Honeys
Ryan La Sala
Honeys
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by Ryan La Sala
The text is written at a 7th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content is intense and may include graphic or distressing scenes.
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About This Book
The warm buzz of bees fills the air, mixing with the scent of pine and sun-warmed earth. Mars steps into a world where sunny days hide shadows deeper than any forest—where every friendly smile might mask a secret. As the mountain breeze turns cold, Mars feels the weight of loss and something far more dangerous creeping closer.
Themes
Quick Assessment
Honeys is a young adult horror novel exploring themes of grief, gender identity, and social exclusion within a politically influential family. The story follows Mars, a genderfluid teen who attends a prestigious summer academy to uncover the truth about his sister's mysterious death. The book contains horror elements and deals with complex emotional themes suitable for mature teens aged 13 and up.
Why we rated Honeys 12IE
Honeys is written at a Level 7 reading level across 352 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 8.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Honeys works for readers up to grade 9.0.
We rate Honeys as 12IE ("Intense — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Intense" range — intense conflict including peril, frightening scenes, or emotionally heavy themes. The strongest signals come from emotional weight, physical peril, social complexity, thematic difficulty — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Death, Grief, Bereavement, Horror Elements.
Thematically, Honeys explores lgbtq+ representation, grief, family, horror, and coming of age — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 13+ range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about lgbtq+ representation, grief, family.
Maybe not for
- ! Sensitive readers who get overwhelmed by intense conflict or scary scenes.
- ! Children younger than 13+ — the content intensity is above what most younger kids can process comfortably.
- ! Children currently coping with grief — the themes may hit close to home.
- ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.
For Parents
Content Intensity
12IE — Intense — EmotionalHeavy themes explored in depth. War, death, abuse addressed directly.
Content Flags
Was our "Intense" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
1/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
3/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 9781338745313
- Pages
- 352
- Publisher
- PUSH
- Published
- 2022
- Type
- Fiction