Oh dear, sorry but I did not enjoy this at all. I was gripped from the opening page, but quickly lost interest.

I did not like the writing style of sharp, short, jerky sentences, which didn't lend itself to a relaxing read, and maybe this was the intention. The effect this had on me was actually to increase the speed at which I normally read and I whizzed through the whole book fairly quickly. If I had cared more about the characters I would have started again, hoping to make more sense of what was actually going on, as I found it all quite confusing.

Another downside was the lack of description, as this was mostly dialogue and I finished the book left wondering what the point of the story was.

A stunning novel, I read it in a day. Sarah Crossan has a unique style, a stream of consciousness poetic prose. It is so effective in this story of grief, obsession and deception. Ana and Connor have been having an affair for 3 years, with a devastating effect on both their marriages. When Connor dies suddenly Ana has no one to help her with her grief, so secret was the relationship. As she faces her future she seeks out Connor’s wife, a plan that can’t end well.

Oh this is beautiful! Exquisite. It's so well written. I stayed on certain pages for ages, marvelling at the craft behind it. Really good.

Here is the Beehive is unlike any other book I have read.
When I started the book, I was unaware that it was a short story, and how very unusual the writing style would be. The verse changes quickly from the present, to flashes back in time. So you need to keep your full attention to words, so you don’t get lost.

I found Ana a difficult character. I found her to be selfish and self absorbed, a feeling which grew the more she told us of her life, almost as an afterthought.
All characters aren’t meant to be liked, and the fact that I had such a strong reaction to her, is a testament to the writing. Having said that, the book wasn’t for me.

I never expected a book on such a damaging topic to be so beautiful, but that is exactly what Sarah does with her writing. Yet again Sarah took a hard hitting topic that no one really likes to discuss and wove it into this stunning web of verse. From the start this book captivates you and shows you the detrimental impact an affair can have on all parties involved, including those on the peripheries.
This book is raw, honest and incredibly sharp, slicing into all the horrid aspects of the human psyche that we sometimes don't want to admit are there.

Absolutely loved this book!!! Would wholeheartedly recommend to all of my friends, and I cannot wait to read more from this author.

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.

I simply adore Crossan's work and was excited to get stuck into this adult offering and I was not at all disappointed. Crossan sticks to what she does best and that is write in beautiful verse that really involves the reader and ensures they are captivated from start to finish. It never takes me long to read a book by Crossan, partly because they are so good and partly because the writing style creates an effortless flow that means you keep reading and never want to put it down.

I was a bit hesitant about the plot, it is a tricky subject and how can you possibly feel sympathy for all involved and yet Crossan manages it. I found myself liking Ana and Rebecca and felt for both of them. Crossan captures their angst and emotions perfectly, no word is wasted and every word leads to an emotion or feeling. I found myself very involved in the read and feeling sympathy for all involved. Well apart from Connor, but the less said about that the better. Crossan has a real skill with words and this book makes it shine.

If you have never read a book by Crossan, ensure you read this one. 'Here Is The Beehive' is beautiful, simplistic reading, you will find yourself hooked and devour this in no time at all as I did. I have nothing else to add but then why would you need to when you can sum it up in one word; stunning.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Circus for an advance copy.

I found this book very hard to read with the short, super quick sentences, it almost felt like I was struggling to get air in, however the story was quick and to the point so it did fit in with what the author was trying to achieve.

I went into this intrigued about how I would feel about Anna. Since she is having/was having an affair. Usually I would dislike that person.

I also hoped it didn’t condone cheating. Which thankfully it didn’t. We know the whole time cheating is wrong and shouldn’t happen.

The jumping in timelines confused me at times. But overall it being written in verse didn’t harm the story too much for me. This would be great as audiobook. Since it feels like she is just talking to Connor.

I didn’t know going into this that it was written in verse. Which made me a little nervous as the only other book written in verse I’ve read I disliked.

Anna came across obsessive with Connor. Their affair wasn’t healthy at all. The way they treated each other wasn’t healthy. Her trying to befriend Rebecca was worrying.

Anna definitely needs some help. Her destructive behaviour was uncomfortable to read. Her mental and physical behaviour, I just wanted to help her. Despite not liking her I felt for her.

The ending felt perfect. Her finally admitting the truth. The first steps to recovering. Sure I want to know what Paul does next. But overall it needed to end so open.

This was a very interesting book. When I read the blurb I wasn’t sure I’d enjoy this book, I thought I would hate reading about people having an affair. But this book wasn’t really focused on the deceit of the affair. It looked in to love and the feelings two people can have. The added twist was the loss of that person and the main focus was on how someone deals with these feelings if nobody knows you’ve lost someone.

The book was written in a beautiful style, the almost poetic tones flowed throughout the book.

An unusual writing style, a sort of poem, which I actually quite enjoyed. The story of Ana, the details of her affair with Connor are gradually revealed throughout the book. Although very tightly written, you get a good picture of what is happening, in the relationship between the lovers and in the rest of Ana's life. You would not think that descriptions would be possible in such a short book with little text, but I could place myself in Ana's position and understood the ups and downs of her life. I will look out for more from this author
I received an ARC from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review , thankyou for a thought provoking read

This is the first Sarah Crossan book that I have read, it is a beautifully written and moving story.

