Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

just like a leaf

 I Am a Leaf by Angelo Mozzillo and Marianna Balducci

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The year 2026 is going to be a good year for new titles. The mid-summer months are also looking to be strong with such titles as August’s  I Am a Leaf by Angelo Mozzillo and illustrated by Marianna Balducci.  Artistic and poetic, the book conjures a great “creating the feelings” story. For adults as much (if not more so) as kids due to the airy qualities of the child seemingly floating along the pages. If you are a solo reading child, you will be able […]

If anyone can, a magical Yeti… might

Penny and the Yeti b by Jimmy Gaspero and Amber Akin

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When April 2026 comes, you readers of this review will have a plethora of choices. And I hope one of those is Penny and the Yeti by Jimmy Gaspero and Amber Akin. Read via an online reader copy, I plan on finding a finished copy as there are some things I think might make more sense if I can physically hold a book in hand and explore this deceptively simple seeming story. This book is not perfect. Which, yes, is an odd thing to start […]

Elastic tension lashed their cars together across space, alone on the road, nothing in his head but grief and freedom.

Summer Sons by Lee Mandelo

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Andrew held the clutch and eased onto the gas, pushing revs while the digital readout reminded him to hold it, wait for the right moment to explode. Sam’s fingers touched the rim of the moon hanging in the sky. A shudder ripped across the bones of Andrew’s forearms, terror and delight and the promise of risk bringing him to life. ― Lee Mandelo, Summer Sons For fuck’s sake Andrew. Is there anything in this scenario that feels heterosexual or well-adjusted to you? ― Lee Mandelo, […]

When you’re near this hole in the ground, you’re in deep doo-doo

The Deep Well by Laura Creedle

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The Deep Well by Laura Creedle Is it real or imaginary or something else? There were a few plot holes for me, but overall it was a nice read. Well, not nice but cozy … okay not cozy, I mean… Okay, just read it and you’ll know what I mean. Triggers include, but are not limited to: death, violence, cults, bullying, assault, gun violence, stalking, suggested assault of a minor. April, the main character of Creedle’s story, is almost 17. She is waiting for her […]

Call me A Reader. Some hours ago–never mind how long precisely–having little or no money in my purse, and nothing particular to interest me…. I read a book…

Call Me Moby by Lars Kenseth

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Retellings are not new, but the way Call Me Moby by Lars Kenseth is presented and the “wink wink” towards the original Herman Melville story, Moby Dick, makes it fresh. And this obvious homage will be a hoot for adults. And, of course, young readers will find Moby’s actions relatable and amusing. The illustrations are sweet and having the simplicity of certain ones in the right places allows for the punch of the more detailed ones to be stronger. I would have liked to have […]

Traveling back into Viv’s world was a cozy reminder of why I love to read

Bookshops and Bonedust (prequel to Legends and Lattes) by Travis Baldree

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If you read my review of Legends and Lattes, you’ll know that this series is cozy. This one’s a little less cozy, because it’s Viv (the green orc) pre-coffee shop and mid-mercenary. She gets stabbed in the leg badly enough that her group basically leaves her in a town to recuperate until they come back around to get her. For a while Viv can’t walk or do much, and she gets really really bored. Once she can move around a little bit though, she walks […]



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