Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

Feline funnies and a menagerie of creatures

Cockatiels for Two: A Book of Cat Cartoons by Leo Cullum

Tequila Mockingbird: A Book of Animal Cartoons by Leo Cullum

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A few weeks ago one of my cousins texted me to inform me that she left some books at her mothers place she thought I might like. I thanked her but then forgot about it. A few days later, there were a few books on the table (my dad had stopped by her place and was elected the delivery boy). They were these larger, square, white covered books called Cockatiels for Two: A Book of Cat Cartoons by Leo Cullum and Tequila Mockingbird: A Book […]

Chloe, Maude and Sandra

Chloe and Maude, by Sandra Boynton

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Chloe and Maude, written and illustrated by Sandra Boynton, is a cute early reader in the line of Frog and Toad or other best friend silliness. The art of Boynton has all the feels she is known for. This is a collection of a handful of short stories that include two besties, Chloe and Maude. They do best friend things, have fun, even pretend. For the adult reader, things are oversimplified and repetitive, but this is good for the early/starting to read solo reader and/or […]

A charming book about a literal killing machine

Artificial Condition by Martha Wells

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“Artificial Condition” is the second book in Martha Wells’ acclaimed series, The Murderbot Diaries. I read the first book, “All Systems Red,” a few years ago, and while I liked the premise, I had a hard time getting into it and didn’t continue with the series. I picked up “Artificial Condition” on a whim this month, and this time, I was hooked. Maybe it’s actually better than the first book, or maybe I’m just in a different headspace now. Either way, I found this book […]

Picture it: 2002; rural Rigsby, Wisconsin

Foothold: Rigsby WI by S.E. Case

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Foothold: Rigsby WI by S.E. Case is a typical coming of age story that has some mature themes and language, therefore it is not for the too young or sensitive reader. Overall, it feels like a realistic and interesting portrayal of five high school students (four in high school, one who is homeschooled by her aunt). It is a story that is familiar and has a typical feeling of the era it is set (early 2000s, high school). As this seems to be volume one […]

Sweet and and a Little Salty

Nice Try: Stories of Best Intentions and Mixed Results by Josh Gondelman

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Best for: Fans of gentle storytelling and humor. In a nutshell: Comedian and writer Gondelman tells stories from his life, usually with a humorous take, and often with a bit more self-awareness than one gets from such books. Worth quoting: N/A Why I chose it: I’m most familiar with Gondelman as a panelist on the NPR show Wait Wait, Don’t Tell Me, and I follow him on BlueSky, but didn’t realize he had a book, so figured I would check it out. Review: This is […]

Why does it matter who drew it if it’s good?

Botticelli's Apprentice by Ursula Murray Husted

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Botticelli’s Apprentice  is a nice cozy read that is not just a “girl wants to paint because can’t because, you know, “girl” story.”  While this book is not a “perfect five” (there are a few things I was not 100% liking (sorry Blue, you’re cute, but OMG what a problem pup!) it is almost there.  It was a book I read in almost one sitting (and probably would have if it hadn’t been online). Ursula Murray Husted has a story that is about the time, […]



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