Emmalita – Page 31 – Cannonball Read 17

Strange men in corridors distributing stab wounds was no basis for a system of government.

A Fatal Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum by Emma Southon

January 16, 2024 by Emmalita 4 Comments

Detailed descriptions of murder and executions are very much NOT my thing, so it is a testament to Emma Southon’s writing that I read (listened to) all of A Fatal Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum: Murder in Ancient Rome. I had to stop and take a few days break several times, because while fascinating, it was also horrifying. It was also illuminating and informative. I highly recommend this, especially if you are weary of Roman histories that ponder the hotness of Cleopatra. […]

“Come along, Pleiti, you can practice ethnography later. We have a murder to solve.”

The Imposition of Unnecessary Obstacles by Malka Older

January 15, 2024 by Emmalita Leave a Comment

I loved Malka Older’s The Mimicking of Known Successes. The second Mossa and Pleiti novella, The Imposition of Unnecessary Obstacles was also a delightful read. There was a moment in the story when I thought back to a conversation I had years ago with a much younger cousin who was still in his 20s. He began expounding on his desire to live somewhere that tested his grit, a place with “real” problems, like on the gritty prestige cop shows he watched. I didn’t point out all […]

The Sixteen Sweet Books Challenge

January 10, 2024 by Emmalita 8 Comments

Welcome to the Cannonball Read 16 Sixteen Sweet Books Challenge! This is a year long, self-directed challenge. You set your own pace reading and reviewing 1-16 books. There are 4 challenges. You can read 4 books from each challenge, read up to 16 books for 1 challenge, or between 1-16 books from any combination of challenges. If these challenges don’t seem very challenging, well, 2024 could be a doozy of a year and you can make this as challenging or soft as you would like […]

We’d missed the notification as we jazzed up our dark purple Madcap Market crewnecks using fabric scissors, some thread, a bit of glitter, and a ton of gay willpower.

The (Fake) Dating Game by Timothy Janovsky

January 5, 2024 by Emmalita 2 Comments

I read my first Timothy Janovsky back in June, and now The (Fake) Dating Game is my fourth. With each book, he gets better and more assured. I really liked Never Been Kissed, though I could see where the plot could use some tightening and tuning. New Adult was one of my favorite reads last year (though it somehow got left off my list?), so I have been excited about diving into this one. Furthermore, this might be one of my favorite fake dating romances of all […]

“Someone poisoned you last night,” I said bluntly. He looked thunderstruck, then hurt. “It was my birthday party.”

Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett

January 3, 2024 by Emmalita 2 Comments

Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands is as enjoyable a read as it’s predecessor, Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faerie. I found that I liked spending time with Emily, Wendell, and Shadow even in the places where the plot dragged a bit. Emily is as prickly as ever, and I love her all the more for it. The marriage proposal remains unanswered, but Wendell remains delighted by her. I only wish there had been a few more of the “my dear dragon” endearments. Emily and Wendell […]

Mossa responded simply with a Classical quotation: “‘Why are men?’”

The Mimicking of Known Successes by Malka Older

January 1, 2024 by Emmalita 6 Comments

This seems like a book that would bring delight to many Cannonballers. Malka Older’s The Mimicking of Known Successes was a perfect listen to transition from 2023 to 2024. Just over 4 hours long, I listened to Lindsey Dorcus’ narration instead of the booms of neighborhood fireworks, and then finished up this morning with my first coffee of the year. I knew going in that Known Successes was a sapphic scifi Holmsian mystery set on a human colony on Jupiter. What I love is that […]

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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