group of girls who his sister befriended, aptly named "The Honeys." The Honeys got their nickname because they maintain the beehives behind their cabin and are beautiful and confident, intimidating and selective with who they associate with. Mars decides to befriend this intriguing and mysterious group in hopes it will give him answers about his sister. However, the longer Mars stays at Aspen, the more he realizes that this prestigious summer camp has a lot of secrets that they will protect from people uncovering at any cost.
This book is amazing. CHEF'S KISS AMAZING. I loved Mars and I loved the unexpected romance in this book. I loveeeeeed the twists that I didn't see coming. I loved the way Ryan La Sala handled the themes of gender, sexuality, and bullying and using the book as a metaphor behind these topics. I couldn't put this down and alternated between audiobook and the physical copy. Both the physical copy and audiobook are amazing and I highly recommend choosing either. This book will be my go-to recommendation for teachers (in fact, I messaged a friend who is a high school teacher that she needs this book in their school library ASAP) as it touches so many important topics for teens. I wish I had this book in high school, I probably could have handled the bullying that much better. Ryan La Sala is going to help save lives with this book and no, I'm not being dramatic by saying that. Bullying is a core struggle of the queer community and this book is so unapologetic. If you know someone who is struggling with bullying, get them this book. I will never forget THE HONEYS.
January 11, 2023
3.5 Stars
The first chapter was a shocking start to this creepy mystery and I was wondering what I had gotten myself in to. However, after that it transitioned to more of a slow burn YA novel. Our gender-fluid mc, Mars, is determined to find out what caused their sister's horrific death. There is a dark academia element to this but is more of a soft horror mystery. The audiobook had sound effects throughout which at times added to the atmosphere but on occasion felt a bit cheesy. It turned out to be quite an engaging last quarter with some fantastic supernatural aspects.
The first chapter was a shocking start to this creepy mystery and I was wondering what I had gotten myself in to. However, after that it transitioned to more of a slow burn YA novel. Our gender-fluid mc, Mars, is determined to find out what caused their sister's horrific death. There is a dark academia element to this but is more of a soft horror mystery. The audiobook had sound effects throughout which at times added to the atmosphere but on occasion felt a bit cheesy. It turned out to be quite an engaging last quarter with some fantastic supernatural aspects.
March 29, 2023
4.5* yep this was GOOD
September 14, 2023
Well fuck. This is a book about me. Not exactly. (Not at all?) But in a way not many books I read are. The flash of recognition is thrilling, if not necessarily comforting.
I wanted in on the act. I love how La Sala plays with gender and attraction. It makes me realize how much of what I read is still written through the lens of being attracted—overwhelmingly compelled, utterly intoxicated—by only one gender. Our hero, Mars, is pulled by both boys and girls, if in different ways. Loves and fears both. Wants to know, really know both. Sees both through that particular, puzzling hash of clarity and confusion that only desire can inspire.
I was looking for a summer camp novel. Something with teens and cabins and canoes. September came in at 95 Fahrenheit, and I wanted one more sticky summer read. This is it. The tone is great even when it’s off. The combination of emotional intelligence and purported emotional intelligence is so true to life. Perhaps especially to queer life. Or just youth. So what if half the time the horror doesn’t land. So what if suddenly I’m in a stupid teen novel, a B movie. That’s what I was looking for to begin with. Then, when the grief hits, it’s disorienting.
“I wanted—I have always wanted—what the Honeys had. It was an instant, unconscious wish anytime I saw beautiful girls. I coveted not just their beauty, but their freedom to embody beauty. Their sororal closeness, too, and the power it gave them. I wanted in on the act, and I’m not sure that Caroline ever understood why. Whenever I tried to talk about this incoherent need, or the frantic, harsh static that writhed under my skin—when I saw girls, saw myself, saw the difference—she would shrug unhelpfully. Like this yearning was only mine. Odd. Alien. And I began to feel like an alien.”
I wanted in on the act. I love how La Sala plays with gender and attraction. It makes me realize how much of what I read is still written through the lens of being attracted—overwhelmingly compelled, utterly intoxicated—by only one gender. Our hero, Mars, is pulled by both boys and girls, if in different ways. Loves and fears both. Wants to know, really know both. Sees both through that particular, puzzling hash of clarity and confusion that only desire can inspire.
“The girls are fascinated with themselves, too. Almost as fascinated as I am. the way they talk about themselves—with such frankness—it feels like all people are wet clay, all the shapes that define us self-imposed. I realize this fits into the way I’ve always seen myself, which is: art, attempted, though often spoiled by the demands of another’s taste. It makes me wonder what shape I’d be if I’d never met another human being.”
