Tag: book review

Book Review: Billy Summers by Stephen King

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I got started on Stephen King books late in life because, once I got old enough I was on a romance kick for the better part of 20 years.

For the most part, now that’s over. I always assumed Stephen King’s books were all in the horror genre. Not so!!

So far, I’ve moseyed through Carrie & The Shining and loved both, but nothing prepared me for Billy Summers.

At first glance, it seems like a run of the mill thriller. But, as I’ve become a diehard King fan from what I’ve read so far, the writing style catapults it into prose that sucks you in and drags you along for the ride. Once I picked Billy Summers up, I could not put it down.

Don’t bother to read the jacket because the whole “assassin who makes sure he’s killing actual bad people” kind of seems like a tired concept used by Hollywood in way too many instances. The way it’s written and the additional characters that show Billy his own humanity really make it.

The ending of this book was not something that I expected from King in the least, and maybe that is just because I haven’t read most of his works yet.

I was reading this in bed on my phone next to my sleeping 5 year old as that’s the best time I can find to read. I bawled my eyes out at the end of this story. The grief was immediately overtaken with anger, and I almost called out Stephen King on Twitter about how he could dare to end Billy Summers in that way.

I’ve since come to accept it, but I’m writing this review several weeks after I finished the book.

So…. To anyone who’s interested: 5 out of 5 stars

Absolutely loved it!! But it’ll make ya mad.

Carrie by Stephen King – Book Review

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I’ve been back into reading of late. It’s usually not like me to go a long period of time without having a book in my hand, but alas, I have a 4 year old now. And, let’s just say that the last 3 years have been…… difficult.

I read my first Stephen King novel last year believe it or not. I was less into cerebral type thrillers and more into the trashy romance novels when I was last into reading…… basically when I was a teenager. I’ve realized at the ripe old age of 35 that I actually prefer something with a little more substance.

And boy, this book took me by surprise. It’s absolutely crazy to me that Carrie was Stephen King’s first novel. I was ridiculously enthralled with this entire story of an adolescent girl who has been teased and bullied her entire life and finally strikes back once she’s pushed to the edge.

From the first few pages, I was sucked in and taken on a ride that sadly lasted fewer than 24 hours because I couldn’t put it down.

I knew the very basics of this story. Having never really been into horror, I never saw the movie, so this was me really reading the story for the first time. And I loved it.

In the very beginning, the style of writing and back and forth between multiple publications in the “future” did throw me just a little bit. But, once I got the hang of it and how it’s written, this story just ripped me along on a whirlwind til the very end.

If you’ve read anything I’ve reviewed before, you know I hate traditional book reviews with all their verbose crap. So here you are:

Carrie by Stephen King 5 out of 5 stars!!! Absolutely loved it.

Trigger warning: religious zeal, child abuse & rape

 

Feel free to check out my other book review here when you get a chance!

Book Review : Water for Elephants

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Disclaimer: My “book review” may be kind of unconventional for some of you. I don’t care though. I hate long ridiculous book reviews. When I ask what someone thought about a book, I just want a “totally worth it!” or a “don’t waste your time girl!” So, here it is y’all…

As some of you know, I currently have a three year old. So, for the last year or so, my Goodreads challenges have been lost by the wayside. I haven’t been able to get through a whole book in quite a while which is really odd for me.

Well, this book!! I finally got through one: Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen and personally, I LOVED it!!

The first time I picked up this book, I must’ve just not been in the mood because I couldn’t even get through the first couple pages. This time, once through the first few, I blew through this book in maybe 2 or 3 days (and that is… FAST with a 3 year old.)

 Water for Elephants is a flashback or memoir type novel. The old man who is telling the story is now in a nursing home, and he’s basically dreaming the story of his youth and getting his start in the circus world. The book really delves into the darker side of circus life in the 1930s. Even though it’s technically fiction, many of the happenings are rooted in fact.

There’s action, adventure, violence, a little romance and a dash of danger. It had zero trouble holding my interest. I’m all about easier reads these days that I don’t have to really concentrate to decipher. This was one of those… a semi-quick, entertaining and easy read.

I would have definitely gone for 4/5 stars if it weren’t for the ending. The ending absolutely did it for me, and I’m all in at 5 of 5 stars.