Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

Baking with Pride means lots of food coloring

Baking with Pride by Janusz Domagala

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Baking with Pride involves a lot of baking with color; seriously, stock up on gel food coloring if you plan on baking much out of this book. Janusz Domagala was one of the fan-favorites on a recent season of Great British Bake Off, and his book is out just in time for Pride month; not a coincidence, as Janusz sort of quietly advocated for LGBTQ causes his whole season (watch his shirts). Every other recipe or two page has factoids about LGBTQ history, or some […]

Satisfying conclusion to the Last Binding Trilogy

A Power Unbound by Freya Marske

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Freya Marske satisfyingly concludes her Last Binding Trilogy with A Power Unbound.  I loved the first volume, A Marvellous Light.  It has a creative magic system and adorable couple Robin and Edwin.  I found the second one, A Restless Truth, to feel a bit rushed due to the time limit on having to occur on an ocean voyage between the US and England.  Also, Maud as a character tends to make me feel breathless with her energy and constant pushing for action.  Though A Power Unbound […]

The nature of a boy

Pansy Boy by Paul Harfleet

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The theme of Pansy Boy is familiar, but the presentation is new. The artwork is unusual and classical. The “ugly” and “beauty” (the ugly of the hateful things that are said, and the beauty of the young boy, the birds, and the flowers) are shown in fresh ways to move things along. Paul Harfleet made an experience book. The rhyming aspect could work for some people, but sometimes it took me out of the moment. The overall theme of things is bullying because the main […]

Smuggling, insects, and family drama surround this gay love story

The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen by KJ Charles

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Thank you, Emmalita, for this wonderful book and first exposure to KJ Charles!  In the 2023 Cannonball Book Exchange I put that I would like any book by KJ Charles and she graciously gifted me The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen. Kent and London had a good thing going.  They met up at the Three Ducks in London for some enthusiastic and anonymous sex.  But then Kent needs to do business away from the city and London, familiar with abandonment, decides to shut things down instead […]

A Journey From Lawyer to Redeemed Ghost

Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune

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I’m not sure why I delayed reading this for so long, aside from some preconceived expectations about how the book might end, but I’m glad I finally gave it a shot. Our protagonist, lawyer Wallace Price, is not a very good person. The negative thoughts or stereotypes you may have had about lawyers pretty much apply here. He’s a workaholic who cares about little more than winning cases. When he unexpectedly dies from a heart attack, only 6 people attend his funeral, and that includes […]

as they say in hockey…let’s do that hockey

Time to Shine by Rachel Reid

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I think this was a recommendation from the NYT, which goes to show that they can get things right every so often (guacamole with peas, a friend reminded me earlier today) (also, see, like, 100% of their coverage of trans kids and pearl clutching both sides discourse). I know nothing of hockey! Well, that’s not entirely true I did play for a hot second (cold second) as I have played all sports known to mankind in my parents’ quest to find me a physical team […]



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