You know it's going to be a good book when you haven't even finished the first page and you're already highlighting things that made you laugh.

I ADORED everything about this book, but I think my favorite part was the Hawaiian pidgin in the dialogue. I normally can't hear character voices in anything other than my own internal voice, so this was one of the very rare times that I could really HEAR the characters. The dialogue was just so, so well written. I was floored.

I also fell in love with the cast of characters - I love a good found family vibe.

There was something about the ending I didn't vibe with, but I can't really put my finger on what? But overall, this book is definitely entering my list of favorites.

Equal parts sci-fi adventure and heist thriller, Hammajang Luck takes us to the Kepler Station, a floating city broken up into tiered wards. Our main character, Edie, grew up on the lower tiers, working their way up from petty crime to Kepler's best runner-until Edie is put away for 8 years. After being let out by the person whose betrayal put them in jail (their once partner-in-crime), Edie is invited for one last job with a payout that will make sure both them and the people they love will be set for the rest of their lives.

This book was so much fun for me. All of the main cast were well-developed and loveable, and I was rooting for them all to be successful. Edie's internal struggle after being locked up felt real, and their relationship with Angel in particular had me turning page after page. Though light-hearted much of the time, Hammajang Luck also addresses serious topics such as class disparity and colonialism, handling these with care. The easy intertwining of the author's Hawaiian culture as well as the place of lgbtq+ individuals in the setting of this book was refreshing and made it unique from other similar sci-fi adventures. The only negative I had was the pacing at times was uneven, and at the end I felt it sped up quite a bit compared to the first half of the book.

All-in-all an outstanding debut from Yamamoto that has me waiting for more! Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and author for providing me with an ARC!

Hammajang Luck is fast-paced and punchy, and the characters are compelling and likable. I think Yamamoto introduces many interesting aspects to the story, setting the story with a far-future, space colony sort of vibe, but I didn't feel that anything about the plot surprised me much, to be honest. This book is held up by the characters, who are reacting to a fairly predictable plot. Though I appreciate the sort of character study that we're able to see take place, I wish the events of the book could have been a little more engaging. Regardless, I had a great time reading this book, and I'd read it again. 3.5!

Thanks so much to NetGalley, the publishers, and the author for the opportunity to read this as an eARC!

Unfortunately, I didn't realize that I didn't really like heist books until I read this one. That being said, everything else in this book was A+! The world-building, Hawaiian, trans, non-binary, and Sapphic representation were all *chef's kiss*. The characters were lovable, there was development and backstory. I absolutely adored all of that, I just wasn't really invested in the overall plot because of the heist element. And that's totally a me problem, not a shortcoming of the book! Because of that it still gets 4 stars

This book starts with the main character Edie being released from prison after 8 years and immediately offered a heist job by the childhood best friend Angel who put them in prison in the first place. While the decision to participate in this heist at all seems highly illogical, I think the author does a good job of thrusting the reader into Edie’s position and feeling like it’s the only option they have.

This was an incredibly fun and fast-paced read. The first person narration is immediately immersive. I really liked Edie and felt like I understood them, even if I didn’t agree with every decision they made. The author did a great job developing tension between Edie and Angel in a way that didn’t feel artificial and that I was quickly invested in.

The weakest part of this book for me is its ending. The pace speeds up for the climax and doesn’t slow back down enough for my taste in the resolution. A lot of threads get tied up very quickly, both in terms of plot and interpersonal conflict. Angel’s character arc in particular is extremely steep at the end. She jumps very quickly from being emotionally repressed to quite open as soon as the source of the tension is addressed, and I would have liked to see that transition more. That being said, while the ending isn’t as strong, it didn’t undermine my appreciation of the rest of the book. I had a really good time with this, and I’m excited to see more from the author.

Cyberpunk, super queer, sci-fi Ocean's 8?? SAY. LESS.

I was skeptical going into this one because...that is a lot of things to have in a book and do it well. Heist stories are some of my favorite, but I feel like they don't always translate to print compared to screen. I was skeptical for NOTHING because this was so much fun.

Sure, this is a heist story set in the future where we still have evil trillionaires ruining everything. But this is also a story about found family, redemption, and forgiveness. And yes. It's incredibly queer.

What would you do if you were betrayed by someone you considered family, your best friend, and spent 8 years in prison for that betrayal? Probably wouldn't connect with them the second you got out for one last job, right? Well....Edie may not be the brightest crayon in the box because that is EXACTLY what they did. Because one last job never really means one last job, does it?

We get to see the crew build from the ground up, Angel and Edie work through their crap, and the planning of the heist from start to finish. When I tell you I was STRESSED at multiple points in this book wondering just how things were going to go down, I'm not exaggerating. I LOVED this story and even when it was "slow" (which isn't really slow, just....not active heisting), I was continuously pushing to find out what happened next. I DEVOURED this book.

