Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

Exploring self and style

Alone in Space: A Collection by Tillie Walden

by Leave a Comment

CBR15Passport, Books Already OwnAlone in Space: A Collection is some of Tillie Walden’s earlier works. I am not sure if things were edited a lot after the original publications, but what we have here is some raw material. Not only are there several stories (some more fleshed out than others) but some of their comments on how their style changed over time. I am fairly certain that most of Walden’s characters are based on actual feelings, thoughts and things she was going through as they […]

I’m starting to see why Oseman likes Walden so much…

Spinning by Tillie Walden

by Leave a Comment

After reading a bunch of Alice Oseman’s works, I sought out some of her graphic novel recommendations and it led me back to Tillie Walden. I’d read On a Sunbeam, so naturally Spinning went right onto my to-read list when I saw Oseman mention it. Spinning is simultaneously a light and heavy story. Walden gives us a short slice of life, one without too much major upheaval going on, yet it’s more than that for our main character. She has to move to a new town, […]

Next time, can I have a little less science fiction?

On a Sunbeam by Tillie Walden

by Leave a Comment

On a Sunbeam worked best for me when it kept it personal between Grace and Mia. I found myself begrudging the author anytime we’d shift back to the present because I wanted to see more of the two of them growing close. Maybe it was because the science fiction aspects didn’t quite work for me, and the present was ridden with them. Maybe I just didn’t connect to any of the members of the ship the same way I did to Mia and Grace. If […]

Nobody talks like parents to the hippie neighbors

My Parents Won’t Stop Talking! by Emma Hunsinger

by Leave a Comment

When a little girl is ready to go play in the park, nothing will stop her. Nothing, that is but her next-door neighbors who always have to talk to her two moms. Oh sure, her little brother does not seem to understand the dire need to “get going” but she does. And while she tries to be the best “waiter” ever, she knows My Parents Won’t Stop Talking! until the talking is done and that could take a very long time and is not sure […]

Sometimes a book seems like it was written just for you; then you actually read it, and then you are sad.

On a Sunbeam by Tillie Walden

by Leave a Comment

Much to my surprise, I didn’t really like this all that much. I will probably list some reasons down below, but bottom line ultimately is that something about it just never gelled with me. To elaborate, I didn’t really like any of the characters, except Elliott. The world-building makes no sense. (Or, there is no world-building?) SPOILERS Oxygen, where is it? How are they dealing with all the background cosmic radiation? Why are all these random fucking buildings floating in space? When is this set? […]

Road Trip 101: Stay away from the Creepy Shadow Men

Are You Listening by Tillie Walden

by Leave a Comment

Are You Listening is an odd graphic novel for the 14 to adult crowd. The oddness can only be likened to as if it was the set up to a plot of a classic Twilight Zone episode (with a few modern elements: the two main charters are lesbians and there is a modern plot point).  There is much build up but then nothing happens until the end for traditional action. It is there we get the supernatural elements hitting and hitting hard! There are creepy […]



Help Our Mission

You can donate to CBR via:

  1. PayPal
  2. Venmo