Book: The Cartographers

 Book: The Cartographers

Author: Pen Shephard

Pages: 400

This is my 101sr read for the year

What Amazon Says:

Neil Young's whole life and greatest passion is cartography.  Her father, Dr. Daniel Young, is a legend in the field, and Nell's personal hero.  But she hasn't seen or spoken to him ever since he cruelly fired her and destroyed her reputation after an argument over an old, cheap gas station highway map.  But when Dr. Young is found dead in his office at the NY Public Library, with the very same seemingly worthless map hidden in his desk, Nell can't resist investigating.  To her surprise, she soon discovers that the map is incredibly valuable, and also exceedingly rare.  In fact, she may now have the only copy left in existence - because a mysterious collector has been hunting down and destroying every last one - along with anyone who gets in the way.  But why?  To answer that question, Nell embarks on a dangerous journey to reveal a dark family secret, and discover the true power that lies in maps.

Stars: 3.5

Book: The Husbands

 Book: The Husbands

Author: Holly Gramazio

Pages: 352

This is my 100th read for the year

What Amazon Says:

When Lauren returns home to her flat in London late one night, she is greeted at the door by her husband, Michael.  There's only one problem - she's not married.  She's never seen this man before in her life.  But according to her friends, her much-improved decor, and the photos on her phone, they've been together for years.  As Lauren tries to puzzle out how she could be married to someone she can't remember meeting, Michale goes to the attic to change a lightbulb and abruptly disappears.  In his place, a new man emerges, and a new, slightly altered life re-forms around her.  Realizing that her attic is creating an infinite supply of husbands, Lauren confronts the questions:  If swapping lives is as easy as changing a lightbulb, how do you know you've taken the right path?  When do you stop trying to do better and start actually living?

That was an interesting enough book.  I picked it up at a used bookstore - drawn in by the blurb on the back.  It starts out strong - as she tries to figure it out.  And holds it together when she meets another person like her.  But then it got a bit tedious, and I did not like the ending at all.  

Stars: 3

Book: Obitchuary

 Book: Obitchuary

Author: Spencer Henry

Pages: 224

This is my 99th read for the year

What Amazon Says:

It's safe to say everyone thinks about death - whether they want to or not.  But have you ever wondered about what sort of keepsakes you can make with your remains, or given any thought to the most scandalous deathbed confessions throughout history?  Well Madison Reyes and Spencer Henry have, and they've spent countless hours scouring the darkest corners of the internet, digging through newspaper archives, devouring documents, and picking the brains of death industry experts to bring you Obitchuary, a darkly funny and deeply poignant exploration of all things death.  The authors guide us through surprisingly colorful history, traditions, and contemporary practices.  They also demystify taboo topics with incredible and hilarious details, including FUNerals, as they call them, cremations and themed funerals, famous body snatchers, and so much more.  This book carefully explores what death says about our humanity and the ways we choose to remember those we've lost.

This was a pretty good book.  I picked it up at a used bookstore because the cover and title were hilarious.  I learned quite a bit about death rituals in the book as well as got to read some pretty humorous stories about several people and the obituaries written about them.  It is a very quick read.  Next I think I will check out their podcast.

Stars: 4 

Book: The Perfect Marriage

 Book: The Perfect Marriage

Author: Jeneva Rose

Pages: 352

This is my 98th read for the year

What Amazon Says:

Sarah Morgan is one of the best ciminal defense attorneys in Washington, DC.  With a perfect case record and having made named partner before the age of 35, her life is going exactly as she planned.  However, the same cannot be said for her husband, Adam, a failed author, who's grown to resent his wife's meteoric success as he feels it's come at the expense of their relationship.  For almost 2 years, Adam has kept his affair with Kelly Summers a secret, but everything changes when her boyd is discovered at the couple's lake house and Adam is arrested on suspicion of murder.  Sarah now finds herself facing her most challenging case yet when se vows to defend her husband - a man accused of murdering his mistress.  While Adam is certainly guilty of sleeping with Kelly, the question remains: is he guilty of killing her too?

Terrible.  Hated all the characters from the begininng.

Stars: 2

Book: Eerie Basin

 Book: Eerie Basin

Author: Ivy Pochoda

Pages: 72

This is my 97th read for the year

What Amazon Says:

Erin tends bar at the last dive left in gentrified Red Hook, Brooklyn, where old-timers spin tales of the bar's legacy and the waterfront's crime-ridden past.  Her boss, Jimmy, a real estate magnate responsible for much of the neighborhood's shiny transformation, also has a story to share.  Back when he was a struggling beat cop, 2 neglected boys introduced him to an ancietn creature that made Jimmy's dreams come true.  Nightmares too.  Erin doesn't believe a word.  The bar is her life.  But this bar at the end of the world is also home to a deadly stowaway.  And it's looking for a new host.

This was a pretty good short story.  I am still working through all the Amazon Free Reads I have collected over the years, and in the evenings, I can take an hour and burn through some of these short books.  This one had good character development, a good mystery, and a good ending.  I enjoyed it.

Stars: 4