Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

“So this is merely romance,” she frowned disapprovingly. “I was hoping for an epic adventure, or a gothic mystery at the very least.” Ned laughed. “Darling, don’t worry, the story has just begun.”

The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels by India Holton

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Official book description, because I finished this book two months ago, and the plot is rather convoluted: Cecilia Bassingwaite is the ideal Victorian lady. She’s also a thief. Like the other members of the Wisteria Society crime sorority, she flies around England drinking tea, blackmailing friends, and acquiring treasure by interesting means. Sure, she has a dark and traumatic past and an overbearing aunt, but all things considered, it’s a pleasant existence. Until the men show up. Ned Lightbourne is a sometimes assassin who is […]

CBR15 Bingo: Sex (Bingo AND Cannonball)

Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey

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CBR15 Bingo: Sex (the protagonist is a god-touched masochist courtesan spy) Kushiel’s Dart is the first novel in the Kushiel’s Legacy series, which came to number six books in total. Jacqueline Carey also wrote an additional trilogy in her Terre D’Ange universe, and over the course of all of her books, pretty much explored every continent in her alternate-history fantasy world. This first book is set in an alternate historical version of Europe, set at about Renaissance times, or somewhat earlier, although the descriptions of […]

Smart but boring

The Sorceress Transcendent by Casey Blair

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“I’m in no rush to go anywhere.” She’d traveled plenty during the war. Seen sights, burned them. Theira was happy to stay in this place she’d carved for herself. Theira, the most powerful sorceress, is done with war. She’s done with facing off year after year against the same legions of soldiers. Varius, the legion commander, is the only thing that makes all of the murder and burning and devastation worthwhile. He is her only worthy opponent. Despite her success on the battlefield, Theira is […]

The new Guardian Knights

Juniper Mae Volume One: Knight of Tykotech City by Sarah Soh

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I had a small adventure when I first tried to read Juniper Mae Volume One: Knight of Tykotech City. Nothing fancy, just I had an online link, lost it, then found it again. Who knows how that happened; but it did. Then recently I went back to my stored online reader copies and was deleting the links that were no longer active. But Sarah Soh’s short graphic novel was. And since this was published March 2023 you can run out and get the book, too. […]

Relatable or One really long acid trip or One Last Selfish Act or What do I know? I’m a cartoonist or the Monologue that got away

It's Lonely at the Centre of the Earth by Zoe Thorogood

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I am not giving It’s Lonely at the Centre of the Earth by Zoe Thorogood a rating of 5 because I absolutely loved it, or thought it was the best thing in the world, or even because I found it original. Actually, I don’t really like the author or her life choices. However, she is a freaking genius and can paint a story in a way that is relatable and a bunch of hooey. And you love her for it. She tells us she is […]

Witchy ways

Witch Poems by Daisy Wallace

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If this book has not at least been challenged at least once, I would be amazed. Witch Poems edited by Daisy Wallace includes some fantastic poems. However, while this is a great collection of poetry about witches and spooky fun (and not so much fun), it can be dated with language and imagery. Trina Schart Hyman had a style that when you saw it, you knew it was them. They had diverse characters before diverseness was prominent in children’s books. Yet, there are some stereotypes […]



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