sunnybugz's reviews
19 reviews

From Here to Eternity: Traveling the World to Find the Good Death by Caitlin Doughty

emotional informative inspiring fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Grief

Moderate: Body horror

Gender Failure by Rae Spoon, Ivan Coyote

emotional funny hopeful informative slow-paced

4.0

Another book I read for class- I adore this book, and how it represents trans life. Our pains, our joys, and our day-to-day experiences. The experience of growing up trans is written so accurately it hurt. The back and forth split between writers gets confusing at times, but each story is so well done and written beautifully.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Deadnaming, Homophobia, Transphobia, and Lesbophobia

What Unbreakable Looks Like by Kate McLaughlin

adventurous dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring fast-paced

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

5.0

One of the most beautiful books I've ever read. Perfectly represents life as a survivor of sexual assault- I appreciate that it didn't gloss over the ugly parts. Lex is allowed to feel the pain, and anger, and trauma- but she is also allowed to heal. She's allowed to have hope, and have good things happen to her. Her pain is so, so real, but so is her joy. I don't think I've ever gotten through this book without dissolving into a puddle of tears. This book is so important to me as a survivor, and one of the books I'll read over and over again.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Drug abuse, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Medical content, and Trafficking

Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Incest, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Alcohol

Minor: Suicide

The 57 Bus: A True Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime That Changed Their Lives by Dashka Slater

informative inspiring sad medium-paced

4.0

Read this book for class- a very interesting memoir. As a genderqueer autistic person, I related to Sasha a lot. But as someone who grew up poor and in a rough neighbourhood, I emphasized deeply with Richard. I appreciate the in-depth discussion about the failures of the justice system- especially the juvenile justice system. I appreciate how Richard wasn't made out to be an extreme villain, but rather a teenager who did something terrible but is growing from it. The pacing wasn't my favourite, and the writing felt somewhat flat at times, but the story itself is very important.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Homophobia, Transphobia, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Gun violence, Racism, and Grief

A Conspiracy of Bones by Kathy Reichs

adventurous challenging dark informative mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

5.0

The plot of this one was so interesting- deeply disturbing, but fascinating. Seeing Brennan question her own reality as they move through the story was wild, especially since the reader has no clue whether or not she's perceiving things correctly. One of the most terrifying plots by far, but fantastically written. The interpersonal relationships in this one are incredibly interesting as well- I love to see this incredibly brave and daring side of Brennan.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Medical content, and Murder

Moderate: Child abuse, Trafficking, and Kidnapping

Bones of the Lost by Kathy Reichs

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

The most heartbreaking book of the series- I don't think any of them have left me as emotional as this one did. Temperance's insistence on honoring the teenage victim even when others are making snap judgements is so important. The main case was the most interesting, but the B and C plots were also fantastic- I love getting to see Brennan's interpersonal relationships, especially with Katie and Ryan.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Pedophilia, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Grief, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

The Bone Code by Kathy Reichs

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Some of the craziest plots of any of the Temperance Brennan novels- had me on the edge of my seat the entire time especially for the end of the book. All of the mysteries are set up fantastically- you spend the whole book making theories about who is behind everything, and the truth is more shocking than anything you thought of. On the plot-driven end of the Brennan novels, but done so well.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Confinement and Abandonment

Minor: Alcoholism

Bones Never Lie by Kathy Reichs

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

One of my favourite books in the series- I genuinely could not stop reading it (sorry to my teachers who I ignored to read this book <3). This book had some of the most shocking twists of the whole series- I could never predict what was going to happen next (especially with the ending). Brennan's emotions through the whole book are also so interesting- as she deals with the guilt that comes along with unsolved cases and everything else that comes with her job.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Blood, and Murder

Moderate: Child abuse, Cursing, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Kidnapping

Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, and Torture

Déjà Dead by Kathy Reichs

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

One of my absolute favourite books of the series- one of the most disturbing cases, for sure, but so interesting to read. The twist of

Gabby's death

was so well done- the whole story, you know it's coming, but it still crushes you when it happens. The introduction to Brennan's character is really well done, and you feel like you know these characters already. So fantastically written, definitely one of my favourite books :-)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Medical content