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Different Seasons: Four Novellas
Different Seasons: Four Novellas | Stephen King
A hypnotic (The New York Times Book Review) collection of four novellas from Stephen King bound together by the changing of seasons, each taking on the theme of a journey with strikingly different tones and characters. The wondrous readability of his work, as well as the instant sense of communication with his characters, are what make Stephen King the consummate storyteller that he is, hailed the Houston Chronicle about Different Seasons. This gripping collection begins with Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption, in which an unjustly imprisoned convict seeks a strange and startling revenge the basis for the Best Picture Academy Award-nominee The Shawshank Redemption. Next is Apt Pupil, the inspiration for the film of the same name about top high school student Todd Bowden and his obsession with the dark and deadly past of an older man in town. In The Body, four rambunctious young boys plunge through the facade of a small town and come face-to-face with life, death, and intimations of their own mortality. This novella became the movie Stand By Me. Finally, a disgraced woman is determined to triumph over death in The Breathing Method. "
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review
AbstractMonica
Mehso-so

Favorite story was Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption… Apt Pupil was gross and sorta felt Pro Nazi 🙃 Couldn‘t get into The Body, and didn‘t read the last one because I needed a break from Stephen King. This was a book club pick for me, so it wasn‘t my usual go to.

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peaKnit
Different Seasons | Stephen King
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#TLT Thanks for the tag @dabbe
All three of my favorite novellas are in one book - Different Seasons has Rita Hayworth (The Shawshank Redemption), The Body (Stand by Me) and The Apt Pupil in it. I am generally not a fan of short stories but this book was a 1982 standout. I wore it out and bought a used copy last summer to read them all again. Stephen King is synonymous with childhood and shaped the 6th grade reader in me.

Bklover Wow- we did make similar pics. I forgot about Apt Pupil! I agree- I love going g back and reading the novellas and short stories. LOVED Different Seasons! 8mo
Reggie I read these 3 for the first time this past winter and totally agree. Standouts. 8mo
dabbe @Bklover @peaKnit #greatminds! 🤩 Thanks for adding to my King TBR! 💚💙💚 (edited) 8mo
18 likes3 comments
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Blueberry
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Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Perfect ☔️ 8mo
Eggs Truly memorable 🩵☔️🧡 8mo
38 likes2 comments
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faelinwolf
Different Seasons | Stephen King
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My #BookSpin & #BookSpinBingo list for March! I swear I had it completed before today, I just didn't have it posted! 😅 It's full of books for challenge prompts!

@TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 8mo
9 likes1 comment
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Blueberry
Different Seasons | Stephen King
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AvidReader25 Love this book! 9mo
Eggs Beautiful 🌅 9mo
50 likes1 stack add2 comments
review
Reggie
Different Seasons | Stephen King
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Pickpick

I think if we‘re lucky sometimes an author gives us the coloring book equivalent of the cute teddy bear picture up top. The author uses maybe 8 different colors. Then there‘s Stephen and his coloring book picture on the right where he uses hundreds of colors. And these were novellas! I cried on Shawshank and The Body, was horrified by Apt Pupil, and smiled because The Breathing Method made me think of The Twilight Zone. Loved them all. Pick!

TrishB Great review Reggie and this is a great collection ♥️ 12mo
Suet624 Wonderful review. His novellas are amazing. 12mo
BarbaraBB I am no King fan but huge review is fantastic 🤍 12mo
See All 6 Comments
Reggie @TrishB @Suet624 @BarbaraBB Thanks! I used to think of myself as a huge fan but then saw one of those lists with all his works and realized I hadn‘t read a quarter of what he had put out. I‘m trying to fix that. 12mo
TrishB You have so much to look forward to Reggie! 12mo
Rissreads It‘s going to take you a bloody long time! Read faster! 🤣 12mo
66 likes6 comments
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Reggie
Different Seasons | Stephen King
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Stephen King, you know, just doing first paragraph things. From The Body.