Ana who is married to Paul and has two children, has been having an affair with Connor for three years, secretly meeting in hotel rooms.

When Connor dies the hurt she feels is very real, but he was never truly hers and Ana finds herself trapped with her grief unable to share her thoughts or memories with anyone else.

This definitely got me thinking as you normally dislike the other woman in this scenario, but you opened my eyes to how the mistress would feel, to love someone but not be able to openly grieve for the man and possible future you lost!! I felt empathy for Ana who knew she could not give up Connor but also knew it would probably end in heartbreak!!

Beautifully, thought provoking. I was transfixed with this book and could not put it down. The ending has left me wondering what will Ana’s next chapter in life be like.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.

A beautiful exploration of infidelity and how to grieve for someone who was never yours to lose.
Although the subject of infidelity has been written about again and again, Crossan’s writing is an absolute revelation - I can only describe it as poetic. “I wanted to smash the world apart to keep you”.
Whilst this isn’t a light read, it flows so easily and is such a pleasure to read that it is worth the anguish it may cause. Beautiful.

Wow. 5 stars. I have to say I read this twice skim read it first, Then read it again slower the characters are amazing, the depth and background. This for me makes it a five-star book Fantastic writing by Sarah Crossan and thank you Netgalley for allowing me to review it.

Having read, and thoroughly enjoyed, previous young adult novels by Sarah Crossan, I wondered if she would use the same fast-paced, short sentenced but carefully constructed verse, for her first adult novel. Once again she used her unique way of writing.

I wasn't too sure about the subject, but I have to admit I was totally drawn into the story and couldn't put it down until I'd finished it. Did I like the characters, or have any sympathy for them? No. In fact I'm still wondering how I do feel about them, and I'm sure a lot of readers will think the same, and if it gets people talking about it, then it will be a winner.

It also took a bit of getting used to the story jumping back-and-forth, over the 3 year period of the affair. I usually only ever read Children's and Young Adult books, and did only read this 'Adult' book, because it had been written by Crossan. So what do I think........... sorry Sarah, but I think I prefer your YA books.

A compelling, original novel told in an unusual way - in verse which is not quite prose, not quite poetry, not quite stream-of-consciousness. But it worked!

The premise intrigued me from the start - Ana is a (married) lawyer who starts an affair with one of her (also married) clients, Connor. This goes on for about three years, full of all the tension and toxicity you'd expect an affair of that length to contain. But then Connor dies suddenly, and Ana has to find a way to grieve him and also keep their secret. As you would expect, it's not a simple task and everything begins to, shall we say, unravel.

I couldn't describe it as a love story, in the slightest. The relationship is toxic and obsessive - and that plays out in Ana's attempts to negotiate her grief in the aftermath too. There are so many people whose lives hang in the balance - not just Ana and Connor's spouses, but their young children too. It's quite the tangled web, and makes for bleak reading at times. If there was ever a novel to put you off adultery, this might be it!

Immersive and gripping, Here Is The Beehive is a reminder of the destructive powers of lust and deceit, and the necessity of facing uncomfortable truths about ourselves and the people we love. Sometimes the hardest grief to bear is the loss of ourselves, who we once were or thought we were, and what could have been.

With thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for an ARC.

If ever there was a case of a book putting you off doing something in your real life, this book is it. Anyone tempted to cheat on their partner, would think twice after reading this unpleasant depiction. Strangely, the blurb was appealing and the cover was gorgeous.

My impressions on finishing this was that this was morose, depressing, disjointed and unfortunately, I have very little that is positive to say about this novel told in verse (other than it was told in verse). This wasn’t the strongest book I’ve read in verse but it did flow.

THIS IS THE BEEHIVE was a rather hideous story of deception, cheating, desperation, grief and blackmail. I hated pretty much all the characters and none more than the protagonist Ana. In fairness, she was left in a very difficult situation but her inner monologue of processing and looking back was uncomfortable and unpleasant reading.

The formatting of the arc was awful and this didn’t help the lack of sense between past and present transitions (which were non-existent). I only got through this because it was a short read but unfortunately, but realistically what doesn't work for me, might work for others.

Thank you to Bloomsbury for the early review copy.

I have longed been a fan of Sarah Crossan's YA free verse novels and was eagerly anticipated this new title. It does not disappoint. Sarah's unique form works equally well in an adult novel and the voice feels completely new. It is compelling, raw, with a narrator who is both infuriating and yet so fragile. Free verse novels, because of the brevity of sentences are brilliant at conveying the intensity of feelings and this is perfect here.

I really liked the way this story unfolds.. It chronicles the troubles of Ana, a married mother and solicitor. The book begins with the death of her lover, announced through a call to Ana from her dead lover’s wife asking her to be executor of her lover’s estate. So quite the tangled web...

It is written in an engaging style, and the plot unfolds gradually, with the perpetual interest of whether Ana will be found out.

Jesus I was not prepared for the emotional reaction I had to this book. It's incredibly powerful and emotive and i just don't have any other words for it. Definitely recommend