Honey is a fun book that follows the development of a 90s pop star’s career as she blossoms from a shy, timid tween into a scandalized symbol for provocative ideas and relationships. As her career skyrockets, so does her reputation… but not always in a good way. The face of drama with girls and guys alike, Amber fights to be recognized for her talent rather than her tabloids. What all will she have to endure to rise to the top and can she withstand the pressure as she gets there?

This is a fun novel that gives insight into what it might be like behind the scenes of our favorite pop stars, especially in the poppiest era— the 90s. Friendships and more are never as they seem and sometimes the drama is purely political and all designed. I imagine that is likely true in the business of music for sure. This was an entertaining story for anyone who loves pop, the 90s, and drama. The story feels like it followed the development of Amber as an individual and her career, but felt like it was missing something in the end. It felt somehow incomplete. Not entirely my cup of tea, but had shades of some of TJR which I liked. Revealing details of a famous woman’s life like Evelyn Hugo, but edgier like Carrie Soto this felt like a teen version with some of their characteristics.

Read if you love:
Tabloids and gossip
90s pop/ nostalgia
Secrets and drama

Amber Young has finally received the call she has wanted her whole life. She has been given a chance to join a girl band group called Cloud9. She finds herself on the fast track surrounded by up and coming stars. She eventually breaks out on her own but it is not exactly how she thought it would be.

Amber has struggled her whole life with acceptance. She just wants to be loved. She thinks that with her rising stardom and all her fans, she will be happy. However, her world can turn on a dime and it can all go away.

This story gets a bit monotonous in places. But, I understand where Amber is coming from. Almost everyone feels this need. But, it did get a bit routine in places.

The narrator, Brittany Pressley, is super good. There are quite a few characters in this novel and she keeps them lol separate with great voices.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

Proof I’m getting old… nostalgia gets me (and I just used …) and this book is all nostalgia for the baby-Xers and elder millennials. Set in the late 1990s and early 00s following popstars trying to grow up in the spotlight was so Brittney, Justin, and Christina, however, after listening I had Spice Girls “Stop” stuck in my head for days.

This is a fun and well-produced piece of popsugar while discussing how women were packaged and sold to the public in the early 00s resonates, this isn’t a deep book, and it isn’t trying to be. This is trying to be a break, something fun, a snapshot of the life I know I lived in my early 20s.

Side note I recently went to Target (a big deal as the nearest one is 90 miles away) and I was shocked at how most of the clothing was straight out of my college and early adult years. And let's be honest… gross.

I was so excited to be approved for this one! I loved the audio version. Brittany Pressley is a fantastic narrator. I thought this one had all the potential for a fabulous story but I was unfortunately underwhelmed. Still enjoyed it, but just had higher hopes.

I really wanted to love this one, because I was completely in love with Britney when she emerged on the scene and I felt that this book was going to be similar to her stardom along with Christina and Jessica. Although it did have the makings to be excellent, for me it just felt flat and dry. The excitement and fan craze of that time and the drama that came along with it just wasn't represented in this book. To me, it just felt like the main character, Amber, just felt down and unimpressed with all of this stardom that was happening to her. She never seemed to be actually excited about any of it. Just seemed to me like she was going through the motions and due to that I just never really connected with her.

Sadly this one just wasn't for me. I felt like the author had a really solid concept but just gave us nothing. It felt like every point she was trying to make was lost because she wasn't fully committed to the bit.

I flew through this book. The audio was easy to listen to and I liked the mixed media aspect. I think it would work equally well in print. My favorites were the magazine quizzes (I used to love those quizzes. Are they still a thing??) The layout is genius how the sections are broken up like the parts of a song.
I’m a millennial. I grew up admiring Britney, Mandy and Jessica, daydreaming over The Backstreet Boys — the story felt relatable from a fan perspective. It also read like a factionalized version of a pop stars memoir ( I loved Jessica Simpson’s book).
I know this is asking for too much, but for the audiobook I would have liked to have actual singing for the song lyrics instead of reading it like a monotone poem.

