Scan barcode
smartie_chan's review against another edition
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Thanks to Netgalley & The Publisher for providing me with an E-Arc in exchange for an honest review!!
CW: Sexual Content, Alcohol, Drug Use, Mentions of Past Suicide, Mentions of Death/The Passing of loved ones
3 / 5 Stars
I didn't hate this one per se, but if given the choice to re-read this or literally anything else, I'd probably pick the second option. The reason for that is hard to pinpoint exactly, but it's probably a combination of a lot of things.
With 3 POV's and 3 Mc's, we don't really get to dive too deep into intersting things, instead deciding to scratch the surface or change course all together. This is especially true when it comes to Olive.
She starts the book in a place that reminds me of, but isn't quite, a depressive episode. She's stressed cause the Sanctuary could be in a bad place - more on that in a second - & struggling with Mental Health stuff she's not sharing with her two friends. The Sanctuary is a place of healing, - we've been told that so so many times - so it would have been ironic if it did the opposite of what it was supposed to do to the "leading founder" Olive. She's got the baggage, but it's never brought up in a meaningfull way. More in a telling, shock factor-y way, so that we can focus on the love story part. Which I have also a lot of oppinions on.
The story plays with the idea that "Oh no, Olive overspend way too much money and, Oh no, we could actually loose it all". In which I mean, we mention it when we think it sounds cool, but truly, there isn't a single moment, not one, were you ever question how good the Sanctuary is doing. Honestly, this book could take place literally anywhere else and nothing would change, cause it's made it very clear that, the second the love intersts enter the picutre, the place is all but forgotten. And so are any cool ideas or set-ups, that we could have explored. At least when it comes to Olive.
Hattie doesn't really have super huge baggage. Her bagagge is that she likes sex. And now she's trying to have less sex aka one-night stands. Oh no, how hard. If this sounds mean, I'm sorry, but by god, should you take that Sexual Content Warning seriously. Those three are almost unable to talk about anything else that is not sex, alcohol or drugs, while also consuming and doing those three things basically everytime two of them are on page togehter. Their friendship feels therefor kind of shallow and empty. Because you see, just saying how much you care for 300 pages without actually showing that you care isn't really doing it for me. But back to Hattie and her insta lust/love story. Which was ... something. I've seen people compare it to Love-Bombing and it certainly gives off those vibes at times, especially since they talk about getting married NOT EVEN 48 HOURS after they first meet. It's also were most of the sex is happening. They talk on occasion, but honestly, the most of the time they're on page togehter they spend it doing nsfw things. Good for them I guess, but not really selling me on them as a couple.
Eleanor is the most interesting out of the three. With her story arc feeling the most complete and sensical ... if it weren't for the Olive thing. They have less chemistry than a slice of bread. Less than untoasted toast even, and yet *sigh*. Poor Sunny. Deserved better. Was my favourite character honestly. Maybe even Mabel too. I think if the book had been about just Eleanor's POV and her reationship to Maybe (and Olive) this book would have been way better. Cause in the case of Eleanor, all the bagagge she brings to the table, ends up actually mattering in a meaningful way. Makes her POV the most fun and exciting to read, if you ask me.
Something that also bothered me was the ace stuff. But before I go ahead, I'd just like to let you know, that I do not mind sex-favourable aces. Them having sex is not the issue. It's everything else they say and the words they use when the light isn't pointed at the ace stuff, that I feel icky about. Even when Olive is the POV we're following.
I'll share two of my most hated quotes:
"And speaking of dumb, how did two grown women, boh half naked, not sleep together?"
"I'm sorry, I can't be the reason you merely survive."
The first one gets better with context, the second one ...oh boy.
