Honeybites

Honeybloods #2

by I.S. Belle

Honey and Sadie have a plan: get back home and take senior year by storm. Out and proud girlfriends, secret vampires. They can rock this new undead life if they stick together. Right?

But the past doesn’t die easily. A revealing video from a true crime YouTuber forces the girls to come up with a new plan: say they were home all summer and avoid each other in the hallways until everything blows over.

Their plan to lie low is quickly ruined when the true crime YouTuber shows up in town, asking about a murdered indie band and trailing unwelcome threats in her wake. Hunters, ex-boyfriends, frenemies and raging bloodlust - senior year is kicking off with a snarl.

Genres: Lesbian, Vampires, Queer, Horror, Paranormal, Fantasy, Young Adult

176 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 31, 2024

Reviews

[Diane Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun read!
Still an enjoyable and bloody entertaining book #2 of the 'Honeybloods' ongoing YA vampire series.
Recommended book and series!

[Fey Flowers (enbytweenthepages) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sugary sweet bloody - anything but easy-hearted. Sadie has my whole heart. I'm looking forward to the next one 🖤🖤🖤

[River 🔪🩸 (horror.books.and.chill) · Rating 5 out of 5]

To say I’ve binge read these books is an understatement. I’ve become engrossed and highly addicted to seeing where Honey and Sadie end up (both in life and their relationship).

Book two picks up roughly where book one ends. After their murder road trip, they make their way back home only for more trouble to follow.

A young YouTuber picks up the story of The Bleeding Bastards band and people start identifying Honey and Sadie in photos and videos across the social media platform.

What follows is a long line of finger pointing and conspiracies involving the two.

Again, I was on the edge of my seat, wanting to find out what happened next. Just when I thought I knew, I figured out I really didn’t.

It’s great to see Honey and Sadie’s bond, and how strong and close they’ve gotten since coming back together again. It’s unwavering, and sweet.

Their senior year of high school is off to a rocky start but they somehow find the strength and wit to persevere.

Once again, I’ve already started the next book, which is the last of the series. I’m eager to see what happens next and where they end up.

[Lez_be_readin_ya · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a great read. Personally, I do not usually read 'young adult' books, but I found this one to be quite entertaining. I particularly enjoyed the dynamics between Honey and Sadie. However, I did find it somewhat frustrating that they felt the need to hide their fondness for each other while at school. I just wished they had been able to be more open about their feelings for each other while at school.

The plot itself was enjoyable. I liked that Honey took care of Sadie while she was struggling with controlling her bloodlust. I liked that Honey was the only individual capable of restraining Sadie from engaging in excessive behaviour that could potentially result in harm to another person due to her uncontrollable hunger for blood.

It is a great novella, and if you enjoy young adult vampire books, I recommend giving this one a try.

⚠️Content warnings: Violence, murder, gore, bullying, nonconsensual blood drinking, underage drinking, animal death, addiction, and once again, a surprising amount of vomit.

Star rating. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice rating. 🔥

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[sage · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
last book of a 24 hour readathon so my brain kinda stopped working by this point

[Summer (speaking_bookish) · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great little sapphic vampire romance horror series! Sadie and Honey have a great dynamic- they talk about becoming human again but I secretly hope they don’t. I want to see these two living a large vamp-y life!

Book three isn’t out yet and I unfortunately missed the opportunity for an ARC so I guess I’ll have to wait a few more weeks to read it… sigh.

[bailey ◡̈ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

fun!! i liked this one more than the first. i also love the little jennifer’s body references ❤️ excited for the third book!

[Ty · Rating 4 out of 5]

what i really love about i.s. belle’s books is how fast paced they are. i know it’s a novella, but it still flies by and i really appreciate that! i read this all in one sitting, and reading has been a little challenging for me lately, so i’m glad i’ve actually finished something. i thoroughly enjoyed this sequel, more than the first book, and i’m excited to see how this series continues. i wasn’t sure how the true crime youtuber aspect was going to go but i was pleasantly surprised by it, i hope clarissa shows up again. im also excited to see more sadie and honey together, now that they’re official girlfriends! i can’t wait for the next book

thank you to i.s. belle for sending me an arc to review!

