Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

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About Ale

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I'm TAing in creative writing, and I'm in the midst of editing my first novel. Along with CBR, I have book reviews published with "The Literary Review," short essay with "Fiction Southeast" and a forthcoming publication with "The Book Smuggler's Den." CBR has definitely helped my writing skills since now I know what readers are looking for for in their works. So, thank you, CBR! Hopefully someday, we'll be able to review my novel on this blog. :) (Learn more about this Cannonballer: Ale's Quick Questions interview.)

Ale's Reviews:

A War Story with Some Christianity Thrown In

July 13, 2015 by Ale Leave a Comment

        Book 3 of the masters reading list is “The Martyred” by Richard Kim. I’ll start with saying that I’m glad I read it. I’ve been looking for some non-Western authors, and Kim’s writing style is solid and his characters relatable. It was also great to read about the Korean War from a Korean perspective. The story follows a professor turned army intelligence officer, Captain Lee, as he is forced to investigate the Communists’ murder of twelve Christian ministers after the invasion of […]

Filed Under: Fiction Tagged With: Christianity, classic, faith, Korean War, martyred, Richard Kim

Ale's CBR7 Review No:22 · Genres: Fiction · Tags: Christianity, classic, faith, Korean War, martyred, Richard Kim ·
Rating:
· 0 Comments

So Much Potential, So Much Letdown

June 30, 2015 by Ale Leave a Comment

I feel really bad about DNFing this book, but when you start finding anything and everything to avoid reading a book, it’s a sign. I REALLY wanted to like it based off the book jacket description. It had everything I should love. A historically based plot, a young protagonist, and a story completely about a musician and the playing of music.   And it had all those things….they were just sort of not actually the real plot. I should have DNFed it at the 40% mark, […]

Filed Under: Fiction

Ale's CBR7 Review No:21 · Genres: Fiction · Tags: ·
Rating:
· 0 Comments

The Real World Is A Confusing Place

June 29, 2015 by Ale 2 Comments

  Book 2 of the masters reading list! I really enjoyed this one too, although I’d argue about this being considered YA. Marcelo is a 17 year old with high functioning Asbergers syndrome who’s spent most of his life at a special school where he’s learned the skills necessary to understand that how he processes information isn’t the way the rest of the world works. Marcelo’s father, Arturo, decides that Marcelo has learned all he really needs to in order to function in society and […]

Filed Under: Fiction Tagged With: asbergers, marcelo in the real world, stork, Young Adult

Ale's CBR7 Review No:20 · Genres: Fiction · Tags: asbergers, marcelo in the real world, stork, Young Adult ·
Rating:
· 2 Comments

A Whole Life In 300 Pages

June 25, 2015 by Ale 2 Comments

This book is part of my reading list for my masters, and as such, not something I would have ever picked off the shelf, especially based on its title (it sounds like a beach read to me, which I tend to stay away from). However, I’m happy to report that I loved this book. Spanning the early 1940s to 1999, “The End of the Point” follows a WASP family’s history through their summer vacations in Ashaunt, Massachusetts.  Told through the eyes of the family nurse […]

Filed Under: Fiction Tagged With: end of the point, family, graver, ocean

Ale's CBR7 Review No:19 · Genres: Fiction · Tags: end of the point, family, graver, ocean ·
Rating:
· 2 Comments

No One Is Safe

June 1, 2015 by Ale 2 Comments

I don’t think I can reach the 250 word quota for this review. Just go read this book. It’s hilarious. No book is safe, no character left unscathed. Ortberg’s ability to hone in on the character’s personality and then twist it into the 21st century is ridiculously brilliant and packs a punch that shades between laughing out loud and the irresistible urge to shout “BURN!” to the character on the page. My two all-time favorite sections are her rip on the American Girl series and […]

Filed Under: Fiction Tagged With: comedy, Daniel Mallory Ortberg, Literature, Mallory Ortberg, Satire, Texts from Jane Eyre

Ale's CBR7 Review No:18 · Genres: Fiction · Tags: comedy, Daniel Mallory Ortberg, Literature, Mallory Ortberg, Satire, Texts from Jane Eyre ·
Rating:
· 2 Comments

Relive the Worst Years of Your Life

May 5, 2015 by Ale Leave a Comment

Since I was a giant dork in middle school and high school, Paul Feig’s “Kick Me” really spoke to me, especially in the later chapters. It’s so easy to take his name out and insert yourself into any number scenarios and be like, “yup, I totally did that.” The sheer awkwardness of every single chapter is almost painful in its truth. His masterful observations of the world around him are seen through such a neurotic detail that it’s impossible to not be as squeamish or […]

Filed Under: Non-Fiction Tagged With: #memoir, adolescence, freaks and geeks, kick me, Paul Feig

Ale's CBR7 Review No:17 · Genres: Non-Fiction · Tags: #memoir, adolescence, freaks and geeks, kick me, Paul Feig ·
Rating:
· 0 Comments
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