hannahreadss_'s reviews
195 reviews

In Defence of Witches: Why Women Are Still on Trial by Mona Chollet

dark emotional informative medium-paced

i think the title has thrown many people off as it promises a lot more insight and depth into witches & the treatment of women stemming specifically from that but instead it’s a feminist nonfiction with many different examples of misogyny in society. this would have been fine, if like a lot of people, i weren't expecting a more in-depth observation on witches. 
factual but incredibly surface level - and most examples are straight white women. it doesn’t offer any insight into how to improve the treatment of women either.

I Hope This Finds You Well by Natalie Sue

emotional funny hopeful 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? Yes

2.75

for what it is; a workplace romance with a strong sense of drama that borderlines on darker themes, this was quite fun. 

the premise is intriguing, if a little silly but for the genre it's not much of an issue, and i was hooked. of course, i can't help but find a few moments cringe, and utterly unrealistic at some points, but it's an entertaining book that i found funny as i did my silly little corporate job.

the secret lives of workplace coworkers IS a good prompt, and this definitely highlighted the fact taht you never know what is going on behind the scenes. again, some of it was a bit of a stretch, and i never fully got on-board with our main character as she is incredibly whiny to the point i can no longer feel sorry for what has previously happened to her. 

*spoilers ahead*
i'm not sure how i feel about the romance - it wasn't totally necessary to be honest, and highlights the fact that it's mostly because of a man that she gets her shit together, like come onnn. other than that, i think the ending was well-rounded, not rushed, and made sense. 

Mostly Dead Things by Kristen Arnett

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

3.0

i’m torn cause on the one hand, this writing is right up my alley.

it’s grotesque, squirmy and a LOT of dead animals. also a whole mess of family relationships which i always love to sink my fingers in and in this you get to pull it all apart, organs, veins, everything.

buuut it was not funny, like at all? i’m not sure if my humour is broken or everyone who said this was funny doesn’t know what funny actually is. cause this wasn’t. it was depressing, and grim, and i could Smell jessa, but it wasn’t funny.

it’s also a very middling book, mostly, i think, because the shift was too quick after 200 pages of jessa being so deeply set in her ways. don’t get me wrong, i like an unlikeable character, when they have grit and desires but jessa was like the inhale of a breath and simply holding it in, never breathing out. so immobile in her unavailability that it was hard to root for her. or really, anyone in the book except the poor mother. i wanted more of HER!!

A Desolation Called Peace by Arkady Martine

5.0

i’m gunna need a minute. or like a thousand minutes.

update: it's been over a month and i still can't seem to find the right words to describe how special this duology is to me, how much i loved reading both a memory called empire and a desolation called peace, how i fear i'll never do these books justice. 

while it wasn't what i was expecting, a desolation called peace was simply superb: a unique, subtly violent, immersive adventure.

A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine

5.0

i don't think i could put into words how much i loved reading a memory called empire.

it was difficult to wrap my head around the poetic language ideals, since i barely have a grasp on english as is, and i'm literally english. i also have, ultimately a pea brain, so it could very well be that too. having said that, i genuinely got so wrapped up in this book, i probably forgot to breath for a while, or like eat. 

the empire was clear in that power can devour and change the remaining culture but it becoming a part of normal life, eventually, that it's hard not to at the very least see few good aspects. 

i didn't know who to trust, who to like but found mahit hilarious and adored three seagrass. their budding friendship, and the constant gay panic was blissful and i eat it all up like it were my last meal on this earth.

Holy Sister by Mark Lawrence

dark emotional medium-paced

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

3.5

3.5 - i do not vibe w time jumps especially when crucial plot points are overlooked and brushed off as having happened off-screen. like no?? i want to be immersed don't tell me i can't experience these gut-wrenching moments !!

Headshot by Rita Bullwinkel

slow-paced

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

2.0

tell me why it took me like 2 months to read the first 200ish pages (reading slump tbf) and then i finished the last 50 in 45 minutes... make it make sense.

also tell me why the first four fights took 49398345094 years, and a lot of repetition, but the FINAL is over in literally two pages.

i could not connect to any of the characters, they were too whimsical and abstract that they lost their individuality and all blended together. but, i did like the writing style, to a degree, and the concept. just for me, the execution fell flat.

Swordcrossed by Freya Marske

adventurous lighthearted

2.0

this was disappointing compared to the last binding, which i loved!! i feel like it was lack-luster and leaned heavily on the romance element of 'romantasy' but was 1. insta lust, and 2. lacking in any sort of deeper level connection between the two main characters. i wanted more of the fantasy element honestly :/// the characters themselves were fine, and somewhat fleshed out, but the plot was paper thin and uninspired. i also felt like there were no stakes so i didn't care at all what happened.

The Hidden Palace by Helene Wecker

challenging dark emotional

2.5

i’m not sure this sequel was needed as i felt pretty content at the end of the golem and the jinni . still lovely writing, tho uh mentions of i*real made me feel icky & then i couldn’t shake that off.

yeah idk i just think this didn’t add anything for me :((

Red Sister by Mark Lawrence

adventurous challenging dark 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

4.0

ohhhhh i LOVED this. i blew through the audio because i was instantly entertained and hooked.

more of a review when i have finished work