Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

The Broken Girls is a creepy page-turner

The Broken Girls by Simone St. James

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After the Sun Down Motel, I went in search of Simone St. James’s other books. The Broken Girls had the best reviews, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to read about teenage girls whose families had abandoned them. I’m glad I checked it out! It wasn’t quite as breathtaking as the Sun Down Motel, but it is really good.  2014: Twenty years ago, Fiona’s older sister, Deb, was murdered by her boyfriend and her body dumped on the grounds of a former boarding school named […]

In the Dark grabbed me and never let go

In the Dark by Loreth Anne White

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I actually read this back in January but have had trouble organizing my thoughts in order to review it. The problem is that it is so spellbinding that I absolutely blew through it. Afterward, I was left feeling like I had walked home during a windstorm – tired but invigorated. But a lot of the details were fuzzy because I read it so fast.  In the Dark is the story of eight strangers who have been invited on an all-expenses paid vacation at a luxurious […]

Poetry and Politics Can Be Interesting

A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine

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I am starting to wonder if my local library hasn’t hired someone new in charge of new purchases who might not be my reading twin. The library has suddenly started getting in new books that I personally want to read not long after they are published. A Memory Called Empire is among those titles. The premise is pretty normal sounding: a new ambassador to the capital of the Teixcalaanli Empire (which spans planets and systems) arrives at her new job to discover that her predecessor […]

The Sun Down Motel is a rollercoaster ride of nail-biting terror

The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James

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The Sun Down Motel hooked me from the start. I loved it that first night of reading. But when I picked it up the second night, I was filled with dread. I wasn’t sure I wanted to continue. I chalked it up to being tired and read on. I’m glad I did because it’s an amazing book. But it is a tense book, absolutely gripping and nerve-wracking. I had a headache yesterday evening from clenching my jaw while reading this. I didn’t even realize I […]

“‘It’ll heal ugly.’ But most things do.”

Sadie by Courtney Summers

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First off, you MUST read the audiobook version of this, put that print edition down, the audio is where it’s at! West McCray is a public-radio type audio personality who specializes in stories about small nobody-towns in America.  One day at a gas station, he learns about a local girl who has gone missing. Sadie Hunter was grieving the recent and brutal murder of her sister Mattie when she disappeared. Local police believe it to be a simple case of a runaway not worth pursuing, […]

So many trigger warnings

Lies Lies Lies by Adele Parks

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I actually finished this book weeks ago but have been struggling to articulate my thoughts enough since to write a review, mostly because I found it so……..ugh. And while I don’t want to spoil the twists for other readers, I feel it would be remiss not to mention that this book features alcoholism, child endangerment, rape and sexual assault, coercive control and emotional abuse. Sanctimonious and spineless Daisy has been married to alcoholic Simon for years. They have the perfect ballet dancing daughter, Poppy, and […]



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