I was looking for a summer camp novel. Something with teens and cabins and canoes. September came in at 95 Fahrenheit, and I wanted one more sticky summer read. This is it. The tone is great even when it’s off. The combination of emotional intelligence and purported emotional intelligence is so true to life. Perhaps especially to queer life. Or just youth. So what if half the time the horror doesn’t land. So what if suddenly I’m in a stupid teen novel, a B movie. That’s what I was looking for to begin with. Then, when the grief hits, it’s disorienting.
“I know people think being queer is, like, very fabulous and full of witty repartee and all that, but sometimes it’s also crying in the bathroom of an Applebee’s somewhere near Margaretville, New York, while Rihanna’s “S&M” plays on the speakers for the early bird crowd.”
January 28, 2024
soooo fucking atmospheric and dark, with summer camp honeybee deep forest vibes. it's also fantastically queer.
i put off writing a review because i truly adored my experience of the audiobook, and it feels hard to articulate thoughts. in lieu of a real review, here are some notes i took while reading:
✧ sunlit, eerie, tonally exquisite. the audiobook is top notch, complete with subtle sound effects.
✧ i love sweet gender-fluid mars. serious respect for the mission to infiltrate gender binaried communities. making the sacrifice of passing as cis in order to unravel their sister's mystery - knowing that gender is a construct, so being able to operate under its restrictions when necessary.
✧ the honeys and their slow, dreamy, mysterious, industrious hivemind - hive as a superorganism? ... and the lace, lacing together to extract information from the subconscious.
✧ mars' desire to fit in with the girls whilst continually being addressed as one of the BOYS amongst the MEN in the huntsman cabin - excruciating.
✧ moments of true terror - in callum's bullying, in the coldblooded targeted harassment, and in the strange supernatural "purging" of memories.
✧ HOTEL FOR BEES - i love the idea of a mossy ferny abandoned hotel in the deep deep woods. lost kids being transformed into honeycomb - excellent horror moment. the anguish of trying to save someone, but seeing that they're too far gone, disintegrated.
✧ service to nature by purifying corrupted flesh, punishing predators.
✧ got a BIG CHILL with wyatt as a drone - deep terror in a moment of beautiful, exciting vulnerability. the scary voice effect delivery is 10/10.
✧ overcoming the legacy of greed !!!!
✧ the spare becomes queen. in the end, gender is meaningless, in major contrast to the hypergendered separated camps. caroline had been trying to protect mars from the same pressure she endured.
✧ love the parents burning to death. parental betrayal is brutal. never trust rich people and their twisted institutional greed and generational wealth.
✧ "If the honey doesn't flow, the blood will."
✧ the hive is done being kept. EMPOWERED NEW GENERATION. still a sacrifice to become one with the hive, mysteriously at peace. the ending is hopeful, in the quiet at the bottom of the lake, looking up toward the light.
i put off writing a review because i truly adored my experience of the audiobook, and it feels hard to articulate thoughts. in lieu of a real review, here are some notes i took while reading:
✧ sunlit, eerie, tonally exquisite. the audiobook is top notch, complete with subtle sound effects.
✧ i love sweet gender-fluid mars. serious respect for the mission to infiltrate gender binaried communities. making the sacrifice of passing as cis in order to unravel their sister's mystery - knowing that gender is a construct, so being able to operate under its restrictions when necessary.
✧ the honeys and their slow, dreamy, mysterious, industrious hivemind - hive as a superorganism? ... and the lace, lacing together to extract information from the subconscious.
✧ mars' desire to fit in with the girls whilst continually being addressed as one of the BOYS amongst the MEN in the huntsman cabin - excruciating.
✧ moments of true terror - in callum's bullying, in the coldblooded targeted harassment, and in the strange supernatural "purging" of memories.
✧ HOTEL FOR BEES - i love the idea of a mossy ferny abandoned hotel in the deep deep woods. lost kids being transformed into honeycomb - excellent horror moment. the anguish of trying to save someone, but seeing that they're too far gone, disintegrated.
✧ service to nature by purifying corrupted flesh, punishing predators.
✧ got a BIG CHILL with wyatt as a drone - deep terror in a moment of beautiful, exciting vulnerability. the scary voice effect delivery is 10/10.
✧ overcoming the legacy of greed !!!!
✧ the spare becomes queen. in the end, gender is meaningless, in major contrast to the hypergendered separated camps. caroline had been trying to protect mars from the same pressure she endured.
✧ love the parents burning to death. parental betrayal is brutal. never trust rich people and their twisted institutional greed and generational wealth.
✧ "If the honey doesn't flow, the blood will."
