Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time


“I did not consent to your presence,” she said peevishly. “Please depart, and attempt your political assassination on someone else’s property.”

Ashes of Honor (Toby Daye #6) by Seanan McGuire

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It’s been a year since the events of One Salt Sea, Toby Daye is throwing herself into danger and figuring out an exit plan as she goes, and her friends and allies are worried that she’s going to get herself killed one of these days; so honestly, nothing has really changed from the first five books. So when Etienne, her liege’s seneschal, shows up asking for her help, Toby figures this is one more cliff to throw herself off of, and (unfortunately, quoting Cassandra Clare […]

“I was getting tired of being in an endless succession of things called “the fight of a lifetime.” Just once, I’d like to have the fight of a Tuesday afternoon.”

One Salt Sea by Seanan McGuire

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The night-haunts never lie. They could, if they wanted to, but they don’t really see the point. The truth is so much more dangerous than a lie. Life is starting to look up for Toby; she’s dating again, she’s taken on Quentin as her squire, she’s discovered she’s something called a Dochas Sidhe (more on that in a later book), May has moved in, and no one has tried to kill her in a while. Of course, because this is October Daye we’re talking about, […]

“Toby, please stop punching Etienne in the head. It’s not helping.”

Late Eclipses by Seanan McGuire

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Ah, the continuing saga of Toby Daye getting kicked in the teeth. After the events of last book, Toby now has to deal with her friends being poisoned, her death getting ever closer, the Luidheag not talking to her, four of five people who just need a fresh one across the face, and the possibility she’s slowly going insane; just another day in San Francisco. Rereading the series, I’ve started noticing how many books have Toby behind the eight ball for most of the plot. […]

“I am so tired of this gothic crap,” I muttered. “Just once, I want to meet the villain in a cheerful, brightly lit room. Possibly one with kittens.”

An Artificial Night by Seanan McGuire

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This was the book that almost made me stop reading the October Daye series the first time I read it, still hated it the second time I read, and the third time is no better. It’s not just that this is one of the most dark and depressing books in the series (though it is), it’s not just that the entire book comes across as Toby being constantly behind the eight ball; it’s just bleak and disturbing and not the least bit fun to read […]

“The laws of physics have already been violated. What happens if they decide to press charges?”

A Local Habitation by Seanan McGuire

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I’ve seen that mixture of resignation and hopelessness before; its usually in my mirror.   After the events of Rosemary and Rue, Toby is back once again in the service of Duke Sylvester Torquill, lord of the Duchy of Shadowed Hills (outside of San Francisco, in the Mt. Diablo area.). As much as she doesn’t want to be, it’s apparently once a hero, always a hero. I’m not a hero; if I’m lucky, I never will be. I just do my job Sent to help […]

A hopeful future with robots and food

Automatic Noodle by Annalee Newitz

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If you need a story of chosen family and hope and good food, Automatic Noodle absolutely fits the bill. This is a delightful novella of a near-future where California has split from the United States after war, and part of California progressiveness was to give civil rights to human equivalent embodied intelligence (HEEI) robots. But those rights are limited – they’re not able to use a bank, own property, and there’s lots of prejudice against robots (very allegorical to American attitudes towards immigrants and marginalized […]



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