The Shining by Stephen King

Started: 7/20/2026

Finished: 7/30/2026

Year: 1977

Pages: 659

Genre: horror/suspense

Grade; B+

Reason for reading: library book

Type: paperback

Blurb (from Amazon): "Jack Torrance’s new job at the Overlook Hotel is the perfect chance for a fresh start. As the off-season caretaker at the atmospheric old hotel, he’ll have plenty of time to spend reconnecting with his family and working on his writing. But as the harsh winter weather sets in, the idyllic location feels ever more remote . . . and more sinister. And the only one to notice the strange and terrible forces gathering around the Overlook is Danny Torrance, a uniquely gifted five-year-old."

Opinion: The movie captures most of what is in here and adds a couple of elements that are not. Suspenseful. Fun read.

Outfoxed by David Rosenfelt

Started 7/16/2026

Finished: 7/18/2026

Year: 2016

Pages: 326

Genre: mystery

Grade: B

Reason for reading: TBR pile, continuing with series

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "Defense lawyer Andy Carpenter spends as much time as he can working on his true passion, the Tara Foundation, the dog rescue organization he runs. Lately, Andy has been especially involved in a county prison program where inmates help train dogs the Tara Foundation has rescued to make them more adoptable, benefiting both the dogs and the prisoners. One of the prisoners Andy has been working with is Brian Atkins, who has 18 months left on a 5-year term for fraud. Brian has been helping to train Boomer, an adorable fox terrier the Tara Foundation rescued from a neglectful owner. Brian and Boomer are clearly a terrific match. In fact, Andy hopes that Brian will adopt Boomer himself, once his sentence is up. But one day, Andy arrives at the prison to discover that Brian has used Boomer to make an ingenious escape, and man and dog are both in the wind. The next day, the man on whose testimony Brian was convicted is found murdered. Brian is caught and arrested for the crime, though he forcefully protests his innocence. Suddenly, Andy finds himself with a new client in Brian and a new dog in Boomer. And as he starts to dig deeper into the murder and the events leading up to it, Andy realizes he might be putting them all in far more danger than anyone had realized."

Opinion: A decent murder mystery. A big lingering situation is resolved...or is it? Wondering what the next book will bring to Andy and his family. 

Crypt Suzette by Maya Corrigan

Started 7/12/2026

Finished: 7/16/2026

Year: 2019

Pages: 288

Genre: cozy mystery

Grade: B+

Reason for reading: library book, continuing with series

Type: paperback

Blurb (from Amazon): "Suzette Cripps has been occupying a spare bedroom at Val’s granddad’s house while she takes classes in this Maryland Eastern Shore town—but she’s always seemed a little secretive and fearful, and any talk about her past is a closed book.

"After winning the costume contest at the Halloween-themed bookstore party, Suzette is mowed down by a hit-and-run driver—and Val and her grandfather start to wonder whether it was really an accident or if someone was after Suzette. Granddad is a little distracted by his new enterprise as a ghost-buster, but as Val talks to Suzette’s coworkers and fellow creative writing students, she grows more convinced that the dead woman’s demons weren’t imaginary—and that she needs to rip the mask off a killer …"

Opinion: Plenty of suspects. Interesting murder victim and reasoning for murder.

No Way to Treat a Child by Naomi Schaefer Riley

Started: 7/12/2026

Finished: DNF

Year: 2021

Pages: 205

Genre: non fiction-foster care system/child welfare

Grade: F

Reason for reading: won it through Goodreads.com giveaway

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "Kids in danger are treated instrumentally to promote the rehabilitation of their parents, the welfare of their communities, and the social justice of their race and tribe—all with the inevitable result that their most precious developmental years are lost in bureaucratic and judicial red tape. It is time to stop letting efforts to fix the child welfare system get derailed by activists who are concerned with race-matching, blood ties, and the abstract demands of social justice, and start asking the most important question: Where are the emotionally and financially stable, loving, and permanent homes where these kids can thrive?"

Opinion: The author is a journalist-never actually worked in the child welfare system. I have worked in it and yes it is FAR from perfect but how about you actually work it and come up with something better?

