Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

The Comeback Kid

Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid

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At 37, Carrie Soto is well past the age of retirement for a professional female tennis player, and as the record holder of most Slam titles won, she can rest easy as the best player the world has ever seen – until a younger player matches her. At this point, I probably have to admit that Jenkins Reid’s historical novels have a distinct cheesiness about them, and that I enjoy it very much. Having first met Carrie in Malibu Rising in an unpleasant cameo, I knew she […]

Monster hunter between homework assignments.

Dona Quixote V01 Rise of the Knight by Rey Terciero

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Rey Terciero (aka Rex Ogle) made a cute, modern story (a diverse cast) that has a fun take on the Don Quixote story with Dona Quixote V01 Rise of the Knight. The history, culture and modern issues of a Hispanic family unfold while we deal with the idea of trying to be “not too much” but then again being who we are all the while fighting monsters, shapeshifters, ghosts and real world creatures. There are a few cliques (the best friends’ family are “jocks and […]

No strikes, but a ball

Fox Point's Own Gemma Hopper: (A Graphic Novel) by Brie Spangler

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I enjoyed Fox Point’s Own Gemma Hopper: (A Graphic Novel) more than I thought, yet, not as much as I had hoped. The idea of “only having value is when you play baseball (but not actually, of course),” was the point, but not fleshed out enough to make you believe it. Plus, the father’s “apology” to Gemma at the end is only because now he has “two baseball players in the family” so now he’ll “step up” and “help my daughter. Who, by the way, […]

A berry-colored world

My Own World by Mike Holmes

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Some Spoilers below:  I was not sure what I expected with My Own World, but this is an odd book. I am not sure if author Mike Holmes is basing it off of their own experiences, or if it is a universal story about the misfit and how he tries to overcome things.  If you are a 10-to-14-year-old, you might take it at face value: a boy finds/creates a magic world to hide in. It is a world where he is in charge (unlike his […]

The balance of your magic

Shakti by SJ Sindu

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Shakti is a terribly cute, modern story (several GLBTQ characters and diverse people) but does not dwell on the diversity, but the story of how Shakti herself starts coming of age. This is probably my favorite part as Shakti is representing differences while making it relatable to everyone who reads. Even to the adult-kid-at-heart who is writing this review. SJ Sindu’s book was not an “OMG BEST BOOK EVER!” book, but I liked it and glad I read it now and not when it first […]

Grandpas are pretty good at being the best

Grandpas Are the Greatest by Ben Faulks

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Officially in May 2024 I will be a great-aunt. I have always been a great aunt, now I’m just going to be a great great-aunt! And of course the little pooper is going to get books galore. In fact, a baby shower request was to bring a favorite book. So, while I was ecstatic that we would be building a library before said rugrat was born, I also said, “One? I say, HA! You know not who you have challenged!: I will be putting together […]



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