Love that you have Grady Hendrix and Stephen Graham Jones on here. I got to meet Jones a few years back and speak with him about horror and his Native background. He’s a delightful human being, funny, insightful, and one Hell of a great author! (Plus, we share a mutual love of the band Ween, which opened our conversation.) Great picks, as always!
My top ten in the last 10-15 years are below. I haven't added any information on the stories, as I don't want to spoil them for anyone. Some of these are part of a series, but I have included them as one selection, as they are in reality one story. I haven't included any of my favourites from my youth: Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Richard Matheson, James Herbert, Robert R. McCammon, but there are very many. I've always loved horror fiction. My youth and prior career were very bleak, so I think the horror seemed to take the edge of the reality I knew was there. I still love the genre and some of my recent favourites surpass some of the classic horror stories I loved. There may be a slight blurring of genre in my list, but I perceive these as horror stories, so they make my list. I'm not trying to do anything here other than share my thoughts on some books I have enjoyed in the hope that others check them out and enjoy them as much as I did. I have now finished work for two weeks over Christmas, so thought I'd waste some time and hope you get something from it. If anyone's read any of these and want to share their views with me, please let me know. The books I think you should check out are as follows: 1) The Passage trilogy by Justin Cronin. This series took me by surprise and I could not put it down (except when I had to wait for the second and third parts to be released). I have read it multiple times and it surprises me every time. Definitely my favourite series of books I've ever read. If you like the subject matter give it a try. It will surprise you and the unseen leap in the first book is so unexpected it leaves you confused and then hooked. I absolutely love this series and am glad I found it. 2) Coldbrook by Tim Lebbon. This is an amazingly under-the-radar story and blurs genres between sci-fi and horror beautifully. It's not a classic as such, but it is a great story and easily makes my second recent favourite. I have read this multiple times, as it's just a really great story with fantastic ideas and it grips tight. I love this one and I remember I just picked it up on a whim and am so glad I did, as it is just a great story and won't take forever to read. Lots of action and some really thought-provoking theories can be found in this book. I love it. 3) The Descent by Jeff Long. This is not to be confused with the movie of the same name, but I can't help but feel that the movie borrowed heavily from the subject matter within the book, but omitted to explore the deeper themes (no pun intended) present within the story. I feel like the movie 'The Cave' may have been somewhat influenced too, but not to the same extent. This book explores the human relationship with Satan and ancient legends. Just a really great read and very thought-provoking with regards to what is under our feet. There is a second in the series by the same author called 'Deeper', and whilst it is a decent read, it is nowhere near as good as the first book. You don't necessarily need to read the second book, as the first very much stands alone without it. One of my favourite stories and again, took me by surprise. 4) The Purge series by Sam Sisavath. This is a lengthy series and not very high-brow. Lots of action and guns and overwhelming odds, but it's just a really good story and the characters are likeable and you quickly get invested in them. Their back-stories are explored, so you understand who they are and what makes them tick during what is a strange apocalypse event. I think there're about 8 books or so in this series and they're all pretty long, so you can expect to enjoy a long journey. I've re-read it a couple of times and still like it now. A good read if you're going on holiday and have an e-reader. After this series ends, there are more stories involving some of the same characters in a different context, but I only read a couple of them and didn't enjoy them as much. 5) Fragment by Warren Fahy. This one is right on the border between horror and sci-fi; it's probably more in the latter genre, but there's more than enough monsters and unpleasant deaths to make it horrific. A really interesting concept exploring evolution in extreme isolation, Some good characters and just a nice, easy read that gets you thinking about the subject. It feels like there was a lot of research completed into the science behind it, which makes it more believable. A good story, which I think of fondly and occasionally read again when I want a quick standalone book to read. Some nice illustrations of the beasts and maps in the book too, which helps you understand the concepts and is a nice touch for the reader. 6) The Strain trilogy by Chuck Hogan and Guillermo del Toro. I really enjoyed this series and the biological explanation for vampirism was a nice twist. When I read it, I thought it would make a great TV series, which it does. I haven't finished watching it all yet, as I don't watch a lot of TV, but I'm glad I read the books first. A great series of books. Very well written and I was genuinely sad when it ended. 