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Honey
Honey: A Novel | Isabel Banta
21 posts | 17 read | 5 to read
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 It is 1997, and Amber Young has received a life-changing call. Its a chance thousands of girls would die for: the opportunity to join girl group Cloud9 in Los Angeles and escape her small town. She quickly finds herself in the orbits of fellow rising stars Gwen Morris, a driven singer-dancer, and Wes Kingston, a member of the biggest boy band in the world, ETA. Surrounded by people who claim to love her but only wish to exploit her, Ambers rich interior life is frequently reduced. Before she even knows who she is, the men surrounding her have decided what shes capable of. Driven by a desire for recognition and success, for love and sex, for agency and connection, Amber comes of age at a time when the kaleidoscope of public opinion can distort everything and one mistake can shatter a career. With the captivating style of Sweetbitter by Stephanie Danler and the raw honesty of Im Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy, Isabel Bantas debut novel, Honey, redefines the narratives of some of the most famous pop icons of the 90s and 2000s. It reimagines the superstars we idolized and hated, oversexualized and underestimated, and gives them the fresh, multifaceted story they deserve.
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Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks
Honey: A Novel | Isabel Banta
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I had high hopes for this one… I enjoyed the music and book references but that‘s about it. For the most part I listened to it. It would have been a little better if the narrator would have tried to sing the songs instead of just reading the lyrics with music playing… it‘s a pretty cover though 💗 💿 🤷🏻‍♀️

#LitsyLoveReads

marleed Oh I think it was a podcast with Julia Whalen where I heard it explained it‘s a whole other level of rights/money to sing the lyrics of a song in an audiobook compared to speaking the lyrics. 3mo
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @marleed hmmmm that‘s interesting! 3mo
57 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks
Honey: A Novel | Isabel Banta
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Starting this one tonight! I need a break from the creepy kid thrillers even though I love them 🖤 💿

Lil Bit is really in to America‘s Got Talent! I think she‘s eyeing Terry Crews 😹😹 👀

#CatsofLitsy 😻
#BOTM

AnnCrystal 💕😹📺😻💝. 3mo
dabbe Lil Bit is a bigger bit! 🖤🐾🖤 3mo
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @dabbe she‘s getting bigger 🐾 3mo
61 likes1 stack add3 comments
review
AudiobookingWithLeah
Honey: A Novel | Isabel Banta
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Pickpick

4⭐
PROS⇩
-The narration was performed fantastically
-I liked how it read like a memoir
-This one was easy to follow, which was a nice change since I seemed to be so confused by a lot of plots, lately.
CONS⇩
-It was a tad sluggish in the middle to the end…although it helped that I listened to it.
-The love shenanigans were a tad OTT

review
marleed
Honey: A Novel | Isabel Banta
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Pickpick

I often hesitate picking up a novel placed in the music industry because years ago I gave all my feels to DJ&TS and am convinced I have little left for another story. But it didn‘t take long to really get into this. It felt real and I wouldn‘t be surprised to learn that although the characters are fictional, the particulars happened to factual folk in the music industry. I also appreciated good people were baked into this story, as well.

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks On my shelf 💿 💗 3mo
marleed @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Oh, I think you‘ll like it! 3mo
60 likes2 comments
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Megabooks
Honey: A Novel | Isabel Banta
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Pickpick

Surprisingly, I loved this. I like that the author gave these singers a rich interior life while pointing out the pitfalls of celebrity in the early 00s.

Amber and Gwen meet in a girl group that quickly disbands. Gwen finds immediate success, but Amber‘s road is rockier. The girls try to maintain friendship and support through the pitfalls of young fame. Amber is seen as too sexy and boy-crazy while Gwen struggles with her sexual orientation.

Megabooks I can‘t unsee the boob reference on the cover! 🫣 4mo
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Megabooks hahaha this is on my shelf! Great review 🩷 💿 4mo
britt_brooke I liked this more than I thought I would, too. I listened on audio and the little song bits were really fun! 4mo
72 likes2 stack adds3 comments
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reading_rainbow
Honey: A Novel | Isabel Banta
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Pickpick

I loved this book, it was beautifully written, a sugary bittersweet coming of age story full of dreamy introspective prose. Just what I needed 🌸💕 #BOTM

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Kimberlone
Honey: A Novel | Isabel Banta
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Additionally, I not only forgot to post my June #BOTM, but also I did not read any of these last month.

TheBookHippie We‘re supposed to read them the month we get them ???? 😂😅😵‍💫🤣👀 5mo
Kimberlone @TheBookHippie haha! It rarely happens 🤣 5mo
marleed Sometimes I deliberately stack my new books on a pretty shelf with no intention to read immediately. Sometimes anticipation is a good book thing! 5mo
45 likes3 comments
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Reecaspieces
Honey: A Novel | Isabel Banta
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Mehso-so
LazyLibrary I didn‘t pick this for June BOTM but I was curious for sure 5mo
36 likes1 comment
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Melismatic
Honey: A Novel | Isabel Banta
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Pickpick

Happy Release Day! I had high expectations for this book as a pop nerd and I‘m over the moon the author exceeded them! While at its heart this is a depiction of a pop star in the 90‘s (shades of Britney/Christina/Justin/Max Martin abound), the central focus was really on exploring female sexuality and the media narrative microscoping it.

