I began this Throwback Thursday meme as a way to share some of my old favorites as well as sharing books that I want to read that were published over a year ago. You know, the ones waiting patiently on my TBR list while I continue to pile more titles on top of them:)! I like that these older books are usually much easier than new releases to get a hold of at libraries and elsewhere. If you have your own Throwback Thursday recommendation feel free to jump on board, you’re welcome to use my pic as well. If you’d just link back to me I’d so appreciate it.
My PICK this week is:
Published 2011 by Scribner
My Rating: 4.5/5 Stars
Life can turn on a dime—or stumble into the extraordinary, as it does for Jake Epping, a high school English teacher in Lisbon Falls, Maine. While grading essays by his GED students, Jake reads a gruesome, enthralling piece penned by janitor Harry Dunning: fifty years ago, Harry somehow survived his father’s sledgehammer slaughter of his entire family. Jake is blown away…but an even more bizarre secret comes to light when Jake’s friend Al, owner of the local diner, enlists Jake to take over the mission that has become his obsession—to prevent the Kennedy assassination. How? By stepping through a portal in the diner’s storeroom, and into the era of Ike and Elvis, of big American cars, sock hops, and cigarette smoke… Finding himself in warmhearted Jodie, Texas, Jake begins a new life. But all turns in the road lead to a troubled loner named Lee Harvey Oswald. The course of history is about to be rewritten…and become heart-stoppingly suspenseful.
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I can’t believe I haven’t featured what might be my very favorite Stephen King read! Whether you’re looking for your next summer read or want to put this on your fall tbr, this would be THE PERFECT read for anyone looking to be swept away by amazing storytelling but don’t want the traditional horror that is associated with Stephen King. In my opinion, no one tells a story better than King and what makes this one so fantastic is there’s literally a little bit of everything….time-travel, suspense, thrills, and yes a love story! Of course, nothing in this story is as simple as I just made it seem and really isn’t that what we’re all hoping to find when we pick up a book? To be transported to another time and/or place, to be entertained and maybe to just contemplate the ‘what if’ of a significant part of history? You’ll get all that and more with 11/22/63, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!!
HAPPY READING!
More Throwback Thursday Picks Around the Blogosphere
Jill at Jill’s Book Cafe
Deanna at DeesRadReads and Reviews
Amanda at Literary Weaponry
Susan at Susan Loves Books
Julie at Novel Thrills and Chills
Nicki at The Secret Library
Stephanie at Stephanie’s Novel Fiction
Brilliant book! Excellent choice, Renee!
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Thanks Dee! This is on my re-read list for sure
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[…] began this Throwback Thursday meme at Its Book Talk as a way to share some of her old favorites as well as sharing books that she wants to read that […]
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I read this a few years ago, my first Stephen King book as I don’t like horror. There were aspects that I loved, the portal and the romance, but I found the Lee Harvey Oswald part was too drawn out and frustrating. 😦
Here’s my post for this week https://thesecretlibrarysite.wordpress.com/2017/06/15/throwback-thursday-10/
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Thanks Nicki! That may have also been my reason for knocking off 1/2 star, but I still loved it:)
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It was a clever story!
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Okay… Now I really really really want to read this! *hurries to goodreads*
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Great!! I hope you do, it’s SO good!
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My mother in law wants me to read this so badly but im intimidated by it for some reason! I will get to it soon. The reviews are all so positive!
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I own this book, and it has been on my TBR forever but for some reason I have never read it, which is crazy since I have a mild (umm much more than mild) JFK and Jackie O obsession. I guess I was afraid it would be super freaky scary and after I read The Shining, I have been too afraid to read King again, lol! He’s a brilliant author, and I own several of his books…I guess I need to just go for it and read him! Your review definitely makes me want to read it 🙂 I may have to revise my #20booksofsummer reading list since I’m finding new books I want to read before August, and I have to start teaching 5 college classes 5 days a week and taking 4 university courses of my own, ugh!! Summer needs to slow down…
Here is my TBT post:
https://stephsfictionandfamilylove.wordpress.com/2017/06/15/throwback-thursday-book-pick-the-glass-castle-by-jeanette-walls
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Wow, yes I’d read this before you go back to teaching for sure! That’s a lot of teaching on top of also taking classes. This Stephen King would be perfect for you, you might also like Joyland…no horror:)
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Thankfully I’m only teaching 2 seated classes this semester and only part-time, 3 days a week and the other 3 classes I get to teach online, so I can teach in my pj’s!! Yay! Those are much easier now that I have gotten used to online and have a format down. Just posting stuff to the boards, answering emails, and grading basically! I’ve asked to only teach 4 classes max, preferably 3, so I’m hoping that works out. Since it’s still June the powers that be are still juggling things. They like to wait last minute. I sometimes think I would be better off teaching high school, but I’ve been there almost 16 years, so I’m tenured.
