Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time
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Zora Neale Hurston looking for gold

Small-Girl Zora and the Shower of Stories: A Tall Tale Based on the Life and Work of Zora Neale Hurston by Giselle Anatol and Raissa Figueroa

November 14, 2025 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

I did not love nor hate Small-Girl Zora and the Shower of Stories: A Tall Tale Based on the Life and Work of Zora Neale Hurston by Giselle Anatol and Raissa Figueroa as the illustrator. It was an experience book where after reading you need to stop and think about it. You need to take your time in the first place and I would even recommend a second read.. It was interesting and different but had a familiar overtone as well. Taking the life experiences […]

Filed Under: Biography/Memoir, Children's Books, Fiction, History, Non-Fiction, Poetry Tagged With: African-American, Giselle Anatol, Giselle Anatol and Raissa Figueroa, imagination, Play, Raissa Figueroa, story telling, Zora Neale Hurston

BlackRaven's CBR17 Review No:502 · Genres: Biography/Memoir, Children's Books, Fiction, History, Non-Fiction, Poetry · Tags: African-American, Giselle Anatol, Giselle Anatol and Raissa Figueroa, imagination, Play, Raissa Figueroa, story telling, Zora Neale Hurston ·
Rating:
· 0 Comments

Alternative facts by your mother can make you one heck of a writer

There is No Shrimp … And Other Lies My Mother Told Me (UFO Catcher Ken Presents) by Kenny Loui

July 26, 2023 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

Is this book by Kenny Loui perfect? No, but it is freaking entertaining and fun. The title (There is No Shrimp … And Other Lies My Mother Told Me (UFO Catcher Ken Presents) ) tells you everything you need to know (though sometimes his mother’s lies are less malice and more “age appropriate” explanations, having a tease (at her son’s expense) and/or herself uncomfortable explaining the situation). These lies range from the downright silly (why are all of her photographs in black an white? Because […]

Filed Under: Biography/Memoir, Comedy/Humor, Cooking/Food, Graphic Novels/Comic Books, Health, History, Non-Fiction, Romance, Young Adult Tagged With: family, Kenny Loui, manga, mothers, otaku, South Korea, story telling, webcomic, Yamawe

BlackRaven's CBR15 Review No:544 · Genres: Biography/Memoir, Comedy/Humor, Cooking/Food, Graphic Novels/Comic Books, Health, History, Non-Fiction, Romance, Young Adult · Tags: family, Kenny Loui, manga, mothers, otaku, South Korea, story telling, webcomic, Yamawe ·
Rating:
· 0 Comments

Messy handwriting doesn’t mean you can’t be an author

Abdul’s Story by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow

May 12, 2023 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

I have read parts of Abdul’s Story off and on for a year now. Finally, I was able to find the finish copy and sink my teeth in. This story is how a young boy, Abdul, loves telling stories. But writing them is a lot harder. Besides, why write them down? Some stories are meant to be told. Yet, when an author comes to his class, a man who looks like Abul with his straight lines, and unscuffed shoes, he learns that there are many […]

Filed Under: Children's Books, Fiction, Health Tagged With: Diversity & Multicultural, Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow, neurodiversity, School & Education, Self-Esteem & Self-Reliance, Social Themes, story telling, Tiffany Rose

BlackRaven's CBR15 Review No:339 · Genres: Children's Books, Fiction, Health · Tags: Diversity & Multicultural, Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow, neurodiversity, School & Education, Self-Esteem & Self-Reliance, Social Themes, story telling, Tiffany Rose ·
Rating:
· 0 Comments

cbr12bingo – Money!

Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield

August 25, 2020 by andtheIToldYouSos 3 Comments

Another square down, and another trip down (also up, under, and through) the Thames (looking at you, Rivers of London). The Thames is the titular river of Once Upon a River another story about telling stories from Diane Setterfield (The Thirteenth Tale). A mysterious man and a young girl come crashing through the doors of The Swan, an inn on the river that is well known for it’s story and for it’s story tellers. The man is grievously injured; the girl is stone dead. The […]

Filed Under: Fiction, Mystery Tagged With: cbr12bingo, diane setterfield, English folktales, folklore, folktales, historical fiction, independence, magical realism, Money, photography, River Thames, story telling

andtheIToldYouSos's CBR12 Review No:93 · Genres: Fiction, Mystery · Tags: cbr12bingo, diane setterfield, English folktales, folklore, folktales, historical fiction, independence, magical realism, Money, photography, River Thames, story telling ·
Rating:
· 3 Comments


Recent Comments

  • Maximoff
    on Maybe Scrooge shouldn’t have offered that Smoking Bishop. Bob Cratchitt might have been better off.
    This review is so spot on! This book could depress a hyena (sorry, been watching too many 1776 clips). Whilst...
  • Emmalita
    on I really wanted to love this, but instead I was just a bit whelmed
    i think this duology struggles more because a lot of the tension is outside the romantic relationships. There’s good stuff...
  • Maximoff
    on “For as long as the axe has been in our hands, we have used it to kill.”
    Had this book in my TBR plastic bin and after reading your review decided to pull it out and let...
  • Maximoff
    on “For a quart of ale is a dish for a king”- William Shakespeare
    Just finished this book and picking up the third. Loved your plot summary and character descriptions. You succinctly sum everyone...
  • Maximoff
    on I agree; The Tempest is a horrible play to perform on an ocean voyage.
    Interesting review. Run hot and cold with Cassie and her books however you have encouraged me to give one a...
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