Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Ope!

Rate this book
Hell is Real in Kerry Falls, Ohio

Ope! Sasha, a millennial medical office manager, accidentally summoned someone horrible, evil, and ancient - her great-grandfather! Will Sasha, her best friend Aiden, and his partner Trevor have what it takes to stop a medieval necromancer before he takes over Kerry Falls and… the WORLD?

169 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 25, 2025

7 people are currently reading
34 people want to read

About the author

Kyle Rolinatis

3 books25 followers

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
18 (45%)
4 stars
16 (40%)
3 stars
5 (12%)
2 stars
0 (0%)
1 star
1 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
Profile Image for Peter Topside.
Author 6 books1,466 followers
December 21, 2025
3.5 stars. I couldn’t put my finger on the style of this story was. I finally looked at some of the other reviews and someone mentioned that it felt very YA, and that nailed it. I’m not a fan of that type of book, so it was a little tough for me to stick with this. The way the characters were written, the language and behaviors, it was hard, but that’s just my personal preference. Lots of fun banter between our leads, which brought some much needed levity to the otherwise serious premise. However, it did become too much after awhile. And I felt like I was skimming through portions of their dialogue, in search of the antagonist, Ronain. I wanted a lot more from him and for everything to lean much harder into the horror elements. Not my favorite read, but still a decent outing for fans of YA-style horror.
Profile Image for Kate Victoria RescueandReading.
1,950 reviews115 followers
February 7, 2025
What do you do when a seance goes terribly wrong and your necromancer great, great, great, great, great, great (possibly a few more greats) grandfather comes back from the dead to unleash HELL ON EARTH!?

You grab your bestie, try to defeat evil, and crack a few jokes along the way. Or at least that’s how Sasha & Aiden are going about things.

I loved the characters and their dynamics and humour. Quite a few times I’d find myself chuckling when one of them said or thought something witty (even in moments of dread).

It’d be great to see a few of these characters make a comeback in some of the author’s future works. “Ope!” was definitely a surprise hit for me, it hadn’t even been on my radar until recently. It’s definitely one to check out.

If humorous horror isn’t your jam, the author has another darker story to check out (The Harbinger), but personally I love the mixture of cracking up and then being absolutely terrified.
Profile Image for Danielle Yvonne.
303 reviews34 followers
February 7, 2025

“…remembering when they were young and he always wanted to watch the psychic on the Montell Williams show, Sylvia Brown, and believed every word she said.”

This was such a fun book! Yes, it’s a horror. But the humor sprinkled in is a flashback to all things millennial!! This story brought me SO much nostalgia!! Beyond that, you have a super fking OLD warlock that comes back via a seance gone rogue and the FMC and her friends need to stop this unhinged necromancer asap. 🫣🤭

I absolutely loved my first read by Kyle which was The Harbinger. That one has a much darker tone so seeing Kyle’s range and ability to change things up was really nice!!

This book releases on the 25th but is available for preorder now!!
Profile Image for Nancy.
22 reviews
February 27, 2025
OPE! Was such a fun read I finished this book in a day. The story was just fantastic I mean come on who doesn’t love an ancient evil necromancer who happens to be the great grandfather of Sasha. It was so fun to read the communication between Sasha and Aiden they are such great characters with great personalities. The sarcasm between the two was just phenomenal I adore their friendship. OPE! Was such a great mix of horror and comedy definitely 10/10.
Profile Image for Ziggy Nixon.
1,167 reviews36 followers
July 5, 2025
Out of nowhere, thunder crashed loudly.

So class: what lesson did we take away from reading Kyle Rolinatis' "Ope!" Anyone? Little Tommy, do you know? (pause here for a bit of drama) Very good! That's exactly right! We should never mention the name of an ancestor we've just discovered was an insane warlock, necromancer, and potentially even (throws up a little in mouth) a herbalist when someone is hosting a fvcking seance right before a full Blood Moon that just happens to fall on Halloween! Especially in the middle of Ohio (oh NOW you're screaming?)! Well, now that we've answered that, let's move on to the one book the state still allows us to teach from, namely, "So You Want to Run a McDonald's Franchise", starting at page 163…

This is all a good and fucked up medieval history lesson, but how do we stop him?

I kid… kind of. It's my way of stressing (ok, who shouted "your wife"? How rude!) that I did really enjoy "Ope!", which as-is is apparently an odd midwestern colloquialism of some sort. I should also stress that the internet has been no help at all in terms of helping me decipher its meaning and is comparing it to saying real words like "open", "whoops", or some vague variant of "sorry". Whatever it means, I'm now walking around my house saying "Ope!" to both animate and inanimate objects like I'm making any kind of sense whatsoever… or by some miracle that any of these things will finally start listening to me. No one ever does (listen I mean) so go ahead and just zombify me, what do I care? At least I'll get some exercise what with all the lurching about.

