Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time


Zombies in space, with a Lovecraftian twist

Dead Moon by Peter Clines

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Slightly more than two years ago, I stumbled across Peter Clines’ novel of cosmic horror, 14. It wasn’t an earth shatteringly  brilliant story, but, as I described it initially, it “scratched an itch I didn’t know I had”. Since then, I’ve read The Fold, and Paradox Bound. The latter book was fairly disappointing in my opinion, and I was left reframing my thoughts around Peter Clines. 14 was great. The Fold was very good, but I had issues with some of the characters and how […]

Ninth House is great, but it’s not a feel-good read

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

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I feel like I should start this review with some trigger warnings. Ninth House contains multiple descriptions of sexual assault, including assault of a child, bullying, and descriptions of drug use and abuse. I think the book handled these subjects as well as can be expected. I generally don’t read books involving rape or child abuse, so I wouldn’t have read Ninth House if I had known beforehand.  Ninth House is about a young woman named Galaxy (Alex) Stern who is admitted to Yale and inducted […]

Little healthy murder

Lorna by Benji Nate

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If Wednesday Addams, Daria and Emily the Strange got together they might make Lorna. Only Lorna is more psychotic. To say that Benji Nate created a graphic novel with mature themes and dark humor is an understatement. First and foremost, there is violence. And while it is not “out in the open” (though obvious) there might be issues for the reader and there are triggers so you have been warned. Lorna likes daggers/knives. No, she loves them. Her hobby is threatening boys with them. She […]

I for one, welcome our new fungus overlords

Cold Storage by David Koepp

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There’s a lot of theory about what various monsters represent about our collective fears. Obviously we have Frankenstein’s monster as a representation of science without morality or consideration for the outcome of their tinkering. Godzilla was the modern version of that with a nuclear twist. Vampires are black mirrors of seduction; Wolfmen are cautions against reverting to our primal nature. And, of course, zombies. Zombies are so ripe for metaphorical interpretation, from concerns about consumerism (hey there Romero) to a concern that others aren’t who […]

Kiss and Don’t Tell

Come Again by Nate Powell

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I hate to admit this, but I am not sure what I read when it comes to Come Again by Nate Powell. On the surface it is obvious: a free love, of the earth community lives together off by themselves. They only go to town for market days and a few supplies they cannot make or grow themselves. They sell their wares (some even are legal) and even dance to bands playing. The community consists of friends old and new because of the community (some […]

When Fairies want your head and you just want to go home

Sparrowhawk (Books 1 to 5) by Delilah S. Dawson

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If Alice in Wonderland and Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Fight Club and One Flew Over the Cuckoo Nest got together, this might be the results. Sparrowhawk (Books 1 to 5) is one “wild, crazy, disturbing, odd, funny, brightly light and dark all at once, and our train is flying off the tracks” ride. Delilah S. Dawson (even their name is beautiful and mysterious and slightly creepy) created a modern Alice in Wonderland, where “Alice” grows wings, uses a big a$$ swords, kills monsters and […]



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