Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time


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Is this put in the YA category because publishers think sexy faeries aren’t serious enough to be in the ‘adult’ fantasy section?

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

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The most recent YA books I’ve read are Suzanne Collin’s ‘Hunger Games’ trilogy and Victoria Schwab’s ‘Monsters of Verity’ duology.  Were there heated, passionate moments in those books, yes.  Was there spine tingling sex scenes, nope.  I had the assumption that full on sex was part of the dividing line separating YA from other categories.  But if that is the case, then this series is in the wrong section.  I can’t help but wonder if a decision was made that impossibly attractive faeries having sex […]

In which I begin my attempt to read and review all 28 of the manga, Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle. Starting with 1-6

Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle Vol. 1 by CLAMP

Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle Vol. 2 by CLAMP

Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle Vol. 3 by CLAMP

Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle Vol. 4 by CLAMP

Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle Vol. 5 by CLAMP

Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle Vol. 6 by CLAMP

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I began reading and collecting Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle when it was first released in 2004.  It is written and drawn by my favorite manga collective, CLAMP, a four woman team of artists and writers.  Over the years I slowed down my collecting but always intended to get the entire series.  When Borders went out of business, I grabbed as many of my missing volumes as they had but was four short of all twenty-eight.  Fast forward quite a few years later and my eight year old […]

Gentle, spooky fun for sensitive, younger readers

Ghoulia and the Mysterious Visitor: Book #2 by Barbara Cantini

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While not technically about Halloween, this second Ghoulia book fits the bill for a slightly spooky story for younger readers.  My second grader loved the first book, Ghoulia: Making New Friends Can be Scary, which is about an undead girl wanting to make friends with the town children.  So when I learned that the sequel was out, it was an automatic choice for an ‘All Hallows Read’ gift. In the first book Ghoulia learned about Halloween and made friends.  This time there is a mystery […]

I came into the Grishaverse backwards

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

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I came across the Grishaverse backwards.  Last year I read a write up for Leigh Bardugo’s The Language of Thorns and was intrigued by the concept of a book of fairytales that characters in her Grishaverse would have read or been told, when they were children.  The piece said knowledge of the other books was not necessary to enjoy Language of Thorns and I put it on my Cannonball gift exchange wish list.  I was delighted to discover it in my gift box (Thank you, […]

Feelings, free will, and a robot adventure: CBR Bingo – Two heads are better than one, Bingo!

Cog by Greg Van Eekhout

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Completing the “Two heads are better than one” square fulfills my bingo column, “Cannonballer Says” to “Remix”, and gives me my first bingo!  I used my “Reader’s Choice” to replace “Remix” with “Classic”. Dome’Loki Greg van Eekhout is a local San Diego author who frequently does events at my favorite independent bookstore, Mysterious Galaxy.  He writes for both adult and middle grade audiences.  Greg’s two most recent books are middle grade and as a result, it has been great fun to take my kids with […]

I now understand why this book is so beloved : CBRbingo – Classic

The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery

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The Little Prince is one of those books that I have been aware of for a long time but had somehow not gotten around to yet.  It’s status as an all time great is why I chose it for the ‘Classic’ square in Cannonball bingo.  I’m using ‘Classic’ for my Reader’s Choice square to replace ‘Remix’. I became aware of the power in The Little Prince, and how it affects readers, through tattoo art relating to the book.  In most every tattoo gallery featuring art inspired […]



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