I received a physical copy via Zando - Sweet July Books & an audio copy from Dreamscape Select via NetGalley. All reviews are my own.
Can I share a secret? I tend to take an interest in books months before their debut date. I put it on my ever-growing TBR list and forget about it until I decide to pick it up. The thing is, when I do pick it back up, I go in blind. I don't read the synopsis to refresh my memory of what the book is about, and I don't check the genre or content warnings. I just go in. This practice has either surprised or failed me. Can we guess what Honeysuckle and Bone did to me?
"On the run from her own dark secrets, a teen girl becomes the nanny for a prestigious family on their extravagant Jamaican estate—but things aren't quite as they seem, and she quickly discovers even paradise may be haunted. Carina Marshall is looking to reinvent herself, and what better place to do it than Jamaica, her mother’s alluring homeland where she conveniently has access to an au pair gig for the wealthy and politically powerful Hall family. After months of being the target of vicious rumors and hate online (which she just might deserve), the luxurious Blackbead House seems to hold everything she wants, a world of mango trees, tropical breezes, and glamorous parties—and a place to disappear. Once there, Carina joins up with her fellow junior staff members, the self-named Young Birds, and finds herself sinking right into her busy, but comfortable, new life. Yes, the Halls run a tight ship, and yes, there is some tension amongst the family, but she’s content flying under the radar, doing her job, and hanging out with her new friends—not least, the handsome and charming Aaron. But when inexplicable things start happening to her in the house, only getting worse each night, Carina realizes that someone—or something—is out to get her. Is it the house itself? The Halls? Or, worse, is it her own past catching up with her? With the help of Aaron, she must figure out what is haunting her, and fast, before she is forced out of Blackbead House for good. Eerie, propulsive, and full of intrigue, Honeysuckle and Bone is a deliciously atmospheric, young adult novel, following an imperfect yet courageous teen as she seeks to remake herself in the homeland she always idealized, only to discover that new beginnings don’t always come easy."
Coming from debut author Trisha Tobias, Honeysuckle and Bone tells the story of Carina Marshall, who is looking to start fresh in Jamaica under a new identity. Unfortunately, past hauntings follow her, creating a duppy (Jamaica's version of a ghost) that won't leave her alone. Throughout the story, she spends time trying to figure out who the Duppy is and putting it to rest for good.
I experienced this book via audio, with Laura Edwards as the narrator. It took 11 hours and 7 minutes to get the job done, and honestly, I think I should have stuck to reading it physically. Edwards's overall performance wasn't bad, but she was too bright sounding for the story, which changed how I envisioned it. When I first started reading Honeysuckle and Bone physically, I felt the deep, dark, gothic-like flow of things, but after listening to the narration, I would have never known it was considered a horror story.
That said, I don't have strong feelings for the book. The story was a little all over the place for me. Situations where I thought would lead down a path didn't pan out. I didn't care for most of the characters—especially the protagonist, Carina. Tobias could've gone deeper with the character development with the story's major players and strung the plotline better. But then, there was the twist at the end. I don't know how we got there, but it was a well-thought-out surprise that caught me off guard. I wished that could've been the main focal point, with more horror than paranormal, but a debut is a debut.
Overall, I rated this book 3-stars. I didn't love or hate it, but I sense that I will reread it in the future. Maybe there's a disconnect because I'm not Caribbean and whatnot, but I'm not ready to give up on the book yet! But I do want to touch on something I noticed while experiencing the novel: Confidence. I've seen Tobias mention a few times that her book is not perfect, but she's proud to have finally come out of her comfort zone and produced something for the world. I'll be the first to say that I am happy that she took the leap of faith, but I can see the bungee cord flapping in the wind with her, ready to pull her back to safety. It's hard to hear, but it sounds like Tobias is still not confident in her work, which shows. For her future book (because I know there's going to be one), I hope she shows more tenacity in herself and her writing. I know the story will be fire once she unlocks it and believes in herself.
Honeysuckle and Bone is out now!
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