The end of 2023 marks the closing of a year that I have dedicated to broadening my literary horizons and pushing myself in my love for reading. On a personal note, there were lots of firsts this year: I wrote my first full review, received my first ARC, and conducted my first author interview. All of this to say, I’ve only fallen more in love with reading, writing, and more specifically, the genre of horror. While genre is a rather fickle topic, for the most part, my top ten reads of this year all fall in the category of horror or horror adjacent. Picking these ten books was an excruciating process, one that I pored over for months (literally, just ask my friends). I managed to read 150 books within these last twelve months, approximately 54,994 pages. The ten that I have selected have all resonated with me on a personal level and are books I think about weekly if not daily. These were all published this year (I had to narrow things down somehow), and if you’re interested in my other top picks, my Instagram and Threads pages have those posts. Now, onto the real reason you’re here.
10.) Fever House – Keith Rosson – Random House
I’m kicking off this list with perhaps the most fun I’ve ever had with horror, Keith Rosson’s Fever House. The rest of this list features books that tread rather emotional waters so to start off on a high note, let’s talk about the impending apocalypse that’s set off due to a cursed severed appendage. That’s right, the focal point of this novel revolves around a cursed severed hand which makes people act just a bit crazed when they’re around it. It’s first discovered by two hitmen (essentially) only to be lost and chased numerous times throughout the book, giving way to a much larger conspiracy and the introduction to numerous characters. One of the most interesting things Rosson does with Fever House is his method of storytelling, almost in a backward manner. Within the first few pages, the action starts and doesn’t let up one bit. However, as the story progresses, it isn’t until much later that we learn the origins of many of the characters or the seriousness of the actions that have unfolded within the first few chapters. We follow a pair of shadowy government operatives trying to obtain the hand for their agency, the son of former rock stars who is just trying to provide for his mom, and the two hitmen who originally find the hand. All this to say, there’s a lot happening, but it’s just so damn fun. Rosson doesn’t go easy on the gore or bloodshed which only adds to the mayhem that builds with each page. There’s so much to love with this book, and even more to look forward to with the sequel releasing in 2024, The Devil by Name.
My full review here.
Josh Hanson’s full review here.
Featured in Josh Hanson’s Best of Horror 2023.
9.) Black River Orchard – Chuck Wendig – Del Rey
Time to talk about the evil apple book. Chuck Wendig has managed to turn fruit into a nefarious entity. Somehow. The synopsis for Black River Orchard can really be boiled down to this: a new breed of apple is introduced to a small town where those who consume it begin to undergo some changes. Mind you this novel is 640 pages long. I was nervous about diving into this one for numerous reasons but chiefly, how in the hell do you make apples horrifying? Let me tell you, Chuck Wendig does so with ease, and I have never been more terrified of what’s in my food. One of the most impressive feats of BRO is the vast nature of this plot. This is done through the introduction of numerous characters and storylines such as what’s going on in the present timeline and short vignettes that provide clarity to how the hell we got here. Wendig writes very smooth prose, narratives that are easy to follow, and diverse, compelling characters that give this whole thing life. Even more commendable is that, despite the physical length, this story doesn’t feel long or overly drawn out. I managed to fly through it without even really realizing I had done so. There’s also something to be said for the very unique, very original monsters that emerge in the latter half of this book. Black River Orchard is a frighteningly, good time with a little something for everyone.
My full review here.
Featured in Ed’s Top Reads of 2023.