I loved the inclusion of Hawaiian culture--how prevalent it was despite no longer being part of the home planet, how they all fought to keep it alive, and how that connection to their roots played an important part in the story. From the language to history repeating itself (looking at you imperialism)--it worked so well in this book and added so much to the story.

If you love a good heist story, if you love characters willing to risk absolutely everything for the ones they love, and a good found family--DO NOT sleep on this one! This was such a fun story, and I want a million more books like this STAT.

A scifi Ocean's 8 in a futuristic, cyberpunk Hawaii, but make it queer? I'm in. Hammajang Luck was an adventurous and action packed ride that was thrilling to read. It was filled with well written characters who you couldn't help to root for. I did feel, though, that the heist itself happened too quickly. All that build up and anticipation, and then the climax of the story was over in the blink of an eye.

This was excellent--think Ocean's Eight but make it science fiction with a queer and BIPOC cast. I definitely recommend this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc! Opinions are my own.

Hammajang Luck by Makana Yamamoto is an adventurous and action-packed sci-fi debut that combines the chaotic thrills of a heist with heartfelt themes of redemption, all set in a futuristic, cyberpunk-infused version of Hawai’i. The novel centers around Edie, an ex-convict who has spent eight years in a frigid prison planet after being betrayed by her partner, Angel, during what was supposed to be their biggest score. Now, unexpectedly paroled, Edie is confronted by Angel once again, who offers her one last job—a chance to settle old scores by taking down the same trillionaire they failed to defeat before.

The novel masterfully blends elements of *Ocean’s 8* and *Blade Runner*, creating a fast-paced, visually striking narrative full of neon skylines and underworld intrigue. It touches on themes of trust, betrayal, and second chances, while also being a tribute to Hawai’i’s culture and the idea of building a new home. The story’s emotional depth is punctuated by its romantic undertones, with Edie wrestling with her feelings toward Angel as they navigate their latest (and riskiest) mission.

For fans of thrilling heist stories, rich world-building, and LGBTQIA+ representation, Hammajang Luck offers a swashbuckling adventure with a personal twist. It will appeal to readers of *Gideon the Ninth* and *Six of Crows* for its unique mix of action, emotional complexity, and sharp dialogue.

I unfortunately DNFed this book - I had a hard time connecting to the plot, but it’s probably a matter of personal preference. The characters were really interesting!

*spoiler alert*

This book did exactly as promised, but the end was too sickly sweet. I enjoyed the characters and the creation of the heist. The heist happened in a blink of an eye, which I found odd, for so much build-up. There were too many characters for a ton of depth, but it was a fun ride. There were twists, but downfalls, not sly heist twists, which made it feel less slick than any Oceans film. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes heist books or wants a good story with a queer cast. Thank you NetGalley for the arc.

With thanks to Harper Voyager and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC!

This was one of my highly anticipated reads this year and it did not disappoint! I adored Hammajang Luck so much, and I’m so glad I got the chance to read it.

The world building in this was excellent. The way Kepler was described felt very real. I loved the mentions of the flyers, the wards. Everything felt natural and Sci-Fi all at once.

I loved our characters. Edie adored their family, their sister, the kids. There’s a real sense of family throughout this whole book, including found family in a way, and I loved the scenes with Edie and their sister. They felt very natural. And of course, Angel and Edie’s relationship was just the cherry on top.

I highly recommend this to people who love heists and Sci-Fi, especially those who love the TV show Leverage. This definitely felt like an episode of Leverage in space and I am thoroughly delighted by that.

A queer, cyberpunk, heist book? Sign me UP.

Hammanjang Luck is a captivating story of fate, family, and resilience set in a vibrant and fun setting, cyber punk meet’s Ocean’s 8 in a Hawaiian town. Our protagonist is Edie (they/them), has just been released from prison after being sold out by their childhood friend Angel. Edie now needs to work together with Angel to plan a heist, and work through complicated feelings of love and betrayal in the process.

Edie’s journey is both relatable and inspiring, as they navigate personal struggles and the weight of familial expectations. The themes of luck and destiny resonate throughout the narrative, prompting us to reflect on how much control we truly have over our lives.

To me, what set this novel apart is Yamamoto's ability to infuse humor and warmth into moments of hardship, creating a balance that really reflects the human experience. The setting is unreal, and fascinating.

It's a space heist, it's queer, it's cyberpunk, it's misfits, it's chaos.
If these things are up your alley, then you'll enjoy this book and you'll probably devour it in a day or two.
The book is light on the sci-fi, but heavy on the fun and also bittersweet at times.

You'll end up liking our rag tag found family, and the enemies-to-lovers is very enjoyable.

There's good representation as far as I can tell, and Edie and Angel are really interesting and enjoyable characters.

