Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time


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Come-Come a clover, Couldn’t wait for this to be over.

The Dark Tower VI: The Song of Susannah by Stephen King

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Every single chapter in Song of Susannah starts with the “Come-come-commala” song that we first encountered in the previous book, Wolves of the Calla, when Roland Deschain, gunslinger, does a rousing rendition of the Commala dance. I can’t comprehend why Stephen King got so obsessed with this particular song that he decided to start every chapter with a line from a stylised version of it, but geez, that little gimmick wore thin really quickly. Song of Susannah, being the sixth book in the Dark Tower […]

Have Yourself a Merry Little Night Court

A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas

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This is the fourth in the ACOTAR series and hits the novella category rather than a novel. The plot, such that it is, it pretty much boils down to Feyre and Friends Go Christmas shopping. Winter Solstice is approaching in the Night Court. There’s plenty of drinking, eating and exchanging of gifts. It’s a really lovely little slice of life novella, offering a glimpse of what Feyre’s immortal year might look like when she’s not busy saving the world. From a driving-the-story-forward perspective, I guess […]

Retro-modern piece of art book

A Great Gorilla by Vera Gereke

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While the artwork of A Great Gorilla by Vera Gereke was not my personal favorite, as it was a tad too abstract for me, there is an audience for it. I can see how these illustrations will be given awards, honors and people will be talking about them. (Or they will in mid-to-later March 2027 when the final product is available, unless you find an online reader copy like I did.) The story is simple, there is a giant, empty cage in the zoo. In […]

Shout out to the crones!

Nettle & Bone: A Novel by T. Kingfisher

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According to the book cover, this is the story of a princess who dreams of killing a prince rather than marrying one. Just in time for spooky season, this murderous tale has ghosts, witches, goblins, skeletons, fairy godmothers, and curses. And a little bit of romance, too. Nettle & Bone was a funny, exciting read that actually deals with some serious subject matter — spousal abuse — so trigger warning for that. Marra is a princess, the third daughter of the queen of the Harbor […]

The biggest problem with time travel, as Douglas Adams pointed out, is the grammar.

How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying by Django Wexler

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Davi is stuck in time loop you guys! She keeps on waking up in a fantasy world, being told she is destined to save everyone from the Dark Lord—and she’s been failing constantly! For a millennium! It’s been really wearing on her; Davi’s kept count of every single go around the merry-go-round. Every single death, every single time: I slip into the sweet embrace of death with a contented sigh. So long, #237. Go fuck a porcupine. It’s a bit like The Legend of Zelda: […]

Not a Tame Lion

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

Prince Caspian by C.S. Lewis

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis

The Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis

The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis

The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis

The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis

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In anticipation of Greta Gerwig’s upcoming film adaptation, I decided I wanted to read The Magician’s Nephew, and, rather than take the coward’s way out and read the series in “chronological order”, I opted to go in the original publication order instead. I had previously read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe a long time ago, but I didn’t remember much beyond the basics. I listened to the series on audiobook. I have to say, they got some real heavy hitters for these, including Kenneth […]



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