coming-of-age – Page 23 – Cannonball Read 17

“you can play as a dog, a boot, or a trebuchet”

Nimona by Noelle Stevenson

February 15, 2021 by andtheIToldYouSos Leave a Comment

Man, I really wish Monopoly (oh wait- World Domination) had a trebuchet. I’m usually the shoe, but I would LOVE to be a trebuchet. It has been perpetually gray here in New Hampshire for the last…oh jeez, three weeks? I needed something familiar to hunker down with while waiting for the sun to return, and while shuffling around my house I remembered LittlePlat‘s recent Nimona review. A great review about a great book? Just the spark I needed! Thank you, LittlePlat, and thank you to […]

“from the housetops to the gutters – from the ocean to the shore -the warning signs have all been bright and garish -far too great in number to ignore”

A Children's Bible by Lydia Millet

January 26, 2021 by andtheIToldYouSos Leave a Comment

The children have a game: keep their parental status secret. If they keep it secret from each other, they can keep it secret from themselves. They won’t have to be the “children of” anyone. They don’t have to claim allegiance with the drunks in the Great House who let the world burn. Their game, and much of this book in general, brought to mind strong memories of “Old College Try” by The Mountain Goats. A Children’s Bible is more than what it seems. It’s presented […]

Only reason this book is not a 5 is because I was looking for something different with the illustrations

The Dark Matter of Mona Starr by Laura Lee Gulledge

January 20, 2021 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

The Dark Matter of Mona Starr is not something you can really tell what it is about by the cover. I figured she might be into science or going to take a poetic journey. Instead, it is a book about one girl dealing with the Matters of her life: or the depression she is facing. Laura Lee Gulledge does not want to make it easy on you, she hits you right out of the gate, but it is not all “doom and gloom.” There are […]

You learn your lessons and stay vigilant, or you die

A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik

December 22, 2020 by Malin Leave a Comment

4.5 stars Official book description: A Deadly Education is set at Scholomance, a school for the magically gifted where failure means certain death (for real) — until one girl, El, begins to unlock its many secrets. There are no teachers, no holidays, and no friendships, save strategic ones. Survival is more important than any letter grade, for the school won’t allow its students to leave until they graduate… or die! The rules are deceptively simple: Don’t walk the halls alone. And beware of the […]

Just look at this beautiful cover. And the book inside is just as lovely.

Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender

December 2, 2020 by narfna Leave a Comment

This book was excellent. It fits comfortably in with other YA books in terms of subject matter and content, but it’s so well written it stands out from the pack and feels extremely original, like all things with specificity do. Callender’s protagonist Felix is a trans boy going to a summer art school in NY city, and basically living with his best friend in an apartment his best friend’s wealthy but neglecting parents provide for him. Felix’s mom left when he was little, which is […]

You won’t have a ghost of a chance

Séance Tea Party by Reimena Yee

December 1, 2020 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

Séance Tea Party is a tale of not wanting to grow older. Of course, this theme has been done before. However, Reimena Yee’s graphic novel is a fun way to re-introduce this idea. Lora is a “late bloomer” and when she is having a séance tea party, she gets a surprise: a girl shows up. And just because she is a ghost does not stop the two of them from becoming fast friends. The trials of growing up are done in sweet, traditional graphic novel […]

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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