Pet Sematary is about tragedy and evil, and how the allure of 'something more' can overcome logic. A man named Louis Creed moves into a new home in Ludlow, Maine. The neighbors, an elderly couple, are nice, but Mr. Crandall has some secrets about the makeshift cemetery near their backyard. Or, more specifically, what's beyond the gravesite.

Pet Sematary was a great book because of the space in between the tragedy. Stephen King describes the happy parts of the Creeds' lives, making them think everything's alright, while foreshadowing to the reader that something else is going to happen. He writes the devolution into insanity well in every book, but what stands out here is that Louis tries to rationalize his actions, and admits to knowing that what he's doing is wrong, but always goes back to 'But it's fine'.

If you enjoy Stephen King's other works, or are interested in which book scared the famous writer the most, you would enjoy Pet Sematary by Stephen King.

Mischa, 15

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After going through The Hollowing, a large group of people now need human flesh to keep their humanity intact but a synthetic flesh has been created as a substitute. When four girls go to a music festival one of the group goes feral and eats someone. They must figure out why this is happening and how to stop it before it's too late.

I liked this book a lot because of the combination of mystery and romance. The author's writing style gave the reader a glimpse of each character's experience with the hollowing and I found that to be helpful in understanding the characters' motivations.

The book is good for people who aren't bothered by blood and gore. I would also recommend this book to those looking to read LGBTQ+ romance.

Cambrie, 14

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The Victorian artist, Basil Hallward, is captivated by the young and attractive "Adonis" - Dorian Gray, whom he befriends and spends much time with. Dorian poses for Basil's portrait, which later becomes famous as "The Picture of Dorian Gray". Although Basil is hesitant, Dorian meets his friend Lord Henry, who he fears will corrupt Dorian's purity and charm. After seeing his portrait, Dorian becomes obsessed with his looks and becomes increasingly self-centered, leading him to make a series of questionable choices.

Few books have moved me as much as this one has. Perhaps it's because I've been exposed to subpar literature my whole life, but I've gained a newfound appreciation for classic and fiction books (before this, I had a strong preference for non-fiction). A good story is one thing, but an author's writing style is entirely another. Oscar Wilde's writing voice is incredibly powerful; even though The Picture of Dorian Gray is heavy on dialogue, it doesn't require elaborate scene descriptions since the dialogue effectively conveys the story. I can see why Wilde was known for his wit and eloquence in his time; reading just one of his books has already had an impact on me. The preface, often overlooked, was also deeply moving, and I encourage any potential readers to read it several times to fully grasp Wilde's message. I'm not sure what motivated me to purchase The Picture of Dorian Gray, but I'm certainly grateful that I did.

In my opinion, The Picture of Dorian Gray is a truly unique story, particularly given the intolerant climate of the Victorian era in which it was written. The book conveys the author's personal beliefs in a way that is both impactful and seamlessly woven into the narrative, making it a truly remarkable read. It's a book that anyone seeking a compelling story would want to read, particularly those with an interest in Victorian London.

Zari, 15

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In a post-plague world, two seemingly supernatural powers arise. A good, and an evil. Everyone has a choice, and as their numbers rise, so does the conflict. Only one power can remain and rule.

The Stand is a very lengthy book, and that was certainly part of the appeal. The Stand was very good in my opinion, because there were a lot of plot twists, and the characters were all well-written. It certainly was a bit sad, because there are many deaths, but that's another thing that makes it great.

If you like good-vs-evil type conflicts, violence, and suspense - and if you don't mind reading 1,000+ pages - then you would love The Stand by Stephen King.

Mischa, 14

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A fairly dysfunctional family has to stay together in a hotel cut off from the rest of the world for the summer. This hotel is infested by an evil spirit, one the young son of the family has many harsh encounters with. Danny, the boy, has a special ability, one this evil desperately wants.

The Shining is a thrilling book because the way Stephen King writes the different characters' perspectives provides insight into so many things. How the hotel begins to take over Jack's mind. How terrifying the nightmares that 'Tony' brings for Danny. How the survival instinct of a mom kicks in when her son is in danger. It dives deeper than a simple horror story.

