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coleycole's review against another edition
3.0
I was excited to read crime fic with a trans protagonist, written by a trans author. Not my favorite tho.
bellebookblog's review against another edition
Great book. Very intriguing. Definitely a subject for this time and age. Highly recommend
jul_iet's review
challenging
dark
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
b00knerd's review against another edition
4.0
A transgender crime mystery book.
Robert Logan was a successful 40-something businessman, married without children. He transitioned into Bobbi Logan , a woman who has become a hairstylist running a successful salon. Bobbi's life is anything but simple- her ex wife and daughter are now living with her. The hairdressing business Bobbi runs is suffering due to the recession, and to top it all she's being investigated by Detective Sergeant Wilkins who has reopened a 5-year-old murder case of a man called John Strand, he is convinced that Bobbi is the killer.
A Kind of Justice is a unique written mystery, it is also an emotional roller-coaster ride that leaves you to fall in love with the characters. This book will give you an insight into the transgender world, and make you think about life.
Thanks to NetGalley and everyone involved for letting me read this.
Robert Logan was a successful 40-something businessman, married without children. He transitioned into Bobbi Logan , a woman who has become a hairstylist running a successful salon. Bobbi's life is anything but simple- her ex wife and daughter are now living with her. The hairdressing business Bobbi runs is suffering due to the recession, and to top it all she's being investigated by Detective Sergeant Wilkins who has reopened a 5-year-old murder case of a man called John Strand, he is convinced that Bobbi is the killer.
A Kind of Justice is a unique written mystery, it is also an emotional roller-coaster ride that leaves you to fall in love with the characters. This book will give you an insight into the transgender world, and make you think about life.
Thanks to NetGalley and everyone involved for letting me read this.
ejcoates's review
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I really enjoyed this book. The characters were unique and loveable and there was strong development for each of them.
It was an unusual crime book, where the crime isn't really the focus. As a result, it felt fresh and interesting.
It was an unusual crime book, where the crime isn't really the focus. As a result, it felt fresh and interesting.
see_sadie_read's review against another edition
3.0
I'm having a complicated reaction to this book. To start with, I didn't know it was a sequel until I came to Goodreads to review it, after finishing it. So, now I wonder what I missed, having not read book one. One the upside, the fact that I never felt I was missing anything until I knew there was a previous book means it stands alone just fine.
Secondly, I liked Bobbi. I loved her relationship to her ex-wife. I thought it was one of the sweetest things I've read in a while. It wasn't perfect, they had some issues to work through. But work through them they did and made a family of sorts and I LOVED that. I liked that Bobbi had close platonic friends and that generational differences within communities was addressed. Not to mention that she was a tad older than the average heroine.
I disliked the detective, but appreciate the transformative journey he went through. I liked the possible love interest and that the book doesn't end with an unrealistic perfect Happily Ever After. It might get there, but wasn't at the end of this novel.
I liked that this book isn't just a murder mystery with a transgendered main character. In a very real way, it's about being a transgendered woman around whom there is a mystery. It's why I picked the book up in fact.
Having said that (and here is my complication because I don't want to sound like I'm saying, 'the trans book was just too trans'), I felt bludgeoned by Bobbi's transgenderism. Trans/transsexual/transgender/transwoman/transwomen/tranny is used 197 times in the 320 page book, not counting that the charity is called TransRising and any time it's talked about but not named. Now, my issue isn't with the individual words or subject that I felt bludgeoned by, but that I felt bludgeoned at all.
I don't want to take away from the importance of Bobbi's real world experiences. They are important. I rather just mean the writing was heavy-handed at times and the constant emphasis on one aspect of the character, even an important one that would be expected to effect every area of her life, blotted out some others that in a mystery novel needed more page-time to develop.
Other than the occasionally heavy-handed writing and the fact that I thought the book was slow at times, I mostly really enjoyed it (even having not read the first book). I'd be more than happy to read another story by James.
Secondly, I liked Bobbi. I loved her relationship to her ex-wife. I thought it was one of the sweetest things I've read in a while. It wasn't perfect, they had some issues to work through. But work through them they did and made a family of sorts and I LOVED that. I liked that Bobbi had close platonic friends and that generational differences within communities was addressed. Not to mention that she was a tad older than the average heroine.
I disliked the detective, but appreciate the transformative journey he went through. I liked the possible love interest and that the book doesn't end with an unrealistic perfect Happily Ever After. It might get there, but wasn't at the end of this novel.
I liked that this book isn't just a murder mystery with a transgendered main character. In a very real way, it's about being a transgendered woman around whom there is a mystery. It's why I picked the book up in fact.
Having said that (and here is my complication because I don't want to sound like I'm saying, 'the trans book was just too trans'), I felt bludgeoned by Bobbi's transgenderism. Trans/transsexual/transgender/transwoman/transwomen/tranny is used 197 times in the 320 page book, not counting that the charity is called TransRising and any time it's talked about but not named. Now, my issue isn't with the individual words or subject that I felt bludgeoned by, but that I felt bludgeoned at all.