So let's talk about the second one. It's about Olive & Eleanor, where Olive is implying that because she's asexual, there might be times when she's too repulsed or just not in the mood for sex, so it's okay if El went and got it somewhere else. To which El replies that no, it's fine, she's survived not having sex for two months already, she'll survive more. So Olive - the asexual - throws that line at her. And I'm like "Bro. Shut the fuck up". She spend 80% of the book being kinda jealous at the Mabel & El thing, having huge self-doubts, even going so far as to imply - only a few sentences before that dreaded convo - that of course she'd understand if El were to find someone else, cause she's too much to deal with, too ugly, too fat and too asexual to be a good partner to El anyways. And honestly. Just wow. Being scared as an ace, that what you can give is not enough is fine, but the book isn't really painting it that way. Especially since they have sex RIGHT AFTER THAT SCENE. Not once. Not twice, but more than three times. On page, before it fades to black implying that they're still going at it. All chapter long. But do not worry, they have even moe sex later on :D Not for a single second do they talk about her aceness, what it means to her, what it means for them and what it means going forward. We are TOLD - again, like the book just loves to do - that apparently they talked off page, but honestly, that's not enough. Not when you do a horrible set-up, with a pay-off that implies not so nice things.
See and that's why she should have ended up with Sunny instead. They were cute, unproblematic & didn't make the ace-rep feel meh.
Final Thoughts
If you liked Sex & The City, you'll adore this one.
CW: Sexual Content, Alcohol, Drug Use, Mentions of Past Suicide, Mentions of Death/The Passing of loved ones
3 / 5 Stars
I didn't hate this one per se, but if given the choice to re-read this or literally anything else, I'd probably pick the second option. The reason for that is hard to pinpoint exactly, but it's probably a combination of a lot of things.
With 3 POV's and 3 Mc's, we don't really get to dive too deep into intersting things, instead deciding to scratch the surface or change course all together. This is especially true when it comes to Olive.
She starts the book in a place that reminds me of, but isn't quite, a depressive episode. She's stressed cause the Sanctuary could be in a bad place - more on that in a second - & struggling with Mental Health stuff she's not sharing with her two friends. The Sanctuary is a place of healing, - we've been told that so so many times - so it would have been ironic if it did the opposite of what it was supposed to do to the "leading founder" Olive. She's got the baggage, but it's never brought up in a meaningfull way. More in a telling, shock factor-y way, so that we can focus on the love story part. Which I have also a lot of oppinions on.
The story plays with the idea that "Oh no, Olive overspend way too much money and, Oh no, we could actually loose it all". In which I mean, we mention it when we think it sounds cool, but truly, there isn't a single moment, not one, were you ever question how good the Sanctuary is doing. Honestly, this book could take place literally anywhere else and nothing would change, cause it's made it very clear that, the second the love intersts enter the picutre, the place is all but forgotten. And so are any cool ideas or set-ups, that we could have explored. At least when it comes to Olive.
Hattie doesn't really have super huge baggage. Her bagagge is that she likes sex. And now she's trying to have less sex aka one-night stands. Oh no, how hard. If this sounds mean, I'm sorry, but by god, should you take that Sexual Content Warning seriously. Those three are almost unable to talk about anything else that is not sex, alcohol or drugs, while also consuming and doing those three things basically everytime two of them are on page togehter. Their friendship feels therefor kind of shallow and empty. Because you see, just saying how much you care for 300 pages without actually showing that you care isn't really doing it for me. But back to Hattie and her insta lust/love story. Which was ... something. I've seen people compare it to Love-Bombing and it certainly gives off those vibes at times, especially since they talk about getting married NOT EVEN 48 HOURS after they first meet. It's also were most of the sex is happening. They talk on occasion, but honestly, the most of the time they're on page togehter they spend it doing nsfw things. Good for them I guess, but not really selling me on them as a couple.
Eleanor is the most interesting out of the three. With her story arc feeling the most complete and sensical ... if it weren't for the Olive thing. They have less chemistry than a slice of bread. Less than untoasted toast even, and yet *sigh*. Poor Sunny. Deserved better. Was my favourite character honestly. Maybe even Mabel too. I think if the book had been about just Eleanor's POV and her reationship to Maybe (and Olive) this book would have been way better. Cause in the case of Eleanor, all the bagagge she brings to the table, ends up actually mattering in a meaningful way. Makes her POV the most fun and exciting to read, if you ask me.