Overall it's everything my first sentence states it is, which makes it a rather quick and very enjoyable read without being too deep.

4/5 stars

Thank you @netgalley and @harpercollins for the eARC!

#HammajangLuck #Netgalley #Bookstagram

When I found this book and saw a mention of Ocean’s 8, Gideon the Ninth, and Six of Crows I had to read it! As a fan of sapphic literature and heist movies I was super intrigued. But I don’t think it lived up to the comparisons of Muir’s Gideon the Ninth or Bardugo’s Six of Crows, while yes there will be an overlap between the fans of those novels I wouldn’t say it’s an apt comparison. There’s a distinct lack of character development and complex world building that would be expected with a comparison to those novels.

Hammajang Luck follows the more formulaic aspects of the heist genre but there was nothing within the characters themselves that stood out to make this more than an above average heist novel.

While the characterization and overall arcs of the characters were underdeveloped it was a breath of fresh air to see a diverse range of sapphic, trans, and non-binary characters existing. You can tell that there was a lot of love and passion put into the novel and put into the characters. Unfortunately, because there was such a large cast of characters and they fit into specific roles within the heist genre (mastermind, hacker, distraction, the rich Elon Musk-esque tech villain etc.) There wasn’t necessarily enough substance to them, which was unfortunate.

I loved the way butch identities were included and how they often subverted the expectation of butch characters. Seeing Edie, Duke, and Cy interact, play different roles in the heist, and simply just exist was fantastic.

Another really strong point was the discussions of class and socioeconomics. I absolutely loved the incorporation of Hawaiian Pidgin throughout the novel and Edie’s family ability to maintain cultural ties despite gentrification. I wish the world building had been stronger, I would’ve loved to know more about the world of Kepler and the crews life in the wards outside of small bits and pieces.

Angel and Edie’s relationship went literally from 0-100, like no real development at all both of their characters and relationship. It was quite obvious the direction they were going in but there just wasn’t enough substance or introspection to warrant it. If this was a fanfic it would work fine, but it’s not and I just wished there was more substance to their relationship besides “childhood friends turned enemies to having sex after a pre-heist mission.” It felt trope-y and fell flat of expectations. There such a great premise with the act of Angel’s betrayal of Edie and yet there’s barely any substantial development of how it really effects them just snippets of thoughts and conversations before they pine after each other. All moments of emotional and character depth kinda just stop before they can become something more.

The plot dragged in my opinion, there was so much build up to the heist but really not a lot of heist action going on.

Overall, Hammajang Luck was an enjoyable novel that beautifully incorporated diverse identities and class backgrounds. It didn’t reinvent the heist genre, but I don’t necessarily think it had to or was supposed to. It was a fun read that I would recommend to anyone that’s a fan of sapphic SFF and heists. It has its flaws but it also has some beautiful moments.

There was a lot I liked about this- a fun premise, a great setting and world. But overall I was never pulled in the way I wanted to be. I found myself a bit bored as I was not fully engaged with any of the characters.

Comparisons to Blade Runner, Gideon the Ninth, and Six of Crows put A LOT of pressure on a debut, so I prefer thinking of this as a fun mix between Cyberpunk 2077 and Mirror's Edge. It's set in a dystopian cyberpunk society in space (the space part isn't really a big deal minus an airlock part to the heist). A band of largely queer Street Kids are recruited to steal data from an evil Corpo villain. I did love that the acrobat character (grease man? was that the term from Ocean's Twelve?) was a former gymnast/current stripper, heck yeahhhh

I loved the relationship between the MC Edie and their sister. That was the strongest part of the book to me. Edie and Angel's romance though... I wasn't a huge fan and I blame Angel. Angel starts off as a cold Corpo bitch, Edie's ex-bff who betrayed them in events before the book starts, and then suddenly she thaws toward the end of the heist. BAM the two are in love and all is forgiven. idk...I didn't like Angel before then and I didn't like her after. It would take A LOT for me to forgive someone if they were the sole reason I went to prison for 8 years. Maybe I would've liked Angel more if we had a couple chapters from her POV. As it is, I'm putting a political sign that says EDIE MORIKAWA DESERVES BETTER 2024 on my imaginary front lawn.

The heist was fun! Could've been longer for The Drama, and there was sort of a deux ex machina bit, but still, fun! I did think the crew could've been fleshed out more (though I feel this way about most heist plots I consume), Duke and Nakano in particular. I personally don't see the two of them sticking around after the heist and think they'll just live the dream as ungodly rich lesbians in love vacationing through space. actually can I read that epilogue

I think maybe my main issue is that I wanted a longer book. More worldbuilding that way, more Evil Corpo Loser Joyce Atlas being an Evil Corpo Loser, more character/relationship development, more heist shenanigans. But still, this was a fun quick read with a happy ending. Mild spoiler: there's no child cancer death, so don't worry about that character! I was worrying hard

This book is an extremely queer heist standalone novel steeped with Hawaiian culture and light sci-fi elements and I loved every second it.

