Book Review: Misery

Readers,

I'm so excited about this next read, I can barely stand it. For a little update, I decided to call it quits on the Interview with A Vampire series for now. It's not that I didn't enjoy what I have read, but it is a bit dense for my liking at the moment. I've been continuing my Stephen King binge and this review shall be no different! I'm very happy to present Misery by Stephen King!
I don't want to get bogged down in the beginning here, so let's get started!

First Impressions: 

• I have heard so much about this book, that I kind of already had an idea about how I'd like it. (Not the mention all the pop culture references this novel has created) I really couldn't help but include it in my latest book haul. It has such a wicked reputation... I honestly can't wait to delve fully in. 
• I loved how this book starts off. It begins right in the middle of the action, really. Another reason why I love Stephen King is for beginnings like this. I'm not one to enjoy an extremely long exposition, and this book delivers on that for sure. 
• Right out of the gate with the, well, Misery! I can already tell this book is going to be insanely shocking, and maybe even downright horrifying. Movies and TV can only portray King's writing so well... he really is the master of horror. 

Plot:

• This book is centered around a writer named Paul Sheldon. He has finished the last installment of the Misery series, and has finished the first chapter of his next novel. Paul is traveling in Maine when his car crashes and he is presumably left for dead. However, a woman rescues him... but turns out to be his nightmare. 
• The woman's name is Annie Wilkes, and she is nothing short of insane. She lives out in the high mountains of Colorado, far away from much of civilization. Boasting of being Sheldon's "biggest fan" she pulls him from his vehicle and takes him home. Paul wakes up in a room, one in which he'll spend most of his time for the next year, with seriously disfigured legs. We aren't sure what turn the story is going to turn, until Annie finds the newest Misery novel. A novel which brings to an end the popular series, killing off the main character (and Annie's favorite heroine). 
• The newest novel sends Annie into fits of rage, and Paul is injured countless times at her hand. These injuries are a bit too graphic for me to include details (and it would spoil the fun). 
• Paul soon realized that this woman is not going to let him go. After many disturbing injuries, she pushes Paul to burn a manuscript for his next non-Misery novel and return to the popular series. She forces him to begin work on Misery Return (against his will of course). 
• Over this time of helpless creation, Paul becomes addicted to pain medication (Norvill specifically) and begins to play the part of Annie's pet. 
• The bulk of the book is Paul slipping slowly into insanity, barely being kept alive by Annie (perviously a nurse) as he completes a novel for her. But, one day, Annie leaves Paul unattended for several hours. He manages to maneuver the rinky-dink wheel chair Annie confines him to, and begins to snoop around her home. What he finds changes the fear in these pages into pure terror. Annie owns a scrap book. A collection of all the lives she's taken (mostly those who had her as a caregiver) with each photo including an endearing nickname for the dead. 
• At this point, Paul understands exactly who he is dealing with. I don't want to include the bulk of her insanity as I found it really haunting and surprising. I'll leave the horror up to you, lovely reader. 
• As the book draws closer to an end, the town seemingly becomes suspicious of Annie and the missing Paul. Being a top tear creative, Paul is sure is car was found and that he is being looked for. Sure enough a Sheriff stops at the cabin, asking questions and showing Paul's photo around. Annie plays the part well, but can't eliminate all suspicion. Paul, on the other hand, decides that this is his break. He makes himself known to the officer.... much to the horror of the reader. 
• Annie swoops in and murders the young Sheriff (the way is much too horrific to include here) and disposes of the evidence. Paul, at this moment, feels completely hopeless. He is then locked in the basement, left the dead, until Annie returns from hiding the body at her "Laughing Place". What he doesn't know is that she will return and the end is coming soon. 
• Paul soon attacks Annie, just barely knocking her out cold, and collapses with exhaustion as the next round of concerned officers show up (presumably looking for their comrade). They see Paul (in a wheelchair, missing a foot, missing a thumb, severely thin and pale) and immediately rescue him. Paul screams, pointing to the bedroom (his bedroom) where Annie is presumably dead. The officers find her dead in the barn, desperately grasping onto a chainsaw. He has finally rid himself of her. 