On Thin Icing by Ellie Alexander

Started: 7/10/2026

Finished: 7/12/2026

Year: 2016

Pages: 270

Genre: cozy mystery

Grade: B

Reason for reading: library book, continuing with series

Type: paperback

Blurb (from Amazon): "It's the dead of winter in the sleepy town of Ashland, which means no tourists-and fewer customers-for Jules Capshaw and her bakery. But when she's asked to cater an off-season retreat for the directors of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, business starts heating up...until Jules finds a dead body in the freezer.

"Someone at the retreat has apparently iced the bartender, a well-known flirt with a legendary temper-that is, before a killer beat him to the punch. Then, from out of nowhere, Jules's own ex-husband shows up at the shop-and soon becomes a suspect. With accusations piling up higher than the snow-and thicker than a chocolate mousse cake-Jules has to think outside the (recipe) box to find the real culprit...and make sure he gets his just desserts."

Opinion: Interesting off the main stage mystery. Not sure if I'm liking Carlos showing up.

Murder at an Irish Wedding by Carlene O'Connor

Started: 7/10/2026

Finished: DNF

Year: 2017

Pages 308

Genre: mystery

Grade: F

Reason for reading: library book, continuing series

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "Any wedding is a big deal in the small village of Kilbane—even more so when the bride is a famous fashion model. It’s also good for business. Not only has customer traffic picked up at Naomi’s Bistro, Siobhán O’Sullivan and her five siblings have a full plate catering for thet hree-day affair. And Siobhán’s own beau, local garda Macdara Flannery, gladly steps in as best man after the groom’s first choice makes a drunken arse out of himself,

"Even if he hadn’t been disinvited to the wedding, the original best man wouldn’t have been able to show. He’s been found murdered in the woods, casting a pall over the nuptials. And when a second member of the wedding party is poisoned by a champagne flute engraved with Macdara’s name, the garda goes from being best man to prime suspect.

"With a killer at large and a string of robberies plaguing Kilbane, Siobhán feels more than a little protective of her village. She vows to clear Macdara’s name, but the suspect list is as long as the guest list. Like the bride walking down the aisle, Siobhán needs to watch her step. For as she gets closer to unveiling the truth, the murderer is planning a very chilly reception for her . . ."

Opinion: Not sure why I borrowed this one considering I really didn't like the first one...didn't last long reading it. Not worth my time when I have so many other books to read

Carl's Doomsday Scenario by Matt Dinniman

Started: July 3, 2026

Finished: July 10, 2026

Year: 2021

Pages: 351

Genre: fantasy

Grade: B

Reason for reading: library book, continuing with series

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "“Greetings, Crawlers! The training levels have concluded. Now the games may truly begin.”

"The aliens have come, and they’ve transformed Earth into a multilevel, video game–like dungeon. It’s the newest season of the galaxy’s most watched game show, Dungeon Crawler World. Now on the third floor, Carl and Donut have to fight harder than ever. They’ve already proven that a Coast Guard vet and once-and-forever feline royalty are an almost unstoppable team. Their ratings are off the charts. Viewers can’t get enough. But the dungeon gets more dangerous each day, and now there’s a whole new problem to deal with: Quests.

"They call it the Over City. A sprawling, once-thriving metropolis devastated by a mysterious calamity. But these streets are far from abandoned. An undead circus trawls the ruins. Murdered women rain from the sky. An ancient spell is finally ready to reveal its dark purpose. Can Carl and Donut solve the mystery in time?

"And can Carl finally find some pants?"

Opinion: Not as good as the first book-too much outside the dungeon interference. Stil and entertaining read.

The Bachman Books by Stephen King

Started: 6/20/2026

Finished: 7/3/2026

Year: 1982

Pages: 692

Genre: short stories

Grade: C

Reason for reading: library book

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "collection of four of Stephen King's earliest novels: "Rage", "The Long Walk", "Roadwork", and "The Running Man"."

Opinion: As with any short story collection, some I liked more than others. Overall, King has some issues ;)

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.

A Batter of Life and Death by Ellie Alexander

Started: 5/12/2026

Finished: 5/17/2026

Year: 2015

Pages: 269

Genre: cozy mystery

Grade: B

Reason for reading: library book, continuing with series

Type: paperback

Blurb (from Amazon): "It's autumn in Ashland, Oregon-'tis the season for a spiced hot apple cider with a serving (or two) of Torte's famous peach cobbler. It's also the perfect time for Jules Capshaw to promote her family's beloved bake shop by competing in The Pastry Channel's reality show, Take the Cake. The prize is $25,000. But as Jules quickly learns, some people would kill for that kind of dough. Literally.

