Wednesday, November 14, 2018

Wednesday Reads and I Survived

I Survived
Colonoscopy itself went quick. The prep beforehand… not so quick. That stuff they give you tastes AWFUL! A mixture between salt and metal. Blech! I got the first 2 liters down Monday night (took two hours), but when I got up at 4:30 am to continue the second two liters... let’s just say I didn’t finish it. Luckily, I didn’t have to. But it messed up my stomach (nauseous) and head (bad headache) so bad that I wasn’t even HUNGRY! The anesthesia fixed my stomach (and I don’t remember the procedure at all—yay!), but the headache took some food (and caffeine) to fix.

At least I don’t have to have another for 10 years! Yay!

Wednesday Reads
Here’s what I finished reading this week:

Book #48

Dates read: November 2-9
Title: The Outsider
Year of publication: 2018
Author: Stephen King
Genre: Thriller/Suspense (horror?)
Series:  N/A
# of Pages: 560
Paper or plastic: Hardback
How obtained: Purchased
Blurb from book: An eleven-year-old boy’s violated corpse is found in a town park. Eyewitnesses and fingerprints point unmistakably to one of Flint City’s most popular citizens. He is Terry Maitland, Little League coach, English teacher, husband, and father of two girls. Detective Ralph Anderson, whose son Maitland once coached, orders a quick and very public arrest. The case seems ironclad, especially when Anderson and the district attorney are able to add DNA evidence to go with the fingerprints and witnesses. But Maitland has an alibi, and it turns out his story has incontrovertible evidence of its own.
    How can two opposing stories be true? What happens to a family when an accusation of this magnitude is delivered? When must reason or rationality be abandoned in order to explain the inexplicable? As the investigation expands and horrifying answers begin to emerge, King’s propulsive story kicks into high gear, generating strong tension and almost unbearable suspense. Terry Maitland seems like a nice guy, but is he wearing another face? When the answer comes, it will shock as only Stephen King can.
My thoughts: When I was marking this book as my current read in Goodreads, I noticed a question and answer about it sort of being book #4 in the Bill Hodges series. That piqued my interest even more. Of course, as I was reading this book I wondered HOW is it #4? Then I hit the half-way mark. Ahhh… Holly Gibney. I do like her. Actually, I liked the whole book. Knowing Stephen King’s books, I wasn’t “shocked” at the answer, just surprised it’s not listed as a horror book (at least it’s up for best thriller in the Goodreads best book awards), when it kind of is a horror book.

So… Do you like horror books? They used to be the only kind of books I read (before I read Twilight and started writing and then discovered other awesome genres). Which is strange that I don’t write them. You’d think I would, huh?

Happy Reading!

Stacy

4 comments:

JeffO said...

I once wrote a whole post about how I *should* have been a horror writer based on my reading habits, but I'm not.

Glad the colonoscopy went well. Ah, the wonders of medicine.

I had mixed feelings about 'The Outsider.' It's King, so it's entertaining, as always. At the same time, it seemed to take way too long to get to the point, and was way too long (I do not mind long books as a rule) in general. I would say it's kind of like the 'Mr. Mercedes' series in that it started out as kind of a straight-crime novel that slid into horror.

I like Holly Gibney, too. I wonder if she'll get a full book of her own or not.

Stacy McKitrick said...

Jeff - I find it funny how a lot of people think King takes too long to "get to the story." Isn't that what agents and editors tell writers? And now people self-publish so they can write what they want. I'm thinking King writes what he wants and no one is gonna tell him no. And frankly, I didn't mind the long. I feel like I get to know the "players" a lot better.

Maria Zannini said...

Glad that's all over.

I don't read horror, nor do I watch it. I have a hard enough time falling asleep.

Stacy McKitrick said...

Maria - I'm glad, too!!!!!