Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

I’ve read so much I’m reading Valentines books already

Laugh Your Heart Out Valentine's Day Jokes by Chris Cate

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The end of December 2026 will have the book Laugh Your Heart Out Valentine’s Day Jokes by Chris Cate become available. I read it via an online reader copy, but don’t think I will be finding a finished copy for myself, as to be honest, Valentines Day is probably my least favorite major holiday. With that said, these jokes were not my least favorite. In fact, I will be remembering a few to tell people. Not to mention (but I will) that I read a […]

A colorful story from a colorful author

Midnight Manor: A Backwards Bedtime Book by Sid Sharp

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Have you ever read a book and thought, “Now what?” I did with Midnight Manor: A Backwards Bedtime Book by Sid Sharp (late September 2026; read via an online reader copy). There was a beginning, middle and end to the story, but I am not sure what to do with that. Sharp’s book is one of the most abstract solid books I have recently read. Sharp is the author of the quirky books, Bog Myrtle, and the The Wolf Suit to give you an idea […]

Okay, I mean farts

Gomer the Gassy Goat: A Fart Filled Tale by Hayley Rose

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In 2020, Wonky Donkey by Craig Smith came out. In 2022 Gomer the Gassy Goat: A Fart Filled Tale by Hayley Rose came out. They are the same book in all forms except one is about a gassy goat and the other a wonky donkey. Okay not exactly alike, but the “House that Jack Built” concept is prominent in both as are the concepts.  Why do I mention a four and six year old book? Because in mid-October 2026 Gomer the Gassy Goat: A Fart […]

As the old saying goes: Who is the monster and who is the man?

Stitch: Reimagining Frankenstein by Pádraig Kenny

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Stitch: Reimagining Frankenstein by Pádraig Kenny is a good reimagining of the Frankenstein story. You can see how the original story influences the ideas presented on the pages of this middle grade novel. There was much to enjoy, however, it lacked a ‘wow’ factor for me. It was enjoyable and I liked it but it wasn’t my favorite. With that said, I recommend it for ages 10 and up, but the sensitive reader might not be okay with some situations, as it does go “edgy […]

This wasn’t for me, but I am curious about the author

Bright Red Fruit by Safia Elhillo

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Bright Red Fruit by Safia Elhillo was a slow read for this reader. Also, it was nothing I had not read in other young adult novels, but for the modern reader starting out it is good. The prose poetry element reads as a novel and moves at its familiar novel pacing. I would have liked to have seen more of the narrator’s cultural background, but what is there is decent. You see, Bright Red Fruit is new if you are new to young adult literature, […]

A lesser-known story by Goodnight Moon author

The Dark Wood of the Golden Birds by Margaret Wise Brown and Ofra Amit

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In 1948, a year after she rewilded the landscape of literature with Goodnight Moon, Margaret Wise Brown watched the love of her life fade to black. Michael Strange, born Blanche Oelrichs, had cast an instant spell on Margaret–outspoken, sophisticated, and self-possessed . . . Both women were born in the wrong century, bent on bending it to their will; both were accidental radicals, just by living unselfconsciously . . . Margaret loved Michael with unassailable devotion, and Michael was dying. So she did the hardest […]



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