Cannonball Read 14

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

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My favorite of the Emelan books.

The Will of the Empress (The Circle Reforged, #1) by Tamora Pierce

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For the past several years, I’ve been sloooowly making my way through all of Tamora Pierce’s books, first with all the Tortall books, and then with Emelan. I’ve liked all the Emelan books, but have always preferred the Tortall books. This is the first Emelan book that has made that opinion waver a little. Maybe it’s just because this is the first time Pierce’s self-imposed structural limitations on this series have been lifted. The first four books were for children, about children (ten and eleven […]

I demand a tiny glass dragon for a pet. I DEMAND IT.

Shatterglass (The Circle Opens, #4) by Tamora Pierce

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Despite all my caterwauling over the formulaic nature of the series, I’ve really enjoyed the last three books. This one is probably tied for my favorite with the second one. That one had that sweet ass battle where Briar goes to town all over the bad guy’s house with his super magical plant powers, and this one had Tris being grouchy and getting a tiny glass dragon for a pet. Plus I really liked the way that T. Pierce dealt with issues of culture and […]

this may be the creepiest thing i’ve ever read, no joke

Cold Fire (The Circle Opens, #3) by Tamora Pierce

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Dudes. This book is MESSED UP. I kind of can’t even believe how disturbing it is. I mean, I’m positive that I’ve read books where more objectively disturbing things have happened, but there’s something about the combination of what happens in this book mixed in with the fact that it takes place in a book aimed at pre-teens, and also, just the way she structures it so that it completely messes with your head . . . Cold Fire is the third book in the […]

More of the same. Good, not great.

Magic Steps (The Circle Opens, #1) by Tamora Pierce

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This is more like a really high three, but I’m rounding up because of sentiment. I still find myself wanting more from the Emelan books, and not getting it. They just take place in such a short period of time, and there isn’t much character interaction. There was even less in this one than usual, because the four main characters are split up, each character getting their own spotlight book while the others are off having adventures in other parts of the world. This one […]

A sweet story about non-romantic love, involving a magical plague.

Briar's Book (Circle of Magic, #4) by Tamora Pierce

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Briar’s Book is the final book in Tamora Pierce’s Circle of Magic quartet, which of course is ending just as I’m getting used to the format Pierce wrote them in. Naturally, it focuses on Briar, the former thief and street rat, now plant-mage of Winding Circle Temple. He and the three girls are now a year older than they were in the first book, but still quite young. They’ve adjusted to their new lives and are learning in heaps and loads. For Briar, a large […]

There is magic in the weaving.

Sandry's Book (Circle of Magic, #1) by Tamora Pierce

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Sandry’s Book is the first book of Tamora Pierce’s I’ve read that wasn’t set in Tortall, and I enjoyed it very much. It was a compact, precise little book all about people coming together. And, you know, magic and stuff. Fair warning, though. My reading of the book probably suffered because it was my second book in the 24 Hour Readathon a couple of weeks ago. I was highly buzzed on coffee for the first half of the book, and during the second I was […]



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