7) The Plague trilogy by Rich Hawkins. This one is set in England during what is best described as a Lovecraftian apocalypse and sees a group of friends on a stag-party trying to get to the coast and perceived safety. It is a great story with some likeable characters and their backgrounds are explored to help bond you to their fates. It's not going to be for everyone, but I really enjoyed it. It is gory and the mutated monsters are pretty horrible. They are all very different and the different ways they dispatch with their victims is brutal. When they start to swarm the urgency and hopelessness in the story is amped up. A good read and I liked that it was set in England, which is where I'm from. 8) The Grave by Russ Watts. A zombie story, which feels a bit different from some others due to the way the story develops. The religious zealot governance in the book is probably more concerning than the zombies. Some nice characters and one of the main ones is unlikeable, but you still root for him. It's not a long read, but is pretty compelling and doesn't really let up pace once they start their journey. I really enjoyed this book and have read it several times (quite recently again, which is probably why it made this list: I still really like it). 9) The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova. Not a horrific book in terms of gore, but it is just beautifully written and is so descriptive with regards to locations, you actually can picture yourself there. Links very closely to to the classic 'Dracula', but puts an alternate spin on the story and I loved reading this book. It's like a detective novel with an investigation spanning Europe and is just worth a read if you don't necessarily want something gory but want to read something captivating. 10) Rise Again by Ben Tripp. Another zombie story and an easy read and if you like this subject, I would definitely recommend it. Great female main character and the other characters are interesting and likeable. The story involves a lot of travel and passage of time, but enjoyable and feels more authentic than some books in the same topical field. Not for everyone, but I really enjoyed it and have re-read it several times, as it's just easy and not too demanding, but very enjoyable. I could have easily added another 10 to this list ('Zone One', 'The Road', 'Return Man', 'World War Z', 'Year 50', 'Hush', 'Diary of the Displaced', 'Positive'....... I'm going to stop now. I love reading horror and sci-fi and I hope this is helpful to other avid readers of the genre. Merry Christmas and all the very best for 2025.
Most of these are on my tbr, just haven't been reading lots of modern horror this year. The two that I have read and loved are extreme: The Black Farm and Gone To See The River Man.
Great Choices! The Fisherman is probably my all-time favorite horror novel - just epic! The novels you've listed that I haven't read yet are already in my library wishlist.
Interesting. Some of those I gave a one-star review to (Chainsaw, Fisherman) but others five (Head Full of Ghosts). I've added How to Sell and Mary to my 'to read' list. Good vid, thanks.
Reading Mary now! ❤️ Just ordered Whisper Man yesterday. Now I may have to order Chainsaw&Reaper by Jones and The Fisherman before the 6th 🤣 Dammit, Olly! 😂😅
I've started reading Grady Hendrix--read The Final Girl Support Group (really feel I would've gotten a LOT more out of that one if I'd been a fan of those old 80s slashers, but I still enjoyed it) and just finished My Best Friend's Exorcism, which I adored. Currently listening to Horrorstor, and am absolutely sold on him as an author.
yesssss How to sell a haunted house! So many people hate on this book but I love it so much. I'm shocked that Mary isn't available in the UK. I plan on finally reading that next month. I loved so many of your picks, added the rest to my TBR, except for the outsider. I think I'm the only one that didn't care for that book. Could be because I'm not big into crime. Great list!
Had the Fisherman not seemed like it was essentially two different stories in one, it would be absolutely incredible. Needless to say, standing alone, the two parts of the book are phenomenal and it definitely was quite captivating.
I couldn't get into My Heart is a Chainsaw, I think it was the writing style. I am thinking of trying it on audio because I hear so much praise for it, and I love slashers.
Slacker. I can't believe you didn't read ALL the horror releases. Fun list. I've read them all except the King book and liked them all. For me, The Lamb by Matt Hill is my favorite of 2023.
I've seen The Fisherman mentioned a few times, I'll have to scoop it up. Haven't read the Outsider, but the limited series they did on HBO was fantastic. I know I'm in the minority, but I didn't like Head Full of Ghost. I honestly don't see why so many people love it. I don't know if this is really a spoiler but: SPOILER I think the tension in this kind of story hinges on ambiguity around if the possession is real or not. I never thought anything supernatural was going on. Whenever anything that could be supernatural happens it's usually immediately undercut by the blog character or sometimes in the same scene.