I have a knife and a few personality disorders, so you are probably in some danger!

Anyway, the very first thing the book, um, says is "Scotland 1689". So obviously I was sold right away. And yes, some very brave hearted (ha ha, get it?) things happen in our prologue that only make similar things happening (redundant AND repetitive, n'est-ce pas?) in modern day Kerry Falls, Ohio all the more poignant. And funny, too. You know, in a "ha ha, they shot that guy's head clear off!" kind of way. Or in a "I hope they save the day because otherwise there's going to be an immortal and very likely insane necromancer running things from now on" kind of way! Personally, I don't see the downside here over what we already have in 2025, but I have been accused of flinging vitriol and other medicinal sounding things about fairly regularly for the past several months.

Okay, now you’re quoting Trump? Wow.

Ahem… back to our story: Rolinatis (great name!) does a really good job in what amounts to a relatively short book-slash-quick read… and that's with a good deal of literal slashing to be had as well. I found myself drawn into poor Sasha's (oops, that may be a bit spoilery) life almost from the get-go. But she's a regular kind of person living a very regular kind of life that we other regular people can really relate to. Regularly. However, why any apparently caucasian person in America still looks into their geneaology is beyond me. I mean we haven't exactly been a group of folks that find really great surprises hidden in the past, because most of the time if someone did something kind or important, well, it's been discussed to death at every Thanksgiving meal for the past umpteen generations! (for the record, my family only discusses the things which naturally avoid all the embarrassing facts, like all the countries - including Scotland - that our ancestors were asked, usually quite sternly, to leave at once or face all kinds of stabby retributions! Brave settlers my hairy white butt!)

See, I told you. We are in deep shit!

OK, back to getting back to our story: the author also does a terrific job selling the setting, both with the requisite "Hell is Real" signs (we also have the "Repent or Else!" ones down South) as well as the spooky cornfields full of spooky things and, um, corn. Trust me, after having lived with a cornfield nudged right up against our back fence for about 27 years now, you know just how essential they are to either setting up a story with the right ambiance (bookclub question: if it's terrible and horrifying, does it still count as ambiance?) or providing a spot for creatures that are currently killing and/or eating and/or injecting folks with something called Versed to do their thing. Goodness knows when we invariably get wild pigs out back they make a ruckus that would rival a zombie invasion for sure! All-in-all, a great place to avoid like, say, the freaking plague. Which may also be part of our necromancer's evil schemes, who knows?

It’s not illegal to walk through a cornfield in a muumuu and slippers.

So to review: genealogy (or again, spelled as geneaology, I don't know), not a great plan under the circumstances. Plus if someone shows up - particularly in someone else's body - and starts doing anything remotely resembling evil cackling, run away. If doors keep inexplicably unlocking themselves and standing wide open at all hours, again, run away. Tell you what: just to be safe, no matter what situation you find yourself in currently, run away. Reading my review on goodreads? Yeppers, you guessed it: run away! But remember to take your copy of "Ope!" - a well-executed, funny and also quite spooky book - with you, because it's obviously both entertaining AND instructive! Welp (slaps knee), I spose I gotta be headin' out now.
Profile Image for Alison Faichney.
438 reviews2 followers
February 13, 2025
So I knocked this little guy out in two sittings and I can’t deny it’s a compulsive, accessible read. Rolinatis has been on my radar since she released The Harbinger, which I still need to read. From what other reviewers are saying, The Harbinger might fit my vibe a bit better. Ope! is more of a campy, cinematic tale which will definitely entertain many readers.

In Ope! we follow Sasha and her best friend, Aiden. Aiden has recently gotten back from New Orleans where he met Madame Claudette and decides to have her perform a seance in his small apartment outside of Cleveland, OH. What could possibly go wrong? Sasha chooses to channel the spirit of her seventeenth century great-great…. grandfather who apparently was quite the necromancer and warlock. Things go awry. I wasn’t a huge fan of Aiden or Sasha but Trevor was a pretty dope dude.

