All tagged favorite authors

IT – Stephen King

Despite its length, “IT” stands as one of Stephen King’s most unsettling and complex works, effectively weaving psychological and supernatural horror with real-world brutality. Although King has made a career out of exploring dark and unhinged themes, “IT” pushes those boundaries.

This House Is Haunted – John Boyne

"This House is Haunted" channels the spirit of a Victorian gothic novel with John Boyne capturing the genre's signature atmosphere and whispered gossip about dastardly deeds at a remote English estate. This unique blend of classic setting and contemporary heroine is the novel's greatest strength in what is otherwise a passably but mostly mediocre affair.

The Women – Kristin Hannah

Expectation: A sweeping story of hardship and survival set against major conflicts of the Vietnam War.

Reality: Informative and engrossing, if a tad long, Kristin Hannah once again delivers an historical fiction epic but continued trauma dumping on the main character lessens her credibility. 

Holly – Stephen King

Expectation: The author’s best character in recent years tackles another supernatural mystery. 

Reality: Somewhat sidelined by an infusion of current events, it still represents a satisfying entry into King’s recent forays into crime procedurals. 

Tom Lake – Ann Patchett

Expectation: The lauded writer swapping complex family dramas for a gauzy faux-Hollywood story.

Reality: Sentimental and affecting, it felt like a warm hug every time I revisited Lara’s past, even though not every memory is rose-colored. 

Wellness – Nathan Hill

Expectation: A decades-spanning exploration of lust, love and monogamous monotony. 

Reality: Smart, funny and heartfelt, Hill brings his characters to life in vivid detail while translating macro ideas about society into intimate, meaningful moments.

Night Shift – Stephen King

Reading this collection was a damn delight and a nostalgic serotonin boost that transported me back to high school when I devoured my first classic King novels in mass market paperbacks.  As my mini-reviews show, this was a mostly solid top-to-bottom collection that got better as the stories progressed. It showcased King at the top of his game - observant, reflective, emotional and downright scary.


Bel Canto – Ann Patchett

Expectation: A layered, nuanced and tense story of life and death.

Reality: Bogged down by too many characters and writing flourishes, it still packs an emotional punch in the end, but some readers (like my husband) will have given up by then.