4.7 ⭐️
A beautifully written, educational style book, with vivid photos and dripping with intriguing facts about these fascinating creatures. I’ll never see honey bees the same!

In a world where so many humans struggle to figure out what to do with our lives, where we add value, and where we fit in, honey bees seem to have it all figured out, with an innate inner knowing and natural progression throughout their career. The amount of sacrifices and hard work this hive mind performs, is admirable, as they work together and trust each other in ways that’s hard for us to conceive. Everything from the construction of the hive, to raising their future queens, they have life down to a science.

It’s truly amazing to think how 9,000 years of kinship has influenced Agriculture, architecture, religion, medicine and more - across all but 1 continents.

Thanks to NetGalley, Storey Publishing, and Hilary Kearny for providing me with a complimentary ARC to review!

This book is so relatable, bold, and lighthearted. It’s also fun to read in the wondrous way the Magic School Bus books were for me as a kid. Hilary Kearney is not scared to drive the bus to all the weird, deep, beautiful, and unexpected places inside the bizarre alien universe of a beehive--and have fun doing it!. Needless to say, I never felt mired down in dull scientific exposition. The book design has lots of rest stops for the mind too. Nonfiction can kinda of tire me out, so I really appreciated the pauses offered by the full-page photos, chapter breaks (chapters are short!), and clearly delineated subsections (often titled) within the chapters. I think I could read the body parts chapter over and over. It is so fascinating! I love the personal storytelling in the book and the apt metaphors. Hilary Kearney’s pop-culture references and sensory descriptions were so on the nose they made me write “lol” in the margins a dozen times. Lastly, this book has a detailed, very useful index. When I want to return to some idea, fact, or moment on a whim, that index will have my back.

Thanks to Net Galley for an e-arc.

Being interested in bees and insects in general, the title of this immediately appealed to me. I was lucky enough to receive early access but it’s definitely going to be a book I buy too so I can refer back to it.

Beekeeper Hilary lets us into what can only be described as the secret life of bees. I knew the basics but was amazed to find out so much more. The diagrams were very clear and I feel like I have learned quite a lot from reading this book. For example, the fact that bees have a honey stomach. I did make quite a few notes as I think bees have now become my new favourite insect! The accompanying photos really seem to give personalities to the bees.

It contains a wealth of information with some scientific explanation, but not so much that you’d lose interest.

For many years, my aim has been to become a beekeeper when I retire…although I’m not sure I can wait that long!

Okay, I absolutely adored this in every possible way.

1. Information. This has SO MUCH information, and it also admits when it doesn't have complete information. I love that, cause obviously we don't know everything. But the info that's there is written well, it's organized well, it's got really good analogies to make it more understandable for people who don't understand bee terminology or habits, very cool! I learned a number of things about bees from this.
2. Organization. This book is organized into chapters that do a good job of sticking to a specific topic (anatomy, queens, etc). Also the start of the chapter pages are adorable and colourful and make me happy. The information also isn't duplicated, so it's not like "oh I read this already". Well organized!
3. The photos. The bee photos kill me. They're so cute. I love them so much.

Anyways, as someone who loves bees, 100/10. I would recommend everyone read this, it's really informative and I think it would help people appreciate bees more ❤️

Heart of the Hive by Hilary Kearney is the most enthralling and informative book about bees I've ever read. The author's writing is utter perfection, easy to understand and conversational, and jam-packed with details I had never heard of before. Stunning photography and illustrations bring it to life. My appreciation for bees has always been sky high but after this I will forever see bees differently and happily learn more about them as individuals and collectively. I am grateful to live in a forested honey producing region bursting with honey festivals and educational courses for all ages.

I was astonished to learn there are more species of bees than birds and mammals combined! So much information stands out which includes life cycles, the various members of the colony and their jobs (my knowledge was cursory before), the construction of combs, breathtaking growth rate, genetics, larval jelly, anatomy, shaking signals, security system, "balling the queen", bees' dislikes such as banana and fur, flower choices, parasites and rapid aging and mental decline of foraging bees. The complexity and abilities of bees are incomprehensible, especially considering what they must accomplish in their short lives.

Reading this book challenged my brain in the very best way. What a privilege to catch glimpses into the lives and hives of honey bees!