Opinion/Other thoughts: 

• I gave much more detail in this review than I am used to giving. This book demanded a deep recounting, and I couldn't deny it that. There is so much more gruesome and haunting parts in this novel, but I wouldn't want to spoil the nitty-gritty. 
• Overall, I loved this book. This is a classic example of real terror; helplessness, fear, disgust, triumph. I'd highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good scare. The only thing I will warn against is for people who have weak stomachs. King, as always, made me a bit nauseous with his portrayal of injuries. I was sick to my stomach at some point, in a good way of course. Younger readers should probably steer clear until they have the constitution to handle something this gory. 

Well this is the end of this review. I'm wanting to make these entries longer than before. If you agree, just drop me a comment below or like this review! Hope you all have a truly scary weekend. 

My love, 

K. 

Returning From A Short Break!

Lovely readers,

I can't tell you how happy I am to finally be back. I took a bit of a writing break to work on some other things in my life, but I missed it too much to keep away long. I'm feeling refreshed and excited to start my next few book reviews! I recently order several books in the mail (some continuing my Stephen King mission) and I literally can't wait to start reading/writing!

So, just to give you a little glimpse into what I'm planning, I'm going to give a little list of the books I've ordered. Hopefully it'll be as exciting to you as it is to me! (especially if you read along with me)
So let's get to it!

1. Carrie by Stephen King: This one is clearly a classic, and I have had the pleasure of reading it a long time ago. I wanted to get my hands on my own physical copy and reread it. 
2. 11/22/63 by Stephen King: I can't tell you how many times I've been told to read this book. I love anything to do with history, and this delve into time travel is really exciting to me. 
3. Misery by Stephen King: Again, sort of a classic. This one is a bit lesser known but, it's very prevalent in pop culture. Excited for this one. 
4. Interview With a Vampire by Anne Rice: Super excited to start this series, as I've heard TONS about it for many years. I decided to splurge and buy the entire series, but Interview is the only one to arrive so far. I'm already half way through.... so this one will probably be my next review! 

So excited to finally be back to analysis! I hope you all have a wonderful St. Patty's, and an even better week! 

As always, keep reading, 

K. 

Journey Through The Classics: A Wrinkle in Time

Lovely readers,

I hope you have all had a wonderful week, and an even better weekend! I'm excited to finally be bringing you the first installment of my "classics" collection. The first book I'll be reviewing for this series is A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle (1963). This book, as some of you may know, is such a wonderful adventure that I couldn't have excluded it if I wanted. So, let's get started!

First Impressions:

• My first impression of the book was it's size. Being an avid reader myself, I wasn't really concerned with taking a long time to finish this story. The book is very short compared to others I've done on this blog, but it was a journey nonetheless. 
• As I started diving in, I noted that the language used in this book is a bit odd to the modern ear. There are phrases and certain words that can kind of throw the reader off, especially if they aren't used to Madeleine L'Engle's style of writing. Be wary of this. 
• Honestly, this book really sucked me in within the first few pages. I'll get to why in a little bit, but just know that this was one of those stories that was hard to put down. 

Plot: 

• A Wrinkle in Time begins in what I assume is The United Kingdom. The book is centered around a family, and a rather large one. The main characters is a young girl named Meg Murry. Meg's family consists of her mother, father, the twins Sandy and Dennys, and her younger brother Charles Wallace (thought to be a child genius; his dialog is extremely interesting for a young boy of only 5). It is introduced to us in the beginning of the novel that Mr. Murry has been missing for some time, off experimenting with new technology (both Meg's parents are scientists). The book picks up with Meg struggling to deal with the questions about her father, and having problems at school. 
• The story takes you for a ride really after this, as there isn't much exposition before the meat of the tale comes to light. Not long after you're given a glimpse into Meg's life, you're introduced to three more important characters: Mrs. Who, Mrs. Whatsit, and Mrs. Which. This is where Madeleine L'Engle takes the story and runs with it. You discover the real reason behind Mr. Murry's absence and how the three "witches" are going to help bring him back. 
• You are thrown into a universe with so many amazing characters that I am in no way surprised that this book evolved into a series.  I won't say any more about the plot, but if you enjoy mysterious adventures, you'll love this book. 

