Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

The garden itself isn’t magic, positive thinking and determination are what brings the change: cbr12 bingo “Green”

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett, illustrated by Tasha Tudor

by 3 Comments

I did not intend for The Secret Garden to  be my “Green” book for Cannonball bingo but when I finished reading it to my 8 year old last night, it seemed silly to not take advantage of it fitting the green square.  This is my beloved copy from childhood.  I can’t recall how many times it has been read over the years and with this re-read it has now been shared with both my children.  The Secret Garden captured my imagination as a child with its […]

cbr12bingo – Green (and another Bingo!)

Upright Women Wanted by Sarah Gailey

by Leave a Comment

I wanted so much more from this little dusty sketch of the dystopian west. It had a helluva hook – outlaw lesbians! Gun-slinging sisters-in-resistance! Non-binary action heroes! Unfortunately, it ground to a halt far short of its potential destination. It begins as all westerns do: someone hanging taut at the end of a rope. There are western tropes a-plenty; rough-riding, chaw-spitting, howdy pardnering, thankya kindly ma’ams litter the landscape. This wild west is wild for a different reason, though: we’re in a thinly plotted dystopia. […]

Get your priorities straight!

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson

by Leave a Comment

Cbr12bingo Happy This short book could count as a “how-to” as well as a “happy” category book. The title might lead the reader to think it’s a funny send-up of self-help books, and while it is frequently funny, it is actually a very helpful discussion about finding the right values to guide you in life. It’s about prioritizing and recognizing that a good life is not an easy one and that you shouldn’t strive for easy. This is really a great book to be reading […]

cbr12bingo – Repeat (and TWO Bingos!)

Luster by Raven Leilani

by Leave a Comment

Raven Leilani has exploded into the scene like the chestburster in Alien. Fully-formed, unapologetic, covered in blood, and completely in control while annihilating the guts of a mediocre man. Luster has been racking up well-deserved accolades, and I truly cannot wait to see what she does next- although I am relieved that this is her debut, and there isn’t a back catalog waiting to destroy me hiding just out of view. Not only is her work fantastic, but it also allows me to knock two “bingos” (Money, […]

Garbage In, Garbage Out (The Models, Not the Book)

Weapons of Math Destruction: How Big Data Increases Inequality and Threatens Democracy by Cathy O’Neil

by Leave a Comment

BINGO: Yellow (this is my 12th BINGO title and I still don’t have an actual BINGO yet!) Best for: Anyone concerned about how inequity is perpetuated by seemingly ‘neutral’ or ‘scientific’ processes. In a nutshell: Data scientist O’Neil explores what she calls WMDs, or Weapons of Math Destruction – large algorithms that are largely opaque and control aspects of our lives, from college rankings and admissions to credit scores to voting. She argues that these systems are flawed and have biases built in that harm […]

cbr12bingo – No Money!

Bright and Dangerous Objects by Anneliese Mackintosh

by Leave a Comment

Full disclosure: I received this ARC from the Tin House Galley Club The atmosphere here in Bright and Dangerous Objects is heavy. It’s laden down with creeping grief, sudden disappointment and the growing dread of continuing to exist while things crash apart around you. Sensitive tattoo-artist boyfriends, fancy craft beer,  and getaways in stone cottages cannot save you from yourself. Solvig has inherited her mother’s furious brain. She has inherited her father’s tend towards self destruction. She has inherited a hunk of malachite that is supposed to […]



Help Our Mission

You can donate to CBR via:

  1. PayPal
  2. Venmo