Violent, difficult characters and ambiguous at times.

All of these are fine for me when I read but I found myself struggling with a plot that didn’t feel like it knew what it was doing. It was hard to stay on top of the book enough to find it captivating but it is an interesting take on medical trials, fame and how far humans will go to get what they want.

The plot of this book was absolutely good. Fast paced, mind boggling and this book is very entertaining. I cannot put tthis book down. This book was really very gripping to the end.

Horrifying in all the right ways, Honeycomb is a psychological thriller that explores fame, adulation and obsession via a claustrophobic socio-medical experiment – a bit like the Big Brother house but without the public and with a certain highly-experimental drug, or Lord of the Flies but with adults and an accelerated time frame. This premise immediately grabbed me and the rest of the book certainly lived up to it!

After something of a slow start, establishing main character Amanda’s previous life of fame, shame spiral downfall and current desperation, the plot picks up pace and once Amanda reaches the Honeycomb house things go downhill very, very quickly, escalating to insanity and violence within just a couple of days.

I was thoroughly gripped from start to finish, with only two minor points that confused me along the way: I struggled to understand the benefit of Honeycomb to any individual or to society as a whole, as we really only saw the horrific downsides within the story; I also struggled with the ending, which felt a little incomplete and ambiguous – perhaps deliberately – when I would have really liked to know how the finale and aftermath fitted in with the Moshida/investors side of the storyline. Both of which, you will note, are actually ‘me’ problems rather than objective issues with the book, but I was just so invested in the story that I would have liked that little bit more detail to feel fully satisfied.

Minor niggles aside though, this had me hooked from beginning to end and I desperately needed to know how the experiment would play out and who – if anyone – might survive it.

Fans of well-written horror-thrillers will love this disturbing delve into the human psyche and mob mentality and I would recommend it to anyone who, like me, genuinely watches shows like Big Brother or I’m a Celebrity as ‘social experiments’ due to a fascination about how individuals function under unusual pressure.

This book starts with a very interesting premise and then falls quickly due to annoying characters that I ended up not caring much about right off the bat and that is a cardinal sin for horror. You need to be to feel something about these characters so that you have some kind of worry for what could happen to them. Doesn't do much if you don't care.

Honeycomb

I absolutely loved the unique storyline of this book. 6 strangers together in a house all taking a pill, only one is taking the actually pill and the rest are taking placebos? What’s going to happen?

I did however find the book extremely slow. I believe it was about 70% in before stuff really started happening and I found myself bored at times. There was a lot on the characters which wasn’t bad, I just wish there was more happening in the house during the beginning to keep me entertained. With that being said though, I had to know what happens so I still had no issue reading through this very quickly. It was just an alright average read for me. I think though that storyline could have been epic with some changes!

Thank you to NetGalley and Datura books for the e-ARC of this book. ❤️

4.5 STARS

THIS IS AMAZING.

I absolutely loved this book, I couldn't put it down. I was hooked from the first page and could really feel the freaky and spooky scene's that the author was trying to show, I have never read a book like this and honestly I am so glad. I really liked how the author hasn't closed all doors with the ending and has left a few questions lingering, which in this case I think has really added to the suspense. I thought this was going to be a box standard thriller but no, this takes a really dark turn! I was honestly gobsmacked and so freaked out at multiple parts of this books, I really really enjoyed it!
It is definitely worth a read and I can't wait to see what others think when this comes out!

Mood board added to my Instagram which really put's the book into a visual perspective that was in my head!
Thank you for letting me read this book early for my review:)

What the heck did I just read?? This is highly disturbing. Pay very close attention to the prologue.

People say they want to be adored, to be famous…but what is the price of fame? Honeycomb explores this question in a rather interesting experiment.

CW: A boatload of violence. You’ve been warned.

Thank you to NetGalley and Datura Books for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Look for this in three weeks!

If you are looking for a thriller with quite a bit of gore then this is the book for you!

Amanda was once the hottest rising star in the music world but not anymore. So when her old manager calls with the opportunity of a lifetime. For five days, she will be staying in a mansion with five other people and will take one pill. There are no adverse reactions.

It quickly becomes clear to Amanda that the mansion they’re staying in has secrets, the largest of all being there is no way out.


The blurb of this book just sounded fascinating and right up my alley. I loved black mirror so much so was excited to see what the author had done with that as the teaser. However, I never felt fully engaged with this book. I found the pacing to be rather slow, especially for a thriller. Usually, I prefer my thrillers to be faster paced because for me this is how I get engaged, and like I said I just struggled with this one. I kept checking the reviews trying to catch a glimpse of when all the action was supposed to start, and I just kept seeing that everyone loved this book. All that did was make me feel worse for not loving it immediately, but it did keep me reading. I didn’t give up and the action started about 50-60% of the way in though even though there was more “action” it wasn’t any quicker pace, so it was still lacking for me. It did get bloody though, but at least at this point it made sense. By this point of the book, I had already figured out the twists as well, which is always a disappointment for me because I actively try not to figure out the twists as I enjoy being surprised by them.

I think the biggest let down of all is that with the blurb there was so much promise. I had such high hopes that I would be embarking on a nice creepy thrill ride, but that never came to fruition.

Thanks to Datura and NetGalley for the ARC of Honeycomb.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. It really reminded me of a sick twist on Big Brother.

I got a little confused at some parts, but for the majority of the book I was captivated. I wasn't in love with the ending, but it did not ruin the rest of the book for me. I would read this author again.

Well... that was a wild ride. I was intrigued by the description and I got what I was asking for. It was suspenseful, thrilling, horrifying chaotic, bloody, violent, and ultimately very cleverly written.

