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bugle's reviews
92 reviews
Yours for the Taking by Gabrielle Korn
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.5
As a leftist nonbinary trans person, I was intrigued by the premise of this book but absolutely hated the execution. So many of the author’s decisions about the plot and behavior of the characters didn’t fit with how the world and people work today and simply weren’t supported by enough context for them to make sense in the story setting. The first third read like a horror novel, and I spent the last third just wanting it to be over already after realizing what the author’s angle was. I wish this had been written by someone else.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Child death, Drug abuse, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting
Behind You Is the Sea by Susan Muaddi Darraj
emotional
reflective
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
The Free People's Village by Sim Kern
inspiring
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? No
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Transphobia, and Police brutality
Moderate: Addiction, Deadnaming, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Gaslighting
Minor: Antisemitism
The Membranes by Chi Ta-wei
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement and Rape
On a Sunbeam by Tillie Walden
adventurous
emotional
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? No
4.5
The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault and Police brutality
The Boy with a Bird in His Chest by Emme Lund
emotional
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
5.0
Set My Heart to Five by Simon Stephenson
hopeful
lighthearted
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Maybe I just wasn't in the right headspace for this book, but it didn't make me feel much, which was disappointing considering the entire thing was about emotions. I finished the whole thing because the writing was engaging enough, but I was ready for it to be over about two-thirds of the way in. I was also really frustrated by the author's suggestion that gluten intolerance is analogous to a belief that one is allergic to only orange cats; it doesn't seem like enough research was done about small thoughts like that one.
Love After the End: An Anthology of Two-Spirit and Indigiqueer Speculative Fiction by Joshua Whitehead
hopeful
medium-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0