I enjoyed this so much! First of all if you can, get the audio book. Jolene Kim is an amazing narrator. There were moments when I forgot this wasn’t a full cast production. Second, it’s a heist – a queer as hell sci-fi heist with a Schmelon Schmusk coded bad guy. There’s a dash of second chance, friends to enemies to lovers romance, but mostly it’s about Edie trying to figure out their life when they are surprise paroled from prison.
Edie wants to go straight and not miss any more time with their older sister, Andie, and nibblings, Paige and Casey. Andie is pregnant, separated from her partner, pregnant, caring for a child with cancer, and working two jobs. The family is in debt and behind on rent, so Edie needs to find work fast. The neighborhood is a community descended from the workers who emigrated from Hawaii and was close knit for generations. Things have changed while Edie was in prison. Residents are being priced out of the neighborhood and driven further into poverty by the company owned by the very rich, very bad man, Joyce Atlas. Edie has been blacklisted and Angel, their former best friend who gave evidence in exchange for her own freedom, is offering a spot on a very lucrative heist. The target – the very rich, very bad man.
Being separated from their family and community during their incarceration was painful for Edie. The thought of being driven off Kepler station to find work is as painful as the thought of going back to prison. That, plus the chance to steal billions from Atlas, drives Edie to accept Angel’s offer. They gather the crew and plan the opp. Edie and Angel circle each other while Edie tries to untangle conflicting loyalties. Who are the selling their soul for?
Is this book perfect? Nope. Do I care? Not even the smallest bit. Hammajang Luck is a little Ocean’s Eleven (but gayer and more femme), a little Fast & Furious family (but better), and extremely queer. I highly recommend it.