[fanboyriot · Rating 5 out of 5]

♡ Small Town
♡ Sapphic Vampires
♡ Secret Relationship

Super cute. This was a lovely fast-paced novella and I really enjoyed it. The setting was nice and the characters were as well. The plot kept me interested the whole time and I ended up reading this in one sitting.

Honey and Sadie were literally such lovable characters, the banter between them was hilarious and their dynamic worked so well together.

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and Book Funnel for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Spice Level: n/a
Angst Level: n/a
POV: Third Person
Release Date: 31, May 2024
Rep: LGBTQIA+ (Main and Side Characters)

⚠️ Content Warnings:
Graphic: Blood, Gore, and Body horror
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail and Violence
Minor:Vomit, Homophobia, Violence, and Death

[✩ maggs ✩ · Rating 4 out of 5]

╔══ ❀•°𝕣𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘°•❀ ══╗
🌟🌟🌟🌟

╔══ ❀•°𝕣𝕖𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕞𝕖𝕟𝕕𝕖𝕕 𝕤𝕠𝕦𝕟𝕕𝕥𝕣𝕒𝕔𝕜°•❀ ══╗
just a girl by no noubt BUT it has to be the florence and the machine cover because its so much more this vibe...

╔══ ❀•°𝕗𝕒𝕧𝕠𝕣𝕚𝕥𝕖 𝕢𝕦𝕠𝕥𝕖s°•❀ ══╗
"yeah," she said quietly. it sounded like always.

"sometimes talking, sometimes just looking. seeing each other perfectly through the dark."

╔══ ❀•°𝕣𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨°•❀ ══╗
this was good!!

i gotta be honest and say that most of the time i start to lose interest in books once the couple gets together but this book had a good deal of angst and guilt that it really kept me drawn in. the end fight was written so well and ~cool~ that i was sad it was over and that's from someone who also skims fight scenes (don't k!ll me).

sadie greer and honey williams better have a happy god damn ending i swear to god there's one more book and i don't know how much more pain our girls can have

[Loki Wylde · Rating 4 out of 5]

So this novella basically picks up shortly after book one and skips the drive back home so that we’re basically right back into the quick moving story. Once again I really enjoyed this read and already have the last one ready to go.

Sadie and Honeys banter and relationship is still fun and they still obviously have some baggage to work through from their past and also with all the new vampire drama / trauma. My one complaint would be still on the ‘romance’ part. Yes it’s there but with all the crap they are dealing with from the external forces, not to mention the internal battles they are having to deal with there’s not much romance to it. There’s sweet moments sprinkled but I felt that the ‘romance’ box doesn’t have a checkmark on it which is by it’s an 8/10.

[April (whataprilreads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4✨

This series is fun. It’s got all the things I want: sapphic romance, horror, a little comedy, a little adventure. I think the pacing of these books leaves a little to be desired and the character arch/development is happening slowly (hopefully, I don’t want to say it’s bad necessarily). I’m not sure I would buy the 3rd book in the series or not, but I also want to see where this story goes and what happens to Honey and Sadie next.


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[Jessamy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was… very disappointing to me 😅 the friends to girlfriends trope alongside the vampire/gore/trying to murder your sire was really good in the first book and made it a fun read! This book really dropped the ball in every way for me. There was no character growth until the last few pages (and even then… BARELY), the new conflict/s didn’t get fleshed out well at alllll, the gore aspect is essentially gone along with the horror-esque aspect, and the romance is basically non existent imo. I’ll read the next one I’m sure but here’s hoping it’s much better than this 😬

[Effie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really love Honey and Sadie so much. I especially love feral Sadie. girl after my own heart

[milly · Rating 3 out of 5]

not as good as the first one i think

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐ I liked this one slightly less than the first one, probably also cause the romance aspect was significantly lessened compared to the first one. Still a fun and entertaining read though!

