Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

“If I die, you can always make another me.”

Mickey7 (Mickey7, #1) by Edward Ashton

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What a way to start the year—existential crises and smart-assery. Mickey7, aka Mickey Barnes, is our guy. He’s an Expendable on a mission to establish a beachhead colony on a far-flung world. Expendables are just that—they are the people sent on suicide missions, given dangerous tasks, experimented upon medically to develop vaccines and treatments for whatever exciting new ailments await colonists on their new planet. He’s the guy who will die for you, only to have a new copy of himself ready to go 24-hours […]

It’s Morphin’ Time! (Animorphing, that is)

The Invasion by K. A. Applegate

The Visitor by K. A. Applegate

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I was fourteen when The Animorphs debuted, and it never crossed my path. It’s possible I was outgrowing its target age range (though I think teens did read and would still read this series). But it’s more likely that I didn’t read it because I thought I didn’t like science fiction. I thought this despite the fact that A Wrinkle in Time was one of my favorite rereads, despite loyally watching SeaQuest DSV (even if my loyalty was more for the Jonathan Brandis of it […]

“if not for these pictures, these sturdy images pulled out of the blur of her memory, her life would have no solidity”

Hum by Helen Phillips

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I think your appreciation of this book will depend greatly on how you interact with technology, especially the latest generation of AI-focused innovation. That aside, you’ll also either empathize with May as a mother and find her kids Lu and Sy utterly infuriating or find yourself doing that thing where you insist that those who are struggling financially should be perfect to be seen as “deserving.” All that aside, though, I think the book is slightly less clever than it thinks it is but was […]

The hope of space

Arca by Van Jensen, Jesse Lonergan (Illustrator)

All Systems Red (The Murderbot Diaries, #1) by Martha Wells

Ark (Forward) by Veronica Roth

How It Unfolds (The Far Reaches, #1) by James S.A. Corey

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I often don’t have time for full epic novels, so often turn to science fiction short stories and graphic novels. They can blow my mind with intriguing premises and characters. Unintentionally I kept turning to space stories that explored future possibilities for humanity. I like how novellas and short stories allow dipping my toes into the works of some heavy hitters of sci-fi. Arca is a graphic novel written by Van Jensen and illustrated by Jesse Lonergan. In this story, we meet teenage workers who […]

One of us! One of us!

All Systems Red by Martha Wells

Artificial Condition by Martha Wells

Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells

Exit Strategy by Martha Wells

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I bought the four-book set for the October Murderbot CBR16 meetup. But when it came time, I had other library books to read, work stuff, travel, etc… Basically, life got in the way. I usually operate very well on deadlines but there was other stuff that was feeding my soul at the moment. Even though I wasn’t ready for the meetup, I was ready to dive in on the back half of my Christmas holidays. This series is such a delight. Suffering through insipid interactions […]

A time warp Ikea

Finna by Nino Cipri

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Finna by Nino Cipri was another Lawless Book Club read back in January. In this science fiction novella, we meet Ava and Jules who work at an Ikea-inspired furniture store called  LitenVärld. They’ve recently broken up and are having issues navigating their work and now-only friendship status. Ava is anxious and unsure of what she wants from anything. Jules is Black and non-binary and more zen about the break-up. They’ve worked through much of their trauma and can’t force Ava to figure herself out. Before […]



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