As a teenager in the 90s I loved this. A coming of age story, we follow pop diva Amber as she rises to fame. Pigeon holed as the sexy one and at war with former band mate we get an insider look at the industry as Amber is toured from city to city.
A nostalgic novel, but with a real sharp look at how these teen stars were treated by the public, press and the industry.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy to review. I look forward to more from Isabel Banta

Following the fictional pop sensations of the 90/early 00s in their careers and their lives, Honey is like a trip down memory lane for this older millennial as there are so many parallel stories.

This story portrays the.darker side of the industry and how the saccharine starlets were probably far from it.

Well worth a read.

Honey has been described as giving Daisy Jones mixed with Britney Spears vibes, so I knew from this comparison alone that the book would be a bit of me.

It is essentially a coming-of-age story, focusing on Amber’s transition from girlhood to womanhood, whilst also being in the spotlight during the 90s and early 2000s, a time where the media and public were notorious for hounding and objectifying female pop stars.

Banta offers a fresh perspective on the pop icons that were mistreated, exploited, idolised and criticised. I often found myself thinking of Britney’s memoir that I read not long ago. The similarities between Amber and Britney are definitely there, and it’s heartbreaking to think about the dark, manipulative side of that industry.

The writing is incredible, and I particularly liked how the chapters were sometimes divided by song lyrics, articles, interviews, and even those quizzes you’d take in magazines to find out which pop star you were. Such nostalgia!

This is definitely not one to miss. Such an exciting debut!

This book just wasn’t for me. I couldn’t connect with any of the characters, the story/writing was too jumpy and it felt very Jackie Collins-esque in places. Some books you connect with and others you don’t; this was the latter for me. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

5 stars - Daisy jones meets 90s/00s early pop!

The story follows a young girl, Amber Young, from early childhood auditions to the highs and lows of being a pop icon in the late 90s when pop music was booming.

Every little girl dreams of being famous but when you grow up and realise what it would actually like - having no private life and everything pictured and documented by tabloids - you begin to think differently and we follow Amber and her pop friends realise this as they gain more experience in the industry.

As someone who grew up in the era of top of
the pops and celeb magazines I absolutely loved this one - it’s feels like you are reading about a real singer - someone like Britney Spears or Christina Aguilera - sometimes I forgot it was a fictional character someone had made up!

It’s is very current and modern especially with the latest news coming out about the type of world Hollywood actually is - fake, dark and overly sexualised.

Would highly recommend to those who are mid 20s to mid 30s who grew up in the era or for those who used to pour over the latest celeb gossip.

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This book covered so many relatable topics from that time , and was as if I was reading a biography - Brilliant debut . I was a Ya late 90’s so could really connect with some of the issues raised .

Whilst not my usual genre it was enjoyable ! Well done

Unfortunately this book is not for me. I found it slow moving and a little tedious.

In all fairness I think my lack of enjoyment is more a result of my current headspace than anything else.

"It is 1999 and Amber Young is about to transform from nice New Jersey girl to one of the most infamous pop stars of her era."

This was a fabulous nostalgic look at the late 90’s early 00’s music scene. It was a great insight into what actually went on behind the scenes not what was printed in the tabloids.

This read like an autobiography which was really enjoyable. The characters were very relatable and real. I really felt for Amber and Gwen they both had to hide pieces of themselves to keep the “public” happy. This book covered a lot of issues. How popstars are portrayed and how women in show business are treated in general.

I could not stop turning the pages!! I loved this book.

4/5 Stars and will definitely look out for more books from this author in the future

Loved this! This story of Amber; a young girl desperate to sing and destined to become a star. We start with her childhood and see how she is discovered; then joins her first band and later becomes a single performer. We learn of the high and lows of life in the public eye and on the road to fame. I really enjoyed this book.

Isabel Banta's, Honey, is a beautifully written debut novel that follows Amber Young, a rising pop-star in the 90's. This felt as if I was reading an actual memoir. It was so nostalgic and beautifully written. The characters were well written and developed, I especially liked Gwen and her storyline. I think this book is a great insight into the harsh reality of lifestyle as a popstar and shows the ups and downs of this life in a relatable and down to earth way.

A huge thank you to NetGalley, Bonnier Books, and the incredible Isabel Banta for providing me with a chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I'm so excited to read more of Banta's work in the future.

Isabel Banta's debut novel, Honey, re-imagines the pop stars of the late 90s and early 2000s, who we idolized and hated, oversexualized and underestimated, giving them the fresh, multifaceted story they deserve.

This story follows the rise to fame of Amber Young, a slightly unlikely but appropriately fame hungry pop starlet at the turn of the late 90s/noughties era, pitted against fellow teen idols Gwen and Savannah - all three have echoes of the pop stars we all remember of that era - virginal and God-fearing Jessica Simpson pitted against Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears who offered a much more sexualised, edgy 'image' that wasn't always to be approved of by [the parents of their huge young fanbase. Amber gets her own taste of stardom and a degree of success, gets mixed up with a messy romance with a boy=band member (who is in a 'showmance'' with her friend/pop rival Gwen) but finds true connection, artistic freedom and eventual true love with mysterious Scandinavian music producer Axel, who sees past the superficial and encourages her songwriting talents. It's an engaging readt the writing style veers from very lyrical, thoughtful description at times to fairly cliched romantic (and strongly sexual) scenes at times - but it's very readable, and anyone familiar with or nostalgic with this era will find plenty to enjoy here!

