Cannonball Read 9

Sticking it to Cancer One Book at a Time

First the smiles, then the lies. Last comes gunfire.

Wolves of the Calla by Stephen King

by Leave a Comment

Homestretch on Ye Olde Darke Towere Marathone! I’m actually starting to be sad that there are only two left plus the movie. And there had better be whole bunch of those, too, is what I’m saying, do ya. If I’m being honest, I think that Stephen King didn’t start leaning into the conceit of this series until about the time that I went all in, and that’s probably the reason I was finally able to invest fully. The more I think about it, the clearer it becomes that the first few books in the series really were still finding their […]

Help Support Cannonball Read

Purchase Wolves of the Calla by Stephen King or any item from amazon via our link.

Funds raised are donated to the American Cancer Society in AlabamaPink's name.

Share the post "First the smiles, then the lies. Last comes gunfire."

7/16/2017 | 's CBR9 Review No:30 |

Emotions, Loss, Growth, Resistance

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J. K. Rowling, narrated by Jim Dale

by 1 Comment

I have been waiting expectantly for book five in the Harry Potter series ever since I embarked on this re-read. I’ve alluded to this story’s previous place as my favorite in the series. I don’t know any more if that’s true. But I’m also not comfortable naming another one my favorite (it is a competition between this and Prisoner of Azkaban, if you’re wondering). Taking a step back from the experience of reading it, I can say that the transitional nature of this story – we are most definitely at war by the end – as well as moving towards the […]

Help Support Cannonball Read

Purchase Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J. K. Rowling, narrated by Jim Dale or any item from amazon via our link.

Funds raised are donated to the American Cancer Society in AlabamaPink's name.

Share the post "Emotions, Loss, Growth, Resistance"

6/30/2017 | 's CBR9 Review No:36 |

Sometimes the Drama Just Finds You

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K. Rowling, narrated by Jim Dale

by 3 Comments

The great re-read continues. I feel that I owe this story an apology. I have long stated that its movie counterpart was my least favorite in the series (yes, even more so than all of that camping in movie 7), and had let that color my memory of the actual book. Friends – I do not remotely hate this book! I might even love it. I’ve been debating with myself for days whether this 4.5 rounds up or down. In my review of Career of Evil, I extolled Rowling’s ability to build out her universes, and go back to the […]

Help Support Cannonball Read

Purchase Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K. Rowling, narrated by Jim Dale or any item from amazon via our link.

Funds raised are donated to the American Cancer Society in AlabamaPink's name.

Share the post "Sometimes the Drama Just Finds You"

6/8/2017 | 's CBR9 Review No:32 |

Yer in the Army Now Harry!

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by JK Rowling Performed by Jim Dale

by 1 Comment

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix or “Why sometimes, maybe, you should tell children things instead of just staying quiet and hoping they don’t get involved” Perhaps I’m listening to these too close together but I’ve got a few bones to pick. First of all, Wizarding community, have you ever heard of a Diet Coke? A healthy percentage of the Hogwarts population are either Muggle born or have one Muggle parent. Are you telling me, everyone got together and decided they were just going to drink pumpkin juice from now on? Also, where the hell are Hermione’s parents? She spends […]

Help Support Cannonball Read

Purchase Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by JK Rowling Performed by Jim Dale or any item from amazon via our link.

Funds raised are donated to the American Cancer Society in AlabamaPink's name.

Share the post "Yer in the Army Now Harry!"

4/28/2017 | 's CBR9 Review No:48 |

Boulders, Heartstrings, and thoughts on The Prisoner of Azkaban

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J. K. Rowling, narrated by Jim Dale

by 3 Comments

As we’ve discussed before, I haven’t reread the Harry Potter books in over a decade. For Prisoner of Azkaban, that probably puts the last time around late 2003 or early 2004. This is where the darkness of my own timeline greatly affected my reading of the series, and the meaning I have pulled from the books over time. You see, my own dad passed away in 2003 and I had just been sent home from university for failing to maintain my grade point average, which was caused by the worst episode I’ve had to date of depression. You all signed […]

Help Support Cannonball Read

Purchase Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J. K. Rowling, narrated by Jim Dale or any item from amazon via our link.

Funds raised are donated to the American Cancer Society in AlabamaPink's name.

Share the post "Boulders, Heartstrings, and thoughts on The Prisoner of Azkaban"

4/27/2017 | 's CBR9 Review No:24 |

The Past Continues to be a Foe in the Chamber of Secrets

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling, Jim Dale narrator

by 5 Comments

Friends, I finally remembered what initially began the itch to reread Harry Potter. Our very own narfna, along with some cannonball and not cannonball friends, did a Medicinal Re-Read and I remember following along (thanks, Goodreads)! It’s been since 2013! Okay, as you were, let’s get to the actual reviewing. I have always thought book four, Goblet of Fire was my least favorite Potter, and that may still be true for the book versions (we’ll have to see when I get there in a few weeks), but I was resoundingly underwhelmed this go-round with The Chamber of Secrets and the […]

Help Support Cannonball Read

Purchase Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling, Jim Dale narrator or any item from amazon via our link.

Funds raised are donated to the American Cancer Society in AlabamaPink's name.

Share the post "The Past Continues to be a Foe in the Chamber of Secrets"

4/12/2017 | 's CBR9 Review No:21 |

Harry Potter Goes to Ms Peregrine’s

The Secrets of Drearcliff Grange School by Kim Newman

by 2 Comments

I was reminded of a cross between Hogwarts and Miss Peregrine’s schools. After her mother catches her floating in her sleep, Amy is sent to an all-girls boarding school, Drearcliff-Grange, that she discovers is actually intended for girls with special abilities like her, and/or daughters of famous criminals, scientists, and magicians. The school is divided up into houses as in Harry Potter, but unlike Harry Potter, these houses are named for Shakesperean ladies: Viola, Goneril, Desdemona, Tamora, and Ariel (even though Prospero’s spirit is referred to as ‘he’ in The Tempest). Also like Harry Potter, each house includes a specific […]

Help Support Cannonball Read

Purchase The Secrets of Drearcliff Grange School by Kim Newman or any item from amazon via our link.

Funds raised are donated to the American Cancer Society in AlabamaPink's name.

Share the post "Harry Potter Goes to Ms Peregrine’s"

4/9/2017 | 's CBR9 Review No:24 |

“The truth.” Dumbledore sighed. “It is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with great caution.”

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rolwing, Jim Dale (narrator)

by 3 Comments

Hey Cannonballers, I’m sure the thing you were thinking you needed most in the world right now was a third cannonballer embarking upon a Harry Potter reread for CBR9. Your wishes have been granted, because here I am joining in on the good idea train. I have been thinking about rereading these books for several years. I have comments on Halbs and ingres77’s reviews to back it up. But the desire to do so started before 2015… I’m pretty sure it’s one of the many things that pulled me into Cannonball in the first place. But in my five previous […]

Help Support Cannonball Read

Purchase Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rolwing, Jim Dale (narrator) or any item from amazon via our link.

Funds raised are donated to the American Cancer Society in AlabamaPink's name.

Share the post "“The truth.” Dumbledore sighed. “It is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with great caution.”"

3/14/2017 | 's CBR9 Review No:13 |

Follow CBR on Instagram

Shop on Amazon and Support CBR

Buy Original Cannonballer Prisco's book and help CBR!

Ad Partner