Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

“The things your parents say and the things your husband doesn’t say become a mirror, don’t they? You see yourself as they see you, and no matter how far you come, you bring that mirror with you.”

The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah

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In one word: Dogged This was precisely the book I needed to read while in the clutches of a chilly and downright RUDE Midwestern spring. Spring is my least favorite of the seasons, and this year it’s earning its rank at the bottom of the list. It is April, and it is STILL cold, and I STILL have to wear a jacket, and I STILL can’t lounge in my hammock, but, real talk, these are only inconveniences.  The weather isn’t to my liking?! Oh heavens, […]

“He is a weapon, a killer. Do not forget it. You can use a spear as a walking stick, but that will not change its nature.”

Songs of Achilles by Madeline Miller

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This is the love story of Achilles, the fighting demigod, and Patroclus, the exiled, his confidant, lover, and closest companion. Patroclus is our narrator, and through his eyes, we see Achilles grow from a smirking boy to the greatest warrior the Greeks have ever seen. It’s equal parts classic mythology with a Romeo and Juliet twist as we watch these star-crossed lovers march to the beat of destiny. Taking on the Iliad is a bold move, and Miller really gives it her all. This one […]

How to Become Tsarina of All the Russias

The Tsarina's Daughter by Ellen Alpsten

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It is nighttime, and Elizabeth Romanov stands in the nursery of her infant cousin the Tsar of All the Russias, contemplating her next move and all the events that brought her here. Though the prequel Tsarina is on my TBR, this is my first taste of Alpsten’s work. Luckily the work stands alone. And it was a fascinating read. I knew very little of the early Romanovs beyond that one of them picked his wife in what was basically a marriage cattle fair, which is probably not […]

Each story is a glittering jewel set in a heavy crown.

Delicate Edible Birds and Other Stories by Lauren Groff

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Often, short story collections can be a bit of a mixed bag – especially when all written by the same author. I frequently find myself speed-reading through “filler” in hopes of finding some “killer”. As always, Lauren Groff turns your expectations to crystal and smashes them into a million brittle and beautiful pieces. Each one of the eight stories collected in this book could be their own novels- I could spend days drifting through Groff’s worlds. The first tale, “Lucky Chow Fun”, takes place in […]

The Lynx Knows

Secret Identity: A Novel by Alex Segura

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I waited for this book for months. Months! And for the most part, it was worth the wait. It’s very good. I’ve read other stuff from Alex Segura, from his Pete Fernandez mystery books to the first edition of his Black Ghost graphic novel series. I love his interest in how journalism, urban corruption, and dogged investigative work come together to tell an entertaining tale. It’s right up my alley. This ambitious novel set in the comic industry in 1970s New York City could fall flat for trying to […]

Extra Reading March 2022

Batman: The Killing Joke by Christa Faust and Gary Phillips

The Big East: Inside the Most Entertaining and Influential Conference in College Basketball History by Dana O'Neil

In The Country We Love: My Family Divided by Diane Guerrero

The Banks by Roxane Gay, Ming Doyle (Illustrator)

One Night, New York by Lara Thompson

The Secret Lives of Married Women by Elissa Wald

Lost and Found in Harlem by Delia C. Pitts

Beautiful Little Fools by Jillian Cantor

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray

Scandal in Babylon by Barbara Hambly

Sadie by Courtney Summers

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These are the books I finished in the month of March in which I didn’t have time or words to elaborate on… Batman: The Killing Joke *** Two of my favorites team up for a Batman prose novel? Yes! But the end result is just okay. Interestingly enough, I think both writers do a better job with the random Gothamites than they do with the Caped Crusader and his primary nemesis. You’re fine just reading Alan Moore’s legendary graphic novel. The Big East: Inside the […]



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