Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

A beautiful mix of The Great British Baking Show and romance

Battle Royal by Lucy Parker

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Since I’ve discovered Lucy Parker, I’ve read all of her books. However, I’m not good at keeping track of her publishing dates. Thus, I am several months late in reading and reviewing Battle Royal (2021). I had a good time reading this book. Instead of the many productive tasks I had planned, including working hard to start catching up on reviews, I laid on my couch all day and read, adding yet another book review to my to-do list. I obviously enjoyed reading Battle Royal, probably even more […]

“how lucky, not having to live with the ache of saying goodbye”

How Lucky by Will Leitch

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My boyfriend read How Lucky (2021) by Will Leitch and then recommended it to me. After reading the description and first couple of pages, I decided I was interested. And I’m glad I read it. Not only was the book from the perspective of a person living with some pretty severe disabilities, but there is also mystery, suspense, friendship, and plenty of jokes Daniel lives in Athens, Georgia, home to the University of Georgia. He has been living with SMA, a progressive disease similar to ALS that […]

Sci fi/Fantasy/Short Fiction Wrap Up

Binary by Michael Crichton

Grave Descend by Michael Crichton

Tales of German Imagination by Various

Claudia and the Phantom Phone Calls by Ann M Martin

Amazon Shorts by Rainbow Rowell; Suzanne Redfearn; Chimamanda Adichie; Chandler Baker

Southern Belle Insults by Keke Palmer; Jasmine Guillory

Nothing Like What I Imagined by Mindy Kaling

Currency by Jia Tolentino; Cristina Henriquez; Tom Perrotta; Curtis Sittenfeld; Yiyun Li; Justin Torres; Emma Cline; Kiley Reid

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Binary 2/5 Stars A thriller written by Michael Crichton in the early 1970s. Even though this is a John Lange book, it feels very much like a Michael Crichton book, and even more like an Ira Levin or Thomas Harris book. It’s a terrorist thriller wherein our protagonist is sent to spy on a known provocoteur who is making weird moves in his public and private experiences. What we come to understand is that he is planning to either kill a bunch of people, assassinate […]

“I suppose at one time in my life I might have had any number of stories, but now there is no other. This is the only story I will ever be able to tell.”

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

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Been putting off this review because this book is too smart for me. Or, actually, all the characters and maybe the author want to be smarter than me. I am pretty smart! I just have different priorities than everyone in this book. I don’t know about Donna Tartt, it could go either way with her. I still haven’t decided if she secretly empathizes with all these assholes she birthed from her mind, or if she’s skewering people and ideas and places instead. Either, way, this […]

A Classic and a (Maybe?) New Classic

Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott

Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane

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This English professor finally got around to reading Bird by Bird, Anne Lamott’s classic book of advice about writing. In all honesty, when I read for fun I gravitate toward genre fiction–mysteries, detective novels, romance, etc. I like a good story. I was surprised, then, by how much I enjoyed just luxuriating in Lamott’s prose. It is by turns hilarious, touching, and, most importantly, honest. For example, she includes an entire chapter about professional jealousy that I at first found odd until I found myself relating […]

Dance to the Music of Time Second Movement – Anthony Powell (1962)

At Lady Molly's by Anthony Powell

Casanova's Chinese Restaurant by Anthony Powell

The Kindly Ones by Anthony Powell

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Again this book, like the previous one, necessitates the question of whether to treat this as a “roman fleueve” or to take the books individually in terms of independent of one another. I am writing this review as a kind of liveblog and we will see what difference or effect it creates. My plan is also to read a book in between each of the sections as well, which should also create a more concrete break too. Book 4: At Lady Molly’s — Like a […]



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