Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

Didn’t know it, but I needed a romance with a geeky, anxious lead that I relate to.

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

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When I received Fangirl in the 2019 Cannonball book exchange, the first thing I noticed about the cover of my edition (the one pictured in this review) was that the art was done by Noelle Stevenson.  I adore Stevenson’s graphic novel Nimona and seeing her art on the book gave me a warm glow before even cracking the cover.  This was in addition to the good will Rowell built up with Eleanor and Park, and Pumpkinheads, but it was low on the TBR so it […]

A murder mystery in the heart of a space opera

A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine

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I brought this book home in March 2019.  It was Mysterious Galaxy’s featured speculative fiction hardcover pick for the month.  Over the past year this book kept getting recommended; by fellow Cannonballers, articles, and it is nominated for a Hugo award.  That nomination finally pushed A Memory Called Empire to the top of my TBR. In a normal timeline, I would have torn through this book in a matter of days.  Instead it took a few weeks.  This book pushed all the right buttons; excellent sci-fi world […]

Fierce heroine, creative aliens, and space adventure with bonus review from Ysakitty!

Starsight by Brandon Sanderson

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When I finished reading Skyward,I did not intend on getting the sequel right away, as there were already books in the house waiting to be read.  However, once I was done with the book my 6th grader tore through it and then my husband followed quickly thereafter.  So the next time I went to the bookstore, the sequel, Starsight, came home with me.  (Note: this was written before lock down happened in California)  It is an excellent follow up to Skyward but one thing annoyed me, Starsight is […]

Why is the crow their emblem? Because crows remember.

Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

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Crooked Kingdom is the second half of the duology started in Six of Crows.  When first we met our six protagonists, they were all down on their luck in general society but they had carved out places for themselves in the street life.  They took on what many considered an impossible job, succeeded, and then had victory snatched from them by a double cross and kidnapping.  The start of Crooked Kingdom finds everyone brought low, mentally and physically, but with a new mission, to rescue their comrade […]

Superficially, it’s a comedy fantasy with pirates and otters but underneath is so much more

The Princess Beard by Delilah S. Dawson, Kevin Hearne

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The Princess Beard is the third book in Delilah S. Dawson and Kevin Hearne’s “Tales of Pell” series.  Once again they have me nearly doubled over with laughter while also appreciating their pro LGBTQ+, feminist, socially conscious agenda and sly pokes at the establishment.  Each of the three books this duo have written together can stand alone and be read individually.  However, the world is much richer if you have read the other books.  And as they are hysterically funny, I highly suggest reading all […]

An impossible job, near certain death, terrible odds…I love a good heist!

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

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Six of Crows was recommended to me before I had heard of the Grishaverse.  After receiving it as a gift in the 2018 Cannonball gift exchange, I discovered that it was part of a larger world setting and I should probably read the preceding trilogy first.  It took me a while to get around to the “Shadow and Bone” trilogy and then another length of time to get back to Six of Crows.  I’m glad I waited and read the trilogy first, otherwise, the world […]



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