I honestly might only take 3 classes…my husband is trying to persuade me since last semester was awful. I might. I just have to me at 3/4 status for enrollment.
I have all 3 books in the Bill Hodges trilogy because they sound really good, but I wasn’t sure if they would scare me to death, lol. And I bought The Green Mile after watching and loving the movie, but I still haven’t read it! I will have to check out Joyland! Thanks for the recommendation!
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The Mr. Mercedes trilogy is awesome as well, much different than the other 2 we’re discussing but I really liked them. The first one is super disturbing in a creepy psychopath way not really a super scary horror way if that makes sense. I hope you get to some of your Stephen King reads this summer:)
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That definitely makes sense! I can do creepy psychopath, lol! I love those! I’m hoping so too! The summer is going by too fast, and I have so many books I want to read 🙂
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I still have to read this particular King so it’s good to hear it’s such a great read! The fact that it’s something different from his usual horror reads is definitely a bonus.
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I find King to be a bit hit and miss, although he has written some great books (Misery, Cujo…) – I need to give this one a go, I think 🙂
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I agree Jo, I think you might really like this one if you’re in the mood for something different!
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Amazingly, this is the second post I’ve seen today where the book blurb contains the expression “sock hops” – different books, BTW – an expression I’ve never come across before. Pleeeeease tell me what it means??
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Haha, they are basically dance offs of long ago….girls wore long twirling skirts with bobby socks, partner with a guy and have dance offs…dance parties of long ago:)
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Sounds fun! I may buy some socks this weekend… 😉
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I wouldn’t usually gravitate toward King novels but I have to say this one has piqued my interest, especially the fact that it has time travel, a big historical incident and a love story all in one 🙂
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I hope you give it a try Raven, I think you’ll be surprised to find this isn’t what you’d expect from Stephen King:)
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❤ ❤ ❤ I remember finishing this book and feeling so sad that it was over!!!
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I won’t read horror, but I would like to read some of Stephen King’s work. I’ve heard so many good things about this book. It’s on my list!
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This would be perfect if you’d like to try King without the horror, he’s an amazing storyteller for sure! I’d also recommend Joyland as another shorter but very good read of his without any horror. Thanks for stopping by:)
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This one has been on my wishlist for some time now, but since I traumatized myself by rereading Cemetary, I don’t dare pick up another King xD
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No horror in this one though Donna, you might really enjoy the storytelling and time travel aspect of this one! I read Pet Cemetery as a teenager and was so scared!! I do want to try IT and see if he can scare me with that one:)
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Great pick. I loved this book. It had me guessing all the way wondering if the changes would occur. It was a book-club pick and we had fun reviewing it.One of my favourite quotes remains: The past is obsolete.
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Thanks! Me to, it was so suspenseful for that exact reason and then he also added in the love story and the setting details, it was all just fantastic…maybe a tiny bit too long but still, so good!
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[…] began this Throwback Thursday meme at Its Book Talk as a way to share some of her old favorites as well as sharing books that she wants to read that […]
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This one has been on my TBR forever! I’ve only heard good things about it… I am always intimidated about starting one of SK’s books because they are soooooo LONG lol Didn’t they make a TV series based off this book? Did you ever see it?
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I agree his books are long and this one could’ve been cut a little but it also reads so fast due to his awesome storytelling. I haven’t see this series, I wanted to but I think it’s only available on Hulu which I don’t have. If you see it on something else be sure to let me know, I’d really like to see how this plays out on screen!
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