Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time
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About Ellesfena

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I mostly read nonfiction (especially public health-related), mysteries, and fantasy. (Learn more about this Cannonballer: Ellesfena's Quick Questions interview.)

Ellesfena's Reviews:

Real Life Nightmare Material

Pandora's Lab by Paul A. Offit, MD

April 13, 2019 by Ellesfena 2 Comments

Pandora’s Lab is one scary book. It includes seven times when so-called scientific advances led to disasters, most of which are still affecting the world today. There’s a chapter on opioids, of course, and one on lobotomies. He also discusses the DDT ban, trans fats, chemical fertilizers and mustard gas, eugenics, and vitamins and supplements. All of these things seemed like great ideas at the time, but had far-reaching and, in many cases, terrifying consequences. The one that struck me the most was the chapter […]

Filed Under: Non-Fiction Tagged With: paul offit, public health, science

Ellesfena's CBR11 Review No:10 · Genres: Non-Fiction · Tags: paul offit, public health, science ·
Rating:
· 2 Comments

The Scene Ends Badly, as You Might Imagine

Wolf in White Van by John Darnielle

March 16, 2019 by Ellesfena 4 Comments

I’ve been a huge fan of the Mountain Goats for going on ten years now. It’s hard for me to articulate exactly why they became my favorite band because it feels so emotional and personal, but it is in large part due to John Darnielle’s incredible lyrics and his ability to tell powerful stories in just a few minutes. I’ve had his books on my TBR list for awhile, but I didn’t feel very compelled to read them. I’m not usually (or ever) a fan […]

Filed Under: Fiction Tagged With: John Darnielle, the mountain goats, Wolf in White Van

Ellesfena's CBR11 Review No:9 · Genres: Fiction · Tags: John Darnielle, the mountain goats, Wolf in White Van ·
Rating:
· 4 Comments

No Brothers Left, and There’ll Be No More After Me

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor

Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor

February 25, 2019 by Ellesfena Leave a Comment

I’m going to write this review as though it’s three separate reviews, because I can’t figure out how to review Books 2 and 3 in this series without completely spoiling Book 1. So if you don’t want to read spoilers, you can stop reading after Book 1. Book 1: Daughter of Smoke and Bone is the story of Karou, an art student living in Prague. She has a best friend, Zuzana, an annoying ex-boyfriend named Kaz, and a double life, wherein she works for a […]

Filed Under: Fantasy, Young Adult Tagged With: Daughter of Smoke and Bone, Laini Taylor, Prague, ya fantasy

Ellesfena's CBR11 Review No:8 · Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult · Tags: Daughter of Smoke and Bone, Laini Taylor, Prague, ya fantasy ·
Rating:
· 0 Comments

No Nonsense Fairy Tales

Dealing with Dragons by Patricia Wrede

Searching for Dragons by Patricia Wrede

Calling on Dragons by Patricia Wrede

Talking to Dragons by Patricia Wrede

February 3, 2019 by Ellesfena 8 Comments

(Spoilers throughout) Dealing with Dragons has been a favorite of mine since I was a kid, but this is the first time I’ve read the rest of the series. This series, known as the Enchanted Forest Chronicles, focus on a group of characters living in and around an enchanted forest (as you may have guessed). The first book, Dealing with Dragons, introduces Princess Cimorene. She’s a misfit as far as fairy tales are concerned: she’s too businesslike to care about romance, is more interested in […]

Filed Under: Children's Books, Fantasy, Young Adult Tagged With: cimorene, dragons, enchanted forest chronicles, kazul, patricia wrede, ya fantasy

Ellesfena's CBR11 Review No:5 · Genres: Children's Books, Fantasy, Young Adult · Tags: cimorene, dragons, enchanted forest chronicles, kazul, patricia wrede, ya fantasy ·
Rating:
· 8 Comments

And the Headstones Climbed up the Hill

Dreamland: The True Tale of America's Opiate Epidemic by Sam Quinones

January 23, 2019 by Ellesfena 1 Comment

Last year I read Nicholas and Alexandra and discovered a whole new, extremely specific genre that I love: nonfiction books about some point in time where everything came together in a very particular way that changed the entire course of history. I’m very pleased to say that Dreamland is now the second book I can add to that category (which really needs a snappier name). Dreamland is actually two stories which fit together perfectly to create something really terrible: it’s the story of Purdue Pharma’s […]

Filed Under: Health, Non-Fiction Tagged With: drugs, heroin, opiates, opioids, oxycontin, Sam Quinones

Ellesfena's CBR11 Review No:1 · Genres: Health, Non-Fiction · Tags: drugs, heroin, opiates, opioids, oxycontin, Sam Quinones ·
Rating:
· 1 Comment

I Did It

December 16, 2018 by Ellesfena 19 Comments

I really can’t believe I’m reviewing my 52nd book of 2018, because I never thought I’d get here. 2018 was a slog, y’all. The funny thing is, I thought it was because I hadn’t read that many great books this year, but that wasn’t true at all–I could barely find a one least favorite for the CBR wrapup post because I had enjoyed almost everything I read. I just couldn’t get into writing the reviews this year. Luckily, I am extremely competitive with myself, and […]

Filed Under: Fantasy, Fiction, Graphic Novels/Comic Books, Science Fiction Tagged With: Brian K. Vaughan, Fiona Staples, Graphic Novel, Saga

Ellesfena's CBR10 Review No:52 · Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Graphic Novels/Comic Books, Science Fiction · Tags: Brian K. Vaughan, Fiona Staples, Graphic Novel, Saga ·
Rating:
· 19 Comments
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