readingrainbill's reviews
475 reviews

Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi

adventurous dark sad tense fast-paced

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

3.0

The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory

funny hopeful lighthearted medium-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

3.0

The Chimpanzee Whisperer by David Blissett, Stany Nyandwi

adventurous emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

 A fantastic book about an amazing life and a true hero in conservation. I recommend this for anyone who supports conservation. 

The Autumnal: The Complete Series by Daniel Kraus

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.0

This is a strong comic series that unfortunately tapers off near the end. The slow burn deserved at least one more issue so the climax didn't feel rushed.

The art was great and the whole thing had a nice subdued spooky feeling to it and this has the potential to be a movie one day. Possibly by A24 starring Florence Pugh.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for letting me read this arc for free in exchange for an honest review. 

Tomorrow, Make Me Yours by Kaoruko Miyama

lighthearted fast-paced

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

3.0

It's a good gay romance though not my favorite. I would have liked it all drawn out a bit more, make us care for the characters a little before you put them in a relationship.

But it's still cute and worth a read.

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense 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

5.0

Tremendously well written and outstandingly powerful. Books written in verse can be hit or miss and this one hits hard. Everything matters and it shows that Jason Reynolds is a master. 

I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston

funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-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

My favorite McQuiston book so far. It's a good story that didn't play out like I thought it would so bonus points for that. 

There's a nice diverse group of characters that felt natural and McQuiston never comes off like a try-hard, which is nice. 

The relationships grew naturally and I liked all the main characters and I would very much like a sequel or a follow up novella just to get more of them. 

This book also covers staunch southern Christians and I think it did it wonderfully. McQuiston didn't hesitate to call out the hate and hipocrisy but she's also never mean and does acknowledge that practice without all the hate. 

All in all this was a well done book that kept me engaged until the very last page. 

Night of the Living Rez by Morgan Talty

dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

4.0

First off thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for giving me the ARC in exchange for an honest review. 

This book is dark, gritty, and real. It says it's "stories" but don't expect a short story collection. This is a novel broken up between two stories that tie together. 

Night of the Living Rez jumps back and fort in time and it can get confusing but by the end it all makes sense. 

This is a sad story but not in the "cry your eyes out" sort of way but more of the lack of hope kind of sad. 

This was well written and an important book to read but just make sure you're in the right mindset to read it first. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug use

Minor: Sexual assault and Toxic friendship

Tears of the Giraffe by Alexander McCall Smith

lighthearted slow-paced

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

1.5

Ciguatera, Volume 1 by Minoru Furuya

dark medium-paced

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

2.0

This is not very good. It seems like a slightly darker slice of life then it will suddenly have a scene that's way darker for no apparent reason. Why do we see a random characters boobs? No idea. Why do we learn another side character is selling her body? No idea, it doesn't seem to matter at all. It seems like a slice of life that loses its focus. 

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for letting read an eArc.