Book: Everything's Eventual

 Book: Everything's Eventual

Author: Stephen King

Pages: 464

This is my 204th read for the year

This is a book of short stories.  And it was okay.  I liked a few of the stories, but not even half I would say.  They were not scary.  Some just....ended.  Quite a few were well written and interesting - but not scary.  Odd?  yes.  Even being a fan of his writing I just could not get into this one.  I have read quite a few of his short story books, but this one I would rate at the bottom of the ones I have tackled so far.

Stars: 3

Book: The Days I Loved You Most

 Book: The Days I Loved You Most

Author: Amy Neff

Pages: 336

This is my 203rd read for the year

This is the story of Evelyn and Joseph.  They fell in love in the 40s and have been married ever since.  3 kids and several grandkids later, Evelyn has been diagnosed with Parkinsons Disease and decided she wanted to leave this life on her terms.  And Joseph wants to go with her.  When they tell their family that this is their last year, the family explodes with confusing and anger.  But Evelyn and Joseph are determined to make this a great year to leave their family with many good memories.  

This was an okay book.  I read it for a reading challenge, and was hoping for a better love story.  The story goes back and forth between Evelyn and Joseph's past and their present and intermingles their kid's feelings with a few chapters as well.  But it fell flat for me.  The writing was okay.  I really didn't like Evelyn at all.  The others were just okay.  Joseph was the only one that really didn't seem self absorbed.  I did not like the ending, but should have seen it coming.

Stars: 3

Book: Unnatural Causes

 Book: Unnatural Causes

Author: Richard Shepherd

Pages: 391

This is my 202nd book for the year

This is the story of the author as a Forensic Pathologist.  He uses this book to recount his time from the beginning of his career until present day (for this book when it was published in 2019).  He is a pathologist in the UK.  He recounts stories of crime scenes, bodies in the morgue and his defense in the courtroom of the cases he was in charge of.  Driven by finding the truth, and becoming a top expert in his field, he strives to bring justice to people who were killed or died under circumstances that were not clear.

This was a great book.  It is well written and I became very invested in the stories he was telling of certain cases where the cause of death was not clear.  He was even on a team sent over from Britain for 9/11 and was called in to review the case of Princess Diana.  He weaves his personal life into the story and how he learned to separate his work from his home life.  I learned a lot about forensic pathology and I thought he did a good job of keeping the story for the general writer and did not get overly technical when talking about his work.  He remained honest and self aware throughout.  Glad I read this one.

Stars: 4.5

Book: Black Coal and Red Bandanas - West Virginia Mine Wars

 Book: Black Coal and Red Bandanas - West Virginia Mine Wars

Author: Raymond Tyler

Pages: 136

This is my 201st read for the year

Amazon says:

Our illustrated history begins with Mary Harris "Mother" Jone's arrival at the turn of the century.  White-haired, matronly, and fiercely socialist, Jones became known as the "miners' angel", and helped turn the fledglind United Mine Workers into the nation's most powerful labor union.  In 1912, miners led by stubborn Frank Keeney struck against harsh conditions in the work camps of Paint and Cabin Creeks.  Coal operators responded by elisting violent Baldwin-Felts guards.  The ensuing battles and murderous events caused the governor to declare and execute martial law on a scale unprecedented in the US.  On May 19, 1920 in response to evictions by coal company agents, the "Matewan Massacre" event occured.  This graphic interpretation of people's history features unforgettable main characters while also displaying the diverse rank nd file workers who stood in solidarity during this struggle.

This was a good graphic novel.  It is short, but it covers a lot of material and does it well.  I did not know anything about this story, and learned a lot about the unions that were formed for mine workers and the cost.  My husband got it for me as a present knowing I am a fan of non-fiction and graphic novels, and it was a good one.

Stars: 4

Book: Small Pleasures

 Book: Small Pleasures

Author: Clare Chambers

Pages: 368

This is my 200th read for the year

This is the story of Jean.  She is a single woman who works for a newspaper and cares for her ailing mother.  One day a story comes across her desk where a woman claims she had a virgin birth.  Jean asks if she can follow up on the story and meets Gretchen who has a 10 year old daughter.  She was never with a man, but became pregnant while convalescing from rheumatoid arthritis in a convent.  Gretchen is now married to a man named Howard who has accepted Margaret - her daughter - as his own.  Jean starts to spend time with the whole family and quickly becomes intertwined in their daily lives as the story unfolds.  

This book was just okay.  I found a lot of the story "convenient" as it went along to pull Jean and Howard together.  It just went off the rails just to further their story together and I found it dumb.  I could see it coming and it was more than half of the story which was a shame.  And don't get me started on the ending - just awful.  

Stars: 2

Book: The Sign of the Four

 Book: The Sign of the Four

Author: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Pages: 162

This is my 199th read for the year

From Amazon:

When Mary Morstan presents Sherlock Holmes with the mystery of a missing father and a cryptic message sent from an anonymous benefactor, the great detective is propelled into a complex case of treasure, intrigue, and betrayal.  Alonside his trusted friend Dr. John Watson, Holmes embarks on a thrilling chase that takes them from the fog-shrouded streets of London to the bustling docks of the River Thames.  As the mystery deepens, the danger intensifies, leading to a confrontation that will test not only Holmes's brilliance but the very bonds of friendship and trust between the detective and his devoted chronicler.  This second novel in the Sherlock Holmes series is a masterpiece of mystery and adventure that stirs the mind and quickens the pulse.

This was a pretty good book.  I have not read that many Sherlock Holmes books, and I should.  I enjoy them and they are well written.  My favorite part is that he borrowed a dog to help him with the case saying that the dog could out play the police any day.  The story moves along nicely even in this very short book, and it wraps up well.  Glad I read it.

Stars: 4

Book: Balloons Over Broadway

 Book: Balloons Over Broadway

Author: Melissa Sweet

Pages: 40

This is my 198th read for the year

Amazon:

Meet the master puppeteer who invented the first balloons for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.  Melissa Sweet brings to life the inspirational story of the puppeteer who invened the giant balloons floating in the sky during the annual parade celebrating Thanksgving.  

This book was really cute.  I read it for a reading challenge, and I actually learned a lot about how the balloons of the parade came to be in this short book.  It is always fun to learn something knew - even through a children's book.

Stars: 4