The tone in the book is fairly light to the point where I would consider it YA in vibe, but it’s still fairly gory. I assumed Ope! would lean pretty heavily with the more midwestern cliches, but the humor is pretty sparse until the end where Rolinatis throws us a few zingers that had me laugh aloud. I will say the vibe of the book felt a bit disjointed at times. It starts off kind of serious, stays dark in the middle and then goes into a more humor horror vibe that felt very cinematic. It’s a fun read and will easily delight readers who prefer accessible, campy fun horror.
Profile Image for Horror Reads.
920 reviews331 followers
March 26, 2025
This novella has an evil ancient necromancer, a small group of friends who must stop him, and a good dose of Midwestern humor mixed in.

When Sasha discovers that her great, great, great grandfather was a sorcerer and necromancer she decides to try and make contact with him during a seance party her best friend Aiden is holding. But this is going to go horrifically wrong. Because now he is loose in the world and needs to sacrifice Sasha in order to gain immortality. In the meantime, he brutally murders person after person to create his own army of the dead.

This novella is set in Ohio and if you're from the Midwestern United States' you'll recognize some of those things common in that area. Sasha is a fantastic character with a bad attitude and is easily sympathetic. Aiden and his boyfriend, Trevor, are along with her as they must face down this evil they've accidentally unleashed, as it leaves behind a blood soaked path throughout their small town.

It gets right to the point from the very first chapter and has a bit of humor thrown in to great effect. It's well written, the pacing is spot on, and there are several side characters who are quirky in their own ways. I highly recommend this one.
Profile Image for Nicole Sonnenburg.
53 reviews5 followers
February 20, 2025
OPE! is set in a small Midwestern town, Kerry Falls, Ohio. Sasha is just a normal girl living her life working in a doctor's office, with a lifelong stylish best friend, Aiden, who is a hair stylist. After Aiden returns from a trip to New Orleans, he meets a Medium who lets him know that she will be in town soon. He then arranges for her to come to his home for a fun seance party. One day at work, Sasha's coworkers are talking about genealogy, which inspires her to do some research herself. She discovers her great, great, great (x a bunch) grandfather happened to be a Necromancer, Healer and Warlock. When Sasha is at the seance party, she mentions contacting him, which unleashes his spirit and a ton of mayhem!

As a Midwestern girl myself, from Wisconsin, I enjoyed the charm and sayings such as "Midwestern Goodbye". This Horror Comedy was fantastic! The characters were so relatable and well developed. You could really feel the friendship and banter between Sasha and Aiden. This novel has the fun campy horror vibe with a cliff hanger of an ending. Will there be a sequel? Five out of five read.
Profile Image for Angel Medina.
Author 12 books109 followers
March 20, 2025
This was a fun read and it manages to crack a few jokes, such as the Montel Williams show where he had the psychic as the guest. That part triggered my childhood memories of watching the talk show. While the cover has a classic horror look, the story is mostly lighthearted. There's nothing wrong that. In fact, the subtle comedy made me chuckle and helped give the story its own flavor.

I love that the author dug into her family history to write a fun story. The dialogue flows well and doesn't feel stilted. Don't worry, there's plenty of gore for those who are looking for the classic gorefest, just be prepared to chuckle at a few parts. The only thing was that I wasn't a fan of Sasha, I found her to be unlikable. However, that is only my opinion.

Overall, this was my first Kyle Rolinatis book and it won't be the last!
Profile Image for Alison Hodyna.
25 reviews3 followers
February 19, 2025
I was lucky enough to be one of the very first people to read Ope! by Kyle Rolinatis. As a midwestern girlie, I thought the small town of Kerry Falls, OH perfectly captured what it's like to live in our quaint and quirky region. I adored the friendship between the main characters, Sasha and Aiden. Their dialogue read as incredibly natural! Their banter was hilarious. Ope! is a horror comedy that encompasses everything that a campy horror story should be. There were moments I laughed out loud and moments that genuinely gave me the heebie jeebies. If you're looking for a fun, fast-paced read with all the nostalgia of a great B horror movie and the feel of a small town facing catastrophe, you definitely need to read this one! It releases one week from today, 2/25!
Profile Image for Rachel Coffman.
Author 1 book3 followers
June 5, 2025
OPE! by Kyle Rolinatis is a fun, quick-paced adventure into a living nightmare! To start, I absolutely adore the amazing cover and title—they set the perfect stage for the story. The humor was spot-on, reminding me of my own foolish antics, and I adored the characters' relationships, particularly Sasha and Aiden's bond. Sometimes horror comedies can fall flat for me, but this book was the perfect balance. I’m a slow reader, but I was so invested in what was going to happen next, I could have easily finished it in one read. My only regret is not waiting until October to read this. A crisp autumn evening, spooky music, and Halloween decorations would have made for a perfect night. To be honest, I might reread it in October to recapture the mood, and encourage everyone else to join me.
Profile Image for Metal Megz.
23 reviews2 followers
March 26, 2025
The title sums the book up perfectly, Ope! 😅
A tale of misadventure and REALLY rotten luck. The novel has highly relatable characters that suck you into their world-- that is falling apart around them.
The storytelling and awesome visualization made it all play out like a movie in my head. It has the perfect mix of characters you love and root for, light-hearted humor, nods to the Midwest, and excitement that make you want to keep reading. The ending is just calling for a sequel! I can't wait to see what the author, Kyle Rolinatis, comes up with next. I also truly believe this could be the next horror/comedy hit film.
Such a fun read!
Profile Image for David Washburn.
Author 8 books136 followers
April 7, 2025
Ope! Is a fun play on Ohio lingo but aside from just playful wordage, this story takes a specific topic and throws a band of characters into a Midwest hell wirh a satirical paint job.