Something that also bothered me was the ace stuff. But before I go ahead, I'd just like to let you know, that I do not mind sex-favourable aces. Them having sex is not the issue. It's everything else they say and the words they use when the light isn't pointed at the ace stuff, that I feel icky about. Even when Olive is the POV we're following.
I'll share two of my most hated quotes:
"And speaking of dumb, how did two grown women, boh half naked, not sleep together?"
"I'm sorry, I can't be the reason you merely survive."
The first one gets better with context, the second one ...oh boy.
So let's talk about the second one. It's about Olive & Eleanor, where Olive is implying that because she's asexual, there might be times when she's too repulsed or just not in the mood for sex, so it's okay if El went and got it somewhere else. To which El replies that no, it's fine, she's survived not having sex for two months already, she'll survive more. So Olive - the asexual - throws that line at her. And I'm like "Bro. Shut the fuck up". She spend 80% of the book being kinda jealous at the Mabel & El thing, having huge self-doubts, even going so far as to imply - only a few sentences before that dreaded convo - that of course she'd understand if El were to find someone else, cause she's too much to deal with, too ugly, too fat and too asexual to be a good partner to El anyways. And honestly. Just wow. Being scared as an ace, that what you can give is not enough is fine, but the book isn't really painting it that way. Especially since they have sex RIGHT AFTER THAT SCENE. Not once. Not twice, but more than three times. On page, before it fades to black implying that they're still going at it. All chapter long. But do not worry, they have even moe sex later on :D Not for a single second do they talk about her aceness, what it means to her, what it means for them and what it means going forward. We are TOLD - again, like the book just loves to do - that apparently they talked off page, but honestly, that's not enough. Not when you do a horrible set-up, with a pay-off that implies not so nice things.
See and that's why she should have ended up with Sunny instead. They were cute, unproblematic & didn't make the ace-rep feel meh.
Final Thoughts
If you liked Sex & The City, you'll adore this one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Drug use and Alcohol
Minor: Suicide and Death
marniefaith's review
5.0
I received a free e-arc from Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Oh! My! God! I loved this book. I loved it so much, and I wish I could read it again for the first time but I absolutely will be returning to this when my tbr list has drastically shortened. I loved the premise of the book, and the material did not disappoint.
The way all the MC's were nuanced, and well-developed independently of each other, but still loved each other! The romance! The tribulations! I loved it all. Though I was initially put off by the first person pov, because I typically hate first person pov, I'm so glad I was able to look past this and really sink my teeth into the book.
The struggles of Olive, Eleanor and Hattie, as well as their successes all had my heart gripped. I was initially worried there would be a presence of age-old bitchiness within the trio, as is sadly typical for a lot of books featuring all female MC's, however they all loved and celebrated each other to every inch of their abilities. The fact none of them feared to call each other out on their shit, but were always there to catch each other when they fell was truly beautiful.
Each voice was distinct, and each woman had their own distinguishable personality that was evident from chapter to chapter. They're all vastly different, but that is what makes their friendships so beautiful.
I really enjoyed the fleshing out of the romances - I truly did not expect any of the romance arcs to end the way they did, and was pleasantly surprised by all of them. I just absolutely loved this book, and is 100% a five star favourite to me.
Oh! My! God! I loved this book. I loved it so much, and I wish I could read it again for the first time but I absolutely will be returning to this when my tbr list has drastically shortened. I loved the premise of the book, and the material did not disappoint.
The way all the MC's were nuanced, and well-developed independently of each other, but still loved each other! The romance! The tribulations! I loved it all. Though I was initially put off by the first person pov, because I typically hate first person pov, I'm so glad I was able to look past this and really sink my teeth into the book.
The struggles of Olive, Eleanor and Hattie, as well as their successes all had my heart gripped. I was initially worried there would be a presence of age-old bitchiness within the trio, as is sadly typical for a lot of books featuring all female MC's, however they all loved and celebrated each other to every inch of their abilities. The fact none of them feared to call each other out on their shit, but were always there to catch each other when they fell was truly beautiful.
