NOW READING: Hearts in Atlantis

I always thought Stephen King would be too scary for me. I get scared easily. Actually that's an understatement. I get scared ridiculously easy and have some rather irrational fears. I hate large glass windows, fearing that at night I'll see a face peering in. I hate walking the 10 feet from the driveway to the front door late at night for fear of kidnapping.

So, I was reasonably hesitant when a Stephen King book was recommended to me. Fortunately, my recommender knew me well enough and assured me that Hearts in Atlantis is not a scary book. (I also knew him to be a trusted source as he'd previously assured me the movie The Room is not a horror film as I had thought based on the title.)

Hearts in Atlantis is a nostalgic series of novellas set in the 1960's to 1999. With recurring characters providing a consistent narrative and engaging story line. Quickly drawing me in, I fell in love with several of the characters, including Bobby, Sully-John and Carol. Though unlike many likable characters, I did not find the predictable and was often surprised by the choices they made. Just creative enough to make the story line intriguing, and realistic enough to remind me of people in my own life, I would highly recommend Hearts in Atlantis with the caveat, "not scary at all."