Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

About Sophia

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I love to read, and I love to learn. I wish I were retired so I could spend more time on my random hobbies!

Sophia's Reviews:

She’s just a girl. Let her go.

Girls Burn Brighter by Shobha Rao

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There are so many books out there that I need to read, it’s overwhelming. Girls Burn Brighter by Shobha Rao was one I’d found last year on NPR’s Best Books of 2018 List–but hadn’t gotten around to reading until now. This book was more difficult to read than I had expected. The unrelenting hardship and abuse would have been impossible to read except for the connection between the girls that keeps them hopeful for something better. Rao uses allegories and vivid language to create a story that was […]

What were you doing on December 28, 1986?

One Day by Gene Weingarten

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I discovered One Day by Gene Weingarten on NPR’s Best Books of 2019 List. It looked interesting, but I wasn’t sure I had the time to read it. When I found it available at my library on audio, I decided that was the perfect solution. I’d listen to the book in my car. For me, listening to a book is a very different experience from reading it. I generally prefer reading, where I can easily glance back if I find I’ve stopped paying attention or want to confirm […]

Disappointing

The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal

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When my book club chose our next read, The Calculating Stars (2018) by Mary Robinette Kowal, I’d never heard of it. The premise was promising, though, and from the outside, it looked pretty good. Apparently, it is the first book in “The Lady Astronaut” series and the winner of some awards, including the Nebula and Hugo for Best Novel. In an alternate history of the 1950’s, a meteor strikes the Earth, causing tragedy and destruction as well as the promise of an inhospitable planet. The race to […]

Problems that are not seen cannot be addressed

She Said by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey

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Wow, I did not think I was going to delve into this topic as much as I have. I recently picked up and read Catch and Kill on a whim when I saw it at the library. Even though I already knew Weinstein was an asshole, I could not stop reading it. So, when I finished, I decided to read She Said (2019) by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey. I figured it was only fair to read the book by the reporters who were first […]

Intense happiness

Felicity by Mary Oliver

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Every once in a while a poem is able to articulate a feeling or thought in a profound, emotional way that would never have occurred to me. I’m not a big reader of poetry and a lot of it is incomprehensible to me, so this doesn’t happen to me often. But I’m always hopeful. So, when I saw Narfna’s review of Felicity (2015) by Mary Oliver, I was intrigued. The promise of a short book with meaningful, understandable poems sounded fantastic. I also liked the […]

I love animals, but this wasn’t my favorite

The Wallflower Wager by Tessa Dare

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I’ve had a cold and been spending a lot of time relaxing on my couch feeling sorry for myself. When I finished my last book, I thought a fun romance novel might be perfect for how I was feeling. I found The Wallflower Wager (2019) by Tessa Dare available at my library and downloaded it immediately. So, I’m not sure if it’s how I was feeling or that I just need a break from romances, but I didn’t love this one. Dare has a fun style, and […]



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