Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

“Every child a wanted child, every mother a willing mother.”

Looking for Jane by Heather Marshall

by Leave a Comment

Hello, unsettlingly relevant book. This feels even more relevant now than it did three years ago when it was published. [frustrated sigh] This definitely felt like a debut (some small pacing issues, and a plot choice that detracted from the tension of the story, etc.) but the subject matter was so fascinating, and the lives of these women so clearly on the page emotionally carried the book and made it extremely compelling, despite its flaws. We are following three women in three different time periods: […]

“Everyone has a thousand wishes before a tragedy, but just one afterward.”

Beartown (Beartown #1) by Fredrik Backman

by Leave a Comment

WOOF. That’s the first thing that comes to mind when I think about this book. I was a big fan of Backman’s heartbreaking and hopeful A Man Called Ove so when a friend said they had just finished it and was going on a bit of a Backman Bender (alliteration!) I was happy to join in for a two person book club. But alas, I gotta say now that I’m done, I would not have finished this book if I was not reading it with a […]

“It’s true that giving can be a part of love, but contrary to popular belief, your love should never take from you.”

Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me by Mariko Tamaki

by Leave a Comment

Nowhere Books Bingo – Graphic novel Official plot summary, because once again I have waited to long to review the book: Laura Dean, the most popular girl in high school, was Frederica Riley’s dream girl: charming, confident, and SO cute. There’s just one problem: Laura Dean is maybe not the greatest girlfriend. Reeling from her latest break up, Freddy’s best friend, Doodle, introduces her to the Seek-Her, a mysterious medium, who leaves Freddy some cryptic parting words: break up with her. But Laura Dean keeps […]

Reminded me of The Wire, season 4

Da vi var yngre (When we were younger)) by Oliver Lovrenski

by Leave a Comment

Nowhere Books Bingo: A book by a local author Ivor and his three friends Marco, Arjan and Jonas are a tight-knit gang, their own found family. According to Ivor, school used to be easy, until he and his friends lost interest and started making money and names for themselves on the streets. Ignoring the admonition from parents, teachers, social workers and others, they live hard and fast, not really caring who they have to hurt as long as they have each other. Their way of […]

cloisterf*ck

The Cloisters (2022) by Katy Hays

by 6 Comments

I am posting a picture from Christchurch Priory, Dorset, a medieval structure which actually would be a good place for a murder mystery. I’m not going to post a picture of the book cover, because the cover is beautiful and it will suck you in to buying it and you will end up throwing it across the room and denting it anyway. At least if you’re an academic. The setting is the Cloisters section of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the narrator/protagonist is Ann, a […]

More Nick and Charlie, just in time for Christmas

Heartstopper volume 5 by Alice Oseman

by Leave a Comment

Nick and Charlie are closer than ever, but despite what their friends think, they still haven’t done THAT. Lately, it’s probably all either can think about, but it’s a big step and neither wants to pressure the other. Nick is also a year older than Charlie, and is having to consider which Universities he’s going to apply to next year. His first inclination is living at home and going to his local Uni, so he’ll be close to Charlie, but he goes on a road […]



Help Our Mission

You can donate to CBR via:

  1. PayPal
  2. Venmo