This book, to date, is easily the most out there, bizarre story I‘ve ever read. But ... it‘s well written and *very* comical. Somewhere in the middle it got so outlandish my attention waned a bit, but it pulled itself together. I listened to this one on audiobook and it was great fun. The narrator conveyed the humor and character personalities quite well. If you‘re open to something weird, give this one a go.

This book came highly recommended by several reader friends. I‘ve read oodles of crime thrillers over the years so figured all would be well. But ... I guess I‘ve hit a point in my life as a reader that heinous and/or torturous murder scenes, especially those involving children, is too dark for me. It‘s meant to be unsettling, of course, but I just couldn‘t continue investing myself into the story. It‘s well written but the story is not for me.

5/5 Stars for me. Simply adored this book. It‘s a brilliant mix of comedy and tragedy, hope and despair. The characters are quirky but have heart and depth. The story is outlandish but relatable. What else can I say? I laughed, I cried, I found my jaw hitting the floor. Definitely 👍🏼👍🏼 from me!

I‘ve had this bookmarked to read after someone‘s post here on Litsy. I finally picked it up tonight. Not exactly light holiday reading but I‘m looking forward to making time for this one.

Book, coffee, fireplace, and Christmas. Some of my favorite things. 💕

Fantastic! A creative and well-written blend of fictional narrative and nonfiction analysis. It‘s enjoyable and accessible, with both wit and scriptural foundation. It gives perspective from a few infamous villains from the Bible, so that you might consider their “defining moments” in a different way. That exposes their humanity, which in turn invokes empathy. At its core the book is about empathy and understanding and extending God‘s grace. ❤️

Books and coffee. Life‘s most pleasurable pairing. 📚☕️🙌🏼

Beautifully written, this is a book lover‘s book! It has mystery, intrigue, murder, love, madness, and tragedy. I liked it from the start, I loved it by the end. Definitely recommend.

Reading this book now. 🙌🏼

I debated how to rate this book. I can see why it's a beloved classic: the narration is lovely and the characters really don't feel like rabbits. I *wanted* to love this book. Unfortunately, I just didn't. It failed to capture my complete interest and was never able to pull me in. I was tempted to still rate as a "pick" because I really enjoyed the final 50-100 pages, but at 400+ pgs total, that felt too long to finally hook me. ???‍♀️

Pennywise is great and all, but this speaks far more truly of the story within ... 💕

Fantastic read! ??

"What I discovered, and what I want to pass along to you in this book, is that this view of the Bible" (it being God's rule book, a heavenly instruction manual) "does not come from the Bible but from an anxiety over protecting the Bible and so regulating the faith of those who read it. Why do I say this? The Bible tells me so."

I don't know that constitutes as "good" Litfluence, but I was happy to see I finally broke 3K! ???‍♀️I need to spend more time on here ... my TBR piles need just a *wee bit* more books. ??

🙌🏼 This is my second Tana French book. Once again she impressed! Her books are murder/crime genre, but there's no cliched, formula writing going on. This book is smart and thrilling. It doesn't even matter that the plot is implausible (just read book description)! It hooks you with its intrigue, twists and turns, and just overall story. I was disappointed to reach the final page and have to be finished.

I'm selling at a little outdoor market today and thought it'd be fun to do a "Blind Date with a Book". They literally cannot judge a book by its cover! ?

I got a tattoo last night that is both the crowning jewel of my Stephen King fandom and my reminder to never stop imagining, learning, and dreaming. 🤗🙌🏼🤓📚

A book in your lap and a dog at your feet. Sometimes life's pleasures are so simple. ❤️📚🐶

Overall, I thought it was okay. My 11-y.o. daughter read it first and loved it & I wanted to see why. (A few F-bombs, mild lang, & some sexual innuendo, for those curious). While not a bad story, it felt sort of ... one-dimensional? I never felt emotionally vested in the characters. There's a lot of page dedication to the comic book within the story, which I honestly didn't care about. I simply may not have been the target audience for this book.

Refreshing perspective on how to read and understand the Bible, and how its impact is just as relevant today. I may not agree with every word said, but that's the point. Ask questions, dig further, learn. I appreciate Bell's desire to open up the Bible to those who have been turned off or never interested. It's a worthwhile jumping off point for debate &/or hopeful understanding.

Best way to end each day...

I'm a fan of Rob Bell and his perspective on what the Bible is, how/why/to whom it was written, and how to understand and apply its messages today. Some call him a heretic, but I find him refreshing and that he just makes sense. I saw him speak the other night and he was brilliant. Getting my book signed afterward, we had a 60-sec convo about the Neil Gaiman book he's reading (Ocean at the End of the Lane) when he saw my American Gods tshirt. 🤗🤓

A quick read penned by King and Cemetery Dance founder and fellow horror writer Richard Chizmar. King fans will enjoy a return to Castle Rock, though any non-King Reader can easily jump in to this tale. It's less thrills & chills and more cautionary / speculative tale. I almost wish the story had expanded to novel length as there's a lot to go with here, but it's still quite satisfying as a novella.

Book. Beverage. Buddy. #trifecta

Book release day and I have a few minutes at soccer practice. Seems like a perfect time to start! Anyone else remove their dust jackets before reading??

When your coffee mug doubles as your TBR list. 😏

Because I've ... well ... um .... never read it before. 🤦🏼‍♀️

Loved it. Creepy, disturbing, thoughtful. The terror that we can't see, the unknown, is often the most frightening. There are chills here but there's also mindful observation of people and behavior when all we know breaks down and survival kicks in. If you enjoy horror / speculative fiction, I'd certainly recommend.