8.) Nestlings – Nat Cassidy – Tor Nightfire
Nat Cassidy first grabbed my attention with his novel, Mary: An Awakening of Terror, which if you haven’t read yet, you definitely should. His second book, Nestlings, is an entirely different animal but one of equal terror and arguably greater despair. Set in New York City, Ana and Reid have had an insane streak of bad luck until they win an affordable housing lottery which grants them an apartment at the historic Deptford building. However, given Ana’s complications in childbirth, she now uses a wheelchair. Unfortunately, not all that glitters is gold (or whatever Smash Mouth said) since their newly awarded apartment is on the top floor. Ana and Reid decide to move anyway with their infant child, Charlie. Of course, because this is a Nat Cassidy novel, weird things start to happen leading to catastrophic outcomes. Where Nestlings truly wins is through Ana. I have never felt such rage/annoyance/betrayal on a character’s behalf as I did with her. Cassidy manages to instill a strong sense of empathy in a relatively short space making Ana’s horrors more lifelike than ever. Additionally, the creativity behind the evils that lurk in the halls of the Deptford really set this novel apart for me. While (essentially) this is a vampire novel, Cassidy makes a nuanced jump by implementing essences of Jewish horror. In seemingly every way, Nestlings is simply a fantastic novel.
P.S. Nat, you’ve ruined Home Depot for me.
My full review here.
Zach Rosenberg’s full review here.
7.) What Kind of Mother – Clay McLeod Chapman – Quirk Books
It’s very fair to say that Clay McLeod Chapman is the king of “what-the-hell-did-I-just-read.” What Kind of Mother has been repeatedly reviewed as one of the most “WTF” books out there, and I’m here to say the people are right on this one. Chapman’s greatest strength is his creativity to relay incredibly complex and layered feelings and emotions into strangely visceral and concrete terrors. This level of originality and inventiveness he instills in each of his stories, namely WKOM, leads me to firmly believe this is his superpower. WKOM focuses on a small town situated along the Chesapeake where a single mother, Madi, reconnects with her high school flame, Henry, whose infant son has been missing for some time. The thing about Madi is that she’s allegedly a palm reader, and Henry believes she may be able to find his son, Skylar, due to her “abilities.” What unfolds from this is nothing you can predict, I can assure you. This is a gut punch of a novel that hauls the darkest parts of grief into the harsh light of day. Chapman taps into every parent’s nightmare of losing their child to give birth to this story, one of intense loss and desperation. Furthermore, this is a story that examines the power of manifestation and the creative process. Reading this novel felt like a revelation through Chapman’s commentary regarding the proverbial weight of thought and influence. Is this a very disturbing horror story that has people turning down seafood left and right? Yes. But it is absolutely so much more.
My full review here.
Zach Rosenberg’s full review here.
Josh Hanson’s review here.
Featured in Josh Hanson’s Best of Horror 2023.
6.) Some Shall Break – Ellie Marney – Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
It’s my personal belief that Ellie Marney’s YA/thriller/horror None Shall Sleep series is criminally underrated. Some Shall Break is the sequel to None Shall Sleep which has been heavily marketed as a young adult retelling of the very famous, The Silence of the Lambs. Without a doubt, it is very clear to see the influence of Lambs in Marney’s books, but there is a remarkable freshness to this story that I simply cannot get enough of. There’s really no way to talk about Some Shall Break without discussing None Shall Sleep so this is a two-for-one kind of situation here; the bare bones of this plot revolve around serial killer survivor, Emma Lewis, and potential future U.S. Marshall, Travis Bell. Set in the early 80s, these two meet under some unusual circumstances; they’ve both been recruited by the FBI to begin research on juvenile offenders, namely murderers. Of course, there are active crimes that kick things into high gear and span the course of two novels. Now, I’ll be the first to admit that my initial reactions to this synopsis were along the lines of, “Haven’t we done this a million times already?” Dear reader, Ellie Marney proved me very, very wrong. Marney writes about trauma and survival in a way that’s both accurate, respectful, and notably genuine. The authenticity that this brings to Emma’s character makes the series shine in addition to her friendship with Travis. Marney makes you care about these characters in mere pages which results in some very compelling reading. While the series is marketed as “YA,” there’s nothing about this series that shies away from the brutality of trauma, violence, or gore. If you’re hesitant to pick up this series for those reasons, let this serve as your notice to do so anyway.
