NOS4A2 by Joe Hill

Pages: 704
Released:  April 30, 2013
Publisher:  William Morrow

Quick Recap:  NOS4A2 by Joe Hill (Stephen King's son), is a horror epic that will change the way you think of Christmas.  It's like a long episode of The Twilight Zone and I mean that as a compliment.  There is also a good dose of humor that keeps some of the darkness at bay.

The Plot:  A select group of flawed individuals (some much more than others) possess certain forms of magic that allow them to do incredible, sometimes horrible things.  One girl can find lost things using a bridge that only she can summon into existence.  A librarian can see the future by way of Scrabble tile messages.  And creepiest of all, one accused serial killer can take children that he kidnaps to a place called Christmasland where, without spoiling things, bad things happen.  When these characters cross paths, an adrenaline pumping horror story makes you forget how long this book is.

Favorite Scene:  An encounter at a gas station between the villain and some innocent bystanders is one of the most riveting things I've read in a while.

If I Could Change Something:  The ending was just okay compared to the greatness that preceded it.  Even though it is over 700 pages, it needed a few hundred more to truly do the story justice.

Reluctant Reader Approved:  SORT OF.  As one of my coworkers described this book, "it's a brick".  The length may scare some more than the plot, but even though there are a few segments that read slower than others, this book keeps a great pace almost the entire time.

Overall Score:  I would give this book 7 out of 10.  I really enjoyed it.