If you like horror, the slow spread of insanity, and supernatural evils, then you would enjoy The Shining by Stephen King.

Mischa, 14

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The boys are stranded on an island and are unable to get help. As they try to survive in the wilderness, they encountered an obstacle more fierce and dangerous than all of the creatures in the area: the evils of humanity.

I think it was a great book it makes you think how terrible humanity can be when rules do not get enforced. I like how the fear of a great beast turned out to be something they made up in their minds because they don't know what the threat is. Though, all the behaviors displaying savagery in an uncivilized area is not necessarily accurate.

If you are having a great day and you have hope for humanity, then I would recommend you read this book and then reconsider your values of humanity. It is also great if you need to confirm your biases that the world is terrible, then this book is for you.

Anna, 15

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A retired, depressed cop gets a letter one day. This letter is a definite taunt to him. It is signed, 'Mr. Mercedes'. The letter's message is obvious: Do it. Kill yourself. The letter spurs the cop, Bill Hodges, to investigate the Mercedes massacre and find who the killer was.

I really enjoyed this book, because Stephen King made the plot twists intriguing, but not whack you in the face twists. Looking back, you can see 'Oh! That's how it ties together', which is, in my opinion, the best way to reveal a plot twist.

I would recommend this book to people who like murder mysteries, and don't mind gore or language that could be considered 'adult language'. This book would most likely appeal to older teens, but I read it at 14 and found it truly exciting.

Mischa, 14

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Two different timelines collide in an attempt at murder to cover up a successful murder that occurred decades before. Finders Keepers is the sequel to Mr. Mercades, and introduces multiple new characters, as well as adds a touch of supernatural to its predecessor.

This book was very good, but very confusing at first. You originally have no idea how to two timelines tie into each other and it can get confusing, keeping track of all the characters, but, in typical Stephen King fashion, it all works out in the end. I liked this because of how the timelines slowly converged, eventually becoming one.

If you like complicated books that force you to pay attention and end in cliffhangers, then you will definitely love Finders Keepers.

Mischa, 14

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The book followed an elderly women finding a note about a dead body in her woods. The majority of the story takes place in the women's mind and her thoughts, as she creates a story for the unknown victim. She ventures to uncover the mystery.

The book isn't unbearable, but it wasn't my favorite. It lacked a lot of action and just took place in the women's mind. Towards the end the book got a little more exciting, but the ending was rather lackluster.

I would recommend the book to those who read a little bit of everything. It's an interesting concept. I would not recommend to someone who is more interested in stories.

Grettel, 18

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The Gunslinger is a western fantasy fiction centered on Roland Deschain. As the last gunslinger of his kind,  he went on a horror-majestic journey filled with insanity to chase his nemesis, “the man in black.” Roland meets several characters along the way, including a boy named Jake, who joins him as part of his journey.

As the first book in the Dark Tower series, I like that it sets things up for future stories, but as a self-contain story, it falls apart right from the get-go. I will start with the negatives. The plot is dull and dreadful. There are significant moments or emotional moments that stick with you. The prose is dense but confusing. King loves to describe the scenery in this book precisely, and I like it at the beginning, but then it becomes a gimmick that annoys me. Also, the antagonist is a one-dimension type of bad guy. Now on the positive side. Roland is a magnificent protagonist. He has an intriguing backstory and motivation, and his personality is wacky and exciting, but his gun skills remind me of the cowboys in western movies. His father-son-like relationship with Jake is also one of the good parts. The world-building is phenomenal. I have never seen a world like this in the fantasy genre. It is so grounded and bleak but contains crazy creatures and people that make you want to learn or study more about it.

Overall, I recommend the book to those who love western and fantasy because it is a unique take on those genres and to those who love characters like Roland because he is worth your time, even if the story is uninteresting and lacks excitement. Additionally, I am about 50 pages into the next book, The Drawing of the Three, which is a vast improvement from the first book.

Minh, 16

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