This book could’ve gone on for thousands of pages and I would’ve been happy. Such an introspective and unique way of looking at a rising pop stars life in the early 2000s. I felt so drawn to Amber as a character and found the narrative so captivating.

Thank you Netgalley and Celadon Books for the advanced readers copy.

A debut novel by Isabel Banta, Honey follows the tumultuous career of the rising fictional pop star Amber Young in the late 90’s and early 2000’s.⁣
I was a young adult in the 90s but I absolutely remember a time where pop music and very young musicians topped the charts & appeared on TRL on a daily basis. So many things went sideways in the music industry during this time, and Honey touches on a lot of it. ⁣ This books reads like YA but has several steamy scenes and adult issues. There is also a Celadon Books Honey Mixtape playlist on Spotify and I enjoyed listening to that companion soundtrack!

A very solid debut! As a young adult myself in the 90’s and music being a huge influence and main activity in my life, this book was very nostalgic to me and I enjoyed it immensely! Looking forward to seeing what’s next from this author.

This nostalgic story follows Amber Young as she manages becoming an adult while also becoming a pop sensation. The writing was absolutely beautiful. The characters were interesting and fun and real. The story was well told, captivating, and allowed me to self reflect on my own understanding and interaction with celebrity culture. The coming of age commentary felt so real and genuine in a way I don’t feel many others capture.

This book really shocked me. I was fully anticipating being hit with a heavy dose of nostalgia as a person who grew up listening to Britney, Christina, Jessica, and Mandy and crushing on various boy band members. I was pleasantly surprised to realize this book is so much more than that.

Will you appreciate it a bit more if you grew up in that era? I think so. But really, our FMC Amber is so relatable to any female out there. This book reads almost like a behind the scenes look at the music industry, and stylistically reminded me of Daisy Jones and the Six, which I LOVED. We see themes of gender imbalance, sexuality, femininity, failure, power, friendship, relationships, and insecurity. I wouldn’t say these topics are deeply explored, but it’s enough to make an impact and give this book so much more substance than I had expected.

I found this to be a really well written debut novel. I was thoroughly entertained while also being emotionally impacted. I look forward to seeing what Isabel Banta does next!

Thank you Celadon Books, NetGalley, and the author for the gifted copies.

Honey is a buzzy coming-of-age novel that tracks the rise of a pop princess, amber, in the late 1990s/early 2000s. The story is told in parts of a song-(first verse, chorus, second verse, reprise, outro) and moves between following amber in narrative form and the lyrics of her popular songs. Amber is very reminiscent to of Britney Spears when she first debuted on the scene and had her meteoric rise. Amber faces mysogism, slut-shaming, media scrutiny while trying to establish herself as a serious artist in the industry.

This book is a quick read that deftly captures what it was like to witness the rise of the pop stars during the teen pop craze.

While this doesn’t really add anything to the narrative or the genre of the musical fiction that has been coming out since dairy jones, it’s a fun read great for the summer!

Thanks to the publisher for the arc via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Sorry to say, this was not an enjoyable read. The storyline itself had so much potential, I love all things in the 90s/2000s music world, but the execution fell short. I didn’t connect with the main character (or any of the characters for that matter), and felt the entire story could have used a lot more depth overall. Probably should have DNFd.

Five, five, five stars!!!!! Such a fun and interesting read. Amber’s character was so interesting and such a brain to be in while recounting something most people only witnesses through photos or a television screen. The depiction of the late 90’s/early 2000’s music scene was both glamorous and depressing, especially when inspiration from Britney’s career is brought to mind. It was hard and so uncomfortable and sad at times to read her experiences, but doubly uplifting when Amber got something everyone knew she deserved. Loved it so much and each character was something worth reading about.

Wow. This book really showcased all of the glamor, and dark sides, to the pop phenomenon of the 90's. As someone who grew up in that decade it was a nostalgic and bittersweet read. It was an interesting read but I had a hard time staying completely invested. Still, giving it a worthwhile 4 stars.

As a millennial, I eagerly anticipated the nostalgic journey this book promised to offer. Yet, to my dismay, it fell short of sparking any significant emotion within me.