Melismatic The characters felt realistic, especially if you lived through this time period, even if sometimes they appear to be written through modern rosetinted glasses. It‘s arguable to say our real life pop stars went through much worse scrutiny, this is just a slice of it, but the writing is well done. 5mo
Melismatic My thanks to NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for this ARC! I‘ll need to grab a copy for my shelf today for sure. 💿💖🫶🏻🎶 5mo
TieDyeDude The last pop-music-based novel I read/listened to was Daisy Jones, and it was just meh. This sounds like it might be a fun read though. Thanks for the recommendation. 5mo
Melismatic @TieDyeDude I hope you love it! I read Daisy Jones and hated it, if it helps! Lol 😂 5mo
TieDyeDude I'm glad it wasn't just me! 😂 5mo
27 likes5 comments
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Melismatic
Honey: A Novel | Isabel Banta
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I‘m a little over halfway thru with this ARC that arrives on shelves on Tuesday here in the States.

It‘s easily the best modern music business fiction novel I‘ve read - and I‘ve read a lot. Also as a millennial pop nerd, I‘m tough to impress when it comes to this topic.

LiteraryinPA That‘s high praise! 5mo
26 likes1 comment
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Graciouswarriorprincess
Honey: A Novel | Isabel Banta
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Pickpick

Overall I thought this was a good debut book but I wasn‘t overwhelmed. The plot was good & overall flow of the story. Banta did a good job of showing the Hollywood side of the music industry.

Amber Young, the main character, is trying to break into the music industry. Her story showcases how she is exploited & over-sexualized. This is a sad story with characters reminiscent of the 90s pop stars. A good debut novel.

Book 119 of the year.

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Graciouswarriorprincess
Honey: A Novel | Isabel Banta
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My afternoon view. I have a rare day off and am sitting by the pool reading.

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Melismatic
Honey: A Novel | Isabel Banta
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I‘m so excited to crack into this ARC! I‘ve been excited about it for months - as a music nerd & 90s pop/boyband aficionado, I hope it lives up to the hype. 💿🤞🏻🎶

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JHSiess
Honey: A Novel | Isabel Banta
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🍯 𝐋𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐃𝐫𝐨𝐩 📀

I deposited a copy of 𝐇𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐲, by 𝐈𝐬𝐚𝐛𝐞𝐥 𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐚, in this 𝐋𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐲 here in Lodi, Ca, courtesy of 𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐧 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬. The coming-of-age story of a young singer's struggle to fulfill her dream & navigate the pitfalls of success in the pop music industry in the late 1990s & early 2000s is, per author Emma Straub, a “sexy swagger of a debut.“

36 likes1 stack add
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Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks
Honey: A Novel | Isabel Banta
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#BookHaul #BOTM

Tux is happy with our June book selections! What did you choose?!

#Adayinthelifeoftux 🖤😻🤍

#LitsyLove

PathfinderNicole I also got the Swanson but I was really excited about getting this one! 6mo
AnnCrystal 💕😻🐾💝. 6mo
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @PathfinderNicole I keep seeing that one everywhere! Let me know how it is! 6mo
See All 13 Comments
dabbe Tux is all “tux“ed in! 🖤🐾🖤 6mo
TheSpineView So cute! 6mo
Charityann I got all three of these as well!😆 6mo
Leftcoastzen 👏😻 6mo
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @dabbe he is!! 🖤🤍 6mo
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @TheSpineView thank you 🖤🤍 6mo
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Charityann great minds! 😘 6mo
Mimi28 Aaaaawwww!! 😻😻🩷🩷 6mo
65 likes13 comments
review
Sara_Planz
Honey: A Novel | Isabel Banta
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Pickpick

This debut novel has a fly on the wall feel, as if we were looking in on the events that happened at that time. But instead of the world we got from the press and the publicists, we get an insider look at the music industry, the talent that fed it and the success and damage done in the process. Image, backstory, and marketing all carefully crafted to push the narrative that the label was looking for, regardless of the collateral damage caused.

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Kristy_K
Honey: A Novel | Isabel Banta
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I haven‘t heard much about Honey, but the reviews looked good. Threw a few backlogged #tbr books in that I‘ve been wanting to read as well. I love when #botm books come out early!

Sace I love it when they come out early too! My daughter and I are always on BOTM watch at the end of the month. I love our monthly chat about the selections and what each of us chose. 6mo
ICantImReading “Small Country” was one of my first BOTM books! I loved it! 6mo
Kristy_K @Sace Oh I love that! That must be so much fun. 6mo
Kristy_K @ICantImReading I‘m glad to hear you loved it! I‘m trying to read more authors from other countries and this one looked interesting. 6mo
48 likes4 comments
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OriginalCyn620
Honey: A Novel | Isabel Banta
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Can‘t wait to get my June #botm box! Plus, one was free because it‘s my birthday month! 🥳

LiteraryinPA Getting an extra birthday book is so fun! It‘s like when you used to be able to go to a Ben and Jerry‘s on your birthday for free ice cream. 😋 6mo
Kristy_K Happy Birthday Month! 🎉 I love getting that free book. 6mo
36 likes2 comments
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GerardtheBookworm
Honey: A Novel | Isabel Banta
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Pickpick

A fun, coming of age gossipy, fictional read set in the music industry of the late 90's and early 2000's. A talented songstress from New Jersey is whisked to stardom after joining a short-lived girl group and becomes a successful solo artist but must manage the pratfalls of exploitation and abuse in the entertainment field. An homage to the Britneys, Christinas, and Rhiannas of the era, this Jeanette McCurdy style storytelling pulls you in!

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Rhondareads
Honey: A Novel | Isabel Banta
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Perfect summer read a debut by Isabel Banta coming of age story following the rise of pop star Amber Young.Thanks #celadonbooks.