Take a photo of a barcode or cover
hannahreadss_'s reviews
191 reviews
salt slow by Julia Armfield
challenging
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
julia armfield writes how i sometimes see the world and i think thats beautiful.
the unique way in which she describes things makes me simultaneously shiver and slowly clap because it’s clever in its simplicity. i loved each of these tiny little stories, and would happily read full lengths novels of them all. my favourites, ones that immediately stood out to me and i won’t be able to stop thinking about, were: the great awake, the collectables, stop your women’s ears with wax, cassandra after, and salt slow.
the unique way in which she describes things makes me simultaneously shiver and slowly clap because it’s clever in its simplicity. i loved each of these tiny little stories, and would happily read full lengths novels of them all. my favourites, ones that immediately stood out to me and i won’t be able to stop thinking about, were: the great awake, the collectables, stop your women’s ears with wax, cassandra after, and salt slow.
The Grey Bastards by Jonathan French
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
i’m not entirely sure how i feel after reading something like this.
it was sexist, homophobic, AND racist, under the guise of ‘male banter’.
the women are either ‘bedwarmers’ or look after the children and the only female character who doesn’t fit into either of those boxes, is continuously belittled, put down, and seen as a sex object. there might have been good enough intentions for her tough, stubborn attitude and ability, but it was very much lost in the ‘she’s just one of the lads’.
it was crude, crass and violent, and that was just the dialogue.
and the whole lore of how ‘half-orcs’ comes about ?? yeaaaaah, no. brutality against women of any race, real or not, for the sake of it.
the actual plot was entertaining, at least, parts of it. i did like oats, and the hogs. but everything else just made me mutter, ‘yep, a man definitely wrote this.’
it was sexist, homophobic, AND racist, under the guise of ‘male banter’.
the women are either ‘bedwarmers’ or look after the children and the only female character who doesn’t fit into either of those boxes, is continuously belittled, put down, and seen as a sex object. there might have been good enough intentions for her tough, stubborn attitude and ability, but it was very much lost in the ‘she’s just one of the lads’.
it was crude, crass and violent, and that was just the dialogue.
and the whole lore of how ‘half-orcs’ comes about ?? yeaaaaah, no. brutality against women of any race, real or not, for the sake of it.
the actual plot was entertaining, at least, parts of it. i did like oats, and the hogs. but everything else just made me mutter, ‘yep, a man definitely wrote this.’
Pizza Girl by Jean Kyoung Frazier
dark
emotional
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
3.5
weirdos will always have a special place in my heart <3
We Could Be Rats by Emily Austin
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
emily austin, i politely request you get out of my head.
another incredibly moving portrayal of complex human emotion that, at its core, highlights the grey that constantly sits between good and bad. the way austin is able to take each layer of emotion, of thought, and dissect it with ease, never fails to mesmerise me. the streak of consciousness, and an unreliable narrator, made for such a physically easy read. emotionally, on the other hand, is a different story.
Sunburn by Chloe Michelle Howarth
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
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.
Murder: The Biography by Kate Morgan
informative
reflective
medium-paced
incredibly educational on the history and development of murder laws through time, and as a true crime fan, i really enjoyed learning about how different acts of killing are defined and judged against the law.
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.
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.
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!!
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.
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.