Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

The hope of space

Arca by Van Jensen, Jesse Lonergan (Illustrator)

All Systems Red (The Murderbot Diaries, #1) by Martha Wells

Ark (Forward) by Veronica Roth

How It Unfolds (The Far Reaches, #1) by James S.A. Corey

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I often don’t have time for full epic novels, so often turn to science fiction short stories and graphic novels. They can blow my mind with intriguing premises and characters. Unintentionally I kept turning to space stories that explored future possibilities for humanity. I like how novellas and short stories allow dipping my toes into the works of some heavy hitters of sci-fi. Arca is a graphic novel written by Van Jensen and illustrated by Jesse Lonergan. In this story, we meet teenage workers who […]

“I hope you are finding your own words out there in my sky.”

The Deep Sky by Yume Kitasei

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Asuka was the last person chosen to join the crew for humanity’s last hope, eighty elite graduates of a competitive program who will give birth to a generation of children in deep space and one day reach a distant but livable planet. But when a bomb kills three of the crew, investigating it falls to Asuka. I’m trying to get more into science fiction lately, and between the creative world-building and the high-stakes mystery, this book was certainly a good addition to the roster. In […]

Filled my Earth Day square! (Double bingo)

The Mimicking of Known Successes by Malka Older

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CBR16 Bingo: Earth Day (while this novella is set off-Earth, a lot of the plot involves conservation efforts to try to reintroduce healthy biodiversity on Earth) Mossa is investigating the mysterious disappearance, most likely a suicide, on one of the human colonies on Jupiter. Mossa discovers that the missing man worked at the colony’s university, where conveniently for her and her further investigation, Mossa’s ex-girlfriend is a scholar working with others to try to recreate the ecosystems of Earth before it collapsed. Pleiti is surprised […]

Space…. The adventure

Clouds in Space: Nebulae, Stardust, and Us by Teresa Robeson

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In the early part of the later section of August 2024 a book came out, but it was lost in the shuffle of the wonderful and crazy that is the book world. I became aware of it when I found an online reader copy of Clouds in Space: Nebulae, Stardust, and Us by Teresa Robeson. I decided lunch was dull enough, so let’s spice it up with the stars. This fairly quick reading picture book at first read did not grab me. It was more […]

Headed to the Moon

Rocket Beams, Lunar Dreams by Chiara Colombi

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Rocket Beams, Lunar Dreams by Chiara Colombi and illustrated by Scott Magoon is due in February 2025. However, I am glad I had the opportunity to read via an online reader’s copy. The book’s theme is not new, but told in a way that even I learned a few things and I am terribly excited to put this on teacher and parent radars. The idea is about envy and jealousy. Rocket is ready to go to the moon. She can’t wait! Except at the last […]

Two school stories

Scare School Diaries V01 Welcome to Scare School by Jarrett Lerner

Bright Family: Too Cool For School by Gabe Soria

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I know school just got out and probably the last thing a kid wants to do is read about the first day of school. However, for the aged six to nine (and lower ten-year-old) readers, these books will make your child want to go to school. And maybe you can convince them that a snot monster and a (spoiler) glob custodian will be at their school. But even if you can’t, these books are worth taking a few moments to read to your child, with […]



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