anana – Cannonball Read 17

New. Dream. Retirement. Plan.

Lolly Willowes by Sylvia Townsend Warner

May 29, 2024 by anana Leave a Comment

I picked up Lolly Willowes by Sylvia Townsend Warner because it was a recommended book listed in the afterward of Weyward by author Emilia Hart (which I enjoyed very much and hope to also review, and even if I hadn’t enjoyed it very much it would have been worth the read for the inclusion of the recommended book list at the end!). I found Hart’s description intriguing: in 1920s Great Britain, a middle-class “spinster aunt” decides to move by herself to the countryside in order […]

“I exist as either a small canid with thick fur, pointed ears, and neat black feet, or a young woman. Neither are safe forms in a world run by men.”

The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo

April 5, 2024 by anana 1 Comment

I added The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo to my Libby queue after reading narfna’s Cannonball Read review, because their description of a slow (but not in a boring way), slightly melancholic but heartfelt historical fiction/fantasy novel sounded like catnip (foxnip??) to me. I’ve been in a review rut since…last September…(despite having read quite a few excellent books in the meantime!), and this short, engaging, lovely little story seemed like the absolutely perfect book to get back on the ol’ wagon with. The Fox Wife […]

Perfect Beach Reach (Or Apple Picking Read? Insert Relaxing Fall Activity Here)

Meet Me at the Lake by Carley Fortune

September 25, 2023 by anana Leave a Comment

(NOTE: I wrote this review in August and then forgot to post it! See text below about having a busy summer….) I’ve been having an issue with my Libby queue lately: all of the books I’m most excited about reading become available at the same time, and then I get caught up in all of the hubbub of summer, then I get halfway through just ONE of the books I’ve been waiting on before they all go back into my queue. After a few years […]

Breezy, Fun Romance With a Side of Book Nerdery

The Neighbor Favor by Kristina Forest

July 31, 2023 by anana Leave a Comment

I was looking for something breezy, romantic, and fun with a guaranteed happy ending. The Neighbor Favor by Kristina Forest delivered on all fronts! The book opens on shy, stuck-in-a-dead-end-job junior nonfiction editor Lily sweating in a subway car, a couple moments aways from literally passing out from heat and exhaustion. In her near-delirium, Lily shoots a fan email off to her favorite fantasy author, a recluse who wrote one little-known book years before, and who has only recently created a website with a contact […]

How Many Warm Beverage-Centric Books Can One Woman Read in 2023?

Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree

July 23, 2023 by anana 1 Comment

Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree has been all over Cannonball Read the past couple of years, and given my penchant for comforting reads involving warm beverages, I knew that there was a good chance I would love it. Spoiler alert: I did! The story opens as Viv, an orc who is a ferocious and skilled warrior-for-hire, finishes up her final job and marches away from her crew. Following her heart and a spell, Viv finds the perfect spot to start putting down roots – […]

“Our vast universe provides us with enough profound and beautiful truths to live a spiritually fulfilling life.”

For Small Creatures Such as We: Rituals for Finding Meaning in Our Unlikely World by Sasha Sagan

May 26, 2023 by anana 2 Comments

I first heard of For Small Creatures Such as We: Rituals for Finding Meaning in Our Unlikely World by Sasha Sagan from a fellow Cannonballer’s review. I was immediately intrigued by the idea of finding ways to create ritual and deeper meaning in our daily lives from a non-religious perspective. The book is organized roughly around seasons, both of the natural world and seasons of life (birth, spring, holidays, etc.). In each chapter, Sagan discusses different cultural and/or religious rites connected to the event being […]

Zirza on A Gothic Classic for a ReasonIt's one of those wish-you-could-read-it-again-for-the-first-time books. I loved it.
Emmalita on “It came to something when you found yourself hoping that the footsteps you heard were ghosts.”I loved the ending! I don’t think it’s been out long enough to talk about why though.
Dixie on Track Her Down by Melinda LeighI am just starting Track Her Down and I have read them all in order till now and thought I...
Roland of Gilead on How can you give us the gift of a crazy character named Rando Thoughtful and then just as suddenly take that gift away? We need to talk, Uncle Stevie.I came across this randomly years after it was written because I was searching "Random Thoughtful. But I have the...
Emmalita on “Only you, Em, would refer to heartbreak as a distraction. I think I would have a more sympathetic response if I asked to marry a bookcase.”Oh my goodness, Gallifrey was beautiful. I’m sure her mittens were gloriously murdery.

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