Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

A Cannonballer Fav

The Governess Affair: A Novella by Courtney Milan

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CBR15Passport Genre Romance I knew when I saw the “genre” category on the CBR15Passport that I wanted to have romance in there. It’s a genre that I feel like I have overlooked, even though I did start CBR15 with a delightful collection of Georgette Heyer stories. It occurred to me that I have been following Courtney Milan on Twitter even though I’d never read any of her books, so I put out a call on the CBR Facebook page for suggestions on where to begin […]

A cautionary tale that will probably never appear on a Florida school library shelf

Breaking Stalin’s Nose by Eugene Yelchin

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CBR15Passport Different Genres: juvenile fiction  Eugene Yelchin is a talented illustrator and writer. I first became aware of his work through the brilliant The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge, and then last year I read and reviewed his illustrated account of his childhood, The Genius Under the Table. Special thanks to Black Raven for recommending that book and for giving Breaking Stalin’s Nose to me for the holiday exchange. Yelchin was born and raised in the Soviet Union and left in the 1980s. While he would […]

Love, Death, Murder, Justice

The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

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CBR15Passport Book I own Everybody loves this book, the first in a series, and I am no different. Richard Osman is always entertaining whenever he appears on British TV shows like Taskmaster or Would I Lie To You, and his wit, intelligence and humor are evident throughout this delightful murder mystery set in a bucolic retirement community. The  murders and sleuthing are expertly written and the characters are completely charming. Especially impressive though is Osman’s portrayal of love amongst senior citizens trying to keep meaning […]

“… sometimes a woman has to be a bitch to survive, but bein’ a bitch is hard work….”

Dolores Claiborne: A Novel by Stephen King

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This was another holiday book exchange gift from Black Raven — a book I requested thanks to the recommendations of other Cannonballers [EDIT: Narfna!! I think it was you again! It’s like I’m your literary stalker.]. I don’t generally read in the horror category (although I did review King’s Carrie a few years ago and thought it was great). While there are some horror-y elements to Dolores Claiborne, I think “psychological thriller” is a better description and it is indeed a thrilling story. I was […]

“No one tells you before you procreate that the hardest thing about being a good parent is that you never feel like one.”

The Winners by Fredrik Backman

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I have been reading Fredrik Backman since A Man Called Ove. I mean reading everything he has ever written (including the novellas).  So, when a friend suggested we go see him at a local library, I jumped at the chance. I have seen lots of author presentations (I call myself a bit of an author groupie), and his was one of the best. He was wonderful: well spoken, polite, humble, insightful, smart, and most of all, very funny. The event included a signed book, so I […]

The Cartographers (DNF)

The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd

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I come from the review school of “if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all” and so generally avoid sharing my did not finish (DNFs) books. I’m a mood reader! Taste is subjective! Don’t yuck someone else’s yum! I’ve set books aside thinking I hate them and picked them up months later and fallen absolutely in love! So, yeah, this is very strange and uncomfortable for me, but this book made me so angry I have to share. Basic synopsis: […]



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