Revival by Stephen King Review

http://www.amazon.com/Revival-Stephen-King-ebook/dp/B00ILHW6AG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1416617671&sr=8-1&keywords=Revival
From Amazon: A dark and electrifying novel about addiction, fanaticism, and what might exist on the other side of life.

In a small New England town, over half a century ago, a shadow falls over a small boy playing with his toy soldiers. Jamie Morton looks up to see a striking man, the new minister. Charles Jacobs, along with his beautiful wife, will transform the local church. The men and boys are all a bit in love with Mrs. Jacobs; the women and girls feel the same about Reverend Jacobs—including Jamie’s mother and beloved sister, Claire. With Jamie, the Reverend shares a deeper bond based on a secret obsession. When tragedy strikes the Jacobs family, this charismatic preacher curses God, mocks all religious belief, and is banished from the shocked town.

Jamie has demons of his own. Wed to his guitar from the age of thirteen, he plays in bands across the country, living the nomadic lifestyle of bar-band rock and roll while fleeing from his family’s horrific loss. In his mid-thirties—addicted to heroin, stranded, desperate—Jamie meets Charles Jacobs again, with profound consequences for both men. Their bond becomes a pact beyond even the Devil’s devising, and Jamie discovers that revival has many meanings.

My Review: Four Stars out of Five (although I am really leaning to a low four stars)

I fell in love with the writing of Stephen King when I read my first book – Carrie gripped me. Then I read another, and another and then The Shining. I loved his writing and devoured his books…until I didn’t. He got weird and I just couldn’t get into some of them. Then some of them became hundreds and hundreds of pages and they were torture to finish. I thought he was returning to his roots when he released Doctor Sleep…almost, yet not quite.

Revival was still almost, yet not quite. While this wasn’t a terribly long book, it still started dragging in the middle of the book. I kept waiting on something to happen. And it did, but not until the last 10% of the book. Even then it didn’t end when it should have. It was rather anticlimactic.

Would I recommend this one? Yes I would. It was a good story. But if you are looking for original horror from the King of Horror, you will most likely be disappointed. Maybe I’m still stuck on REDRUM.

Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King Review

http://www.amazon.com/Mr-Mercedes-Novel-Stephen-King-ebook/dp/B00GEEB52S/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1402459003&sr=1-1&keywords=mr+mercedes

Stephen King is my favorite author. I especially loved his early books like The Shining, Cujo, Carrie and many others. Then he got weird. I had high hopes for Mr. Mercedes. There was no paranormal activity to horrify. There was only a run of the mill suspense book.

Mr. Mercedes is the one case that retired detective Hodges had not been able to solve. I had to suspend belief that a retired cop would enlist the help of a teenager and a middle aged emotionally challenged woman. Mr. Mercedes was not really all that scary. Certainly it wasn’t the horror books that King is known for either.

I gave this book four stars out of five, but it really should have been three and a half stars. It wasn’t anything spectacular. And not what I’ve come to expect from my favorite author. However, it was mostly an interesting book and if you like suspense books, you might enjoy this one.

Buy a book today!

For those of you who just got a new Kindle for Christmas – here are a few suggestions to help you fill in up so you can start some great reading.

Doctor Sleep is available today for $1.99 – this is a great sequel to The Shining by Stephen King and a great price.  Here was my review of it.

Mrs. Poe by Lynn Cullen was one of the best books I read in 2013.  I highly recommend this book.  Here was my review

Yesterday Road by Kevin Brennan – this is another inexpensive book (only $2.99).  A journey with an older man with some memory loss as he travels around.  This was a charming book to read.  My review is here

And don’t forget the classics – many of them can be “purchased” for nothing.  What a great time to re-read them or read the ones you’ve always wanted to read.

And you should follow me on Goodreads – I read lots and lots of books and review them as I go.  Plus there are several reviews already there if you are looking for a recommendation.  But even if you don’t follow me, you should certainly look around at what others are saying about books.  As you can see, I’m a huge fan of indie authors and their books.  I think we need to all support them in whatever way we can.  Their books are less expensive and often they are better books.