I really think you would enjoy Unbury Carol by Josh Malerman. Its creepy, campy, pulpy, allll of the things I associate with Olly. I'll be looking up a couple from this list right away
They all look tempting - surprisingly, there's not one there that I have read, although I have read some other things by several of those authors. I have read more current Horror over the last few years than was usual for me; I felt out of touch with modern Horror, and so acquired some reading guides and lists for ideas, and generally it has gone well, except when certain types of "Extreme Horror" are just too much for me. Some books I enjoyed, published 2014-2023 Cuckoo Song, by Frances Hardinge (changling/artificial girl/hidden kingdom) Pretty Little Dead Girls, by Mercedes M. Yardley (fairy tale romance gone wrong/serial killer/"girl power" theme) In the Valley of the Sun, by Andy Davidson (vampire/Western vibe/ethereal and dreamlike at times) Phantom Effect, by Michael Aronovitz (special mention of this one, which is not doing well at Goodreads, but I liked it; interesting supernatural serial killer novel, and it was fun reading this book around the same time as Pretty Little Dead Girls, as they were fun to compare)
I grabbed In the Valley of the Sun a few years ago on one of those kindle $1 deals and never got around to reading it. I think this is the first time I've ever seen someone mention it, I'm excited to hear it was good!
The Fisherman was really great for the first chapters but then it lost me. I liked: The Girl With All the Gifts, The Only Good Indians, The Black Maybe, Head Full of Ghosts, Experimental Film. I guess that's enough, though there were others.
Thanks for this list! I put them all on my list for the next time I want to be scared, lol. I also read Ring Shout and I agree, what a phenomenal novella. It was even better the 2nd time for me as I really enjoyed the audio version with the accents and singing. Great recommendations!
I liked Bird Box very much and I have read something else by Malerman - the sequel, Mallory. It's got some good stuff in it, I suppose, but I really don't recommend it highly. A pity. The only other one on the list I've read is A Head Full of Ghosts and I thought that was great, even if the ending kind of let the side down. I'm a huge fan of what I've read by Tremblay - The Cabin At The End of the World was ace, and Disappearance At Devil's Rock was really quite special; absolutely heartbreaking as well as extremely creepy. I'm not sold on Grady Hendrix though. I read Horrorstör a few years back, and while it was beautifully packaged and a lot of fun, the actual story was really quite bad. I'm always willing to give second chances though, so I'll stick How To Sell... on the wishlist. Finally, I actually bought The Fisherman just today! It'll be a few months before I get around to it (the to read pile is huge...), but I'm looking forward to it.
I just don't see the hype around My Heart is a Chainsaw. I mention it in my own review but I felt like the final quarter of that book had absolutely nothing to do with the rest of it and it just felt totally unearned to me. That said, I really enjoyed the sequel. And second the love for Mary by Nat Cassidy. Excellent book *Edit* YEAHHHHH HEAD FULL OF GHOSTS!
I must confess that I remain blind to the merits of Paul Tremblay's A Head Full of Ghosts. I absolutely hated this novel and was greatly disappointed because the book was so hyped when it was released and came highly recommended by so many horror fans. Thankfully I am not completely alone with my opinion, but I am certainly in the minority. That said, have you done a full video review of the book? I'd like to hear more of your thoughts about why you think it is one of the 10 best horror novels of the last 10 years.
