Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

“The magic is not in the ceremony of pouring the tea or the sharing of the cup. It is in the connection, the brief joining of souls. The tea leaves are a channel, the ingredients the signposts.”

A Magic Steeped in Poison (The Book of Tea, #1) by Judy I. Lin

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A Magic Steeped in Poison is a YA fantasy that follows Ning, who is an apprentice teamaker (shennong-shi) in a world where teamaking is magic. She was an apprentice to her mother, but one day accidentally brews the tea that poisons and kills her. Her sister did not die, but is gravely ill and fading fast. Amidst a rash of poisonings across the country, and Ning’s frantic attempts to cure her sister, the government announces that they are looking for the greatest shennong-shi in the […]

An adventure for some, but I’m not one

Super Space Weekend: Adventures in Astronomy (Science Adventure Club) by Gaelle Almeras

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I am not sure if Super Space Weekend: Adventures in Astronomy (Science Adventure Club) is a second (or at least not the first in a series) of titles, but there was some missing information for me. The book starts off with three friends who seem to have been introduced to us before. But I know I have not previously met Squeak, Orni, and Castor. Despite this “in the middle” feeling, I was getting a good feeling about Gaelle Almeras’ graphic novel. I was excited to learn […]

Bee Gees, we got the book

How Deep Is Your Love: A Children's Picture Book (Lyricpop) by Bee Gees

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I read a picture book that is due in February 2024 via online reader copy. And it probably will take me that long to figure out how I feel about this book. At first, I was thinking it would be a good, cute book, after all the cover was nice and bubble gum pink and a dark soft power blue.  Then I read it. Okay, the lyrics are a Bee Gees song, but fairly innocent. Oh wait, that’s a bit mature. Oh, that’s sweet. Well […]

“He’s a grief-stricken madman.” “He’s just like us.”

Witch King by Martha Wells

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Martha Wells knows how to grab a reader by the throat right at the beginning. We meet Kai, the Witch King, in a moment of confusion. His body has been murdered and he has awakened in a tomb designed to keep him trapped. One friend is trapped with him, but not others. Who betrayed him, and where are the other members of his family? Kai is a demon prince, invited to inhabit the body of a dying human girl. The life above ground that he expects […]

You are as brave as you know

Brave Enough by Rob Justus

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Since I knew that Brave Enough was a Rob Justus production, I could see hints of their illustrative style. Especially with the skeleton that was meditating and looks like Death from Sparkles & Death novel series. However, had I not known that I do not think I would have realized it as the two books are different. Brave Enough is a picture book that came out last year. It is a book about two siblings (Younger Brother and Older Sister) who are off monster hunting. […]

So, you’re Brad Pitt? That don’t impress me much, but this book did

Death & Sparkles book one by Rob Justus

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When Sparkles is being a real pain in the butt, if Death sneezes, Sparkles farts. Yes, there is little kid humor (and this kid found it amusing) in Death & Sparkles book one. Yet, there is a lot going on that is serious in the middle of all of this humor. The idea of fame and true friendship is the focus, while we have evil managers (Colonel Parker had nothing on Sparkles manager!) and cupcakes. Lots of cupcakes. While some sensitive readers/listeners might not be […]



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