Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

From Thor to Monkey Kings

Arthur and the Golden Rope: Brownstone's Mythical Collection by Joe Todd-Stanton

Marcy and the Riddle of the Sphinx: Brownstone's Mythical Collection by Joe Todd-Stanton

Kai and the Monkey King: Brownstone's Mythical Collection by Joe Todd-Stanton

Leo and the Gorgon's Curse: Brownstone's Mythical Collection by Joe Todd-Stanton

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Joe Todd-Stanton has a four (so far) book series about the Brownstone family. They are adventurous children who have amazing times being heroes. The narrator is Professor Brownstone, a Brownstone descendent, and his vaults of books and artifacts. Well they don’t tell the story, but they help us find the stories, as each piece is linked to one of his ancestors and each has its own wonderful, far-out story to tell. The first in the series is Arthur and the Golden Rope: Brownstone’s Mythical Collection. Arthur […]

A quiet book with a powerful story of connection and survival

Burial Rites by Hannah Kent

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This was the second book that the marvelous and generous faintingviolet got for me last year during the Holiday Book Exchange. This book is outside of what I usually pick up to read, but I’m thankful that I gave it a chance. Agnes Magnusdottir has been convicted of murder and sentenced to die in the early 1800s of Iceland. While she awaits her execution she is sent to live with a district official and his family. There’s his wife Margret, a very sick woman who […]

Unexpected Wrap-Up to the Trilogy

Cage by Lilja Sigurðardóttir

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Best for: Those who like to follow through with a series. In a nutshell: With a time jump six years, we learn that some characters from the last two books have been punished, while others have become bolder. We also meet a couple new folks. Worth quoting: N/A Why I chose it: I bought the trilogy all at once, and for the most part I’m happy I did. Review: This was one of those books where, with about 40 pages to go, I thought ‘wait, […]

Solid Second in the Series

Trap by Lilja Sigurðardóttir

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Best for: Those who enjoy crime novels of the Icelandic variety. Those who appreciate when the main character is both a) not a man and b) not straight. In a nutshell: Sonja thinks she’s out but gets pulled back into the drug running world of Iceland, post financial crash. Worth quoting: N/A Why I chose it: Icelandic crime. Love it. Review: As I hoped, in this book we do get a bit more flesh on the bones of the characters. The style remains true to […]

Let It Snow

Available Dark by Elizabeth Hand

Home For The Holidays by Gary Reilly

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For the first time, I’m reviewing two books at once! Fortunately, both were solid 4-star reviews so I guess I don’t have to note that. Available Dark I read Generation Loss, the first book in the Cass Neary series over the summer and it absolutely knocked me off my feet. I don’t know what I expected but I didn’t expect that. I think it goes to show how the idea of having to “root for a character” in order to be invested is a crock of […]

Northern Exposure

Snowblind by Ragnar Jónasson

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  The first few chapters of this book made me groan because they read like an airport paperback thriller. Nothing against that genre, it’s just not for me. I thought about quitting the book. But I stuck with it and I’m glad I did. It ended up being sort of a Agatha Christie tribute: a series of murders and unexplained events happening in a sleepy town where everybody knows everyone, only the town is perpetually covered in snow because it’s in the northernmost point of […]



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