Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time
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Book for thee but not for me

The Reformatory by Tananarive Due

March 27, 2025 by Zirza 1 Comment

Twelve year old Robbie Stevens grows up under the Jim Crow laws of northern Florida. It’s  the 1950s, and though the institution of slavery has been abolished nearly a century ago, in practice, life is tough, especially since Robbie’s mother has died and Robbie’s father, a community organiser, has been branded a rabble rouser by the town’s white population and has fled for Chicago, leaving Robbie in the care of his sixteen year old sister Gloria. When Gloria is accosted by her wealthy white neighbour’s […]

Filed Under: Fiction, History, Suspense, Young Adult Tagged With: institutional racism, Jim Crow, tananarive due, the reformatory

Zirza's CBR17 Review No:17 · Genres: Fiction, History, Suspense, Young Adult · Tags: institutional racism, Jim Crow, tananarive due, the reformatory ·
· 1 Comment

Another one of those moments when Ruby had to choose whether to go crazy or just deal. A close call this time.

Lovecraft Country by Matt Ruff

August 4, 2023 by carmelpie Leave a Comment

“It never fails,” Montrose said. “No matter what they do to you, afterwards it’s like nothing happened. You’re supposed to just be grateful you’re still breathing.” Upon receiving a letter from his estranged father, Atticus Turner returns to his hometown to discover his father missing. He and his uncle George follow the trail to Ardham, Massachusetts, where, with the help of their hometown friend Letitia, they learn secrets about Atticus’s late mother’s family history, and how he and his family could be the keys to […]

Filed Under: Fantasy, Featured, Fiction, Horror, Science Fiction Tagged With: #CBR15 passport, #Science Fiction, 1950s America, black science fiction, CBR15Passport, historical racism, horror, Jim Crow, Matt Ruff, Racism, supernatural

carmelpie's CBR15 Review No:8 · Genres: Fantasy, Featured, Fiction, Horror, Science Fiction · Tags: #CBR15 passport, #Science Fiction, 1950s America, black science fiction, CBR15Passport, historical racism, horror, Jim Crow, Matt Ruff, Racism, supernatural ·
Rating:
· 0 Comments

Some places, you never leave the same

The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead

September 28, 2020 by teresaelectro Leave a Comment

Kicking off my CBR12 Bingo with The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead for the RED book cover square. A beautifully written novel about a segregated Florida reform school during the Jim Crow era. All the boys never left The Nickel Academy the same as when they arrived. The novel flashes between the present and the past through Elwood’s eyes. Each chapter gives you a lyrical moment in time. We learn about the place in pieces, flashing forward to Elwood as an adult. As soon as […]

Filed Under: Fiction, History Tagged With: American History, based on true events, Black History, cbr12bingo, Colson Whitehead, Fiction, Florida, Jim Crow, red square, the nickel boys

teresaelectro's CBR12 Review No:9 · Genres: Fiction, History · Tags: American History, based on true events, Black History, cbr12bingo, Colson Whitehead, Fiction, Florida, Jim Crow, red square, the nickel boys ·
Rating:
· 0 Comments

cbr12bingo – Adaptation!

Lovecraft Country by Matt Ruff

July 4, 2020 by andtheIToldYouSos Leave a Comment

It is 1954, and a young man named Atticus is headed home to Chicago. In Chicago he will find his beloved uncle and aunt, who together run The Safe Negro Travel Guide and Travel Agency. His uncle, like himself, is a lover of pulp novels and dime store comics. His aunt travels the country alone, adding stops to the travel guide while looking at the stars. He’ll find his little cousin, a comic-book hound and talented artist. He’ll find his old friend Titia, who has […]

Filed Under: Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Science Fiction, Speculative Fiction, Suspense Tagged With: 1950s America, adaptation, cbr12bingo, Chicago, comic books, cosmic horror, family tree, H.P. Lovecraft, Haunted House, hbo, Jim Crow, lovecraftian, magic, Matt Ruff, occult, pulp horror, Racism, salem, supernatural, tulsa massacre

andtheIToldYouSos's CBR12 Review No:68 · Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Science Fiction, Speculative Fiction, Suspense · Tags: 1950s America, adaptation, cbr12bingo, Chicago, comic books, cosmic horror, family tree, H.P. Lovecraft, Haunted House, hbo, Jim Crow, lovecraftian, magic, Matt Ruff, occult, pulp horror, Racism, salem, supernatural, tulsa massacre ·
Rating:
· 0 Comments

“The tricky thing about giving opinions is that sometimes they cost you more than you wanted to spend.”

The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee

April 14, 2020 by cosbrarian Leave a Comment

Jo Kuan and her father figure Old Jin have gotten by pretty well, considering they are Chinese Americans in the deep South of 1890.  Old Jin works as a horse caretaker for a local wealthy family, and Jo has a talent for millinery, so she is hopeful for an apprenticeship at the shop she works.  However, she is abruptly fired one day due to her supposed overly-frank attitude with customers (“You make the customers uncomfortable”).  Old Jin is able to get her a position as […]

Filed Under: History, Young Adult Tagged With: American History, Chinese American, Georgia, historical fiction, Jim Crow, Southern, Stacey Lee, Victorian era, YA, Young Adult

cosbrarian's CBR12 Review No:13 · Genres: History, Young Adult · Tags: American History, Chinese American, Georgia, historical fiction, Jim Crow, Southern, Stacey Lee, Victorian era, YA, Young Adult ·
Rating:
· 0 Comments

Horror Against a Jim Crow Backdrop

Lovecraft Country by Matt Ruff

December 22, 2019 by Jen K Leave a Comment

I think I’ve read maybe one Lovecraft short story and didn’t particularly enjoy it but I found the concept behind this novel rather intriguing, and decided to pick it up. Of course, I then waited for over a year to read it … what can I say, as creative as I thought the approach would be, I wasn’t sure if I had enough context to enjoy it. The novel begins in the 1950s, as Atticus Turner returns home to Chicago after a stint in the […]

Filed Under: Fiction, Horror Tagged With: Jim Crow, lovecraft country, Matt Ruff

Jen K's CBR11 Review No:100 · Genres: Fiction, Horror · Tags: Jim Crow, lovecraft country, Matt Ruff ·
Rating:
· 0 Comments
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