Topherlytle

Home Before Dark is haunted house comfort food. If Stephen King’s The Shining is a multi-course meal paired with fine wine, Home Before Dark is a 10-piece nugget meal with an ice-cold Coke from McDonald’s. And let’s be honest, sometimes, that’s exactly what you want.

The story offers enough twists and turns to keep your attention and is always barreling forward. If you're looking for complex characters with rich inner lives, you won’t find them here but that’s not necessarily a flaw. This book knows what it is and leans into it.

Are there eye roll moments, yes. A few plot mechanics, tropes, and some unnecessary TMI from father to daughter come to mind. However, it’s a solid haunted house romp with decent creepiness, a central mystery (that you’ll probably see coming), straightforward prose, and easy-to-digest escapism.

Read this if you're in the mood for something spooky that won't demand much from you as a reader. It’s fun, engaging enough, and a perfect pick as the nights start getting longer in the fall.

Hell Bent was a slog for me. I really enjoyed the first book and typically love Dark Academia, but this one nearly became a DNF, and I don’t DNF books. I know reading is subjective, but very little worked for me here. It felt less like Dark Academia and more like an adult version of Twilight.

The story isn’t without its standout moments, but I couldn’t connect with the central motivation for the journey to hell—I simply didn’t care. If there’s a third book, I doubt I’ll pick it up. Ninth House is still a fun read, but this sequel just didn’t do it for me.

I guess if you liked Twilight, this might be your thing. The author is clearly talented, but this story just wasn’t my bag.

If I had read World War Z before 2020, I probably would’ve enjoyed it and moved on. But reading it post-2020? It feels downright prescient.

Told through a series of interviews conducted after the zombie apocalypse, the book pieces together a haunting oral history of how the world responded, and failed to respond, to the crisis. The format keeps things fresh, with each voice offering a distinct perspective, making it nearly impossible to get bored.

What surprised me most was how deeply unsettling it was, not because of the zombies, but because of how accurately it portrays global breakdown: conspiracies, misinformation, governmental posturing, denial, division… It all hits a little too close to home.

A compelling and eerily relevant read. Definitely worth your time.

Murder at Spindle Manor is, at its core, a classic murder mystery in the vein of Agatha Christie or Sir Arthur Conan Doyle—if those authors had written in a world steeped in Victorian spiritualism, steampunk fantasy, and horror.

The central mystery is well-crafted, the characters are fully realized, and the setting is dripping with eerie, atmospheric charm. The strange, supernatural elements only add to the fun, layering intrigue on top of an already engaging whodunnit.

This book is pretty unique in all the best ways. It felt like I was playing a video game in my mind, solving puzzles, exploring creepy halls, and uncovering secrets. I continue to enjoy books that are bold enough mash up genres, and this one leans all the way in. It’s a bonkers combination that somehow works for me.

Murder at Spindle Manor is, at its core, a classic murder mystery in the vein of Agatha Christie or Sir Arthur Conan Doyle—if those authors had written in a world steeped in Victorian spiritualism, steampunk fantasy, and horror.

The central mystery is well-crafted, the characters are fully realized, and the setting is dripping with eerie, atmospheric charm. The strange, supernatural elements only add to the fun, layering intrigue on top of an already engaging whodunnit.

This book is pretty unique in all the best ways. It felt like I was playing a video game in my mind, solving puzzles, exploring creepy halls, and uncovering secrets. I continue to enjoy books that are bold enough mash up genres, and this one leans all the way in. It’s a bonkers combination that somehow works for me.

Finished my first reread of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and had forgotten just how much this book not only sets up for the future books, but also manages to weave together multiple mysteries with satisfying conclusions—all while expanding the lore, history, and depth of the wizarding world. You really begin to see the personalities and traits of each character start to shine as they deal with the good and the bad in themselves, their circumstances, and the people around them, all wrapped up in a magical parcel.

One of the more profound things Rowling accomplishes with the series—especially evident here—is navigating the surprising, emotional, and at times difficult transition we all experience from childhood to adulthood, while never losing sight of the wonder that surrounds us, no matter our age.

While I can't yet rank the books in order of favorites, one thing I can say is that Rowling really begins to hit her stride in this third book. Not taking anything away from the first two, but there's an almost lived-in quality to Prisoner of Azkaban that brings a deeper sense of satisfaction while reading. I loved it when I first read it in 1999, and I love it even more now.

100% worth your time!

Project Hail Mary is a story of impossible odds, brought to life by laugh-out-loud dialogue and an unexpected depth of heart. Andy Weir delivers a thoroughly engaging and entertaining narrative that knows exactly what it wants to be, and absolutely nails it!

The story unfolds with clever pacing and surprising mystery, which pulled me in from the very first chapter. What's most impressive is how the novel tackles complex scientific theories and ideas, presenting them in a way that's not just accessible but genuinely fascinating. It's smart, funny, and emotionally resonant.

I kind of wish Weir was my high school science teacher. I think I would have retained a lot more information.

