Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

I’ve discovered fanfiction!

Not From Others by FloreatCastellum

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So, I finally dipped my toe into fanfic. Now that we can review fanfic on here, I couldn’t really think of a reason to not give it a shot. It’s something I’ve long thought about for my favorite franchises: Star Trek, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings…. But I’ve never actually tried it. And it was both everything I thought it’d be, and so much more. Not From Others is a novel, you guys.  It’s over 130,000 words long, and was published in 2016. I […]

Regular school is out but Hogwarts is in

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by Jack Thorne

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Who knew that in times of darkness all I needed was a little Harry Potter?  I sat down on Easter Sunday and burned my way through this in the space of a few hours, feeling happier on the other side. It’s a quick but compelling read, true enough to the Harry Potter format to scratch that nostalgic itch. Firstly, it should be noted that this is a play script, not a novel, and it wasn’t written by J.K. Rowling although it did involve her (it […]

It’s the same story on repeat but still pretty fun

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

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Apparently the multi-narrator thing is now a trend in certain types of fiction. I heard this a while ago, but hadn’t thought on it much until I picked up Carry On. I’ve read Fangirl, so I had a basic idea but what I hadn’t realized was that Carry On uses one of my least favorite narrative styles, first person present, and the multi-narrator story. Together these things drag down what would otherwise be a great fan fic/twist on the “Chosen One” brand of hero story. […]

“Let us step into the night and pursue that flighty temptress, adventure.”

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Harry Potter, #6) by J.K. Rowling

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This is my second to last of these reviews. I have actually enjoyed engaging with these books on a different level. Normally when I read them, I just zoom through and enjoy. I don’t usually stop to analyze. Speaking of not stopping to notice things, look to your left. I have looked at that image for several months now and I am only now noticing that it can be either a book (like the Prince’s Potions book) OR Dumbledore shooting sparks with his wand (the […]

“Give her hell from us, Peeves.” (This review is the reason I’m four months behind.)

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Harry Potter, #5) by J.K. Rowling

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This was the most I have ever liked this book. (And that’s saying something, because I remember losing my mind over it when it was first published.) I’m kicking myself for not writing up some notes after I finished because it’s been since May that I finished this, and I’ve lost most of that newly gleaned insight. Maybe going through these quotes will help bring some of it back. Also, just know going in, I do not hold with any nonsense about blaming Harry for […]

If you’re going to ban Harry Potter, at least come up with a better reason

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling

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Bingo 23 Banned Book The Harry Potter series has been challenged for many things including glorifying witchcraft, encouraging bad behavior like disobeying rules and lying, and for being un-Christian. This recent ban though is almost laughable, but it did make the international news (click for link): Reverend Dan Reehill, head St Edward Catholic School in Nashville, Tennessee, apparently decided that the spells presented in the series were real. He supposedly consulted the Vatican on this, and had the books removed from his school library so […]



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