Joyland

"Joyland has been on my radar for a while now as something I knew I would like. Stephen King? Check. Kickass main character? Check. Tragic storytelling that hits the deep parts of you? Check. Serial killer mystery thriller? Check. Amusement Park subplot that teaches you the ins and outs of the job? Check. I mean what more could you ask from a book? Stylistically I felt some aspects of "The Dead Zone" in this one. The book is set into two different halves that link together but are still definitely separate. (Also, the one-night stand kinda deal) This style worked for me again and I actually really like it. This was really a genre masher too, it had aspects of mystery, horror, thriller, tragedy, and heartbreak. The messages about how unfair some people can turn out smoked me. Especially Mike. This novel is worth a read. "

"I love Stephen King and I’m considering myself a fan now. He’s gone 4 for 4 with me after reading this, Misery, 11/22/63, and one of his short story collections. All of them were amazing. I loved the main character Devin. Fantastic writing. The mystery was a good one too. Annie and Mike were perfect additions to the story. The ambience was so nice and vivid. Combined with the writing it really feels like you’re in a scorching hot amusement park in the 70s. And the ending was also perfect. "

"Loved it! Different than his horror books, but it was an extremely well written story."

"There is not that much of a plot. This book didn’t feel like a horror book. It didn’t even feel like a mystery. The mystery was so much on the side that it is easy to forget about it. This book is more of a coming of age story. <br/><br/>This book is a character driven story. The characters saved it from being terrible. I didn’t love them but they felt like actual people. I liked the interaction between Devin with Mike and Annie. Mike is disabled so i liked reading about that too."

"I did not think I was going to like this book at all. Although it seems like it’s a different path from his other books, it is a good one. It held my attention and the ending was great. I swear everything that comes out of that minds mind scratches a special itch in my brain I didn’t even know I had. "

"Just boring 🤷🏼‍♀️ nothing really pulled me into the story"

"Stephen King is a great storyteller! This one is not scary, though there is a ghost. It's a quick read, not too long, but a good mystery with a surprise ending. I enjoyed it!"

"I really enjoyed this story. I’m biased towards any story that takes place in NC. The fact that I read this exactly one week before our state fair was perfect timing for the spooky October month. Although not too much of a scary spook factor. I’m so oblivious when it came down to who murdered the girl. He def put on a good act with inviting the family to the amusement park and giving the kid the day of his life. I did have the feels for when the kid did pass away. That part made me a bit sad. I have yet to read a book that has really made me cry. I wish his mother didn’t have to keep him in the mind set of ‘if he doesn’t have the greatest day ever he won’t have his last greatest day ever, he’ll live a little longer’.....No. if you know he is down the road of no return you give that boy the best day ever like it’s his last up until he hits the big sky up above!! I’m glad Devin was able to give that to him before the end. And Devin’s character was enjoyable to read from his perspective. Wish he wasn’t so hung up on Wendy almost the whole time. He may have been able to get with his friend Erin. The haunted house, I wish was more explored. We got a little bit of it in the beginning and in the end but not so much of the entire story itself. Disappointed that Devin didn’t see the ghost girl but pretty brilliant as she moved the ride and left her head band for acknowledgement."

"Not your typical Stephen King book. But a really good read about a young man, his summer job working at a carnival and solving a 20+ year old mystery. It's about the friends he makes and the friends he loses. And it's a little about love. "

"I start every summer by listening to audio version of this masterpiece thriller! Being a New Englander it is one of if not my most favorite book!"