Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

“Some people steal to stay alive, and some steal to feel alive. Simple as that.”

A Darker Shade of Magic (Shades of Magic, #1) by V.E. Schwab

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In one word: Even-keeled This book was a gift from Cannonball Gift Exchange this year (thanks Deborah!) so I thought it a fitting first read and review of the year. It was on my to-read list, though I had no recollection of it which makes it a perfect gift! I’ve been getting more into fantasy and magical tales lately so was excited to dive into a new series. Schwab has written a magical tale with interesting world-building but in the end, I think that the […]

Family Drama

The Pinhoe Egg by Diana Wynne Jones

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In my 2022 quest to read Diana Wynne Jones’ full body of work, I’m running down the Chrestomanci books first. After completing The Lives of Christopher Chant and Charmed Life last year, I’ve moved on to The Pinhoe Egg. Picking up about a year after Charmed Life ends, The Pinhoe Egg focuses on a huge family of Dwimmers, or nature-magical mages, who are trying their best to keep their magical abilities away from what they believe is the oppressive oversight of Chrestomanci. Things have gone fine for years, with them […]

“It’s so much easier to obey orders. It’s not much fun to think.”

Spectred Isle (Green Men, #1) by K.J. Charles

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On the one hand, I wish I would have read this sooner, because it’s great. On the other, I wish I would have saved it, because the sequel seems to be postponed indefinitely for some ground-up retooling, and I would prefer to have it as soon as possible. I found the worldbuilding here to be one of the more intriguing urban fantasy set-ups I’ve read, especially when you factor in that a large part of it uses the consequences of WWI in such a thoughtful […]

I Didn’t Like It.

A Practical Guide to Conquering the World by K.J. Parker

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A couple of years ago, I saw someone who doesn’t usually make a fuss about books raving about K.J. Parker’s Sixteen Way to Defend a Walled City. When I saw it on sale, I bought it, but didn’t get around to reading it. And then I saw A Practical Guide to Conquering the World on NetGalley. I thought, this would be a great motivator to actually read a book already on my kindle! Friends, I really wish I had read the first few pages of […]

Rogue Ghosts and Other Miscreants- One of my favorite cotton candy series

Rogue Ghosts and Other Miscreants by Annette Marie and Rob Jacobsen

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Plot: As a former con-artist, I love a convoluted, mind-bending scheme as much as the next guy. But as a recently promoted MagiPol agent, I love it significantly less than that guy. Especially when the life of a kidnapped teen hangs in the balance. Between confusing orders and conflicting evidence, this whole investigation has me and my partner, Lienna, spinning in circles. Why is our boss keeping this case off the books? Why is our top suspect, the most notorious rogue in Vancouver, mired in […]

Where the Drowned Girls Go- Hark! A Big Bad Appears!

Where the Drowned Girls Go by Seanan McGuire

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Plot: Welcome to the Whitethorn Institute. The first step is always admitting you need help, and you’ve already taken that step by requesting a transfer into our company. There is another school for children who fall through doors and fall back out again. It isn’t as friendly as Eleanor West’s Home for Wayward Children. And it isn’t as safe. When Eleanor West decided to open her school, her sanctuary, her Home for Wayward Children, she knew from the beginning that there would be children she […]



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