gender roles – Cannonball Read 17

Not the right chemistry for me

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

September 1, 2025 by CoffeeShopReader Leave a Comment

Bingo 12: School Some of the more significant moments especially towards the beginning of Lessons in Chemistry, as well as some later generally consistent episodes related to school work and learning put this one in the School spot. It’s no secret that being female in academia has been a challenge for a significant part of history, and Lessons in Chemistry starts with the worst parts of the 1950s-1960s horrific treatment of women in higher education (seriously, there should be a CW for the assault scene). […]

Taverns have ale flowing, wenches are wenching and pirates pirating.

Sea of Thieves by Jeremy Whitley

Sea of Thieves: Origins Volume One by Jeremy Whitley

Sea of Thieves: Origins: Champion of Souls by Jeremy Whitley

November 5, 2024 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

I started with Sea of Thieves: Sea Dog’s Search illustrated by Rhoald Marcellius. Though it says it has issues one to three, it was actually after the no added title, Sea of Thieves. We meet our main pirate twins, their friends, frenemies and a possible lover or two or three…. Here we build up the story of all the characters we find in the second book (or the main ones) and we learn about a few creatures and events. However, you needed Sea of Thieves: […]

Stories, food, cats and pride. Oh my!

A Story No One Has Ever Heard Before by Avi Steinberg

Boys Don't Fry by Kimberly Lee

How Mr. Silver Stole the Show by Kate Klise

Pride: A Seek-and-Find Celebration: Adventure Through the History of the Queer Community by Diego Blanco

January 16, 2024 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

CBR16SweetBooks #Binge Picture book binging is always a favorite activity of mine. I sat down at lunch one day and read four picture books from online reader copies. A Story No One Has Ever Heard Before by Avi Steinberg; Boys Don’t Fry by Kimberly Lee and illustrated by Charlene Chua; How Mr. Silver Stole the Show by Kate Klise and M. Sarah Klise on the illustrations and finally Pride: A Seek-and-Find Celebration: Adventure Through the History of the Queer Community illustrated by Diego Blanco, published by Epic Ink Books (due in mid/late April 2024). Well, I skimmed Pride and this is […]

Bronze-Age Crete

Minoan Wings V01 Dragonfly Song by Wendy Orr

September 15, 2023 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

The novel Minoan Wings V01 Dragonfly Song is a contemporary toned story set in the Bronze Age. The historical facts were well researched by the author, Wendy Orr. And what is presented is not just the factual information, but also there is an arc about mythology and religion (such as the goddess worship vs the bull/masculine, the representation of the animals and nature), and one that feels like it has more modern ideas of equality and gender (the goddess, the mother, the priestess, daughters). Though maternal ruled villages […]

Breaking ice and barriers

Check, Please!, Book 2: Sticks & Scones by Ngozi Ukazu

August 17, 2021 by BlackRaven Leave a Comment

cbr13bingo Sportsball This time around Ngozi Ukazu is heavy on relationship status and less focus on hockey in Check, Please!, Book 2: Sticks & Scones. Bitty and Jack now have a relationship that is never totally fleshed out but is presented with the “highlights” of events. Jack has his hockey career, Bitty has his last few years of college, hockey, vlogging, and baking. Yet, the two must deal with the ups and downs of one being openly gay, in a welcoming community and the other […]

Poetry and dogs and cats and wheelbarrows oh my

Love That Dog by Sharon Creech

Hate That Cat by Sharon Creech

March 30, 2021 by BlackRaven 5 Comments

When I first came to work at the bookstore one of my coworkers had been in the business for several years (but not at “our” store) and one author he liked was Sharon Creech. I would read a few of her books because of his recommendation and the new one that had just come out. But I realized she was an author that wrote books you “liked or not” that book but not necessarily a “like or not” the actual author kind of author. I […]

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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