This is a nearly impossible book to review. If you‘ve read this book, please share your thoughts! A study of grief in some ways, grotesquely exploitative in others. Deeply conflicting and controversial. I‘ll give it 3/5 stars, but with the potential to have been 5/5 stars for me.

Full review: https://reneereadsbooks.wordpress.com/2020/05/08/book-review-the-discomfort-of-e...

A heavy, dense book, but completely worth the effort. 5/5 stars.

Full review: https://reneereadsbooks.wordpress.com/2020/04/09/book-review-beloved-by-toni-mor...

A beautiful, heartbreaking, and painfully relevant story. A young couple in love and newly pregnant fall victim to racism and a corrupt police force. Like every Baldwin I‘ve read before, 5/5 stars.

Full review: https://reneereadsbooks.wordpress.com/

A really great read! 4 novellas that are astute satires of very real issues, 4/5 stars.

Full review: https://reneereadsbooks.wordpress.com/2020/03/16/book-review-radicalized-by-cory...

A powerful, inspirational memoir. 5/5 stars!

Full review: https://reneereadsbooks.wordpress.com/2020/03/08/book-review-from-the-ashes-by-j...

My first Lars Kepler! 3/5 stars

Full review: https://reneereadsbooks.wordpress.com/2020/02/24/3942/

Loved this book 🖤 A coming of age story, a trickster story, and a story of multi-generational trauma. Can‘t wait to read some more Robinson. 4/5 stars!

Full review: https://reneereadsbooks.wordpress.com/2020/02/23/book-review-son-of-a-trickster-...

A compulsively readable memoir. Habib has lived life of intense experiences - some good, and some very bad. This is her journey to discovering her identity and redefining her faith. 4/5 stars.

Full review: https://reneereadsbooks.wordpress.com/2020/02/17/book-review-we-have-always-been...

A book for the #metoo movement. It‘s ultimately about imbalances in power and wealth, and how this impacts the health of a community. An unrelenting look at poverty and addiction, set in St. John‘s Newfoundland. 4/5 stars.

Full review: https://reneereadsbooks.wordpress.com/2020/02/13/book-review-small-game-hunting-...

Reading Stephen King is always fun, even when the story is about kids being kidnapped, incarcerated, and forced to undergo brutal experiments and punishments. 4/5 stars!

Full review: https://reneereadsbooks.wordpress.com/2020/02/06/book-review-the-institute-by-st...

I adored this book. A perfect #ownvoices alternative to American Dirt. 4/5 stars.

Full review: https://reneereadsbooks.wordpress.com/2020/02/01/book-review-the-book-of-unknown...

An extreme difficult book to review. Those who contemplate the meaning of life, society, and the point of anything – you may find some value here. Crime fiction readers looking for something completely different may enjoy this too. That said, I can‘t say I‘d recommend this to anyone else.

Full review: https://reneereadsbooks.wordpress.com/2020/01/30/book-review-nothing-important-h...

A coming of age / dysfunctional family / domestic thriller / mystery. It was ok. CW: descriptions of sexual assault involving children, domestic abuse.

Full review: https://reneereadsbooks.wordpress.com/2020/01/26/book-review-unspeakable-things-...

This is, more or less, a fictional account of the Gypsy Rose Blanchard story. With a twist. 3/5 stars.

Full review: https://reneereadsbooks.wordpress.com/2020/01/13/book-review-darling-rose-gold-b...

Perfection. I adored this book from the first page to the last 5/5 stars!

Full review: https://reneereadsbooks.wordpress.com/2019/12/31/book-review-olive-again-by-eliz...

Whitehead shines a light on a dark and painful part of American history in The Nickel Boys. I‘m grateful to him for telling this story.

Full review: https://reneereadsbooks.wordpress.com/2019/12/31/book-review-the-nickel-boys-by-...

If you‘ve read Aciman you‘ll know that he has an ability to tap into desire like no one else, and Find Me is no exception. However those looking for a continuation of Call Me By Your Name May be left wanting more. 4/5 stars

Full Review: https://reneereadsbooks.wordpress.com/2019/11/25/book-review-find-me-by-andre-ac...

With characters you get deeply invested in, Correspondents is a perfect read for anyone looking for humanity in an extremely polarizing time. 5/5 stars

Full review: https://reneereadsbooks.wordpress.com/2019/11/13/book-review-correspondents-by-t...

5/5 stars.

Kim delivers family drama, intrigue, and poignant insights with Miracle Creek. This was a fantastic read for me, and I‘d highly recommend it to anyone looking for a moving story to get lost in.

Full review: https://reneereadsbooks.wordpress.com/2019/08/10/book-review-miracle-creek-by-an...

Craig Davidson continues to surprise in this work about the power and fragility of memory, and the lengths we go to to protect those we love. 4/5 stars.

Full Review: https://reneereadsbooks.wordpress.com/2019/01/19/book-review-the-saturday-night-...

My favorite King (to date)! It‘s dark and disturbing, and utterly terrifying. 5 stars!

Full review: https://reneereadsbooks.wordpress.com/2018/11/12/book-review-pet-sematary-by-ste...

With perfect pacing and tension, this was a home run for me. 5 stars!

Full review: https://reneereadsbooks.wordpress.com/2018/11/09/book-review-give-me-your-hand-b...

Not my favourite Joe Hill to date, but still a totally fun ride!

Full review: https://reneereadsbooks.wordpress.com/2018/10/25/book-review-heart-shaped-box-by...

