Renee James

A Kind of Justice by Renee James is an amazing read and before I break down why I loved it I want to say thank you to NetGalley and Oceanview Publishing for the ARC, which I received in exchange for my honest review.
I picked this book up because of a few reasons, first and foremost being my best friend is transgender. I have gone to college talks we have watched movies but I have never read a book where the lead is this amazing fire cracker that is Bobbi Logan. Not only do you get an awesome glance at how the trans community lives this is a great murder mystery for those who love the who done it kind of reads.

Right from the first few pages I was drawn into the world of Bobbi Logan a trans woman who is also a sister, aunt and popular hairdresser. there is so much dimension and personality that gives the story a kind of edgy feel to it but discloses nothing until the very end.
Bobbi’s life is a roller coaster that she is just getting a handle on. Before her transition Bobbi was a married man and the story brings Bobbi back face to face with her ex-wife Betsy and her daughter not only does Bobbi balance work, the murder and her family but she does it with so much style that you the reader find yourself cheering her on even if you don’t know if she is the killer.
Detective Wilkins doesn't really regard himself as transphobic. He is just determined to resurrect an old murder case and close the case like a good cop should. The murder of John Strand, a respected business man, has continued to trouble him. Throughout the plot of the story the detective discovers that Strand is not a good man but still feels justice must be done. But what kind exactly?

Bobbi is a beautiful character. As she seeks to understand what it is to be a woman she goes through the pain of yearning for real love that so many people face. This story makes you think opens your heart to equality and most importantly makes you love books even more. Even though this is the second book this is so well written it can stand on its own two feet brilliantly. 4.5 stars for the perfect justice.
… (meer)

This is my third Renee James book to read about Bobbi and probably the toughest one for me to get through. My issue wasn’t the writing which was great as usual but some of the content because of how vivid and detailed James writes.

Her character work allows you to explore the world around Bobbi, her protagonist who is a transwoman, thanks to some interesting supporting characters. Her characters are definitely the best part of the story as the plot line is pretty brutal. In Bobbi we find a strong woman, a rape survivor, and someone who is still dealing with the psychological torment of what was done to her.

I lost track of how often my heart felt like it was being ripped to shreds, my body tense from the horror unfolding before my eyes, or my eyes dripping with tears at the evil humanity is willing to inflict on each other for the most asinine of reasons. At times this book nearly became too depressing to continue but I felt forced to continue because I had to know where this story would lead.

If you have issues with violence and rape scenes, you may need to steer clear of James as she doesn’t hold her punches which I found to be a good thing because it provides a deeper experience into understanding the character of Bobbi not to mention taboo subjects. But if you’re willing to give her a chance you’ll also find she has an insightful ability to create a love story; one that forces you to recognize our tendency to prejudge people and how we would be better off waiting until we know them so our lives can be richer for the experience.

Hopefully throughout her series, readers will develop an appreciation for the fact that Transgendered people are no different than anyone else as James reflects this in her character style.… (meer)

I’ve read lots of books with gay/lesbian/bi characters but this was my first one with a transgender character and I was very curious to see how it would flow. I was especially curious because the book is written from her point of view which helps someone who does not have that much familiarity with transgendered people get a greater understanding. I was hooked from the first chapter because the author has a great writing style and has written a character you want to get invested in.

This is a charmingly written mystery that has the surprising ability to take the reader on an emotionally satisfying journey. Reading about the violence faced by transgender people simply for being who they are was so heartbreaking and a stark reminder of the reality people like Bobbi face every day. I admired the main character, Bobbi, a great deal and it helped give me insight into a world I did not have that much experience with before. The ending is beautiful and was thankfully satisfying, I just can’t imagine a better written conclusion for this book.

As a woman I thoroughly enjoyed reading a powerful story about a fellow female who fights back to survive and overcome adversity to change her life. If we all had a little bit of her strength this world would be a better place.
… (meer)