Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

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I suspect a complete lack of physical affection has led the British monarchy to where it is today.

Spare by Prince Harry

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CBR15 Bingo: Politics – The internal politicking of the British royal family is intriguing and horrifying. While not a British royal super fan, I’ve always been interested in them.  Queen Elizabeth’s corgis were part of the reason I got a corgi of my own. I thought I knew the broad strokes of Harry’s early life; trouble in schools, some drugs, partying, two stints in the military, and then he seemed to come into his own as an adult.  In recent years, I’ve followed the royals […]

It’s pretty obvious from the get go that Eleanor Oliphant is far from completely fine

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

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CBR15 Bingo: Europe – The book is set in Glasgow, Scotland. Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine is not a book I would have chosen for myself but it was selected by my book club.  This has been a reoccurring theme since I joined.  I’m glad to be gently pushed out of my comfort zone of almost exclusively reading fantasy, sci-fi, and romance.  It is highly recommended by several Cannonballers so I was excited to start reading.  However, not long after starting I began to question […]

To help create a more empathetic society, this should be mandatory reading for middle grade readers (and everyone else, honestly)

Melissa by Alex Gino

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CBR15 Bingo: Bodies, Bodies – When Melissa was born everyone assumed she was a boy because of her body. Melissa is a girl but no one else knows she is, as it was assumed at birth she was a boy.  As a result, she was given the name of George.  Melissa is her secret name, admitted only to herself.  We are introduced to Melissa while her 4th grade classroom is reading Charlotte’s Web.  Melissa is moved to tears when Charlotte dies and the boys in […]

Masterful interweaving of past and present storylines to tell a slice of demon Kai’s life.

Witch King by Martha Wells

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CBR15 Bingo: Violence – “Kai looked at her through the black film of the veil, “You could say ‘be violent’ instead.”  Tahren, who Kai was beginning to suspect had a very dry sense of humor, patted his shoulder and said, “Be violent.”  Also, the Hierarchs are bent on committing genocide on a continent wide scale. Up to this point, my only exposure to Martha Wells was through The Murderbot Diaries.  I instantly fell in love with Murderbot and Well’s excellent writing.  I admire how she […]

In which we see the other side of the love story

Cassiel's Servant by Jacqueline Carey

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CBR15 Bingo: Relation ‘ship’ – Cassiel’s Servant tells Joscelin’s side of the relationship between him and Phedre as originally depicted in Kushiel’s Dart.  Additionally there are some pivotal moments that happen on a ship. Firstly, I unequivocally love Kushiel’s Dart.  My oldest daughter was named after a character (Ysandre de la Courcel).  I recommend it to people (that I think can handle the bdsm elements) all the time.  There is intrigue, adventure, romance, Gods acting through their mortal chosen, and gorgeous writing.  It’s a book that […]

A multi-generational exploration of Black experience from the early days of the slave trade through modern day.

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

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CBR 15 Bingo: Africa – The book begins, ends, and half of it takes place in Africa. Yaa Gyasi begins Homegoing with a pair of sisters (Effia Otcher and Esi Asare) separated at birth at the height of the African slave trade.  One sister, Effia, is raised and married off to a white Englishman on the Gold Coast.  The other sister, Esi, stays in a tribal African village.  The story covers seven generations. Each chapter is a new person advancing down the timeline and alternates between […]



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