The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Silvia Moreno-Garcia's work has been hit-or-miss for me in the past. I liked Gods of Jade and Shadow, loved Mexican Gothic, but didn't much care for The Daughter of Doctor Moreau. I'm happy to report though, that I very much enjoyed The Bewitching. This is a gothic horror novel, following three … [Read more]
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
Many Cannonballers have already reviewed Homegoing, and I doubt I'm going to add any profound insights with my own review. Long story short, I thought this book was amazing. I wish I'd read it much sooner. Homegoing is a family saga, starting with two half-sisters, Effia and Esi, in 18th-century … [Read more]
Lonely Castle in the Mirror by Mizuki Tsujimura
Kokoro is a lonely teenager who's been bullied by classmates to the point of dropping out of school. She spends her days in her bedroom, afraid to leave the house, until one day, her bedroom mirror starts to glow. When she touches it, she's pulled into a strange castle, along with 6 other teens. The … [Read more]
Half His Age by Jennette McCurdy
A well-written and shockingly honest but very tough read for me. I just kept whip lashing between enraged and sad. Seventeen year old Waldo is a high school senior with a dead end job and not much else. She lives with her single mother who is never actually home. She is starving- for clothes, … [Read more]
The Backyard Bird Chronicles by Amy Tan
I'm not sure if it was because I was getting older or my interests just shifted, but back in 2019 I suddenly became fascinated with birding. It felt like a whole new world opened up simply because I started paying attention. Now that I have a dog, I spend more time walking her than going out with my … [Read more]
Moon on the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice
There's a moment in the '90s movie Independence Day where the Americans lead the charge against the alien invaders by rallying the various nations of the world together. In its rally-raising way, you can almost see the cultural change that came in the following decades. The move away from the … [Read more]