I enjoyed this story about a young girl mapping her way through the music industry. The story of her friendship with another young starlet Gwen, and her romance with a boy band member is an interesting one, highlighting how the media decides to portray someone.The book is well written and although nothing very dramatic occurs, it still makes for a fascinating read.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Back in the 1990s and 2000s pop music was awash with female vocalists, the likes of Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera. The tabloids speculated endlessly on their skimpy costumes, their sex lives. Fans invested in their relationships, and behind the scenes record labels and managers tried to package them up and control them. What was it like to live in the middle of this whirlwind, to be the focus of all this attention when you're still trying to figure out who you are? That's the idea that Honey is exploring.

When I first picked the book up I was bracing myself for sleazy record bosses and the main character to be a poor, exploited victim, but what emerged was a story of friendship, fortitude and finding your own voice. The music industry markets the main character, Amber Young, as a sex bomb and at first that made me deeply uncomfortable. But Amber is genuinely keen to explore her sexuality. She's a teenager, she's unashamedly looking for love and lust the way other teens are, it's just all happening in the public eye. Some of the sex scenes were still a bit much for me, as she is so young but the tone is honest, not sleazy.

What I loved the most though, was her relationship with supposed pop-rival Gwen. The world assumes they're natural enemies - Gwen is Bubblegum-sweet, Amber is super-sexy - but they never lose sight of who they really are. I loved following both women's journeys and it made me think about Britney et al in a completely new light.

This is a beautifully written book following the career of a young pop singer, from her first forays into the industry and beyond. Her public persona is contrasted with her true personality and feelings, and the reader gets a sense of the disembodiment and objectification that people in the public eye must feel.

As I say, this book is beautifully written and also very insightful. I have to admit that I struggled to stay engaged with it towards the end as I got a little bored, which is the reason I’m only giving three stars.

Thanks to the author and publisher for granting me access to this ARC in return for an honest review.

Honey follows Amber Young's journey through the highs and lows of pop stardom in the late '90s and early 2000s. Amber struggles with fame and authenticity, and the pressures of the music industry. I found this to be a captivating read with relatable characters and thought-provoking themes. A absolute must-read!!!

NOT a true story, even if it felt like it throughout. Amber is selected for one of the girl bands - Cloud9 - and her life takes a turn she never imagined.

Media is looking for stereotypes, and so are the producers - suddenly Amber doesn't recognise herself in the way she's portrayed, and her actual feelings are not in line with the narrative, neither are those of her fellow band member Gwen or boy band star Wes. They are all young, and their lives are decided (directed!) by those with money.

"I didn't like to perform. I liked to be loved."

A fantastic debut novel!!!

Thank you to Netgalley, Bonnier Books / Zaffre and Isabel Banta for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

An incredibly poignant and thought provoking debut from Isabel Banta depicting the rise of pop star Amber Young in the late 90s to early 2000s.

This book read as though it could be a real biography, it was honest and at times raw with the descriptions of life growing up in the spotlight.

This new author will be one I'll be looking for in the future.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It took a while to get into this one but honestly it was surprisingly good. I'm drawn to anything to do with famous people and how they live their lives, because it's always messy and fun and I just want to be famous. It's always interested to be reminded that famous people, especially younger famous people, don't have the glamorous lives they are portrayed to have in the media. This also touched well on how brutal the media was towards anyone in the limelight in the 90s and early 00s.

The writing was nice, the characters were written well and the story was compelling.

I'd definitely pick up something else from Isabel Banta.

“His gaze sweeping across her like a lighthouse beam, and she is the ship he is guiding home”

4.5 stars

I royally loved this book. It gave me Brittany Spears/modern day Daisy Jones vibes, and the plot was brilliant. Everything was thought through very meticulously - parts separated into verses, and the inserts of news stories etc. Amber’s character development was enjoyable to read and, despite not liking her at the beginning, I really liked her by the end! I feel like she deserved her wholesome ending and it was really really worth the read!! I just love it when books blur the lines of reality like this! it makes me believe the characters are truly real!
The only negative point I will make, is that at the beginning I felt the chapters were too long and jumpy - switching from past-present as Amber recalls her past. But I got into the swing of things and was hooked!

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this gem, in return for an honest review.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6328977437

As a child of the nineties, this is my era! And there was a strong nostalgia factor here, for someone who can remember a time before iPods and streaming, when music magazines and Top of the Pops ruled the world. And of course there are echoes, subtle and not so subtle, of the real lives of nineties/noughties stars like Britney Spears in here too. The book does a very good job of lifting the lid of the grimmer side of the music industry (and society more generally) around that time, underneath the bubblegum surface. And Amber is a strong, likeable lead character, who I was inclined to root for. My only gripe may be a slight lack of fun. There is a lot of navel gazing. And although possibly needed given everything the protagonist is up against, as a reader I found myself hoping for a bit less seriousness and a bit more joy.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.