Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

A Magical Zoo Adventure

The Phoenix Keeper by S. A. MacLean

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This was a charming cozy romantasy with great diversity and mental health representation. It takes place primarily in a zoo of magical creatures, and it was a pleasure to see MacLean’s creativity as she described these animals. Main character Aila is the phoenix keeper at the zoo and has been trying for years to reboot a breeding program for the endangered Silimalo phoenix. When a neighboring zoo loses their phoenix hatchlings and their mother to poachers, Aila’s zoo is given the opportunity to try a […]

Hot Fun in the Summertime (#CannonBookClub, June 2023) Discussion Post—Romance Edition

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(You know, you should probably also check out the discussion post for our Hot Fun in the Summertime cozy mystery selection, Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. Manansala.) The Romance Extravanga Whether you’re a returning CannonBookClub participant or a newbie, welcome! This is the place to discuss the three (count-em, THREE) Hot Fun in the Summertime romance selections. You don’t have to be registered for CBR15 to comment below, but there are a few ground rules: The topics are numbered, so please refer to them […]

A Swoony Series Ender

Her Unexpected Roommate by Jackie Lau

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I have arrived at the final Cider Bar Sisters book by Jackie Lau. This is Rose’s story, and we’ve been introduced to Rose and her depression in bits and pieces over the previous books, but I think it’s important to note that Her Unexpected Roommate opens with an author’s note where Jackie Lau lays out what her reasons are for writing a lead like Rose and exactly the sorts of struggles the reader is going to experience via her characters (specifically treatment-resistant depression, and trauma […]

Grumpy/Sunshine Double Header (and Bingo!)

His Grumpy Childhood Friend (Cider Bar Sisters #2) by Jackie Lau

Her Pretend Christmas Date (Cider Bar Sisters #2.5) by Jackie Lau

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I was simply delighted by this one. His Grumpy Childhood Friend hit a couple different trope happy places for me – second chance romance, friends to lovers – but it also did something I love more and more as I consume a good amount of Romance books: it released its third act tension without a break-up or fight.  The tension point of the story isn’t a misunderstanding or one of the pair freaking out and walking away, instead we get characters dealing with traumatic experiences […]

Cider Bar Sisters Series Opener

Her Big City Neighbor by Jackie Lau

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I started reading this series from the middle. I had recently signed up for Jackie Lau’s reviewer list (which has benefitted me with many books) and the first novella in the Cider Bar Sister series, Her Pretend Christmas Date was released for reviews. I had a great time with that novella and have read the rest as they come (my review of the final in the series, Her Unexpected Roommate, is forthcoming). But I hadn’t gotten around to reading the first two books, a very […]

“Doing something even though I was scared felt kind of amazing.”

Just Roll With It by Veronica Agarwal and Lee Durfey-Lavoie

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I really loved this book and I hope it ends up getting the recognition it deserves. Just Roll With It follows Maggie during her first year of middle school as she makes new friends and gets involved with the D&D/role playing club. The main reason I got this book is that it’s a realistic and careful portrayal of OCD and anxiety, which made it a very relatable read. Both of the creators have struggled with mental health and I think it really adds to the realism […]



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