Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

Took images from the web, but the review is mine

Verse Book 1: The Broken Half by Sam Beck

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If you are looking for a typical fantasy novel with fantasy adventure and situations, Verse Book 1: The Broken Half by Sam Beck is the graphic novel series you are looking for. However, there is some violence, but mostly it is there to move the story along, to show such things as characters’ personalities and such, and not for shock. Still it is for mature audiences/older readers. There are lovely illustrations that are busy, and can be physically dark in colors and shadows. Of course, […]

2024 Alex Award title filled a Challenge slot

The Talk by Darrin Bell

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CBR16SweetChallenge #New (I think this was the first Alex Award I’ve read) The main thing I liked about the book, The Talk was that it goes through the history of author Darrin Bell. We see the events that would shape him. But with a few exceptions, these were mostly just “day to day” events. The Talk is “Just A Day in the Life of Bell.” We see his point of view while we get his explanations, and his feelings. We see his family through his […]

Faith blankets you

Blankets  by Craig Thompson

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CBR16SweetChallenge #Exciting Craig Thompson is a new author for me and one that I will check out again as Blankets was a powerful and interesting read. I was going to put this as a New category because of that, but Exciting came after finishing. I was intrigued by the cover, the concept, and all of the blue that was on that cover and inside. I was hoping to find a copy from my library, and eventually did find a mid-2000s published edition. After finishing, I want to find the […]

A Storm Is Coming and More Change Is On Its Way

The Silver Mist by Yasmine Galenorn

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Ember and the gang are still investigating the Fae hate group responsible for recent attacks.  An old friend of Herne’s has also reached out asking for help, thinking his wife might be possessed or something similar due to her odd behavior and the strange weather patterns.  When their undercover agent in the Fae hate group disappears though, things start to get serious, and it’s clear that a storm is coming. The personal stakes help give a heightened sense of urgency, and the book does a […]

Hoops is the name, being true to you the game

Lion on the Inside: How One Girl Changed Basketball by Bilqis Abdul-Qaadir

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Do you want a fun book about basketball, being true to yourself and girl power?  Lion on the Inside: How One Girl Changed Basketball is the book for you. Bilqis Abdul-Qaadir, Judith Henderson and Katherine Ahmed made this book. They took Abdul-Qaadir’s life and show us how one brave woman fought the system to stay true to who she was and honor her faith. The idea that as a Muslim girl, Bilqis Abul-Qaadir was not allowed to “wear a scarf” while playing basketball. It did […]

“Everybody knows that you’ve been faithful / give or take a night or two”

The End of the Affair (1951) by Graham Greene

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The End of the Affair exhumes a febrile wartime love affair between Maurice Bendrix, author, and Sarah Miles, wife of civil servant in the Home Security ministry Henry Miles. The affair is revisited retrospectively from Bendrix’s perspective, filtered through his authorly lens, hazy with self-righteousness, foggy with jealousy and thwarted passion–and then we get to visit it in real time via Sarah’s diary, which slices through Bendrix’s craft and self-centredness and desire and pretension with a steel blade forged in the fires of the Blitz […]



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