The Pirate King by Sean Kingsley and Rex Cowan

Started: 6/16/2026

Finished: DNF

Year: 2024

Pages: 213

Genre: pirate history

Grade: D

Reason for reading: library book

Type: hard cover

Blurb (from Amazon): "Henry Avery of Devon pillaged a fortune from a Mughal ship off the coast of India and then vanished into thin air—and into legend. More ballads, plays, biographies and books were written about Avery’s adventures than any other pirate. His contemporaries crowned him "the pirate king" for pulling off the richest heist in pirate history and escaping with his head intact (unlike Blackbeard and his infamous Flying Gang). Avery was now the most wanted criminal on earth. To the authorities, Avery was the enemy of all mankind. To the people he was a hero. Rumors swirled about his disappearance. The only certainty is that Henry Avery became a ghost.

"What happened to the notorious Avery has been pirate history’s most baffling cold case for centuries. Now, in a remote archive, a coded letter written by "Avery the Pirate" himself, years after he disappeared, reveals a stunning truth. He was a pirate that came in from the cold . . ."

Opinion: I just ended up not being interested so I stopped. It wasn't poorly written and the overall topic wasn't not interesting.

Unnatural Exposure by Patricia Cornwell

Started: 6/11/2026

Finished: 6/14/2026

Year: 1997

Pages: 338

Genre: Mystery/thriller

Grade: B

Reason for reading: library book, continuing with series

Type: Hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "Returning home from Ireland, where she had been called in to examine the remains of a murder victim whose body was marked by the signature of a cunning serial killer, medical examiner Kay Scarpetta is shocked when another body turns up, this time in a Virginia landfill."

Opinion: Interesting plot...ending was too solved and came out of nowhere.

Pirate's Love by David M. Carner

Started: 6/7/2026

Finished: 6/10/2026

Year: 2026

Pages: 341

Genre: pirates, romance, thriller

Grade: B

Reason for reading: birthday present from my friend

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "When Anne Kingsley is taken—again—Captain Aaden Crowe is thrust back into a relentless fight against time, power, and the ghosts of his past. What begins as a desperate rescue quickly spirals into something far more dangerous, as enemies close in from all sides and old alliances begin to fracture.

"But this time, the stakes are higher.

"A powerful Spanish prince has entered the game—one with ambition far beyond a single capture—and a weapon capable of reshaping the balance of power across the seas. As Aaden races to find Anne, betrayal cuts deeper than ever before, forcing him to question not only who he can trust… but how far he’s willing to go.

"Across storm-torn waters and into the heart of enemy territory, Aaden and his crew must face impossible odds, devastating loss, and a truth neither of them can escape."

Opinion: I had read the first book with these characters years ago and one character has always lingered in my head. It is helpful to read the first book but there is enough information throughout the book that gives readers the background of these characters. Lots of suspenseful action. Felt a little like bits of The Princess Bride in parts. Definitely an enjoyable read.

Johnny Careless by Kevin Wade

Started: 6/1/2026

Finished: 6/6/2026

Year: 2024

Pages: 228

Genre: mystery

Grade: B-

Reason for reading: library book

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "Police Chief Jeep Mullane has been bounced back home to Long Island’s North Shore by a heartbreaking case that both earned him his NYPD detective’s shield and burned him out of the Job. Now heading up a small local police department, he finds himself navigating the same geography he did growing up there as the son of an NYPD cop. Jeep is a “have-not” among the glittering “haves,” a sharp-witted, down-to-earth man in a territory defined and ruled by multigenerational wealth and power and the daunting tribal codes and customs that come with it.

"When the corpse of Jeep’s childhood friend Johnny Chambliss―born into privilege and known as “Johnny Careless” for his reckless, golden-boy antics―surfaces in the Bayville waters, past collides with present, and Jeep is pulled into a treacherous web. He is challenged by Johnny’s wealthy and secretive family and his beautiful, enigmatic ex-wife as he untangles a knotted mystery fraught with theft, corrupt local moguls, and decades-old secrets, all while grappling with his own deep-seated grief for his lost pal."

Opinion: Not a fan of the whole going back and forth in time with almost each chapter but the overall story was good.

Apple Turnover Murder by Joanne Fluke

Started:  5/30/2026

Finished: 5/31/2026

Year: 2010

Pages: 290

Genre: cozy mystery

Grade: B

Reason for reading: library book, continuing with series

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "Early summer brings plenty of work for Hannah, even before Mayor Bascomb's wife drops by The Cookie Jar to place an order for eleven-hundred cookies. Stephanie Bascomb is organizing an elaborate three-day event to support local charities, and though it's a worthy cause, Hannah almost flips when her business partner, Lisa, suggests setting up an apple turnover stand. Hannah's never made a turnover—but pushover that she is, she places her faith in Lisa's mother-in-law's recipe and agrees to be a magician's assistant in the fundraiser's talent show . . .

"Hannah has to admit that stepping out of her comfort zone has been fun as well as profitable. The only snag is the show's host, community college professor Bradford Ramsey. Hannah and her younger sister Michelle each had unfortunate romantic relationships with Ramsey, and when he comes sniffing around between acts, Hannah tells him off. But when the curtain doesn't go up, she discovers Ramsey backstage—dead as a doornail with a turnover in his hand. To protect her reputation and Michelle's, Hannah must get to the bottom of the professor's bitter end—and track down a killer who's flakier than puff pastry—and far more dangerous . . ."

Opinion: Decent whodunit-didn't fully figure it out until the end. Interesting ending

'Salem's Lot by Stephen King

Started: 5/23/2026

Finished: 5/30/2026

Year: 1975

Pages: 451

Genre: horror-vampire

Grade: B

Reason for reading: reading his books in order, library book

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "When two young boys venture into the woods, and only one returns alive, Mears begins to realize that something sinister is at work. In fact, his hometown is under siege from forces of darkness far beyond his imagination. And only he, with a small group of allies, can hope to contain the evil that is growing within the borders of this small New England town."

Opinion: I don't recall seeing any of the TV mini series or movies or even reading this in the past. Reminded me of It-small Maine town being haunted by something unnatural. Decent read. 

S'mores Murders by Maya Corrigan

Started: 5/17/2026

Finished: 5/22/2026

Year: 2018

Pages: 267

Genre: Cozy mystery

Grade: B

Reason for reading: library book, continuing with series

Type: paperback

Blurb (from Amazon): "Since catering themed events is a good way to make extra cash, Val agrees to board the Titanic—or at least cater a re-creation of the doomed journey on a yacht. The owner of the yacht, who collects memorabilia related to the disaster, wants Val to serve the last meal the Titanic passengers ate . . . while his guests play a murder-mystery game. But it is the final feast for one passenger who disappears from the ship. And that’s only the tip of the iceberg.

"Now Val has to reel in a killer before s’more murders go down . . ."

Opinion: Interesting combination of a 30 year old mystery, Titantic and current day.