Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

It’s Hard to Think with the Bullets Flying

Protecting the Amish Child by Dana R. Lynn

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When Francesca discovers a dead body and an autistic Amish boy in her front yard, she turns to her late husband’s friend Tanner, an FBI agent, to find out what’s going on and keep them both safe. I discovered later that this is the latest book in a long series of Amish romantic suspense novels centered in the same region, but my lack of familiarity with prior books wasn’t an issue – this works well as a standalone. I enjoyed what we saw of Fran […]

Orphans and them

We Called Them Giants by Kieron Gillen, Stephanie Hans and Clayton Cowles

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I have had We Called Them Giants by Kieron Gillen, Stephanie Hans and Clayton Cowles as an online reader copy for a few months. I have had opportunities to read it, but for the most part I figured it would expire before I had a chance to. Thankfully I was able to find it and read it at lunch today. It was an interesting experience. This graphic novel is an on book. We know the dystopian aspects (a girl wakes up one morning to find […]

Skimpy Mystery

Murder by Plum Pudding by Lee Strauss

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Murder by Plum Pudding is a novel that is the length of a robust short story. It is set in 1925 England and features amateur sleuth Ginger Gold, who is married to a police inspector. The story revolves around a Christmas Eve dinner and the death of one of the guests. I wanted a festive Christmas mystery, and I suppose this fit the bill. The story isn’t terribly interesting and features way too many characters for such a short mystery. I could barely keep everyone […]

Surviving middle school is hard

Just Beyond #1 The Scare School by R.L. Stine, Nichole Matthews and Kelly Matthews

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R.L. Stine, Nichole Matthews and Kelly Matthews adapted Just Beyond #1 The Scare School into a graphic novel format. Or I am assuming it was a novel first, then a graphic novel. However, regardless of which came first (or didn’t come out) this is an old school RL Stine story. The theme is classic: We start with a couple of kids in “unusual clothing” (cue the “not from our world”) and how they are being chased by a robotic monster. We then see who lives […]

The crazy is coming!

The Shindig Is Coming! by Charise Mericle Harper

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The Shindig Is Coming! in August of 2025. Charise Mericle Harper’s book was read by me via an online reader copy. I probably will not purchase a final copy, but I know that it will be a hit with others and they will want to have copies for themselves and as gifts. When Mouse comes running in yelling, “The shindig is coming!” It causes all sorts of havoc. Nobody knows what or who it is. It could be a green swamp monster or a pink, […]

I’m not the audience, but that doesn’t mean you won’t be

Pi Squad Mysteries #1  Sabotage at Casa Grande Springs by DD Sterner

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There are few books that I read a page or two and feel like I cannot go on. I usually say, okay, it’s slow right now, but it’ll pick up, and it does.  However, Pi Squad Mysteries #1  Sabotage at Casa Grande Springs by DD Sterner (cover design by Alyssa Tora Aman) was not one of  those books. However (again), I kept reading. And my eight or nine year old brain said, “You would have enjoyed this as a kid.”  Just not your adult self. […]



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