Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

Depression, But Make it Funny

Small Admissions by Amy Poeppel

by Leave a Comment

Small Admissions, by Amy Peoppel, is a contemporary novel set in New York City and supposedly features a group of friends trying to help one of the group get back on her feet. I say “supposedly” because one friend, Chloe, makes the entire situation about herself. In fact, she’s the only character written in first-person, even though she is not the main character. Angela, the sister of the actual main character, tries to help, but mostly just nags and criticizes. And Vicki/Victoria is a completely […]

No half-werewolf nerd is illegal

Lobizona by Romina Garber

by Leave a Comment

In Argentina there is a law that the president has to be the godfather of the 7th child, otherwise that child will turn into a werewolf (lobizon). I thought Lobizona by Romina Garber was about a girl who comes into her werewolf powers amidst ICE turmoil. That isn’t not what the book is about; but it’s nicer and less angry than the low fantasy action I imagined. Manu has spent her life in hiding since she’s undocumented AND has yellow eyes with star shaped pupils. […]

OK Colonizer

Attacking Earth and Sun by Mathieu Belezi

by 8 Comments

In 1827 the French consul got into an argument with the ruler of the Regency of Algiers. Three years later the French government invaded what we now know as Algeria; it took until 1847 for the country to officially become part of France, and there were isolated pockets of fighting and conflict that lasted until 1903. In other words, it was a nasty, bloody business. Somewhere in the middle of all this France decided it would be a great idea to send French folks to […]

Found family with a little magic

A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna

by Leave a Comment

I saw A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping (2025) by Sangu Mandanna on NPR’s Favorite Books List. Books with witches and whatnot are not usually my thing, but I’ve found some good books on NPR and I didn’t want to be too close-minded. So, I got the audiobook from my library for a low commitment read while commuting. If I had to describe this book in four words, I would say it is quiet, sweet, uplifting, and funny. At the beginning of the book, Sera Swan is a […]

This feels like the second book of a trilogy but it isn’t

A Forest, Darkly: A Novel by A.G. Slatter

by Leave a Comment

A Forest, Darkly is both a fantasy and a mystery. The Great Forest, where the action takes place, is a frontier where civilization seems to be slowly encroaching. Old magic and creatures are still very much alive here, and the presence of a witch has been tolerated by villagers for generations, but the world is changing. The village has grown since main character Mehrab, resident witch, arrived 20 years ago, and lately, something dark and insidious seems to be stalking the forest. This would be […]

Too far out for my tastes

Oracles by Olivia Sullivan

by Leave a Comment

As I read the words of Olivia Sullivan on the pages of the graphic novel, Oracles, I heard the Beatnik standing on the coffee house stage making their words bubble out. I saw the slam poet gazing out into a darkened crowd. There was a spotlight in my brain that shone brightly on the poet freeversing.  And while I like all of that , this book was not for me. However, if you enjoy a slightly nonconcrete writing style or free verse prose, with literary […]



Help Our Mission

You can donate to CBR via:

  1. PayPal
  2. Venmo