Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

Hair Power

Witchy by Ariel Slamet Ries

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Witchy fells kind of familiar; there’s the adolescent with a secret who doesn’t quite fit into their magical world (Nyneve), the kind friend, the former antagonist turned maybe ally (or not) Prill, the seemingly grandfatherly leader of the magical world, the spooky granny figure who provides information and advice, etc. The concept of the magic system is interesting (power usually tied to hair length; more hair suggests stronger power, but too much hair, and the magical police come to execute you (witch burning)) and the […]

Only read if you really love these characters.

Time's Convert by Deborah Harkness

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I have a weird relationship with Deborah Harkness’s books. I liked her All Souls trilogy, but I also recognize that it has some significant problems (that I won’t get into here). I had assumed those feelings would carry over to this book, a sequel to the trilogy, essentially. It’s billed as being about Marcus and Phoebe’s relationship, but it’s actually just an extended epilogue and very little happens that is of consequence. It’s also very weird. The book is split in three parts. First is […]

Remember when you call a demon, make sure you dial the number right.

The Ojja-Wojja by Magdalene Visaggio

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Disclaimer: This is a HarperCollins book. The Ojja-Wojja by Magdalene Visaggio is an interesting book about representation and friendship. There is the usual bully vs. the “others” with a little supernatural (okay a lot of supernatural) added to the mix. There maybe is a bit too much cliched story arc for the adult reader but the at least 10 and up crowd will have fun. Though I have not watched it, this seems like a younger Stranger Things with a modern setting. We follow two girls, […]

Action! It’s Grass Time!

In A Patch of Grass by Fran Hodgkins

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In March 2023 In A Patch of Grass will be published. Hopefully. Because if it does not, I will be most upset at the publisher W W Norton! This science book by Fran Hodgkins and illustrated by Dan Tavis (fantastically I might add) is a must have. You learn about spiders, worms, slugs, even a wuff! Set as a movie production, Stephen Spielbug directs a not always the most cooperative cast (Robin calls out sick, worm misses its cue, slug tries to clean up its […]

I promise there is pudding under the whipped cream (I needed a snack break)

Trickster: Native American Tales, A Graphic Collection by Matt Dembicki,

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I would like to compare the newer edition (2021) of Trickster: Native American Tales, A Graphic Collection to the one I read (2010) as some of the text used does not reflect modern expressions or what is considered politically correct. However, the afterwards of the editor Matt Dembicki, shows the process of working with the authors, storytellers and artists and the care taken to represent the people. This is a good book to teach how cultures express themselves (language flow fits cultural influences), plus how […]

A big disappointment.

The City of Dusk (The Dark Gods, #1) by Tara Sim

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On the surface, I can’t really point to any specific reason for my low rating here, so you can write this review off as this simply being the wrong book for the wrong reader, if you want. I do want to say up front that the complaint I’m seeing from most people is that this book “reads like YA”, whatever that means. I don’t agree. This is an adult fantasy book. The characters are younger adults, like age eighteen to mid-twenties, but the writing itself is […]



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