I've been a big fan of Sarah Crossan since I read "One" when it came out. Crossan is a master when it comes to writing in verse and I was curious about how this medium would translate to an adult novel. I needn't have feared because Here is the Beehive sucks you right in from the word go.

The way Crossan lets the story unfold slowly, layer by layer, is what made this novel for me. Just when I thought I knew what was going on, another facet of the plot and characterisation was revealed; it only made me want to read more. What a wonderful, wonderful novel about how messy being a human can be. I loved that there were no moral judgements anywhere in the book - Crossan just showed us what happened and let us make up our own minds about how it ended and what would happen afterwards. I loved that she left the ending open - it's so refreshing. I'm still in awe (I read this book just after it first came out in Ireland in 2020) of how well crafted this book is.

If you're someone who wants to get back into reading after a break, definitely give this book a go. Crossan's wonderful verse will grab you and won't let you go even after you've finished the book.

This book is just beautiful. It is so well-written and I was overwhelmed by the talent behind it. Absolutely gorgeous. Definitely recommended.

I don't agree with cheating and to be honest it was just a confusing read. So many perspectives that you get lost in trying to understand who is speaking.

Her thoughts were so confusing and at times felt incoherent.

Didn’t like the structure, almost like poetry. Found it difficult to get into and synopsis didn’t clarify structure/format of writing.

Sarah Crossan is an alchemist and can spin words into gold. I’ve loved all her books and this one is no exception. It’s a profoundly moving premise (what if your married lover died and no one must know you are grieving?) and is dealt with in a raw and honest way. The main protagonist is not likeable, but her moral ambiguity just added depth for me. A wonderful exploration of guilt, adultery and grief.

An interesting read that I'm glad to have discovered. I'll definitely be seeking out more by this author.

Please note that this book is not for me - I have read the book, However I had to DNF and because i do not like to give negative reviews I will not review this book fully - there is no specific reason for not liking this book. I found it a struggle to read and did not enjoy trying to force myself to read this book.

Apologies for any inconvenience caused and thank you for the opportunity to read this book

Thanks to Netgalley and Little, Brown and Company for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

An interesting concept, adultery-always a tricky one-is it fair on anyone? It usually ends in heartbreak for one party. Unique and well-written although a little slow for me. Recommended.

I didnt love this. I couldn't really get in to the plot, although the characters unusual relationships were interesting.

not a very appealing story which didn't grab me at all. Could have been really good with a lot of potential in the storyline. Very abrupt end which left me feeling rather flat.

I really, really enjoyed this.

The book shines an interesting light on infidelity in a way that doesn't romanticise but also doesn't unfairly condemn. The poetry is wonderfully crafted, the story is so compelling that I struggled to put it down and you really, really feel for her.

A brilliantly crafted novel-in-verse.

I wasn't sure if I would enjoy this book, as the writing style was initially off-putting, but I was completely drawn into it, and thoroughly enjoyed it. Definitely one to recommend.

Beautifully written, the sheer rawness comes through.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for an honest and unbiased opinion.

This book is written in the style used by Sarah Crossan. I have read some of her YA titles and the style takes some getting used to. The story was challenging as it deals with adultery from the viewpoint of the mistress. It was difficult to balance sympathy with distaste for the lies told by the protagonist. An interesting and thought provoking story

Not for me.

Why did I choose this book when it was offered to me to review? I must confess; it was the title of the book. I love beehives and bees. I love honey and somehow hoped that the book would carry this feeling of honey/bees into my life. It didn’t!

Another reason for choosing it? The front cover. Peonies with bees buzzing around them. Often I’ll buy a book simply because of its cover.

So, what happened when you started reading it? I thought I’d fallen down Alice’s rabbit hole! I gave three stars because the author managed to bamboozle me into buying something that turned out to be rubbish by giving me a beautiful title and cover. That’s remarkably clever.

Rony

Elite Reviewing Group received a copy of the book to review.

This is the first book I have read by this author, and it certainly did not disappoint!.

The entire book is so beautifully written it is impossible to not lose yourself within the pages of this wonderful read.

The storyline details Ana's grief when she discovers the sudden death of her lover. The detail given to the raw emotions in which the character would undoubtedly be feeling throughout such a time is breath-taking and really takes the reader through the range of emotions alongside the characters.

Beautifully written, with a storyline full of emotion, this is a wonderful book and should be read by all.

I really wanted to love this book as there are so many brilliant reviews for it. Sadly I just couldn't finish it as I just couldn't get into the style of writing. It was too direct and hard hitting for me but can see that others absolutely loved it.

Its definitely worth a try as it could potentially be one best books you've read!

Thank you Bloomsbury Publishing and Netgalley.

I am a big fan of Sarah Crossan’s books for younger readers and I was very intrigued to read her first book for adults. Written in verse like her previous work, it tells the story of Ana and her affair with Connor, and how she deals with his sudden and unexpected death.

It was incredibly well written, and very interesting, but I found it very difficult to root for any of the characters. Although they never try to justify the affair they were still all very unlikable people which coloured my enjoyment.

(Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review)

I'm a big fan of Sarah Crossan's writing and I have a growing collection of her books on my shelf. While I did enjoy elements of this one, especially how everything wrapped up in the last 15% or so, I didn't enjoy this book as much.

I think it's mostly down to the story not really being my thing. I love to be able to relate in some way to the characters in a book, but as a single 26-year-old who has no experience of marriage and especially not with having an affair during a marriage, I couldn't really engage with the story. I also felt nothing towards the characters and didn't care about any of them.

That's not to say that I completely hated this. There were times early on when I wondered if I'd DNF it, but I carried on and I think the payoff was worth sticking with it.

Great writing as usual from Sarah Crossan and I'm always in awe of how well she crafts such emotional stories completely in verse — but this one just wasn't really for me. :)

Ana has had (another) argument with her lover and is waiting to see who will give in first when she receives a phone call from his wife. She simply cannot believe the news, but remains thoroughly professional throughout, acting as she does as his solicitor and executor. At first she appears to be getting on with work, although breaking up inside. But then she uses her position to find out more details of Callum’s life to feed her hunger and loss. All the while, never mentioning to his wife her true feelings. At this stage I feel completely sorry for Ana having to go through this, unable to confide in anyone. But more details of Ana’s life emerge and we find out she is hard and manipulative, crossed with that empathy she does still evoke.
The free verse format is ideal as no word is wasted and it emphasises the hurt which Ana genuinely suffers. The ending is what Ana deserves, whilst the wife also gets her share of credit.