✧ the hive is done being kept. EMPOWERED NEW GENERATION. still a sacrifice to become one with the hive, mysteriously at peace. the ending is hopeful, in the quiet at the bottom of the lake, looking up toward the light.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 13, 2023
The Honeys began as an easy 5 Stars for me. If there's one setting I love, it's summer camp. This location, with its isolation and forced proximity, demands friendship-building - you simply can't get away from having company - and there is a supposed sense of safety and sunshine. Juxtapose this with main character Mars' very private grieving, forcing it to happen so publicly. Throw in some slight spookiness and I was hooked.
Then it lost sight of itself, and the things I had been enjoying twisted into convoluted knots...
Vibes very reminiscent of two 2006 movies, The Wicker Man and Silent Hill... Both of which are not as good as their original incarnations, respectively.
What really bothers me is the incorporation of cancer into magic systems. I'm not certain what author Ryan La Sala's personal experience with cancer is, esp. brain cancers, but it was a brain tumor that took my older brother's life at just 35. It was the worst experience my family ever went through. To see something like this used as a plot device is an inelegant choice.
Then it lost sight of itself, and the things I had been enjoying twisted into convoluted knots...
Vibes very reminiscent of two 2006 movies, The Wicker Man and Silent Hill... Both of which are not as good as their original incarnations, respectively.
What really bothers me is the incorporation of cancer into magic systems. I'm not certain what author Ryan La Sala's personal experience with cancer is, esp. brain cancers, but it was a brain tumor that took my older brother's life at just 35. It was the worst experience my family ever went through. To see something like this used as a plot device is an inelegant choice.
July 9, 2024
*Mild spoilers but the spoilers are in chapter 1 so if you read, it's not that much of a spoiler hahaha*
I love going into a book completely blind, and then it BLOWS YOU OUT OF THE FUCKING WATER.
The atmosphere was DUMMY THICCCCCCCCCCCCCCC with this one.
Genderfluid MC Mars, goes back to the last known whereabouts of their dead twin sister to try and work out why she went insane, which ultimately leads to her death.
This was creepy and haunting af, especially considering it's a YA??? Bruh. I WAS CAPTIVATED. I listened to the last 30% in one go because I couldn't stop.
I low-key feel it's borderline psychopathic behaviour to sit on your couch with your headphones in, doing nothing with your hands, listening to an audiobook.... 🤷🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️
but... LOCK ME THE FUCK UP, I guess, because if I didn't know the ending, I felt like I'd pass away. So I walked, I sat, I drove the long way home... I HAD TO KNOW WHAT WAS HAPPENING.
Take the creepy, disturbing, uneasy feelings from wonderful movies like Midsomma and Hereditary, and put it in book form and then make it a dramatized audio? Hell fucking YEAH!
To be honest, I had no clue what was going on the entire book, and now it's over, I still have no idea what's going on...
(TBH, I don't even know if the book made sense, but it DIDN'T EVEN HAVE TO.)
Mars was such a great MC, and every interaction with other characters made me question everything.
The visuals were GOD-TIER.
The overall creep factor was GOD-TIER.
The Honeys were mysterious, but also glorious for how they made mars feel like he could be the genderfluid beauty he is.
This book was so fucking wild, and different from anything I've ever read. I think it will stay with me for awhile.
BR with my gal Clara who recommended me this GEM! 💖💖💖💖
The trypophobia at the end will haunt me in my sleep.
If I have to feel a way, you have to feel a way, so here's a parting gif. ily
I love going into a book completely blind, and then it BLOWS YOU OUT OF THE FUCKING WATER.
The atmosphere was DUMMY THICCCCCCCCCCCCCCC with this one.
Genderfluid MC Mars, goes back to the last known whereabouts of their dead twin sister to try and work out why she went insane, which ultimately leads to her death.
This was creepy and haunting af, especially considering it's a YA??? Bruh. I WAS CAPTIVATED. I listened to the last 30% in one go because I couldn't stop.
I low-key feel it's borderline psychopathic behaviour to sit on your couch with your headphones in, doing nothing with your hands, listening to an audiobook.... 🤷🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️
but... LOCK ME THE FUCK UP, I guess, because if I didn't know the ending, I felt like I'd pass away. So I walked, I sat, I drove the long way home... I HAD TO KNOW WHAT WAS HAPPENING.
Take the creepy, disturbing, uneasy feelings from wonderful movies like Midsomma and Hereditary, and put it in book form and then make it a dramatized audio? Hell fucking YEAH!
To be honest, I had no clue what was going on the entire book, and now it's over, I still have no idea what's going on...
(TBH, I don't even know if the book made sense, but it DIDN'T EVEN HAVE TO.)
Mars was such a great MC, and every interaction with other characters made me question everything.
The visuals were GOD-TIER.
The overall creep factor was GOD-TIER.
The Honeys were mysterious, but also glorious for how they made mars feel like he could be the genderfluid beauty he is.