Dolly is something else.

While this is not my favorite of Hendrix's books, it's still pretty good. I was hoping for more horror. However, there is still the great mix of comedy, heart, and terror that I have come to love. There are some great twists and a surprising amount of family trauma and its lasting impacts on future generations. 3.5.

Ever wondered what would happen if you tossed Deadpool, The Legend of Zelda, Dungeons & Dragons, The Running Man, and The Hunger Games into a blender, then added a dash of South Park for good measure? Then Dungeon Crawler Carl might just be your next wild read.

This book is a fast-paced, joke-a-minute dystopian hellscape that turned out to be way more entertaining than I expected. Fair warning: at times, it's definitely more crude and crass than my comfort zone, with some humor aimed squarely at the lowest common denominator. But if you're into video games, TTRPGs, or irreverent survival stories punctuated by multiple levels of the absurd, you'll probably have a blast with this one.

“Writing is not life, but I think that sometimes it can be a way back to life.”

With humor, directness, heart, and wisdom, King shares key beliefs and insights for anyone who is, or wants to be, a writer. He delivers these observations through story and reflection, to great effect.

Even if you have no aspirations of becoming a writer, this book is approachable and engaging enough to be enjoyed by anyone. Better still, King doesn't belabor anything, he keeps it slim, purposeful, and sharply written throughout.

Give it a read if you want to improve your writing, you're a fan of King, or you're simply looking for a quick, thoughtful, and entertaining read.

3.5. While the story itself didn't fully capture my attention, I have to confess, the lyrical nature of the prose and the atmosphere of modern folklore gave the book a quiet charm. This is a brief read, but the language is beautiful and evocative. It feels less like reading a novel and more like listening to someone tell a tale while sitting on a porch near a forested riverbank. There's a warmth and simplicity to it that lingers, even if I didn't fully connect with the plot and characters.

Fun and comical novella that is pure escapism.

Where the Deer and the Antelope Play is an interesting, albeit unbalanced, work. I'm a big fan of Nick Offerman. Generally, I appreciate his humor, observations, thoughts, and desire for nuance. This book is at its best when his passion comes through with humor and humility rather than biting cynicism. I don't disagree with much of what Offerman asserts, and I certainly found myself chortling many times throughout.

However, he often falls into the same trap he critiques, speaking unkindly about people or groups as he groups them together as a monolith. Some portions of the book, particularly the last section, already haven't aged well. That doesn't mean it isn't filled with incredible nuggets and thoughtful challenges, it absolutely is, but the imbalance is most clearly seen in those later chapters. I wouldn't call it hypocritical, but when one of the book's core themes is nuance and a desire to understand, that gets a bit lost as frustration and anger begin to take the lead.

Overall, I appreciate this book. It brings up hard realities and challenging questions with humor and aplomb, even if it's clear who Offerman believes the villains are. I disagreed with several things and would genuinely love to have a real-life conversation with him about it.

If you're politically homeless, a Christian, a keyboard warrior, someone with little work ethic, a whiner, or a conservative, you'll probably feel uncomfortable at times—and I think that's okay. If you're a Trumpian conservative, a Christian nationalist, or a far-right Republican, you're likely going to hate this book. You should read it anyway.

3.5 stars.

I Who Have Never Known Men was an interesting and thought provoking read.This single-perspective novel is well written, well paced, bleak, and yet oddly beautiful. It follows a young girl as she grows up in the aftermath of an unnamed catastrophe.

It's a fascinating character study, one that explores themes of nature and nurture, the human instinct to keep going, to learn, and to experience life, even when hope wanes. Though undeniably melancholy, it is not without some brightness, and it is a book that lingers. I suspect I'll be thinking about it for weeks to come.

Orbital is not a book for those seeking the usual tenants of a novel. There's no action, mystery, dragons, murder, or sex, none of the conventional hooks that tend to drive popular fiction, and honestly, I think it's better for it.

The book follows a small group of astronauts as they orbit the Earth, offering observations, lists, musings, and a few brief but meaningful interactions. It's more meditative than narrative. This is a slim book, but it's not one to rush through. The author writes poetically, inviting the reader to slow down and contemplate on the idea of perspective, on how things are, how they might have been, how they could possibly be.

Some readers will likely hate this book. For some, it may be because they expected something different, or simply don't care for the writing. Others might reject it because they've turned it into a political statement in their own minds. Still others may dislike it because it dwells in ambiguity, or because they've never experienced the quiet joy of sitting alone, wrapped in wonder, thinking deeply about what they've just read. If I'm honest, there are plenty of reasons not to like this book, but I suspect most of them have more to do with what we, as readers, bring to it than with the book itself.

To those readers, I say: reread it. Give it another chance. Read one orbit at a time and let yourself dwell in it. Maybe read it outdoors. Read it slowly, one orbit a week even, and allow yourself space to look at the world a little differently.

I truly believe that most readers, if they allow themselves to slow down with this book and engage with its themes, even in disagreement, will find much more to like than to dislike.