Centique How quickly he gets right into our hearts and minds 🙌 12mo
Anna40 Wow! 12mo
BkClubCare Wow. Yes 12mo
See All 7 Comments
Reggie @Centique have you read him before? I don‘t know why I think you haven‘t. He has some books that are not horror. 12mo
Reggie @Anna40 @BkClubCare yeah, he‘s so good. I was in awe of him for all of these novellas. Just finished it tonight. 12mo
Anna40 He‘s an incredible storyteller. But I‘ve never read the novellas. Very much looking forward to this. I‘m on a waiting list in my library for the book. 12mo
BkClubCare That opening sounded like a beautiful heartfelt message in a sympathy card, but…. Maybe not. (I have a such a card to write and hate the platitudes of “so sorry” etc. but needs must.) 12mo
48 likes1 stack add7 comments
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Reggie
Different Seasons | Stephen King
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Aaaaaarggghhhhhhhhh I had to work on Halloween! Happy Halloween Littens! I‘m in the middle of the tagged book. The Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption made me cry last night when he‘s talking about Andy having wings and freedom and hope. Today I‘m in the middle of Apt Pupil and that kid has me almost, ALMOST, feeling sorry for the Nazi. Evil can be anyone and everywhere, huh? Hope ya‘ll get lots of candy!

merelybookish Great costume!! 13mo
Leftcoastzen Love your costume! 13mo
Suet624 So fun to see you! 13mo
See All 23 Comments
Jas16 Awesome costume! 13mo
Tamra How fun! 13mo
LaraS So good! Did you see the Great Pumpkin? 😆 13mo
CarolynM Looks like you were having fun, work or no work😆 13mo
Texreader Great costume! Apt Pupil undid me. It was amazing how it messed with my mind. I read it more than 30 years ago and I still remember how that story made me feel. 13mo
LeahBergen Awesome costume! 😆 13mo
BarbaraBB Love this 😀 13mo
batsy 😆 13mo
Centique Oh wow Reggie - that is amazing! 😂 i hope work went ok though. I only had two trick or treaters come to my house (my street is not known for good treats! They go a couple of blocks away where the houses are really elaborately decorated). But Alien was better than i remembered. Kids were excited that Ripley was the first kick ass women sci fi hero id ever known. 13mo
Reggie @LaraS thanks! No, but this drunk man told me-You are the scariest effing pumpkin I have ever seen. Lolol I just laughed and said thanks and moved on. 13mo
Reggie @merelybookish @Leftcoastzen @Suet624 @Jas16 @Tamra @CarolynM @LeahBergen @BarbaraBB @batsy Thanks everyone! That other kid in the photo. He such a nice guy. When we talk he makes me feel old because he was born in 1998. And he makes me realize that in the Julia Roberts phases of my life, I‘m no longer playing prostitutes waiting for the love of my life to swoop me up. I‘m now playing mothers of kids who are on the verge of being full grown 👇🏼 13mo
Reggie adults. I‘m fact I‘m just waiting for her to be a grandma in a movie. We are on that precipice!!!!‘ Lol 13mo
Reggie @Texreader Thanks! I read further into Apt Pupil tonight and it just keeps darker and darker. 13mo
Reggie @Centique yay! I‘m glad they liked Alien! I hope they see the next one. Work went good, went kinda fast and that‘s ok with me. I just now turned off this horror movie because these clowns that are fake are starting to show up in different parts of the house where they shouldn‘t be and little noises around my apt are happening and I‘m like time for bed. I‘ll finish this in the daytime. Lol 13mo
Librarybelle Great costume! 13mo
dabbe 🤩🤩🤩 12mo
Centique @Reggie eeeeek! I hope you‘ve survived those nighttime noises! 😘 12mo
Bookzombie Love your costume! 12mo
Reggie @Bookzombie Thanks Margie! That night went super fast for me. 12mo
Rissreads What a fantastic photo! It‘s nice to see your face 💛 12mo
58 likes23 comments
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BeckyWithTheGoodBooks
Different Seasons | Stephen King
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I started a chronological read of Stephen King this year, so I won‘t get to re-read this until 2024, but this is King at his best. Three of the novellas in this were adapted into movies. Two of which are classics: “Stand By Me” and “The Shawshank Redemption.” This was the copy I had as a 90s teenager and the stories stick with me to this day. #scarathlonphotochallenge #moon #blackcatcrew

BookwormAHN This is a good collection 🐈‍⬛️ 13mo
21 likes1 comment
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Ast_Arslan
Different Seasons | Stephen King
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I'm reading the second story 'Apt pupil' and I'm loving it.
The first one was just one, but this one is absolutely mindblowing 😍

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TheBookgeekFrau
Different Seasons | Stephen King
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🎶They had style, they had grace
Rita Hayworth gave good face
Lauren, Katherine, Lana too
Bette Davis, we love you🎶

#VolumesAndVocals #VogueMadonna

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Perfect 🎼🎤 1y
Eggs 🖤👌🏼💋 1y
38 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Pikathulhu
Different Seasons | Stephen King
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Pickpick

