Caribbean – Cannonball Read 17

Origin story for human civilization

The Children of the Sun: An Inca Legend by Micaela Chirif

November 11, 2025 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

The Children of the Sun: An Inca Legend is based on the original mythology of the Incan people. Author Micaela Chirif created this book so it is able to be adapted to allow multiple ages to relate to it, but it does lean towards an older reader or listener as its audience. It can be intense in the way it talks about the god-like children (who are fully grown) who wander to find the first home (or make the first city) for the humans. It […]

Choose Your Own Adventure for the younger crowd

Choose Your Own Adventure: The Ghost on the Mountain (Dragonlarks) by Kyandreia Jones

November 14, 2024 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

I don’t know about you, but I used to enjoy the Choose Your Own Adventure books as a kid/pre-teen. They were easy and even back then I liked that quick read. That mystery of where your choice would take you. Now they were not my main genre for reading and I moved onto other books, but I always held a small space in my heart for them. And as a bookseller I found them again, but again, I don’t need to read. But I found […]

“And what about a person’s life? How do you make a map of that? The borders people draw between themselves. The scars left along the ground of one’s heart.”

Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson

June 19, 2024 by cheerbrarian Leave a Comment

In five words: secrets, Caribbean, sprawling, water, heritage This was a library book club pic that I had heard of (due to the Hulu adaptation) and found it to be intriguing and unique, if also a bit uneven. It’s a story of the gnarled knots and hidden corners of a family tree, and the lengths people will go to protect those they love. After a Thanksgiving Day family blowout, the Bennett family was on rocky ground. Benny, upset at her parents reception to a big […]

Family are those we wouldn’t be friends with if not related

Memories from Limon by Edo Brenes

June 27, 2022 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

I can understand why people find this graphic novel slow, uninteresting, and only a one or two-rating. However, I can support my five-rating thinking the above as well. Memories from Limon is not an easy read. Not that it is a difficult subject or has something “rough” to it (such as violence, sex, or such), but the personal nature of the tone, the pacing and the illustrations are meant to be taken slowly. There is mention/showing of the grandfathers drinking, and mention of his infidelity, […]

Death in Paradise

Saint X by Alexis Schaitkin

February 28, 2022 by Zirza Leave a Comment

On the Caribbean island of Saint X, a wealthy family from upstate New York vacations: a father, a mother, and their two daughters, eighteen year old Alison and seven year old Claire. They are nice enough, if oblivious. The father asks the waiter for good local restaurants so he can sample a ‘real’ dish. They tip well, give friendly smiles, try to make awkward conversation. Claire, an awkward, gangly child, quietly builds sandcastles and hopes her sister will help her. Alison, meanwhile, sneaks off behind […]

I’m as bad as the fool: filling up greedily, wanting more, loving it but not feeling satisfied

Redemption in Indigo by Karen Lord

January 28, 2020 by zinka Leave a Comment

It’s been difficult for me to write about Redemption in Indigo. Karen Lord’s novel feels familiar and good in so many ways. It reminds me of the kinds of fairy tales and fables we’re told as children of normal but brave lives interrupted by magic, gods or other mystical beings hidden in sight, and important lessons drawn from their exchanges. But this familiarity, which is partially drawn from the brevity of the tale, was also a draw back for me. I wanted even more from […]

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