This book was so fucking wild, and different from anything I've ever read. I think it will stay with me for awhile.
BR with my gal Clara who recommended me this GEM! 💖💖💖💖
The trypophobia at the end will haunt me in my sleep.
If I have to feel a way, you have to feel a way, so here's a parting gif. ily
June 28, 2024
if Bunny by Mona Awad had a cousin it would be this book, but with bees and honey instead.. i honestly don’t even know what i just read so feels familiar lol
August 15, 2022
I found this book to be really boring and I think I'm just not the audience for this book.
April 25, 2023
“No offense, but your sister’s friends seem a little homicidal.”
I snort. “No offense, but your beloved summer camp seems a little culty.”
Maybe it was simply the random reference to the croquet lawn, but this summer camp tale had me feeling . . . .
Whether your vibe leans toward Heathers or Mean Girls or the Pink Ladies, know that The Honeys also rule the school . . . errr, I mean the Aspen Conservancy Summer Academy.
I was FEEEEEEEELING this one. I’m all down to clown when it comes to some culty ish and errrrybody knows you better not be killing off the honeybees! If you’re looking for some YA summertime fun that might give you the creeps, this one shouldn’t be left unread.
I snort. “No offense, but your beloved summer camp seems a little culty.”
Maybe it was simply the random reference to the croquet lawn, but this summer camp tale had me feeling . . . .
Whether your vibe leans toward Heathers or Mean Girls or the Pink Ladies, know that The Honeys also rule the school . . . errr, I mean the Aspen Conservancy Summer Academy.
I was FEEEEEEEELING this one. I’m all down to clown when it comes to some culty ish and errrrybody knows you better not be killing off the honeybees! If you’re looking for some YA summertime fun that might give you the creeps, this one shouldn’t be left unread.
October 4, 2022
not sure i'm one for this kind of atmospheric horror.
it wasn't bad but i cared more about the potential romance than anything else lol. not sure i could tell you anything about it. better not ask me.
i did love Mars though! more genderfluid characters in books please!
it wasn't bad but i cared more about the potential romance than anything else lol. not sure i could tell you anything about it. better not ask me.
i did love Mars though! more genderfluid characters in books please!
June 15, 2023
I love this take on queer horror set at summer camp. The Honeys is a book about grief, identity, gender, and the particular challenges that come with being a person who doesn't conform to the version of masculinity expected of you.
There is a particular sort of fear, discomfort, and disdain for people who present as femme or femme-leaning and were assigned male at birth, regardless of the gender they actually identify as. Probably because of misogyny and toxic masculinity, but you really see that embodied in this book where our main character is genderfluid, being pushed into gendered boxes at camp. (I think this especially resonated with me as a parent of a gender non-conforming kid. You realize how early performing gendered expectations is pushed onto kids by their peers and society.) But beyond that, Mars is there, grieving their sister and investigating what was going on with her before she died. She was part of an exclusive group of girls known as The Honeys, and they take Mars in but there's also something strange about them...
This book had several twists I wasn't expecting and it gets fairly dark and creepy for a YA novel, but in a way that feels warranted. It's smart and nuanced and I was rooting for Mars to find a happier ending and a safe space to fully be themselves. I expected to like this, but I loved it a lot more than I had anticipated. La Sala has written a book that is at once flamboyant and subtle, using good writing to suggest we might have an unreliable narrator and that something weird is happening. I liked the places this went and how unapologetically queer it is. Plus the audiobook is phenomenal! It's fully-produced with sound effects that make it this really immersive reading experience. I'm glad I finally made space to read this.
There is a particular sort of fear, discomfort, and disdain for people who present as femme or femme-leaning and were assigned male at birth, regardless of the gender they actually identify as. Probably because of misogyny and toxic masculinity, but you really see that embodied in this book where our main character is genderfluid, being pushed into gendered boxes at camp. (I think this especially resonated with me as a parent of a gender non-conforming kid. You realize how early performing gendered expectations is pushed onto kids by their peers and society.) But beyond that, Mars is there, grieving their sister and investigating what was going on with her before she died. She was part of an exclusive group of girls known as The Honeys, and they take Mars in but there's also something strange about them...
This book had several twists I wasn't expecting and it gets fairly dark and creepy for a YA novel, but in a way that feels warranted. It's smart and nuanced and I was rooting for Mars to find a happier ending and a safe space to fully be themselves. I expected to like this, but I loved it a lot more than I had anticipated. La Sala has written a book that is at once flamboyant and subtle, using good writing to suggest we might have an unreliable narrator and that something weird is happening. I liked the places this went and how unapologetically queer it is. Plus the audiobook is phenomenal! It's fully-produced with sound effects that make it this really immersive reading experience. I'm glad I finally made space to read this.