Each voice was distinct, and each woman had their own distinguishable personality that was evident from chapter to chapter. They're all vastly different, but that is what makes their friendships so beautiful.
I really enjoyed the fleshing out of the romances - I truly did not expect any of the romance arcs to end the way they did, and was pleasantly surprised by all of them. I just absolutely loved this book, and is 100% a five star favourite to me.
queerlitloft's review
4.0
Make sure to hone your emotional vulnerability skills before turning a single page of this book. The cover maybe eye catching in its simplicity, but the story within is as multifaceted as they come. Erin Zak knows how to tell a story and boy is this a good one.
Zak is fast becoming an author i look out for. Despite not being an avid romance reader, there is something in the way that Zak creates her stories that draws me in. They are often beautifully layered, featuring strong and yet simultaneously vulnerable women. Her characters are always on a personal journey; journeys that Zak knows exactly how to make a reader feel, truly and deeply.
The Hummingbird Sanctuary is no different. At times turning the pages of this book, felt like slowly peeling an onion right down to its naked core.
Those layers enclose the individual stories of the protagonists; Olive, Eleanor and Harriet. Told in the first person but from three different view points, readers are introduced to the three best friends, each of which are owner/operators of The Hummingbird Sanctuary. A creation through which to honour their mothers and women everywhere.
As a new resort in Colorado and with the grand opening of a new events arena looming , Olive, Eleanor and Harriet are resigned to hosting a journalist from On the Verge, namely the successful Mabel Sommers and her two friends, Judy and Sunny. The trio’s arrival heralds an avalanche of secrets and self discovery, old wounds are forced open (as if they were ever truly closed) and for one unsuspecting individual true love beckons. Friendships and relationships may never be the same again, but there’s no turning back now.
The complexity and depth of The Hummingbird Sanctuary can’t be convincingly conveyed in a review, it is a story that needs to be read in order to experience the emotional journey that Zak expertly crafts for each of her protagonists. The inner turmoil that pours from Olive, Eleanor and Harriet as they each struggle with their own pain and vulnerability is at times chaotic and yet unquestionably true to real life. After all human emotions are anything but straight forward an aspect that Zak showcases perfectly throughout.
Aside from my love of the very realness of this story, credit is always due to authors who work to include a diverse range of characters in their stories. In this book Zak celebrates diversity with characters who are bisexual, asexual, people of colour and/or curvaceous. In doing so readers are presented with an opportunity to further their own learning and understanding, if they so wish.
My one and only niggle, was the inclusion of a plot point in relation to the death of Olive’s husband Paul, which from a readers perspective seemed to have been crafted to induce a moment of conflict between Olive and Eleanor. However as Olive and Eleanor were already individually creating their own internal conflict regarding their feelings for each other, i felt that this could have been used as the point of conflict just as effectively. As such the plot point regarding the aftermath of Paul’s death seemed surplus to requirements from my perspective.
I received an ARC of this book for review from Bold Strokes Books via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Zak is fast becoming an author i look out for. Despite not being an avid romance reader, there is something in the way that Zak creates her stories that draws me in. They are often beautifully layered, featuring strong and yet simultaneously vulnerable women. Her characters are always on a personal journey; journeys that Zak knows exactly how to make a reader feel, truly and deeply.
The Hummingbird Sanctuary is no different. At times turning the pages of this book, felt like slowly peeling an onion right down to its naked core.
Those layers enclose the individual stories of the protagonists; Olive, Eleanor and Harriet. Told in the first person but from three different view points, readers are introduced to the three best friends, each of which are owner/operators of The Hummingbird Sanctuary. A creation through which to honour their mothers and women everywhere.
As a new resort in Colorado and with the grand opening of a new events arena looming , Olive, Eleanor and Harriet are resigned to hosting a journalist from On the Verge, namely the successful Mabel Sommers and her two friends, Judy and Sunny. The trio’s arrival heralds an avalanche of secrets and self discovery, old wounds are forced open (as if they were ever truly closed) and for one unsuspecting individual true love beckons. Friendships and relationships may never be the same again, but there’s no turning back now.
