The Honeys

The chokehold that this book had on me from the first chapter. What an absolutely beautiful tale of suspense, mourning, and breaking through your own insecurities while shattering outdated gender norms. I saw so much of myself in this book and was delighted at every turn I never saw coming. I may just start reading this one over again this weekend after I have a few days to let it all sink in.

I will definitely be watching out for other work by the brilliant Ryan La Sala. I’ll also be looking to get a little non binary canoe floating between shores as a tattoo because those lines spoke right to my heart

The chokehold that this book had on me from the first chapter. What an absolutely beautiful tale of suspense, mourning, and breaking through your own insecurities while shattering outdated gender norms. I saw so much of myself in this book and was delighted at every turn I never saw coming. I may just start reading this one over again this weekend after I have a few days to let it all sink in.

I will definitely be watching out for other work by the brilliant Ryan La Sala. I’ll also be looking to get a little non binary canoe floating between shores as a tattoo because those lines spoke right to my heart

What's not to love about the Honeys by Ryan La Sala - I certainly can't think of anything I didn't like. I'm a horror fan so let me first gush about how great it is to find a Young Adult Horror book that is so creative and well-written. There aren't enough truly eerie YA books - and this one is going straight onto my recommendation list at the library.

Ryan's writing is always creative and certainly never boring. The Honeys may have an idyllic setting, but there's a lot buzzing beneath the surface! (I won't keep up with the bee jokes... I swear) Mars' gender fluidity caused them problems the first time they attended Aspen and ended up with them being sent home and refusing to return. But Mars' sister with whom they have a twin-like bond show more opts to return to camp and seems to become more and more at home.

Until... a horrifying night that begins with Mars being awoken in the middle of the night by his sister - at least, what resembles his sister - trying to kill him. The stunning pace of the opening scene left me feeling as though I the same roller coaster ride as Mars. Loss, grief and confusion resonate clearly in the first half of the book, and I was hooked from the moment I began reading.

When Mars returns to Aspen in search of ... something, anything that may make sense of what happened to Caroline, things become even more eerie. The honeys... the girls at camp who take care of the bees are almost ethereal. They're clever, mystical and elusive and Mars wants to get to know them in order to better understand Caroline.

The main characters in the book are all young and authentic. That doesn't surprise me as I have always loved the characters in La Sala's books. They are vibrant and interesting, flawed and mysterious. There are quite a few players in the book and La Sala does a wonderful job of keeping them all distinct and unique throughout.

This book is disturbing at times, sickly sweet at others, and you won't believe what happens as the story progresses.

Rich in ambiance, dripping with horror. Just the way I like my YA.

Mars: Mars is a wonderful character. Their spirit is captured well throughout the book and I fell in love with them. There's a lot of growth and it was wonderful to see the way that the love between Mars and their sister never faded away. Having lost a sibling myself I was touched by the extreme grief and all the other emotions that factor into the loss of a family member.

The Honeys: Think the Craft girls plus the Heathers... what a combination! I loved the mystery behind the girls in the distant cabin, the way that the lore of Aspen camp was woven into everything and their fierce love for one another. show less

The Honeys by Ryan La Sala is new. I mean- it was only published a few weeks ago, yea, but also, the story itself is unlike anything I've ever read before. I'm not even sure what genre I want to put this in. If I had to compare it to anything I've read before, I would say it's most similar to Mona Awad's Bunny mixed with Riley Sager's The Last Time I Lied but it was much much better than both of those books.

When young Mars witnesses the tragic death of their twin sister Caroline, they are launched into an investigation unlike any other. They explore the distance that has grown between them in recent years and discover encapsulating, unexpected, and inescapable darkness.

I can't tell you how wonderful it is to see a young adult novel show more that not only challenges gender roles but tackles this careful subject while creating complete characters. Too often, LGBTQ representation comes at the sacrifice of developed characters, but La Sala does not commit this mortal sin. Our protagonist is unapologetically themself despite often facing overwhelming rejection. Their genderfluidity doesn't distract from the plot because it's not a plot device. They're just Mars.

For my fellow audiobook lovers, The Honeys was an experience. Including whispers and sound effects, I was transported into the novel in a way not many audiobooks are capable.

La Sala gives us mystery, romance, horror, and coming of age all in 350 whirlwind pages. I give La Sala 4/5 stars for creativity and pacing (two categories that don't often fit together). show less

The Hive is Higher

I found out about this book by scrolling on TikTok, where the author was talking about how excited they were for the official release, and the premise sucked me in. Mars, a gender fluid lost soul, loses his twin sister through a terrible tragedy. In his grief, he seeks answers, which can be found at the Aspen Conservancy Summer Academy where Caroline spent much of her time. There, a clique of girls known at The Honeys hold the answers to Mars's questions.

The Honeys is a fun and thrilling story that incorporates themes of the Heathers with some similarities to A Clown in a Cornfield (by Adam Caesar), with intense amounts of horror sprinkled in. La Sala's writing is floral and just as fluid as Mars, but can tip into the show more realm of melodrama. The reader is never unaware that bees and honey are the central theme, even in the very beginning.

I enjoyed this read and I liked how Mars slowly began to take control of themselves as the story progressed. Everything you think you know will happen is just as murky as the honey they create. show less

This book was both creepy and page-turning. I could not put the book down until the very last page. I did not think I was going to like this book but I really enjoyed it. I have to thank Tik Tok for this book recommendation. Definitely a favorite.

One night, Marshall "Mars" Mattias is attacked by their own twin sister, Caroline. The attack ends up with Caroline's death. Mars is trying to understand why Caroline would harm them. When a group of girls appears at Caroline's viewing, Mars becomes curious. They know them as a group called "The Honeys" and they had been friends with their sister. Before the girls depart, they invite Mars back to the camp.

Mars wants to know what happened to their sister so that they make the decision to return show more to the camp. Their parents are not entirely sure if that is a good idea but Mars insists. They want to know what happened to their sister that drove her to this point.

Upon returning to the camp, Mars finds nothing has changed. Their preference for genderfluidity is not readily accepted by the roles of assigned genders. Bullying and Toxic masculinity are not being curved by the camp officials.

All Mars wants to do is befriend Caroline's former group, The Honeys, and learn what drove their sister to do what she did. But the longer they remain at this camp, the more secrets start to unravel before Mars' eyes and they will find out things that should have been left alone.

This book was a great read. I absolutely loved Mars. The determination they had to find out about their sister drove them to do whatever was needed. Befriending the Honeys is their main priority, especially since the invitation to return comes from them. They know they might hold the answers they have been looking for and Mars does everything possible to be part of the Honeys.

This book has so many twists and turns that it becomes hard to predict what exactly is going to happen. The ending was a complete surprise and something that will throw you off the edge of your seat. I enjoyed this book. It was well worth the read. I just wish I had read this book earlier when it came out. I would have put this book as a monthly favorite.

Definitely pick this book up, especially if you like a little bit of horror and a book that will keep you page-turning until the very end. show less

Gr 9 Up—After the death of his twin, genderfluid Mars takes her place at exclusive, expensive Aspen summer camp,
where strange and dangerous things linger under the idyllic, cloyingly nostalgic surface. This slow-build horror deftly
explores grief, gender-role toxicity, and the strong grip of generational expectations.