It’s Top Ten Tuesday time once again friends. I don’t often pick up books outside of my comfort zone but sometimes I get the urge or fall for the hype and end up giving in. I have a lit rpg on my list, a historical book which I usually hate and a few others that ended up pleasantly surprising me!
A Short Stay in Hell is a clever and unsettling read that turns a simple idea into something deeply thought provoking. It begins with a darkly funny twist as a Mormon man dies and discovers he chose the wrong religion. The true faith was Zoroastrianism, and now he must spend eternity in a Hell shaped like an infinite library. His only task is to find the one book that tells the story of his life. Once he does, he’s free to leave, though the odds of ever finding it are almost impossible.
The concept is fascinating and slowly becomes disturbing as the vastness of eternity sets in. The endless shelves, filled mostly with meaningless combinations of letters, capture the futility and madness of an infinite search for meaning. Peck blends humour and horror in a way that feels both strange and human, raising quiet questions about faith, purpose and the limits of understanding.
The novella shines most when exploring how people respond to hopelessness. The small society that forms inside the library feels both familiar and tragic, a reflection of how we repeat the same mistakes even in new worlds. The writing is simple and clear, but sometimes a little too restrained for such a powerful idea. I found myself wanting more… more emotion, more time with the characters and a deeper sense of closure.
Still, it’s a haunting little story that stays with you. Peck manages to capture the fear of infinity without relying on fire or suffering. Instead, he shows how eternity itself can be the most frightening punishment of all.
⭐️3/5 stars This is a book I feel like I’ll be thinking about for a while!
It’s Top Ten Tuesday time once again friends! This week the prompt is a Halloween freebie and I decided to pick 10 horror books that have caught my attention lately that I really want to pick up in the near future! I’ve been loving my exploration of this genre and I definitely want to try out some other styles of horror books out there.
When the Wolf Comes Home was such a wild, strange and unforgettable read. It’s the kind of horror that sneaks up on you, full of blood and chaos but with a surprisingly emotional core. What starts as a werewolf story quickly becomes something much deeper about fear, grief, loss and how the things we run from always find a way to catch up to us.
Jess, a struggling actress in L.A. barely holding it together, ends up rescuing a terrified young boy on the run from his violent father. From there, everything unravels fast. The pace barely slows down as they cross the country, hunted by monsters both human and otherwise. It’s tense and messy and full of moments that are equal parts horrifying and heartfelt. Some scenes go a bit over the top, but honestly, that’s part of what makes it so compelling. Cassidy leans into the weirdness and somehow makes it work.
The real strength of this book is how human it feels. Jess isn’t your typical horror heroine; she’s anxious, funny, flawed and feels incredibly real. Watching her stumble through impossible situations while slowly confronting her own fears was what kept me glued to the page. The boy’s story adds another layer too, showing how fear and trauma can take on a life of their own… literally, in this case.
When the Wolf Comes Home is fast-paced, unsettling and full of heart. It’s weird, gory and emotional all at once, and it proves that horror can be just as much about healing as it is about fear.
⭐️4/5 stars A wild, bloody ride that somehow still manages to hit you right in the feels.
This book was honestly one of the weirdest things I’ve ever read, and I mean that in the best possible way. It follows a shapeshifting alien stuck on Earth who changes between male and female forms to have sex with humans before, well… eating them. It’s bizarre, unsettling and kind of brilliant. Beneath all the chaos, it’s really a deep look at what it means to be human or what it means to never quite fit into the world’s expectations.
Through the alien’s voice, Min dives into big ideas about gender, queerness, loneliness and disability. The creature keeps changing shape, breaking every rule of identity, yet it still craves connection and love. There’s this strange tenderness underneath all the violence and hunger that makes it hit harder than you’d expect. It’s messy and emotional and painfully relatable at times.
The writing plays around with structure too, stretching out words and spacing to make you feel off balance, like you’re inside the alien’s head. It’s graphic, sexual and often confronting, but it’s also beautifully human in its own odd way.
Walking Practice won’t be for everyone, but if you like stories that are strange, gutsy and full of feeling, this one’s worth the ride.
⭐️4/5 stars, weird in the best way.
Amy Leigh Reads 