I don't want to take away from the importance of Bobbi's real world experiences. They are important. I rather just mean the writing was heavy-handed at times and the constant emphasis on one aspect of the character, even an important one that would be expected to effect every area of her life, blotted out some others that in a mystery novel needed more page-time to develop.
Other than the occasionally heavy-handed writing and the fact that I thought the book was slow at times, I mostly really enjoyed it (even having not read the first book). I'd be more than happy to read another story by James.
bookdarling1987's review against another edition
4.0
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.
the_novel_approach's review against another edition
4.0
When I started this book, I thought it was about a transwoman hairdresser who solved crimes. I was wrong, but my mistake was understandable. Bobbi starts off as the point-of-view character. When I was in her head, the pacing was too slow, the present tense wasn’t working for me, and I didn’t feel close to her or any of her friends. I kept dropping the book mid-scene.
Beyond basic structure, there were also some moments from her perspective that grated on me. Betsy calls Bobbi her “ex-husband”, even though Bobbi is a woman. Betsy is, in general, pretty awful and ungrateful, but Bobbi keeps insisting to herself that she doesn’t deserve anything better than their friendship. There’s also a guy—of course, he’s gorgeous—that Bobbi’s interested in. He flat out tells her he’s worried he only likes her because he has a fetish for her because she’s a transwoman. Forbidden fruit. And she still wants to see him because she thinks he’s great and she can’t do better.
Admittedly, some of the dissonance I felt could be due to the fact that this is the second book in a series and I haven’t read the first; I didn’t have those previous opportunities to bond with Bobbi. Also, I’m not interested in fashion or the industry, and that was basically the setting of the world. Certainly not the gritty murder mystery I was hoping for.
When the book really clicked for me was when another point-of-view character was introduced. A tough-as-nails detective is trying to convict Bobbi Logan of first degree murder, and the emotional growth he experiences from inhabiting her world creates a poignant and beautiful truth.
In all honesty, I’m not certain if James intended for the detective to be the protagonist of her story. She mentions in her rating that she felt the character—Bobbi—was interesting, which to me signals that she feels Bobbi is the protagonist, but I can’t let go of my interpretation that easily.
The detective’s character undergoes the most transformation. Bobbi starts out in good circumstances, the detective brings her down, and she struggles to climb back up. But by the end of the book, she’s still her best self. Her character growth doesn’t compare to the detective’s, who starts out as a complete asshole and changes into… maybe not a butterfly, but I saw something beautiful in him.
I hate to say Bobbi’s story is better told through the eyes of a straight cis man, but there was some real brilliance in the detective’s character. Bobbi was too much of a Mary Sue—she did no wrong but everyone still hated her. Her ex treated her poorly when she offered nothing but love. Her dates treated her disrespectfully, and she stuck with them because she felt it was the best she could do. People accused her of being a slut when she wasn’t. People accused her of being a bitch when she went out of her way to be kind. People accused her of being shrewd, but she only took over her business because an older gay man needed to retire due to health reasons. People accused her of murder….
The detective was a minority, however, and I think that aided how he came to an eventual understanding and respect for Bobbi. Despite the circumstances, by the end of the novel I felt as if that respect was mutual. Bobbi may be an honest woman, but the detective is also an honest cop. And justice must be served. Unfortunately, according to the law, there’s only one kind.
Reviewed by Ben for The Novel Approach Reviews
Beyond basic structure, there were also some moments from her perspective that grated on me. Betsy calls Bobbi her “ex-husband”, even though Bobbi is a woman. Betsy is, in general, pretty awful and ungrateful, but Bobbi keeps insisting to herself that she doesn’t deserve anything better than their friendship. There’s also a guy—of course, he’s gorgeous—that Bobbi’s interested in. He flat out tells her he’s worried he only likes her because he has a fetish for her because she’s a transwoman. Forbidden fruit. And she still wants to see him because she thinks he’s great and she can’t do better.
Admittedly, some of the dissonance I felt could be due to the fact that this is the second book in a series and I haven’t read the first; I didn’t have those previous opportunities to bond with Bobbi. Also, I’m not interested in fashion or the industry, and that was basically the setting of the world. Certainly not the gritty murder mystery I was hoping for.
When the book really clicked for me was when another point-of-view character was introduced. A tough-as-nails detective is trying to convict Bobbi Logan of first degree murder, and the emotional growth he experiences from inhabiting her world creates a poignant and beautiful truth.
In all honesty, I’m not certain if James intended for the detective to be the protagonist of her story. She mentions in her rating that she felt the character—Bobbi—was interesting, which to me signals that she feels Bobbi is the protagonist, but I can’t let go of my interpretation that easily.
The detective’s character undergoes the most transformation. Bobbi starts out in good circumstances, the detective brings her down, and she struggles to climb back up. But by the end of the book, she’s still her best self. Her character growth doesn’t compare to the detective’s, who starts out as a complete asshole and changes into… maybe not a butterfly, but I saw something beautiful in him.
I hate to say Bobbi’s story is better told through the eyes of a straight cis man, but there was some real brilliance in the detective’s character. Bobbi was too much of a Mary Sue—she did no wrong but everyone still hated her. Her ex treated her poorly when she offered nothing but love. Her dates treated her disrespectfully, and she stuck with them because she felt it was the best she could do. People accused her of being a slut when she wasn’t. People accused her of being a bitch when she went out of her way to be kind. People accused her of being shrewd, but she only took over her business because an older gay man needed to retire due to health reasons. People accused her of murder….
The detective was a minority, however, and I think that aided how he came to an eventual understanding and respect for Bobbi. Despite the circumstances, by the end of the novel I felt as if that respect was mutual. Bobbi may be an honest woman, but the detective is also an honest cop. And justice must be served. Unfortunately, according to the law, there’s only one kind.
Reviewed by Ben for The Novel Approach Reviews
see_sadie_read's review against another edition
3.0
I'm having a complicated reaction to this book. To start with, I didn't know it was a sequel until I came to Goodreads to review it, after finishing it. So, now I wonder what I missed, having not read book one. One the upside, the fact that I never felt I was missing anything until I knew there was a previous book means it stands alone just fine.
Secondly, I liked Bobbi. I loved her relationship to her ex-wife. I thought it was one of the sweetest things I've read in a while. It wasn't perfect, they had some issues to work through. But work through them they did and made a family of sorts and I LOVED that. I liked that Bobbi had close platonic friends and that generational differences within communities was addressed. Not to mention that she was a tad older than the average heroine.
I disliked the detective, but appreciate the transformative journey he went through. I liked the possible love interest and that the book doesn't end with an unrealistic perfect Happily Ever After. It might get there, but wasn't at the end of this novel.
I liked that this book isn't just a murder mystery with a transgendered main character. In a very real way, it's about being a transgendered woman around whom there is a mystery. It's why I picked the book up in fact.
Having said that (and here is my complication because I don't want to sound like I'm saying, 'the trans book was just too trans'), I felt bludgeoned by Bobbi's transgenderism. Trans/transsexual/transgender/transwoman/transwomen/tranny is used 197 times in the 320 page book, not counting that the charity is called TransRising and any time it's talked about but not named. Now, my issue isn't with the individual words or subject that I felt bludgeoned by, but that I felt bludgeoned at all.
I don't want to take away from the importance of Bobbi's real world experiences. They are important. I rather just mean the writing was heavy-handed at times and the constant emphasis on one aspect of the character, even an important one that would be expected to effect every area of her life, blotted out some others that in a mystery novel needed more page-time to develop.
Other than the occasionally heavy-handed writing and the fact that I thought the book was slow at times, I mostly really enjoyed it (even having not read the first book). I'd be more than happy to read another story by James.
Secondly, I liked Bobbi. I loved her relationship to her ex-wife. I thought it was one of the sweetest things I've read in a while. It wasn't perfect, they had some issues to work through. But work through them they did and made a family of sorts and I LOVED that. I liked that Bobbi had close platonic friends and that generational differences within communities was addressed. Not to mention that she was a tad older than the average heroine.
I disliked the detective, but appreciate the transformative journey he went through. I liked the possible love interest and that the book doesn't end with an unrealistic perfect Happily Ever After. It might get there, but wasn't at the end of this novel.
I liked that this book isn't just a murder mystery with a transgendered main character. In a very real way, it's about being a transgendered woman around whom there is a mystery. It's why I picked the book up in fact.
Having said that (and here is my complication because I don't want to sound like I'm saying, 'the trans book was just too trans'), I felt bludgeoned by Bobbi's transgenderism. Trans/transsexual/transgender/transwoman/transwomen/tranny is used 197 times in the 320 page book, not counting that the charity is called TransRising and any time it's talked about but not named. Now, my issue isn't with the individual words or subject that I felt bludgeoned by, but that I felt bludgeoned at all.
I don't want to take away from the importance of Bobbi's real world experiences. They are important. I rather just mean the writing was heavy-handed at times and the constant emphasis on one aspect of the character, even an important one that would be expected to effect every area of her life, blotted out some others that in a mystery novel needed more page-time to develop.
Other than the occasionally heavy-handed writing and the fact that I thought the book was slow at times, I mostly really enjoyed it (even having not read the first book). I'd be more than happy to read another story by James.
prgchrqltma's review against another edition
5.0
The mystery here wasn't compelling, but our protagonist was a fully characterized, dimensional and interesting (trans) woman. I liked being able to enter this headspace, with all her insecurities and passions on display.