Tremblay generally seems to be quite a divisive author, and it does been like people who like one of his books might not like others. I’ve read Cabin at the end of the world as well no didn’t like that nearly as much. And yes, did do a full review th-cam.com/video/cLIahiB4BSE/w-d-xo.htmlsi=JS7DiNGNaq2GI1U9
Good list. I just can't get into Grady Hendrix. He's too silly, and I'm pretty hardcore about my horror. I've tried a few of his books and he always ends up irritating me to the point of anger, so... I'll just take your word on it for that one 'cuz I doubt it's for me. I like Stephen Graham Jones but he always goes goofy on me. I've got the Chainsaw book but after I didn't like The Only Good Indians as much as I should've (I liked it, I just thought the one-on-one-basketball with an elk woman was too dumb) and then read Night of the Mannequins (don't ever read that book, it's awful, just infuriatingly stupid) I've held off on reading any of his other stuff. But I haven't given up on him. Head Full of Ghosts is excellent. The Outsider is also really good. I still haven't read Bird Box, although I have it. I did read Pearl and didn't like it at all, but I have some more of his stuff and will give him another go. No Adam Nevill on the list? I think he's turning out some of the best horror anybody's ever done in a while, although I'll admit his newer ones aren't as great as his older ones (he's gotten in a bad habit of over-describing everything and it slows things down). Between Two Fires and Those Across the River by Christopher Buehlman are really good... although I just looked and they're slightly over the 10 year mark, so, guess they can't count. The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell is REALLY good, one of the best newer horror novels I've read in a while. Night Film by Marisha Pessl is *almost* in the 10 year range, and it's really good. Run on Red by Noelle West Ihili is pretty intense, good overall. I'm sure I'm forgetting some things. Honestly, though, I've started reading a lot more old stuff, because most new horror turns out to be really bad. With self-publishing taking down the firewall, and paid "influencers" making most reviews hard to trust (god, I keep getting burned by supposed four-star books) I'm close to giving up on anything written in the past ten years. But, I still keep trying for fear of missing that one good one amidst all the chaff...
I was a little bit underwhelmed by Night Film when I read it, I think because my expectations were maybe a little high. But it's stuck in my head when there are probably many books I rated higher since that I wouldn't be able to recall anything about. The infiltrating the estate bit of the book was great. Seriously weird and creepy. (You're probably going to tell me now that I've got the wrong book...)
@@alanpinks Yeah, Night Film is a strange one. It's not *really* a horror novel, ultimately... but it's so close and has such a weird, creepy atmosphere that I count it as one.
@@nunyabidness4220 I think we all get too hung up on genre definitions - genres are just useful tools to classify stuff, they're not real, inherent things. Night Film is weird and it's creepy and that's good enough for me.
Good list except for Grady Hendrix. I’ve tried 2.5 of his books (Dnf the last one, this very same one you mentioned, characters were stupid unlikable and puppets??? Cmon. Just stomp on the stupid thing) and they’ve all stunk. Just doesn’t work for me I guess.
Not sure I’ll ever understand why so many people love Grady Hendrix… I read HORRORSTOR and it just felt like a YA horror novel. Not scary, only mildly humorous… Cover: 10/10 Book: 5/10… I understand it’s a labor of love for Grady Hendrix but I probably won’t buy more unless given the strongest of recommendations.
I love Grady's work, yes his work is a bit juvenile but it's kinda the whole point it's meant to be campy and silly. Think of his work like Goosebumps but for adults. They're fun reads not meant to be taken too seriously
I honestly think The Fisherman has been one of the worst books I have read of recent. I found the horror elements almost nonexistent, and the characters felt very flat to me. Obviously, purely my opinion of course.
Love that you have Grady Hendrix and Stephen Graham Jones on here. I got to meet Jones a few years back and speak with him about horror and his Native background. He’s a delightful human being, funny, insightful, and one Hell of a great author! (Plus, we share a mutual love of the band Ween, which opened our conversation.) Great picks, as always!
That;s very cool you got to meet him!
I also really enjoyed The Fisherman.
I really liked Head Full of Ghosts. Bird Box is one of my favourites. How Josh Malerman made me see without seeing was brilliant!
My top ten in the last 10-15 years are below. I haven't added any information on the stories, as I don't want to spoil them for anyone. Some of these are part of a series, but I have included them as one selection, as they are in reality one story. I haven't included any of my favourites from my youth: Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Richard Matheson, James Herbert, Robert R. McCammon, but there are very many. I've always loved horror fiction. My youth and prior career were very bleak, so I think the horror seemed to take the edge of the reality I knew was there. I still love the genre and some of my recent favourites surpass some of the classic horror stories I loved. There may be a slight blurring of genre in my list, but I perceive these as horror stories, so they make my list.
I'm not trying to do anything here other than share my thoughts on some books I have enjoyed in the hope that others check them out and enjoy them as much as I did. I have now finished work for two weeks over Christmas, so thought I'd waste some time and hope you get something from it. If anyone's read any of these and want to share their views with me, please let me know. The books I think you should check out are as follows:
1) The Passage trilogy by Justin Cronin. This series took me by surprise and I could not put it down (except when I had to wait for the second and third parts to be released). I have read it multiple times and it surprises me every time. Definitely my favourite series of books I've ever read. If you like the subject matter give it a try. It will surprise you and the unseen leap in the first book is so unexpected it leaves you confused and then hooked. I absolutely love this series and am glad I found it.