The complexity and depth of The Hummingbird Sanctuary can’t be convincingly conveyed in a review, it is a story that needs to be read in order to experience the emotional journey that Zak expertly crafts for each of her protagonists. The inner turmoil that pours from Olive, Eleanor and Harriet as they each struggle with their own pain and vulnerability is at times chaotic and yet unquestionably true to real life. After all human emotions are anything but straight forward an aspect that Zak showcases perfectly throughout.
Aside from my love of the very realness of this story, credit is always due to authors who work to include a diverse range of characters in their stories. In this book Zak celebrates diversity with characters who are bisexual, asexual, people of colour and/or curvaceous. In doing so readers are presented with an opportunity to further their own learning and understanding, if they so wish.
My one and only niggle, was the inclusion of a plot point in relation to the death of Olive’s husband Paul, which from a readers perspective seemed to have been crafted to induce a moment of conflict between Olive and Eleanor. However as Olive and Eleanor were already individually creating their own internal conflict regarding their feelings for each other, i felt that this could have been used as the point of conflict just as effectively. As such the plot point regarding the aftermath of Paul’s death seemed surplus to requirements from my perspective.
I received an ARC of this book for review from Bold Strokes Books via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
annettenis's review against another edition
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
tseyi's review
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5
laurxndxx's review
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Thank you to NetGalley, Erin Zac and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I wanted to like this book. The premise sounded amazing with 3 women running a sanctuary designed for other women and wlw representation, but I found there was too much happening in the book for me to keep track of. It ended up a bit confusing.
I wanted to like this book. The premise sounded amazing with 3 women running a sanctuary designed for other women and wlw representation, but I found there was too much happening in the book for me to keep track of. It ended up a bit confusing.
heathergreads's review
4.0
The Hummingbird Sanctuary is a queer romance that follows the journey and POV’s of three middle-aged best friends and fellow entrepreneurs as they embark on an important weekend for their resort and for their love lives.
I loved the stories shared by each of these women and the touch points that the author created. She truly expressed how love can be messy and feelings can be difficult to understand, not to mention complicated. But these women were resilient and pushed through their anxieties and fears to follow their hearts and minds. It was such a great read and I’m excited to explore other books by this author.
I was happy to receive an ARC of this book through NetGalley courtesy of Bold Strokes Books Inc.
I loved the stories shared by each of these women and the touch points that the author created. She truly expressed how love can be messy and feelings can be difficult to understand, not to mention complicated. But these women were resilient and pushed through their anxieties and fears to follow their hearts and minds. It was such a great read and I’m excited to explore other books by this author.
I was happy to receive an ARC of this book through NetGalley courtesy of Bold Strokes Books Inc.
kotherine's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
rissa_thomas's review
I cannot, in good conscience, finish this book. I tried several times to push through it so I could write a solid review, but at 61%, I finally have to call it quits.
This book is riddled with stereotypes, including POC vernacular that made me—as a Black woman—cringe. One of the FMCs is a Black woman and the author’s choice of AAVE made me uncomfortable. It was there at times, missing at others, and the way she decided to use it within the dialogue just felt like a, “hey, don’t forget she’s Black” reminder and not a true sense of her character.
The first twenty percent of this book is boring info dumps. There are unnecessary details, zero plot development, and what feels like a million character intros. Plus, there are contradicting statements and repetitive details everywhere. For example, we learn something about the group, then there’s a fake article added to the chapter that just repeats everything we just learned, and vice versa. I would have enjoyed one or the other. (Preferably nix the faux clippings because they took me out of the story.)
The cringe dialogue also ripped me out of the story. These women kept saying things like, “You’re so f***ing hot” over and over and over again. Ufff... No. There’s also a scene detailing every step of a meal being prepped and, holy hell, I thought I was going to throw my Kindle across the room.
I think this book should have been written in one POV or told in a series because I did not like the way it was set up. Focusing on three different women and their three different love lives, meant the author leaned heavily on instalove/“sudden uncontrollable feelings” for most of the women, and their character development throughout the story felt jerky.
