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Kaela

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Kaela is Currently Reading

Kaela is currently reading

Dead of Winter

by Darcy Coates (Goodreads Author)

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"Look how they massacred my boy" — Feb 02, 2026 12:18AM

Jan 30, 2026 03:52PM

Kaela is currently reading

11/22/63

by Stephen King (Goodreads Author)

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Reading for the 2nd time

read in October 2024

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Kaela said: " The JFK assassination has never been a particular fixation of mine but I fear it is now!

I put off reading this book for a long time. I think I was just intimidated by the length - I know I've checked it out from the library before and ended up return The JFK assassination has never been a particular fixation of mine but I fear it is now!

I put off reading this book for a long time. I think I was just intimidated by the length - I know I've checked it out from the library before and ended up returning it because I didn't have it in me to read almost 900 pages at that time. So it might seem weird that in my current reading slump, this is the book that I decided to pick up. I've had a lot of trouble finding motivation to read recently (or do a lot of other things, but that's a conversation for my therapist) but something made me want to finally give this a shot. I am SO glad I did.

I was not prepared for how much I would completely love 11/22/63. Everyone knows I'm a big Stephen King fan, so it's not like I expected it to be bad, but I knew this one was unlike anything else he'd written so wasn't sure how it would go. But I was COMPLETELY enamored with this book. It was everything I love about King's writing (realistic, fleshed out characters and worldbuilding, emotional connections, a sense of dread that keeps me on the edge of my seat) and none of the stuff I don't (slow burns about boring things I don't care about, weirdly written female characters and endings he didn't know how to finish).

It's been a while since I read a book that had me EXCITED to keep reading. Not everything I've read this year has been a dud, but I've read a lot of "meh." Even the good ones didn't have me on the edge of my seat like this, eager to go home at the end of the day because it meant I got to keep reading. I felt like a little kid.

I loved the level of detail when we jumped into 1958. This was obviously very well-researched and even though (I thought) I knew what would happen, getting there was the fun part. I also loved the difficult decisions Jake faced during his time in the past... I thought the book would end after his main mission was complete, but seeing the aftermath and what he ultimately ended up doing was such a thrill. I love a little moral dilemma!!

The time travel stuff also just...worked. I don't always love time travel as a trope, it tends to get confusing and I check out pretty quick. But I loved the way it was written here, and LOOOOVED the concept of "the past harmonizes". Pretty sure I highlighted that like every time it came up, I just think that concept is so ..romantic, in a way? Idk it just really resonated with me.

I also loved the characters SO MUCH. I absolutely loved sweet Sadie and watching her relationship with Jake blossom was so heartwarming. I just loved the people of Jodie and I got emotionally attached to them quickly. This book made me cry multiple times and I LOVE when a book can make me cry. Like... this is words on a page, why am I crying??? How is this able to have that emotional effect on me???

The version I read also had a cute little section at the end of book club questions, including a playlist of songs King listened to while writing and RECIPES to make for your book club!! So cute.

Idk you guys this just felt so impactful for some reason. I sat at my keyboard typing and deleting and retyping things for a long time before I even knew where to start for this book, and I think it's because -- this sounds so cheesy -- it reminded me why I love reading in the first place. I felt sad when it was over. I just really loved it. It's too early to say where this will rank on my list of King books, but I'd guess it will be at least top 3.

And I will be watching the miniseries imminently! ...more "

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(page 568 of 849)
"I am scared" — 18 hours, 31 min ago

Oct 03, 2024 08:39AM · see review

Kaela’s Notes & Highlights

Book cover for The Quiet Damage: QAnon and the Destruction of the American Family

The Quiet Damage: QAnon and the Destruction of the American Family by Jesselyn Cook

21 notes & 72 highlights

In 2021, a staggering 15 percent of Americans agreed that the government, media, and financial worlds were “controlled by Satan-worshipping pedophiles,” polling found. By late 2023, that number had rocketed to 25 percent.