Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time


Join the CBR18 Book Bingo Reading Challenge—Now Underway!   

Can he fix it? Why yes he can!

Small Things Mended by Casey Robinson

by Leave a Comment

The story behind Small Things Mended by Casey Robinson is amusing. Or at least to me. I had asked for it via interlibrary loan and then forgot about it. It was not until the lady who works in that department of the library told me she was still looking for a copy that reminded me I had asked. And yes, it was worth the wait. Now, maybe it was not my favorite book of all time, but this book of friendship and grieving was cleverly […]

The Heart of the Lion

Lion Dancers by Cai Tse

by Leave a Comment

I did not know what to expect with the graphic novel,  Lion Dancers by Cai Tse. I guess I figured it would be about learning how to be a lion dancer. I figured there would be Kid One who is “troubled” and learns about lion dancing to “get his energies out” and/or connect to his culture. Then there would be Kid Two (or more) trying to stand in their way. And, it is a little bit like that, but there is more to things, too.   […]

Healing Grief in the Ashes

House of Frank by Kay Sinclaire

by Leave a Comment

This book starts out feeling a bit like Under the Whispering Door, which was a pleasant way to start. Main character Saika has been grieving the loss of her sister Fiona two years ago, and her magic hasn’t worked properly since then. Fiona wanted to have her ashes planted at Ash Gardens, where ashes are planted and grow into colorful trees. Saika isn’t as ready to let go of her sister in this way as she thought she was, and the owner of Ash Gardens, […]

The Map to the Afterlife

49 Days by Agnes Lee

by Leave a Comment

Read the description of 49 Days by Agnes Lee as that tells the story. My review is one that focuses on the fact that this is an emotional, complex and beautifully done book. I am focusing on the pieces that really spoke to me. And how it is relatable in many ways.  I like the realism of the grief processes. It is strong and powerful, and the idea of “yes, I must grieve, but I also must keep on living” is an interesting twist. Usually […]

An umbrella of sadness

Under Anna's Umbrella by Amanda Driscoll

by Leave a Comment

Under Anna’s Umbrella written by Amanda Driscoll and illustrated by Luisa Uribe (and due mid/late April 2025) is actually a nice story about grief. It is set up to allow you to adapt it to your own personal needs. We see how Anna is unable to face the death of someone in her family (I am assuming a father as there isn’t one during the course of the book, but there is a photograph of a man at the end of the book) but as […]

Celebrating and loss

Popi's All Souls Song by C.K. Malone

by Leave a Comment

Popi’s All Souls Song by C.K. Malone and illustrated by Shelly Swann is due mid September 2024. I was able to find an online reader copy and I am curious about the final product. I think reading online made me “miss” some important pieces of the story. There is a small bump near the end that did not flow for me. However, overall it is an interesting story that takes a familiar topic (the death of a loved one) and handles it with love, care […]



Help Our Mission

You can donate to CBR via:

  1. PayPal
  2. Venmo