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alisonvh's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
I always say I don’t like poetry, but then when I read it, I really enjoy it. The poems in this collection are so good I was sad to finish the book. I read a library copy, but I’m seriously considering buying a copy to add to my own collection.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, and Sexual assault
latitudea's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
4.25
I received this e-book at no cost in exchange for an honest review.
The last book of poetry I read was ZigZag Girl by Brenna Twohy. Wait, actually, I lied; it was The Age of Discovery by Alan Michael Parker, but that was for school. The last time I listened to any of Andrea Gibson’s poetry was when I was in my senior year of high school, and also sometimes when it comes up on my Spotify, but that’s involuntary. My favorite poem is “Sorrow is Not My Name” by Ross Gay, and most of my poetry reading comes from either poetry I have to read in school or screenshots that my friend Noor sends me through Discord DMs, or tucked into the body of a letter.
Andrea Gibson was also probably the first person I heard talk about their gender in any way that felt meaningful to me, and it would take me another three years to find pronouns that fit me, even though the year I first heard them speak was the year I found my own name and told other people about it.
Some poems start off a little silly before they move into heartrending, like “The Museum of Broken Relationships”, some poems start off heartrending and stay that way, like “Time Piece”; all would be better read out loud to me in a little bookshop downtown while I hold a cup of overpriced coffee in my hands.
The following poems made me tear up:
QUEER YOUTH ARE FIVE TIMES MORE LIKELY TO DIE BY SUICIDE
EVERY TIME I EVER SAID I WANT TO DIE
WHAT LOVE IS
MY GENDER IS THE UNDOING OF GENDER
THE NIGHT SHIFT
QUEER YOUTH ARE FIVE TIMES MORE LIKELY TO DIE BY SUICIDE
EVERY TIME I EVER SAID I WANT TO DIE
WHAT LOVE IS
MY GENDER IS THE UNDOING OF GENDER
THE NIGHT SHIFT
If you’re looking for a queer book of poetry, you can’t go wrong with the hundred and twenty-eight pages that belong to YOU BETTER BE LIGHTNING. You can buy it here from Bookshop.org, or borrow it from your local library. (4.25 stars)
This review is copy+pasted from my blog at Latitude's Library: find it here geographreads.wordpress.com.
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual assault, Child abuse, and Suicidal thoughts
sara_m_martins's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.75
I can always trust Button Poetry to publish incredible collections and this one is no different!
I knew Andrea Gibson's material, as I often watch their performances on Button Poetry's YouTube channel, but this collection is too great not to amaze.
A few went over my head or weren't for me, but I think every single one is incredibly good and for 99% of them I felt deeply moved.
While I think there's a particular soft spot that will hit queer people more squarely, this collection talks about all types of love and, thus, i think all people could benefit from it.
when I say god - I mean everyone
down here who understands why
when I get to heaven,
I will refuse to call it heaven
if the pople I love
(who put me through hell)
aren't there.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC.
I knew Andrea Gibson's material, as I often watch their performances on Button Poetry's YouTube channel, but this collection is too great not to amaze.
A few went over my head or weren't for me, but I think every single one is incredibly good and for 99% of them I felt deeply moved.
While I think there's a particular soft spot that will hit queer people more squarely, this collection talks about all types of love and, thus, i think all people could benefit from it.
when I say god - I mean everyone
down here who understands why
when I get to heaven,
I will refuse to call it heaven
if the pople I love
(who put me through hell)
aren't there.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Sexual assault, Chronic illness, Mental illness, Homophobia, Transphobia, and Child abuse
hbc72's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual assault and Child abuse
moonyreadsbystarlight's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
5.0
Andrea Gibson has put out another heartbreaking, heartmending collection. While this collection hits on many topics, with each peice, this digs deep into love -- not just romance, but the love you put out to the world, love of people, family, friends, learning to love yourself, love in the face of some of the hardest things. This is another brilliant poetry collection that I know I will continue to revisit.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Chronic illness, Suicide, and Self harm
armontheroad's review against another edition
emotional
funny
4.0
TW/CWs: Sexual assault, rape, self-harm, depression, chronic illness, homophobia, transphobia, etc.
Very appreciative to have received an E-ARC from Button Poetry through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Very appreciative to have received an E-ARC from Button Poetry through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Immediately after finishing this, I went online to watch Andrea Gibson performing their poems live. My god, they are such a talented poet!! The wordplay is immaculate. A lot of these poems discuss hard topics, but it’s done brilliantly. Gibson knows just when to throw humor into their pieces, when to cut things short, and when to run with their point. With discussions on climate change, space, politics, transness, queerness, chronic illness, and being a rape survivor, this collection is unbelievably moving and deeply personal.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Rape, Pedophilia, Self harm, Mental illness, Chronic illness, Adult/minor relationship, Homophobia, and Transphobia
skudiklier's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.75
Usually when I'm reading an ARC to review, I take a lot of notes while I read, so that no matter what I think of the book I'll have something to say after. While reading You Better Be Lightning, I took three notes during the first couple poems, and then absolutely forgot to take any more for the entire rest of the book. I was just so sucked into the poems that all I could do was read them. There were a couple footnotes I found hilarious that I took screenshots of, but just because I loved them so much, not for the review.
So many of the poems in this book took my breath away, and it was so hard not to share them with any of my friends. I can't wait for this book to come out so that I can tell them to read it.
I didn't love every poem, but I loved most of them, and I loved some of them a lot. I'm so glad I got the opportunity to read this book; thank you to Netgalley and Button Poetry for the chance to read and review this ARC.
So many of the poems in this book took my breath away, and it was so hard not to share them with any of my friends. I can't wait for this book to come out so that I can tell them to read it.
I didn't love every poem, but I loved most of them, and I loved some of them a lot. I'm so glad I got the opportunity to read this book; thank you to Netgalley and Button Poetry for the chance to read and review this ARC.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
Moderate: Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Homophobia, Transphobia, and Suicidal thoughts
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