Reviews tagging 'Suicidal thoughts'

You Better Be Lightning by Andrea Gibson

16 reviews

bugsybugs's review

emotional inspiring slow-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Bullying, Death, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Homophobia, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Infidelity, Grief, and Rape

bookishobserver's review

emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

4.0

As far as poetry goes, my favorites are always wrapped up in yearning or want, love, even if it's unrequited, and complicated relationships. Whether those relationships are with the writer’s self or another person. There was a decent amount of that in this collection of poems, but not enough to knock the book above an even four stars. I appreciate the messages throughout the writing, but some of it felt like two separate ideas smooshed into one which worked sometimes, but other times didn’t.

I think the answer to ‘what is poetry?’ is very broad, and Gibson runs with that. There are poems that read more like short, flash fiction, but I loved them. ‘To Whom It Definitely Concerns’ is my favorite example, and when they write about their chronic pain, I relate the most. ‘Love Letter to the Tick That Got Me Sick’ was a fantastic, beautiful piece of writing that finds the most positive outcomes out of an awful illness. Thanking the tick for sparing their niece, and choosing to focus on breadcrumbs of hope made that piece of writing in particular stick to my heart. I’ll end this with one of my favorite lines:

𝐼𝑓 𝑤𝑒 𝑛𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑦
𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑡𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝑒𝑛𝑑
𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑦,
𝑤𝑒 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑤𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑒 𝑖𝑡
𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑎𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑓𝑢𝑙
𝑤ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑒 𝑤𝑒'𝑟𝑒 𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑣𝑒.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

another_average_bibliophile's review

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Suicide, and Self harm

_bailey_reads_'s review

dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

4.75

This poetry book was stunning. I loved every single word. Certain poems I find myself going back to again and again because of how deeply I felt them and related to them. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship

the_vegan_bookworm's review

emotional reflective fast-paced

5.0

Another beautiful poetry collection from Andrea Gibson. As always, their work strikes a chord deep within me and pulls my feelings out into the open. Andrea is incredibly vulnerable and raw in the most moving way. 

Some particular favourites include:

• Acceptance speech after setting the world record in goosebumps
• Time piece
• Queer youth are five times more likely to die by suicide
• No such thing as the innocent bystander
• To whom it definitely concerns
• Every time i ever said I want to die
• What can't be taken
• Wellness check
• What you wish you'd said to the high school guidance counselor
• What sucks about the afterlife

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Grief, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Transphobia, and Mental illness

Moderate: Child abuse and Pedophilia

serena_andherstories's review

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Drug abuse, Sexual assault, Death, Suicidal thoughts, and Child abuse

smallish_bird's review

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

4.75

"There is no escaping the magic now.
Beauty caught me and never let me go." - Acceptance Speech After Setting The World Record in Goosebumps by A. Gibson 

A lovely collection of personal poetry/prose meant to inspire hope.

There is so much love, introspection, and beauty in this book; compassionate nuance is foundational to to Gibson's writing. I'm in awe of their metaphors, the creative ways they frame the complex and mundanity. Their work is concise and clearly communicated, and it's a joy to reflect upon. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness

Moderate: Chronic illness, Death, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Sexual content, and Addiction

Minor: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, and Medical content

bookwormbi's review

emotional funny hopeful reflective medium-paced

4.5

this is such a beautifully written book. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Suicidal thoughts, Medical trauma, Chronic illness, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, and Terminal illness

julestx's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced

5.0

🖤⚡️🖤 Use caution if you listen to the audiobook while driving. I had to stop a few times to cry from how beautiful and touching these poems are.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Mental illness, Child abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexual assault

e_flah's review

emotional hopeful reflective

4.0

You Better Be Lightning was a moving poetry collection that really has something for everyone. I loved the range of subjects covered with Gibson's thoughtful, earnest lens. Prose poetry isn't my favorite style of poetry but I'm glad I gave this collection a try.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Homophobia and Suicidal thoughts

depression