Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time


About G.D. Giant

CBR 9
CBR18 Participant

Tall person, avid reader and avid, but less successful, gardener. I read a lot of sci fi, fantasy and literary fiction with the occasional smattering of mysteries.

G.D. Giant's Reviews:

When Satire Isn’t

Severance by Ling Ma

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I wonder what it was like to read this book pre-COVID. Because I can tell you that reading it now, six years after COVID hit, it’s not as satirical as perhaps the author intended. In Severance, the deadly virus definitively originates in China and makes sort-of zombies (not the brain-eating kind) from the infected. Other than that difference, this book is spookily prescient. So much so that I had to keep re-checking the original publication date, but, yeah, Severance was first published in August of […]

These (Slow) Burning Stars

These Burning Stars by Bethany Jacobs

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These Burning Stars, by Bethany Jacobs, is a revenge-driven, bloody, action-heavy space opera. It’s full of political intrigue, social commentary, and gun fights. And I thought it was excellent. It was, however, slow to start for me. In fact, I originally started it several months ago and got a little stuck in the first chapter due to all the unfamiliar terminology. The author doesn’t include a glossary, so it was a bit hard for me to keep track at first. That feeling went away after […]

Sure, But Who’s Really the Animal?

Animal by Lisa Taddeo

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Animal, by Lisa Taddeo, is a story about Joan. Joan will tell you herself that she is depraved. She will also remind you that she is a survivor and that she’s been judged not only by what she’s done to others, but by the things that have happened to her. For years, Joan’s rage was dormant, but now, after yet another violent act by a man in her life, her rage is growing. Joan is “hot” and “sexy” but is most flattered when someone simply […]

Magical Historical Fiction

The Antidote by Karen Russel

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From the afterword/Lost Land Acknowledgement by Dr. James Riding In: “The Antidote uses fantastical conceits to illuminate the holes in people’s private and collective memories, the willful omissions passed down generation to generation, and the myths that have been used by the U.S. government and White settlers to justify crimes against the citizens of Native Nations and the theft of Native lands.” And the author uses those fantastical conceits very well. The Antidote is a beautifully written, sad, interesting, and clever novel. It’s a fantastic […]

Botany, Bears and Beaver Ponds

Black Woods, Blue Sky by Eowyn Ivey

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This is a lovely, sad, beautifully written book. I feel bad for everyone who rated it one star on Goodreads just because it wasn’t a faithful retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Because if you read it for what it is, instead of what it isn’t, it’s really quite wonderful. Ivey touches on themes of motherhood, love, personal freedom, mental health and the natural world, all in a dark fairy tale setting. Single mom Birdie does the best that she can for her daughter, Emaleen, […]

Depression, But Make it Funny

Small Admissions by Amy Poeppel

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Small Admissions, by Amy Peoppel, is a contemporary novel set in New York City and supposedly features a group of friends trying to help one of the group get back on her feet. I say “supposedly” because one friend, Chloe, makes the entire situation about herself. In fact, she’s the only character written in first-person, even though she is not the main character. Angela, the sister of the actual main character, tries to help, but mostly just nags and criticizes. And Vicki/Victoria is a completely […]



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