detente – Cannonball Read 17

Let’s Keep This Conclave Ragin’ Bros!

Conclave by Robert Harris

July 29, 2024 by Jake Leave a Comment

Read as part of CBR16 Bingo: detente. A cardinal attempts to keep peace while the church world is suspended over who will be the next Pope, despite shenanigans happening on the side. Also, shoutout to Spencer Hall, whose tweet eleven years ago still makes me laugh and is the title for this review. When I saw the trailer for Conclave, I knew I would be reading the book it was based on no matter what. I have mixed feelings on Robert Harris’ books but they […]

“I can love you. I can grieve for you, or with you. I can share your pain. But I cannot judge you.”

Cordelia's Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold

July 21, 2024 by Malin Leave a Comment

CBR16 Bingo: Détente (Cordelia and Aral start out as enemies and end up married) Official book summary (read this in early May): In her first trial by fire, Cordelia Naismith captained a throwaway ship of the Betan Expeditionary Force on a mission to destroy an enemy armada. Discovering deception within deception, treachery within treachery, she was forced into a separate peace with her chief opponent, Lord Aral Vorkosigan – he who was called “The Butcher of Komarr” – and would consequently become an outcast on […]

Decent spy thriller with an obvious twist

Our Woman in Moscow: A Novel by Beatriz Williams

July 19, 2024 by ElCicco Leave a Comment

Cbr16bingo Detente between nations and between sisters This is a spy thriller set in WWII and the decade following, but it is built around the story of estranged twin sisters. Ruth, the outgoing striking blonde, and Iris, the quiet mousy artist, grew up in a well-to-do New York family that was brought low by the stock market crash. When their brother Harry gets a job in the US foreign service in Italy on the eve of WWII, the sisters go to live there. Ruth has […]

Cognitive Wisdom Teeth

The Age of Magical Overthinking: Notes on Modern Irrationality by Amanda Montell

July 7, 2024 by faintingviolet 3 Comments

I have a solid track record with Amanda Montell books. I rated her first two books, Wordslut and Cultish four stars and I talked about them a lot in my non-online life. To the point that my coworker who listens to Montell’s podcast, Sounds Like a Cult, convinced my other coworkers to pre-order her third book for my birthday this year (and get me to start listening to the podcast). I wasn’t sure what to expect with The Age of Magical Overthinking even with […]

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