Welcome to Litsy!

As a riff on the famous Matheson short story, THE BOX, this is ok. It is very short and can be read in one sitting. Don‘t know why it took two authors to write this (co-written by Richard Chizmar), it‘s like something King could have spit out in his sleep. Decent, but not essential.

Bit of a Faustian deal, bit Lord of the Rings (my precious), the idea of gaining power/rewards but at a cost, the idea of an item prized but also a burden that could cause evil. And a handy stand in for concerns about weapons of mass destruction/powerful nations' decision to war. I appreciate the novella treatment, it didn't feel too repetitive in teaching the protagonist and the reader what the box could offer, versus the threat it represents.1/

A quick, fun read.

@CBee #TBRTarot

I had no expectations going into this, and accordingly, I was pleasantly surprised. In addition to a not insubstantial appearance from a well-known villain in King's canon, the story of young Gwendy being saddled with the weight of a nearly unimaginable responsibility was a massively entertaining one. This was helped along in no small part by what an enjoyable companion Gwendy turned out to be. I look forward to seeing what's next for her. 5/5

We are introduced to Gwendy Peterson, a 12 year old girl, and Richard Ferris, (if you‘re a King fan, you‘ll recognize the initials). Mr. Ferris gives Gwendy a mahogany box with different colored buttons, one that dispenses little chocolates and one that dispenses rare coins. The other buttons can be used for nefarious purposes. Things change drastically for Gwendy until she gives the box back. #SeriesLove2024 @Andrew65 @TheSpineView

Every day in the summer of 1974, 12 year old Gwendy Peterson has taken the Suicide Stairs, which are held by strong—if time-rusted—iron bolts and zig-zag up the precarious cliffside. One day when Gwendy gets to the top of Castle View, a stranger calls to her. There on a bench in the shade sits a man in black jeans, a black coat, and a white shirt. On his head is a small, neat black hat. The time will come when Gwendy has nightmares about that hat.

A simple story, but one told with that imaginative King charm. I‘m curious to check out the other two installments.

Fast paced read that starts off sweet but turns violent near the end. A young girl who is bullied is given a very special box to care for but not to use. It has buttons that will produce terrible consequences somewhere in the world if pushed, but will also distribute a divine piece of chocolate. Can she resist the temptation? Can she handle the weight of her choices? Could you?

This was a nice little reread of what could be called a morality tale. Gwendy is tasked with caring for a magical box that gives chocolate and could destroy the world.
Then it's followed up with the disturbing tale of The Music Room 💛
#BlackCatCrew #Scarathlon #LosersClub @BarkingMadRead #20in4 #Rushathon @Andrew65 @DieAReader @GHABI4ROSES #31By31 @Catsandbooks #LittenListen @aperfectmjk #Falling4Books @Read4life #Spookoween @TheSpineView

Welcome to the #LosersClub open discussion for #GwendysButtonBox
 
Please be mindful of spoilers. We have new readers to King who haven‘t read all of his books. When referencing his other work, please keep this in mind for our new-to-King friends. Don‘t forget to tag each other in the comments so your friends can see your reply. Have fun!
#StephenKing #StephenKingInOrder #KingFromTheBeginning #ConstantReader #ReadAlong #BuddyRead #BookDiscussion

Finished The Music Room which is the short story included at the end of the audio version of Gwendy‘s Button Box. Only one word search word but I‘ll take it 😂🩸#BatBrigade #LosersClub Death prompt for #Scarathlon photo challenge. #Poison #AutumnPlease #LittenListen #31by31 #BookSpinBingo #Spookoween #Rushathon #OutstandingOctober

It‘s dangerous eating chocolate while reading this book and forgetting that no your chocolate doesn‘t have special powers which is also kind of rude. This novella is kind of all over the place but it draws you in to see where the screwed up shenanigans will lead.