"Then, just as Jules dusts off her Bavarian Chocolate Cake recipe and cinches up her apron, the corpse of a fellow contestant is discovered-death by buttercream. What began as a fun, tasteful televised adventure has morphed into something of a true-crime detective show for Jules and everybody else on set. Who could have killed Chef Marco, and why? Can Jules sift out the killer before someone else gets burned?"

Opinion: Good mysterythat had just enough suspects to not be easily solved.

Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman

Started: 5/6/2026

Finished: 5/12/2026

Year: 2020

Pages: 447

Genre: Fantasy/Adventure

Grade: B

Reason for reading: library book

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "You know what’s worse than breaking up with your girlfriend? Being stuck with her prize-winning show cat. And you know what’s worse than that? An alien invasion, the destruction of all man-made structures on Earth, and the systematic exploitation of all the survivors for a sadistic intergalactic game show. That’s what.

"Join Coast Guard vet Carl and his ex-girlfriend’s cat, Princess Donut, as they try to survive the end of the world—or just get to the next level—in a video game–like, trap-filled fantasy dungeon. A dungeon that’s actually the set of a reality television show with countless viewers across the galaxy. Exploding goblins. Magical potions. Deadly, drug-dealing llamas. This ain’t your ordinary game show."

Opinion: Fans of D&D should enjoy this-or at least can relate when playing a low level character trying to go through a DMs adventure.

The Tell-Tale Tarte by Maya Corrigan

Started: 5/3/2026

Finished: 5/6/2026

Year: 2017

Pages: 301

Genre: cozy mystery

Grade: B-

Reason for reading: library book, continuing with series

Type: paperback

Blurb (from Amazon): "The last thing Val needs in her life is an unsolved murder, especially when the victim, an actor famed for impersonating Edgar Allan Poe, happens to be dressed exactly like her Granddad. To keep an eye on Granddad, whose latest job takes him to the home of Rick Usher, a local author inspired by Poe, Val gets herself hired as a cook in Rick’s House of Usher. When she discovers the actor wasn’t the only one doing an impersonation, separating the innocent from the murderous becomes a real-life horror story. But Val must decipher a killer’s M.O. sooner rather than later . . . or she can forget about finding poetic justice."

Opinion: Not as enjoyable as others in the series but still a decent mystery overall. 

Carrie by Stephen King

Started: 4/30/2026

Finished: 5/3/2026

Year: 1974

Pages: 290

Genre: horror/thriller

Grade: B

Reason for reading: library book, reading King's books in order of published

Type: paperback

Blurb (from Amazon): "Unpopular at school and subjected to her mother's religious fanaticism at home, Carrie White does not have it easy. But while she may be picked on by her classmates, she has a gift she's kept secret since she was a little girl: she can move things with her mind. Doors lock. Candles fall. Her ability has been both a power and a problem. And when she finds herself the recipient of a sudden act of kindness, Carrie feels like she's finally been given a chance to be normal. She hopes that the nightmare of her classmates' vicious taunts is over . . . but an unexpected and cruel prank turns her gift into a weapon of horror so destructive that the town may never recover."

Opinion: I had seen the movie years ago but never read the book. From what I remembered, the movie followed the book. Don't ever piss off the quiet, strange kid in school

Cause of Death by Patricia Cornwell

Started: 4/26/2026

Finished: 4/29/2026

Year: 1996

Pages: 340

Genre: mystery/thriller

Grade: B

Reason for reading: library book, continuing series

Type: hardcover

Blurb (from Amazon): "On New Year’s Eve, the last day of Virginia’s bloodiest year since the Civil War, Dr. Kay Scarpetta plunges into the murky depths of the Elizabeth River to recover the very human remains of Ted Eddings, an investigative reporter. Was Eddings probing the Inactive Shipyard for a story, or simply diving for sunken trinkets? And why did Scarpetta receive a phone call from someone reporting the death before the police were notified?

"With the advent of a second murder—this one closer to home—the case envelops Scarpetta, her niece Lucy, and police captain Pete Marino in a world where both cutting-edge technology and old-fashioned detective work are critical offensive weapons. Together they follow the trail of death to a well of violence as dark and forbidding as the water that swirled over Ted Eddings."

Opinion: Thriller at the very end. Interesting case overall