Stephen King 2025 read-along discussion

Happy August fellow Constant Readers! We're so happy to still have you along with us as we read through our favorite author's back catalog. Continuing on with BooksandLala's Buzzwordathon theme, for August we have to read something with "like" in the title. We will be diving into his most recently published work, You Like It Darker.

You Like It Darker is a collection of twelve stories published by Scribner in May 2024. The book was announced on November 6, 2023, via Entertainment Weekly, which provided a look at the book's wraparound cover, table of contents, and an excerpt from "Rattlesnakes", a sequel to King's 1981 novel Cujo. The stories included are as follows:


1. Two Talented Bastids
2. "The Fifth Step"
3. "Willie the Weirdo"
4. Danny Coughlin's Bad Dream
5. "Finn"
6. "On Slide Inn Road"
7. "Red Screen"
8. "The Turbulence Expert"
9. "Laurie"
10. Rattlesnakes (a sort of sequel to "Cujo")
11. The Dreamers
12. The Answer Man

In July 2024, King noted that his 2016 short story "The Music Room" had been omitted from the collection due to him forgetting about it, but that it would "probably" be included in the paperback edition.

The book debuted at number one on The New York Times fiction best-seller list for the week ending May 25, 2024.

In his USA Today review, Brian Truitt commends You Like It Darker for its array of twelve dark and engaging stories. The collection is praised for revisiting familiar characters and settings while exploring new horrors, such as deadly snakes, ghosts, and mad scientists. Truitt highlights King's ability to blend horror with deeper themes of talent, unrealized dreams, and existential musings. Despite some less impactful stories, the collection is noted for its gripping narrative and ability to evoke fear.

Because of how new it is, no adaptations have been slated quite yet but I'm sure given time there will be some on the horizon.

Who's excited for a new short story collection? I know I am! ESPECIALLY a sequel to Cujo? I mean who had that on their 2024 Bingo Card? As always, comment below if you'll be joining in on the fun!