WAIT! Don't spend your Barnes & Noble gift cards yet! I've already done the research for you: 115 books read in 2018. I would have been more comfortable doing a top 20, just so no great books were left out, but ten is more concise and besides, I don't want you to burn your whole gift card collection because of me
Disclaimer 1: Only about half of these were published in 2018
Disclaimer 2: Not all of these are horror. Face it, other genres have cool stuff too
Disclaimer 3: Unlike those other top 10 lists popping up everywhere, I will attempt to rank my top 10. (which was really hard by the way, so you better appreciate this...)
Ready?
10: Northlanders: The Plague Widow, by Brian Wood.
BAM! Already a curveball. This is a graphic novel published in 2010. I read 15 graphic novels this year and this was the best one (honorable mention to Backderf's My Friend Dahmer) If you like Vikings, you will like this. If you like non-superhero comics, you will like this. If you like well done, serious comics, with some emotional heft to them...you will like this.
9: Firefly Lane, by Kristin Hannah
Ok, another curveball. I know this is a horror website, but you can't tell me that you have never seen this name before. You would literally have to walk around in a bookstore with your eyes closed to not see a Kristin Hannah novel. Hannah is a master of family dramas, and I challenge all of you black-hearted horror fiends to read her and not feel stuff.
8: Haven, by Tom Deady
2016 Bram Stoker winner for First Novel. I'm a sucker for coming-of-age stories, and this one got me. Surprised that it was a debut novel.
7: Rabid Heart, by Jeremy Wagner
Just when I thought I was done with zombies, along comes the film Cargo (Netflix, Martin Freeman!) and Rabid Heart to remind me that I'm not. I didn't read Wagner's first novel, The Armageddon Chord, but I guess I should now. Sidenote: Jeremy plays guitar for the death metal band BROKEN HOPE, so in all likelihood he has actually seen a real zombie by now...which explains a lot.
6: The Same Deep Water As You, by Chad Lutzke
Not the first time Chad has made my top ten. Of Foster Homes and Flies was #8 last year. I've already written a review for this one, which will posted here soon.
5: Wallflower, by Chad Lutzke
Remember when I said Lutzke has made my top ten list before? (see above) Well, now he has made it 3 times. Imagine Aronofsky's film, Requiem For a Dream with all of its emotion and darkness concentrated into a novella.
4: The Boulevard Monster, by Jeremy Hepler
2017 Bram Stoker Award nominee for First Novel. Really fast paced and fun book to read. Felt like Bentley Little on steroids.
3: Out Behind the Barn, by Chad Lutzke and John Boden
I've said all I have to say about this book already : http://horrordrive-in.com/serendipitynew/index.php?/archives/992-Out-Behind-the-Barn,-by-Chad-Lutzke-and-John-Boden.html Lets just hope that this isn't the last collaboration between these two
2: Cross Her Heart, by Sarah Pinborough
Pinborough's novel, Behind Her Eyes, was my favorite book of 2017 and this one was almost my favorite of 2018. As a matter of fact, every book she has published since 2015's The Death House has been a 5-star experience for me. If you haven't read her yet, first feel some shame...now go and fix it.
**drum roll**
1: The Listener, by Robert McCammon
This shouldn't be a surprise. I really don't know how this one isn't on everyone's top ten. The Listener is simply this: One of the greatest books by one of the greatest writers.
Written by Jason Cavallaro
Disclaimer 1: Only about half of these were published in 2018
Disclaimer 2: Not all of these are horror. Face it, other genres have cool stuff too
Disclaimer 3: Unlike those other top 10 lists popping up everywhere, I will attempt to rank my top 10. (which was really hard by the way, so you better appreciate this...)
Ready?
10: Northlanders: The Plague Widow, by Brian Wood.
BAM! Already a curveball. This is a graphic novel published in 2010. I read 15 graphic novels this year and this was the best one (honorable mention to Backderf's My Friend Dahmer) If you like Vikings, you will like this. If you like non-superhero comics, you will like this. If you like well done, serious comics, with some emotional heft to them...you will like this.
9: Firefly Lane, by Kristin Hannah
Ok, another curveball. I know this is a horror website, but you can't tell me that you have never seen this name before. You would literally have to walk around in a bookstore with your eyes closed to not see a Kristin Hannah novel. Hannah is a master of family dramas, and I challenge all of you black-hearted horror fiends to read her and not feel stuff.
8: Haven, by Tom Deady
2016 Bram Stoker winner for First Novel. I'm a sucker for coming-of-age stories, and this one got me. Surprised that it was a debut novel.
7: Rabid Heart, by Jeremy Wagner
Just when I thought I was done with zombies, along comes the film Cargo (Netflix, Martin Freeman!) and Rabid Heart to remind me that I'm not. I didn't read Wagner's first novel, The Armageddon Chord, but I guess I should now. Sidenote: Jeremy plays guitar for the death metal band BROKEN HOPE, so in all likelihood he has actually seen a real zombie by now...which explains a lot.
6: The Same Deep Water As You, by Chad Lutzke
Not the first time Chad has made my top ten. Of Foster Homes and Flies was #8 last year. I've already written a review for this one, which will posted here soon.
5: Wallflower, by Chad Lutzke
Remember when I said Lutzke has made my top ten list before? (see above) Well, now he has made it 3 times. Imagine Aronofsky's film, Requiem For a Dream with all of its emotion and darkness concentrated into a novella.
4: The Boulevard Monster, by Jeremy Hepler
2017 Bram Stoker Award nominee for First Novel. Really fast paced and fun book to read. Felt like Bentley Little on steroids.
3: Out Behind the Barn, by Chad Lutzke and John Boden
I've said all I have to say about this book already : http://horrordrive-in.com/serendipitynew/index.php?/archives/992-Out-Behind-the-Barn,-by-Chad-Lutzke-and-John-Boden.html Lets just hope that this isn't the last collaboration between these two
2: Cross Her Heart, by Sarah Pinborough
Pinborough's novel, Behind Her Eyes, was my favorite book of 2017 and this one was almost my favorite of 2018. As a matter of fact, every book she has published since 2015's The Death House has been a 5-star experience for me. If you haven't read her yet, first feel some shame...now go and fix it.
**drum roll**
1: The Listener, by Robert McCammon
This shouldn't be a surprise. I really don't know how this one isn't on everyone's top ten. The Listener is simply this: One of the greatest books by one of the greatest writers.
Written by Jason Cavallaro
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