Book Review: ‘Dear Reader’ by Cathy Rentzenbrink

“For as long as she can remember, Cathy Rentzenbrink has lost and found herself in stories. Growing up she was rarely seen without her nose in a book and read in secret long after lights out. When tragedy struck, books kept her afloat. Eventually they lit the way to a new path, first as a bookseller and then as a writer. No matter what the future holds, reading will always help. Dear Reader is a moving, funny and joyous exploration of how books can change the course of your life, packed with recommendations from one reader to another.” (Amazon)

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my e-copy of this book. 

Review of Dear Reader by Cathy Rentzenbrink

Cathy Rentzenbrink’s Dear Reader has been an absolute joy to read and I have loved every moment of it. It was a comforting and captivating read, and it certainly found me at the right time. While I often rush through books, ending them too quickly, I purposely slowed down while reading Dear Reader wanting to cherish every word. 

You can feel Cathy Rentzenbrink’s love for reading and books throughout each and every page of Dear Reader. It was heart-warming, this feeling of books speaking to some readers in such a manner, and I felt the instant kinship with the author since the very first page of Dear Reader. 

Essentially the love letter to books and all readers, ‘Dear Reader’ is a beautiful memoir filled with some many book recommendations from one reader to another.

Some of the books mentioned by Cathy Rentzenbrink I have read, others I have not even heard about it, but each of them has meant so much to her, and in many ways many of them helped the author through the hardship of her experiences. Each of our experiences is different, we live through different hardships and different joys, and yet books are often the bridges between so many different people. Dear Reader does a perfect job of underlying that, especially with Cathy Rentzenbrink’s job at prison and making people fell in love in stories, even if they had not felt like they had that right in the very first place. 

The author’s life is expressed through some many different books, accompanying Cathy Rentzenbrink throughout different parts of her life – from young age as a young pupil, to her bookselling career and finally writing. 

Dear Reader is so much more than just a book. It’s in many ways like a friend taking you on a journey that comfort and brings joy to you, while still dealing with so many heartbreaks and grief. It’s beautiful and endearing, and it’s the book I will read more than once.

Who is the book for: I would really recommend Dear Reader to anyone who loves and appreciates reading. But really: if you read one book this year, let it be this book. I cannot recommend Dear Reader enough. It’s been published this week, so you can get your copy here! I’m waiting for my physical copy to arrive now.

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