advance reader copy – Page 22 – Cannonball Read 17

“The theme of the story is finding yourself”

Take the Lead by Alexis Daria

January 31, 2023 by Emmalita Leave a Comment

I read Alexis Daria’s Take the Lead after seeing it on Entertainment Weekly’s best romances of 2017. Take the Lead was Daria’s debut novel and has now been somewhat reworked for a rerelease. While I did not have the time to reread the earlier version, my impression is that she’s taken an already good book, tightened it up, added a little, and made it better. Gina Morales is a professional dancer on the reality dance competition. Going into her fifth season on the show, she has […]

Despite some excellent stories I can’t whole heartedly recommend this anthology

Never Too Old to Save the World: A Midlife Calling Anthology by Alana Joli Abbott, Addie J. King

January 24, 2023 by Emmalita Leave a Comment

I love the idea of this anthology. At 54, I am not ready to give up saving the world and I am delighted to see stories about folks in the upper age ranges at the center of save the world stories. As is always true with anthologies, not every story was for me. There are some real gems in here. It’s wonderfully inclusive. I wish I could recommend it. There’s one story that throws in a brief and unnecessary Harry Potter reference, which means I […]

The celery plant will eventually tire, as we all do.

The Everlasting Meal Cookbook by Tamar Adler

January 22, 2023 by Emmalita 1 Comment

The good news is, I don’t have to write a cookbook. The other good news is that you can buy Tamar Adler’s The Everlasting Meal Cookbook, Leftovers A to Z and have a better cookbook than I would write. It isn’t a coffee table book filled with artfully photographed food. It is an enormously useful cookbook that suggests uses for almost everything sitting in your fridge or pantry. As much as I love cookbooks and spend hours reading recipes, I rarely actually cook from recipes. […]

This was her life. And it was wonderful, and it should be enough.

Behind the Scenes by Karelia Stetz-Waters

January 16, 2023 by Emmalita 1 Comment

This was such a frustrating reading experience for me. I started out really engaged. I loved the tone, the characters were interesting, I loved the pugs and I wanted see how Rose and Ash would come together. By a third of the way through I was flagging and by the end I was frustrated. Rose is single, successful, the owner of two pugs, and a little bored. Rose is on track to become partner in a business consulting firm. Ash is struggling, her career and […]

“We are dreamers and makers because that is how we forged ourselves.”

All the Things They Said We Couldn’t Have by T.C. Oakes-Monger

January 15, 2023 by Emmalita Leave a Comment

All the Things They Said We Couldn’t Have is a gorgeous collection of essays and stories centering the joy of being trans. Tash Oakes-monger is a trans, nonbinary British writer. They don’t sidestep the difficulties of being trans in a hostile world, but illuminate the joy and life that comes with existing in the world as your true self. I found myself starting each morning by reading a couple of selections. I find value in joy for its own sake, and it is the reason […]

Let the Intergalactic Bachelor Show Begin!

Sweep of the Heart by Ilona Andrews

January 11, 2023 by Emmalita Leave a Comment

Ilona Andrews is a highly bingeable author. I rather mindlessly requested the Sweep of the Heart audiobook from NetGalley not expecting to actually get it. I read the first book in the series a long time ago and have not read the other four books in the series. When I got the email telling me the audiobook was available to download, I took on the challenge of rereading Clean Sweep and then reading the other books in 3 days so that I could listen to Sweep of the […]

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.

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