Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

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From the US. Living in the UK. Used to review under the name Lollygagger. (Learn more about this Cannonballer: ASKReviews' Quick Questions interview - as Lollygagger.)

ASKReviews's Reviews:

Love Some Small Town Intrigue

The Potting Shed Murder by Paula Sutton

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Best for: Fans of cozy mysteries with an eccentric cast of characters. In a nutshell: Daphne has moved from south London to a tiny village in Norfolk with her husband and three young children, in the hopes of having a slower, simpler life. Then, the headmaster of the local school dies unexpectedly. Was he murdered? And if he was – who did it? Worth quoting: “The thought of sullying these beautiful and tranquil surrounding with the same stresses and drama of London was quite frankly […]

It’s Wild That This Is Controversial to Say

Genocide Bad: Notes on Palestine, Jewish History, and Collective Liberation by Sim Kern

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Best for: Those interested in how to respond to some of the accusations that come when one is fully supportive of a free Palestine and opposed to the occupation and genocide. In a nutshell: Sim Kern (they/them) is a Jewish author interested in debunking some of the common talking points people use to justify what Israel is doing in Palestine. Worth quoting: “When the oppressed call for ‘liberation,’ colonizers hear ‘genocide,’ because that’s all they know — they can only conceive of violent, oppressive relations […]

Creepy

The Night Guest by Hildur Knútsdóttir

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Best for: Those who like a pretty horrific psychological tale. CONTENT NOTE: There are cats that start out alive but are not alive at the end of the book. In a nutshell: Iðunn is exhausted but doesn’t know why, and doctors aren’t helping. But we eventually know what is going on … sort of. Worth quoting: N/A Why I chose it: I somehow ended up following author Knútsdóttir on BlueSky. No idea when that came about. But I’d been wanting to read this since she […]

Are theses snafus? I guess?

Snafu: The Definitive Guide to History’s Greatest Screwups by Ed Helms

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Best for: Folks looking for a bit of institutional schadenfreude. In a nutshell: Ed Helms narrates his book about a variety of events since the 1950s where things went wrong. They are often military in nature, though not always. Worth quoting: N/A Why I chose it: I had no idea Helms had a podcast, but I heard him guest on another podcast I enjoy (Behind the Bastards) and he mentioned this book, which sounded fun. It was … fine. Review: This is a very mild […]

Heartfelt Office-Based Novel

I Hope This Finds You Well by Natalie Sue

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Best for: Anyone who enjoys complicated narrators. Anyone who has worked in an office setting. In a nutshell: Jolene is an office worker who gets caught doing something unprofessional. As part of her improvement plan, she’s accidentally given access to everyone’s emails and chats. Worth quoting: “There’s no way this reality was the intended human experience.” “Nobody is immune to thinking they might be wasting their only life on a place that can toss you out without a second thought.” Why I chose it: Rare […]

Great Reporting, But Not My Favorite

Raw Dog: The Naked Truth About Hot Dogs by Jamie Loftus

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Best for: People interested in the history of hot dogs in the US, told through a sort of travelogue / memoir hybrid. In a nutshell: Author Loftus travels the US to taste all manner of hot dogs, while sharing the stories and history of those who sell them. Worth quoting: N/A Why I chose it: I adore Loftus’s podcast ‘Sixteenth Minute.’ Review: I wish I liked this book more than I did. I only became aware of Loftus’s work this year, when her podcast ‘Sixteenth […]



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