Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time


Join the CBR18 Book Bingo Reading Challenge—Now Underway!   

I expected too much

The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak

by Leave a Comment

CBR15 BINGO: On the Road, because the fig tree at the center of this story travels from Cyprus to London; also, main character Ada is on the path to understanding her family’s history, and Ada’s parents are immigrants from Cyprus BINGO: Hold Steady, On the Road, North America, Guide, Nostalgia I need to stop reading Goodreads reviews that gush over a novel, because they only set me up for disappointment. I wanted to like this novel so much more than I did, because there are […]

“Always be quiet when a heart is breaking.”

The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer

by Leave a Comment

CBR Bingo – Relation(ship) I was looking for a book to dive into whole to lift my spirits post-layoff and a friend recommended this, saying she “recommends it for anyone who loves books and needs a warm hug.” In my opinion, she nailed the recommendation for my situation. This book is just sweet enough, but also just dark enough, to appeal to a troubled mind looking for distraction. Any book lover will be delighted to dive into this world. Jack Masterson, Willy Wonka-esque children’s author, […]

No one’s watching to see if I stay afloat.

Sharks in the Time of Saviors by Kawai Strong Washburn

by Leave a Comment

CBR15 BINGO (Asia and Oceana square: Hawaiian author, takes place in Hawaii, about a Hawaiian family, culture) BINGO! \ South America to Europe I was surprised to find that I was the first to review this book for CBR. Remedy this immediately, everyone! It’s a really, really great book. The story, put simply, is about family. In this case, a family in Hawai’i struggling to make ends meet. In search of more job opportunities, they are about to move to a different island. As a last hurrah, the […]

One of My All-Time Favorite Works of Art

Fruits Basket Collector's Edition Vols 1-12 by Natsuki Takaya

Fruits Basket Another Vols 1-4 by Natsuki Takaya

by 3 Comments

CBR15Bingo: Strange Worlds (Tohru becomes involved in the strange world of the Sohma family and there are supernatural events throughout.) The problem with writing a review of one of my all-time favorite series is that I mentally become that clip from a Lady Gaga interview (“Talented, brilliant, incredible amazing, showstopping, spectacular, never the same, totally unique, completely not ever been done before, unafraid to reference or not reference…”) and it makes it hard to summarize my thoughts beyond an incoherent shaking of the person listening […]

The Lovely Bones Redux

Before You Knew My Name by Jacqueline Bublitz

by Leave a Comment

The paths of two strangers, Alice and Ruby, cross when Ruby discovers Alice’s body by the Hudson River and gets sucked into the mystery of her life and death. I am an avid consumer of true crime content, especially podcasts, though what I enjoy them about them I am not quite sure I know. The shocking and sometimes absurd human drama? The reassuring fear that some people watch horror movies for? The emergence of heroes and the satisfaction of the perpetrators ultimately being put away? […]

More Women Getting Justice

Silenced by Ann Claycomb

by 1 Comment

I am struggling to write this review. This book was good and I enjoyed it and I absolutely recommend it. Let’s just put that upfront. A solid almost four-star read. Like, a 3.85. Really. So why do I want to complain about it? I guess it’s because it is another entry in my new favorite subgenre – post-#metoo feminist fiction with a magical realism or fairy tale bent – but it just isn’t quite as excellent as other books I’ve read recently. It mostly suffers […]



Help Our Mission

You can donate to CBR via:

  1. PayPal
  2. Venmo