Part memoir, part education, part meditation practice.
This book is full of hope but also care, toward bees and nature but also towards humanity.
It helps us connect with the living and refocus on what really matters.
It's a real tribute to biodiversity !

Thank you, NetGalley, for the advanced audio copy of The Wisdom of the Hive!

As a beekeeper, I was thrilled to be approved for this one—and Michelle and Amy did not disappoint.

The book opens with the thought-provoking question: “What if the bees are here to save us?”—a powerful invitation that sets the tone for the rest of the journey. I was captivated by the blend of information, personal stories, and spiritual insight. The authors offer a beautiful shift in perspective, inviting us to see bees not just as insects, but as mystical beings that move between worlds.

I enjoyed the audiobook so much that I’ll be picking up a hard copy to sit more intentionally with the practices and reflections. Thank you, Michelle and Amy, for sharing your wisdom and reverence for these extraordinary creatures!

Thank you Michelle Cassandra Johnson, Amy Burtaine, Sounds True Audio, and NetGalley for an advanced listener copy in exchange for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The mindfulness and meditation exercises in the audiobook were wonderful and exactly what I needed. I learned so much about bees. I'm a therapist and my practice is centered around bees. This book gave me so many metaphors for clients and exercises. I will definitely recommend to them as well.

You should definitely listen to this on audiobook to be submerged into a meditative state between the exercises and the authors voices. You can feel the love in this book between the two friends, the bees, and the collective. The book will have you buzzing with a sense of calm. It was an honor to listen to these authors and to see their passion for bees.

What a powerful reminder that we heal together. This book is so relevant for the times that we are currently living in. When I first saw this book, I didn't think I would gain much from it. I thought to myself, "A book about bees? Why not?" I thought that at the most I would learn more about bees and how they live. Boy was I wrong! All throughout this beautiful story, the beehive was used as a metaphor.

The Wisdom of the Hive is one of those rare books that meets you exactly where you are, then gently pushes you to grow. The authors write with such honesty, warmth, and clarity that it feels like you’re sitting down with a wise and trusted friend. They talk about big, important things—like collective healing, social justice, and how we relate to one another—but in a way that’s deeply human and easy to connect with.

Using the hive as a metaphor, Johnson and Burtaine remind us that we are all connected and that none of us can heal or create change alone. This idea is powerful, especially in a world that often tells us to go it alone or "fix ourselves" in isolation. In a current world that is extremely divided, the authors show us what could be if we worked together as one unit. They make it clear that healing is something we do together, in relationship—with our communities, with nature, and with ourselves.

What I loved most is how practical the book feels. It’s not just theory or abstract ideas; it’s full of reflections, practices, and real-life wisdom that you can actually apply. Whether you’re a community leader, educator, activist, or just someone trying to live with more awareness and compassion, this book offers something meaningful. This was such a beautiful book that I highly recommend! Such a pleasant surprise.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

Bees are my thing. Or they are becoming my thing. A few years ago I was introduced to bees as spiritual guides & teachers. The concept fascinated me and I’ve been collecting bee related physical objects and esoterica ever since. Of course I was excited to read The Wisdom of the Hive, a collection of essays and personal reflections sprinkled with poetry and meditations. Michelle Cassandra Johnson and Amy Burtaine share their own stories and offer practices to the community with compassion and vulnerability. It is a wonderful endeavor and yet it didn’t quite scratch the itch, if you know what I mean. I’m glad I read it. And I look forward to future books on the subject from the same authors. This was a solid line drive down the third base line while I was hoping for a home run. If you are on this bee journey with me, you’ll probably read this, there simply isn’t that much published on the subject. If you are curious about what the bees can teach us, this is a gentle introduction. Thank you to the authors - who also narrate the audio version, Sounds True - if they publish it, I’ll read/listen to it, and NetGalley for the audioARC.

This was a fascinating look into the life of bees! I had no idea that they were such a society that could teach us so much. I actually ordered the physical copy of the book so that I could annotate and review it. It was amazing!

I've always been fascinated with bees and beekeeping. I appreciated the personal stories of the joys and challenges of beekeeping shared by the authors. The detail and care with which they notice their bees inspired me. I'm glad I listened and learned more about the world of bees and their wisdom for us.

I fell in love with this book, it’s exactly what I needed. I don’t think words can describe how deeply I think it changed me.

I really loved this book. I will cherish this book's practices forever! I found it so insightful and made me more grounded and close to nature just by listening to it.

I have always loved nature and wildlife but this book has only cemented the joy that bees bring me every time I see them. It is really true that what we need tends to be around us already. Materialistic objects are a fleeting comfort or fleeting feeling of excitement - nature has the power to bring us forever joy, peace and clarity, we just need to tend to it.

I really liked that this book was reflective and got you to engage with the book through practices and question and answer sections.

