“This has always been my favorite fact about bees: in their world, destiny is fluid. You might start life as a worker, and end up a queen.”
Genre: Fiction, Women’s Fiction (I would add Mysteries and thrillers here)
Actual Rating: 5 stars
Spicy Meter: N/A, was clean, but does mention the act itself.
Content Warnings: Discusses transphobia, homophobia, suicide attempts, self harm, and bullying. Described domestic abuse and child abuse. This is a hard, serious read.
“Mad Honey” follows Olivia McAfee, a single mother to Asher and professional beekeeper, as she lives through her son’s murder trial. This book also follows Lily Campanello, Asher’s girlfriend, before her death. Built between flashbacks and two points of view, this book will take you through a rollercoaster of emotion like no other.
This is one of the best books I’ve read all year. I loved absolutely everything about it—from the writing, to the timelines, to the characters. Everything. I loved and grieved Lily with Asher. I suffered through the trial with Olivia. My heart shattered for Ava, Lily’s mom. The plot twists where literal breathtaking.
—Can’t say I was completely surprised with who ended up being the murderer, but I still loved how it was revealed and executed. This book will be nothing how you expect it to be.
I would highly recommend this book above any other suspense or mystery or just general fiction book you’ve got on your TBR. “Mad Honey” will have you on the edge of your seat and you’ll just wish you could finish it in one sitting, I know I did.
If you’ve enjoyed books like “The Guest List” by Lucy Foley or “The Maid” by Nina Prose, then this book is for you.
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ARC provided by NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada in exchange for an honest review.
Publication Date: October 4, 2022
“You read about tragedies in the paper, where a student athlete falls dead in the middle of a basketball game or a National Honor student is killed by a drunk driver or a school shooting claims the life of a preteen. In the news you see their faces, braces and cowlicks and freckles.
You tell yourself this wouldn’t happen in your
hometown.
You tell yourself this isn’t anyone you know.
Until it does, and it is.”
andrea's galley 