This book is a short one, and that prevents me from revealing too much. And I was skeptical, considering this is a young adult novel. But I was pleasantly surprised! This book took me on a journey and I can only hope it takes you on one too. 

More soon, and keep reading! 

Love, 

K.

Book Review: Doctor Sleep

Lovely Readers,

Getting into the spirit of being back, I'm happy to present the newest book review I have up my sleeve! Although I finished it a little while ago, and although I took a break from King, this time I'll be reviewing Doctor Sleep by Stephen King (2011). This is the last King review I'll be posting for a while, but that by no means should take away from the awesomeness of this book!
So, without further adieu, I'll get on with it!

First Impressions:

• All the hype about this continuation of The Shining (1977) is accurate. Within the first chapter, I was already taken back to The Overlook Hotel and back into the life of Danny (Dan) and Wendy Torrence. As usual Stephen King is perfectly capable of sending his readers to all kinds of places. 
• The story is written in King's usual 3rd person perspective, but he also includes Dan's (and later Abra's) inner thoughts. This really connects you to the characters, and quickly. That alone was one of the main reasons I lost myself in this book. 
• King changes his usual formula and gives the reader much more information about the antagonist in the beginning. This took me by surprise, and in another story it may have limited the plot, but it completely worked out. I was very impressed. 

Plot: 

• Doctor Sleep begins with a glimpse into the world of The True Knot, a band of supernatural creatures who require the "souls" of people to remain immortal. From the details given in the beginning, you learn that people with the Shining are most important to the Knot. Their short introduction really puts the story in a more suspenseful light, big plus. 
• The bulk of Doctor Sleep is centered around Dan Torrence. He lives with his mother, still seeing the horrors from the Overlook. Dick Hollarann returns and helps a young Dan control these horrific hallucinations. But the family doesn't stay together, Wendy passes and the story continues with Dan growing up. 
• Dan becomes an alcoholic, and finds himself homeless. That's when he stumbled into a well-paying job, an AA sponsor, and finally people who care about what happens to him. About what he does with his life. That's when the messages begin. Miles away, a baby named Abra begins to display supernatural abilities (telekinesis, projecting music and feelings, learning rapidly, etc.) and in some way becomes entangled with Dan. She begins to leave him notes, and visits him in his dreams. 
• Abra knows of The True Knot, as she witnessed a murder committed by their leader Rose. She also knows that the Knot is seeking her out, trying to track her in her mind. Abra alone would feed them for centuries, and soon Dan figures this out as well. Eventually, Abra's parents are brought into the story and it's revealed that Dan's father was unfaithful to Wendy: Abra is his niece, her father his half-brother. 
• Without giving too much away: Abra, Dan, and a few friends face off against The True Knot. With intense luck, Abra and Dan come out unscathed. I honestly can't give too much away here. 

Opinion: 

• This section is going to be pretty short. I love this book. I love the way it's written, the way the characters relate to each other, the plot... everything really. Doctor Sleep really is a fantastic sequel to The Shining. Five stars. 

Overall, what an awesome read! I have a strong nostalgic connection to The Shining (movie and book) and Doctor Sleep definitely brought me right back to that mindset. It was scary and thrilling, interesting and heartbreaking sometimes. Will always recommend! 

Thank you for reading! 

As always, stay creative. 

Love, Katie. 

I'm back, baby!

Hello lovely readers!

I have been away from the computer for so long, it hurts! Long story short, my precious kitties decided to chew through my Mac cord. Unfortunately for me, Amazon also decided to send me the wrong charger (two different times). Now I am finally back in business and back into the world of book reviews! I'm so happy to be back, honestly.

I also wanted to outline a few new things I thought up during my time away! I'm excited to be attempting the entire works of Stephen King, but I thought I'd take a little break from his delicious horror to read a couple of classics!