If I do happen to finish this book in the future, I will come back and edit my review, but until then, I cannot recommend this book.
I have received an ARC through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own and left voluntarily. Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy.
This book is riddled with stereotypes, including POC vernacular that made me—as a Black woman—cringe. One of the FMCs is a Black woman and the author’s choice of AAVE made me uncomfortable. It was there at times, missing at others, and the way she decided to use it within the dialogue just felt like a, “hey, don’t forget she’s Black” reminder and not a true sense of her character.
The first twenty percent of this book is boring info dumps. There are unnecessary details, zero plot development, and what feels like a million character intros. Plus, there are contradicting statements and repetitive details everywhere. For example, we learn something about the group, then there’s a fake article added to the chapter that just repeats everything we just learned, and vice versa. I would have enjoyed one or the other. (Preferably nix the faux clippings because they took me out of the story.)
The cringe dialogue also ripped me out of the story. These women kept saying things like, “You’re so f***ing hot” over and over and over again. Ufff... No. There’s also a scene detailing every step of a meal being prepped and, holy hell, I thought I was going to throw my Kindle across the room.
I think this book should have been written in one POV or told in a series because I did not like the way it was set up. Focusing on three different women and their three different love lives, meant the author leaned heavily on instalove/“sudden uncontrollable feelings” for most of the women, and their character development throughout the story felt jerky.
If I do happen to finish this book in the future, I will come back and edit my review, but until then, I cannot recommend this book.
I have received an ARC through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own and left voluntarily. Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy.
queerspoons's review
emotional
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
While there was many things about this book that I liked, there were far more that I did not. To start with the positives: it was primarily well-written, a quick read, with an interesting cast of characters who were primarily women (a preference of mine).It features three main characters, ranging in age from mid-thirties to fifty, which is an underrepresented section of the queer woman population in literature in my experience.
That said, the first character you’re introduced to, Olive, is absolutely insufferable. I don’t understand how one person was interested in her, much less two or three. She goes on a journey to better understand her sexuality when she’s introduced to the idea of asexuality, but if wasn’t handled well in my opinion, because towards the end of the book she “discovers the feelings she’s never had before.” The pop culture references ranged from potentially dating the book to downright cringy. My biggest issue however, was how the author wrote poc. The two non-white characters were specifically written with stereotypical dialogue. The Hispanic director of maintenance, Juan, which is a red flag in general, peppers in Spanish within his conversations with Olive, which makes it seem the author has never spoken to a bilingual person. Olive’s black business partner, Hattie, randomly uses AAVE, such as when she is sleeping with a woman who says “aunt Flo is with her” and Hattie replies “"Why she always gotta ruin shit?”
While this may be a novel others will enjoy, there were too many moments when I cringed for me to have marked this up as a good read.
While there was many things about this book that I liked, there were far more that I did not. To start with the positives: it was primarily well-written, a quick read, with an interesting cast of characters who were primarily women (a preference of mine).It features three main characters, ranging in age from mid-thirties to fifty, which is an underrepresented section of the queer woman population in literature in my experience.
That said, the first character you’re introduced to, Olive, is absolutely insufferable. I don’t understand how one person was interested in her, much less two or three. She goes on a journey to better understand her sexuality when she’s introduced to the idea of asexuality, but if wasn’t handled well in my opinion, because towards the end of the book she “discovers the feelings she’s never had before.” The pop culture references ranged from potentially dating the book to downright cringy. My biggest issue however, was how the author wrote poc. The two non-white characters were specifically written with stereotypical dialogue. The Hispanic director of maintenance, Juan, which is a red flag in general, peppers in Spanish within his conversations with Olive, which makes it seem the author has never spoken to a bilingual person. Olive’s black business partner, Hattie, randomly uses AAVE, such as when she is sleeping with a woman who says “aunt Flo is with her” and Hattie replies “"Why she always gotta ruin shit?”
While this may be a novel others will enjoy, there were too many moments when I cringed for me to have marked this up as a good read.