2025 Reading Challenge discussion

*Featured Buddy Read*
This buddy read is featured on the homepage and is pinned to the top of the July Buddy Reads folder. Otherwise it works just like every other buddy read!

If you are new to Buddy Reads, check out the sign-up thread for instructions and to sign up for future buddy reads!

You can join in the discussion even if your name isn't on the list!

This thread is to discuss It by Stephen King.

Pages: 1116 pages

Length: 2 months (June and July)

Participants: Cordelia, D.L., Beth, Surabhi, E

Everyone reads at their own pace during a Buddy Read. Because participants can be at different parts of the book at different times, it is extremely important to mark spoilers so that the book is not ruined for someone who is not as far along as others!!!

Mark spoilers by placing {spoiler} before the text and {/spoiler} after the text but use the < and > instead of the { and }.

Here are some questions to help get the conversation started! Feel free to look up discussion questions specific to this book or come up with your own. Just make sure any questions that contain spoilers are under spoiler tags.
Discussion questions are not required but may be a fun way to talk about the book and get to know each other!

Prior to starting:
What prompted you to join this buddy read?
Have you read this author before? What do you think of their other books?

Mid-read:
What character or ideas do you relate to the most and why?
Do you have any favorite quotes or scenes?

After reading:
What was enjoyable or not-so-enjoyable about this book?
Did this book change your perception about anything, either within the book (character development) or in real life?

I have the audiobook for this... there is a months-long wait for the book through Libby. The audiobook is 45 hours long; I will definitely be starting it this week!

I have been putting off reading this book for a long time. Its sheer size is super intimidating to me. But eh, let's give it the old college try!! LOL I'm looking forward to reading and discussing it.

Beth wrote: "I have the audiobook for this... there is a months-long wait for the book through Libby. The audiobook is 45 hours long; I will definitely be starting it this week!"

This book is very popular and hard to get on Libby, especially since the movies came out a few years ago. I hope you enjoy the audio version.

This book changed my life as a kid in the early 90's, lol.
Scared the ever living s*** outta me haha and honestly kick started my love of reading. I haven't read it in decades and currently reading some other King so I can't join in but gosh I hope you all enjoy it!

I have been keeping this book on hold because of the size and of course because horror is something I can’t read at all ! But I want to escape from the fear of reading horror. Since someone just mentioned that the book scared the s*** outta them, I’m really reconsidering my decision to read it 😭

Surabhi wrote: "I have been keeping this book on hold because of the size and of course because horror is something I can’t read at all ! But I want to escape from the fear of reading horror. Since someone just me..."

I totally understand, but we'll all be here to help each other through the scary parts if you give it a try.

Surabhi wrote: "I have been keeping this book on hold because of the size and of course because horror is something I can’t read at all ! But I want to escape from the fear of reading horror. Since someone just me..."
Surabhi, I was a kid my dear :) It was a lot of fun and it developed my taste for reading this genre! Give it a try!

I've got the audiobook too. Not starting just yet, but will probably start in about a week.

Hi everyone!
I have been putting IT off for YEARS and finally this gives me a reason to finish it! I’ve been moving all this week and can’t find my copy… but I know it is here somewhere. I also got the audio book and started with that.
Can’t wait to read with you all! Has anyone else read any other Stephen King?

Thanks everyone for showing support!
Definitely giving it a try :)
Will read with you all

E wrote: "Hi everyone!
I have been putting IT off for YEARS and finally this gives me a reason to finish it! I’ve been moving all this week and can’t find my copy… but I know it is here somewhere. I also go..."

I've read Pet Sematary (loved it!) and Misery (enjoyed it. Kathy Bates was perfectly cast in the movie adaptation for sure). He can sure spin a tale!!

Great book! I love Stephen King! 11/22/63 is one of my favorites!

Will begin reading this book either by Friday or Monday.
Depending on when I finish the book that I’m already reading
How about the others? Also, this is going to extend till July, right?

I've started reading already; I'm not even 20% in yet. I'm not sure if it's already planned to extend into July, but it won't be a problem; we'd just need to let SarahKat know. I am planning to finish in June for a reading challenge.

I've only recently started reading King. Misery is excellent (although I do think the movie is a tad better). I loved the Holly Gibney books, and Apt Pupil was just creepy. I think my first book was the anthology Skeleton Crew... I'll never forget the desert island guy drooling over lady fingers. (IYKYK)

Yes, it is meant to be a June & July read. It's so big we might get bogged down in just one month.

I need to finish the book I am currently reading before I start - probably another couple of days.

Oh, duh... I see in the heading this is set for June and July. That's good!

I'm a little over halfway in and really enjoying the story! I'm mostly listening to the audiobook narrated by Steven Weber... he is excellent! There have definitely been passages where I have been creeped out, as much because of the narration as what is being narrated. I'm really eager to see how this all plays out for the Losers Club!