My Main takeaways:
1. Look to nature and the (bees) to offer peace and calm in a storm of thoughts or life events.
2. Having a sting may be the wake up call you NEED!
3. Material things are just that things... Their power to bring joy is temporal and yet we consume more, which in turn kills a planet that provides sustained happiness.
4. Honey is not just sweet and tasty but a holistic medicine - never underestimate honey!
5. I want to get a beeswax candle asap!


I think the Narrators who are also the authors of this book did a great job of reading their book. As soon as I pressed play I felt calm listening to their book because of their voices. The fact that the author's Michelle Cassandra Johnson and Amy Burtaine are the ones to read the audiobook also adds that personal touch!

Calming. That is how I would describe this book. It is how it made me feel.

Through this book I learned a lot about Honeybees and our role on this planet. All through a perspective that I have never considered.

If you are looking for practices, meditation, reflection and a more abstract understanding of Honeybees and human beings, this book is perfect for you!

The audiobook is narrated by the authors, which personally I always love and appreciate very much.

I am taking this thoughts through my life and hopefully they will help me see things more clearly.

Thank you for NetGalley for the gifted Audiobook copy.

As a beekeeper I really loved this book! For a beekeeper there is a nothing almost spiritual about tending a hive and connecting with bees and many beekeepers become somewhat obssessed with it.
This book is a great balance of the mystical and practical information about the part bees play in our ecosystem and the threats they are facing.

Incredible listen especially -- this is chock full of informative and reflective information about bees and the many ways they interact with and impact our lives and the planet we live on. There are reflection and feeling exercises and the audio is paced PERFECTLY. Hugely recommend a listen and not just a read, but definitely will recommend this book to people in my life!

The Wisdom of the Hive was not at all what I expected (in a good way!). I don’t typically fully read descriptions of books because I like to form my own opinions of the plot and the author’s intentions without any bias. So based on the cover and title, I thought this would be a deep ecological look into honeybee communities and examining how we, as humans, could be more like honeybees… and it was but also wasn’t. It was so much more— there were guided meditations and ideas for practicing mindfulness throughout the book. The audiobook specifically highlights these meditative moments by pausing and allowing the listener to actually follow through on the prompts in real time. That was such a lovely feature.
I will be honest and say the narration cadence of both authors was a little odd and very slow. I did have to speed my book up to 2.5x (I normally listen to audiobooks between 1.6-2x). But overall the narration was enjoyable once I got into their rhythm.
Lastly, I am a science person and I prefer when my non-fiction books are based in real data. There was never a point during this when I couldn’t see the connection from the ecology of the bees to the ideas extrapolated by the authors. Although some of the spirituality was a bit much for me, I can completely understand how the principles they learned from bees can be applied to wellness and community building.
I also love their own personal stories about their bee hives— that was definitely a highlight of this book!

The author has a very distinct voice, which the narrator captures well. Drawing inspiration from bees, the book explores political, philosophical, and social justice themes. While there was less focus on bees themselves than I expected, the author uses their social structures as a lens to reflect on human behavior. Each chapter ends with personal exercises that invite readers to engage more deeply with the ideas. There is also a strong emphasis on spirituality and mysticism, which at times reminded me of books on Tarot I’ve read. If you enjoy inner contemplation and social reflection, this book may resonate with you.

🐝We’ve heard the plea to save the bees, but what if the bees can save us too? This guiding question is at the heart of Michelle Cassandra Johnson and Amy Burtaine’s beautifully written and deeply thoughtful book. Drawing from beekeeping, Buddhism, and nature-based shamanic practices, the authors invite us to explore what honeybees can teach us about connection, community, and healing; both individually and collectively.
☀️I loved how accessible and adaptable the practices are. Each chapter includes spells, meditations, and journaling prompts, and the authors encourage readers to approach them with flexibility and intuition. As someone who lives with disability, I was grateful for the way the book affirms that disabled readers can fully engage in these practices, often through simple adaptations. This inclusivity felt intentional and heartfelt, making the book feel welcoming to a truly diverse audience.
💛I appreciated the vulnerability the authors showed in sharing their own lived experiences with disability, trauma, grief, joy, and resilience. This openness creates a sense of trust and reminds us that the lessons of the hive are not abstract ideas, but lived truths. The writing is both trauma-informed and rooted in love, consistently acknowledging the different realities readers bring with them while offering practices that can meet people wherever they are.
✨The book’s holistic approach, weaving together science, spirituality, and storytelling was especially powerful. I was fascinated by the idea of the hive as a superorganism and found myself reflecting on how much brighter the future of humanity could be if we embraced a similar sense of collective interdependence. I found the journaling prompts especially beneficial; they were so insightful that I even adapted them into tarot queries, deepening my personal reflection.
🌼This book is an invitation to remember our interconnectedness with one another and with the natural world. I know I will revisit its meditations and practices often, as they offer gentle yet profound ways to embody the wisdom of the bees. I hope finds its way into the hands of every soul ready to receive its message.
🙏Many thanks to @NetGalley and @SoundsTrue for this ARC to review.