[wiwi · Rating 4 out of 5]

i love my gay little vampires <3

[Eden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to I.S Belle for sending me an arc to review.

Did I read this in one sitting? Absolutely.

I loved seeing how Honey and Sadie dealt with the aftermath of Honeybloods. The banter that they had with each other had me laughing too much. I love how they interract with each other and the fact that things aren't always peachy between them and the resulting tension has me waiting for the next one. I just want Sadie to be happy - is that too much to ask?

I have been on a huge vampire kick recently and this novella was just great fun. I love seeing different authors and their take on vampire mythos and their take on something we all know.

I swear that my brain got a few references to Twilight snuck in this book (they may not have been, but my brain took them as so) and it made me cackle.

I find these novella series (both Babylove and this one) to give me the same energy as the TV show "First Kill" (in a sense that they're sapphic, supernatural shows with a focus on high school students) and I love it and find it great fun to read.

[Rae, shutupandbookup · Rating 5 out of 5]

First and foremost! This series goes in order and ends on cliffhangers! Spoilers ahead if you haven't read book one yet!


*



*



*



*


"Sadie Greer woke up dead."


The bassist, the one who could potentially be Honey's sire got away! But our girls have to pause their murderous road trip to return to High School for Senior year. Bleh! If they don't return and act like everything is normal than it could confirm they were involved with the bands untimely demise. Plus, they're girlfriends now and undead!


Only when a true crime video blows up in popularity amongst their peers everything changes. They need to lie in more ways than one to prove they weren't anywhere near the band! Things get really dicey when a Vampire Hunter shows up! Will the two be able to make it to the end of their senior year? Or will bloodlust take over and they won't have a class to graduate with?!


Honey groaned. “Don’t be a baby! God. I was not this bad in my first week.”

“I had to stab you with a piece of mirror,” Sadie reminded her weakly.


I was so excited my duo was back for more! I love these novellas and just the banter between Honey and Sadie! Not to mention the books are influenced by "Jennifer's Body" only actually sapphic!


Small towns are great, positively wonderful (insert sarcasm here) . . .until you're the center of everyone's attention! Small towns usually don't have a lot going on and there aren't very many "fun" things to do. So, when there's anything remotely exciting everyone and their dog latches onto it and talks about it. Enter Sadie and Honey who are allegedly seen in a true crime YouTube video covering the murder of the indie band!


Sadie and Honey soon realize they need to go back to being ex friends who despise one another. I mean Honey's still the IT girl and popular one everyone wants to be around. While Sadie is seen as a freak and outcast. This wasn't supposed to be how senior year went for them! It broke my heart seeing Honey pretending to hate Sadie. Some of the things said was rough but I understood why even if I just wanted to crawl through the pages to hug Sadie!


I loved seeing the differences between the two baby vamps. Sadie seems to be more sensitive than Honey. I still thoroughly enjoy Honey's commentary on everything and her comical banter she brings to the table. I really want to see how this will all end for our girls and what's going to happen to Honey's annoying, selfish ex!


“We spend too much time hanging out in bathrooms,” Sadie croaked.


This series is YA horror so expect violence, blood, biting, vomiting, and more. My girls need to survive off animal blood so hunting and filling of thermoses is shown. Dual POVs to really understand the differences between the girls and how one is suffering really bad from hunger and bloodlust. I respect and adore the details Belle wrote in about being surrounded by all the loud sounds and heartbeats! Language is present through the read.


"The world was bigger now. Scarier and infinitely more uncertain—but bigger. She had her favorite person back. . ." - Sadie


Our girls want to be loud and proud about being girlfriends, but plans changed. This is YA sapphic and so there is kissing and intimate moments but nothing more. I enjoy their dynamic and how Sadie breaks through Honey's mask. Understanding her sarcasm and jokes are a front. Cannot wait to see how their story ends!


We do get closer with a couple of things within this installment. But there's still the main overarching plot of finding Honey's sire! I love the writing and the fast pace of the novellas! We get a recap of things from book one which helped to refresh the memories.