But first, I'm going to tackle my all time favorite series. That's right... I'm talking about a 7-part review/walkthrough/discussion of one of the all time top best sellers in history: Harry Potter. I can't even explain how excited I am to start this little series. I have been a fan of HP since I was a little kid... and this recent magic with Fantastic Beasts and Cursed Child (not to mention to upcoming Christmas Season) has got me in a mood to do some magical reading!

Anyway,
I hope all your Halloweens go well! Enjoy!
And as always, keep reading.
Katie

Book Review: Salem's Lot

Lovely readers,

Hello again! I hope you all are having a wonderful Monday. I know I am! Also I'm very excited to have changed the layouts of these reviews, it makes everything so much easier. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

This time I'm very happy to present 'Salem's Lot by Stephen King (1975). I'm on a quest to complete the entire works of King and I thought this was a good place to continue. 'Salem's Lot is King's second novel, set again in a quaint town in Maine in the 70's. The story follows a man named Ben Mears who travels back to his boyhood home of Jerusalem's Lot to attempt to finish his next novel, written around an old legend of the haunted Marsten House. This novel draws from the old-era horror stories: witches, darkness, vampires, haunted houses. I will include my breakdown below!

First Impressions:

• I went into this book hoping for a truly scary experience, and I wasn't disappointed. I haven't had a read a book with the lights on since The Shining. 
• My biggest surprise I experienced when starting this book was the talent. I was blown away when I discovered that this is only King's second novel. Again, his language and the way he produces his thoughts onto paper... it has the skill of a life-long writer. This story really swept me away. 
• After the first couple of chapters, I started to notice the little roots of The Dark Tower snaking throughout the pages of 'Salem's Lot. I will always stress how much more you find out after reading The Dark Tower. King knows how to bury the easter eggs. 

Plot: 

• 'Salem's Lot begins with Ben Mears, traveling into Maine. He is going back to his boyhood home to try and gain some inspiration for his newest novel. You find out quite early that his novel is based on the town's local legend: the haunted house on the hill, the Marsten House. The legend surrounding this house is one that the town is built upon. 
• While Ben's storyline continues, he meets Susan (a young women living in Jerusalem's Lot). They begin something of a fling. During this time, many strange things start happening in the town. People are being murdered, children disappearing from their homes, and a strange man comes in from out of town to purchase the Marsten House. This strikes Ben as odd, but as far as the middle of the book, they find no connection between Straker (the mysterious stranger) and the disappearances. 
• It is not until over half way through the book that the reader discovers the origin of Straker and his partner Barlow: they are vampires. 
• More and more people start disappearing, including children and Mears' female friend Susan Norton. Ben teams up with some townspeople and they band together to fight the vampires in the Lot. Among the team is Ben, Jimmy Cody (the town's doctors), Matt (teacher), Father Donald Callahan, and a young boy named Mark Petrie. They begin gathering folk lore about vampires and set out to collect things like wooden stakes, garlic, white roses, and holy water. 
• Eventually, the group thins out thanks to Barlow. Matt dies from natural causes, Jimmy is taken into the cellar of the Marsten House, Susan is infected, Father Callahan is marked and leaves the Lot. Ben and Mark end up being on their own as they travel into the cellar of Eva Miller's boarding house (the same house that Ben rented a room at in the beginning) and find Barlow's coffin below. 
• The ending of the book comes rather swift: Ben and Mark drive a stake through the heart of Barlow while he is resting in the coffin. They discover that the entire town has been taken over by these creatures, and it completely silent during the daylight hours. However, at night, the two are traveling out of the Lot and see huge groups of them... wandering aimlessly around the streets. Ben eventually travels back to the Lot without Mark later on (he leaves him somewhere safe, as he has no parents anymore) and sees that everything has closed. The vampire have taken over the small town permanently. Ben never finishes his book.

