hannahreadss_'s reviews
196 reviews

Rand by Silvia Shaw
Did not finish book. Stopped at 10%.

could not get into it. felt like a ya book from 2009. 

Hijab Butch Blues by Lamya H

even if you’re not muslim, you can’t help but feel Seen reading this memoir that floats between religious metaphors and real life accountability. 

honest, open, a love letter to the authors younger self that was really felt at the end. 

The Terraformers by Annalee Newitz

adventurous dark emotional informative slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

i really, really wanted to enjoy this. and, to a degree, i did. the overarching ideas of creating workforces to build you a planet, the concept of what ‘people’ are, and how governing bodies work and can work, was incredibly articulate and intense. but the plot meandered, and for a while, i wasn’t entirely sure where it was going. 

it’s very densely scientific, and my brain spent a fair few pages trying to wrap my head around incredibly foreign concepts, which ultimately took me out of the narrative. 

Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh

adventurous dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

aaaaahhhhhhh. i LOVE when space operas make me FEEL things !!!! 

The Invocations by Krystal Sutherland

dark funny mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

had a lot of fun with this and enjoyed it more than house of hollows. i felt like the characters had more depth, the narrative was intriguing, i was rooting for the girlies & it was surprisingly dark, gothic & violent.  

House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

i actually really liked the twist, and the ending !! as i was curious where sutherland was going w the mystery. some cliche metaphors, and i felt a bit icky about some of the choices iris makes, but given that it’s ya, and she’s only 17 it makes somewhat sense. 

imagery and descriptions of the environment were rly good, if slightly repetitive. but i’d have liked to have seen more depth w the characters, they’re very much strong-held in their respective ‘personality’ boxes.

Sunburn by Chloe Michelle Howarth

emotional sad medium-paced

5.0

this was tragically beautiful, and while i’m slowly getting tired of the most popular lesbian fiction being ones of struggle/homophobia/internalised homophobia, i understand and respect its place on the bookshelf because it’s important and in sunburn, it was executed perfectly.

lucy is a deeply rich character, and as you grow with her, her choices align with the person she is. it’s tender, moving, and sad in the way water can never fully be held in a closed fist and you must let it go. 

i just wish they would say the word lesbian, it’s not a bad word.

Experienced by Kate Young

emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

this was fun, easy to consume and a palette cleanser, which i really needed honestly.

there were moments where i thought, while the plot centres on bette somewhat reinventing herself and reliving her youth by going on dates bc she's recently come out, i did think the actions/thought process of other characters, mainly ruth, were quite childish? and in those moments, i didn't feel like it matched the adult book.

i am ash, and ash is me.

it felt, for the most part, very real and honest. as though bette were bearing her being to the readers which i enjoyed. i did think the overly descriptive language, and clauses in every other sentence, boarded on the excessive side. ultimately, it was fun, but i don't think i'll remember it in a couple months time. 

Not In the Plan by Dana Hawkins
Did not finish book. Stopped at 31%.

i had to dnf this - it was soooo cringe :/ and i couldn’t fathom listening to everything being overly described and really shit millennial humour that was more cringe than it ever was funny 

Perfume and Pain by Anna Dorn

dark funny fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

completely awful characters & no plot ?? some would struggle w this. not me tho, i think i’m a masochist. 

the pulp fiction vibe was incredibly strong, but a lot of the pop culture references went over my head bc i live under a rock apparently. 

incredibly messy, cleverly written because you Know she’s taking the piss out of these millennial lesbian white women but it’s still so accurate in its depiction.