April 2, 2024
what the heck did i just read.
i had such i high hopes for this book. i love mysteries ⋆ ˚☁️ ⁀➴ aka a good girls guide to murder but this wasn't it. the beginning was okay but it just didn't have a plot in my opinion. Mars was a good character but the people @ camp aspen were as expected -> 𝖙𝖗𝖚𝖘𝖙 𝖓𝖔 𝖔𝖓𝖊. Ironically, there was VERY little about The Honey themselves☁️🍯🧸✨. This book was boring and not scary at at all, like it was just a regular story. I know some people really enjoyed, yay!, but it was a miss for me sadly.
p.s. i have a hard time with fantasy, i've just tried cruel prince and never finished it so keep that in mind <3
Happy reading!
Love,
Bailey
i had such i high hopes for this book. i love mysteries ⋆ ˚☁️ ⁀➴ aka a good girls guide to murder but this wasn't it. the beginning was okay but it just didn't have a plot in my opinion. Mars was a good character but the people @ camp aspen were as expected -> 𝖙𝖗𝖚𝖘𝖙 𝖓𝖔 𝖔𝖓𝖊. Ironically, there was VERY little about The Honey themselves☁️🍯🧸✨. This book was boring and not scary at at all, like it was just a regular story. I know some people really enjoyed, yay!, but it was a miss for me sadly.
p.s. i have a hard time with fantasy, i've just tried cruel prince and never finished it so keep that in mind <3
Happy reading!
Love,
Bailey
November 23, 2022
I read the arc a while ago but listened to the audiobook. It was perhaps not the smartest thing to listen to it while alone in the dark in a cabin in the woods because I am a SCAREDY CAT.
Ryan is so good at this. Just read the book. It’s a slow burn of a mystery with a narrator that you want to protect at all costs.
🐝🐝🐝🐝
Ryan is so good at this. Just read the book. It’s a slow burn of a mystery with a narrator that you want to protect at all costs.
🐝🐝🐝🐝
October 28, 2022
I adored this book. I adored every little thing about it. A gender-fluid MC, a cliquey group of bee girls who were complicated characters, toxic masculinity, greed and grief and so many secrets. It's all done incredibly well and I highly recommend the audiobook. It's excellently narrated and has some well-placed sound effects that add to the creep factor rather than take away from it (as sometimes happens). It's one of the most engaging books I've read all year.
Read
August 29, 2021ryan genius la sala does it again
September 11, 2022
That was...at times disturbing and unexpectedly heartfelt--the sort of story that sticks in your head, deeply burrowed. La Sala's writing is beautiful.
December 31, 2023
it had me, then it lost me. this is basically bee movie midsommar. no thank you.
October 8, 2022
Proceed With Caution:
This book contains death, murder, bullying, transphobia, homophobia, blood, and grief.
The Basics:
The Honeys is narrated by seventeen-year-old Mars, whose twin has just died after attacking him in his sleep. Caroline had been away at a summer camp for rich teens, but she returns different. After her funeral, Mars decides to return to this camp himself and try to learn what happened to her during that final summer. There he's pulled into the mystical world of the most envied girls at Aspen.
My Thoughts:
I honestly had no idea what to expect going into The Honeys. I just know I adored the authors previous book, Be Dazzled, and need more queer reads! Plus this sounded super weird and kind of eerie and like these girls were possible part of some kind of summer camp cult for rich people. I don't know. I just know that cover is gorgeous and I was drawn to it. Unfortunately, it wasn't for me.
The Honeys is one of those books that makes me feel stupid. I simply didn't understand anything going on. I couldn't predict where the story was going. Even when all was revealed, I was left utterly confused. Trying to figure out how everything fit together looking back was making my head spin. I just don't get it! Was any of it real?! Is this supernatural?! Was some of it all in Mars' head?! Are they on drugs?! Somebody tell me!
Other than being confusing, I was also kind of not that interested in Mars. I was eager to read about a genderfluid character navigating this super binary elite camp. But he was kind of boring? Mars is bullied, as was expected, but I did love how he stands up for himself. However, his genderfluidity was all we really know about him. His whole personality was being genderfluid and Caroline's twin. I wanted more!
I did really love the idea of the Honeys (the actual characters, I mean). They're these girls who stay in a cabin that's pretty isolated from the rest of the camp. They take care of the bees. Everyone wants to be them or with them or are intimidated by them. Every scene with them felt kind of surreal, like everything was just a bit too bright and perfect. I had to know more! But once I learned more, I wasn't interested anymore, because like I said, I was confused.
