Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

Scandalous handbag scheme

Counterfeit by Kirstin Chen

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CBR 16 Bingo – Scandal: An illegal counterfeit handbag business. Is that sufficiently scandalous for you? I read this book for my book club, but probably would have picked it up anyway since it seems right up my alley. It tells the story of Ava Wong, a Chinese-American woman living what seems to be the perfect life, but she’s not happy. Her marriage is falling apart, she hasn’t used her law degree in years, and her toddler Henri’s tantrums are going to drive her over […]

“Your silence on the issue of people trying to kill you is deeply disturbing.”

The Hawthorne Legacy by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

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CBR 16 Bingo – Golden: A main theme in the series is economic status and money in general. Being a sequel, it’s hard to summarize or give a synopsis of this book without spoiling the first one, but it’s really just a continuation on the plot of the 1st book, with Avery trying to stay alive long enough to inherit the money, and solve the mystery as to why she was the heiress in the first place. This was a pretty solid sequel. Usually, the […]

Finding home

Brownstone by Samuel Teer and Marina Julia

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Brownstone by Samuel Teer and Marina Julia was not what I expected. In many ways it was better, but also maybe not as strong as I had hoped. It was an interesting mixture of thoughts, feelings, actions and events. So much is going on, but nothing is ever really “perfectly” solved. Which is the point. There might not be a Happily Ever After, but you can get a Happy (Most of the Time) Together.  The artwork is simple, but full at the same time. The […]

I’d Rather Be an Other Bird

Other Birds by Sarah Addison Allen

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“There are birds, and then there are other birds. Maybe they don’t sing. Maybe they don’t fly. Maybe they don’t fit in. I don’t know about you, but I’d much rather be an other bird rather than just the same old thing.” On Sweet Mallow Island, off the coast of Charleston, there’s a small condominium called The Dellawisp, named for the ubiquitous turquoise birds that call the courtyard their home. There are only four residents of The Dellawisp – Charlotte, a henna artist running from […]

“I don’t know what to say,” she said, after a pause. “I don’t want to tell you a lie, and I don’t know the truth.”

The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

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CBR 16 Bingo – Dreams: Ava dreams of many things, like being able to walk properly, having a loving mother, being able to ride a horse, and keeping herself and her brother safe. I first read this book when I was in 3rd or 4th grade, and I loved it. Something about the story and the characters just drew me in and caused me to really enjoy this book. It tells the story of Ava, a 10-year-old girl from London who has never left her […]

I laughed too hard when I tagged this as an “age gap romance.”

By the Pint by Jemma Croft

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The decennial Bloodsuckers in Business conference was held, unsurprisingly, once per decade at Dreadmourne Castle. A fortress built approximately half a bajillion years ago, and so gothic and cliched, it was borderline offensive to my brethren. ― Jemma Croft, By the Pint “Didn’t quite go as you expected?” I needled. I didn’t need to read his thoughts to understand what he was trying to achieve. “Thought you’d go all,”—I held my hands up like paws and hissed—“scary vampire dude on me. Show me what kind […]



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