Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

Shadow Histories of the United States

Ghostland: An American History in Haunted Places by Colin Dickey

The United States of Cryptids by J.W. Ocker

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Ghostland: An American History in Haunted Places by Colin Dickey – 3.25 stars For a country with a comparatively short written history, the United States has a great many ghosts, and the most compelling of those have their stories rooted deep in the places from which they’ve sprung up. This was a nice seasonal read which reminded me to look about me with a greater awareness of the many small histories that must cling to every bus station or convenience store I pass, even as […]

“If you happen to pass by 84 Charing Cross Road, kiss it for me? I owe it so much.”

84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff

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When I started writing this review, I could not have told you what made me put 84, Charing Cross Road onto my to-read list back in August 2015. So, then I did what I usually do in that scenario and checked the Cannonball Read archives to see if there was a review that launched it onto my list and sure enough, there were two in 2015 – one by scootsa1000 and another by yesknopemaybe that sealed the deal for me. While it took me 9 years […]

How did it get made?

MCU: The Reign of Marvel Studios by Joanna Robinson, Dave Gonzales, Gavin Edwards

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For lovers of Lord of the Rings, you’ll be aware of the cache that comes with having not only seen the extended editions (multiple times), but to know of the many stories and background trivia that comes with the trilogy. I am 100% this person. The one who, on a visit to Disneyland, bores her comrades with park trivia. The one who pops up in office convos with random pop trivia, or obscure factoids about random nonsense. Some may find it annoying, and I couldn’t […]

Misaka took his shot

Wat Takes His Shot: The Life & Legacy of Basketball Hero Wataru Misaka by Cheryl Kim

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I said that The Music Inside Us: Yo-Yo Ma and His Gifts to the World by James Howe is probably one of my favorite picture biographies this year. Or actually favorite reads from 2024, but it is not due until 2025. Therefore if you are looking for one of my favorite reads in 2024 and is out in 2024 for a picture biography, pick up Wat Takes His Shot: The Life & Legacy of Basketball Hero Wataru Misaka by Cheryl Kim and illustrated by Nat […]

Yo-Yo Ma and His Gifts

The Music Inside Us: Yo-Yo Ma and His Gifts to the World (A Picture Book Biography) by James Howe

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The Music Inside Us: Yo-Yo Ma and His Gifts to the World (A Picture Book Biography) by James Howe and illustrated by Jack Wong might be one of my favorite new picture biographies. Read via an online reader copy, however, you’ll have to wait until early June 2025 for your chance to read it.  We hit the highlights of the life and times of this cellist. There are several facts in the text itself, along with extras as well. This lets the book grow with […]

Few things as fun as a good book or two

O.K. Is Gay: A Picture Book by Vincent X. Kirsch

Here Is a Book:  A Picture Book by Elisha Cooper

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There are few things as fun as a good book. Two of those books were found recently by me via online reader copies. The first by Vincent X. Kirsch is a contemporary story on how it is okay to be gay. And the other is a book about books. Or more accurately how a book goes from idea to your hands. I was a little skeptical about O.K. Is Gay: A Picture Book  as it was mostly starting out as “just another it’s okay to […]



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