Cannonball Read 15

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

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Stop, I’m Already Dead

Essex Dogs by Dan Jones

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I’m a Dan Jones guy. I enjoy his entertaining and well-researched history books (The Templars) and television programmes. His debut work of fiction (historical, of course) is Essex Dogs, the story of an English mercenary group invading France in the fourteenth century. The Dogs were formerly led by “The Captain,” although he has disappeared for reasons unknown. “Loveday” is the de factor leader of the Dogs these days, and “The Scotsman” is his right-hand man. Where Loveday is a bit taciturn, The Scotsman is, well, […]

“A grace so ordinary there was no reason at all to remember it.”

Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger

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A librarian friend, whom I usually agree about books with, has been singing the praises of William Kent Krueger for quite a while now. Last year, based upon her recommendation I read his book The Tender Land, and didn’t much care for it. But since she has been relentless, I decided to give him another chance and read Ordinary Grace. So glad I did, as I really liked this one. The story is set in 1961 in a small town in Minnesota.  Thirteen year old Frank […]

Nasty, Brutish, and Short

The Summer Queen: Eleanor of Aquitaine Trilogy, Book 1 by Elizabeth Chadwick

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Cannonball passport- new author Another beautiful cover. People have long been fascinated with the story of Eleanor of Aquitaine, because she held power at a time when women did not. In both England and in France, she had considerable influence and power. She also is a bit of a mystery, because while writing at the time speaks to her beauty, there is no portrait of her actual likeness. The Summer Queen takes us from the time when Eleanor is 13 and her father dies and […]

I Think It’s Me

Shrines of Gaiety by Kate Atkinson

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This review has been difficult to write because this book was good but I didn’t like it. I’m much better when I definitely love or definitely hate something! And this was just…frustrating for me. The story is set over about a week’s time in 1926 London, following a pair of girls who have runaway from York to become stars and inevitably get swallowed in the nightclub scene. And also the ex-field nurse turned librarian who goes to find them. And also the notorious nightclub owner. […]

Good, Old-Fashioned Excitement

Radio Girls by Sarah-Jane Stratford

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Before getting into the review proper, I’d like to mention that my buddy L gave me Radio Girls at book swap we had at my former office. It was pretty fun – everyone at our place of business brought in some books to swap or give away during a random lunch break. It’s special to have your friends’ copies of books, and in some cases even their marginalia or notes inside of books. So, I’d recommend having a lunch break book swap. [Very minor spoilers […]

A Little Women “Re-miss”

So Many Beginnings: A Little Women Remix by Bethany C. Morrow

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  My YA book group selection for February is So Many Beginnings: A Little Women Remix by Bethany C. Morrow.  It is a take off of Little Women where the family is recently freed slaves and the time period is the civil war.  I assume it was selected for Black History Month. The March family in this book are Mammie and her 4 girls: Meg a teacher, Jo a writer, Beth a seamstress, and Amy a dancer (although these nicknames are based on different names […]



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