2) Coldbrook by Tim Lebbon. This is an amazingly under-the-radar story and blurs genres between sci-fi and horror beautifully. It's not a classic as such, but it is a great story and easily makes my second recent favourite. I have read this multiple times, as it's just a really great story with fantastic ideas and it grips tight. I love this one and I remember I just picked it up on a whim and am so glad I did, as it is just a great story and won't take forever to read. Lots of action and some really thought-provoking theories can be found in this book. I love it.
3) The Descent by Jeff Long. This is not to be confused with the movie of the same name, but I can't help but feel that the movie borrowed heavily from the subject matter within the book, but omitted to explore the deeper themes (no pun intended) present within the story. I feel like the movie 'The Cave' may have been somewhat influenced too, but not to the same extent. This book explores the human relationship with Satan and ancient legends. Just a really great read and very thought-provoking with regards to what is under our feet. There is a second in the series by the same author called 'Deeper', and whilst it is a decent read, it is nowhere near as good as the first book. You don't necessarily need to read the second book, as the first very much stands alone without it. One of my favourite stories and again, took me by surprise.
4) The Purge series by Sam Sisavath. This is a lengthy series and not very high-brow. Lots of action and guns and overwhelming odds, but it's just a really good story and the characters are likeable and you quickly get invested in them. Their back-stories are explored, so you understand who they are and what makes them tick during what is a strange apocalypse event. I think there're about 8 books or so in this series and they're all pretty long, so you can expect to enjoy a long journey. I've re-read it a couple of times and still like it now. A good read if you're going on holiday and have an e-reader. After this series ends, there are more stories involving some of the same characters in a different context, but I only read a couple of them and didn't enjoy them as much.
5) Fragment by Warren Fahy. This one is right on the border between horror and sci-fi; it's probably more in the latter genre, but there's more than enough monsters and unpleasant deaths to make it horrific. A really interesting concept exploring evolution in extreme isolation, Some good characters and just a nice, easy read that gets you thinking about the subject. It feels like there was a lot of research completed into the science behind it, which makes it more believable. A good story, which I think of fondly and occasionally read again when I want a quick standalone book to read. Some nice illustrations of the beasts and maps in the book too, which helps you understand the concepts and is a nice touch for the reader.
6) The Strain trilogy by Chuck Hogan and Guillermo del Toro. I really enjoyed this series and the biological explanation for vampirism was a nice twist. When I read it, I thought it would make a great TV series, which it does. I haven't finished watching it all yet, as I don't watch a lot of TV, but I'm glad I read the books first. A great series of books. Very well written and I was genuinely sad when it ended.
7) The Plague trilogy by Rich Hawkins. This one is set in England during what is best described as a Lovecraftian apocalypse and sees a group of friends on a stag-party trying to get to the coast and perceived safety. It is a great story with some likeable characters and their backgrounds are explored to help bond you to their fates. It's not going to be for everyone, but I really enjoyed it. It is gory and the mutated monsters are pretty horrible. They are all very different and the different ways they dispatch with their victims is brutal. When they start to swarm the urgency and hopelessness in the story is amped up. A good read and I liked that it was set in England, which is where I'm from.
8) The Grave by Russ Watts. A zombie story, which feels a bit different from some others due to the way the story develops. The religious zealot governance in the book is probably more concerning than the zombies. Some nice characters and one of the main ones is unlikeable, but you still root for him. It's not a long read, but is pretty compelling and doesn't really let up pace once they start their journey. I really enjoyed this book and have read it several times (quite recently again, which is probably why it made this list: I still really like it).
9) The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova. Not a horrific book in terms of gore, but it is just beautifully written and is so descriptive with regards to locations, you actually can picture yourself there. Links very closely to to the classic 'Dracula', but puts an alternate spin on the story and I loved reading this book. It's like a detective novel with an investigation spanning Europe and is just worth a read if you don't necessarily want something gory but want to read something captivating.
