Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time


A theme of Love

Lost and Found by Kate Banks

Me and Ms. Too by Laura Ruby

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These two books have nothing in common except they are both modern stories, with a classic feel and are sweetly presented. Still, I will put them in one review as I really am unable to write a 250 worded review for either one of them solo. Lost and Found by Kate Banks and illustrations by Galia Bernstein is an adorable story that shows how love comes in many forms, but you always know it when you see it. It does not matter that you might […]

“In the clear and steady gleam of electric lights, superstition turns to foolishness; in the crucible of the combustion engine, false beliefs are burned away.” (Bingos #9 & 10)

Vampires Never Get Old: Tales with Fresh Bite by Zoraida Cordova & Natalie Parker (editors)

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My Halloween read this year is this collection of new vampire tales edited by the team of Zoraida Cordova and Natalie Parker. I enjoy vampire stores because they offer so many different views onto the human condition, if you go looking for them. In Vampires Never Get Old: Tales with Fresh Bite Cordova and Parker, along with the assembled authors, take the time to dig in and explore these angles – with postscripts by Cordova and Parker after each story. Let’s handle individual stories in […]

When Ghosts of the Past Narrate the Story

Thirteen Doorways, Wolves Behind Them All by Laura Ruby

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Thirteen Doorways, Wolves Behind Them All by Laura Ruby My rating: 5 of 5 stars I came across “Thirteen Doorways, Wolves Behind Them All” as I was reading through the National Book Award winners. “Thirteen Doorways” was nominated for best young adult. The story is set in the late 1930’s as the Depression era gives way to WWII. Frankie, the protagonist of the tale, is in an orphanage with her two siblings in Chicago. What was immediately odd for me was the fact that the […]

Don’t leave me hanging

York: The Shadow Cipher by Laura Ruby

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3.5 stars. This probably would have been 4 stars for me if it had come to a somewhat satisfying conclusion instead of a brutal cliffhanger. It’s a major pet peeve of mine when authors don’t make books in series, especially the first in a series, have a bit of closure so you feel like you’ve read something that feels halfway complete. It’s ok to make your readers want more, I just really hate feeling like I have to go on to the next book to […]

And there are also Bees!

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My book club of 4+ years is morphing into a supper club so I am testing out new book clubs in my area. Our local library branch has a Pardon My Youth club focusing on young adult literature, so I’ve signed up for this month’s meeting. January’s book is Laura Ruby’s Bone Gap, something I’d never heard of – which I’m sure will be true of most of their selections even though I do enjoy reading YA stuff. Bone Gap is the story of two […]

Mind the Gap

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I was seriously afraid that I’d be wasting my time on yet another damsel in distress story where the awkward boy gets to find himself and be the hero, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that Bone Gap played with all those expectations and tropes in an unexpected way. This was shortlisted for the National Book Award, so I was hoping it’d be good. It was! Bone Gap is a strange town with some serious secrets. Finn and Sean are two young men/boys just […]



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