It’s a story about music and fame but also love and friendship. Amber Young has always dreamt of becoming a famous singer. She gets the chance to join an up and coming girl group and becomes friends with Gwen, another young singer who is destined to make it big. Once Gwen leaves the group, Amber decides she wants to do the same. Honey is essentially Amber’s memoir with the majority of the story taking place from 1997-2003

4.5 rounded up to 5.

I loved this book! I listened to the audio version and it did not disappoint. We meet Amber as a child living with her single mother and older brother. We learn quickly she aspires to be a singer and has a natural talent to back it up.

The story winds around as we see Gwen get older, desperately seeking approval and making choices to make others love her. She records albums, starts relationships and learns about herself.

I didn’t give this five stars because of the spicy scenes (weren’t necessary and took away from the story in my opinion) and a couple of spots didn’t feel completely wrapped up. Nothing major and didn’t take away from the enjoyment of the story.

Advance reader copy provided by Macmillan Audio and NetGalley but all opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed the narration of this audiobook, but had I been physically reading it, I think I would have been bored. The characters just felt flat and underdeveloped. I didn’t really buy their romances or undying friendships. I guess I can get behind their being pigeonholed by certain traits, but Amber was just soooo self-deprecating that I rolled my eyes at her constantly. And I’m all for sexual expression, but I felt like her lack-of-experience so rapidly evolved into phone sex and oral in closets and I didn’t understand where this development came from. It was just awkward and unbelievable to me. Celeb memoirs are some of my favorites to listen to and this just read like a boring one to me. I enjoyed the character growth over time, and while I didn’t understand why Gwen “loved” Amber so much, I very much appreciated her character arch. It’s just an “ok” debut for me. Definitely do the audio if you’re interested in this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced audio copy. I flipping loved this. I loved the characters, the development, the relationships over the years. I loved listening to how Amber found herself and I am so glad that she did. Fantastic.

📚Review: Honey by Isabel Banta📚

Out now!

A big thank you to @isabel.banta @celadonbooks and @netgalley for the free arc as well as @macmillianaudio for the free alc💖.

✨What it is about:
A coming-of-age story that follows the meteoric rise of singer Amber Young as she navigates fame in the late-90s and early-2000s era of pop music superstardom.✨

💭My thoughts:
This story was so nostalgic for me. It’s a turn back to the days before social media really took over everything, and we had DJs and shows like TRL manning music news. It was the time boy bands were super popular, and girls like Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, and Jessica Simpson rose up as huge superstars in the music business. At that time, these superstars were both idolized and hated, as well as over sexualized and underestimated. This story really goes deep into all the different scenarios of the time, and gives us perspective into what the artists could have dealt with themselves. It was an interesting dive into the past, and into the lives of people we would never otherwise be able to really know about personally. It was sad to see how distorted things can get thanks to the media, and how mistakes can be amplified, and how one little thing can make or break your career in a blink of an eye. The audiobook was narrated by Brittany Presley and I feel she did a great job portraying the voice of the main character. I also really liked the different voices for the interview segments, and articles within the chapters, and the way the author sprinkled lyrics throughout to kind of link and emphasize the events as they were happening. I feel if the premise is interesting to you, you will really enjoy it, though the plot might not hold up on its own completely if you don’t feel a certain connection with that era. I loved this moment in time and really enjoyed this story.

4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Read if you like:
💿 90s super stars
💿 Coming of age stories
💿 Pop culture/music
💿 Nostalgic reads
💿 Daisy Jones and The Six vibes

⚠️CW: Abortion, misogyny, sexual content, abandonment, addiction.

