Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

Paltrow or Silverstone for me, please, but not my literary jam.

Emma by Jane Austen

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Okay. Confession time – I have never like the Bronte Sisters or Austen. If I were to analyze it’s because of two reasons. 1. Slooooooooow pacing. I like books with a bit more get-up-and go. 2. As a former English major, I felt like I was “supposed to” like these books, particularly because I was a girl, and in my youth I was a contrarian and determined NOT to like what other people did and yes I was probably exhausting about it. So, I wasn’t […]

I Didn’t Know Jane Austen Was So Religious

The Prayers of Jane Austen by Jane Austen

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The Prayers of Jane Austen by Jane Austen My rating: 5 of 5 stars I had the pleasure of finding this book at the Jane Austen House and Museum. I was surprised to see that she wrote prayers. I know Ms. Austen foremost for her books and a few of her letters, both of which I’ve read or I’ve taught. I’ve also not known established literary writers to apply their skills to writing prayers. As the daughter of an Anglican vicar, she’s poised to have […]

Settle in for a cozy read with a Tim Horton’s coffee and a cruller.

Ayesha at Last by Uzma Jalaluddin

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Yes, this was yet another Jane Austen retelling. I was all about those this year. Supposedly, it was based on Pride & Prejudice…and I guess I see that, but it wasn’t a strict retelling. It was more of an homage. From Amazon: AYESHA SHAMSI has a lot going on.  Her dreams of being a poet have been set aside for a teaching job so she can pay off her debts to her wealthy uncle. She lives with her boisterous Muslim family and is always being reminded that her flighty […]

As close as I got to a Halloween read…

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith

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Back in October (yes, the review backlog is a thing), I wanted a Halloween-ish read, but was trying to also stick to the TBR pile and not go buy something new. This proved difficult because horror/scary type books are not really my jam (Confession: I am 40 years old and have never read a single thing by Stephen King). But then I found this tucked away on my P&P shelf, stuck there as a joke, but never read. Perfect. I didn’t know what to expect […]

“I cannot fix on the hour, or the spot, or the look or the words, which laid the foundation. It is too long ago. I was in the middle before I knew that I had begun.” (CBR11 Bingo)

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, Rosamund Pike (narrator)

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I have absolutely no idea how to review this book. Instead, I’ll tell you the story of my relationship with it. In my sophomore year of high school we read Austen for the first time. I clearly remember our teacher (looking back he was young, with long hair) stalking around the room selling us on an author only some of us had heard of, and attempting to inspire in us the mental fortitude it takes a 15 or 16 year old to really battle with […]

This review has been inspired by the Thug Notes “Pride and Prejudice” episode. Also, spoilers.

Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

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So we have our girl Catherine Morland, one of ten Morland siblings.  She’s the son of a preacher man, so that’s cool. She starts out life as a tomboy, but gets over that by the time she turns fifteen.  Now seventeen, she gets to go on a sweet vacation to Bath with her neighbors, Mr. and Mrs. Allen. Mr. Allen is going for his gout, and Mrs. Allen wants Catherine to go for company.  I suppose Mrs. Allen also knows that going on a six-week […]



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