Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

Starts off with a Firefly like crew and quickly becomes something entirely different

Honor’s Knight by Rachel Bach

Fortune’s Pawn by Rachel Bach

Heaven’s Queen by Rachel Bach

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I would say that I enjoyed the series overall but I also think the first one was the most fun. There were a few lines in the first book that I thought would lead in a certain direction and I either completely misread them, or the author decided she already had enough to resolve without adding that into the equation so dropped that potential plot point. The second book adds quite a bit of complexity to the alliances of the world. With a main character […]

I wondered briefly how I might compose a paper on the subject—disappearing islands are a motif in the folklore of many countries.

Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales by Heather Fawcett

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I am always going to be here for Emily Wilde figuring out the unsolvable through scholarship and observation. Having poisoned Wendell’s step-mother, Queen Arna, deposed her, and found the door to Wendell’s kingdom, Emily and Wendell are ready to claim his throne. And that’s just the start of the adventure. On her way out of the Silvia Lupi, Queen Arna has laid a curse on the kingdom that’s triggered by Wendell claiming the throne. In addition to trying to make herself into a queen the […]

Justice, rage, vengeance

They Never Learn by Layne Fargo

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I remember when I originally saw the trailer for Promising Young Woman – from that first teaser, it looked like something in the spirit of Hard Candy except that the protagonist was now an adult and punishing men for transgressions. And then I saw a spoiler thread of “this movie is not what you think” and after reading the actual plot, immediately lost interest. I still haven’t seen it or Saltburn. This book, on the other hand, is exactly what I wanted that movie to […]

Fear is a valuable commodity. It’s common sense compressed into its purest form.

The Liar's Key: The Red Queen's War #2 by Mark Lawrence

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It’s hard to play the enigmatic prince of romance when the object of your affections gets to watch you shit into the sea twice a day. ― Mark Lawrence, The Liar’s Key After finishing the first book, Prince of Fools, over Christmas, I figured I’d be done with the trilogy by the end of January. Even though the first book meandered a bit, I was invested enough in Jalan and Snorri to push through and see what awaited them on the black ice. The second […]

I want to ride my bicycle and eat noodles

Noodle on a Bicycle (Caldecott Honor Book) by Kyo Maclear and Gracey Zhang

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I can be a snob when a book is given high praise. Especially winning something like the Caldecott or even a Caldecott honor award. Now, that is not to say the book wasn’t deserving, but I have the personality that says, “Was it really that good?” Usually, I can enjoy it, but no, it was not worth the “hype.” I said usually. The picture book Noodle on a Bicycle (Caldecott Honor Book) by Kyo Maclear and Gracey Zhang (as the illustrator) was worth the award(s) […]

When Matty was gone

The Hole by Lindsay Bonilla

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If you can say that something is both sweet and bittersweet at the same time, it would be the picture book, The Hole by Lindsay Bonilla and illustrated by Brizida Magro. It is due in February 2025 and I read via an online reader copy. But it might have to stay a one time read as it is not a happy story, but so tenderly done. The loss of  the brother in this story is handled with care and empathy. The overall  tone is modern […]



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