rainbowbrarian's Reviews (1.85k)

This is a well done retelling of 13 going on 30, but make it gay.  I enjoyed it a lot.

I was half way through this story when my beloved cat passed away.  I couldn't keep going with it while my emotions were so raw.

 This book just wasn't for me. I DNF-ed at 59%. I had high hopes for a book that had so much buzz around it. I will definitely continue to look for other Arab and Palestinian authors. 

This book had an intensely dislikeable protagonist. She dealt with a LOT of abuse and neglect from her parents as a child so her addictive tendencies and disordered thinking are very understandable. But it's awful to read about her making the same mistakes over and over again and hurting other people in the process too. 

I would give the book more leeway if this were a memoir, but as a fictional account, I just couldn't take it. 

I was also disappointed that there wasn't as much space as I expected on her examining her sexuality. I mean there was some. But for a book that started with her changing into pants and having a moment of excitement and euphoria, I felt like she just dropped a thread by not exploring it more. 

I think I was hoping for more Hijab Butch Blues vibes and this is just Not That, even a little. 

I straight up loved this book.  I don’t read a lot of mystery so it takes a bit of convincing to get me to pick one up.  Making it queer will do it 90% of the time though.  This one hooked me by saying: “Fortune Favors the Dead introduces Pentecost and Parker, an audacious new detective duo for the ages.  It’s 1942 and Willowjean “Will” Parker is a scrappy circus runaway whose knife-throwing skills have just saved the life of New York’s best, and most unorthodox, private investigator, Lillian Pentecost.”

It’s a classic film noir detective story, but Will is queer and she’s learning the ropes from this badass mentor who is struggling with chronic illness.  It’s told as a recollection from Will’s POV who says if she’s only ever going to tell the reader about one case she worked with Lillian, it’s got to be this one.  

Favorite Parts - Will going out dancing at a nightclub, seeing Lillian go into full on overprotective “touch my people and I will BRING YOU DOWN”.  Love that trope when it’s done well.  

Read This If You - are a fan of noir mysteries, want to see happy queers in historical settings, ever wanted to run away with the circus.