Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

Metamorphoses for a New Millennium

Fit For the Gods by Jenn Northington (Editor), S. Zainab Williams (Editor)

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Though Greek mythology originates from several millennia ago, their stories have been renewed again and again over the centuries through art and literature. In this anthology, more than a dozen authors tackle this too – but their tellings are with a twist, bringing racially, sexually, and culturally diverse takes to the classic stories. I’ve always loved Greek mythology and have engaged with in a plethora of ways, from reading classic translations to the Percy Jackson books to the recent trend in novel-length unpackings like Madeline […]

Penguins, Pandas and Books

The Adventures of Penguin and Panda: Surprise! by Brenda Maier

The Adventures of Penguin and Panda: Fun and Games! by Brenda Maier

The Adventures of Penguin and Panda: Winterfest by Brenda Maier

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I might have read the first Adventures of Penguin and Panda, The Adventures of Penguin and Panda: Surprise!, (at the time I was starting the review I did not remember) but I do know I read the second book, The Adventures of Penguin and Panda: Fun and Games! by Brenda Maier and illustrated by Fanni Mézes. It is a cute story about friendship and the silly things that happen. It is set up in four stories or chapters and the adventures are happening. And that […]

Check Please

Table for Two by Amor Towles

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Table for Two is divided into two parts, one labeled “New York” and the other “Los Angeles.” The New York part consists of six short stories set mostly in the Big Apple. The first story, “The Line”, set in the aftermath of the Russian Revolution, follows a farmer dragged to Moscow due to his wife’s fervent devotion to Communism. Genial despite his joblessness, he finds a niche for himself by cheerfully waiting in lines that others cannot, for bread, milk and other essentials. Eventually, he […]

Mediocre Mysteries

Murder by the Book by Ed. Martin Edwards

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I always turn to mysteries when I want a quick, light read. In this vein, I picked up Murder by the Book: Mysteries for Bibliophiles, edited by Martin Edwards. Mr. Edwards has put together a rather dull group of stories. The collection starts out with an odd, brief story about a writer killed on a train by a stranger. The murder takes place immediately, with little background, and then we are quickly thrown into the investigation. In lightening time, an obvious killer is revealed and […]

Queer fantasy novella feat. shape-shifting, mammoths.

When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain by Nghi Vo

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This was a delightful novella, surprisingly rich for its 100 pages! Here’s the summary: Cleric Chih is a cleric in an order whose mission is to record history accurately. They are traveling via mammoth (!) with a guide, Si-yu, but are attacked and trapped en route by three wild – and hungry – tiger sisters who are also shape-shifters (!) To stall their captors, they propose to tell the human version of the story about the tiger Ho Thi Tao and the human scholar Dieu. […]

Excellent Suspense Stories Featuring Women

Troubled Daughters, Twisted Wives by ed. Sarah Weinman

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I was wandering the used bookstore, as you do, and made a beeline for the mystery anthologies section. I was in the middle of reading a weighty tome (And the Band Played On) so I thought I’d mix it up with lighter fare. I bought Troubled Daughters, Twisted Wives, edited by Sarah Weinman. It turned out not to be your standard mysteries, but more in line with what the book calls “domestic suspense.” And it was superb. The book is a collection of twelve short […]



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