Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

Big Ideas and Big Friends

Big Dreams, Small Fish by Paula Cohen

Gibberish by Young Vo

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Culture is an interesting subject. And when you come from one and go to a different one, things get interesting.  The publisher Levine Querido has stories that are about cultures we may/may not be familiar with. In the process of reading them, there is a lot to learn about how we are not only different, but the same, too. Shirley is a child with big ideas, her family are immigrants, they live over their grocery store, and they cannot sell their gefilte fish. Her parents […]

He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother

Bad Sister by Charise Mericle Harper

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An interesting story of siblings and how a younger brother showed his older sister a few things. And that is what you are supposed to get from Bad Sister by Charise Mericle Harper. What I got was another poor, put-upon big sister, getting the blame for having an annoying, bratty, spoiled younger sibling (can you guess which one I am with me and my sister?) Seriously though, both Harper and the world see Charise (the character) as “in the wrong” (and she even goes as […]

Sequel love

Heartstopper: Volume Two by Alice Oseman

Asadora! V03 by Naoki Urasawa

Magical History Tour #9: The Titanic by Fabrice Erre

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It is rare a sequel is as good as the first. However, sometimes there is one that you like even more “just because” you do. Maybe it is because the character is your favorite, or maybe it is because you relate to the character, or the author really got into the story and is moving things along. These three books may or may not better than the first, but they are just as good. I was able to relate to Nick in Heartstopper: Volume Two. […]

I need to make friends with the author to get updates on this new series

Realm of the Blue Mist (The Rema Chronicles, #1) by Amy Kim Kibuishi

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Realm of the Blue Mist (The Rema Chronicles, #1) is a familiar fantasy, but this first in a series has new twists and turns to the action we all know and love when it comes to magical tales. There are the warring nations, an “Us vs. Them” (The “Good Guys” vs. The “Bad Guys”), magic, little romance (in a most chaste manner, the most exciting thing is they hold hands!) and a bit of action. There is mystery, Godfathers in their late 30s who look […]

We’re all Misfits

Misfit in Love (Saints and Misfits) by S.K. Ali

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Janna Yusuf is a relatable young girl in Misfit in Love (Saints and Misfits book two) by S.K. Ali.  She is dealing with the ins and outs of love, friendship, change and finding a swimsuit that fits. And, oh yeah, she is Muslim, too. This piece of the puzzle that is Janna is a large part of her life, but regardless anyone who was/is almost 18 can relate to her boy troubles, big and little brothers’ woes, parents changing (or at least how we start […]

We’re not sleeping with the fishes, but visiting the turtles

Gilbert #4: The Island of the Orange Turtles by Art Baltazar

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First, you should read the first three books in the series, as it will answer a few “who are you” questions in Gilbert #4: The Island of the Orange Turtles by Art Baltazar. And second, this book is way on the “little kid silly side” and adults may not appreciate the “slap sticky somewhat less than intelligent antics.” This story is cute, but not overly detailed. Gilbert and friends visit Sherbet’s island, where they meet all his siblings and new baby brother Bix (Because It […]



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