Horror is experiencing a continuing renaissance! Everything from steaming movies to video games and literature has been on point. So, naturally it was hard to come up with a Best Of list for HorrorFam.com’s Horror Reads Year-End Wrap-Up because all of the horror books I’ve read this year has been good to great. There were no duds. That said, these are the ones that grabbed me by the wrist and pulled me all the way in.
2023 might be at an end, but there’s still plenty of time to pick these titles up before the new year rolls in and your TBR* list begins to pile up with new releases. I present these in no particular order, because they’re each so good that it would be impossible to rank them with numbers.
*To Be Read
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- Fever House by Keith Rosson
- Maeve Fly by C.J. Leede
- Our Black Hearts Beat As One by Brian Asman
- Bitter Crown of Thistle by Alisha Galvan
- Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison
- Don’t Fear the Reaper by Stephen Graham Jones
- Out There Screaming: An Anthology Of New Black Horror (Edited by Jordan Peele)
- House Of Rot by Danger Slater
- And Now, a Word from HorrorFam.com’s Editor…
Note: Please stay tuned all the way to the bottom for a special End of the Year message from HorrorFam.com’s editor. Thank you! ♥ -L*
Become a Patron!Fever House by Keith Rosson
“A small-time criminal. A has-been rock star. A shadowy government agency. And a severed hand whose dark powers threaten to destroy them all.”
-Amazon.com
This was my first Keith Rosson novel, and it most certainly won’t be my last! The cast of characters are all so captivating and the gritty setting all make this horror novel impossible to look away from.
Imagine, if you will, a hard boiled pulp story told through the same lens as an A24 flick. If that sounds like something you would go for, check Fever House out immediately! The author has already stated that the sequel is on its way. I promise this needs to go to the top of your must read stack!
Maeve Fly by C.J. Leede
“A provocative and unforgettable debut that is both a blood-soaked love letter to Los Angeles and a gleeful send-up to iconic horror villains, Maeve Fly will thrill fans of slashers and the macabre.”
-Amazon.com
Maeve Fly is soon to be everyone’s new favorite American Psycho. Patrick Bateman’s story gets a makeover in this beautifully sadistic tale.
Though she works at a children’s amusement park in the day, at night Maeve Fly likes to haunt the bars in Los Angeles paired with a night smutty book to read. When her friend’s brother moves into town, something awakens in Maeve sending her down a dark path of revenge and destruction.
C.J. Leede really came out swinging with this one, and it will be interesting to see what she follows it up with. She’s a force to be reckoned with in the world of horror writing. Keep your eye on her name.
Our Black Hearts Beat As One by Brian Asman
From the author of the smash hit novel with the best title ever (Man, F*ck This House) comes Our Black Hearts Beat As One, the story of Michael Mallory, the lead singer in one of the up-and-coming band Modern Love.
When a breakup shatters his entire world, Michael gets involved in underground cult activity where he learns terrifying lessons about healing a heartache. Brian Asman continues to be able to balance humor and drama. I’m starting to feel like he can’t miss.
Bitter Crown of Thistle by Alisha Galvan
In this fast-paced thriller, a man abducts Caroline Stolar, a woman he’s obsessed with. It’s better to go into Bitter Crown of Thistle not knowing much more than that. The twist taken in this one will floor you.
Alisha Galvan is an author I discovered through TikTok, and I’m so glad I did — I signed up for an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC)! Clear your schedule for Bitter Crown Of Thistle. You wont be able to resist finding out what happens on the next page.
Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison
“A cynical twentysomething must confront her unconventional family’s dark secrets in this fiery, irreverent horror novel from the author of Such Sharp Teeth and Cackle.”
-Amazon.com
Oh, you thought your family was weird? Weird doesn’t even describe Vesper Wright’s family that live in an odd religious community. After being invited back home for a wedding Vesper must face her family’s secrets and her own future.
Rachel Harrison has released nothing but bangers since her debut novel The Return and continues her streak with Black Sheep. Her books make great gateway stories for readers who are just starting out on their horror journey.
Don’t Fear the Reaper by Stephen Graham Jones
“December 12th, 2019, Jade returns to the rural lake town of Proofrock the same day as convicted Indigenous serial killer Dark Mill South escapes into town to complete his revenge killings, in this riveting sequel to My Heart Is a Chainsaw from New York Times bestselling author Stephen Graham Jones.”
-Amazon.com
I was a huge fan of My Heart Is A Chainsaw, and this follow up in the Indian Lake Trilogy did not disappoint. You’ll have a hard time finding anyone who can write love letters to the slasher genre better than Stephen Graham Jones.
Jade Daniels might be the horror genre’s most important final girl since Sidney Prescott of the Scream franchise. Next year’s The Angel of Indian Lake will finish out this trilogy and these characters have gotten so close to my own chainsaw heart that I’ll be crushed to see them go.
Out There Screaming: An Anthology Of New Black Horror (Edited by Jordan Peele)
“NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The visionary writer and director of Get Out, Us, and Nope, and founder of Monkeypaw Productions, curates this groundbreaking anthology of all-new stories of Black horror, exploring not only the terrors of the supernatural but the chilling reality of injustice that haunts our nation.”
-Amazon.com
Jordan Peele is a household name in the genre at this point. After proving that he can put out original modern classics in the world of cinema, he turned his eye to the literary world this time.
Every author in this anthology has such a unique voice and captivates with the mystery and type of Twilight Zone vibe you would expect from a Jordan Peele product. I sincerely hope each of these talented storytellers get tons of work just based on the work presented in Out There Screaming.
House Of Rot by Danger Slater
Elenya and Myles just moved into a new apartment. I meant, sure there’s pink mold growing out of the walls, but that comes with any fixer upper right? There’s also sealed doors and windows to go with the weird neighbor, but it’s probably fine. Oh, now the mold is growing and there’s no escape? Well, that might be a problem.
Danger Slater is a master of cranking out weird stories that you’ll have no trouble suspending disbelief for. If you’ve never read any of his work, make it one of your goals for 2024, starting with House of Rot — one of the best horror books of 2023!
And Now, a Word from HorrorFam.com’s Editor…
Hey, Fam!
As another year comes to a close, I wanted to once again express my never-ending gratitude to everyone who has supported HorrorFam.com this past year: From Eustasia, our lone Patron, whose $11 per month has covered our hosting fees for yet another year (HUGE THANK YOU!!); to everyone else who read, listened to, watched, shared, and otherwise enjoyed our content; and, of course, to all of the horror creators who have made/are making such amazing things for the genre we love (and love to talk about!).
I don’t want to hijack AJ’s amazing post — nor the focus it has on the talented horror book writers he’s featured! — so I’ll leave it at that for now. 🙂 It anyone would like to read my full message of thanks, plus my review of everything HorrorFam.com achieved this year, check out my post HERE.
Thank you again for everything, Fam! I’m looking forward to interacting with you all again next year!!
–Lauren*
HorrorFam.com Owner/Editor
Images featured in this post via Pixabay and AJ Spencer.
