Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time
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“Just because a lady shared a deep, smoldering kiss with a gentleman didn’t mean that gentleman need be privy to all that lady’s business.”

Rules for Ruin by Mimi Matthews

May 1, 2026 by Malin Leave a Comment

Monthly Keyword 26: Ruin Official plot summary (because I read this in February): On the outskirts of London sits a seemingly innocuous institution with a secretive aim—train young women to distract, disrupt, and discredit the patriarchy. Outraged by a powerful politician’s systematic attack on women’s rights, the Academy summons its brightest—and most bitter—pupil to infiltrate the odious man’s inner circle. A deal is bring down the viscount, and Miss Euphemia Flite will finally earn her freedom. But betting shop owner Gabriel Royce has other plans. […]

Filed Under: Fiction, History, Mystery, Romance Tagged With: cbr18, feminism, friendship, historical romance, keyword 26, Malin, Mimi Matthews, Rules for Ruin, The Crinoline Academy, Victorian

Malin's CBR18 Review No:22 · Genres: Fiction, History, Mystery, Romance · Tags: cbr18, feminism, friendship, historical romance, keyword 26, Malin, Mimi Matthews, Rules for Ruin, The Crinoline Academy, Victorian ·
Rating:
· 0 Comments

What if Cinderella was a handsome Jewish man and the prince was a determined and beautiful heiress?

Marry Me by Midnight by Felicia Grossman

April 20, 2026 by Malin 2 Comments

Isabelle Lira wants to take charge of her deceased father’s business, but is hindered from doing so both because she is a woman and because the Jewish community she lives in finds it unacceptable. So she must find a husband who will not object to her controlling her family’s interests, and who won’t be cruel, abusive or who will take advantage of her and her wealth. In order to find a suitable match, she is arranging three festival events, where all eligible Jewish men are […]

Filed Under: Fiction, History, Romance Tagged With: cbr18, cinderella, fairy tale retelling, Felicia Grossman, historical romance, jewish, Malin, Marry Me by Midnight, Nowhere Book Bingo, Once Upon the East End, Victorian

Malin's CBR18 Review No:19 · Genres: Fiction, History, Romance · Tags: cbr18, cinderella, fairy tale retelling, Felicia Grossman, historical romance, jewish, Malin, Marry Me by Midnight, Nowhere Book Bingo, Once Upon the East End, Victorian ·
Rating:
· 2 Comments

“What else is life but a string of outcomes beyond our control?”

The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion: Vols. 1-3 by Beth Brower

January 29, 2026 by narfna Leave a Comment

This is a wild thing to say, but I’m saying it, so stay with me. This series is Dungeon Crawler Carl for the Jane Austenites. I’m not even finished with it yet and I already know that. It’s the kind of story you read once, probably in a very short time, then immediately go back in for a re-read or five. This story is—aside from having lovable characters and a certain anti-authoritarian bent—nothing like Dungeon Crawler Carl. And yet. The Unselected Journals of Emma M. […]

Filed Under: Audiobooks, Fiction Tagged With: audiobooks, Beth Brower, epistolary, Genevieve Gaunt, historical fiction, narfna, novellas, self published, serialized, The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion: Vol. 1, The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion: Vol. 2, The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion: Vol. 3, Victorian

narfna's CBR18 Review No:6 · Genres: Audiobooks, Fiction · Tags: audiobooks, Beth Brower, epistolary, Genevieve Gaunt, historical fiction, narfna, novellas, self published, serialized, The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion: Vol. 1, The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion: Vol. 2, The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion: Vol. 3, Victorian ·
Rating:
· 0 Comments

“To call them the weaker sex is to utter a hideous mockery. They are the stronger sex, the nosier, the more persevering, the most self-assertive sex.”

Lady Audley's Secret by Mary Elizabeth Braddon

January 11, 2026 by Pooja Leave a Comment

The lovely second Lady Audley is most fortunate, having been elevated in the world from governess to peeress by her marriage to the rich and doting Sir Audley. But, as Sir Audley’s nephew Robert will soon learn, she has a dangerous secret which she will go to any lengths to conceal. Lady Audley’s Secret belongs to the genre of  Victorian ‘sensation novels’ be, which ar a precursor to the more openly violent pulp novels which were popular in the 20th century. Previously I’ve read a […]

Filed Under: Audiobooks, Fiction, Mystery Tagged With: 19th century, classics, crime, Fiction, Mary Elizabeth Braddon, mystery, Suspense, Victorian

Pooja's CBR18 Review No:3 · Genres: Audiobooks, Fiction, Mystery · Tags: 19th century, classics, crime, Fiction, Mary Elizabeth Braddon, mystery, Suspense, Victorian ·
Rating:
· 0 Comments

Sapphic vampires but make it boring

Hungerstone by Kat Dunn

December 30, 2025 by Jen K 1 Comment

Eh. This was fine. I have never actually read Carmilla but know of its standing as a classic vampire story, so was intrigued by the description of this one as retelling/ reimagining. And maybe it’s unfair to expect anything super original from a retelling but that’s basically the feeling I left this one with – it was all very reminiscent of so many other novels I have read before, and not even in a particularly fun way. I will say that Dunn did a great […]

Filed Under: Fiction, History Tagged With: carmilla, classic retelling, Kat Dunn, vampire, Victorian

Jen K's CBR17 Review No:152 · Genres: Fiction, History · Tags: carmilla, classic retelling, Kat Dunn, vampire, Victorian ·
Rating:
· 1 Comment

“So much of her life had been about escaping, in dreams and books and out of windows, that she didn’t quite know how to stay.”

The Geographer's Map to Romance by India Holton

August 3, 2025 by Malin Leave a Comment

Buzzword Cover Challenge 25: Monochrome CBR17 Bingo: Green (A book with a green cover) Official plot summary, because I finished the book in early April, and perimenopause is doing my powers of recall no favours: Professor Elodie Tarrant is an expert in magic disasters. Nothing fazes her—except her own personal disaster, that Professor Gabriel Tarrant, the grumpy, unfriendly man she married for convenience a year ago, whom she secretly loves. Gabriel is also an expert in magic disasters. And nothing fazes him either—except the walking, […]

Filed Under: Fiction Tagged With: academia, alternate history, buzzwords cover, cbr17, cbr17 bingo, Geography, Green, historical fantasy, India Holton, Love's Academic, magic, Malin, neurodivergence, paranormal romance, Victorian, Weather

Malin's CBR17 Review No:45 · Genres: Fiction · Tags: academia, alternate history, buzzwords cover, cbr17, cbr17 bingo, Geography, Green, historical fantasy, India Holton, Love's Academic, magic, Malin, neurodivergence, paranormal romance, Victorian, Weather ·
Rating:
· 0 Comments
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Recent Comments

  • Pooja
    on “Luck is an undependable commodity.”
    I hope they enjoy it! It's a great read.
  • lafocareta
    on “Luck is an undependable commodity.”
    I have a friend who is very into disaster stories, so I passed this title on to them - thank...
  • Zirza
    on Down by the sea is where you drown your scars
    Yeah, Daisy Jones is definitely on my list! I have a soft spot for that whole multiverse-thing in books.
  • wicherwill
    on To Boob or Not to Boob
    Ooh this could be a perfect gift!!
  • wicherwill
    on A minority opinion: This book is fine
    The cover makes me think of The Goldfinch, I have been wanting to say that to someone. This review makes...
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