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Sad Girl Hours
Book Review
I did enjoy it more once I had read the first few chapters
In Sad Girl Hours, there are two main characters, Saffron and Nell. Saffron struggles with seasonal affective disorder and finds it hard to cope during autumn and winter. Nell has decided to form a list of fun seasonal things for her and Saffron to do through the autumn to show Saffron that it can be a nice time of year.
The book focuses on a group of friends at university together but mainly Saffron and Nell. As they complete Nell’s list of activities the two of them become closer.
In the opening paragraph we immediately find out about Nell’s love for all things autumnal and the fake New Year’s Eve party her and her friend Jenna are going to where Nell will later meet Saffron.
Unfortunately I did find the book quite hard to get into as it isn’t the usual style of book I would read however it was still brilliant and I did enjoy it more once I had read the first few chapters.
At the end, Saffron realises she can enjoy the colder months as long as she gets the support she needs.
The cover art is so pretty- lots of autumnal colours and just a general cosy feel to it. I think it really sets the mood for the book itself.
Overall, I enjoyed Sad Girl Hours and I think many other teens would too.
About the Book
Saffron struggles with seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and is dreading autumn and winter. She took time off in her first year at university and can’t afford to do the same this year if she’s going to achieve her dream of being an astrophysicist.
She’s managed to keep it a secret from her friends – fearing that they won’t want to spend time with her if they see her at her lowest – but it’s getting harder. Especially when she meets Nell.
Nell – wannabe poet, autistic and proud, and lover of autumn and winter – is determined to show Saffron everything these seasons have to offer.
The two grow close, and when Saffron confides in Nell, romance blooms. But with Saffron struggling to keep a lid on her mental health and Nell figuring out her own sexual identity, things soon spiral out of control.
Author
Anna Zoe Quirke
Anna Zoe Quirke is a queer and autistic British author, librarian, and freelance writer based in Manchester, known for creating energetic young adult stories that center queer and neurodivergent characters. Their debut novel Something to Be Proud Of won the Northern Writers’ Award for Debut YA Fiction in 2022, was published in 2024, and received a Carnegie Award nomination in 2025, and they followed it with Sad Girl Hours in 2025. In addition to fiction, Quirke writes about mental health, disability, neurodivergence, and LGBTQ+ issues for various organisations while balancing life with their wife and a notably grumpy tortoise.
Reviewer Profile
Amelia, 14
- Reviews: 8
- Likes: baking, paddle boarding and art
- Dislikes: homework and maths
- Favourite Book: Cinderella is Dead by Kalynn Bayron
- Favourite Film: Mean Girls
- Favourite Song: A.M. by One Direction
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