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sugarcainn's review
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Self harm
Minor: Mental illness
heisiiri's review
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
This is a sweet book! It absolutely delived on the cutesy lesbian romance I was hoping for - reading this book gave me the same warm and fuzzy feels as watching a nice rom-com. The main romance plotline was lovely and I enjoyed it thoroughly. I also liked the explorations of identity, complex family dynamics, finding yourself, dealing with mental illness and healing from past struggles.
That being said, I felt this book had a bit of an issue with being overstuffed with characters and plotlines. There are so many characters whose plots and journeys the reader is supposed to get invested in, and a lot of them don't really get resolved. I had trouble being attached to any of the side characters. When highly emotional scenes were happening, I would often find myself rolling my eyes like "god these people are dramatic" or "why are these people being so stupid" instead of connecting with the character's stuggles and really feeling for them. I think this book could have really benefitted from some of these characters simply being dropped from the narrative completely - the concepts were interesting, but could have been saved for another story.
That being said, I felt this book had a bit of an issue with being overstuffed with characters and plotlines. There are so many characters whose plots and journeys the reader is supposed to get invested in, and a lot of them don't really get resolved. I had trouble being attached to any of the side characters. When highly emotional scenes were happening, I would often find myself rolling my eyes like "god these people are dramatic" or "why are these people being so stupid" instead of connecting with the character's stuggles and really feeling for them. I think this book could have really benefitted from some of these characters simply being dropped from the narrative completely - the concepts were interesting, but could have been saved for another story.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Alcohol, Mental illness, and Self harm
leah_dawn's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Racism, and Self harm
readingwithkaitlyn's review
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Child abuse, and Mental illness
Moderate: Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Alcohol, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, and Racism
Minor: Death of parent, Misogyny, War, Injury/Injury detail, Terminal illness, Drug use, and Vomit
applesaucecreachur's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Craving a book that’s sweet, only slightly problematic, and full of queer and Black love in all its romantic, platonic, and familial forms? You’ll find it all in Honey Girl. This story puts a tender twist on the “married a stranger in Vegas” trope. Rogers crafts each of her characters with a loving and consistent hand that make the more outlandish figures believable and the different relatable.
My biggest gripe, of course, is with how the trio of besties – Grace, Ximena, and Agnes – came to be. The fact that Ximena was a caretaker for both Grace’s father and then for AGNES, her FUTURE PARTNER?!!?!!? was an egregious violation of patient-caregiver boundaries. In any case, the remainder of the tale was chock-full of tender and respectful love. Reading about diverse characters with mutually supportive and adoring relationships was refreshing. Grace’s character development from a damaged but durable and perfectionistic doctor of astronomy to a healing, softening force of love and intelligence was brave and delightful to read. And her relationship Yuki? . Just precious. It’s gentle and easy while also being powerful enough to withstand human flaws and trials. Honey Girl manages to be both a (delightfully) silly little love story and a daring testament to community care. I’m glad that this one didn’t stay in Vegas.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Self harm and Mental illness
crissi's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This is not your typical queer romance novel - it is the journey of a 20 something over achiever finding her place in the world, and finding herself. With all the pretty and the ugly, the pain, and the fun, and the love. While portraying a love story s milar to the 2000s romcoms, it stays realistic in how the characters evolve and don't. I wasn't so sure about the book in the first half, because I found a lot of the relationships codependent and one would say toxic, but it all turned around in the second half. I adored the therapy and mental health representation.
This book is so important for every 20 something who grew up to be an overachiever and struggles to navigate their way in the aftermaths of academic pleasure and pressure.
This book is so important for every 20 something who grew up to be an overachiever and struggles to navigate their way in the aftermaths of academic pleasure and pressure.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Toxic friendship, Self harm, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, and Racism
halfling_stories's review
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I think I love this book more every time I read it. The now-familiar story beats are comforting, but the humour and heart of the story always feel fresh.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Racism, and Mental illness
elgerrard's review
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm
missbreathing's review
This is a beautiful novel. The prose is elegant and sophisticated and dreamy. It has one of the best found families I have ever come across. The romance is so sweet. I’m just not its ideal reader. It broke my heart, and I felt so much for the MC. That’s not a bad thing in and of itself, and, if you like emotional reads, give this a chance. I just empathized a little too much with a tired, burned out academic overachiever figuring out life after getting that final degree. I’d sobbed at least three different times before the first act break. Again, not a bad thing. Just not something I can handle.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm
robinks's review
emotional
hopeful
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
The premise of this story was funny to me, but the story itself was much sadder than I anticipated. I wish we got a little more backstory about the characters before the events of the book, though the intimacy of all their relationships were so clearly illuminated.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Mental illness, and Self harm
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Minor: Sexual content, Vomit, and Alcoholism