Throughout the first half of the book and through flashbacks we see each character develop into unique people with varying degrees of desperation due to their life situation. You can see exactly why an offer like this was too good to refuse in their eyes.

But despite a seemingly slow start you see everything become more and more chaotic and unhinged.

The claustrophobic and isolated setting mixed with the characters' paranoia would have been suspenseful enough to make this story a clever thriller. But then Caves brought in the complete escalation of violence that you had been dreading the entire time.

This book left me shaken and stirred, not having monsters under my bed will be a thing I'll be checking for a while.

S.B. Caves new novel is about Amanda, an ex reality star winner who has had a taste of fame and lived through the highs and lows that came with her short lived career. Six years later after recovery she finds herself in a difficult financial situation, she is approached by her ex manager for a unique opportunity that will pay handsomely. Six strangers to share 1 week in a mansion under constant supervision. The catch? all of them take a pill daily of which 5 will be given a placebo and one of them an experimental drug that has proven to have no severe side affects. Sounds simple enough yet Amanda finds herself trapped in a nightmare from which she is desperate to escape.

The description alone sounds interesting and of course theres no way this is a simple story.

The further I read the more I learnt about the lives of these people who are involved in this project. You think the events will go one way but they surprise you at every turn. There is this constant dread where you’re waiting for the penny to drop but it just gets more and more bizarre. It does give off Black Mirror vibes throughout the book.

Overall this was an addictive read, I kept trying to figure out who had took the actual pill and who was behind all of this. It will keep you hooked.

This was an interesting read.

5 strangers, with their consent, were locked into a house to conduct a social experiment. I could sort of guess where the plot was headed but it was still very interesting to see how it unfolds. It was also good to read about the characters' background. How they came to join the experiment. This book gave me a korean drama vibes that is similar to 'squid game' and 'the 8 show'.

Would definitely recommend reading this book!

How much would you risk to get the life you’ve always wanted with the power to control those around you?

Meet, Amanda, a washed up pop star battling addiction and struggling to pay her debts. She is approached by her former manager to provide her an opportunity to turn her life around by participating in what appears to be a clinical trial of some sort in a mansion for a week. Little does Amanda know that she will enter a trial of disruption, dysfunction, and chaos at the hands of the other guests. But is Amanda an active player in the chaos as well?

While the storyline is good, I did find the book a bit on the slower side until the last half of the book. I particularly appreciated the character development (which I don’t see as much from other authors) of all the characters as it gave me a better perspective of why they chose to participate. I appreciated the analogy of bee colonies as a premise for the story as well as the “what if this happens in real life?” factor. All in all, I would recommend this book. If you know a little about beekeeping and bee behavior, enjoy watching the show “Survivor” or “Black Mirror,” and like a good thriller, then this read might be for you.

Thank you Datura Books for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Fun thriller that was well paced and overall enjoyable to read. The twist was a bit too obvious, it was pretty clear from early on what was going on. Also could have done without the random racism and slurs from some of the characters, they were obnoxious enough as written, wasn't really necessary to add that to make them unlikeable.

Oh man. What a wholly original concept that I never wanted to think about, but now that I have, it will never leave me.

Amanda Pearson was a talent show and became a pop star overnight, but after a run in with drugs, her spotlight faded just as quickly.

Riddled with debt, haunted by the ghosts of her past fame, Amanda will do anything to be relevant again. So when her ex-manager proposes an offer she can’t refuse, what’s a girl to do. She soon finds herself in a mansion participating with 5 others in an experimental drug trial. But when things take a turn for the worst, Amanda realizes that maybe she should bite her tongue, and fame isn’t all she chocked it up to be.

I couldn’t put this down. I have a lot of questions.
Seems like some loose ends? Do I smell a sequel ?!

Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC.

4 ⭐️

Seven days. Six Strangers. One experimental drug.

A mysterious experiment in an isolated mansion... what could possibly go wrong!

I requested this ARC because the blub sounded like this would be an action packed read. I was not disappointed.

I look forward to reading more by S. B. Caves.

My insides might have landed on my outside after concluding this book. You know, I am all about spooky books but horrified to the core?

Who am I kidding, I loved it.

Drumroll please…. Honeycomb

Even the title is horrifying but the book will leave you complete “shook” and begging for your mama . If I wasn’t checking under my bed before, I sure am now …

Teaser:

Big Brother meets Black Mirror in this high-concept thriller in which six strangers take part in a mysterious medical experiment in an isolated mansion.

Amanda Pearson was once the hottest rising star in the music world. Not anymore. Washed up, broke and directionless following a public breakdown, she is certain she will never be adored again. But she is very wrong.

Her old manager calls her out of the blue with an opportunity: a week’s stay at an isolated mansion with five strangers, all under constant observation. Every day they must take a pill. Five people will be taking a placebo, but one person will take an experimental drug that they are assured has no adverse side effects. So, what’s the catch? Amanda isn’t sure, but the pay is too tempting to turn down.

However, it soon becomes clear that this is no ordinary experiment. Each day Amanda discovers more about her fellow housemates, that the old mansion holds horrifying secrets, and that there is no way out…

3.5 stars - What did I just read? 5 strangers move into a mansion to test a secretive drug. This book was creative and had an interesting premise. It was well executed although overly descriptive at times. The characters were okay, not really likeable. It was a decent thriller that kept me on my toes at times. Make sure to check trigger warnings.

Thank you to NetGalley and Datura for providing me with an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

GoodReads review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6559263166

If you are looing for something different, then pull up a chair, this could be just the read you are looking for. It's a wild ride .loads going on suspense bit of horror and plenty of surprises and it kept me reading as fast as I could No spoilers you need to read this for yourself, it's worth it.

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.