Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

A Strong End to a Strong Series

Paladin's Hope by T. Kingfisher

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CBR15Bingo: Adulthood (characters are adults and one of the themes is about having an adult romantic relationship when you’re scared about it and have to learn to communicate) This is the last of the Saint of Steel trilogy, which legitimately makes me sad. While I’ve also read Kingfisher/Vernon’s horror work, I really enjoy these fantasy-mystery-romance novels. This final one in the series wraps things up nicely and I did have a lovely time reading it, but I wish there was another follow-up trilogy (what can […]

A romance roundup with all of the best tropes

Snowed in with Benefits by Misha Horne

The 12 Hunks of Herculeia: A Monstrously Mythic Romance Part 1 by C. Rochelle

Pansies by Alexis Hall

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If walking back out into the real world this morning had been sensory overload, this trippy detour into fantasy land was full on sensory system crash. Except there was no crash, there was no quit, there was just keep going until you hit a wall and then figure out how to walk up the wall to the ceiling. So that’s what I did, gritting my teeth and pushing through. ― Misha Horne, Snowed in with Benefits 3.5 stars Austin Ash is wild, uncontrollable, and an […]

How much of yourself you have to leave behind in order to look like everyone else

Lie With Me by Philippe Besson

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I’m in this state of one-way desire. I feel this desire swarming in my belly and running up my spine. But I have to constantly contain and compress it so that it doesn’t betray me in front of others. Because I’ve already understood that desire is visible. ― Philippe Besson, Lie With Me I’m guessing that there was probably no bolt of lightning, just a warm night full of wine and fluttering moths and the feeling that nothing is really important and everything is possible. […]

As lovely as a book about imminent death can be

They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera

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I cannot tell you how you will survive without me. I cannot tell you how to mourn me. I cannot convince you to not feel guilty if you forget the anniversary of my death, or if you realize days or weeks or months have gone by without thinking about me. I just want you to live. ― Adam Silvera, They Both Die at the End I guess I could call this energy freedom. No one will be around to judge me tomorrow. No one will […]

Sex, love, and self-forgiveness

Omega Island: Empty Heat by Wendy Rathbone

Waiting for the Flood by Alexis Hall

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“I really do hate all of this,” I confessed. “That I even have to be here. It’s a great retreat. But I hate the reasons why I’m here. I hate my body. All of it. It’s what I hide behind. It’s not the reality of me. I want to look good to the outside world, like nothing’s wrong. Like I’m worthy.” ― Wendy Rathbone, Omega Island: Empty Heat Callum is an omega who has tried everything: therapy, pills, exercise, meditation, and time. But, when the […]

Just so…..boring

Never Been Kissed by Timothy Janovsky

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It’s nice to hear him so self-aware. To know that the seismic waves of coming out are still rippling through him too. I thought I was alone in that. Everyone makes it seem like coming out is crossing the finish line and now you just get to parade around while wearing your medal. For me, it feels more like I’m still winded midmarathon. ― Timothy Janovsky, Never Been Kissed Wren Roland wants his first kiss to be special. After a few near-misses, he wonders if […]



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