Hannah Z.
Introduce Yourself
Hello, hello! I’m Hannah, the Publicity Assistant at LBYR. I assist our team with campaigns for picture, middle grade, and YA titles and love stories with unexpected character arcs and enchanting visuals.
Favorite Book of All Time
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde—this was the first book to truly take my breath away. The prose is rich and provocative, and the character dynamics are a sight to behold. Plus, without giving anything away, the final sentence is masterful.
Favorite LBYR Book
The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. I couldn’t put it down!
Unexpected Book That YOu Love
Hands down, Future Home of the Living God by Louise Erdrich. I picked it up at an airport, admittedly skeptical about its far-fetched, speculative premise, but finished it by the time my plane landed.
Book You’ve Been Meaning to read for a while
Dune by Frank Herbert. I have a deep love of science fiction and, with the movie coming up, I can’t justify putting off this read much longer!
A signed book on your shelf
Mr. Monster by Dan Wells, the second installment of his John Cleaver series! Wells was probably my favorite YA author when I was in high school, and I’ll cherish this copy till it falls apart. He’s also excellent on Writing Excuses if you need a new podcast!
Non-Book Bookish Item
I treasure my cupboard full of teabags, coffee beans, and hot chocolate mixes. Nothing makes a good reading session quite like a hot beverage.
A Literary Obsession
A really, really solid betrayal! There is nothing more gripping than the revelation that (*gasp*) a character wasn’t who you thought they were.
Book(s) that you think everyone should read
I could go on forever, but the main titles to come to mind are The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson, Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Roadside Picnic by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky, and Exit West by Mohsin Hamid. Genre-wise, this list is all over the place, but these books truly allowed me to reflect on my sense of self and place.
Most worn-out (but well-loved) book
On Writing by Stephen King. It lives in my tote bag and rivals The Picture of Dorian Gray as my favorite book of all time.
Favorite book cover
Death in Spring by Mercè Rodoreda, translated by Martha Tennant. This is one of the few books I bought based on the cover alone!