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by Ryan La Sala
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.
"Tantalizing and memorable, La Sala's elite summer camp–set horror novel is a tribute to the healing and revolutionary power of solidarity...La Sala's slow plot reveal is gripping, and the narrative's lush prose crafts both deliciously creepy horror scenes and a nuanced, self-assured protagonist consumed by grief and longing for acceptance." - Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"La Sala gives real-life fears a supernatural twist, cleverly using folk horror and psychological-thriller elements to heighten Mars' understandable tension and infuse this idyllic location with dread...The eerily ambivalent conclusion is pure horror gold." - Booklist (starred review)
"La Sala delivers a sharply observed, imaginative tale of grief, destruction, and the transcendent nature of the reinvention that follows the aftermath of death...As rich and complex as dark amber honey." - Kirkus Reviews
"A dark and redolent tale of familial bonds, grief, and a secretive summer camp tucked away in the heart of forests vast and dizzyingly wild. The Honeys creeped me out and I loved every moment of it." - Erin A. Craig, New York Times bestselling author of House of Salt and Sorrows
"Novel after novel, La Sala proves himself to be a powerhouse in the YA space worthy of all the flowers that come his way. With crisp prose, a hauntingly stellar cast, and a main character we can't help but root for, The Honeys is a perfect successor for fans of Midsommar and Hereditary chomping at the bit for their next great obsession. Just, watch out for the bees." - Kosoko Jackson, author of Yesterday Is History
This information about The Honeys was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Ryan La Sala writes about surreal things happening to queer people. He is the author of Reverie, Be Dazzled, and The Honeys and he lives in New York City.
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