The Honeys has a great premise, but it felt messy and convoluted to me. And when it wasn't confusing, it was boring. I just don't know what to think about it really. I can't say it's bad, because I don't think it was. But I know it wasn't the book for me.
Read more at Pinkadot Pages.
This book contains death, murder, bullying, transphobia, homophobia, blood, and grief.
The Basics:
The Honeys is narrated by seventeen-year-old Mars, whose twin has just died after attacking him in his sleep. Caroline had been away at a summer camp for rich teens, but she returns different. After her funeral, Mars decides to return to this camp himself and try to learn what happened to her during that final summer. There he's pulled into the mystical world of the most envied girls at Aspen.
My Thoughts:
I honestly had no idea what to expect going into The Honeys. I just know I adored the authors previous book, Be Dazzled, and need more queer reads! Plus this sounded super weird and kind of eerie and like these girls were possible part of some kind of summer camp cult for rich people. I don't know. I just know that cover is gorgeous and I was drawn to it. Unfortunately, it wasn't for me.
The Honeys is one of those books that makes me feel stupid. I simply didn't understand anything going on. I couldn't predict where the story was going. Even when all was revealed, I was left utterly confused. Trying to figure out how everything fit together looking back was making my head spin. I just don't get it! Was any of it real?! Is this supernatural?! Was some of it all in Mars' head?! Are they on drugs?! Somebody tell me!
Other than being confusing, I was also kind of not that interested in Mars. I was eager to read about a genderfluid character navigating this super binary elite camp. But he was kind of boring? Mars is bullied, as was expected, but I did love how he stands up for himself. However, his genderfluidity was all we really know about him. His whole personality was being genderfluid and Caroline's twin. I wanted more!
I did really love the idea of the Honeys (the actual characters, I mean). They're these girls who stay in a cabin that's pretty isolated from the rest of the camp. They take care of the bees. Everyone wants to be them or with them or are intimidated by them. Every scene with them felt kind of surreal, like everything was just a bit too bright and perfect. I had to know more! But once I learned more, I wasn't interested anymore, because like I said, I was confused.
The Honeys has a great premise, but it felt messy and convoluted to me. And when it wasn't confusing, it was boring. I just don't know what to think about it really. I can't say it's bad, because I don't think it was. But I know it wasn't the book for me.
Read more at Pinkadot Pages.
November 11, 2023
“i realize this fits into the way i’ve always seen myself, which is: art, attempted, though often spoiled by the demands of another's taste.”
when mars’ sister caroline dies, he finds himself drawn back to the prestigious aspen conservancy summer academy—the very place that pulled mars and caroline apart. there, mars is pulled into caroline’s old friend group: beautiful and terrifying girls dubbed the honeys, named for the beehives they maintain behind their cabin. but the longer mars stays in aspen, the more his memories start to get toyed with beneath the summer sun.
this was the most unsettled i’ve been reading any book this year.
possibly ever.
i picked up the honeys as a way to escape the horrors of reality by throwing myself into someone else’s nightmare. hey at least it’s temporarily not mine! but uh. this was something else. there wasn’t a single moment where i wasn’t anxious.
in fact i ended up spending the last hour huddled next to my mom.
there’s truly nothing quite like the honeys. if i were to try, it’s two of my favorite things: the disconcerting feeling of midsommar meets the oppressive heat and toxic masculinity of summer sons. boys will be boys meets gender fluidity drenched in sickly sweet honey.
from start to end it’s a whole production that—and i will go down defending this—is best consumed via audiobook for Maximum Spook & Vibes. a perfect reminder that listening to consuming books through your ears /is/ reading.
here, the audio is such a perfect medium elevating a story to a whole other level. i’ll refrain from spoilers because it’s An Experience but briefly—the literal buzzing of bees, the rustle of leaves in your eardrums, the eerie accompaniment. it's enough to throw you off kilter, something to jolt you awake like phantom fingertips down your spine.
at one point i literally yanked out my airpods and threw them aside. i love a visceral reaction so much. the honeys contained so many instances of that.
(ryan la sala if you see this you will be receiving a bill)
anyway. headcanon that richard campell gansey iii would have a panic attack reading this and i love that for both him and me.
September 4, 2022
The only thing I found interesting about this book was the fact that the titles of the chapters get more and more warped the further into the book you are.
April 19, 2023
Yes, it took me 2 weeks to finish this. Yes, I hate college… ehem ehem, moving on..
-YA
-Thriller
-Drama, Fiction, Mystery
-L(G)BTQ+ rep + gender fluid main character
-Mars’ sister died after attacking her because she went back home traumatized, so Mars wants to know what caused the “attack”, basically
-I didn’t quite understand the “mysterious” concept because the book suddenly got.. fanciful out of nowhere but it was interesting
-The story is entertaining, it’s just a little slow at the beginning but eventually you get invested in the plot
-Sometimes quite disturbing yet sometimes so heart warming?
