Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time


Third time through, just as great. #CBRBingo – I Love This

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

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This book works on multiple levels for me: *It’s swoony and I love the characters. I find it comfortable and reassuring, like a big fluffy blanket. *It’s a smart take on Chosen One stories, upending tropes and challenging expectations. The first time through you think you know what’s going to happen, and then it doesn’t, and something much cooler happens instead. *It’s funny and incisive, and has good things to say about the human emotional cost of magic, of being caught inside a fantasy story. […]

I Thought Supernatural Had Exclusive Rights to that Kansas Song by Now

Wayward Son by Rainbow Rowell

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It’s been almost a year since the events of Carry On, and things aren’t alright.  Agatha was so fed up with magical quests and adventures that she is attending school in San Diego and left even her wand behind.  Simon, Baz and Penelope Bunce are living together, attending university, except that Simon isn’t exactly going or leaving the couch much at all these days. How does one move on with life after accomplishing the thing one was chosen to do?  How to deal with all […]

It’s about being the flipper, not the pinball.

Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell and Faith Erin Hicks

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CBR11 BINGO: Youth I LOVE Rainbow Rowell. I don’t think that any other writer captures what it feels like to fall in love the first time like she does. Her books are engaging, sometimes desperately bittersweet and always honest. While I am not so patiently waiting for “Wayward Son” to be available, I snatched up her brand new graphic novel to tide me over. It’s also the first day of Fall, so this seems fitting. Deja and Josie have been working at the local pumpkin […]

Do you like Fall? Do you like snacks? Do you like being happy? Yes? Then this is the graphic novel for you.

Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell, Faith Erin Hicks

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This was, without a doubt, the most enjoyable reading experience I’ve had this year. Every single page was a god-damned delight. Do I need to say more? OK. Well. This is Rainbow Rowell, so if you love her, you’re going to need to read this. It reminded me a lot of her short story “Midnights,” except that this is about best friends who love Halloween instead of Best Friends who love New Years Eve. Deja and Josie work at an amazing Pumpkin Patch (honestly, if […]

Ah, the sweet autumnal smell of love. (CBR11 Bingo)

Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell, Faith Erin Hicks

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I was always going to love this book. If there was a book created for me, this would be it. All its missing to make it absolute perfection is a focus on the color purple. Its set in my favorite season, specifically on my personal high holy day (Halloween), featuring an adventure, some unrequited/unacknowledged love, pumpkins, snacks, and a goat on the loose. Seriously, Rainbow Rowell and Faith Erin Hicks nailed this delightful story of two friends spending their last night at work together before […]

This is Halloween (or at least a Pumpkin Patch)

Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell

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I know of Rainbow Rowell, but do not think I have read them (maybe a short story). I know that if you want a good book you cannot really go wrong with Rowell. But I was not familiar with Faith Erin Hicks (though I will be looking into them). And as a First Second book? Well they really cannot do wrong in my eyes. Therefore, perhaps I expected too much out of this. Yet, I will say, even with the few “holes” for me, I […]



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