Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

Short story review dump (Part IV)

Cuisine des Mémoires by N.K. Jemisin

Valedictorian by N.K. Jemisin

Blur by Carmen Maria Machado

Staying Behind by Ken Liu

Recitatif by Toni Morrison

The Foster Portfolio by Kurt Vonnegut

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This is something new I’m trying this year, where I review short stories as stand alone stories, not part of anthologies or collections. Here are parts I, II, and III. Cuisine des Mémoires by N.K. Jemisin (5 stars) This little experiment of a short story read every day (which I’ve already failed at) has led to some wonderful discoveries. Along with Ken Liu, N.K. Jemsisin (who I’ve long wanted to read) are definitely at the top of the list, though. A man is taken to […]

Soap Operatic

Hate Crush by Angelina M. Lopez

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Angelina Lopez bowled me over with her debut novel, Lush Money. Hate Crush, is a worthy sequel. When I started reading romance, I didn’t like contemporary romance because it all seemed to be Judith Krantz and Danielle Steele – ridiculously beautiful people, at least one of whom was incredibly wealthy, with high glamour problems and preposterous plots. If I was going to read that I wanted it to be set in the past. In the last 30 years, contemporary romance has become less focused on the […]

Her Voice

In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado

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Carmen Maria Machado’s voice is a fine-honed instrument. She reads In the Dream House, her memoir of receiving abuse in a same-sex relationship, at a volume just above a whisper. She is hushed, quick, and measured yet still barreling down. Her voice is arresting. You will stop dead-still to catch her every intake of breath. She is a force to be reckoned with. I am in awe of her strength; her strength to survive, her strength to document, and her strength to share her darkest […]

“The moral of that story, I think, is that being poor will kill you.”

Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado

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It happened again. I excitedly picked up a book at the store, rushed it home, then let it sit in a pile for a few months. When I finally opened it days ago I was shocked (and not shocked at all simultaneously, really) that it was an oddly appropriate collection for today’s frightening world. The first page of the book is a quote from poet Elisabeth Hewer, and it lays the roadwork for the furious march within: “god should have made girls lethal when he […]

Coming Together Had Always Been Easy

American Sweethearts by Adriana Herrera

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While I was reading American Dreamers and American Love Story I requested and was granted an arc of the final book in the series, American Sweethearts. This is an honest review in exchange for an arc from NetGalley. Juan Pablo and Priscilla have been on again off again since they were sixteen. Through the Dreamers series they have been off. It’s painful to both of them the way they love each other but can’t live with each other. The second chance at romance is a well loved trope. […]

Romance and Social Justice

American Dreamer by Adriana Herrera

American Love Story by Adriana Herrera

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Sometimes when I like a book I have so much to say and so many feelings that I am unable to get a coherent review out and I spend days or weeks spewing and deleting words. That’s how I have felt about my recent Adriana Herrera binge. I think I may have coherent thoughts now, but just in case this gets out of control again, the most important thing is – I like these books and think you should read them. Adriana Herrera’s debut series […]



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