Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time


Cracking Open the Universe

The Egg and other stories by Andy Weir

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This was an audiobook called The Egg and Other Stories by Andy Weir. I was already familiar with The Egg — there’s a very well-known YouTube retelling of it, which my husband showed me not long before I started listening to this short collection. It’s a great listen, particularly in this moment in human history, and I’d recommend everyone look it up. 👉 The Egg – A Short Story The collection of stories here is extremely high quality overall. I really, really enjoyed them. They […]

The Avoidable War. AKA The Review I Have Been Avoiding.

The Avoidable War: The Dangers of a Catastrophic War between the US and China by Kevin Rudd

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Never have I given myself so much anxiety reading a book. I first stated reading The Avoidable War late last year. The book is an examination of Sino-American relations, and what the future might hold. Kevin Rudd is Australia’s former Prime Minister, a previous Minister for Foreign Affairs, and is currently the ambassador of Australia to the United States. Prior to this though, he majored in Chinese language and history and worked for  Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAT). This gives him a pretty solid background […]

“You are the queen. You are the queen that Antoinette wanted to be . . .”

Antoinette's Sister by Diana Giovinazzo

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CBR17 Bingo: Black – Behold, the cover. Though her tragic sister Marie Antoinette is better known today, Maria Carolina Charlotte, the queen of Naples, ruled with better success but faced her own share of troubles and tribulations in her years on the throne. The thing with historical fiction is that the story can live or die by the events it’s based on, especially when it follows the life of a historical figure. Luckily, Charlotte is an interesting main character. Though her attitudes toward the monarchy […]

I Wanted to Like This

Olive by Emma Gannon

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Best for: People who are childfree by choice, people who have kids but are interested in knowing a bit more about what their childfree friends’ lives are like. In a nutshell: Olive is a successful writer in her early 30s (I think) who is going through some major life changes alongside her three friends, all of whom are in various stages of trying to or having children. Worth quoting: N/A Why I chose it: I’m in a childfree community and saw people talking about this […]

A different kind of time travel?

Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister

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CBR17 Bingo: “White” – for the white writing on the cover When I finish an audiobook now, I usually go straight to my library catalog to find my next one. I’ve gotten into the habit of searching for audiobooks that are available now–sorting by popularity. I still have to sift through some series and genre books, but it usually points me in the right direction. And that is how I found Wrong Place Wrong Time (2022) by Gillian McAllister. I was hoping this novel would keep my […]

They Have Been Through It

Semi-Well-Adjusted Despite Literally Everything by Alyson Stoner

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Best for: Fans of honest memoirs; those interested in learning more about the lives of child stars. In a nutshell: Dancer, actor, singer, songwriter, podcaster Stoner shares the first 25 years or so of their story. Worth quoting: “All I have to do is be perfect at everything and look perfect while doing it.” Why I chose it: It just sounded interesting, and memoirs are kinda my jam. Review: The book itself has myriad content notes, including rape, eating disorders, religious bigotry, and others. Stoner […]



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