43 word search words for #Scarathlon
#BatBrigade #losersclub #Treat prompt for photo challenge. #Magic #AutumnPlease #LittenListen #31by31 #BookSpinBingo #Spookoween #Rushathon

Finished!! This is such a quick read and a lovely reminder at how messed up Stephen King is #losersclub #scarathlon #teamcryptkeepers #spookybook #scarathlonphotochallenge #kill for thriller books bingo it had a #paranormalpresence I read for 30 minutes for October reading bingo I‘m going with funny font for #ispybingo and #buddyread for #falling4booksbingo @LiseWorks @Read4life

This month‘s book is #GwendysButtonBox Grab your copy and check back at the end of the month for open discussion! Don‘t forget to tag me so I can see which version you have! #LosersClub #StephenKing #StephenKingInOrder #KingFromTheBeginning #ConstantReader #ReadAlong #BuddyRead #BookDiscussion

Hitting the ground running 🏃🏻‍♀️ for #Scarathlon2023 & this month‘s #losersclub
#BlackCatCrew
#31by31
#spookoween
#20in4

Novellas.. aren‘t my favorite format. I‘m giving this a pick, there‘s nothing wrong with it, but I do sort of feel like it‘s just a bunch of random stuff that happened 😂 maybe it will become more fleshed out as the trilogy continues.

Gwendy‘s life changes after a stranger gifts her a magic box.

Just a reminder that October‘s #LosersClub read is #GwendysButtonBox Put your library holds in now, search your shelves, or buy a new copy, and check back on or about October 1st, when we begin reading this one. Discussion will be at the end of the month! #StephenKing #StephenKingInOrder #KingFromTheBeginning #ConstantReader #ReadAlong #BuddyRead #BookDiscussion

It‘s been years since I‘ve read Stephen King. I think I‘ll spend more time contemplating what I would do if I were in Gwendy‘s position with my own little button box than it took me to read this novella.

Fantastic Stephen King novella—fast-paced and innovative. His MC Gwendy is an everywoman (or every kid) type. She encounters bullies, big decisions, and unexpected successes. But is it because of the button box she received one day when she was 13? Or is she just lucky? Set in Castle Rock, ME, for all the King aficionados. This is a great introduction to his work. And now, I plan to search out some of his co-author Richard Chizmar's writing.

Yeah a exciting little story. It is an interesting idea. What would you do with the button wish box?

It is a book for the #promptmaze and the #autumnbingo2022 (cozy mystery) by @Ann_Reads

@StayCurious I don't know if it is a #TeamMonsterMash team book? Is fantasy/mystery a team theme?

So my next #audiobook

#stephenking
#superseptember

Sorting through my Audible library in search of #scarathlon2022 titles of varying lengths. Definitely not aiming for any Stephen King books. Appropriate as they are, they‘re also damn long. And this is a points game! @StayCurious #teammonstermash

I‘m excited to have books 1 & 3!! I enjoyed this trilogy!

The artwork is great!! Love the cover!! The narrator fabulous.

Still have several boxes to open. This one was a surprise, I can‘t wait to get book 2!! I might need to visit my own Wishlist. 😁

😈

I grew up reading Stephen King, starting with Carrie when I was 11 years old. I read nearly everything he wrote up through the early 2000s before I kind of drifted away. I've recently found my way back, though, and decided to start with something short.

Gwendy's Button Box has a fun premise and a very relatable main character. I loved the tension and the darker moments. I did find the ending a bit unsatisfying, but overall I really liked it.

What a strange little story this was! It‘s a very quick read, since it‘s less tan 180 pages. I thoroughly enjoyed it, as I do most Stephen King books. The story was interesting and creepy. The idea of a button box is intriguing, but I never want one!! This book is part of a series. I‘ll most likely read the others.

I found out this was the first of a book trilogy so had to check it out. A very quick read but really good. I can‘t wait to dive into book #2.

🎧 There‘s a short interview with the authors at the end.

What a cool idea. A box that will help you lose weight, pay you, addict you. Perfect length.

Gwendy‘s such an interesting character! She really held a lot of power. I specifically liked the school chapter when she posed the question, WHAT IF!? To the class. And the teacher mentioned that she didn‘t say what she would do? Gwendy said, I don‘t know, that‘s why I asked.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The story was read very quickly, short chapters of an average of 3 pages long. The plot was told quickly, and we experience more than 10 years in the 120 pages.
The protagonist Gwendy is given a wondrous box by a man called Richard Farris, which - as the title suggests - fulfills wishes and more. The philosophical aspect is also given, as you can reflect on the decisions she made.

I loved it, it was an easy and enjoyable read.

#RF 👀

Tackle the TBR 🤓📚#boleybooks #richardchizmar #gwendysbuttonbox #bookbeast #bookjoy #readwithme #Litsy
What are you reading? 😊

2020 read great book 📚🤩 first in the series

Another bit of whimsy, but very definitely for a mature audience, and a nice quick read. King's and Chizmar's styles meld seamlessly into one narrative voice and it is lovely. This is the first in a trilogy, but it's also a nice standalone. It also includes a (very) short Stephen King story that is delightfully twisted. In this audio, there's also a recorded conversation between the two authors about the writing of the book.

