Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

About Chris

CBR11 participant
CBR18 Participant

Hi, it's me. Really, I hate these bio things. I like to read.

Chris's Reviews:

Second visit to Old Quebec – Spoiler alert

Duty to the Crown by Aimie K. Runyan

by Leave a Comment

This is not a good sequel. It’s not bad, but it is very, very predictable. If you read the first book, you can call every single plot “twist” in this one. There really isn’t a surprise, and sometimes the characters feel very, very, very modern. Like really modern – even the characters supposedly religious and conservative feel far too modern, like they got in the Tardis or something.  There are several scenes where women are either too forgiving. of a transgression or too quickly transgression. […]

Eleanor Part Two

The Winter Crown by Elizabeth Chadwick

by Leave a Comment

When did the great union of Eleanor and Henry II go sour and why?   Chadwick answers this question in a fictional manner.  The answer isn’t sexual jealousy.  Or all of Eleanor’s teeth falling out. Thankfully, the novel is more than story of a failing marriage.  There is, in fact, a rather sweet love story between two supporting characters that balances the imploding royal marriage.  This love story is the tale of Isabella and Hamelin.  The couple functions as somewhat of a counterpoint to Henry […]

You can smell the slop

The Wolf and the Watchman by Niklas Natt och Dag

by Leave a Comment

Disclaimer: ARC via Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. The older I get, the more frustrated I get with “events”, at least in terms of movies. Don’t really care which Avengers are going to make out whatever Avengers movie is coming out soon. It’s Marvel; the only character never brought to life is Uncle Ben. I am also the type of person who hears about the guy who jumps off a cruise ship into the ocean to see if […]

Pauline Gedge it is not

Valley of the Kings by Cecelia Holland

by Leave a Comment

This is basically two novellas. The first, about Carter finding Tut’s tomb, is pretty good. It also includes the conflict between Egyptians and those who would steal their heritage.  Holland seems to do a good characterization of Carter and his determination and single-mindless.  There is an interesting debate between Carter and Lady Evelyn that touches on the point of history and how those in the present view those of the past. Carter himself is drawn as a flawed man – not only in his relationship […]

The End of a Good Series – Spoilers from real history

The Autumn Throne by Elizabeth Chadwick

by Leave a Comment

This book is a thumping good conclusion to Chadwick’s three book series about Eleanor of Aquitaine.  This last book, as the title indicates, is about the closing years of her life – the death of her husband Henry II to her own death.  She not only finishes weathering her imprisonment, but also the in fighting of two of her sons – her favorite Richard, and her last born John.  The novel opens with her release from prison and her movement to an uneasy truce with […]

First book in a new series

Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James

by 2 Comments

When I first heard that James was writing a fantasy that used African myth, legends, and folklore, I was very excited, so it should be noted I had high expectations of this novel. Also, I love James’ but it takes about 100 or so pages for me to get into his books, but then I can’t put it down. So, here’s the thing – most readers are going to fall into one of two camps with this book – you are either going to love […]



Help Our Mission

You can donate to CBR via:

  1. PayPal
  2. Venmo