Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time


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About KimMiE"

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I love reading nonfiction books, especially ones about nature, zoology, brain chemistry, and psychology. I also love the classics, especially Victorian lit. Mysteries are my go-to relaxing reads, and I read fantasy and sci fi when they come recommended. I'm definitely open to new genres! (Learn more about this Cannonballer: KimMiE”'s Quick Questions interview.)

KimMiE"'s Reviews:

The future is bleak and cold

Far North by Marcel Theroux

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CBR18 BINGO: Wheels, because Makepeace’s family (and others) moved to the Far North to survive Far North takes place in a dystopian future that is usually depicted as arid wasteland. In this case, the wasteland is the frozen tundra, which is represented rather beautifully on the book cover. A lone figure and a horse stand gazing across the snow-covered landscape; it looks peaceful and hints at a more beautiful story than one finds within. Not that Far North is completely bleak; there’s an unusual undertone […]

Well, well, well. If it isn’t the consequences of your own actions.

The Tragical History of Dr. Faustus by Christopher Marlowe

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CBR18 BINGO: Success, because Dr. Faustus sells his soul to the devil to become a successful magician Notes: The Tragical History of Dr. Faustus exists in 2 versions. The “A” version was published in 1606, and the expanded “B” version was published in 1616. The revisions and additions to the 1616 version are typically attributed to other playwrights, possibly with some input from Christopher Marlowe (both versions were published after Marlowe died, so who really knows for sure). I read the 1606 “A” version, which […]

For the nerdiest of word nerds

Why Q Needs U: A History of Our Letters and How We Use Them by Danny Bate

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CBR18 BINGO: You, a homophone of “U.” Also because I speak and write in English. Double Bingo! Diagonal: One, Map, You, 26, Or Four corners and the center: Left, One, Repair, Or, You I’m amazed that anyone whose first language is something other than English can ever master writing in this silly language. It’s so full of contradictions and spelling travesties that one has to wonder how we got to this place. Danny Bate has written a highly detailed account of exactly that. In the […]

Children’s books were different in the 70s

Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl

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CBR18 BINGO: Joker, because Mr. Fox is a bit of a joker I was looking for a short diversion recently, and while skimming our collection of Roald Dahl, I realized I had never read Fantastic Mr. Fox, though I have seen the delightful stop-motion animated film by Wes Anderson. I know enough about Dahl to realize this could be a wild ride, so I was curious. The plot is simple: Mr. Fox (who is very dapper!) lives with his wife and 4 children. Every night […]

Goddamn magicians and cats! (Cat photos included)

Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett

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CBR18 BINGO: Refuge, because Agnes runs a private cat shelter, which is the best kind of refuge Whoever designed the cover of Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter deserves a medal. I’m not entirely sure what the crossover is between fantasy lovers and cat lovers, but it must be substantial, and I don’t see how anyone who falls in that space could look at that cover and not pick it up. All those cats, doing cat things, sitting in nooks, stretching, sleeping–it’s irresistible! I’m happy to […]

I feel like I read two different novels

This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me by Ilona Andrews

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CBR18 BINGO: 26, because it was published in 2026 Just shy of the halfway point in This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me, I was struggling to understand why it came so highly recommended. At the start of the novel, the heroine, Maggie, finds herself alone and naked in a ditch, in a world that she knows from her favorite fantasy series. While not a completely new premise, it’s a provocative setup. Maggie’s initial challenge is to find food, clothes, and shelter, and for that she […]



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