-It could also be described as: cult + mean girls
-The romance is a slow-burn, I LOVED IT
-“It is up to you to demand that people see you as you, or they will almost always decide that you are someone else.” 💫
-Plot twists/😱Moments: 3/5
-Characters: 4/5
-Plot: 3/5
-YA
-Thriller
-Drama, Fiction, Mystery
-L(G)BTQ+ rep + gender fluid main character
-Mars’ sister died after attacking her because she went back home traumatized, so Mars wants to know what caused the “attack”, basically
-I didn’t quite understand the “mysterious” concept because the book suddenly got.. fanciful out of nowhere but it was interesting
-The story is entertaining, it’s just a little slow at the beginning but eventually you get invested in the plot
-Sometimes quite disturbing yet sometimes so heart warming?
-It could also be described as: cult + mean girls
-The romance is a slow-burn, I LOVED IT
-“It is up to you to demand that people see you as you, or they will almost always decide that you are someone else.” 💫
-Plot twists/😱Moments: 3/5
-Characters: 4/5
-Plot: 3/5
August 24, 2022
4.5 stars. Soaked in sumptuous prose and decadent storytelling, The Honeys is a devilishly sweet YA horror that is Ryan La Sala's best work yet.
October 5, 2022
This book was very odd.
Full review incoming.
3 ⭐️.
Full review incoming.
3 ⭐️.
August 21, 2022
Star Rating: —> 4.5 Stars
Wow, this was spooky af & COMPLETELY unexpected! I absolutely did not see the end twists coming! Also yay for a genderfluid MC!
RTC
Wow, this was spooky af & COMPLETELY unexpected! I absolutely did not see the end twists coming! Also yay for a genderfluid MC!
RTC
September 21, 2022
The cover is cool.
February 18, 2023
3.5 stars
There is so much about The Honeys that I loved. I really enjoyed Ryan La Sala's writing style. There were so many good descriptions and some genuinely funny one-liners. I loved Mars as a main character, and I liked how La Sala wrote the relationship between Mars and Wyatt. It really felt like they grew to understand and care about each other, which can be rare in YA. I also thought La Sala did a good job at crafting the relationship between Mars and his sister, Caroline. The discussions about grief and Mars's guilt felt very raw and heartfelt.
The unsettling summer camp setting was probably my favorite bit. When I was around 12, I unwittingly ended up at a super religious, sleepaway summer camp for two weeks. I had signed up because a friend had told me she had fun the year before and had no clue what I was getting into. It had a very cult-like feeling to it, much like the camp in The Honeys (though with much more Jesus). La Sala did such a good job at capturing the headiness of summer laced with the unsettling atmosphere of a camp that, despites all it's assertions you'll make bffs for life there, doesn't quite feel welcoming.
When I looked at other 3 star and below reviews after finishing, I saw a lot of people who didn't like this book because they felt the buildup was too slow and boring and that there wasn't enough action until the very end. I think this is the exact opposite of how I feel. I loved the slowburn building of tension with little spooky elements thrown in. I liked reading about Mars trying to weave his way through the daily life of camp, while also trying to uncover secrets about Caroline. There was an ominous undercurrent to everything that happened, and I didn't mind that the pace was close to a crawl. I think I got more invested in the malevolent but mundane events of the story than the horror elements, which led to the ending really letting me down.
There's a lot going on here. Mars is genderqueer, and the camp, as an institution and as individuals, isn't super accepting of that fact. (I don't think the book is gratuitous in its depiction of transphobia and homophobia, but if that's triggering for you, maybe steer clear.) In tandem with that, there's a lot of examination of gender roles as a whole and specifically the performance of gender. Lots of "boys being boys" and "girls being girls" going on. Then there's Mars's struggle with grief and the mystery of what happened to his sister, which ties into the fantastical horror elements. I was jiving with this mishmash of ideas for the majority of the story because I thought the resolution to the horror plot would pull it all together.
Unfortunately, I don't think the climax and resolution really do a good job of tying up La Sala's mishmash of ideas. The conclusion to the mystery/horror plot doesn't really have much to do with the strict gender politics at play throughout. It maybe sort of does if you squint, but I also don't think we're given enough info to say for sure. The ending is confusing and rushed and left me with an endless amount of questions. I don't really understand what was going on or how it was connected to the camp as a whole. The way things were tied up just felt messy and way too frantic.
