Book Review: Carrie

Lovely readers,

I cannot express to you how excited I am to be back in my reviewing game. It's been a long time, and I believed I lost some passion for books... man was I wrong. I think I simply lost passion for writing about them. But that passion has returned, so I won't dawdle too long on the details of my absence. I am, however, so stoked to write this review. This has been a book I've wanted to read and review for a long time, so here we go: Carrie by Stephen King.

First Impressions:

• This book is hotly popular, mostly because of the movie based on it. I find that I enjoy reading a novel/story without seeing a popular movie adaptation quite a lot (Haven't seen this particular King-based movie). 
• I was pleasantly surprised at how much this book is generalized in reading circles and other blogs. Typically Carrie is known for pig's blood, a girl getting bullied, and telekinesis... but this book, I found, is about much more than these things. More on that later. 
• I very much enjoy King's writing style here; I like how he includes first hand accounts, news reports, and all kinds of POVs in the story. Really makes the book seen multifaceted. Big plus. 
• Overall, my first thought was this was going to be a rollercoaster.... I wasn't disappointed. 

Plot: 

• This book begins right out the gate. It is centered around a young girl named Carrie White. She lives with her mother and attends high school in Maine (King's natural setting). She is raised in a horrifically religious household and is treated extremely harshly and crudely by her mother, as her father is deceased when the story begins. This is obviously a huge piece of contention and plays into Carrie's problems with herself, her classmates, and her home situation. 
• Carrie gets heavily hazed by her classmates. She is an outcast who is deemed ugly and awkward. One of the beginning scenes of the book is her showering in the girl's locker room after a gym class. She gets her first period, at sixteen, but doesn't have any idea what that is. Her mother, as a direct result of her feverish religious beliefs, doesn't allow Carrie to be feminine in any way. Therefore, an entire locker room of girls makes merciless fun of Carrie for her ignorance about her own anatomy. This is when the first inkling of her "abilities" occurs. She is able to bust lightbulbs. Her gym teacher comforts her after her girl classmates shower her with thrown sanitary pads and tampons.... screaming at her to "plug it up." The ringleader of this taunting is a young woman named Chris. Sue is also a pivotal character, as she is the only one who feels true sorrow and remorse for Carrie's troubles. 
• The book continues, shedding more light on just how difficult life is for Carrie. Her mother is extremely brutal with her discipline, making Carrie sit in a closet along to "pray" while staring at the Wrathful God (a painting on the wall of the closet depicting Jesus tossing souls in to hell). 
• I don't want to write too too much about the entire plot. But it is made aware to the reader that the prom is coming up at Carrie's high school. Sue, being extremely popular, decides to ask her boyfriend to go with Carrie to the prom. She does this partially to help Carrie come out of her shell, but it is also clear she is doing a good deed to perhaps relieve the guilt she feels for making fun of Carrie's ignorance about feminine cycles. 
• Sue's boyfriend, Tommy, agrees to ask Carrie to prom. He does this because he loves Sue. Meanwhile, Chris gets seriously reprimanded for bullying Carrie. Chris gets banned from the prom, sparking an angry streak in her that leads her to formulate a master plan to humiliate the poor girl. 
• Carries makes her own prom dress, crushed velvet in red. Soon, however, her mother notices and screams to her daughter how she attempted to kill her many times but "became too weak". Carrie exposes her powers and warns her mother not to try and stop her from attending prom. For a moment, her mother is subdued. 
• Tommy picks Carrie up, and everything seems to be going perfectly. She is slowly being brought into the world... slowly being showed kindness and compassion and acceptance from her fellow classmates. Carrie believes with her heart that they are all doing this for her good, that they are starting to care about her. But in her mind... she knows that this could all be an elaborate prank to hurt her. 
• Sadly... this ends up being the case. Chris schemes a nasty plan... as Carrie and Tommy are being crown prom king and queen, Chris (with the help of her sleazy boyfriend Billy) dump two large vats of pig's blood onto Carrie and Tommy as they accept their crowns. They begin laughing and pointing, publicly ridiculing Carrie. A bucket smashes into Tommy's head, killing him instantly. Carrie, fraught with rage and embarrassment, proceeds to lock all the doors and turn the sprinklers on with her mind. Little does she know, the cables connecting the amps and the sound system are exposed and a massive fire begins, sparking and electrocuting students as they remind trapped. 
• Carrie then goes on a massive spree of hatred and destruction. She sets fire to the school and enters the town, setting fire to buildings, destroying water sources, blowing up gas stations and demolishing churches. She finally makes it to her home. Her mother is waiting with a knife. She stabs Carrie through the shoulder, injuring her badly. But Carrie has the upper hand,  willing her mother's heart to stop beating with her powers. 
• The story ends with Sue clutching onto Carrie as she is bombarded with the girl's thoughts. Screaming how sorry she is to her mother, how they finally got her one last time. Sue seems to be the only one who feels her pain and accepts her tragedy. 

Opinions/Other Thoughts:

• This books makes me extremely sad for many reasons. The helplessness Carrie must feel... being unloved by everyone, even her own mother, is hard to imagine. 
• I believe the fact that her classmates finally tried to be nice to her, and it was working, then such a nasty prank happens... it just breaks my heart. 
• To me, this book is so much less about telekinesis and horror. But rather, this book is about a poor girl who was completely unloved and unwanted, mocked and poked fun at. Then, one small act of kindness helps this poor girl come out of her shell... only to be shot down by ugliness and hatred. This story breathes anti-bullying as much as it breathes science-fiction. 
• My biggest take away from this story was: be kind, be genuine, be compassionate, be understanding... if you see someone in pain caused by others, try and put a stop to it. This book broke my heart. 

Overall, I could not put this book down. I finished the whole thing in one night, one sitting. I cried like a baby, I smiled like an idiot. I highly recommend this book, and I believe it will be a classic for many years to come. Thanks for reading along, I'll see you next time.

As always, knowledge is power, 

Katie. 

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.