Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

Zombies, and cops, and religious zealots, Oh My!

Revival: Deluxe Collection, Volume 1 by Tim Seeley

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Do you like horror with romance, religion, horrific secrets and one crazy (and dead) poet? Then, you probably should read Revival: Deluxe Collection, Volume 1 (which includes volumes one to eleven). The gore and violence is borderline gratuitous at times and other times goes well over the decency mark. There is sex, drugs and probably some rock and roll (but I was too busy covering my virtual ears from the saw that’s (spoiler) chopping up a body, to notice). If you have any kind of […]

A special cup of tea

The Amazing Leaf in the Cup: A Tale of Tea Retold in English and Chinese by Yiping Wei

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It is probably a copout to just copy and paste the publisher’s description of The Amazing Leaf in the Cup: A Tale of Tea Retold in English and Chinese by Yiping Wei. However, I’ll summarize it “a man, named Ding Xian, has qualified for the imperial examinations. In his travels, he passes through Wuyi Mountain, where he meets a monk that helps him by giving him a drink that restores his energy. It is just hot water and leaves, but makes an impact on the […]

A little trippy, but fun

Tiny Troubles: Nelli's Purpose by  Sophie Diao

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Meet best friends, Nelli and Worthi. While Worthi is not the brightest plant out there (though do follow their advice about staying hydrated), they are terribly sweet and a loyal friend who is willing to go on an adventure to help Nelli find her purpose in Tiny Troubles: Nelli’s Purpose.  Sophie Diao’s characters, two young plants, are doing what plants do (enjoying the day, soaking up some sun) when Nelli asks if Worthi knows what a purpose is. The explanation is done as best as […]

“We are never prepared. We are always overwhelmed at some point.”

Where the Waves Turn Back by Tyson Motsenbocker

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Where the Waves Turn Back: A Forty-Day Pilgrimage Along the California Coast by Tyson Motsenbocker My rating: 5 of 5 stars “Where the Waves Turn Back” is Tyson Motsenbocker’s memoir of walking the Camino Real from San Diego to San Francisco after the death of his mother. The book opens a few weeks before his mother’s death. She’s in hospice and the family has gathered to be with her. In one of her conversations with Tyson, she challenges him to take time to grieve and […]

Every day is a bit odder

Every Day V02 Another Day by David Levithan

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Reading some of the reviews on a well-know website known for having reviews, I found that I was not the only one who thought Every Day V02  Another Day by David Levithan had several weak parts. This is not a true sequel to Every Day but the companion of how the several months the characters A (a person who leaps into a person’s body for the day) and Rhiannon (high schooler) meet when A was in the body of her boyfriend, Justin, and the aftermath, […]

Happy April and Happy Poetry Month

All of Those Babies by Mylisa Larsen

Aunt Sue's Stories by Langston Hughes

Bless Our Pets : Poems of Gratitude for Our Animal Friends by Lee Bennett Hopkins

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Happy April and Happy Poetry Month. I am sure I will find other poetry books for kids, but I will start with three that I just found. All are available (or with the last one “soon” in April 2024) but all have been read via online reader copies. The first is All of Those Babies by Mylisa Larsen and illustrated by Stephanie Laberis . This book is one solid poem that rhymes and has repetition. The idea is how all babies, be they lizard, human […]



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