I can't stress enough how great this collection was. When the likes of "Apt Pupil" are the weakest in the assemblage, you're dealing with a particularly potent passel of prose. "The Body", with its superb narrative framing and delightfully realistic portrayal of child protagonists might be my favorite of these four, but "Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption" and "The Breathing Method" aren't far behind. This is a compilation with no fluff. 5/5

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Pikathulhu
Different Seasons | Stephen King
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The Breathing Method: The framing device utilized in The Breathing Method really steals the show. While the titular story itself is both enthralling and shocking, it is wrapped in the premise of a decidedly exclusive New York club - think mahogany, brandy snifters, and leather-bound books - in which "it is the tale, not he who tells it". I found myself longing to visit this weekly gathering, to hear new tales, and perhaps tell one of my own. 5/5

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Pikathulhu
Different Seasons | Stephen King
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The Body: King has always understood children well - the different way they perceive the world, the way that perception influences thought, and the monstrous impact of imagination. Because of that, he writes from the perspective of children endearingly and convincingly. The Body is no exception. All four members of the group feel genuine, and the framing device serves up an engaging and thoughtful narration throughout. A very strong 5/5.

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InkedBookworm13
Different Seasons | Stephen King
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My physical book TBR is getting out of hand. Last year I saw someone make a challenge about reading the room. I think this is a great idea because all these books have spent the last year or so spread out all over my house. I think I'm going to switch back and forth between this TBR pile, my kindle TBR and the series books I haven't gotten through yet.
#ReadMyRoom #2023ReadingChallenge

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Pikathulhu
Different Seasons | Stephen King
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Apt Pupil: This story, mired as it is in an unflinching recounting of some of the most monstrous things that we as people have done to one another, can be difficult to read at times. Beyond its disconcerting portrayal of its titular "apt pupil", this story serves as a staunch reminder, especially toward the end, of how little distance lies between the people we are and the people we are in danger of becoming, which is quite salient in 2023. 4/5

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Pikathulhu
Different Seasons | Stephen King
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Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption: There aren't many who don't at least know of this story, even if they haven't read it. As good as the movie is, the novella is even better. Red is a compelling narrator, and the picture he paints of Andy Dufresne's indomitable will and unbreakable pride is one most readers will not soon forget. I'll try to continue reviewing each of the four novellas in this work as I go; the first is a clear-cut 5/5.

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SarahBookInterrupted
Different Seasons | Stephen King
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Check out Kim‘s review on this weeks Manuscript Monday. https://www.bookinterrupted.com/post/manuscript-monday-rita-hayworth-and-the-sha...

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Twainy
Different Seasons | Stephen King
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Pickpick

🎧 OH BOY!!! Another AWESOME read!!! 4 novellas.

I had general knowledge about all but Apt Pupil. Holy Smoke! I was clueless going in.

Two were made into good movies … Shawshank & Stand By Me.

I just ordered another used hardcover 😈

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Bookwormjillk I think Apt Pupil might be a movie too. Or a show? I‘ve seen my husband watching it. 2y
Reggie I just watched Apt Pupil last week and it was pretty good. That kid is crazy. 2y
Twainy @Bookwormjillk @Reggie now I need to hunt down the movie 😁 2y
Reggie It‘s on Tubi!!!! It‘s free!!! 2y
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yoavshai
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#BookCoverChallenge
Day 126.
Here I will note 365 books (or as many as I will have before I get tired) that have shaped my taste in literature. No explanations, no reviews. Just the cover of the book.
I do not challenge anyone. You are all welcome to take part.

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Addison_Reads
Different Seasons | Stephen King
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Pickpick

#Screamathon #ScarePairs @4thhouseontheleft #BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

I re-read this excellent King collection because it has been a long time since my first read. These 4 novellas are some of my favorites from King. I feel this book portrays the versatility of King's writing very well. I recommend it a lot to people wanting to read him for the first time.

I also watched Apt Pupil last night. I think it's a good adaptation of the book.

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 3y
25 likes1 comment
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amywithbooks
Different Seasons | Stephen King
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Pickpick

This contains 4 novellas, two of which are well known! Giving them each their own rating:
Rita Hayworth & the Shawshank Redemption: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Apt Pupil: ⭐⭐⭐💫
The Body ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (this is the basis for the movie Stand By Me)
The Breathing Method: ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

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amywithbooks
Different Seasons | Stephen King
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Been MIA because we have been moving into our new house- not much time for reading the last few weeks. Taking the night off to relax and start the next book on the #stephenkinglonghaul

AmyG All the best in your new home! 3y
TiredLibrarian Happy housewarming! 🏠😊 3y
amywithbooks @AmyG thank you! 3y
14 likes4 comments
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cinda.marie
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Pickpick

Rita Hayworth & Shawshank Redemption was my favorite, but all four stories intrigued me. Overall, I prefer his full-length novels for various reasons, but this collection of novellas is still very much a pick. Recommended! My #bookspin for August. 📚

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jackilynn
Different Seasons | Stephen King
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Pickpick

And another King bites the dust.

