Honey by Isabel Banta
Honey is a debut novel by Isabel Banta. The coming-of-age theme takes us on the journey with Amber Young as she navigates her way through the pop music industry. Amber hurtles all the obstacles many young adults encounter. At the beginning of the novel, Amber is underage, so decisions are made by her mother and her agent; as she moves into adulthood, she isn't given much more freedom, or say, in her career. That plus the venomous tabloid stories about her looks and her love life makes for quite the struggle in a dog-eat-dog industry, but Amber continues to believe in herself as the novel unfolds. I love the ending when she finally gets everything right. She's an easy protagonist to root for!!!

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.

I did enjoy Britney Pressley’s narration, which made getting through this book more enjoyable. Top notch audio performance!

If this book didn't constantly repeat the month/year, I would've honestly thought this book was based in 2024. The MC is Amber, a teen who has dreams of becoming a pop star. The book follows her and her musical peers from discovery and auditions all the way to global success. My major critique about this whole book is why? Why does Amber desperately want to be a star? Why Wes? Why so obsessed with Gwen? Why Axel? Why get married to Axel??

To be quite honest, I thought Amber had a crush on Gwen, hence her weird attachment. I don't understand always how she held her to such a high regard because they weren't really that close and weren't always honest with each other. The storyline with Wes is soooo Britney and IT.

I wished the author would've tied up Gwen's manager, Micheal storyline! Why mention that he has child pornography allegations, and then never mention it again.

Gwen's sexuality reveal fell flat to me as well and almost rushed, why is her being a lesbian revealed all the way towards the end of the book when majority of the book is Amber fawning over her???

I listened to this via audiobook, so when song lyrics appeared, they were a bit awkward due to the narrator's tone. I would've loveeeddd if they had someone sing those lyrics.

I really liked the addition of newspaper and magazine article, that gave it a very "teen feel". All in all, this was good book to listen to, I'm happy that Amber got the success she wanted.

Thank you to MacMillan Audio and NetGalley for this ARC!

I love all things pertaining to books & music so the description of Honey had me very hopeful. In reading reviews, I saw some compare this to Daisy Jones & The Six. In my opinion, Daisy Jones & The Six is in a league of its own and should not be nonchalantly compared to others. That being said, I loved the narrator & this was a pretty good audio book, all things considered.
Thank you NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for an ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed this one, but it was missing a little something for me.

I thought the audio was fantastic and the voice of the narrator fit the character I was picturing. The tone and pacing was spot on.

The book gripped me at the very beginning and was very nostalgic. There were a few parts where I felt like I missed something. For instance at one point we were getting the idea that she liked a guy, and the next they were together and I had to rewind to check if I missed something. There were a couple of spots like that.

I thought the book slowed down a little in the middle and was a little bit repetitive, but I still enjoyed it overall.

I wasn’t really sure what to expect with this one but something pushed me to read it. I got the audio version which I think is the best way to read this book because of how well the narration was done it makes you get into the book a lot better.

This story is about a pop singer and how her life is from childhood to adulthood and everything the goes on with so many of these child actors and singers. This book wasn’t meant to be a serious read it very light hearted while also trying to bring more awareness of this industry and how toxic it is especially for females.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Honey by Isabel Banta

Thank you @Macmillan.Audio and @netgalley for this audio! If you grew up with 90s pop music this one is for you!

Honey by Isabel Banta is an enchanting journey through the complexities of love and loss, beautifully woven with lyrical prose that captivates from the first page. Banta's characters are vividly portrayed, each carrying a depth that resonates long after the final chapter. The story unfolds with a delicate balance of heartache and hope, exploring themes of resilience and the healing power of human connection.
Reading "Honey" was like rediscovering the music of my childhood. I could see how Brittany, Christina, and Mandy could all be represented in these characters. The writing draws readers into a world where emotions swirl like honey. The novel is a true gem, a testament to the author's talent in crafting a narrative that lingers in the soul.

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Well, get me a tiger beat and bring me back to the early aughts!

This book was very fun, and gave a great glimpse behind the curtain (fictionally) of all those teen heart throbs I loved as a kid. I didn’t love the audio - I think that the parts with the song lyrics grated on me through audio.

I wasn’t sure I wanted to read this book when I first saw it. The cover turned me off of it a bit. I then read several good reviews about it and decided to give it a try. I’m so glad I did. Growing up during this era of pop music this book was so relatable to me. I may have had N’SYNC posters lining the hallway to my bedroom and dressed up like Britney Spears in the school uniform music video scene 😉.

Although it’s fiction I can only imagine that touring and being in the spotlight while a teenager/young adult would be very similar to this and all the emotions that come with that time of your life. I’m not sure I would wish growing up in that way for anyone. I was happy that Amber had a good female relationship in her life and it wasn’t a constant cat fight for the girls in the spotlight. That endeared me to her character and I enjoyed the book more because of it.

I had fun imagine the characters as the pop stars I listened to in the late 90s and early 2000s. Which character fit which real life pop star best. It definitely brought the book to life for me!

