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A review by books_with_mana
Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers
3.0
“Lonely creatures, what makes us so different from the stories we tell in the dark?”
Grace is not having a good time. Despite having loving communities, she feels isolated. So much so, she freaks out and marries a stranger in Vegas.
Once I realized that this was more Women’s Lit and less Romance, I was able to enjoy this book so much more. Morgan Rogers tackles deep topics: expectations, maneuvering professional spaces as a Black woman, self-love, and making room in your life for others.
The different representations of a family are an integral part of this book. Grace has her biological family and all its drama as well as her found families. The depiction of queer community in this book feels so much like my own. Seeing these bonds and benevolent exchanges warmed my heart.
Honey Girl is the healing narrative I needed during a tumultuous period in my career. Even though I’m not a Black and white woman, I am a biracial Filipinx Mexican who struggles in a field where I have no family connections and I have to constantly fight for my space and respect from my peers.
This book is a refreshing and much-needed novel in the literary canon. Roger’s depiction of Black and Brown folks finding solidarity in predominately white spaces is so real. We need to have it out in the open because the truth is if we don’t talk about how difficult it is to maneuver professional spaces as a BIPOC and its toll on our mental health, we will never get rid of this toxic work culture.
Sometimes the writing felt a little unsure in Roger’s debut. The number of flashbacks that occurred within the first act (especially the first couple of chapters) was difficult to get through since I hadn’t established a strong enough rapport with Grace. While I love nonlinear storytelling, there was not enough distinction or transition between the flashbacks and the present, which led to a lot of rereading. Because of the placement, a lot of the flashbacks interrupted the plot’s flow instead of giving context.
I am excited to watch Roger’s growth as a writer and I can’t wait for the next book!
Grace is not having a good time. Despite having loving communities, she feels isolated. So much so, she freaks out and marries a stranger in Vegas.
Once I realized that this was more Women’s Lit and less Romance, I was able to enjoy this book so much more. Morgan Rogers tackles deep topics: expectations, maneuvering professional spaces as a Black woman, self-love, and making room in your life for others.
The different representations of a family are an integral part of this book. Grace has her biological family and all its drama as well as her found families. The depiction of queer community in this book feels so much like my own. Seeing these bonds and benevolent exchanges warmed my heart.
Honey Girl is the healing narrative I needed during a tumultuous period in my career. Even though I’m not a Black and white woman, I am a biracial Filipinx Mexican who struggles in a field where I have no family connections and I have to constantly fight for my space and respect from my peers.
This book is a refreshing and much-needed novel in the literary canon. Roger’s depiction of Black and Brown folks finding solidarity in predominately white spaces is so real. We need to have it out in the open because the truth is if we don’t talk about how difficult it is to maneuver professional spaces as a BIPOC and its toll on our mental health, we will never get rid of this toxic work culture.
Sometimes the writing felt a little unsure in Roger’s debut. The number of flashbacks that occurred within the first act (especially the first couple of chapters) was difficult to get through since I hadn’t established a strong enough rapport with Grace. While I love nonlinear storytelling, there was not enough distinction or transition between the flashbacks and the present, which led to a lot of rereading. Because of the placement, a lot of the flashbacks interrupted the plot’s flow instead of giving context.
I am excited to watch Roger’s growth as a writer and I can’t wait for the next book!