Ancestry gone wrong, spiritual medium that isn’t just a hustler, and summoning an infamous necromancer from over 400 years ago. What could go wrong?

This book does a great job never taking itself too seriously, being well written, and keeping the Die Hard references coming. The story was great. The action was great, and character dynamics made from good black comedy.

If you want a little dark humor that is under 200 pages and light on the horror but still original in concept, then Ope! is worth checking out.
Profile Image for Ali  O.
802 reviews46 followers
July 31, 2025
OPE! By Kyle Rolinatis
🌟🌟🌟🌟
This is a fun little quiet town horror novella. It also has a good amount of light humor mixed in as well.
Sasha and Aiden, are best friends and have a great relationship. Aiden decides to have a seance party with a Medium who will be in town.
During this seance, things seem to have gone wrong. Sasha has accidentally summoned evil from a past family member, who is now after her.

This is my first book from Kyle Rolinatis and I’m excited to grab another of her books! This story is well written and entertaining!

I listened to the audio version and the narrator did a very good job.

*Grab your book or audio version!!*

Bonus- It takes place in Ohio!!
2 reviews
February 12, 2025
Ope! is the perfect combination of horror and comedy.
The characters are well written and you instantly feel invested in them. The book is written from several different character perspectives which gives the story more depth and allows the reader to feel more connected.
The pace of the book is nice and it is an easy read. The story keeps you interested and the strategically placed wit and humor help keep it on the lighter side of the genre.
10/10 recommend! Looking forward to reading more from this author!
Profile Image for Brandy Watkins.
21 reviews
December 31, 2025
I discovered this book at BookCon, and it was written by an author local to my area in Ohio, which made it even more interesting to pick up. I really enjoyed learning about what originally inspired the author to write this story, and overall, I found it amusing. That said, because the book is short and fast-paced, there are definitely some gaps in the story which is the reason it is 3 ⭐️s. Still, I’d recommend it just because! 😂
Profile Image for Amanda Elizabeth Myers.
273 reviews8 followers
March 16, 2025
This book was fun. It was scary but also had some laughable parts in it. This book is why you don’t perform séance’s or mess with the dead period! Finding out she had a great grandfather who was a wizard seemed really cool at first until Sasha gets to meet him face to face. Can Sasha and her best friend Aiden save their little town from this ancient evil doer?
66 reviews1 follower
March 18, 2025
I really enjoyed this book. It has humor and evil between its pages.
A seance gone terribly wrong. Plenty of murder and blood.
Give it a read, I am sure you will enjoy it too.
Profile Image for Dianne Fries.
83 reviews4 followers
April 6, 2025
Is it OK to be amused by horror fiction? It is a page-turner and a warning not to mess with things you don't understand.
They shouldn't have opened this "can of worms."
Profile Image for ScarlettAnomalyReads.
685 reviews41 followers
June 2, 2025
I grabbed this on a whim, ha, a whim, no I grabbed this because of a review I saw from Allison H.
And did that pay off, this was a crazy ride, and now I need to check the other books out by this author.

I’m from the South and know a thing or two about small town quant type horror, the legend and lore kind, and the kind that lies deep in little old Miss Sheila down the road, so this book, was fantastic.
Sasha, accidentally fucked around and releases a real horror on herself and the town, and even worse, its Gramps.
Do you know the real horror in raising a necromancer, that just so happens to be an evil relative? It’s not good, but it is funny.

Sasha and Aiden work together to try to fix this mess, and save the town, but its not all horror and pitchforks, the laughter hits at the right times that make this book more then just another horror book in a small town, it makes it an adventure you can’t put down, I finished this one in a single setting, and secretly hope we get more of this later.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.