Weird Book Ahead
I don’t know how I feel about this book.
That’s it, that’s my review.
🍯The Honeys by Ryan La Sala🍯
There are some YA books that help me realize I am no longer YA and this was one of them. The main character made me feel so OLD and I kept having to remind myself he is a teenager over and over.
The plot:
Mars has always been overshadowed by his twin sister, Caroline, until she sneaks home from camp and tries to murder him in his sleep. Aspen Conservancy Summer Academy is an elite summer camp for the upper class’s kids. Mars and Caroline used to go together, until something happened and Mars no longer goes. Mars is gender fluid, and never felt welcomed or accepted, especially when they forced him into the boys cabin. The Honeys are in Cabin H and seem to be their own little camp, and they hold the answers to what happened to Caroline.
I feel like that description is all over the place because the entire book felt like a fever dream.
My thoughts:
I don’t know. It felt as disorienting as watching Midsommar. The beginning had promise. The middle had ????? And the ending was odd.
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#julyreads #summerreading #summerween #weirdbooks #lgbtqbooks #threestars
When I first picked up 'The Honeys,' I was intrigued by the premise of a mysterious summer camp and a twin sister's dark deeds. The concept of a 'sister maiden monster' is such a captivating trope in fiction, exploring the complex, sometimes terrifying, bonds between siblings. This book certainly delivers on that unsettling vibe, pushing the boundaries of what a family dynamic can entail. From the moment Caroline attempts to murder Mars, the narrative plunges you into a world where familiar relationships are twisted into something sinister. It's not just a physical threat; it's the psychological impact of knowing your own blood could turn on you. The author does a great job of building an atmosphere where you're constantly questioning Caroline's motivations and the true nature of the 'Honeys' in Cabin H. Are they a cult? Are they merely mean girls? Or is there something more ancient and monstrous at play, something that truly makes a 'maiden' into a 'monster'? This ambiguity is what kept me turning pages, even when the overall plot felt hazy. The Aspen Conservancy Summer Academy itself felt like a character, a place where, as the book cover suggests, "Sometimes the darkest secrets lurk in broad daylight." The pristine facade of an elite summer camp hides a deeply unsettling core, mirroring the hidden darkness within the characters. Mars's journey, navigating his gender identity while simultaneously trying to uncover the truth about his sister and the camp, adds another layer of depth to the mystery. His vulnerability makes the horror of his situation even more palpable. While I ended up with mixed feelings, I can definitely see why this book would appeal to certain readers. If you're looking for a psychological YA thriller that blurs the lines between reality and nightmare, with elements of mystery and a unique exploration of sibling relationships turned sour, 'The Honeys' might be your next read. It's not a straightforward horror story, but rather a disorienting dive into the unsettling, cult-like dynamics of a secret society within a summer camp, with a central mystery revolving around a sister's inexplicable actions. It's truly a book that lives up to its 'weird' reputation, leaving you to ponder its strange twists long after you've finished the last page.
Whats YA?