A grim take on the ways in which we process violent crime, this story truly surprised me. 4/5 stars!

Full review: https://reneereadsbooks.wordpress.com/2018/10/14/book-review-sabrina-by-nick-drn...

A unique work of fiction, but not one that is likely to stay with me.

Full review: https://reneereadsbooks.wordpress.com/?p=3814

This one sort of hit in the middle for me - an important read, but lacking in emotional connection. A interesting choice for Man Booker!

Full review: https://reneereadsbooks.wordpress.com/?p=3809

Razor sharp wit, yet a narrative that felt disjointed. So close to greatness, but it fell a bit short for me. Still a worthwhile read!

Full review: https://reneereadsbooks.wordpress.com/2018/09/03/book-review-white-teeth-by-zadi...

So damn close to being a home run, but a tie-in to the Bill Hodges trilogy and a supernatural twist took away from it a little. Still a great read! 4/5 stars

Full review: https://reneereadsbooks.wordpress.com/2018/08/18/book-review-the-outsider-by-ste...

Whew, what a journey! If you enjoy crime fiction or police procedurals, this is a must read. 5 stars.

Fill review: https://reneereadsbooks.wordpress.com/2018/08/12/book-review-snap-by-belinda-bau...

While not a masterpiece in terms of writing quality, this was a unique and fun thriller that kept me flipping the pages. 3/5 stars.

Full review: https://reneereadsbooks.wordpress.com/2018/08/09/book-review-find-you-in-the-dar...

A book that asks complex questions without surmising a moral standpoint. Jamie Quatro is a phenomenal writer. 5/5 stars.

Full review: https://reneereadsbooks.wordpress.com/2018/07/31/book-review-fire-sermon-by-jami...

A culturally significant take on a multiple narrative storyline; these are stories of the “urban Indian”. 5/5 stars

Full review: https://reneereadsbooks.wordpress.com/2018/07/31/book-review-there-there-by-tomm...

A good book that suffers from over complication (read: too many characters named Leland or Lee).

Full review: https://reneereadsbooks.wordpress.com/2018/07/27/book-review-the-comewdown-by-re...

This boos isn‘t good for true crime, it‘s just a damn good book. Chilling, but so worth the read. 5 stars.

Full review: https://reneereadsbooks.wordpress.com/?p=3762

A book that poses the question: if you knew the date of your death, how would you choose to live your life? Heartbreaking and refreshing - 5/5 stars.

Full review: https://reneereadsbooks.wordpress.com/2018/07/21/book-review-the-immortalists-by...

A biting satire that is equal parts scary and funny - it‘s way better than “You”.

Full review: https://reneereadsbooks.wordpress.com/2018/07/02/book-review-hidden-bodies-by-ca...

Fantastic new speculative fiction from one of my favorite emerging writers. Release date: August 7, 2018

Full review: https://reneereadsbooks.wordpress.com/2018/05/30/book-review-foe-by-ian-reid/

Stunningly beautiful and painfully tragic. James Baldwin continues to astound me.

Full review: https://reneereadsbooks.wordpress.com/2018/05/02/book-review-giovannis-room-by-j...

Deliciously creepy. Absolutely amazing. Loved it!

Full review: https://reneereadsbooks.wordpress.com/2018/04/30/book-review-the-talented-mr-rip...

An OK book that wanted to be The Talented Mr Ripley. Enjoyable, but all too familiar.

Full review: https://reneereadsbooks.wordpress.com/2018/04/26/book-review-tangerine-by-christ...

Both stunning and devastating, an epic story that captivated me from the first page. 5/5 stars!

Full review: https://reneereadsbooks.wordpress.com/2018/04/12/book-review-the-great-alone-by-...

Absolutely brilliant if you‘re willing to dig beneath the surface. It‘s dark and heavy, and perfectly atmospheric. 5/5 massive stars for me.

Full review: https://reneereadsbooks.wordpress.com/2018/04/08/book-review-im-thinking-of-endi...

Another great Aciman read! In this one, the friendship is explored rather than romantic relationships (though those are in here too).

Full review: https://reneereadsbooks.wordpress.com/2018/04/06/book-review-harvard-square-by-a...

I was really looking forward to this one, but decided to put it down at 31%. It just didn‘t work for me.

My thoughts: https://reneereadsbooks.wordpress.com/2018/04/04/book-review-the-favorie-sister-...

In our divided political climate, books like this are important. Bala questions the immigration process and asks tough questions of both her readers and her characters. A valuable Canada Reads contender.

Full review: https://reneereadsbooks.wordpress.com/2018/03/26/book-review-the-boat-people-by-...

A dark and fantastic YA that needs to be in Canadian classrooms.

Full review: https://reneereadsbooks.wordpress.com/2018/03/23/book-review-the-marrow-theives-...

A solid dystopian contribution, but not my favourite.

Full review: https://reneereadsbooks.wordpress.com/2018/03/22/book-review-american-war-by-oma...

Another stunning work - 5/5 stars.

Full review: https://reneereadsbooks.wordpress.com/2018/03/19/book-review-enigma-variations-b...

A moving story about loosing the American dream, what it means to be black in America, and the search for love and loyalty.

Full review: https://reneereadsbooks.wordpress.com/2018/03/07/book-review-an-american-marriag...

Not the most unique story, but fun and absorbing regardless.

Full review: https://reneereadsbooks.wordpress.com/2018/03/05/book-review-the-woman-in-the-wi...