2nd book down on my #bookspinbingo board for November, plus it‘s my #bookspin book! And it‘s only the 5th!! This was a fun, quick listen that has all the supernatural and horror elements you expect from a Stephen King story. It had a nice conclusion even though I‘m pretty sure there‘s a sequel to it. Not sure where that would go but I‘d go along for the ride! 🌟🌟🌟🌟

This was a great story about Gwendy who lives in Castle Rock and is given a magic box. Also the story of The Music Room was included. Its about a selfish couple during the great depression. 31pts
#AuthorAMonth @Soubhiville
#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks
#Scarathlon2020 #TeamHarkness @StayCurious

Super Quick audio before bed. Short, but not boring. Enough King to make the story odd, but not so much that there was an abundance of disturbing detail. 4⭐ #Scarathon2020 #TeamSlaughter @Clwojick

This novella was magical and ominous—when she is twelve years old, Gwendy receives a small box from a mysterious stranger. The box has buttons and levers with different magical abilities. The powers and responsibility of the box loom over her life for years as it affects how she thinks and acts in many ways.

If you are looking for a quick Stephen King read with creepy vibes, this collab with Richard Chizmar is perfect.

#AuthoraMonth

I greatly enjoyed the tagged novella. I have yet to read the second volume, Gwendy's Magic Feather, which was authored solely by Chizmar and with an intro by King. Really looking forward to a full-length collaboration.

This cover says it all-the mysterious stranger who gives Gwendy the magical button box! The setting is the fictional Castle Rock, ME - a favorite of Stephen King.
#authoramonth2020 @Soubhiville
#bookspinbingo @TheAromaofBooks

Finished off this audiobook while cooking breakfast this morning! Surprised that I enjoyed it as much as I did - and will be checking out Gwendys Magic Feather soon. 5pts for #nonteamtheme, and another 5pts for the short story at the end of the audiobook.

11pts for #TeamSlaughter

Points for #readathon time will be calculated later

Finished this pretty quickly this morning. Maggie Stiff is a fantastic narrator!

I enjoyed this. It's not a massive horror story but a snippet into Gwendy's life and the pressures and temptation that come with the responsibility of something with the power the button box has.

If King teaches us nothing else: beware the dark man!
More horror than thriller so 5pts and another for The Music Room short at the end!

11pts

I'm in the office today and have a ton of stuff to do so today's audio plan are these 2 books. Gwendy's Button Box wasn't on my list but my hold came in last night and it's not a big book so it shouldn't take long to listen to.

#Scarathlon2020 #screamathon #teamslaughter

1pt

@Clwojick

I quite enjoyed this book, and it got me thinking a lot towards the end.

In the summer of 1974, in the town of Castle Rock, Gwendy Peterson meets a man in a black hat and coat named Mr. Farris, who reveals to Gwendy a magical button box. This box offers Gwendy solutions to her personal issues. However, the box also comes with the responsibility of the buttons, which can lead catastrophic events and horrific power.

Been wanting to hop back into the horror genre (and get some books that have been in my TBR pile out of the way too).

Enjoyed this novella and loved the character of Gwendy. My husband, @mypoesoul, gave me this copy signed by Richard Chizmar for Christmas one year. #MountTBR

I loved this Dark Tower novella that takes place not on Mid-World, but in Castle Rock. King is frequently accused of overwriting, but having recently read & loved The Mist & now this volume, it's safe to say that his novellas are among the finest in the genre. I can't wait for his new collection to be released on Tuesday & I will definitely be checking out the follow-up to the tagged book.

Last night I listened to two Stones 70s albums: Exile On Main Street & Sticky Fingers. The above is the second book I've read today that mentions 70s Rolling Stones. If it's a sign, I'm not sure what it means... except... listen to more classic rock? 🤔😂

Oh my gosh! This book doesn't have a sad ending, per se, but I wouldn't call it a happy one. There's one part about a friend that -- if you've read it you know which part I mean -- truly broke my heart. We always wonder if we'd done something different what the outcome would be; but, as Mr. Ferris says, “You can if things until you go crazy.“ As someone with an anxiety disorder, this is my daily struggle. #lmpbc #groupq #sadending #marchmadness

Next up.