Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

There’s A Reason Tales As Old As Time Endure

A Heart So Fierce and Broken by Brigid Kemmerer

by Leave a Comment

Mild spoilers for this book, some more major spoilers for the first book in the series–highlight to see the latter. It’s funny that Goodreads calls three stars “I liked it” and two stars “It was ok,” because in my mind a three star book is “It was ok.” This book is the definition of “it was ok.” Retellings of Beauty and the Beast are numerous (Robin McKinley’s works were the ones I noted in my review of the first book in this series, A Curse So […]

“I think ‘bone frenzy’ might be a term open to coarse misinterpretation, personally.”

Harrow the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

by 6 Comments

I started screaming within the first 60 pages. This was good screaming, mind you. Surprise-party-on-a-rollercoaster-with-Elvis-in-space screaming. Everything that I had learned and loved from Gideon the Ninth exploded in my face, leaving a cloud of gore and pure insanity- and you know what? I was into it. Big time. If you have yet to read Gideon (WHY?!) then DO NOT READ THIS WRITE UP. Do not read anything about Harrow, do not read Gideon‘s book jacket, and do not waste any more time! Go go go! Our Lady Harrowhawk is, well, […]

“Still, I wanted to believe; indeed I longed to; and, in the end, how much of belief comes from longing?”

The Testaments by Margaret Atwood

by Leave a Comment

I worked three jobs in the summer of 2005. I frequently worked more than one during any given day. Days off did not exist- except, miraculously, for the 4th of July. The history of the 4th holds no meaning here, just that I finally had a day to myself. I spent my one day off in bed, reading The Handmaid’s Tale from cover to cover. I did not leave the room. I turned down, much to the chagrin of the person whose bed it was, all opportunities […]

Olive, Again (Again)

by Leave a Comment

A perusal of my library’s digital audiobook library lead me to this book as it was in the “available now/hot commodity” bucket. This book is a sequel to Olive Kitteridge and I thought I remembered liking it, so I dove in. After scanning my review of the original book I learned that I really moreso thought it just okay, and I’d say my opinion of Strout is consistent. In fact, she is so consistent that my review of this book could literally be word for […]

Return to Gilead

The Testaments by Margaret Atwood

by 1 Comment

When I saw Margaret Atwood speak at Northwestern in 2018 (Am I bragging a bit? Yes. It was so cool and she was great and I was in the second rooooow and I continue to not have chill about it) she teased an upcoming announcement and low and behold, it was the sequel to Handmaid’s Tale! I was 60/40 eager/skeptical. I never read the sequel to To Kill a Mockingbird, but of course that release was fraught with drama concerning Lee’s wishes. This was a […]

“Can ambiguous social situations kindly go fuck themselves?”

Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli

by Leave a Comment

CBR11Bingo – Pajiba! This book was briefly reviewed on Pajiba here, seems we feel similarly! Leah Burke seems to be on an even keep as she navigates senior year, stepping closer to her future college career at the local state school, where she’ll even have her friend Abby there. But naturally things start to shake up, as tends to happen in senior year.  First, Abby and Nick break up. Abby doesn’t think their relationship can hold-up long distance, and Nick is heartbroken – as is […]



Help Our Mission

You can donate to CBR via:

  1. PayPal
  2. Venmo