Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

“And to that end, welcome comfort, for without it, you cannot stay strong.” Bingo #4

A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers

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CBR14Bingo: “Dough” – There is no money in Panga.  Instead there is an exchange system of ‘pebs’ (digital pebbles) to “acknowledge someone’s labor and thank them for what they bring to the community”. They were running up against a wall, and it didn’t matter whether they understood where the wall had come from, or what it was made of.  The only way to get through it was to stop trying, for a while.  …  They would focus on Mosscap and let the remainder wait. … […]

“You keep asking why your work is not enough, and I don’t know how to answer that, because it is enough to exist in the world and marvel at it. … You are allowed to just live.” – Bingo #3!

A Psalm for the Wild-built by Becky Chambers

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CBR14 Bingo: “Cozy” – This book is like a warm, reassuring hug. I first read A Psalm for the Wild-Built in December 2021.  This is a reread in preparation for A Prayer for the Crown-Shy.  The first time reading A Psalm for the Wild-Built, I was blown away.  Chamber’s evocative writing, meditations on purpose and our place within the natural world, along with the depictions of the soothing powers of tea spoke directly to me.  A Psalm for the Wild-Built was just as affective the second time as […]

“Do you know who I am yet?”

Nona the Ninth: The Locked Tomb vol. 3 by Tamsyn Muir

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CBR14 Bingo: “Question” – Figuring out Nona’s identity is a core element of the book. This is a spoiler free review.  I am so glad to have made the decision to throw my reading plans out the window and reread Gideon the Ninth and Harrow the Ninth  before reading Nona the Ninth.  Having everything fresh in my mind was helpful because once again Muir throws the reader into the deep end of the pool, expecting one to keep afloat until things gel together. Nona is unlike […]

A tea based magic system in an ancient Chinese inspired setting, yes please. (Bingo #2!!)

A Magic Steeped in Poison: The Book of Tea vol. 1 by Judy I. Lin

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CBR14 Bingo: “Gaslight” – In a setting influenced by ancient China, there is no electricity, all lights are flame based. A Magic Steeped in Poison was featured by Mysterious Galaxy earlier this year.  As a self-described tea snob, I was instantly interested.  I got the audiobook to listen during my health stomps.  While listening, I appreciated hearing the correct pronunciations of the Chinese (or Chinese inspired) names.  However, sitting down to try and write the review I’m hampered by not knowing how  names are spelled.  […]

“Your body was numb to grief; perhaps you had felt it once, but you did not feel it anymore.”

Harrow the Ninth: The Locked Tomb vol. 2 by Tamsyn Muir

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CBR14: Bingo “Funky” – Much of Harrow the Ninth is written in second person perspective which is odd enough on its own but Muir also mixes in first and third perspective as well, making this a truly funky read. Spoilers:  This is a review of a reread and will contain spoilers.  Continue only if you’ve read Harrow the Ninth.  Spoiler Free review here.         Reading Harrow the Ninth the first time was challenging on a variety of levels. I was struggling processing my own grief while reading […]

“We do bones, motherfucker.”

Gideon the Ninth: The Locked Tomb vol. 1 by Tamsyn Muir

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CBR14 Bingo: “Hot” – Many things are described as hot in the book, corpses, swords.  But most importantly, Gideon is hot! SPOILERS: This is a review of my re-read of Gideon the Ninth and does have some spoilers.  Do not read if you haven’t already read Gideon. Spoiler Free review here.       I have the hardcover edition of Gideon the Ninth which does not include the short story “As Yet Unsent”.  “As Yet Unsent” is a collection of Judy Deuteros’ secret reports on Blood of Eden, after […]



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