brigidnotbrigit's reviews
101 reviews

Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

I want to say I didn’t enjoy this book, but I also binged the entire thing in a day/couldn’t stop listening to it. So take with that what you will.

The three plots came together decently well, but also not well enough for the narrative to feel truly cohesive. At times, I was touched by the ally ship and support of Katrina, and at other points it felt so incredibly forced. I’m not sure how I truly feel about the presentation of Katrina’s queerness in the narrative. Also, occasionally things happened in the book that truly felt like shock horror, and I don’t know why the scenes regarding self harm were added. They felt so preposterous it almost felt comedic, but that tone isn’t appropriate.

Anyway, I did enjoy kind of using my music degree and the fun Easter eggs that I got to have. Overall not an awful reading experience, but one I’m perplexed by.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Transphobia, Sexual harassment

Moderate: Child death, Homophobia, Racism, Self harm, Lesbophobia, War

Minor: Alcoholism, Rape, Xenophobia

Disability Intimacy by Alice Wong

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

Another incredible essay collection edited by Alice Wong! Loved the emphasis on multiple forms of intimacy, not just sexual. A must read for all, disabled or not. This book validates a lot of my own experiences as well, which is always nice to feel less alone.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Chronic illness, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Medical trauma, Sexual harassment

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Abortion, Colonisation, Classism, Pandemic/Epidemic

Minor: Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Transphobia, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Acephobia/Arophobia, Schizophrenia/Psychosis

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Did not finish book. Stopped at 15%.

I’m not in a place where I can emotionally handle reading a book I know ends

with almost everyone dying tragically

and is about WWII Germany right now, as much as I wish I was.

The Magic Fish by Trung Le Nguyen

emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

The ending hit me like a truck holy cow. Didn’t think I was gonna cry until the final page.

Disability Visibility: First-Person Stories from the Twenty-First Century by Alice Wong

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

5.0

Incredible anthology of a diverse range of disabled voices! I love the disability community and the writing that comes from it never fails to make me think about things in a new way. A must read.

Also, highly recommend the audiobook so you can listen to Alice Wong read her own writing.

A Song For You And I by K. O'Neill

adventurous lighthearted reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Another incredible K. O’Neill book! The art is stunning and I loved the story. I wish the world was a bit more fleshed out

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Dysphoria

Minor: Deadnaming

Neuroqueer Heresies by Nick Walker

informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

3.5

Parts one and two were very basic, neurodiversity 101 which I didn’t really need or enjoy, but the third part was solid and insightful. Will be recommending specific essays to people who are struggling to embrace their neurodiversity. I wish there was more discussion regarding queerness’s relationship with neurodiversity, especially trans people and neurodiversity.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism

Minor: Drug use

Street Magic by Tamora Pierce

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Briar and Rosethorn’s relationship means everything to me.

Magic Steps by Tamora Pierce

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

It was good but I find myself missing the found family of Circle of Magic :( the tone shift from middle grade to YA was sharp and fast, but once I got used to it it was a fun read.

Bloom by Kevin Panetta

emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I think the pacing could’ve been better, but I do love Hector