Cannonball Read 17

“Disobedience, in the eyes of anyone who has read history, is man’s original virtue. It is through disobedience that progress has been made, through disobedience and through rebellion. —OSCAR WILDE”

The Infernal Machine: A True Story of Dynamite, Terror, and the Rise of the Modern Detective by Steven Johnson

November 1, 2025 by bjornsnipe Leave a Comment

This book traces how the invention of dynamite by Alfred Nobel (who went on to start the Nobel Prizes) led to the birth of the anarchist movement, which in turn led to the birth of the modern forensics-driven law enforcement agencies. Concentrating heavily on Emma Goldman and Alexander "Sasha" … [Read more]

bjornsnipe's CBR17 Review No:141 · Genres: History · Tags: anarchism, dynamite, Steven Johnson ·

No more

The Seven Sisters by Lucinda Riley

November 1, 2025 by Sophia 1 Comment

CBR17Bingo: "Arts" because this book has a heavy emphasis on sculpture and painting. I am usually very good about writing my reviews in the order that I read the books, but Seven Sisters (2015) by Lucinda Riley somehow slipped through the cracks. Maybe I just didn't want to think about this book … [Read more]

Sophia's CBR17 Review No:35 · Genres: Audiobooks, Fantasy, Fiction, History · Tags: cbr17bingo, Lucinda Riley ·

“After a certain age, you can pretty much do whatever takes your fancy. No one tells you off, except for your doctors and your children.”

The Thursday Murder Club: a novel by Richard Osman

November 1, 2025 by bjornsnipe Leave a Comment

I read this book after seeing the movie so I pretty much knew how the plot was going to go, yet I was pleasantly surprised that the book and the movie are not 100% the same. Set at the idyllic retirement home of Coopers Chase (seriously, when I get old enough to retire find me a place like this), … [Read more]

bjornsnipe's CBR17 Review No:140 · Genres: Mystery · Tags: #britishmystery, #cozymystery, Richard Osman ·

“The perimenopause book”

All Fours by Miranda July

November 1, 2025 by Sophia Leave a Comment

CBR17Bingo - "Review" - because of the many and varying reviews I found of this book, which encouraged me to read it. I first heard of All Fours (2024) by Miranda July when my husband began reading it. In hindsight, it might be a little bit surprising that my husband started reading "the … [Read more]

Sophia's CBR17 Review No:34 · Genres: Fiction · Tags: cbr17bingo, miranda july ·

“Why should you love him whom the world hates so? Because he love me more than all the world.”

Dark Renaissance: The Dangerous Times and Fatal Genius of Shakespeare’s Greatest Rival by Stephen Greenblatt

November 1, 2025 by bjornsnipe Leave a Comment

It's great reading a book where you're not 100% sure what the author thought of his subject; it makes you not 100% what you think of the book. As you can't tell from the title, Dark Renaissance is about Christopher Marlowe, Shakespeare contemporary who had a brilliant albeit brief career, dying … [Read more]

bjornsnipe's CBR17 Review No:139 · Genres: History · Tags: atheism, elizabethan england, Elizabethan history, elizabethan theatre, kit marlowe, Stephen Greenblatt ·

Magical Girls Grown Up

The Ruthless Lady’s Guide to Wizardry by C.M. Waggoner

November 1, 2025 by CoffeeShopReader Leave a Comment

Bingo 24: Swap Free Space for Diaspora Free Space invoked because I don’t have anything specific in mind for the Diaspora square and time is not on my side. I picked up The Ruthless Lady’s Guide to Wizardry for the title. No other reason. Turns out this is actually book 2 in a series, but that … [Read more]

CoffeeShopReader's CBR17 Review No:58 · Genres: Fiction · Tags: #fantasy, Addiction, C.M. Waggoner, cbr17bingo, CM Waggoner, drugs, magic, quest, revenge, romantasy, sapphic romance, The Ruthless Lady’s Guide to Wizardry ·

Zirza on A Gothic Classic for a ReasonIt's one of those wish-you-could-read-it-again-for-the-first-time books. I loved it.
Emmalita on “It came to something when you found yourself hoping that the footsteps you heard were ghosts.”I loved the ending! I don’t think it’s been out long enough to talk about why though.
Dixie on Track Her Down by Melinda LeighI am just starting Track Her Down and I have read them all in order till now and thought I...
Roland of Gilead on How can you give us the gift of a crazy character named Rando Thoughtful and then just as suddenly take that gift away? We need to talk, Uncle Stevie.I came across this randomly years after it was written because I was searching "Random Thoughtful. But I have the...
Emmalita on “Only you, Em, would refer to heartbreak as a distraction. I think I would have a more sympathetic response if I asked to marry a bookcase.”Oh my goodness, Gallifrey was beautiful. I’m sure her mittens were gloriously murdery.

Help Our Mission