Since it’s my first horror read I’m taking it a bit slow. Don’t want to overwhelm myself
I’m done with 2 chapters and I find it to be more of a thriller than horror till now. :D

Beth wrote: "I'm a little over halfway in and really enjoying the story! I'm mostly listening to the audiobook narrated by Steven Weber... he is excellent! There have definitely been passages where I have been ..."

Me too. Also listening and about half way through. Finding some passages scary. Others descrepyive and filling out the story.

Well, that was quite a ride! Definitely parts I enjoyed and parts I didn't. (view spoiler)[I hated Beverly's solution for "getting the gang back together." I mean, those were supposed to be 13-year-olds, right? It just stuck me as so out of the blue and gratuitous.

Also, the racist and ableist language and body shaming were incredibly difficult to hear. I get that's the way things were (and sadly, still are), but it was so constant and so effusive that it was really a problem for me. (hide spoiler)]

And, obviously, the gore and scary parts were what they were. (view spoiler)[I found the evil of the humans much scarier than the evil of It. (hide spoiler)]

I do know after reading the book that I never need to see any film adaptation!

I think I’m going really slow with the book. Iv just finished first part and the kind of thrill it has created is mind blowing

Hey everyone! I’ve decided to join you in reading It as well 😊 When I was a teen, I read all (then available) SK books in Lithuanian and I considered myself the biggest fan, haha. 😂 Then I haven’t read anything from him for years, and I haven’t read any of his books in English yet. So I am quite excited. 🙂 Also, I need a long book for the yearly TBR jar challenge, so I think this is going to be long enough. 😅

I have only read 1/4th of the book and it is quite interesting. Not as scary as I thought it would be.. but still it’s scary!

i read this every Oct I hope you all love it.

LinaVer wrote: "Hey everyone! I’ve decided to join you in reading It as well 😊 When I was a teen, I read all (then available) SK books in Lithuanian and I considered myself the biggest fan, haha. 😂 T..."

This is a long book, but we will get there! :D Have you begun?

Surabhi wrote: "LinaVer wrote: "Hey everyone! I’ve decided to join you in reading It as well 😊 When I was a teen, I read all (then available) SK books in Lithuanian and I considered myself the bigges..."

From what I remember of King’s books is that they’re all so gripping, the pages just flip themselves, so I am hoping the length will be no problem, haha. But you’re right, we’ll get there. I will start in a few days.

Hi everyone. I decided to join this as I like the movie and book. I have listened to the book multiple times and also seen the movie multiple times. I also enjoyed Bag of Bones and Carrie and liked those movies too.

Hi everyone, just discovered this read along. I found that I have been getting into Stephen King more. I never read this before, so I thought I join and read along with others. I've heard this was scary, that would be another good reason to read along in a group.. I don't have my copy yet, its on reserve at the library, i should be getting it soon.

Excellent, Rachel! I've kind of unintentionally made 2025 my "Year of King." I've read It, The Shining, and Full Dark No Stars so far. I still have Doctor Sleep, Needful Things, Pet Semetary, and 11/22/63 on my TBR for the year. Oh, and Never Flinch... Holly Gibney #4!

Rachel wrote: "Hi everyone, just discovered this read along. I found that I have been getting into Stephen King more. I never read this before, so I thought I join and read along with others. I've heard this was ..."

Plenty of time. This goes on for June and July as it is so long

Got my book from the library, so I will be starting today. Seems so fitting to start reading King on friday 13th 😁

Beth wrote: "Excellent, Rachel! I've kind of unintentionally made 2025 my "Year of King." I've read It, The Shining, and Full Dark No Stars so far. I still have Doctor Sleep, Needful Things, Pet Semetary, and 1..."

He has such a huge backlist that I need to get to. I've been reading on 11/22/63 and it has me hooked. I finally got my copy of it today. So I will be juggling two King "chunker"which I don't mind. I'm in the mood to read big books right now :)

This has been moved to the July folder! How is everyone doing on it?

Thanks, SarahKat! Everyone must be reading intently because it's been quiet in here. 😅

For me it's very slow going. 😅 I remember now that "It" was not my favorite SK book and that I am really not into clowns 🤣🤣🤣 Also, I don't want to comment here too often, so that I do not spam the topic haha

Hi, everyone, I am really sorry but I am withdrawing from this buddy read. I am DNF’ing It at this point. I gave it another hundred pages, and while it might be the best written DNF re-read ever for me, that clown has gotten into my nightmares already, and it is not what I need right now 😅

Hi, everyone, I too decided to withdraw from the group. I admit I'm reading another King book right now. I just can't handle to chunkers right now. So I'm putting "It" on the side for now. So its a soft dnf for now. I want to read it but not now.

Awww, LinaVer and Rachel, I totally understand! Thanks for coming along for the ride as long as you did!

I have two chonkers on my TBR this month (one is 11/22/63 by Mr King), so I'm not sure I'll get through both of them, but we'll see!