 |
Reviewed by: Laura Reed, Junior High School Librarian Title: The Honeys Author: Ryan LaSala Publisher: Scholastic
Year: 2022 Good for Grades: 9-12 Genre/Type of Book: Supernatural, Suspense, Mystery, LGBTQIA+
Content Warnings, or things that other School Librarians should be aware of: Language, gore, and themes make appropriate for grades 9-12 Recommended for a school library: Yes Reason(s) for choosing the book: Fantastic cover! And a mystery set in a summer camp made it a perfect summer read. If you were tasked by the publisher with writing a short quote for the back cover of this book, what would it be: The Honeys has the perfect of suspense, supernatural creepiness, and summer romance to keep the reader riveted until the very last page.
|
Review:
The Honeys by Ryan La Sala is a summer camp set supernatural mystery. Witten in first person, it follows Mars Matthias, a non-binary teen whose twin sister, Caroline, died in front of him under very strange and violent circumstances. They decide to return to the camp where Caroline spent ever summer in an effort to make sense of their sisters strange behavior leading up to her death. They suspect that the mysterious, popular, and insular "Honeys" Caroline had belonged to might be involved is something insidious and deadly...and that many at the camp are willing to go to any length to protect. They main character's struggles with grief, guilt, and challenges navigating the camp's strictly gender binary world provide a phytologically complex and intriguing character that connects with the reader in a very realistic way even as the plot twists and dives into the supernatural realm. Themes include family duty and loyalty, peer pressure, identity development, gender in traditional spaces (schools, camps, sports teams), and the ethics of collective vs personal good. Teen readers looking for a creepy summer mystery--especially those who appreciate LGBTQIA+ representation--will find this a thrilling read.
Number of party hats:
Find this video and more about The Honeys at Teachingbooks.net
For more information about this book, see the Publishers Website
Access the book in Monroe One BOCES SORA Account:
Access the book in the Monroe 2 Sora Collection