Rita Hawworth & Shawshank Redemption 4/5
Apt Pupil 2/5
The Body 4/5
The Breathing Method 3/5

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jackilynn
Different Seasons | Stephen King
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Finished with Fall (the Body) and now to tackle the last season, Winter (the Breathing Method).

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jackilynn
Different Seasons | Stephen King
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Summer (Apt Pupil) is FINALLY over and now on to Fall (the Body).

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jackilynn
Different Seasons | Stephen King
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On to my next Unread Stephen King book in my collection.

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Ast_Arslan
Different Seasons | Stephen King
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I am posting one book per day from my to-be-read collection. No description and providing no reason for wanting to read it. Some will be old, some will be new - don't judge me, I have a lot of books.

Day 75th

Join the fun if you want!

#tbrpile

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JessClark78
Different Seasons | Stephen King
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Days 1, 2, and 3 #JoysofJune #Readathon

Got a little over five hours of reading done so far. Almost finished with Apt Pupil in the Different Seasons collection.

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Mistermandolin
Different Seasons | Stephen King
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Pickpick

Shawshank has tended to eclipse the others but this is actually one of his ‘four stories‘ collections. The Body is my favourite: King doing his ‘lost innocence‘ thing in the way only he can. Stylistically it‘s superb, with dialogue to die for. Apt Pupil is great, too, and as for Shawshank: well, you know the rest. A great collection, revealing the author at the height of his powers. Things went a bit west in places after this.

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PaperbackPirate
Different Seasons | Stephen King
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I surpassed my goal & read 50 books this year! These were my 14 favorites.
Row 1:
🤖The Invention of Hugo Cabret
🦾 Scarlet
🌹The Winter Rose
🐈 Love Saves the Day
👑 A Game of Thrones
🍁 tagged
Row 2: #reesesbookclub
🌼 The Rules of Magic
🍷 Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine
🔥 Little Fires Everywhere
🌊 Something in the Water
Row 3: Book Club
🎻 The Gods of Tango
📺 A Burning
🧜‍♀️ The Mermaid and Mrs. Hancock
🚗 Overground Railroad

AvidReader25 So many excellent books! Somehow I just stumbled on your account on here! 4y
PaperbackPirate @AvidReader25 It was a good reading year at least! Glad you found me! 💙 4y
AvidReader25 @PaperbackPirate Too funny to find former blogging friends on here. I love it! 4y
44 likes3 comments
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NatalieR
Different Seasons | Stephen King
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Pickpick

Finally tackled these four novellas! I procrastinated for years because I‘ve seen the movies for The Body and Shawshank SO MANY times I didn‘t think I would enjoy the original stories. Of course, I was wrong! Each of these stories were amazing!! #MountTBR

Soubhiville What a great and appropriately creepy photo! 4y
NatalieR @Soubhiville 😂 Thanks! 4y
95 likes2 comments
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AlisBookNookCorner
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Pickpick

https://suspensebookreviews.home.blog/2020/12/17/different-seasons-by-stephen-ki...
🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 I really enjoyed this book, as I loved the four short novellas. Each one brought something different so I didn't feel I was reading the same story four times over. I loved the character depth in each, the adventures and the topics of choice. If you are looking for something diverse and interesting, check this book out!

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AlisBookNookCorner
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🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 Apt Pupil (Novella Two) This short story is the thing of nightmares! You are engulfed into a world of Todd a young boy who is nothing short of a psychopath and his obsession with an older gentleman who is a World War II Nazi fugitive. Todd is OBSESSED with the horrific tales of torture from his new friend, leading them down a terrifying path of no return.
#StephenKing #Horror #MustRead #Chilling #CurrentRead

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AlisBookNookCorner
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⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption (Novella One) Absolutely LOVED this story! Red tells such amazing tale of friendship and the power of never giving up, as he tells the tale of his buddy Andy. Amazing story and the movie adaptation is spot on!

