lovefromhannah's reviews
363 reviews

What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher

Go to review page

dark mysterious tense fast-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? It's complicated

3.0

 if you want an introduction to horror, then this book is the one for you.

what moves the dead is a retelling of the house of usher by lovecraft and although I haven't read the original text, I wasn't overly invested in this. it's okay. it's not amazing, but it's not the worse thing I've read. the opening chapter piqued my interest, which it threw away until
madeline's death
when it changed it's mind. I didn't hate the overly involved internal narrative, I found it quite refreshing as it's not something I come across very often. that being said, the writing is approachable and a perfect introduction to the ecological horror subgenre.

if you want a grosser, sapphic version of this, I highly recommend paradise rot by jenny hval. I will sing praise about hval's work from morning to night. 
Crave by Maria Llovet

Go to review page

adventurous mysterious tense fast-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

thrilling and sexy graphic novel about what happens when a dating app with AI goes rogue in a university.

I re-logged in to my netgalley account after a few years and this was one of the first books I requested -- and I was not disappointed. llovet's use of colour and and setting really sets this apart from other graphic novels. the characters feel developed enough for the 176 pages of this collection of volumes 1 through 6. maria llovet is one to watch out for!

I really enjoyed the conversations about AI and its uses and consequences. Especially since AI is such a topical conversation at the moment, Llovet doesn't leave anything in the shadows. Everything is - quite literally - on full display in Crave.
Sunbringer by Hannah Kaner

Go to review page

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

4.25

hannah kaner the author you are. i need book three right now this minute.
Little Birds by Anaïs Nin

Go to review page

dark tense 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

3.25

a bit disappointed in this. going in, I thought I was going to get majority sapphic stories and misogyny but instead I got men being men and paedophilia. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings
The Storm We Made by Vanessa Chan

Go to review page

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

4.0

I hate war films, war books but the storm we made may be the one to change my mind. it is beautiful and emotive and visceral. yeah, give this one a read.
Early Sobrieties by Michael Deagler

Go to review page

challenging slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character

2.75

despite being well written, I struggled to connect to the story. early sobrieties would not normally be up to street but I decided to try something new. I found the subject matter intriguing and that was enough for me. this definitely has a readership; I just wasn't it.
The Butcher of the Forest by Premee Mohamed

Go to review page

adventurous dark emotional fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

if you want a fantasy version of Annihilation (I have not yet read it, so I'm referring to the film), then I would recommend this novella. it's a descent into a dark forest and into madness, what comes in, comes out changed.

I went to my local Waterstones to buy dune since I watched part two the other day however, I left with this and hunt for the shadow wolf instead. premee does not hesitate and forces the reader straight into action, straight into our main character Veris who is given an ultimatum.

a very swift, very dark adventure. you will come out a different reader than the one that went in.
Breakdown by Cathy Sweeney

Go to review page

tense fast-paced

2.0

I wanted this to be more ottessa-moshfegh-y than it actually was.
A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers

Go to review page

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

5.0

just what I needed. this book felt like a warm cuppa tea.
Persephone Station by Stina Leicht

Go to review page

adventurous funny tense medium-paced

3.0

I would have absolutely loved this if I had read this 4 years ago

the characters were snarky. they were diverse. and yet the writing was too juvenile for my current taste. i'm sorry Persephone Station, I should have read you when I first bought you.