I loved the narrator of this audiobook, Brittany Pressley really brought this book to life for me! She was excellent with her character voices! I was surprised when I looked after the fact that she was the only voice on this audiobook I can’t wait to listen to more her audiobooks.
I was expecting more of a Daisy Jones and the Six vibe to this book just a nineties addition. I enjoyed it and was surprised by some of the issues that were dealt with by these young pop stars. I kept trying to figure out which boy band ETA was based on and who was the inspiration for Amber Young and her friend Gwen.
Overall I enjoyed the book but was disappointed in the quick ending. I was hoping to explore more of the relationship with Amber’s love interest at the end of the book.

The audio version of this book is fun. Where there are interviews or inserts or articles, there is another voice reading. There is sometimes music set behind the lyrics. It makes for a more dynamic listen.

Honey is about a young girl in the 1990's who escapes her life through singing, and is discovered at a talent show. After Star Search and a brief stint with a girl band, she sets out as a solo artist. She's a self-reflective person...which sometimes made me as a reader forget that she was so young throughout the book. Her mom's character was disengaged. Her best friend was somehow a relationship that often rang false. Her relationships are a mess. Most of that seems congruous with a very young adult on her own in a difficult, demanding career. I enjoyed most of this book, but I never really connected with Amber or any other character. I couldn't make myself care about what happened to her or most of her vapid friends. A decent debut though, and I would read other future works from this author!

Through Amber’s journey, we get a raw and honest look at the dark side of Hollywood. The novel covers some heavy topics like misogyny, unfair treatment of women, and the toxic dynamics of power in the entertainment industry. I felt Amber’s frustration as she constantly battled to control her image and voice while those around her tried to exploit her.

The book is structured year-by-year from the 90s into the early 2000s, weaving in real historical events and cultural moments that add depth to the story. Including song lyrics and media commentary brought the narrative to life, especially in the audiobook version, which I highly recommend. Brittany Pressley's narration really helped me connect with Amber on a deeper level.

While some parts of the book felt underdeveloped, like Amber’s relationships and the ending, overall, it’s a powerful read. Honey touches on universal themes many people can resonate with, even if they’re not pop stars. It’s a poignant reminder of the resilience required to navigate fame and the unfair treatment women often face.

Isabel Banta’s writing is so impressive that it’s hard to believe this is her first novel. Honey is a must-read for anyone interested in the world of 90s pop stars, and I can’t wait to see what Banta writes next.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

I DNF'd at 40%, unfortunately this book was not for me.

You might enjoy if you like:
-coming of age in the spotlight
- stories of pop stars
- nostalgic, 90's vibes

audiobook: it was okay, i found it awkward when the narrator read the lyrics instead of singing them.

This audiobook was a fun take on pop starlet’s. This story of their journey from being in a girl band and then going solo was interesting because it showed how each girl was perceived and the men creating these personas. Then to success and all they had to do to keep it, how stories are woven just to get sales and the downfall of stardom. The book flowed nicely. However there were chapters where someone was reading a magazine/newspaper article or the narrator was reciting the lyrics of the newest son. The way this was done was jarring and really took me out of the story and I did not like it, thus why this is 3 🌟and not 4 for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc.

Amber Young was a young teenager when she was scouted by an agent. She was just performing at a school talent show when another parent heard her sing and thought she had talent. She spent the next several years going into New York City for audition after audition. She even made it onto Star Search. But Amber lost to a young singer named Wes Kingston. She even gave up for a while, letting go of the auditions and just spending time being a high schooler.

But she wasn’t happy and decided to give fame another try. But no more auditioning for commercials or for musicals. She wants to be a singer. And she gets an audition for a producer who was putting together a girl group. Amber made it into the group and quickly made friends with another girl there, Gwen Morris. Gwen helps Amber with the choreography, and after a couple of months of long days working with the group, Gwen tearfully admits the truth to Amber. She’s leaving the group. Gwen’s mother thinks that she’ll do better as a solo artist. And she thinks Amber should do the same.