I really enjoyed listening to Isabel Banta's debut novel, "Honey" on audio. "Honey" is the fictional coming of age story of rising pop star Amber Young. This book mostly takes place in the late 90s/early 2000s and its a fun throwback to that time period. We can easily compare Amber to the female pop stars of that era such as Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera. I enjoyed the character development and dialogue in this book.

This book was great on audio. I think fans of Evelyn Hugo and Daisy Jones will enjoy this book. Peppered throughout the book are news articles, interviews and song lyrics which were fun to listen to. If you came of age in the 90s, I think you'll enjoy this book. There are references to Bill Clinton, Monica Lewinsky and the possible apocalypse around year 2000. Remember that?

Thank you to the publisher for the advance copy of the audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

Amber Young is a singer in the 90’s who starts out in a group of girls then goes solo. Her best friend is Gwen who also started in the group and went solo. Amber’s mom wasn’t around much, she was an alcoholic. Amber also has a wild love life.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. I wanted to love this one but I felt like the relationships in the book just didn't feel real. I couldn't get invested in the characters.

I enjoyed this book -- it was narrated by one of my faves which made it fun to listen to.

Amber has been singing since she was a kid and for most of the book is in her early 20s trying to figure out her life.

I enjoyed all the very 1990s references and can remember that time period well.

I liked Amber, I found her endearing and sweet and liked the portrayal of her friendships -- it felt very authentic. I really liked the end and was glad that it worked out like that for Amber.

I will definitely check out what Isabel Banta writes next -- I liked her characters and descriptions a lot.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!

This was so much fun. I love this narrator too. As someone who was a teen during the rise of female pop stars and boy bands, I absolutely adored this. Thanks for the opportunity to review this audiobook.

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This is the story of Amber Young, a young pop star that rose to fame along with some others in the late 90s and early 2000s with the appetite for pop, bubble gum pop, and boy bands. Amber wants to be loved by her family, friends, fans, and find that perfect person in the midst of the constant work associated with being a young pop star and how the media portrays its celebs.

With a nod to the personalities of the time like Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Mandy Moore, and Justin Timberlake, it took me back in time to me as a teenager during this time period and my love for it all, except this takes a look inside the industry.

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I grew up in the 90s and early 2000s era of pop music. It was the world of Britney, Christina, Jessica Simpson, and P!nk as the designated bad girl (before we met Xtina). I collected the magazines, I compared myself to these women in their tube tops and low rise jeans. Despite this youthful idolization, I did not realize until I was older that these girls were not much older than me at the time. All of their insecurities were projected for millions of people to see, instead of just an audience of one in their bedroom mirror.

The last five years or so has been a social awakening for how women were treated in the early 2000s. This has been somewhat validating, but mostly crushing. While Honey was a good way to get a taste for the humans behind the celebrity, this book mostly just left me feeling sad. Sad for what society put these young women through, what society did to their self esteem, and our self esteem by proxy.

Women are so objectified in everything they do, and there is almost no room for error. These female pop idols could be nothing less than perfect, parallel to the boy bands at the time, who were always portrayed as “boys being boys.” We blamed the Britneys and Christinas of this world for everything. We expected them to stand tall through it all, while hating them for finally cracking, and then lapping up their breakdown for our entertainment.

I feel a little bereft after finishing this book, because it left me with such an empty feeling. Maybe it’s nostalgia. Nostalgia of reliving that era of pop music again without objectifying its stars.

Overall, this book was really touching. I can’t believe I lived through that era of music. It was defining to how I see myself, how I love myself, and how hard on myself I am. Women draw strength from other women, and I really wish we had all lifted each other up and celebrated each other then. I cannot recommend this book enough.

A debut novel that’s reads like a memoir. You’ll meet our main character, Amber, an up and coming teenage pop star. She struggles with acceptance and anxiety. Amber really just wants to be loved.

I liked Amber but unfortunately she didn’t pull on my heart strings. It’s a 2.5/3 star for me.

I listened to this book (thank you NETGALLEY for the audio ARC). I can stay with certainty that Brittany Pressley is theeee best narrator. I loved her narration.

4.5 Stars!! As someone who was a teen in the late 90s & early 2000s, this was a great time capsule fictionalization of what things were like for our favorite young pop stars. It was such a fast read for me, and stayed compelling from start to finish. Thank you Netgalley & the publisher for the ARC of the audiobook.

There were a lot of songs mentioned toward the beginning and every time a new song was mentioned, I would pause my reading and go listen to it. It helped me appreciate the vibe that the author was going for in that moment.

I feel like this started off strong and kind of fizzled out as the story went on. There was a lot of cringy dialogue. I will say that it was a neat glimpse into the boy band and blonde pop star obsession that we went through in the early 2000s. This book kind of reminded me of Daisy Jones and the Six but for the 2000s pop craze.

Good premise, but very forgettable. I wish we’d gotten more.

This books premise had me excited, especially because I loved “I’m Glad my Mother Died” and while it wasn’t bad, I also didn’t love it. For me there was just an excessive amount of similes and metaphors that it took away from the actual storyline. I also just was bored to be honest! It was a good debut and I’ll definitely read more by this author in the future but I just didn’t love it.