Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time


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“It’s like there’s something about me that just encourages people to want me dead. Probably my sparkling personality.”

A Divided Duty: An October Daye Novel (#20) by Seanan McGuire

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Four months after the events of Silver and Lead, October “Toby” Daye is settling into motherhood once again, now the bonus of not having to hide her or her child’s true nature from the other parent. Of course her life is even more dangerous now than it was when Gillian was young, so thankfully Toby has a full household to help her keep her daughter safe in the house, away from the terrors that Faerie has to offer. (Still trying to find that work/life balance, […]

US history in one family of women

The Seven Daughters of Dupree by Nikesha Elise Williams

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I wanted to like this novel more than I did. I had the opportunity to attend an author talk before I read this and I really appreciated getting the author’s perspective on the story she told, how she structured it and other choices that she made. So that did help me appreciate some parts but in other ways, I wonder if reading it before the event might have been better. This isn’t really the kind of novel you spoil, especially when the blurb shares small […]

Brutally beautiful historical fantasy

A Beast Slinks Towards Beijing by Alice Evelyn Yang

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I was immediately drawn to this book, but struggled with eyeball reading, so I was so glad when I got an advance listening copy as well, especially so I wouldn’t be butchering the Chinese words and intonations. This is really intense and deals with a lot of really difficult topics, and it’s hard to say any of the characters (though especially Ba) were likable, but the ending left me with a feeling of hope and healing. Told through three (four?) perspectives, A Beast Slinks Towards […]

There’s a lot to unpack and my suitcase isn’t big enough

My Father, the Panda Killer by Jamie Jo Hoang

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After finishing My Father, the Panda Killer by Jamie Jo Hoang, I texted a friend to tell her I had finally finished the difficult book I was reading. It was difficult as the pacing felt slow to me and the subject is far from easy. The main character is the first generation to be born in the states after her parents fled war-torn Vietnam during/after the war. We, like the narrator Jane, learn about things in snippets with her having to fill in the blanks. […]

Columbian Mythology and Family Trauma

The Enchanted Life of Valentina Mejía by Alexandra Alessandri

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Valentina, her brother Julian, and her father are hiking the Columbian jungle to track down a vampire. Well, that’s what her father’s doing. Valentina is along for the ride, trying not to be embarrassed about her father and brother’s belief in Columbian folk creatures, and taking the opportunity to practice her drawing. But during the trip, Valentina has a visceral premonition: “The earth is not happy.” She urges her family to leave, but they are caught in a violent earthquake. The kids and their dad […]

The historical and personal flood of events that lead a woman to find herself

Feeding Ghosts: A Graphic Memoir by Tessa Hulls

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Feeding Ghosts: A Graphic Memoir by Tessa Hulls is an intense read, with several triggers. It is not meant for the sensitive reader, or someone who is just starting graphic novels. The style of illustrations are both what makes and breaks things. The black and white gives the tone but everything can blend together, especially when the author uses words as the illustrations or within the actual image. A few fourth wall breaks can stop the flow of stories, but overall this is an interesting […]



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