rayinbooks's reviews
124 reviews

Anxious People by Fredrik Backman

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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

4.25

Mayflies by Andrew O'Hagan

dark emotional funny reflective sad tense fast-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? It's complicated

4.75

I'm a Fan by Sheena Patel

dark funny reflective fast-paced

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

4.25

Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan

dark reflective sad 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? N/A

5.0

পান্তাভাতে by गुलज़ार

funny lighthearted fast-paced

5.0

Happy Place by Emily Henry

emotional funny sad medium-paced

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

4.0

Whereabouts by Jhumpa Lahiri

mysterious reflective fast-paced

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

5.0

If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin

challenging emotional reflective sad fast-paced

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

5.0

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

dark emotional reflective sad tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

Never read anything like this in my 24 years of existence. This is perhaps the only book which made me physically get up from my seat and take deep breaths before I could actually grasp the contents of the pages I had just read. Even though it moved me, I would probably not recommend it to anyone I know, considering how traumatic it gets as the book traverses.
That being said, if I could muster the strength to read it all over again, I would.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Torture, Toxic relationship, Excrement, Stalking, Abandonment

I Am Not Your Negro: A Companion Edition to the Documentary Film Directed by Raoul Peck by James Baldwin, Raoul Peck

dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism