Src: NCWetlands.org The hidden splendor of coastal North Carolina is the true starring character of Delia Owen’s first novel, Where the Crawdads Sing. With a naturalist's eye, Owens uses the poetry of fiction to capture the mysterious beauty of the marsh in exquisite detail. The freshwater wetland comes to life through the eyes of its … Continue reading Where The Crawdads Sing Evokes Renewed Awe and Wonder for Wildlife
The early history of people of color in the United Stated has focused almost exclusively on their enslavement, which has incompletely presented and positioned the identities of, ideologies about, and policies toward blacks in this country up through the modern age. In actuality, there were approximately a quarter of a million free African Americans living … Continue reading The Concealed History of Free People of Color in America
The latter third of this review of Small Great Things contains limited spoilers. On Tuesday night, I finished reading the powerful and popular novel Small Great Things, which has been taking up a significant amount of my headspace since I first began it almost a week earlier. Thanks to how meticulously bestselling author Jodi Picoult got into … Continue reading Navigating Nuanced Perspectives on Power, Privilege and Race Is No Small Thing in Jodi Picoult’s Popular Novel
Calling My Name by Liara Tamani is a lyrical and sensuous story–at times, reading more like poetry than prose. A richly detailed narrative immerses you immediately in the life experiences of Taja Brown: from neighborhood kickball games and sibling rivalry to tumultuous first love and the promise of life to come after high school. While … Continue reading Calling My Name Relays The Sensuous Journey To Self-Love And Empowered Spirituality
As the first stop on my reunion tour of Judy Blume’s classic children/YA novels, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret was a really sweet–albeit somewhat outdated–dash down memory lane. It tells the tale of Margaret, a 12-year-old city girl who must adjust to the suburbs of New Jersey and make new friends, while on … Continue reading Rereading Childhood Classics: Are You There God? It’s Me, Renee
What more can you ask from a novel than lovable characters who live and breathe beyond the page? A young writer finding her voice, telling a story (fanfic) within a story, an innocent college freshman stumbling and fumbling into first love with a totally crush-worthy guy, and a twin carving out her own, independent identity … Continue reading Fridays’ Brief Book Reviews: Falling Head Over Heels For Fangirl
Renée Can Writes 