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A review by squids_can_read
The Honeys by Ryan La Sala
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
When Mars' sister dies in a freak accident, he is determined to find her wherever he can. Even if it means going back to the camp that he hadn't gone to in years. Maybe Aspen is different now or maybe there is something even more sinister lying just beneath.
I thought that Mars, our main character, was really interesting. Especially with him being genderfluid but the author using he/him pronouns throughout the whole book. His relationship with his sister is really fleshed out. However, I think that some of the things that Mars does are kind of unbelievable for someone who has been through so much trauma, especially recently.
The other characters seemed more like background characters, with our main character's love interest the only other character that really gets any characterization. I didn't really enjoy that, especially with The Honeys, the group that the book is named after, they all seemed like the same person maybe with different appearances. They weren't at all distinct even the ones who were supposed to be. The same with all of the boys, except the love interest. They all seem to be the same character in a slightly different font.
The plot was really good at the beginning, with it being a mystery that Mars is trying to solve along with him trying to overcome his grief. Then it falls apart towards the end of the book. At certain times, Mars feels like an unreliable narrator because he seems to know less than the reader. Which wouldn't be a bad thing if Mars hadn't learned these things throughout the book as well. Because of this, the magic system felt very loose and unexplained throughout the book.
I think that the highlight of this book is the characters and the setting. If you are looking for a ya horror book that veers into speculative fiction, then this book is for you.
I thought that Mars, our main character, was really interesting. Especially with him being genderfluid but the author using he/him pronouns throughout the whole book. His relationship with his sister is really fleshed out. However, I think that some of the things that Mars does are kind of unbelievable for someone who has been through so much trauma, especially recently.
The other characters seemed more like background characters, with our main character's love interest the only other character that really gets any characterization. I didn't really enjoy that, especially with The Honeys, the group that the book is named after, they all seemed like the same person maybe with different appearances. They weren't at all distinct even the ones who were supposed to be. The same with all of the boys, except the love interest. They all seem to be the same character in a slightly different font.
The plot was really good at the beginning, with it being a mystery that Mars is trying to solve along with him trying to overcome his grief. Then it falls apart towards the end of the book. At certain times, Mars feels like an unreliable narrator because he seems to know less than the reader. Which wouldn't be a bad thing if Mars hadn't learned these things throughout the book as well. Because of this, the magic system felt very loose and unexplained throughout the book.
I think that the highlight of this book is the characters and the setting. If you are looking for a ya horror book that veers into speculative fiction, then this book is for you.