My sincere thank you to Storey Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this outstanding book which exceeded my expectations.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced readers copy of HEART OF THE HIVE.

As someone who is a complete and utter beginner in understanding and having knowledge of the honey bee, this book is an amazing resource for learning about them! I initially requested this book as a research resource to see what I could learn about bees, and it turns out I learned a lot. The way in which the author breaks down the book into sections and gives such easy to grasp descriptions of everything was so helpful. Readers will be able to understand the jobs the honeybees have, their body parts, the way swarms work and how hives operate internally and externally, their likes and dislikes, their stressors, about the queen and how she is chosen, and so much more! I really enjoyed the photographs to represent what is being discussed. One of my favorite additions were the sections including fun facts about honey bees. I highly recommend browsing this surprising read.

Heart of the Hive is an interesting and well written monograph on honeybee anatomy, social structure, and behavior by apiarist Hilary Kearney. Due out 3rd Sept 2024 from Hachette on their Storey imprint, it's 200 pages and will be available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats.

This is an all-ages, accessible, thorough and up-to-date look at everything bee related. It is slanted heavily towards honeybees (Apis mellifera) but other bee species do get mentions here and there. The bulk of the book is however dedicated to the phenomenally cool honeybee and how they impact our world and how humans interact with them.

The author's an experienced beekeeper and educator who conducts workshops and educational resources, training other beekeepers and new beekeepers how to succeed with their own colonies, and it shines through in the text. Her voice is encouraging, casual, and so enthusiastic and upbeat. It's clear she really loves bees and wants everyone else to love them too.

The book's information is logically arranged: basic introduction including a little nomenclature (not much of that), how bee societies are arranged and what the working parts include, lifecycle, necessary environmental resources (what bees like/need to succeed), anatomy, bee senses, communication, queens and their life cycles, what they *don't* like (and as far as we know *why*), and a general catch all chapter with bee factoids and characteristics.

It's not an academically rigorous book, there are no annotations, and the language is easily accessible. The author/publisher have included an abbreviated bibliography with chapter links, and those resources will provide readers with many more hours of reading.

The book is beautifully photographed in color throughout. Eric Tourneret's macro photography is incredibly detailed and clear, and is a definite highlight of the book.

This is not a how-to manual. It won't teach readers how to successfully keep bees. It is however a good starting point for general learning.

Five stars. It would make an excellent choice for public or school library, home use, smallholder, gardening / allotment /community garden groups, 4-H, extension agency, etc.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Despite being loaded with information, the book is an easy read. I learned many interesting facts about bees, loved the humour and the amount and quality of the pictures is perfect. A very enjoyable book that will come to my mind everytime I‘m watching the bees hard at work in my garden.

Thank you Storey Publishing for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley! All opinions are my own.

Fascinating, intricate, and thorough explanation of honey bee society, beautifully illustrated with photos. The author and photographer are both experts in the field and it shows. Recommended.

I immensely enjoyed reading this. It was a great view into the lives of bees. The photographs were great and I loved learning even more about such a great topic.

As the daughter of a beekeeper, I'm always learning new things about bees so this book was definitely a treat for both her and me. It's a must-have for bee enthusiasts, as it's well-thought out, incredibly informative, and includes some stunning photography!

You can tell Heart of the Hive was a true labor of love, and it's a great exploration into the incredible lives of these endlessly fascinating creatures.

(Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with a free digital copy in exchange for an honest review.)

What a lovely book about bees! The insects that have been shaping our earth and us for millions of years. The insects on which we depend on so much for our survival and yet cause extreme harm without a second thought.
I learnt a lot of interesting things and fun facts about bees, and I really enjoyed the photos included.

Splendid photos and info-rich text bring the world of bees to buzzing life. A must-read for young and old readers!

Thank you so much for the opportunity in reading this ARC, the views are my own and have not been influenced by others.
What a lovely book this had me buzzing with excitement I knew a few tings about bees but this book blew me away with the amount of amazing facts, who new what little work a holics they are. Gems of knowledge on every page, I wont bee ignoring them any more and since reading this book have been observing them in a new light. A treasure of interesting facts and knowledge, I wonder what bees would make of us..

