Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

Search this Site

Murder at the Magic School

Magic for Liars by Sarah Gailey

by Leave a Comment

I’ve not had a lot of luck with things highly recommended and hyped by authors whose works I’ve enjoyed.  V.E. Schwab might be an exception. I found out about the impending publication of Magic For Liars from her social media, and picked it up as soon as it came out. The descriptions of the premise as something between Harry Potter and The Magicians is also reasonably accurate; another point for the book, since I frequently don’t quite agree with the blurbs either. The basic idea […]

“Kill the spare.”

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Harry Potter, #4) by J.K. Rowling

by 7 Comments

Well, so I said I wasn’t going to wait to write this, and then I waited to write this. Over two months. I start reading book six tomorrow*. [loud moaning noise] (when fun things become chores) [loud moaning noise] *And then I waited almost two more weeks after writing that sentence. The thing is, it’s not the review writing, it’s the quote transcribing! Something I have learned about myself is I don’t like doing it! I’m not going to make any more promises. That way […]

Like watching a documentary with your eyes closed

Harry Potter: A History of Magic by The British Library, JK Rowling

by Leave a Comment

I listened to the Natalie Dormer narrated audiobook of A History of Magic and it was both the perfect way to enjoy the expansive magical world as well as the most frustrating way. The British Library should really film this for an HBO or History Channel documentary series. Natalie Dormer was a fantastic narrator; her role was primarily as the host of the book who introduced sections read by contributors and interviewees. It was a fantastic way to delve into the wonderful world of Harry Potter again, […]

“I’m worth twelve of you, Malfoy.”

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by JK Rowling

by 1 Comment

How the hell am I supposed to review Harry freaking Potter? Just the fifth best-selling book in any language of all time, nbd. I’m sure I have some original thoughts on it. I read this 12ish years ago but I was a different human then. I’ve started and finished a bachelor’s degree, gotten married, had a child, gained an astronomical amount of context, perspective, and life experience since then. I’ve also had a memory-wiping coma. One of my few resolutions this year was to reread […]

I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Harry Potter, #3) by J.K. Rowling

by Leave a Comment

Oh, wow, so it’s been a month since I read this. Good thing I’ve read it five billion times; my reactions are always fresh and ready to go! And also I took pictures of all the quotes I wanted to talk about. This review is not quite the 10,000 words as requested, but I suppose it will do. (I anticipate my review of Goblet of Fire to be monstrous.) I just needed to get this done before I started the next one on 4/1. Ooh, […]

My favorite potter on reread

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling

by Leave a Comment

I think this was the book in the series I had the hardest time putting down the second time through.  After Harry Potter and the Whiny Depression that was Order of the Phoenix, this felt like a return to form.  We have the adventurous Harry from the earlier books back, with the adult stakes that rise with each series entry. The central mystery – who is the Half Blood Prince – managed to be just as exciting the second time around, even if I remembered […]



Help Our Mission

You can donate to CBR via:

  1. PayPal
  2. Venmo