Michael M. Hughes

Another deftly paced novel from Flynn. I worked my way backward in her oeuvre after tearing through Gone Girl, and it was interesting to see how her style has evolved. I loved the dysfunctional small-town setting and even the minor characters were memorable. I can't say it's quite as successful as Gone Girl, but how could it be? Nonetheless, well worth the read for her acid-sharp characterizations and prose.

There are some good tidbits here, but they are scattered among lots of dreck. If it were half the length it would work much better.

Donna Tartt's bestselling debut novel is not generally considered a supernatural book. Most people probably remember it as a sort of elite college murder mystery, as a tight group of brainiac students studying ancient Greek degenerate into murderous monsters. At the core of the story, however, is a ritual that invokes atavistic horrors and blood-soaked Dionysian revelry. Tartt tells, and doesn't show, this chilling episode, which paradoxically heightens its creepy intensity.

One of the best books on writing, period. This is the book that gave me the confidence to write my first novel (thanks, Steve!). Even if you're not a fan of King's fiction, but you think you want to write a novel, you should read this now. Seriously.

A fun popcorn read.