family – Page 163 – Cannonball Read 17

“I actually look for things to smile about.” ~ Dr. Ruth

Roller Coaster Grandma: The Amazing Story of Dr. Ruth by Dr. Ruth Westheimer

November 5, 2020 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

I have a little soft spot for a sassy, Jewish-German doctor by the name of Dr. Ruth Westheimer. The fact that she was a bit controversial at the time (gasp! She’s talking about S-E-X!) flew over my head. But when a customer ordered two different books by Westheimer, I was interested. These were children’s books. What could she talk about? The first, was a picture book that I never looked at (Crocodile, You’re Beautiful! Embracing Our Strengths and Ourselves), but quickly skimmed Roller Coaster Grandma: […]

Take a look, it’s in a book (or five)

My America by Karen Katz

Sheep Dog and Sheep Sheep: Baaad Hair Day by Eric Barclay

One More Hug by Megan Alexander

Roly Poly by Mem Fox

The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig

November 4, 2020 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

What do you do when you can’t write a review to fit your needed word count? You combine several together to let people know that there are some grand books out there, but trying to write over 200 words just is not going to happen with books only a 100 words themselves (if that). My America by Karen Katz: This is a nice book. It is cozy. It is sweet. It is comfortable. It talks about people from the POV of children. All (with one […]

Two different books creating feelings

I'll Be the Water: A Story of a Grandparent's Love by Alec Aspinwall

Crying is Like the Rain: A Story of Mindfulness and Feelings by Heather Feinberg

November 4, 2020 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

Two interesting books, but not enough for me to find the word limit for each solo, therefor I am going to do “two books one review” for these little numbers. The connection I find with both titles is that they both have a somber theme and/or feeling to them. I’ll Be the Water: A Story of Loss, Greif, and a Grandparent’s Love is obviously about the loss of a beloved grandparent. However, it is also a hopeful story. We see all the wonderful things that […]

A mistaken identity that leads to ones true identity

Ana on the Edge by A. J. Sass

October 30, 2020 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

When I saw that I could request a reader copy of Ana on the Edge by A. J. Sass, I figured, “Why not?” As worse case would be I do not like the story and passed it onto a coworker who might. Lunch reading was slow going, so I decided to take it home and try and give it a longer at a time reading stretch. Unfortunately, that did not work out, as I needed to excuse myself for a two-day hospital stay. I did […]

The journey we take to get where we are going

Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel

October 15, 2020 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

My journey to Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel was, to say was odd, but normal for me. I knew of Bechdel’s Dykes to Watch Out for series. I have the collection on my TBR list. And I knew that they had this book when it came out. The store I work at hosted an event. (July 2018 to be exact) I was interested in but forgot (long story why) to attend. Flash forward to about two months ago when I was speaking […]

Celebration of you

Eyes That Kiss in the Corner by Joanna Ho

October 15, 2020 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

Eyes That Kiss in the Corners is a rating of five for Dung Ho’s illustrations alone. To me, they are the story. That’s not to say the story is a bad story, farm from it. It is a delightful story that shows how from the start the narrator, a young girl, loving her eyes by showing the history, myths and love of her culture and family. But it is a story that we have read before. Yet, there is nothing wrong with that. It is […]

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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