Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

Worm-Mandated Soulmates

Ice Planet Barbarians by Ruby Dixon

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Georgie has been kidnapped by aliens – but when she and her fellow captives crash-land on an icy planet, they must ally with the strange locals to survive. I’ve been pretty covetous of this series since I saw the beautiful covers of the paperback rereleases – and luckily the stories have been very fun too! The author builds a cohesive culture and society throughout this very long series, with a wide variety of heroes, heroines, and tropes explored. Since I read this book, I have […]

A small book about enormous things

Eastbound by Maylis De Kerangal

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Aliocha, a Russian conscript, is on a the Trans-Siberian railroad headed to his post. He, you will not be surprised to learn, does not want to go to Siberia. In his efforts to escape, defect, disappear, he meets meets Hélène, a French woman who is also trying to leave Russia. In a mere 137 pages, you witness their inner and outer worlds collide as they become accomplices despite the vast differences in age, language, and experience.  This is a short book — I read it […]

If you thought The Secret History needed a dragon …

King Sorrow by Joe Hill

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This is Joe Hill’s first novel in almost a decade so I was pretty excited to read it because I remember enjoying some of his previous novels like Horns and Heartshaped Box. I had completely forgotten that his last novel, The Fireman, didn’t do anything for me. And while I like NOS4A2, Hill’s novels generally seem to be darker or have a less hopeful outlook than his father’s (and King can get dark but there’s something about them that feels a little less dreary). I […]

The Others Redux

Turns of Fate by Anne Bishop

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Anne Bishop is someone whose novels I consider highly readable and engaging but I also don’t recommend her too often for a few reasons. As I was reading this one, I was reminded of how much sexual abuse is a part of the worlds she writes. Now to be clear, the abusers always get punished and get what’s due to them but it’s a major component. There are also far more people who are decent and good, and do the right thing but violence against […]

The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook

The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook by Matt Dinniman

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In my opinion, The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook is the point at which this series really takes off and comes into its own. Prior to this, it’s still very good, but you miss the continuity from hunt to hunt and the community that builds around Carl. This book is where we first meet Katia, who is critical to that sense of community. I believe it’s also the first time we meet Prepotente, but everything before Gate of the Feral Gods blurs together to me so much that I […]

I Bought into Amazon’s Author Exploitation Again

Under the Mistletoe: Cruel Winter with You by Ali Hazelwood

Under the Mistletoe: Merry Ever After by Tessa Bailey

Under the Mistletoe: All by My Elf by Olivia Dade

Under the Mistletoe: Merriment and Mayhem by Alexandria Bellefleur

Under the Mistletoe: Only Santas in the Building by Alexis Daria

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I mean, I assume it’s exploitive. It is Amazon. Having had some success with the Improbable Meet Cute collection for Valentines  Day, and, as someone who absolutely loves a Christmas novella, I paid for one (the Ali Hazelwood) and borrowed the other four of these Under the Mistletoe “get to know a romance author with a  free read” stories. I imagine Amazon is doing the same thing as telling someone to work for free for the exposure. I hope they were compensated in some way. […]



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