#currentread #stephenking #differentseasons #currentlyreading #Decemberreads #bookworm

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AlisBookNookCorner
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Diving into to my favorite authors older novel, #DifferentSeasons by #StephenKing. I've read a good deal of his novels, but I still have a good deal to go. Some of my favorite movies are based of these novellas, so I'm thrilled to finally read this one. It has been on my shelf and TBR for way too long! (Four short novellas)

#current read #novellas

Biohaz74 I just finished If It Bleeds was pretty awesome 4y
AlisBookNookCorner @Biohaz74 I had that one on preorder, must agree it was awesome! The Institute is also rather great too! 4y
4 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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la_rose_noire
Different Seasons | Stephen King
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😍 Got this nice gift from a friend! I use to read a lot of Stephen King when I was younger. I can't wait to read one of these. #stephenking #friends #scaryreads #usedbooks

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Susanita
Different Seasons | Stephen King
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Same lake, different seasons.

Ruthiella Good one! 😀 4y
Lynnsoprano Beautiful! 4y
Leftcoastzen Nice! 4y
40 likes4 comments
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valeriegeary
Different Seasons | Stephen King
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It's been a while since I've done a photo challenge. Let's see if I remember how.
#wordsofoctober
#apple
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @OriginalCyn620

OriginalCyn620 😂 Yay! Glad you‘re joining us! 4y
Kimzey Good one! 4y
43 likes2 comments
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PaperbackPirate
Different Seasons | Stephen King
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Pickpick

This book contains 4 awesome novellas, 3 of which have been made into movies. I‘ve seen Shawshank Redemption & Stand By Me, & the movies stay very close to the stories, down to dialogue. Has anyone seen Apt Pupil?
📕 I can color in another square on my #BookSpinBingo card bc this is my #BookSpin book this month with @TheAromaofBooks !
⏱ I read this for 20 hrs. & 46 min., bringing my #JubilantJuly total to 24 hrs. 26 min.! 2.5 to go!
@Andrew65

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! Great progress!!! 4y
Andrew65 That‘s a great total 👏👏👏🙌 4y
PaperbackPirate I think I‘ll meet my goal today @Andrew65 ! 4y
40 likes5 comments
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Bigcountry15
Different Seasons | Stephen King
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Pickpick

I have read these four early King classic novellas between longer reads. Each season has its own story:
Hope Springs Eternal: Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption is definitely the best of the four. It is the unique story of a wrongly convicted man who breaks out of prison.

Bigcountry15 Summer of Corruption: Apt Pupil is a disturbing story of a teenager that finds an old Nazi prison camp supervisor and forces the old man to tell him details from the camps, to his own peril. 4y
Bigcountry15 Fall from Innocence: The Body is the story of four boys that go in search for a dead body. This story incorporates two of King's old short stories, "Stud City," which could have been left out, and "The Revenge of Lard Ass Hogan". This was a hilarious addition. A Winter's Tale: The Breathing Method is a great short story about a strange club and a pregnant woman. The club and the butler, Stevens, remind me of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell 4y
Mistermandolin @Bigcountry15 Wonderful collection. I re-read The Body recently and it reminded me of what a great stylist King is. Or, at least, can be. He doesn‘t always hit the spot but when he does - wow! I enjoy these novella-length books of his. Sometimes the novels feel a bit flabby. Great pick. 4y
9 likes3 comments
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BoleyBooks
Different Seasons | Stephen King
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EagleReader Loved the movie 3y
47 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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Addison_Reads
Different Seasons | Stephen King
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My #Horror shelf that contains all my Stephen King, Joe Hill, Grady Hendrix, John Connolly, Justin Cronin, and my Walking Dead comics. I might like horror novels just a little bit. 😉

#MagnificentMarch @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @OriginalCyn620

OriginalCyn620 📚😱📚 5y
Klou Amazing!! 5y
Reggie 🖤🖤🖤 5y
See All 6 Comments
BookwormAHN Nice 🖤 5y
Nute Very Nice! 5y
49 likes1 stack add6 comments
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AnotherAngstyTeen
Different Seasons | Stephen King
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Feeling spooky with a Clive Barker and Stephen King reading spree. I‘m a huge fan of both authors, and when I saw these in a used bookstore I just had to get them. I‘m going to try to finish both of them before 2020. Wish me luck!

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Mitch13
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5 likes1 stack add
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Susanita
Different Seasons | Stephen King
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I‘m still deciding which King book to use for #authoramonth2020 but there‘s plenty of time!

Megabooks Fantastic lineup! 5y
Soubhiville Plenty of time! Do you have your Backman chosen yet? 5y
Soubhiville That‘s an excellent choice! I‘ll be reading Us Against You, because that‘s the only one of his I haven‘t read yet 😊 5y
JazzFeathers Thanks. I had totally missed this. 5y
28 likes5 comments