“All I can say is what you already know: some days are treasure. Not many, but I think in almost every life there are a few. That was one of mine, and when I'm blue -- when life comes down on me and everything looks tawdry and cheap, the way Joyland Avenue did on a rainy day -- I go back to it, if only to remind myself that life isn't always a butcher's game. Sometimes the prizes are real. Sometimes they are precious.”

Ever since I read "Joyland" the first time through, it has been my go-to recommendation for first time Stephen King readers. There are a couple of reasons for this. It's short in comparison to many of King's books; you can easily read it in a weekend, and it doesn't follow King's typical "horror" genre.

"Joyland" is the perfect example of why Stephen King is my favorite author. He is the master storyteller, plain and simple. This is one of those books to enjoy on the front porch with a glass of your favorite libation on a summer evening as the sun is just setting. 

It's a coming of age story about 21 year old Devin Jones, working his way through college, nursing a broken heart who gets a summer job working at a beachside carnival. Since this is Stephen King there's a little mystery to solve about a ghost. I generally don't like to know a lot about the novels I read beforehand, so that's all I'm going to give you. There are plenty of reviews that will go on and on ad nauseam. If you're looking for a book to escape into for a little while, something that won't require a massive commitment or you think Stephen King is all scare and gore, give this one a shot. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.