Opinon: 

• I now understand why this book is considered a pivotal work on vampires. The detail that went in to describing them and finding the folklore is impressive. 
• This book was a rollercoaster. There were many times I was impressed with the "community" motif. Ben, Jimmy, Mark, Matt, and Don all band together in the face of horror and death. They create a bond that can't be broken by vampires. Not in the Lot. 
• However sad and heart-wrenching 'Salem's Lot is, it is also one of my new favorite horror books. The ending will have the hair on the back of your neck standing up no problem. I suggest enjoying this tale with the lights on. 

Overall, a wonderful edition to King's horror collection. It's so hard for me to believe that this is only his second book, but then again how can I be surprised? King truly is the modern world's greatest horror/science fiction writer. Can't wait to dive into more of his books. 

Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoyed this review. 

More to come! 

Stay smart, keep reading, 

Love, 

K. 

Book Review: Insomnia

Lovely readers,

Another book, another review! I'm still very much on a King binge, and couldn't resist buying The Stand, 'Salem's Lot, and Doctor Sleep the other day so expect some new reviews coming up!
Anyway, back to business, Insomnia. I must say that choosing to read this book directly following The Dark Tower was a choice I would recommend. I used a website (Stephen King Connections) to check out all the connections between King's novels. There are a staggering number, and it was really interesting to see how Roland's universe expands into all others. But, I'm rambling, so let's get down to business.

I also wanted to make a couple of changes to the layouts of my reviews from now on. I want to start phasing out the pros and cons list, in favor of something a little more informative. Bear with me please while I start to take this transition to the next level; the next few reviews may be a little jumbled.

First Impressions:

• This book was a pleasant surprise after the ending of TDT. It begins innocently enough with Ralph Roberts saying goodbye to his wife Carolyn. Cancer has taken her. Insomnia picks up shortly after Carolyn dies, centering on Ralph's escalating lack of sleep. The beginning was very interesting and different from the usual King introductions: it seemed completely normal. Takes you off guard. 
• I found this story actually very easy to read (despite it being 787 pages) and not overcomplicated. 

Plot: 

• The plot of this book starts out very strange, and only gets stranger as you read. As I said above, Insomnia begins with a man named Ralph Roberts. He is dealing with heavy insomnia after his wife passed away from cancer. Ralph lives on Harris Avenue in Derry, Maine (a town notorious for having been invented by King, used as a stage for many of his stories) along with a few others. The block is mostly populated by the elderly, and Ralph becomes friends with Bill McGovern (his roommate) and Lois Chasse (a neighbor). 
• As readers of TDT may know, Insomnia draws many parallels between the series. Ed Deepenu, one of the residents on the block, starts to show signs of insanity. He founds a group dedicated to stopping abortion rallies from taking place in Derry. Ralph, despite dealing with heavy bouts of insomnia waking him an hour earlier each night, catches wind of Ed's insanity. Little does he know that he is intertwined with Ed. 
• The book goes on to reveal that Ralph (and eventually Lois) are seeing auras. They can draw from them, kind of steal the energy like some form of vampirism. They encounter beings that control the powers of Purpose and Random. Eventually they are recruited by these beings to change the course of time by saving a boy. 
• Obviously there are insane amounts of detail that I am leaving out here, but I can't spoil all the fun! 
• Ralph and Lois eventually get married and begin to try and live life outside of the auras and the forces working beyond their comprehension. The book ends with Ralph honoring a promise he made long ago, to a pair of doctors. 

Opinion: 

• I can't say anything bad about this book, honestly. There were a few times where I felt my feet were dragging, but other than those I was completely consumed the whole time. 
• King has a way of writing age, if that makes sense. He has a certain air about him when he is writing from the perspective of an older person, Ralph was no exception. It was as if I could literally feel the insomnia, the aching joints, the headaches... seeping into my head as I continued. Very touching stuff. 
• I did find myself not as fond of the ending as I thought. I don't even know what I expected but I felt like there was unfinished business, and that King may have left something out... something for us to find later perhaps? 

Overall, an awesome read. King very rarely disappoints, and this book proved the rule. If you are a fan of The Dark Tower or King books in general, I would highly recommend you pick this one up. 

Thanks, and as always keep reading, 

K.