The narrative is set during my teenage years, but it felt like the author wasn’t even alive during this iconic era. The book failed to capture the vibrant pop culture or the towering stature of teenage pop idols of those years. If ETA was the most popular or even just a popular boy band of that period, they wouldn't have had a moment's peace from their adoring, fanatical fans. Even talking about TRL was dull and TRL defined what was popular (even as a Canadian without access to TRL - I knew how influential it was). I could see how Banta was trying to represent each ‘personality’ of pop princesses (for me, Savannah = Mandy Moore, Gwen = Britney, Amber = Christina/Jessica) but ultimately it was just narcissistic teenage drama.

The characters, especially Amber, struck me as superficial and lacked depth. The repeated focus on Amber's breasts, especially at a young age, give me major ick right away.

I managed to read through half of the book, hoping it would improve. But, the narrative failed to draw me in or make me care for the characters or their stories. I reluctantly put the book down, unable to muster the enthusiasm to continue.

Thank you Celadon Books for providing this eARC for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are honest and my own.

Okay, so I liked this, even though it wasn’t quite what I was expecting.

It sort of brings together all the Britney, Christina, Mandy Moore, Jessica Simpson stories of the 90’s. ETA is very Nsync with Wes feeling like Justin Timberlake.

It’s got a VH1 behind the music feel. The main character starts on star search, (like all the kids stars did back then). But the story was very dark and moody. While the writing was beautiful, I felt like Amber was very detached? Like things were happening to her but she seemed very separated from her story, if that makes sense.

I think because this book made me feel nostalgic is why I liked it so much 😂. My one issue? The lyrics. I cannot with song lyrics in books for songs that don’t exist. I cannot connect to a song I can’t listen to. I skipped past every set of song lyrics because it’s cringe 😂. I don’t know if everyone feels this way or if it’s just me.

Overall though, I liked this one. It wasn’t amazing, but if you grew up in the 90’s it’s a nice throwback.

Thank you @netgalley and @celadonbooks for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

“Honey”, by Isabel Banta, was a story that reached into my heart and wouldn’t let go. I could not stop reading this coming of age story. The author writes about fame in the music industry like she intricately knows about it, and she does it so well by describing the effects of men, gender roles, and patriarchy on the women trying to make it to the top. I look forward to reading her next book. This was unputdownable. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Thanks to NetGalley and Celadon Books for the arc of this wonderful novel.

Happy Pub Day to Honey!
I love stories about regular people rising to fame, and if it’s fame in the late 90´s-early 2000’s music industry, all the better! I really enjoyed following along on Amber’s journey as she was first ignored by her family, then manipulated by the industry, tried to be what her fans wanted, and then finally came into her own and learned to love herself & became confident in her work. I loved the little peeks into that world—the touring, the awards shows, the performing, and even the actual production of the albums. The book was also commentary on how people, especially young women, are packaged as commodities for the public’s consumption and the record label’s profit. Definitely gave Britney Spears vibes.
I do wish there had been a little more of an ending though…more about what Honey did with her fame, once she had truly arrived.

I am obsessed with anything 90s/00s so I was so excited to read this! I loved all the gossip magazines growing up and this book really showed what the pop stars had to deal with. You also get to read a story about a girl going through friendship, relationships and sexuality all while in the music industry. I also thought the cover was perfect!

“This age. It feels like walking barefoot on wood, every encounter a splinter that will remain embedded for years . . . We are all mortified to be alive. We are still-adjusting worlds—tectonic plates shaking in place, sometimes submerging, pushing up, up, up, only to crumble on the surface.”

This is definitely for the elder millennials who were preteens and teens during the late 90s. We who remember the Britney vs. Christina vs. Jessica Simpson lol. Definitely evocative, but the writing style wasn’t for me, and I feel like it was missing some detail that would have made it richer.

Are you a glass-half-empty person? or glass-half-full?

I think that’ll be the litmus test for whether you like this book.

For me, as a dyed-in-the-ish pessimist, it fell flat.

I mean, there was nothing WRONG with the book.
Everything was…fine.

The characters were fine.
The plot was fine.
The settings were fine.
The sessy-times were fine.

…and when the book ended?
That was fine, too.

Thanks to NetGalley, Celadon Books, and Macmillan Audio for this ARC.

This was really boring and nothing was really fleshed out. I didn’t feel like I was reading about a pop star; just an angsty teen relationship with way too much focus on their encounters. I didn’t feel like I was getting to know the characters; they were all flat and one dimensional. Interesting concept but not the best execution.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Honey follows Amber Young, a girl who rises to fame in the late 90s and focuses on the highs and lows of her career from the late 90s through the early 2000s.

My only compliment is that I really enjoyed getting little reminders of what it was like to be a little girl who was a fan of pop stars in the early 2000s. Let’s move on.