Do enjoy the novella with opposites, blood cravings, and more! Don't forget to give the author some stars!


shutupandbookup.com

[Urna · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Hell is a teenage girl.” - Needy Lesnicki

Honeybites picks up where the prequel Honeybloods ends. Summer is over and Sadie and Honey have returned with more than just memories of their vampire boyband chasing road trip. The events of the road trip have followed them back to their hometown in the form of internet notoriety, Sadie’s seemingly perpetual thirst for blood, the challenges of navigating their new double lives in school, and a potential threat to their lives.

I really enjoyed the continuing nods to the 2009 film Jennifer’s Body that the I.S. Belle draws inspiration from for this series, especially in writing Honey and Sadie’s dynamic in public vs in private. Their blossoming relationship and the reconnection of their friendship is both sweet and agonizing and full of expected growing pains. The angst and melodrama of their social lives further complicates their more supernatural issues.

Another thing I really enjoyed about the book is how internet culture is portrayed, especially the rate at which information/misinformation spreads and how individuals’ lives get reduced to profitable content and the way it impacts their lives and the perception of people around them, ultimately even endangering their very lives.

I loved the fast and consistent pace of the novella, and the writer’s ability to keep holding your attention and not allowing for a moment of lull without rushing the plot. I also really enjoyed the campy and melodramatic tone of the story and the sincerity and love with which it is used. I look forward to what the future holds for Honey and Sadie.

[Juniper L.H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this. Even more than the first one. There were so many great elements to this novella. The excellent writing and humor from the first were back again, very on-point, and satisfying. There were some great hijinks. The image of Honey gathering battered thermoses full of animal blood for Sadie was heartwarming and hilarious at the same time. Their relationship was very sweet. They started to touch on some more serious topics as well; all-round this novella had a lot going on and it did a great job of it.

The plot wasn’t the plot that I wanted. I disliked that they kept their relationship a secret, and I disliked that the plot mostly revolved around external problems such as the hunter and youtuber. What I wanted was to see them get together and confuse everyone at school, have Honey standing up for Sadie to their classmates, have Sadie turn things around in her life, have them work through their past issues, have them grapple with their new life, etc. That said, I still loved the novella because even though it wasn’t the story I wanted, it was a great story that was well done. It also took place over a very short timeline, so there is plenty of time for future sequels to include all of the things that I want to see.

I was surprised but I really liked the meddling YouTuber character. I feel like there was a lot more going on with that character than what we were able to see in this novella; they certainly hinted at a lot of backstory that we didn't see. I hope that they come back and play a larger role in future novels.

Please write more sequels, and please write them fast (but don’t sacrifice quality!).

[mei_li_terature · Rating 5 out of 5]

~~ buddy read with Bri 💙~~

There's no surprise that we aren't usually ya readers but we absolutely devoured this book in one sitting. I.s. Belle has a very easy to consume writing style that is very engaging and hilarious.

✨Some spoilers for book one are in this review.. You've been warned. ✨

Honeybites is a fast paced novella that picks up almost immediately after book one with Honey & Sadie starting senior year. Their relationship development is great after a really rocky start. They are finally starting to open up and talk to each other, working to find a comfortable medium for both of them.

Honey earns some major brownie points with us for helping Sadie deal with her bloodlust and taking care of her while they both navigate being freshly turned. Their dynamic is so funny, a true grumpy x sunshine relationship. There were so many moments that we spent cackling with these two characters. However, we were a little annoyed they had to hide their relationship at school due to gorey circumstances but they were so cute together.

It is a sapphic vampire romance so expect violence, g0re, 🩸 drinking and a dash of unaliving.

We are very much looking forward to reading HoneyCraves !