It’s the 1990s, and one of the hottest new acts is a boy band named ETA. They’re a bunch of clean-cut guys who are finally getting some attention with their album Lightning in a Bottle. Gwen and Amber get a chance to meet the ETA, and Amber is happy to recognize one of them, Wes, who beat her on Star Search. As Gwen and Amber start on their solo careers, their lives intertwine with the ETA guys through their tours, recording, TRL on MTV, and awards shows. Publicly, Gwen and Wes are together. But Gwen isn’t interested in him that way, and Amber is, making it look in the media like Amber is the bad girl, trying to come between America’s Sweethearts.

As the years go by, Amber has to fight to find her voice, to tell her story. The media sexualize her, her fans worship her, record labels want to market her package her to sell, and producers tell her what to perform. But she is a smart woman, despite not finishing high school. She has her own opinions about her music, about her sexuality, about her future. Amber knows what she wants, and she is willing to sacrifice to get it. But is she willing to sacrifice her friends? Her family? The man she loves?

Teenagers and then 20somethings, growing up in the spotlight, working almost constantly, the life of a pop star is insane and complicated. And the 1990s exploded with young pop stars all over. Honey offers up a behind-the-scenes view of all those young pop stars who took over the music industry for a while, the boy bands and the teen magazines with their posters and the girls screaming and the mall tours. All of it comes to life in author Isabel Banta’s coming of age novel that brings to mind all those kids who grew up in the spotlight, singing and dating and dancing right in front of our eyes. And seeing it from their eyes is quite a ride.

I listened to the audio book of Honey, with narration by Brittany Pressley. I thought the reading of this book was just marvelous. Pressley brought the voice of Amber to life, and I could feel her passion through each chapter. I really liked Honey. It’s an enjoyable read with a lot of interesting characters. I will admit that I expected more drama, more scandal, but then this is the week that a very famous former boy band singer got pulled over for a DUI, so maybe it’s good that fiction is less like real life in this instance. I admired Amber for her personal convictions, for how hard she worked to find her own voice, and for her dedication to her friends. This is a lovely story of a young woman finding her voice in a male dominated profession, but I did think it lacked a little of the public drama of the actual era of the young pop stars.

An early copy of the audio book for Honey was provided by Macmillan Audio, and egalleys were provided by Celadon Books, both through NetGalley, with many thanks.

This is an interesting story following the rise of a young, aspiring star through the launch of her career. It follows our female main character in navigating record labels, girl group dynamics, and industry pressure to fulfill a marketable persona. In the background is a boy band rising in popularity of their own. The author explores, among other things, the disparities between how males and females are treated during a “scandal.” The book also highlights the nuances between what the media/tabloids feed us and the realities of celebrities’ lives and situations. Millennials will certainly make connections to some of our favorite pop stars of the late 1990s-early 2000s; however, this is a work of fiction.

Thank you Isabel Banta, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this audiobook! The sound quality was great. Brittany Pressley did an excellent job narrating and making the characters relatable.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ALC!

This was a wonderful debut novel and I really enjoyed listening to it. Brittany Pressley is one of my favorite narrators and she truly brought Honey to life.

I grew up in the late 90s/00s so this book hit close to home. I was a huge fan of boy bands and female pop stars and I think Isabel really captured that vibe in her writing.

Honey is raw and speaks on topics that should be discussed more openly. I definitely want to read more from Isabel in the future!

Honey follows a girl who becomes a huge popstar in the 90s! This was definitely right up my alley. If you like Taylor Jenkins Reid, Ava Wilder, or Elissa Sussman, you might enjoy this one. Or even Britney Spears’ memoir!

I thought this book dove into quite a few interesting topics about what is was like to experience celebrity as a young girl in the 90s and early 2000s. It was a bit heartbreaking to watch the main character Amber experience ED, tabloid scrutiny, mommy and daddy issues, heartbreak, people taking advantage of her, etc.

That being said, my main issue was that it felt a bit incomplete. The book tries to cover a really wide set of topics and most of them end up feeling unfinished and half done because of it. I walked away from this book mostly enjoying the ride, but also wondering “so what? that’s it?” once I was finished.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan for the alc!