Heart of the hive is a most interesting book, the photography is spectacular and brings minute detail into focus a wonderful treat for me personally, as my husband and I recently took the plunge of booking ourselves on a one year course and joined the British beekeeping association, (bbka), after a few years of contemplating, if this was something we should do, I think we would have done it a bit sooner if we had had this book. We have other books that discuss equipment and step by step guides of keeping bees but the knowledge in this book offers a different perspective that would appeal to more than potential beekeepers. We have recently bought a couple hives and we’re both fascinated with the activity of our bees, this book is going to complement our study perfectly it goes into so much more detail about the biological activity and technical processes in the wonderful world of bees. This book is a joyful experience that I would definitely recommend to anyone, written with humour and extensive knowledge of the heart of the hive

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read this! This was a fun and informative read. As an animal lover I enjoy learning how animal communities live and thrive, and I think this was a great example of a work that presents that information in an entertaining and visually-appealing way.

I read a lot about animals and lately there seem to be a few new volumes on bees. They’re all fascinating but I can’t say that I was enthralled. Heart of the Hive managed to do precisely that. As much as it includes scientific information, biological details and technical content, this book is about the bees themselves, as individuals and also as part of the living, breathing organism that is a hive. The language is easy to understand and the information is provided in a straightforward, funny, colloquial way. Kearney, a beekeeper herself, knows what she writes not only from study but from personal experience. From relocating hives, watching them swarm and cooperating with them to build successful colonies. She’s seen them dance, she knows the queens, the drones, the workers, the nurses. She shares their life stories. Each similar but also unique. There are also wonderful photographs and simple illustrations that make it easy to understand the more technical aspects of bee physiognomy. I especially enjoyed chapter 7, that would give the most melodramatic soap opera a buzz for its money. I’d give this book six stars, one for each side of the hexagons that compose each cell but, alas, it’ll have to be just the five.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/Storey Publishing.

Thanks, Storey Publishing, for the advanced review copy via NetGalley. (Available 3 Sep 24)

Reading builds empathy. It increases our understanding and acceptance of those we wouldn’t otherwise experience, like different cultures, races, gender identities, and religions. Lately, my reading has led to a deeper understanding of other creatures, namely bees (and octopuses, but that’s a whole different post).

As someone who has always been fascinated by bees, I was thrilled to dive into this book. My cousin keeps a couple of hives at my mother’s house in Maine, and there is a colony in the tree by my front door, but that’s as close as I get to them. They’re fascinating and compelling, but I was only learning bits and pieces about them through various memoirs, non-fiction, and fiction (yes, fiction. Check out THE BEES by Laline Paull) and random Google searches. This book, however, provided me with a deeper understanding and a new level of appreciation for these incredible creatures.

Enter the bee textbook. At only 200 pages with glorious full-page photos, Hilary Kearney (@girlnextdoorhoney) gave me a concise, easily understood crash course in all things bees. While only halfway through the ebook advanced review copy, I knew I needed a permanent copy for my shelf. (Hint: If you pre-order a copy via Hilary’s website, she will sign it for you!)

If you are curious about bees and what makes them tick…er, buzz, you will enjoy this gem. Heck, just get it for the stunning photos!

I've enjoyed another book by this author before so I was exited when I got approved for this ARC through Netgalley. Hilary Kearney is really good in explaining everything in an understandable way. I really enjoyed all the information, it was really interesting. There are also beautiful pictures, by Eric Tourneret, which makes the information on the page visual. I've enjoyed 'a little book about bees' by her before and I also enjoyed this one. If you want to learn more about bees, this is a great book to start. I would definitely recommend reading this book!

I want to start off by thanking NetGalley, the author, and publishers for allowing me to read this.

I’ve always had a deep appreciation for bees of all kinds and their cute fuzzy faces but I feel like from reading this I’ve grown an even deeper love and appreciation for them.

The author I feel radiates her passion and love for them throughout the entire book which for me felt like I was sitting in my science class with my favorite science teacher. The one that radiates how exciting science truly is but with bees. The entire time I was deeply engaged and enjoyed consuming the information. I even found myself sharing what I was reading with my friends and family.

The photos, by Eric Tourneret, were so beautiful and such a cool up close look at the bees and the hive.

I truly enjoy this read and I can’t wait to add a physical copy to my nonfiction shelf. This for sure is a favorite read for me for this year!

Final Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️