Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time


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Looking for a story about a man in love with a cannon?

Magic for Beginners by Kelly Link

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…because have I got the book for you! Men loving cannons, zombies puking up pajamas, purses that can hold whole villages, horror writers that moonlight as upholsterers- this collection houses all of those freaks and geeks- and then some. The novella that gives this collection its title – Magic for Beginners– was the best of the bunch. It was difficult to single out one piece, as they are all delightful mix of suburban longing and creepy crawlies, but this piece reminded me of two of my […]

A realistic look back at surviving the zombie apocalypse

World War Z by Max Brooks

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I started reading this before the world jumped headfirst into its own virus apocalypse, then got a bunch of library books and put it aside, then came back to it in the midst of everything. What a difference a few months makes! First of all, I need everyone to know that the author is the son of Mel Brooks. That totally blew my mind. What interesting dinner conversations that family must have! The zombie apocalypse has come and gone, and the world is recovering. A […]

Topical

Zone One by Colson Whitehead

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I love New York City. It’s why I frequently read books that are set there. I could go into all the reasons why but if you love New York City too, you probably know ’em. And if you don’t, that’s cool, it’s not for everyone. Obviously, New York City is not right now what it normally is due to the coronavirus shutdown. It’s painful for me to consider as I know the city has so much life in it. Human life yes but also the […]

The Dead aren’t the only ones walking

Daybreak by Brian Ralph

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Had I read Daybreak by Brain Ralph as a teen; I do not think I would have been sophisticated enough to understand it. I am honestly not sure I am sophisticated enough as one well into my adult years to have read this. But read it I did. While it only took me a night to fly through this book, I know I missed a lot. A second or even third reading is not a bad idea. The pacing is as odd as the set […]

Full Throttle – Another good short story collection from the Kings

Full Throttle by Joe Hill

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I have enormous respect for authors who step out of their comfort zone to try new things in their writing style. Joe Hill has always done that and this collection is no different. Most of the stories work but unfortunately some fell flat to me. When one takes chances, that is invariably a result, but as a reader I respect the effort and it makes me want to read more of that author going forward. There are two stories Joe wrote with his Dad, Stephen […]

Fewer gifts than expected

The Girl with all the Gifts by M.R. Carey

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The Girl with all the Gifts features Melanie, an obviously brilliant child, surviving the mysteriously strict and small world of her school and trying to discover who she is and how she fits in the world around her. The story unfolds to reveal other heroes and a larger world that these folks must survive together in a strange survival road trip. I hesitate to say much more, because although the surprises are not hard to see coming, the story is more valuable with them. I […]



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