Book Review - "Blame Rane" by Rene' O'Shea

“Blame it on the rain.” That is a common phrase people use when they just don’t know who to blame. When things go wrong, the last person you want to blame is yourself. Sadly, that is where the blame usually lies – within. We have to take responsibility for our own actions. Rene’ O’Shea’s debut novel, Blame Rane, highlights this fundamental truth.


Blame Rane is a young woman whose life begins to spiral out of control. Tragically, her parents have been killed in a house fire. She has no family to turn to and is left completely destitute. Homeless and desperate, she decides to move in with a wild, foolhardy co-worker. Blame is a shy, sheltered girl that tries hard to fit in with her roommate. Blame is introduced to the fast lane and she goes nowhere fast. She makes a series of bad choices with very bad consequences. However, she doesn’t see them as choices. She thinks that she is just doing what she has to in order to survive. She subjects herself to domestic violence, drugs and a life of crime. She pays dearly for her bad decisions.


After struggling for years, Blame finally learns her lesson. She realizes that she is in control of her life. For the first time in her adult life, she begins to act wisely. By age forty, she has her life together. I wish I could say that she had a happy ending. Unfortunately, Blame’s past has an adverse effect on her children. It’s the cycle of life. Each generation will impact the next.


Throughout the book, O’Shea gives glimpses into the generations that preceded Blame. She reaches centuries back into history, giving the reader a vivid picture of the horrors of slavery. She shows how brave and resilient Blame’s ancestors were. It is very interesting how O’Shea portrays the impact that the past has on the present and future. She emphasizes the importance of knowing where we came from so that we can know where we are going. We can all learn powerful lessons from previous generations. We can learn from their mistakes and we gain strength from their examples.


Blame Rane is a powerful story. It is filled with thought-provoking life lessons. It is also entertaining with unexpected twists and suspense. You won’t want to put it down. When you’re done reading this book, you won’t be able to stop thinking about it. O’Shea is a talented writer with the ability to captivate her audience.