“And, as always, thank you for coming to another dark place with me.”

Absolutely, Stephen King! Wow—what have I been missing out on? This was my first Stephen King novel, and I loved it. Yes, I’m one of those people who loves hanging out in the dark places. Why? Because I’m endlessly curious about why we do what we do, especially the things we don’t want to talk about. The edgier, the better. And Holly? Pretty damn edgy.

Spoiler alert: This book follows a respectable older couple, both professors, who convince themselves that consuming human liver, brains, and fat will cure her sciatica and his dementia. This is their reality—this is how far they bend their moral compass. And it made me think deeply about reality itself.

What is sane? What is insane? How do we define the boundaries of our own realities? I used to believe my reality was a full-time job, a 401(k), a husband, and striving toward some ever-elusive “better.” Now? My world looks like this: living in Nashville, creating art, spending money joyfully, and living with my wife and kid. What?! This is not the life I imagined for myself years ago—but somehow, it’s everything I didn’t know I wanted.

Why am I so happy being everything I was taught to avoid—fat, lazy, foolish? It’s like I’m in my own personal twilight zone. Holly invites us to consider what happens when we let our reality shift, when we open up the lens and allow ourselves to see, believe, and be differently.

Don’t get me wrong—I don’t want to end up like the couple in this book, consuming humans to meet my needs. But I am all about pushing edges and following the energy of creation, connection, and nature instead of clinging to what I once thought was important.

If I can bend my reality to leave behind years of dark depression and step into a life filled with light and joy, what else is possible? And for the record, I’d much rather explore dark places with Stephen King than sit in the dark places of my own mind.

Highly recommend Holly—it’s a great read, full of twists, tension, and thought-provoking themes. Dive in. Just don’t have liver for dinner afterward. 😉