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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
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
riozul's review
emotional
hopeful
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Abandonment, Racism, Mental illness, and Self harm
Minor: Addiction and Misogyny
caitlynva's review
hopeful
medium-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
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm and Mental illness
Moderate: Racism, Abandonment, Sexual content, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, and Panic attacks/disorders
thatswhatmegread's review
5.0
This book was absolutely gorgeous. A quick read that was deep, philosophical, full of prose, representation, and love. I highlighted more quotes in this book than I have in a really long time.
This book has mixed reviews on GR, but I think it’s perfect for anyone trying to find their way in the universe. Absolutely loved reading this. It made me feel all the things, and was truly so beautiful.
This book has mixed reviews on GR, but I think it’s perfect for anyone trying to find their way in the universe. Absolutely loved reading this. It made me feel all the things, and was truly so beautiful.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Mental illness, and Abandonment
discarded_dust_jacket's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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
4.5
Wow this book really took me by surprise. Not only was the writing beautiful, and the love story so charming, but I think the thing that I found truly breathtaking was its depiction of friendship.
As someone who struggles to develop and maintain friendships, I tend to find really well-written platonic relationships in books to be especially compelling, and the ones in Honey Girl literally had my jaw dropping as I read. I was like: “This. This is what I want more of in my life.” It choked me up at some points! The casual laying on one another, the forehead kisses, the “did you eat?” Found family.
I also really appreciated that the central tension doesn’t necessarily happen between two people (although there is important interpersonal conflict within the story). Rather, I would argue the main focus is Grace’s internal struggle to overcome the lie that says nothing is worth achieving if she doesn’t tear herself apart working for it. The lie that claims she has to prove herself by being the absolute best at everything she pursues, even if the things she’s pursuing are not what’s right or healthy for her. The central tension occurs when Grace is faced with the urgent need to, for once, ask for help and let others support her.
The backdrop to this entire story, is that Grace has made the disorienting decision to derail her meticulous professional plan when she realizes that all the work she’s put in over the last decade of her life is neither sustainable, nor has it produced the outcome she wanted. I really identify with that broader sentiment, even though it’s important to point out that her challenges are particular to Black women functioning under capitalism within academic spaces.
As someone who struggles to develop and maintain friendships, I tend to find really well-written platonic relationships in books to be especially compelling, and the ones in Honey Girl literally had my jaw dropping as I read. I was like: “This. This is what I want more of in my life.” It choked me up at some points! The casual laying on one another, the forehead kisses, the “did you eat?” Found family.
I also really appreciated that the central tension doesn’t necessarily happen between two people (although there is important interpersonal conflict within the story). Rather, I would argue the main focus is Grace’s internal struggle to overcome the lie that says nothing is worth achieving if she doesn’t tear herself apart working for it. The lie that claims she has to prove herself by being the absolute best at everything she pursues, even if the things she’s pursuing are not what’s right or healthy for her. The central tension occurs when Grace is faced with the urgent need to, for once, ask for help and let others support her.
The backdrop to this entire story, is that Grace has made the disorienting decision to derail her meticulous professional plan when she realizes that all the work she’s put in over the last decade of her life is neither sustainable, nor has it produced the outcome she wanted. I really identify with that broader sentiment, even though it’s important to point out that her challenges are particular to Black women functioning under capitalism within academic spaces.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Self harm
Moderate: Abandonment, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Racism
mickraine's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Self harm, Racism, Abandonment, Mental illness, Misogyny, and Classism
narbine's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-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? It's complicated
3.0
I feel like this was a book saying “this is why arranged marriages can work” without actually saying that
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Alcohol, Self harm, and Sexual content
Minor: Drug use and Cursing
arieloley's review
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
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? Yes
3.0
Took a while for me to get invested, but once I hit mid-way(ish), I finished it super quickly. The author had a very delicate and real way of describing family relationships and parental trauma and what a complex concept family can be. It was really beautiful and diverse.
The radio sessions felt a little cheesy and the stories felt a bit repetitive, but they definitely drove a point home. The love story was very tender and the characters maintained themselves as real people, versus falling into the trope of “perfect partner that does everything for the main character”. I love the way multiple forms of relationships and love were explored.
The radio sessions felt a little cheesy and the stories felt a bit repetitive, but they definitely drove a point home. The love story was very tender and the characters maintained themselves as real people, versus falling into the trope of “perfect partner that does everything for the main character”. I love the way multiple forms of relationships and love were explored.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness, War, and Self harm
Minor: Abandonment and Panic attacks/disorders
escapismforlife's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I cannot for the life of me give Honey Girl a 4 star rating. I want to because I related to some of the mental healing. But when it comes to the self-care at many points it felt like avoidance when there were other characters , humans who cared about Grace Porter willingly and able to listen. Thing is not everyone has or will get that. Which is the flaw of the major progress she has for me .
I was patient reading while Grace recovers from being a perfectionist who has a plan laid out for her. One she has been focused on through her late teens and entire twenties. Not to mention recovery from the expectations by her military black dad. And a nomadic mom , whose white, that left her all alone with these pressures.
But she has some tendencies that are straining her relationships. Most often when she gets afraid or overwhelmed and runs from Portland to New York City and then Sansbury, Flordia. It happen every tim she felt the urge to be stubborn and wanted to push her family away. Even those she met over the years.
I'm all for space but she completely didn't let anyone who understood know what was going on with her . Which is okay for someone who has the pressure of a career goal. But a the same its like not like everyone has it together. Like has a full on PhD and those ready to be supportive about the issues in one academic program. But maybe if this was me after eleven years of my life I'd understand it better.
I was patient reading while Grace recovers from being a perfectionist who has a plan laid out for her. One she has been focused on through her late teens and entire twenties. Not to mention recovery from the expectations by her military black dad. And a nomadic mom , whose white, that left her all alone with these pressures.
But she has some tendencies that are straining her relationships. Most often when she gets afraid or overwhelmed and runs from Portland to New York City and then Sansbury, Flordia. It happen every tim she felt the urge to be stubborn and wanted to push her family away. Even those she met over the years.
I'm all for space but she completely didn't let anyone who understood know what was going on with her . Which is okay for someone who has the pressure of a career goal. But a the same its like not like everyone has it together. Like has a full on PhD and those ready to be supportive about the issues in one academic program. But maybe if this was me after eleven years of my life I'd understand it better.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Alcohol, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Sexual content, and Racism