From the Bookshelf of Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge…
Find A Copy At
Group Discussions About This Book
No group discussions for this book yet.
What Members Thought

2019 re-read: I didn't love this as much as I did the first time (7 years ago, almost to the day, and just like now with a RAGING cold), but I also can't bring myself to remove a star from the rating.
2012: Stephen King, man. I've honestly never read any of his horror - which is what he's best known for, I guess - but this book?! I was crying so hard for the last five pages or so of it that I could barely read (so I guess I'm still a romantic at heart after all) ...which was also my reaction to ...more
2012: Stephen King, man. I've honestly never read any of his horror - which is what he's best known for, I guess - but this book?! I was crying so hard for the last five pages or so of it that I could barely read (so I guess I'm still a romantic at heart after all) ...which was also my reaction to ...more

Jake Epping is a high school english teacher, stagnant in his life and just "going through the motions". One day, his town's local diner owner confides in him several things: 1)He has a portal to the past, specifically 1958. 2)He wants to prevent the assassination of JFK. 3)He has laid a lot of the groundwork, but since he is dying of cancer, he wants Jake to do it.
I really *really* enjoyed this. I originally picked this up because a coworker said it was once of his favorite books, and also a go ...more
I really *really* enjoyed this. I originally picked this up because a coworker said it was once of his favorite books, and also a go ...more

Um, I liked it but I could have done without about a third of it. I liked the parts about Jake/George finding his way in the brave new world of the 1950s and '60s and the relationships he develops with various people there. I did not care for the parts that examine Lee Harvey Oswald's squalid life and debate and redebate about whether he was the only killer or there was a conspiracy. People who are more interested in the history here might like the overall book better.
...more

It will take me a few days to process reading this but I really loved this book! I might write a better review later but I am so glad I read this.

Time travel with Jake Eppping/George Amperson back to the late 1950s and early 1960s to try to save JFK from being assassinated...and his student Harry Dunning from having his family slaughtered on Halloween. Falls in love with Sadie Dunhill, the school librarian in small town of Jodie, Texas.
Yellow card man, resets, Al's diner, teaching, Mike and Bobbie Jill, dancing. ...more
Yellow card man, resets, Al's diner, teaching, Mike and Bobbie Jill, dancing. ...more

If SK didn't write this, I'd rate it 2 stars. The premise got me hooked. The first third of the book kept me going. The rest was just fits and starts. I can't say that it was boring, but I was often waiting for something better to happen.
(edit: I demoted the rating to two stars. It would have gotten 3 stars if the page count was cut by 75%) ...more
(edit: I demoted the rating to two stars. It would have gotten 3 stars if the page count was cut by 75%) ...more

I was really enjoying this up until the end, which felt rushed. But all in all a terrific read.

Feb 23, 2012
akaellen
marked it as to-read

Apr 22, 2012
Mary
marked it as to-read

Jun 30, 2012
alana
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
alternate-history,
sept-11

Jun 29, 2013
vivike
marked it as to-read

Jan 21, 2016
Kate
marked it as to-read