The heist was a well planned multi-step heist and the stakes always felt high. The main character, Edie is a lovable and interesting character who just got out of prison and wants to help their sister, who is a struggling single mother with a daughter who has cancer by doing one last heist with their ex-best friend Angel. I loved the familial elements between Edie and their sister and niece and nephew and all drama and growth between Edie and Angel as we learn more about Angel and her motivations behind the heist and for her past betrayal of Edie. The cast of characters for the heist are also very fun and interesting and I loved the romance and ending.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a queer heist novel. I does not disappoint.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Voyager for the opportunity to read and review this book early.

I stayed up late devouring this book. This is the snarky lesbian space heist of your dreams -- think Gideon the Ninth meets Ocean's Eleven. Full of action but also pathos, and so authentically voicey and fresh that you'll find yourself CHEE HOOOO-ing while scarfing down a plate of musubi. Absolutely fantastic, assured, thrilling debut -- will read everything Yamamoto writes after this.

One of my most highly anticipated upcoming releases–lesbian con artists doing a heist in space!--HAMMAJANG LUCK was enjoyable but ultimately fell short of my expectations in terms of world-building, plot, and romance.

Heist movies are my guilty pleasure. The Ocean’s franchise, The Italian Job, Charlie’s Angels, The Man from U.N.C.L.E.--I have watched these all multiple times. They are a perfect escapist genre for me: self-aware absurdity combined with impressive, intricately woven plots. For the first half or so of HAMMAJANG LUCK, I was able to look past its weaknesses and enjoy my reading experience. HAMMAJANG LUCK’s plot really isn’t new, but it was hitting the beats of a heist story right for me: the slow bringing together of a motley crew, the pre-heist lifts, the stern but brilliant mastermind (Angel) and their chaotic second (Edie). Beat for beat, HAMMAJANG LUCK reminded me of the Ocean’s movies, and that was great.

But then my attention and interest started to flag, and I was forced to reckon with the book’s biggest weakness: its minimal world-building. The story ostensibly takes place on a giant space station (?), Kepler. I know vaguely that Kepler consists of Wards on varying levels catering to people of different socioeconomic means, with differences in light and air quality, services, shops, etc. But I don’t see any of that in the book. I had to make a concerted effort to remind myself that this book supposedly takes place in outer space… because, honestly, it reads like it could just be happening on Earth.

We don’t get a good sense of how life on a space station is different. The characters in HAMMAJANG LUCK act, talk, and go about their daily routines like they’re living on Earth. They take showers (in normal bathrooms?), they eat off tables, they go to parks with their families. I wanted to get a better feel for the world. What does it look like to walk down a street in their ward? What can you see when you look up at a view supposedly blocked by the other, more well-off wards?

Even the heist itself doesn’t read like it has fully reckoned with the implications of committing a heist of that magnitude on a space station. The most it seemed to have been considered was when Edie was informing others how they needed to blow up a wall carefully because they didn’t want to risk depressurizing the area in which they’re in. Um, okay. No big deal, right?

Maybe some of this could have been explained by the fact that the story is set a mere century into our future? (In the 2100s.) But it’s the little things. Like how time is still told in 24-hour increments. Or how the monetary system (“credits”) seems like just a cut-and-paste job for “US dollars.” Or how their comms system is no better–and, one can argue, worse–than our current phones.

Now let’s talk about the characters. I liked the representation of lesbian, nonbinary, and trans characters. I liked the diversity. I LOVED the Hawaiian Pidgin (and wouldn’t have minded a whole book written in the language!). But… most of the secondary characters are mere sketches and archetypes. The immature and brash computer geek. The long-suffering but noble sister/mother. The Elon Musk-coded evil trillionaire who believes it’s his god-given right to have anything and anyone he wants. Even Edie and Angel read familiar: Edie the gruff, mouthy, but golden-hearted butch, Angel the beautiful and intelligent ice queen.

And finally, the romance. Going from 0 (constant snipes and glares) to 60 (sex) in the span of a few pages, AND we find out that they’ve been pining for one another for 20+ years? I wasn’t convinced. There was no character development to get them to that point, merely the setting aside of long-held misbeliefs about one another.

HAMMAJANG LUCK’s marketing suggests that it’s good for fans of Tamsyn Muir. It’s not. It doesn’t have the ingenuity, the impressiveness of the Locked Tomb series, the sense that you’ve stumbled across some genius artist with words. Instead, treat HAMMAJANG LUCK as a fast-paced escapist read along the lines of Yume Kitasei, Ryka Aoki, and Becky Chambers, and you’ll be more able to forgive its weaknesses and enjoy the ride.