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:

The Guest Isn’t the Only Unexpected Thing

The Unexpected Guest by Agatha Christie

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Best for: Those looking for a quick read that challenges one to think about who the real culprit is. In a nutshell: Michael Starkwedder has run his car off the road and is looking for a phone to use. He finds a house, lets himself in, and sees a woman with a gun and a man dead. Worth quoting: N/A (I listened to this as an audio book) Why I chose it: I’ve enjoyed the films based on Christie’s writings, and so wanted to read […]

Infuriating

Night Watching by Tracy Sierra

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Best for: Those who want a page turner that has an underlying message about society. In a nutshell: Our protagonist isn’t given a name – in fact, no one, I realised only as I started writing this review, has a proper name. Everyone is identified by their relation or role – mother, father, daughter, son. She wakes up in the night to see a man standing in her hallway, and has to make a decision about how to keep her children safe. Worth quoting: “Men […]

Radiation is Not Great, Folks

Midnight in Chernobyl by Adam Higginbotham

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Best for: Folks who are interested in how man-made disasters come about, and how governments and individual people respond to them. In a nutshell: During a test of the cooling system, one of the reactors at the Chernobyl plant in Pripyat, Ukraine, USSR, explodes, leading to some immediate deaths, some short-term deaths, many longer-term deaths, and the complete abandonment of an entire city. Worth quoting: “We have to be seen to be doing something.” Why I chose it: I watched the recent miniseries and given […]

Meh

I am a Hitman by Anonymous

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Best for: I can’t really recommend this book. It’s fine, but not something I’d recommend even to those who have a curiosity about such things. In a nutshell: The author claims he worked as a hit man, and details how he came into that world, and how he eventually got out. Worth quoting: Nothing. Why I chose it: Wanted an audio book to read while running and as someone who finds details and specifics fascinating, I was interested in HOW contract killing actually worked. Review: […]

Women Will Do What They Need to Survive

The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner

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Best for: Those who enjoy a bit of mystery, a bit of revenge, and some history. In a nutshell: Two parallel stories: In the late 1700s, Nella runs a secret apothecary in London to assist women who need freeing from abusive men. In the current day, Caroline has come to London to celebrate her 10th anniversary, only just before leaving the US for the trip, she found out her husband had been having an affair. Worth quoting: N/A – Audio book Why I chose it: […]

More of a Reference Book Than I Expected

How Bad Are Bananas: The Carbon Footprint of Everything by Mike Berners-Lee

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Best for: Anyone interested in the overall topic of climate footprints; those who are looking for some ideas on how they can reduce their own. In a nutshell: Author Berners-Lee explores the literal carbon cost of pretty much everything. Worth quoting: “Cryptocurrencies have to be one of the most fundamentally pointless ways of using energy. … Blockchain…adds even more to the energy use and the carbon footprint.” Why I chose it: I was looking for a book to leave at work and read when I […]



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