✨Available on Kindle Unlimited ✨

[Marybeth (Marybee.books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you I.S. Belle for sending me an E-ARC in exchange for an honest review! 🥰🫶
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‼️Spoiler for book one: Honeybloods! Check out my review for Honeybloods for a spoiler-free review on the introduction of the series!
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OMG! Sadie is a vampire now too! I loved to see how differently she took to vampirism than Honey. After the events of book 1, Sadie and Honey have to hide their relationship and even friendship from the public as speculation and rumors spread not only in their town, but online as well. We get a new main character, Clarissa, a true crime YouTuber, who hunts down Sadie and Honey and ends up in danger herself! We also have a vampire hunter come into town! So much drama for our girls and I loved it! I love the way I.S. writes Sadie and Honey! They feel like real modern-day teenagers and not the kind Netflix shows write. Throughout all the craziness these two go through, they still have funny moments, and they still love each other so much! Another thing I adore about this series is they are novellas! So they make for quick and fun reads! I can’t wait for book 3! I love this series and am so excited to see how it'll end!
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Honeybites, the second book in the Honeybloods series by I.S. Belle is out NOW!
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⚠️CW: Provided by author: “Violence, murder, gore, bullying, nonconsensual blood drinking, underage drinking, animal death, addiction, and once again, a surprising amount of vomit.”
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🌈Rep: Plus-size bisexual FMC, Lesbian FMC, Sapphic relationship

[Issy Waldrom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Returning to school as a vampire isn't as easy as movies make it seem. Hiding one's nature, hiding the friendship that was rekindled, it takes its toll. And then adding on questions and probing about the death of the band, and things get a little... complicated.

Continuing on the story of Sadie and Honey, it pays homage to the first book by opening in a similar way. But things are not easy for either of them. It's a story of growth and struggles, of working out how much they mean to each other, of what they can take, and adapting to their new natures as they attempt to plan for the future. It's sweet in places, dark in others, their struggles very real. It's feels somewhat like a stepping stone between the first book and the third, a glimpse of what it's like before they hit the road again.

I really did enjoy it. Seeing more of the characters, building up to what's to come. It's an easy read, happily consumed over a few hours, and I want the best for the two of them. Very keen to see where the third book goes.

[Sapphic Bookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honeybites is a YA Paranormal novella. It’s the second book in the Honeybloods series.

**This review contains spoilers for Honeybloods**

The murder road trip is over just in time for senior year to start. I was so pumped to see Sadie and Honey as a couple so, of course, some conflict needed to be sprinkled in to ruin it.

It’s no surprise to me Sadie is struggling with bloodlust. We saw in book one that she abuses alcohol as a coping strategy. So it makes sense that she has a stronger craving for blood than Honey and is uncontrollable in her feeding. Which resulted in Sadie almost killing someone from their small town. Because of this, the two must continue on like they don’t speak to avoid suspicion. Especially when news trickles in about the band that was murdered, and everyone wonders where Honey and Sadie were.

Still, my heart hurt for Sadie every time Honey had to pretend like she’d never ever speak to Sadie. I feel like Honey could have been a tad nicer in her rebukes, but I know it’s important to sell it so I give her a pass. Also she clearly loves Sadie so much and is worried about her. Which I am too! Sadie is going to be stuck as a vampire so she has to get her cravings under control.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this story. I adore Honey and Sadie and find their banter so funny and entertaining. I can’t wait for the third book!

[Gina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for (again) giving me an arc in exchange for a review!

Here we go:

First, I would like to state- I will read everything I.S. Belle writes, she never disappoints me!

I loved loved loved Honeybloods, but honestly not as much as Honeybites! Somehow the 2nd installment hit more, which in a duology, is kind of hard to do. I really didn't think I would like it more, but I sincerely have no complaints. There was so much more character development, especially for Honey. The plot was evenly paced, and even Ken got redeemed at the end (which we love that for him).

Honeybites, I think, was the perfect follow up to the girls becoming vampires. Seeing them navigate life after death, friendships, school, ex boyfriends, and the internet rumors all at once... it was fun! Very campy, and just an all around fun time reading this. I will never stop recommending books by I.S Belle.

