Thanks to NetGalley and Henry Holt for the advanced reader copy

I generally like Hannah Pittard; her work is funny and engaging. But I couldn't get into this one. It felt as though it was trying a little too hard to be irreverent and overshot the mark to being somewhat grating. Maybe next book.

Hana P., with her carefully constructed life and seemingly unshakeable contentment, is thrown into chaos when her ex-husband’s upcoming novel promises to expose an unflattering version of her past. What follows is not your typical midlife crisis but a wonderfully bizarre journey filled with moments of surreal humor—a talking cat, a mysterious shadowy figure—and biting social commentary.

The novel’s strength lies in its ability to weave the absurd with the relatable. Hana’s encounters with her students, skeptical navigation of familial dynamics, and unraveling self-perception are rendered with sharp satire and genuine vulnerability. The game of Dead Body, a metaphor for Hana’s growing sense of irrelevance, and the Greek chorus of students critiquing her life choices add a layer of meta-commentary on personal narrative and public perception.

This novel is about the stories we tell ourselves and those we fear others might know about us. It’s a delightful, thought-provoking read for anyone who has ever questioned their choices—or loves a well-crafted, idiosyncratic character study—a must-read for fans of literary fiction with a satirical edge.

The publisher provided ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved If You Love It, Let It Kill You—it was quirky, unpredictable, and an all-around wild ride. The way Hannah Pittard crafted the story to feel like we were diving into the personal diary of the protagonist, Hana, was brilliant. I found myself laughing out loud one moment and cringing in the best possible way the next. There wasn't a single point where I had any idea where the story was headed, and that's what made it so exciting. I’ve seen comparisons to Miranda July, and I totally agree! This was my first book by Pittard, and I’m already eager to explore more of her work.

This was a very funny and entertaining read! The characters were really well-developed and Hana's close-knit family was definitely part of the charm. Thanks so much to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!

fun and messy but in a good way. of course, though, eventually it felt like that same style went on a little long. still, though, wackily fun. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

This book was great! It reminds me very much of a person just writing their thoughts down all day in a diary and then turning it into a book. Lots of thoughts and many emotions. You are reading about family relationships, suicide, and everyday situations. This book was very relatable and made me reflect on a lot of the choices or things I have done or gone through in life. I would recommend this book to anyone that wants to look back and reflect on their own life.

I enjoyed this novel. It was pretty funny and I could relate a lot. Like how the author made the humor very realistic and relatable

Funny Quirky smart love the inner dialogue of the leading character a woman who is very relatable. Abook that I enjoyed from first to last page.#netgalley #henryholt,

I was drawn to this book by the title, and it delivered. It's witty and messy, but the messy makes sense due to the inner dialogue the main character has. It's nice to see how emotional she made her characters and how you can connect with them. Hannah Pittard addresses a lot in this book, but she does so in almost a lighthearted, entraining way. I did struggle to finish this book though; the writing is great, but it kind of got old quickly. Thank you to the publisher and Netgelly for this ARC!

This was a really good book! It honestly goes over a lot of women’s biggest fear, just kind of snapping out of it and realizing you are not satisfied with the life and relationships you’re in just all of a sudden. I’m this case the boyfriend kinda sucked but still it was a great book with a lot goin* on!

Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complementary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!

This book feels like my internal dialogue - messy, all over the place, etc. I felt like the story was a bit hard to follow at times, but had its funny moments for sure.

If you’re a fan of Ottessa Moshfegh or Jen Beagin, I think you’ll enjoy this one

What a wacky, cooky, zany story- every synonym for a silly goose- that is this book. I could not put it down! I feel like this is a perfect book club read because of the plethora of imperfect characters that will spark indecisive conversations surrounding them. This novel also gave me strong Mona Awad and Rufi Thrope vibes; chaotic and heartbreaking in mundane and human ways. I LOVED!

First, thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC! This book was like a diary full of all the thoughts that may pop in to someone’s head throughout the day, nothing was too deep or dark. Many topics were touched on including (but definitely not limited to) suicide, fidelity, familial relationships, aging and professional situations. As you continue reading, it becomes clear that this could be a work of autofiction. I loved toying with the idea that the book could have be rooted in real life experiences and then was twisted in to this story, but not being completely sure. Although I haven’t had all the same life experiences as the main character, I found this book deeply relatable and often times had to stop reading to reflect on my own life. I struggled a bit at the beginning of the book to get in to the flow of the writing, but after I caught on, I couldn’t stop thinking about what would happen next.

Rating 4.5 stars, rounding down to 4 for Goodreads. I would highly recommend this book to anyone that lives (maybe too much) in their own head and is looking for something a little strange that will make you reflect on your life.

I didn't want to put it down, it was like watching a a constantly rotating stage of actors in book form. It's chaotic and mundane at the same time. It's what living life really feels like inside your head. Who would I recommend this book to? Probably people who have ever found themselves lost in a parking garage and who talk out loud to themselves in public and get embarrassed. If you love animals, but you love a very select few humans, and you write letters that you tear up and never send to anyone. If you've ever found yourself married to a stranger, or waking up in a bed that feels like it should be yours but isn't.

Hana/Hannah is the MC in this book but it is also probably a fictional memoir of sorts, or autofiction. It's a very blunt view of the world, relationships, family dynamics, fidelity, parenthood (or lack of), and professional realities. It felt like I was Hana listening to my own stream of consciousness in my own head while reading this. If you have an internal monologue, that will make sense. If not, I am sorry but I cannot elaborate.

Without looking up the author, I imagined Jennifer Lawrence as the physical being representing Hana in this book. If you also need to envision a person as a placeholder when reading, there is a free one for you. Lucille Bluth for Hana's mom is another.

I guess this was a really good reminder for me that we are all human, and our stupid, mundane human problems are very real, and not stupid, and very much fascinating to us and our small sphere of influence. I gave it a 5 because it made me want to ponder and reflect on my own life some, which is always a welcome activity.

Lots of good bits to this novel. I was laughing a lit as I read which to me takes a talented writer to evoke that emotion. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.