Possibly a Marmite book, though it seems I may the only person that hasn't loved it. I've not read this author's work before and couldn't say I was particularly taken with this tale. It is skillfully written in a poetic first person, though using the 'flawed narrator' style that's familiar from Paula Hawkin's Girl on the Train. I felt no pathos for the protagonist, a woman grieving for her dead lover with whom she was having a secret affair. The book evokes feelings of loss and longing for answers that won't come. However, her irrational behaviour just didn't ring true to me. There wasn't enough character depth for it to feel 'heartbreaking', nor was this storyline original enough to be shocking.

This is the first book by Sarah Crossan that I have read. Before reading I was unaware that it was written in verse and must admit at first I thought my Kindle was malfunctioning. It took me a while to get used to the writing style. I thought Ana's character was difficult to like and sympathise with but I did read to the end interested to see the outcome.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for an advance reading copy of this book.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I love Sarah Crossan’s writing. Her first verse novel for adults was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and it didn’t disappoint. The concept is brilliant; Ana, the main character, has been having an affair with Connor for three years, but he dies quite suddenly. Nobody knew about the affair, so Ana is left alone, trapped in a secret. How do you cope with loss when nobody around you even knows he was yours to lose? Ana’s friends, family and colleagues notice a change in her mood and behaviour but have no explanation for it. And then she befriends Connor’s wife, who is also grieving for him. There are no likeable characters in this book and yet you feel deeply for them all. It’s beautifully written, looking into the complexities of affairs and how wide-reaching and destructive their impact can be.

I have read Sarah Crossan's books before and was excited to be given this opportunity to read her latest novel. I missed the fact that this was written for adults so the first few pages were a little disconcerting, but that was my mistake and once I had rectified that I was able to get on with enjoying the book.

Knowing Crossan's YA style, verse rather than prose was expected and the format worked beautifully with the content, as it highlight's Ana's misery and distraught response to the situation. Ana and Connor have been having an affair for a number of years when he unexpectedly, and suddenly, dies. As a reader you are confronted with the grief from the perspective of 'the other woman'. Ana has been Connor's lawyer and the grounds of their relationship are always questionable. In this book Ana has to try and come to terms with her sudden loss and the fact that she must grieve in silence. She 'stalks' Connor's wife, Rebecca, almost befriending her, in an attempt to gain insight into her lover's relationship and judge her own importance in his life. The narrative is brutal in places and heartrending as Ana mourns her lost love and reexamines her own marriage to Paul.

There is something horrifying and yet captivating about Ana's situation... don't expect a happy ending!

As with Sarah Crossan’s YA verse novels, once I had started reading this it was difficult to stop. Ana’s three year affair with a married man ends suddenly with his death and we find out more about her and her obsessions with both her lover, and his wife and family, as the story develops. An intense, thought-provoking read about love, relationships and grief.

This is the first book by Sarah Crossan that I have read, and definitely an adult story. It is also a very different book to those I would usually pick up, but am very glad of the opportunity to review it. Cleverly written, it tells the story of a woman who has been having an affair for three years. Her thoughts and feelings, seeing how it looks from the mistress’s point of view. It is sad, moving and raw, but riveting.

I adore Sarah Crossan's writing and I was intriguyed to see if her first adult book would be as wonderful as her YA books. I'm pleased to say it did nor disappoint. This was a beutifully written, emotive tale that I devoured in a day. Highly recommend.

I have been a huge fan of Sarah Crossan for many years, Every single one of her YA books, whether it was about the death penalty (Moonrise), conjoined twins (One), or parent/child/sibling issues (Apple and Rain), brought me to tears. Therefore, I was desperate to read her first book for adults.
The story of Ana, and her affair with one of her clients, was raw, devastating, and just beautifully written. As in typical Crossan style, the story is told through poems, and is a testament to the author that the characters are so full without passages of descriptive detail. As well as the writing style used, the plot also differs from other stories of adultery, but I'll avoid giving spoilers! Each time I thought I knew and understood the situation, Crossan would throw something else into the mix. I began to know and care about Ana quickly, despite her not always being an easy person to care about, and reading this book was like watching a friend struggle with a situation and you have no choice but to watch them unravel. I swore at her, cringed for her, questioned and doubted her, and by the end, was absolutely heartbroken for her.
This book wasn't what I was expecting but it also was... Sarah Crossan's unique style and her way with language was so familiar that it made me feel warm, but with a raw energy and subject matter that burst from the page and unsettled me (in a good way!). I loved it and can't wait to see where her next book for adults takes us.

I've never read a book quite like this one before, and I loved it. Beautifully written; there isn't a word out of place while laying bare the life and loves of Ana who is reacting to the unexpected death of her married lover.
Thank you to netgalley and Bloomsbury publishing for an advance copy of this book

This is a beautifully written story. It took me a little while to get used to the style of writing but then I was gripped, and finished it in one sitting. Although I couldn't agree with the characters actions, Crossan draws you into to their world and allows you to understand the messiness of their lives, and what it is like to be the invisible person in a relationship.

