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hannahreadss_'s reviews
191 reviews
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.
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.
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.
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%.
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.
Vacuum in the Dark by Jen Beagin
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
didn’t enjoy this as much as the first instalment. it was a lot more info dumpy - as a way of trying to explain mona’s behaviour/actions but honestly i thought it was slightly unnecessary. the draw of these two books is that it’s weird and grim and dark and there’s subtle hints of the past abuse without being too direct which ruins the mysterious element.
Pretend I'm Dead by Jen Beagin
dark
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
i zoomed through this so i guess you could say i enjoyed it.
it was weird and dark, and at no point did i know what mona was going to say or do next. beagin writes w such a careless drive free of judgment that i admire. this was borderline disturbing, weird, and im not sure who i’d ever recommend this to, but it was… good. i think.
mona was quite funny, incredibly self destructive, too honest, and somehow relatable. i don’t know what it is about this book, but i liked it.
it was weird and dark, and at no point did i know what mona was going to say or do next. beagin writes w such a careless drive free of judgment that i admire. this was borderline disturbing, weird, and im not sure who i’d ever recommend this to, but it was… good. i think.
mona was quite funny, incredibly self destructive, too honest, and somehow relatable. i don’t know what it is about this book, but i liked it.
Liars by Sarah Manguso
Did not finish book. Stopped at 14%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 14%.
i don’t particularly wanna put myself through however many hours of a white lady moaning about how horrendous her life is, while simultaneously continuing said shit life when she’s been given no reason to do so.
The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers
5.0
well, i've found a new favourite book of mine.
i wish this was at least 700/800 pages because i'm pretty sure i could read about the adorable mismatched crew of the wayfarer until pigs fly.
a more in-depth review to come, when i'm done smiling like an imbecile.
it's been over 10 days and my brain still won't budge. i just loved this so much, but i can't, in any way, be coherent about that fact.
if there were a book that was 'pure vibes, little plot', the long way to a small, angry planet would fit the criteria to a t, and honest to god i was perfectly fucking content with that because this was delightful and wonderful and funny and such an insight into things that literally don't exist. god, i wish everything in this book was real. i wish i were on the wayfarer. i wish they were all my friends.
i can't wait to read more of this series, and more from becky chambers.
just... just go read it okay. it's the perfect cosy, low stakes story for a cold, wintery evening. bonus points if you enjoy hot beverages.
i wish this was at least 700/800 pages because i'm pretty sure i could read about the adorable mismatched crew of the wayfarer until pigs fly.
a more in-depth review to come, when i'm done smiling like an imbecile.
it's been over 10 days and my brain still won't budge. i just loved this so much, but i can't, in any way, be coherent about that fact.
if there were a book that was 'pure vibes, little plot', the long way to a small, angry planet would fit the criteria to a t, and honest to god i was perfectly fucking content with that because this was delightful and wonderful and funny and such an insight into things that literally don't exist. god, i wish everything in this book was real. i wish i were on the wayfarer. i wish they were all my friends.
i can't wait to read more of this series, and more from becky chambers.
just... just go read it okay. it's the perfect cosy, low stakes story for a cold, wintery evening. bonus points if you enjoy hot beverages.
Rolling in the Deep by Mira Grant
3.0
my first (albeit very short) novel -so a novella- by mira grant (also known as seanan mcguire) and it was a good start.
my personal problem with novellas is that because they are so short, it's usually difficult to get attached to any of the characters and even the setting at times. unfortunately, rolling in the deep is a victim of this problem. i didn't remember, let alone care, about any of the characters aside from david, though i did think peter was cool in a borderline know-it-all kinda way.
but, because it is a prequel to a full-length novel and simply setting up the event that into the drowning deep subsequently investigates, i'll give it a pass.
it was still creepy and pretty violent in it's limited pages and i am super curious about these mermaids. they seem over-powered as fuck but very fascinating when not murdering everything swiftly and without remorse. actually, they kinda seem cool even when they're doing that. *cue the shocked, partially disturbed gasps*.
grant's writing is stilted at times (i can't put my finger on why just yet) but not enough to grate me so i'm looking forward to checking out more of her work!
my personal problem with novellas is that because they are so short, it's usually difficult to get attached to any of the characters and even the setting at times. unfortunately, rolling in the deep is a victim of this problem. i didn't remember, let alone care, about any of the characters aside from david, though i did think peter was cool in a borderline know-it-all kinda way.
but, because it is a prequel to a full-length novel and simply setting up the event that into the drowning deep subsequently investigates, i'll give it a pass.
it was still creepy and pretty violent in it's limited pages and i am super curious about these mermaids. they seem over-powered as fuck but very fascinating when not murdering everything swiftly and without remorse. actually, they kinda seem cool even when they're doing that. *cue the shocked, partially disturbed gasps*.
grant's writing is stilted at times (i can't put my finger on why just yet) but not enough to grate me so i'm looking forward to checking out more of her work!