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irlchaosdemon's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness and Cursing
Moderate: Death of parent, Terminal illness, Sexual content, Racism, Medical trauma, Medical content, Homophobia, and Grief
Minor: Drug use and Alcoholism
megg's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-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
Oh my god I'm sobbing 😠What a beautiful, well-written story. LOVE the family dynamics in this book, and its realistic approach to mental health. Also deals a lot with academia, and the discrimination a queer Black woman will face in it, how that tears her down, and how she finds her own place within it. Huge trigger warning for self harm. This book made me so happy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm and Racism
Moderate: Mental illness
Minor: Alcoholism, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Sexual assault, Religious bigotry, and Police brutality
kelseyland'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? Yes
5.0
Honey Girl is a blend of romance and coming of age and it is magical--every sentence is so beautiful that at times it felt like I was reading poetry instead of a novel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Racism
Moderate: Sexual content, Medical trauma, and Grief
adoras's review
emotional
hopeful
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
3.0
This is more of a coming-of-age story than a romance. Grace Porter is 28-years-old and struggling after working her way through 11 years of school and finally getting her phd in astronomy. I really enjoyed the way the novel explored mental health, with Grace struggling and needing... healthy communication! And therapy! It was so refreshing to see, especially because Grace also had an amazing support system of found family and gained more throughout the novel. Those friendships were amazing, but so was the message that sometimes you need professional help too. Honey Girl also explores the systemic racism (and homophobia) that Grace faces trying to get a job in her field. Her mentor is a straight white woman, so as much as she values Grace and wants to help her, she can only understand a small fraction of what Grace is facing. This was such an interesting facet of the story, and really well handled.
Now, the writing style... I just don't know. In the beginning, I was surprised by the tone and the kind of ethereal world all of the characters seemed to live in. There was kind of an insta-love situation with Grace and Yuki, but initially it worked for me because of the writing style. However, sometimes it was also incredibly clunky. There were little repetitive phrases and themes that the author kept returning to (monsters, lonely people, and of course "honey girl"), and in the end they felt overused. If they'd been brought less often, the callbacks would have made more of an emotional impact. But as it was, it ended up feeling like Yuki and Grace had trouble communicating outside of Tumblr-style poetic phrases. I liked the concept and themes and liked Grace's character growth, but sometimes it felt like the writing was trying to be poetic to make up for missing depth in the relationships and in every character other than Grace herself.
Now, the writing style... I just don't know. In the beginning, I was surprised by the tone and the kind of ethereal world all of the characters seemed to live in. There was kind of an insta-love situation with Grace and Yuki, but initially it worked for me because of the writing style. However, sometimes it was also incredibly clunky. There were little repetitive phrases and themes that the author kept returning to (monsters, lonely people, and of course "honey girl"), and in the end they felt overused. If they'd been brought less often, the callbacks would have made more of an emotional impact. But as it was, it ended up feeling like Yuki and Grace had trouble communicating outside of Tumblr-style poetic phrases. I liked the concept and themes and liked Grace's character growth, but sometimes it felt like the writing was trying to be poetic to make up for missing depth in the relationships and in every character other than Grace herself.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, and Homophobia
Moderate: Medical trauma
Minor: Suicide attempt
emmereading's review
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-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
First of all, I wouldn’t approach this as a romance even though it’s being marketed that way. I’d consider this a Contemporary New Adult.
I knew I was holding a 5-star read before I finished the first chapter. It started as a fun, light hearted tropey that quickly became a portrait of the millennial experience as a driven, queer, person of color.
Overall, Honey Girl is a story about how our missteps can become opportunities for new beginnings. This story felt like one I’ve heard in the voices of people around me but haven’t seen on the page yet. While this story does get heavy at times, it’s easy to fall in and devour this story.
More often than not this book felt like looking in the mirror, with the mixture of relatable experiences and humor. This book will be on my mind for a while and well worth the read.
Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for providing a free copy of the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm
Moderate: Medical trauma and Mental illness
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