[Tara | Mangoes and Mayhem · Rating 4 out of 5]

High school sucks when you’re a vampire…

🦇🩸🦇🩸🦇
If you haven’t read Honeybloods yet (it’s so good—I loved it!) then please go and read it before you read this review. Unfortunately, I can’t talk about Honeybites without spoiling the ending of Honeybloods, and I don’t want to spoil it for you…
🦇🩸🦇🩸🦇

📖 Dual POV, third limited, past tense

✨ Synopsis:
Back for senior year, newly turned and freshly made up Sadie and Honey vow to be out-and-proud girlfriends. But the events of their murder road trip follow them home and force them to keep their relationship a secret. Will an overzealous YouTuber be their undoing? Or, perhaps, the vampire hunter hot on their trail?

✨ Review:
I have such a large place in my heart for this series. Sadie and Honey’s complex relationship pulled me in during Honeybloods, and Honeybites kept me on edge. It’s not all sunshine and roses now that these two have made up. There are continuing struggles, and the secrecy of their relationship pokes at all of Sadie’s insecurities and threatens their relationship.

It feels very on-brand for queen bee Honey to adjust to vampirism easily while Sadie struggles. This leads to many humorous and heartfelt moments. We get to learn more about their personality quirks and how they fit together.

True crime YouTuber Clarissa, desperate to prove her worth, unwittingly brings danger into Honey and Sadie’s backyard in the form of vampire hunter Elijah. The three must work together and learn to trust one another, or else all is lost.

I had such a great time reading this one and can’t wait for more of Honey and Sadie. We get another murder road trip in book three and I am here for it. Honeycraves releases on July 31st.

Overall Rating: 🥭🥭🥭🥭.25
Spice Rating: .5🌶️

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[Demetria Books · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5⭐️

I liked the first book because it felt like a vampire version of Jennifer’s Body. I didn’t like the characters right from the start but at least the first book’s plot was engaging. This one? Not only had a boring plot but I just couldn’t look past the toxicity of the relationship between Sadie and Honey. I get it, it’s easier to pretend they don’t like each other for safety reasons but HOLY SHIT Honey is such a unsympathetic bitch! Sadie is clearly struggling not only as a vampire but also as someone who’s a social reject with an alcohol addiction. And Honey just acts like all is good and everything and everyone can be bend to her will. Not only that, even after realising non of her friends are her actual friends, she’s still so obsessed with being popular she doesn’t care they’re the ones putting her and Sadie in a very shit and dangerous situation.

I’m so frustrated with this book!!!!

[Bri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Buddy Read with Klara-mei li

There's no surprise that we aren't usually ya readers but we absolutely devoured this book in one sitting. I.s. Belle has a very easy to consume writing style that is very engaging and hilarious.

✨Some spoilers for book one are in this review.. You've been warned. ✨

Honeybites is a fast paced novella that picks up almost immediately after book one with Honey & Sadie starting senior year. Their relationship development is great after a really rocky start. They are finally starting to open up and talk to each other, working to find a comfortable medium for both of them.

Honey earns some major brownie points with us for helping Sadie deal with her bloodlust and taking care of her while they both navigate being freshly turned. Their dynamic is so funny, a true grumpy x sunshine relationship. There were so many moments that we spent cackling with these two characters. However, we were a little annoyed they had to hide their relationship at school due to gorey circumstances but they were so cute together.

It is a sapphic vampire romance so expect violence, g0re, 🩸 drinking and a dash of unaliving.

We are very much looking forward to reading HoneyCraves when it comes out in less than a week

[abby (xoxobookishgirl) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely love the bonkers premise of this sequel and I even think it beats the first book. Honey and Sadie are possibly my favourite sapphic couple I've ever read and all the tropes in this book are my perfect mix.

Something I love about this series is the absolute abundance of quotable moments and memorable one liners. The authors writing style is so fun and unserious and I absolutely love it.

Some of my favourite quotes include :

- "No," Honey said. "Reddit says-"
"Oh if Reddit says-"
"Shut up."

- In the guts of summer vacation, slowly becoming one with the couch... (so relatable)

- "Whatever," he told Honey. "Hope you had a good time killing that boy band with your burnout
bestie."

- "Don't babe. We're not a babe couple."