Here Is the Beehive by Sarah Crossan

Synopsis
Ana and Connor have been having an affair for three years. In hotel rooms and coffee shops, swiftly deleted texts and briefly snatched weekends, they have built a world with none but the two of them in it.

But then the unimaginable happens, and Ana finds herself alone, trapped inside her secret.

How can we lose someone the world never knew was ours? How do we grieve for something no one else can ever find out? In her desperate bid for answers, Ana seeks out the shadowy figure who has always stood just beyond her reach - Connor's wife Rebecca.

Review
Rather oddly written, very blunt and abit confusing, it was difficult to connect to the characters.
However I couldnt put it down and it was a fairly easy quick read.

Rated 3/5

Thanks to Netgalley for an advanced copy in return for an honest review.

At first I didn't know this was a verse novel. However I was pleasantly surprised by it. I had previously read Toffee by Sarah Crossan, and really enjoyed it, and this was no different.

I particularly enjoyed the raw portrayal of emotions, the un-idolized way in which Crossan described an affair so toxic that it just brings you down. This story is about grief, depression, and how complicated human relationships can be. I read it in one sitting, and couldn't put it down because Crossan's ability to describe human emotions and pain pulls you in from the very start. I also appreciated how the book ended, how there was no judgment, just a reflection on something that is quite widespread.

Overall, I highly recommend it, and will definitely re-red it in the future.

Written in the way that only Sarah Crossan can, I adored this book and the journey it took me on.

Fast paced, emotional and without a single word out of place.

Immersive and captivating.

Sarah Crossan's first adult novel told in verse follows Ana who has been having an affair with a man called Conner. However Conner has expectantly passed away leaving Ana to struggling as she has to grieve alone.

I do not particularly like the idea of reading about cheating however I would say this applies to romance books where the concept is glamorised. This story shows the raw emotions of having an affair, you see the happy moments but also the worst moments which show how toxic the situation can be. Add on the fact that one has died leaving the other with this gap in their life that they cannot talk to anyone about., making this an emotional read.

As I reached the end of this book I was unsure how Crossan was going to end it and worried it would be unsatisfactory. I should not have worried. It felt like, in my opinion, a satisfactory way to end.

This is a very different format for a novel and very brave of the author. I personally didn’t really enjoy it and sadly felt no empathy for the main protagonist. Others may really appreciate the style so do give it a go.

I have read the majority of Sarah Crossan's previous books, and I am a big fan of her work.
Unfortunately for me, this book didn't live up to her previous. This was partly to the structure of the book, and the dislikable characters...

I found it quite difficult to follow at times, as it crosses back and forward in time over the course of the novel. There was no clear indicator within the design/layout of the book to tell you when that specific action was taking place, and because of that I didn't always feel submerged in the plot. I personally think if the book had slightly different formatting it would have been easier to follow.

I also didn't like like the characters - I found them all to be incredibly dislikable and that hindered my love for the plot somewhat.

However, the ending of the book really brought all of it together. It was only at this point that I actually felt some empathy towards the leading character of Ana. The ending was actually very hard hitting, despite already knowing what had happened to Conor (to some extend) It was this ending, and the emotive language that I was missing throughout the main body of the book.
For me, one of the things I love about Crossan's writing is her ability to emote such strong feelings from the reader - which I didn't get from this book except the ending.

(Also, one thing I want to note is the use of the 'C-Word' very close to the beginning of the book - now I am no prude, but it did come as a shock. I didn't think it was necessary! But maybe that's just me.)

I will definitely read any future novels of Sarah Crossan, but I won't be recommending or returning back to this one.

This book suprised me, because I wasn't prepared to be so beautifully written and intense. It was an easy read with a lot of different emotions which changed so fast through the pages.
It is a book, that gives you something to think, for sure. However, doesn't make right what has happened. On the other hand, who saya what wrong or right is.
Well, I definitely finished the book with mixed feelings.

This is an incredible novel. I am no fan of poerty but I absolutely devoured it.

This is a heatbreaking look at love and loss through prose.

I would reccomend this to everyone

Crossan's writing is always exceptional – her YA verse novels are in a different league. This, her first adult novel, is just as gorgeous, just as lyrical, while never feeling pretentious with it. The protagonist, Ana, is hard to like – to be generous – which will mean that this book isn't for everyone. But for those who appreciate nuance, honest explorations of difficult women and beautiful writing, this is a book I would highly recommend.

I was drawn to this book by the cover and the premise. I've not read a book from the point of view of the 'mistress' after the death of their lover before.
The story revolves around the thoughts of Ana. She had been having an affair with Connor who then died in an accident.
She is feeling grief and loss but no one knows, not even her best friend.
I have to admit that I did struggle with this story. It wasn't your 'traditional' novel, written quite poetically. I didn't find the characters very likeable and I didn't feel like we got to know any of the them as they weren't really developed.
Unfortunately, this book was not for me. Much shorter than I was expecting and I didn't get much from it.