When you're up before your family, you take advantage of the quiet. ❤️📚🐶

Just started this last night. It's a book I'd asked for and received for Christmas. A few (short) chapters in and I can tell I'm in for a very intriguing, disturbing story! 🤗

If you live in or are a product of Appalachia, the lower to middle class, or the poor south you may recognize and/or relate more than you'd think. If your old hometown is now a rut of prosperity long gone (or never had), you'll see truth here. If this all sounds "not you", read it to see another side of the story. This is one man's story, but it's like so many others'. And that makes it relevant to the culture, economics & politics of today.

Finally taking this one off the TBR pile. Its praise has been steady and my husband (who read it last year) continues to reference it when we discuss politics, society, culture, etc.

A great read that lived up to its hype. If you lived your childhood or impressionable years in the 1980s this book will be all sorts of fun for you. It's chock full of 80s movie, music and pop culture references. While it revolves around gaming, you needn't have been an 80s gamer (I wasn't) to find it engaging. It's witty & clever and has adventure and heart. It's also a tech vs human interaction story that feels unnervingly recognizable.

When you get to this point in your book and it's in a climactic swing and you just wanna fist bump someone because you're giddy. 🤣👊🏼

"I'm not crazy about reality, but it's still the only place to get a decent meal." ~ Groucho Marx, via RP1.

I'd heard fantastic praise about this book & it didn't disappoint. Technically a children's fantasy, but it's a dark and sad tale for everyone. Beautifully written with haunting illustrations. Folks said I'd ball my eyes out, & I totally thought I would, but surprisingly I didn't shed a tear. Perhaps my heart too cold!? (😦) or perhaps I detached while reading. (The subject matter hits close to home.) I say read it and see if you ugly cry. 😉😭

When it's cold outside and you're stalling in the car until the last possible minute to watch your kid's soccer game. 😬 #sorrysweetieimreading #butitsagoodbook #soccerisoverrated

Today's last #stephenking17 challenge was #memorabilia. Here are a few fun items on my shelf. My fave is the pic I took of SK from the front row during his Revival tour 2 years ago. 😍 The Moxie came from a Maine friend and the turtle carrying the earth knit by another fan friend. There's Pennywise, of course, a shelf block with an IT quote, and a wee bit of my SK universe poster. ❤ #day31 (ps this whole challenge was so much fun!)

I started listening to audiobooks about two years ago & have found them to be a great way to "re-read" books I haven't read in ages (and don't have time to add in amongst all the new books to read!) Frank Muller reading the first 4 Dark Tower books is a new level experience. He nailed it! (Sadly, he passed away before reading the others. ) He captured the story & characters perfectly, making these my favorite SK #audiobooks. #stephenking17 #day27

SPOILERS FOR IT ... There's a scene in the book It where grown-up Beverly visits her childhood home. An old lady now lives there, but invites her in & allows her to look around. Over tea, Bev begins to realize the old woman is not who/what she thought and her nightmare unfolds before her. The scene sneaks up on you and is legit frightening. It's King's signature scares at its best. So that's my pick for #ScariestSceneFromBook #stephenking17 #day26

Making up for yesterday's #stephenking17 challenge. My #FavoriteBachman book is The Long Walk. Who else could turn walking into a horrific event? It's intense and the end will have you seeking out someone to discuss it with. Adding to its impressiveness is that King was still a teen when he wrote it, making it one of his earliest published works. #day24

When your book light is too bright at night. 😂

I don't usually think about the #BookSpines of a book, but for today's #stephenking17 challenge, that's just what I did. Rather than focus on dust jackets, I knew right away I'd go the the beautiful book beneath the jacket of Lisey's Story. Hands down, it's the prettiest book I've discovered hidden beneath a "meh" jacket. The spine blends into the rest of the art, but as a total package it's very ???. #day23

That opening line kicks off my #FavoriteSeries by Stephen King. The Dark Tower's 7 (technically 8) books are a western/fantasy/romance/horror/adventure mashup. Within them you will meet (& grow to love) some unforgettable characters and encounter places across many worlds. Fans of the series love the DT tie-ins found within many other classic King novels. I'm currently taking the DT journey yet again, this time via audiobook! #stephenking17 #day22

I don't like books that make me cry. I know this one will. But I can't ignore the stellar praise anymore. So, onward toward the tears I go ...

Just finished this tale of paradise found... then lost. I saw the movie ages ago, but couldn't tell you anything other than it starred Leo DiCaprio. Overall, an intriguing adventure that kept my attention. At just over 400 pages it's perhaps slightly longer than this story needs to be, but the story kept moving along. It's got a Lord of the Flies vibe and enough surprises to keep you wondering.

Today's #stephenking17 challenge is to #ShareYourCollection. I did the best I could with just one photo! Most of my SK books are on two bookcases (I've just collaged them tgthr here!) and I love seeing them when I walk in the room. My collection is a mix of thrift store hardcovers, first editions, special editions, & paperbacks, amongst others! What's not pictured could fill another two shelves! 😬😂 It's an addiction. I know. 😏 #day21

My #FavoriteAdaptation from any work by Stephen King is the movie Shawshank Redemption, from the novella of similar name found in the Different Seasons collection. I like very few SK movie adaptations, but Frank Darabount knocked this one out of the park. I'll watch it every time I come across it. Well scripted, well cast, and faithful to the story (but not too much!). #stephenking17 #day20

My #MostRecentlyRead King book was last summer's End of Watch. This book was the final installment of his Bill Hodges trilogy. The series was an "out of the box" genre choice (if there is such a thing for King), as it was more mainstream crime fiction than his usual fare. However, of the three books, this felt the most King-ish. I'll leave it at that due to spoilers. ?#stephenking17 #day19