I read this before I started reviewing, but you can watch this space for a review of book 3 when that releases.
5.) Black Sheep – Rachel Harrison – Berkely
Rachel Harrison does not miss. I’ve made it my mission to read each and every one of her books this year, and Black Sheep further solidifies her as one of the most prominent voices in horror today. By far, my favorite thing about all of Harrison’s books is just how relatable they are, especially from a female perspective. Whilst reading this novel, I ran out of sticky tabs to mark off important quotes or passages if you needed a physical metric by which to judge just how much I see my own feelings and thoughts reflected in her books. Black Sheep (as you may guess by the title) focuses on the outcast of the family, Vesper, a twenty-something who hasn’t returned home since she turned eighteen due to her family’s radical religious beliefs. However, a single wedding invitation changes that. From there, it’s best you go in blind. One of the most impressive things Harrison manages to do with this plot of extremism is make it applicable to so many religious institutions. There’s a certain brilliance in the plot twist that’s dropped about 30% into the story, one that had me jumping out of my seat. Faith entanglements aside, the other characteristic of note in Black Sheep is the analysis of identity as it relates to family. Vesper’s relationship with any given member of her family can easily be classified as complicated. A large portion of Vesper’s narrative is focused on her own uncertain feelings towards herself and her own identity in the face of some pretty hefty revelations. The ability to tackle these hard-hitting topics with a sense of resonance and empathy is what makes this story so stellar. On the whole, I just dearly love this book.
My full review here.
Zach Rosenberg’s full review here.
George Dunn’s full review here.
4.) Looking Glass Sound – Catriona Ward – Tor Nightfire
Where to even begin with this enigma of a book… If Clay McLeod Chapman is the king of “WTF,” Catriona Ward has been crowned the queen of all things dark, twisty, and unsettling in my mind. Her previous books, Little Eve, The Last House on Needless Street, and my personal favorite, Sundial, all exist on a plane of uncertainty until the last few pages in which burning questions are answered and (most) loose ends are tied up. Looking Glass Sound operates in the same way except I honestly cannot tell you whether I’ve fully pieced together what happened. More importantly, it’s one of the most brilliant aspects of this book. This novel focuses on a group of friends who grow close in childhood and are shaped by a certain set of events that unfold over the span of two summers. One of these friends, Wilder, wants to write about his experiences and ultimately has his story stolen from him in a manner of speaking. From there, we see these characters at various points in their lives and how these events have shaped them. Looking Glass Sound provides an unflinching examination of the power of perception, voice, and creative agency. The process of writing and creating anything requires a unique sense of self and an assertion of voice, something that’s under construction (so to speak) as we grow into adulthood. Ward holds this process under a microscope and creates a story within a story proving just how slippery memory and perspective can be. I’ve never been happier to be so confused by a novel.
My full review here.
Josh Hanson’s review here.
Charlie Battison’s full review here.
Featured in Josh Hanson’s Best of Horror 2023.
Featured in Ed’s Top Reads of 2023.
3.) Schrader’s Chord – Scott Leeds – Tor Nighfire
Music is something that has always been a large part of my life. I’m no musician, but one of the things I’m most proud to have inherited from my dad is his taste in music. Scott Leeds’ Schrader’s Chord not only manages to harness the magic of music across planes of existence but also manages to emphasize how tightly we are bound to one another through song. Charlie Remick must return home to Seattle to deal with the death of his estranged father who ran a local record store. His arrival home is marked with mixed emotions as he simply wants to get back to the life he knows away from his family. However, his father has left him something in his will: vinyl records that allegedly have the power to raise the dead. While a large part of this novel is fueled by the legend of these records, a greater part of Schrader’s Chord is dedicated to matters of the heart. Leeds creates flawed, genuine, and faceted characters that work to bring this story of cursed music to life. This plot of cursed items is intriguing but characters such as Ana and Charlie compelled me to fly through this book. Small, seemingly insignificant lines such as, “Everyone hates The Eagles. Everyone loves The Eagles. It’s all the same,” make this story so real and just so damn loveable. Often, I like to say that my favorite trope in fiction is “horror with heart,” and if there was ever a book that fit that description, it’s this one. I probably will never listen to Pale Blue Eyes by The Velvet Underground the same again (shoutout to Scott for making a killer (pun intended) Spotify playlist for this book which you can find here).
