Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time


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A story chain starts with hot chocolate

Hot Chocolate on Thursday by Michiko Aoyama (Translated by E. Madison Shimoda)

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Having read ‘What you are looking for is in the library’ by the same author at the end of last year when I spotted this in a little independent book shop in the Lake District I immediately picked it up. This is the first book by Michiko Aoyama and is quite similar structurally to her other work. There is a central thing or place that connects a number of short stories that daisy chain together in a narrative. Here we have a Tokyo coffee shop […]

I didn’t even mention the gratuitous nudity

The Science of Ghosts by Lilah Sturges and El Garing

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The Science of Ghosts by Lilah Sturges and El Garing stars Doctor Joy Ravenna – a forensic parapsychologist, trans lesbian, and grantee. She also solves murder(s) for reasons that have to do with all of the above and funding may be the most important one. You can’t do paranormal psychology without a grant. Joy used to work with the police as a psychologist. She was married to a pretty detective and they were probably happy enough. Then she transitioned, her presumably heterosexual wife left her, […]

At least the cover is pretty

The Astral Library by Kate Quinn

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Damn … this book is going to be one of those The Last Jedi situations for me, I can already tell. In other words, I was disappointed with the novel/didn’t love it for my own story reasons but a lot of the people leaving negative reviews are doing it for ridiculous conservative reasons. It’s like, “I didn’t have an issue with those things, you book-banning transphobes, I just wanted a more engaging main character/overall story.” It starts off strong, following the main character and narrator, […]

The Magic Of Libraries

What you are looking for is in the library by Michiko Aoyama

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My first review of this year is a book I actually read towards the end of last year – Michiko Aoyama’s ‘What you are looking for is in the library’. This was a birthday present from my sister as she knows I love Japanese arts and culture and when I got round to reading it I really appreciated her choice. The book is part of a trend I’ve seen – cosy ‘mystical realism’ books featuring a place such as a cafe or store where visitors […]

T. Kingfisher Author Discussion- Spoilers Allowed

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It would be pretty hard to not have heard of T Kingfisher. With her March release of Wolf Worm, she has been everywhere lately, including a wonderful interview in the NY Times. She is a prolific writer, in recent years releasing three adult titles a year. Kingfisher is an alias for the multitalented Ursula Vernon, who pens middle grade graphic novels. She claims somebody told her when looking for a penname always choice a bird, thus T Kingfisher was born. Let me start by talking […]

Dog Days Are Over, Bitches

For Whom the Belle Tolls by Jaysea Lynn

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For Whom the Belle Tolls by Jaysea Lynn is a romantasy that began life as a TikTok skit. Proving the old adage that you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, it is also a meditation on grief, loss, love, friendship, family, allyship, and what it means to really live. Throw in some spicy scenes, an unusual presentation of what the afterlife could be, and a great deal of sass, and you have brewed my own personal cup of tea.  When we first meet Lily, […]



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