First, I wanted to say Happy Canada Day and Happy July 4th - I hope your holiday weekend is fun and safe!
Second, let's get to the boooook! I have been reading SOOOO many good books! I can’t wait to post them all. I’m trying to go in order with a couple at a time even though I really want to list them all. Soon. I’ll pace myself. LOL
The one today is young adult. I don’t think I’ve ever read a horror novel, nope, not even Stephen King. So, I wasn’t sure what it was supposed to be like. I read fantasy and love that. Read some sci-fi. Is horror kind of a combination? I have no idea. And I’m sure I’m way off base.
The
Honeys by Ryan La Sala
From
the publisher, PUSH, a Scholastic Imprint: available May 2022
From
Ryan La Sala, the wildly popular author of Reverie, comes a twisted and
tantalizing horror novel set amidst the bucolic splendor of a secluded summer
retreat.
Mars
has always been the lesser twin, the shadow to his sister Caroline's radiance.
But when Caroline dies under horrific circumstances, Mars is propelled to learn
all he can about his once-inseparable sister who'd grown tragically distant.
Mars's
genderfluidity means he's often excluded from the traditions -- and
expectations -- of his politically-connected family. This includes attendance
at the prestigious Aspen Conservancy Summer Academy where his sister poured so much
of her time. But with his grief still fresh, he insists on attending in her
place.
What
Mars finds is a bucolic fairytale not meant for him. Folksy charm and
sun-drenched festivities camouflage old-fashioned gender roles and a toxic
preparatory rigor. Mars seeks out his sister's old friends: a group of girls
dubbed the Honeys, named for the beehives they maintain behind their cabin.
They are beautiful and terrifying -- and Mars is certain they're connected to
Caroline's death.
But
the longer he stays at Aspen, the more the sweet mountain breezes give way to
hints of decay. Mars’s memories begin to falter, bleached beneath the
relentless summer sun. Something is hunting him in broad daylight, toying with
his mind. If Mars can't find it soon, it will eat him alive.
I like this book and think it’s light horror. There are some gross parts but like movies with gross parts, I put my hand up, or in this case, skim over any grossness. I know I’m a wimp – I’m okay with that.
The opening sequence is mind-blowing. This
novel is gripping and engaging. The characters make you feel like you might
know what they’re like, but there are great twists and turns, so you realize
you can’t judge a book by the cover. The story plays with your mind making you
wonder what’s real. It keeps you guessing.
And
what’s more fun than a summer camp novel?! I can totally see this being a
movie.
What’s
also fun is the chapter headings and how they continually get more warped; similar
to what’s on the cover. The six sections gathering more flowers – could that be
bee related???
I
still think of this book even though I read it weeks ago. There’s something
about it that gets under your skin, like a bee sting, perhaps? Sorry, I don’t
seem to be able to contain myself. But the characters stay with you.
There are a lot of layers in this book, and now I definitely want to read La Sala's Reverie!