Lastly, sometimes I struggle with the horror genre because it doesn't always give me the emotional resolution that I want. The mystery of the spooky thing might get solved, but the relationships and emotional journey built along the way don't always get a very nice send off for a variety of reasons. This was probably my biggest problem with The Honeys. I was more invested in Mars as a person and the connection between Mars and Caroline and Mars and Wyatt than I was getting to the bottom of the horror elements. Mars and Caroline's relationship has a decent conclusion because it's tied into the horror, but Mars and Wyatt's journey together just kind of abruptly ends shortly after they reveal that they care about each other, and that just really bummed me out. In the end, I was just left feeling sad for Wyatt and Mars and a bit confused why Wyatt was even included in the story in the first place, if that's how things were going to end. To me it felt like Mars's arc as a character was sacrificed for the conclusion of the horror plot.
The Honeys reminds me a little bit of Summer Sons, another grief-focused story in the horror genre. With both books, I really enjoyed the characters and the slowburn horror elements but was left feeling unsatisfied by the conclusion. Though I loved the buildup, neither gave me the emotional catharsis that I wanted, and so I was left feeling disappointed. La Sala is definitely talented though, and I look forward to checking out more of their work!
There is so much about The Honeys that I loved. I really enjoyed Ryan La Sala's writing style. There were so many good descriptions and some genuinely funny one-liners. I loved Mars as a main character, and I liked how La Sala wrote the relationship between Mars and Wyatt. It really felt like they grew to understand and care about each other, which can be rare in YA. I also thought La Sala did a good job at crafting the relationship between Mars and his sister, Caroline. The discussions about grief and Mars's guilt felt very raw and heartfelt.
The unsettling summer camp setting was probably my favorite bit. When I was around 12, I unwittingly ended up at a super religious, sleepaway summer camp for two weeks. I had signed up because a friend had told me she had fun the year before and had no clue what I was getting into. It had a very cult-like feeling to it, much like the camp in The Honeys (though with much more Jesus). La Sala did such a good job at capturing the headiness of summer laced with the unsettling atmosphere of a camp that, despites all it's assertions you'll make bffs for life there, doesn't quite feel welcoming.
When I looked at other 3 star and below reviews after finishing, I saw a lot of people who didn't like this book because they felt the buildup was too slow and boring and that there wasn't enough action until the very end. I think this is the exact opposite of how I feel. I loved the slowburn building of tension with little spooky elements thrown in. I liked reading about Mars trying to weave his way through the daily life of camp, while also trying to uncover secrets about Caroline. There was an ominous undercurrent to everything that happened, and I didn't mind that the pace was close to a crawl. I think I got more invested in the malevolent but mundane events of the story than the horror elements, which led to the ending really letting me down.
There's a lot going on here. Mars is genderqueer, and the camp, as an institution and as individuals, isn't super accepting of that fact. (I don't think the book is gratuitous in its depiction of transphobia and homophobia, but if that's triggering for you, maybe steer clear.) In tandem with that, there's a lot of examination of gender roles as a whole and specifically the performance of gender. Lots of "boys being boys" and "girls being girls" going on. Then there's Mars's struggle with grief and the mystery of what happened to his sister, which ties into the fantastical horror elements. I was jiving with this mishmash of ideas for the majority of the story because I thought the resolution to the horror plot would pull it all together.
Unfortunately, I don't think the climax and resolution really do a good job of tying up La Sala's mishmash of ideas. The conclusion to the mystery/horror plot doesn't really have much to do with the strict gender politics at play throughout. It maybe sort of does if you squint, but I also don't think we're given enough info to say for sure. The ending is confusing and rushed and left me with an endless amount of questions. I don't really understand what was going on or how it was connected to the camp as a whole. The way things were tied up just felt messy and way too frantic.
Lastly, sometimes I struggle with the horror genre because it doesn't always give me the emotional resolution that I want. The mystery of the spooky thing might get solved, but the relationships and emotional journey built along the way don't always get a very nice send off for a variety of reasons. This was probably my biggest problem with The Honeys. I was more invested in Mars as a person and the connection between Mars and Caroline and Mars and Wyatt than I was getting to the bottom of the horror elements. Mars and Caroline's relationship has a decent conclusion because it's tied into the horror, but Mars and Wyatt's journey together just kind of abruptly ends shortly after they reveal that they care about each other, and that just really bummed me out. In the end, I was just left feeling sad for Wyatt and Mars and a bit confused why Wyatt was even included in the story in the first place, if that's how things were going to end. To me it felt like Mars's arc as a character was sacrificed for the conclusion of the horror plot.
The Honeys reminds me a little bit of Summer Sons, another grief-focused story in the horror genre. With both books, I really enjoyed the characters and the slowburn horror elements but was left feeling unsatisfied by the conclusion. Though I loved the buildup, neither gave me the emotional catharsis that I wanted, and so I was left feeling disappointed. La Sala is definitely talented though, and I look forward to checking out more of their work!
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