“In Las Vegas, they sell cheap replicas of the love locks from the Parisian bridge for twenty-five dollars.”
Most young adults have made regrettable decisions in Las Vegas; if they didn’t, the saying “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas” would have never been coined. But Grace Porter has made a drunken decision that could put any Friends episode to shame: she has gotten married and to a complete stranger, no less. And what’s worse is that she plans to stay married to a girl she barely remembers.
As a fresh graduate with her PhD in Astronomy, Grace now has to figure out how she is to stay married and further the career she’s been working years towards, even with the countless rejection letters lining her way.
Honey Girl is a gorgeous lyrical debut by Rogers, reminiscent of Hemingway’s A Clean, Well-Lighted Place, with its use of pacing and space. And even though this is a sapphic romance novel at its core, Rogers still beautifully weaves togethers themes of systemic racism, found family and mental illness all within the little portion of the world she has carved out for her book’s universe.
Even better, each character has the texture of a manic pixie dream girl, but with actual arc development and personality; regardless of how big of a role each character plays, they each stick in your heart long after you have put the book down. Grace’s never allowed to run away from her flaws no matter how hard she tries, but even when she eventually deals with her problems, it is handled with empathy and support from the people she loves.
I devoured this book within two hours of starting it and found it so difficult to put down. Honey Girl is easily one of my favourite books of the year and I can’t wait to read Roger’s next novel.
Rating: 5/5
June’s wrap-up 🏳️🌈
They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera
What would you do if you found out you had 24 hours or less to live? Mateo and Rufus are two strangers with nothing in common, except that they are both meant to die that day.
5/5
Perfect on Paper by Sophie Gonzales
Darcy Phillips has a secret she can’t tell anyone. She’s the mysterious love columnist giving advice to the whole school, and she can solve your relationship problems or money-back guaranteed. But when she gets caught by new student Alexander Bougham, the stakes are much higher and Darcy can’t let her secret get out.
4/5
The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune
Linus Baker is your everyday pencil-pusher, dedicating his life as a Case Worker at the Department in Charge Of Magical Youth when he gets assigned to investigate the unusual Marsyas Island Orphanage nestled on an isolated island, far off the mainland. He is just there to make sure the children are safe, but that might be hard to do with the enigmatic headmaster there…
5/5
Slippery Creatures by KJ Charles
Will Darling just wants to make a living. He didn’t ask to be thrust into the violent and mysterious world of the Home Office, especially not after what he has seen in World War I. But it doesn’t seem he gets much choice, not with the amount of spies and thugs haunting his second-hand bookshop non-stop.
4/5