My full review here.
Josh Hanson’s full review here.
2.) Whalefall – Daniel Kraus – MTV Books
Whalefall by Daniel Kraus is one of those books that has people debating whether it’s more of a horror or thriller book and to that argument, I say, “Uh, this is a grief novel.” The premise seems fairly simple and entices readers looking for a “creature feature” so to speak: Jay, a young adult, goes diving in search of his father’s bones. As you can tell just by looking at the cover, trouble is found in the form of a sperm whale, one that swallows Jay alive. This plot line alone is notably captivating because let’s be honest here, how in the hell does anyone survive that? However, it’s Kraus’ insertion of flashbacks, sense of structure, and formatting that turn this survival tale into something so profound. Whalefall is not a long read, and more to the point, it’s a compulsive read. I don’t believe I’ve come across any other book that has instilled such a strong sense of urgency given that the chapter titles are the literal amounts of oxygen Jay has left to breathe in terms of PSI. Beyond that, his attempts to come to terms with his childhood and relationship with his father float in and out of consciousness, forming an almost cosmic level of atmosphere. There are honestly no words to fully describe my reading experience, and it is one of those books I wish I could read again for the first time. Whalefall will always hold a special place in my heart for these reasons and for the fact that it was the first book I formally reviewed.
My full review here.
1.) Night’s Edge – Liz Kerin – Tor Nightfire
If you follow me on any of my social media accounts or have talked to me in the last few months about books, then you probably know how much I love Liz Kerin’s novel, Night’s Edge. There are numerous things to love about this book, but to start, the premise alone is uniquely clever. In simplest terms, a young adult, Mia, continues to care for her blood-sucking mother, Izzy. It’s best you know little going into this one (as is the case most often with horror), but all I continue to think about this book is how authentic Mia’s character became with each page. Kerin writes with a very high degree of emotional intelligence that can be noted as nothing short of impressive. There’s a mounting sense of tragedy as Mia’s story progresses; I wanted nothing but more for her than the life she was living only increasing my investment in this novel. The dynamics at play between her and her mother are oozing with the threat of violence and clear manipulation, something Kerin doesn’t shy away from. I cannot help but tremendously applaud the creativity that went into demonstrating such a thing through the lens of vampirism in addition to crafting such a strong sense of authenticity. I wish deeply that I could discuss the finer details of this story that spoke to me, but, sadly, that would equate to discussing spoilers. My heart was ripped out of my chest by the conclusion of this novel and left me staring at the wall for longer than I should have. Night’s Edge is simply a must-read, a book that should not be overlooked, especially with its sequel, First Light, releasing in April of 2024.
My full review here.
A Year in Review
If you’ve read this far (and are still reading), thank you. 2023 has been a rather remarkable year for horror with so many amazing authors and books being brought into the spotlight. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to read all that I wanted to (I’m looking at you, Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle, Mister Magic by Kiersten White, and Our Share of Night by Maria Enríquez, to name a few). Being a relatively new, consistent reader to the genre has been a unique experience; I’ve tried to read “the classics” (King, Straub, etc.) while keeping the pulse on current releases. Through this whole experience, I appreciate everyone’s kindness and willingness to share their knowledge. To every person who has read one of my reviews, shared them, recommended a book, or just interacted with kindness, my profound thanks. I’m elated to have found my little niche in society to share my love of reading all things beautifully terrible. Here’s to 2024 and all the hope new beginnings hold. Cheers.
Amazing picks here! I’ve only read “Black Sheep,” so far, but ALL of them are on my tbr now.