I LOVE books about fictional celebrities. Now that I think about it I don’t think there’s any other book about a fictional celebrity I’ve ever disliked. That just makes the aspects of this book that I disliked especially irritating. It’s truly astonishing to me how uncreative Honey is. It feels like a book I’ve read 1,000 times before. Yes that could be because I’ve read a lot of books about fictional celebrities, but each of those books managed to have something, SOMETHING, interesting and unique about them. Amber was a hollow shell of a character. I can’t name one single personality trait she had. For a portion of the story that’s somewhat intentional, but the reader is supposed to watch her grow out of that. How can a POP STAR be so boring? This is a very character focused book, but it’s hard to describe it as such when there’s nothing to the main character. I believe Isabel Banta attempted to address the fact that female pop stars aren’t really able to “win” when they decide how they want to express their sexuality, but the way she handled that topic felt shallow. She tried to address the pressure that a young girl who has hardly had a sex life might face to exaggerate her sexual experience. It felt shallow. Amber’s extremely complicated relationship with her mother could’ve been addressed. That would’ve been interesting. But of course it wasn’t. Lastly, the way the ending was handled irritated me and felt lazy. I could go on. But I just want this review to be over.

Reading this book felt like eating cotton candy. At first it seemed like it could be a substantial amount of “food” but it melted away into nothingness as soon as I tried to consume it. The important difference here is that I love cotton candy.

I hope this is clear already: I do not recommend this book.

This book is perfect for fans of the late 1990s and early 2000s pop music: think Britney Spears, Jessica Simpson, Mandy Moore, Christina Aguilara, Backstreet Boys, ‘N Sync, etc. As with many things from that era, the music is back for a new generation to appreciate it. This young adult book, Honey, tells the story of a young pop artist looking to break out from her “girl group” and achieve pop stardom on her own. Naturally, she gets involved with someone from a boy group, and for those of us that lived through the time, you wonder how close this book is to the truth of some of these pop stars.

As a young adult novel, I thought this book really pushed the boundaries. I know teens read about sex and are sexually active, yet I thought this writing was more New Adult than YA because of how sexually active and explicit some scenes were. I’m not a prude, but since Young Adult is geared to 12 – 18-year-olds, I wouldn’t recommend this book for those on the younger age group.

The other issue I had was that none of the characters were particularly likable or had redeeming qualities. On the one hand, it shows that the writing is good if it can produce emotions, but I like to find one positive protagonist in my books. There were none in this book.

Why should you read this book? | "Natasha's Review" Quiz (2024)

1. You're at the store and are immediately drawn by the hot pink cover of "Honey". You read the back and take it to the cash register because:
a. you're drawn to the main character, Amber Young, and her ambitions to be a popstar.
b. you heard that maybe, possibly, probably there is a lot of romance involved.
c. you're obsessed with 90's and 2000's pop music and celebrities and want to watch as Amber tries to save her image.
d. you just really love the cover.

2. You sit down to read the book, and you're super connected to it because:
a. Gwen, Amber's best friend, is your superhero, and you love their friendship.
b. you're rooting for the romance. Will Wes be the one?
c. you love the media's fabricated drama surrounding Amber's life.
d. the pink cover just makes you happy.

3. When you finish the book, what's going to stick with you the most?
a. the way Amber grown from the beginning to end.
b. Amber's relationships with both Wes and Axel. You just really love romance.
c. all the drama Amber and real life 90's popstars went through.
d. did you know the CD's on the hardcopy are shiny?

Mostly a's: You should read this book because you'll enjoy seeing Amber's slow rise to fame. You'll get a glimpse into what it was like to be a popstar during this time period, and see how this character goes through it all. You might be surprised at the outcome, and you'll probably enjoy the way it reads like a memoir!

Mostly b's: You should read this book because you're all about the romance! No spoilers, but Amber goes through a few relationships throughout the book. As she finds herself, she also realizes what sticks and what doesn't. She's on a path to find a healthy relationship, but getting there is a slippery slope.

Mostly c's: You should read this book because you'll love all the messy parts. From the media fabricating feuds and villainizing Amber for just existing to Amber's actual life that is far from perfect, you'll be along for the ride.

Mostly d's: Yeah, the cover is just really cool.

More than one letter: There's so much to take away from this book! If you're intrigued by it in any way, I recommend giving it a try.

Thanks so much to Celadon Books for the gifted copy!