10) Rise Again by Ben Tripp. Another zombie story and an easy read and if you like this subject, I would definitely recommend it. Great female main character and the other characters are interesting and likeable. The story involves a lot of travel and passage of time, but enjoyable and feels more authentic than some books in the same topical field. Not for everyone, but I really enjoyed it and have re-read it several times, as it's just easy and not too demanding, but very enjoyable.
I could have easily added another 10 to this list ('Zone One', 'The Road', 'Return Man', 'World War Z', 'Year 50', 'Hush', 'Diary of the Displaced', 'Positive'....... I'm going to stop now. I love reading horror and sci-fi and I hope this is helpful to other avid readers of the genre.
Merry Christmas and all the very best for 2025.
I really liked Coldbrook too. Eden is another good one by Tim Lebbon
Dude! Let’s go!
The first 3… now 4 books all seem super good. This is the first video I have found with recommendations I like so much. 🙏
Josh malerman is becoming one of my favorite authors. I would recommend A House at the Bottom of a Lake.
Most of these are on my tbr, just haven't been reading lots of modern horror this year. The two that I have read and loved are extreme: The Black Farm and Gone To See The River Man.
Great Choices! The Fisherman is probably my all-time favorite horror novel - just epic! The novels you've listed that I haven't read yet are already in my library wishlist.
Interesting. Some of those I gave a one-star review to (Chainsaw, Fisherman) but others five (Head Full of Ghosts). I've added How to Sell and Mary to my 'to read' list. Good vid, thanks.
Reading Mary now! ❤️ Just ordered Whisper Man yesterday. Now I may have to order Chainsaw&Reaper by Jones and The Fisherman before the 6th 🤣 Dammit, Olly! 😂😅
I've started reading Grady Hendrix--read The Final Girl Support Group (really feel I would've gotten a LOT more out of that one if I'd been a fan of those old 80s slashers, but I still enjoyed it) and just finished My Best Friend's Exorcism, which I adored. Currently listening to Horrorstor, and am absolutely sold on him as an author.
He's really good at what he does
Really enjoyed this video! A great list of books!!!
I’ve heard such great things about Fever Dream. Gotta check it out. Thanks !
Great list! I loved How to Sell a Haunted House, My Heart is a Chainsaw, Ring Shout, The Outsider, and Head Full of Ghosts.
I'm currently reading The Fisherman.
Did you enjoy it?
WoW! ALL of these sound so good that I’m going to save this list.
yesssss How to sell a haunted house! So many people hate on this book but I love it so much. I'm shocked that Mary isn't available in the UK. I plan on finally reading that next month. I loved so many of your picks, added the rest to my TBR, except for the outsider. I think I'm the only one that didn't care for that book. Could be because I'm not big into crime. Great list!
So glad A Head Full of Ghosts and The Fisherman both made the list. Great books. I liked Bird Box as well.
Great list. I loved Mary in particular.
Me too!
Great list CriminOlly! Have you read 2017’s Tender Is The Flesh by Augustina Bazterrica? Maybe not straight up horror but definitely disturbing.
I have - really enjoyed it! There's a review on the channel I think
Had the Fisherman not seemed like it was essentially two different stories in one, it would be absolutely incredible. Needless to say, standing alone, the two parts of the book are phenomenal and it definitely was quite captivating.
"Going through The Menopause" Olly you're such a Dad. 😅😅😅
I loved loved loved The Whisper Man!! Great mystery, great story, and a real gut-punch ending.
Ive always wanted to ask...what is your intro music from? It's really cool.
Who’s Afraid of Halloween by Alfred Grupstra from Pixabay. (It’s at the end of Ollie’s description.)
I couldn't get into My Heart is a Chainsaw, I think it was the writing style. I am thinking of trying it on audio because I hear so much praise for it, and I love slashers.
Slacker. I can't believe you didn't read ALL the horror releases. Fun list. I've read them all except the King book and liked them all. For me, The Lamb by Matt Hill is my favorite of 2023.
I am a third of the way through Mary by Nat Cassidy. It is SO good!! I loved Ring Shout! I was thrilled when Holly showed up in The Outsider!
Really glad you're enjoying it!
Definitely a hidden gem book! One of my favourite horror novels.
I've seen The Fisherman mentioned a few times, I'll have to scoop it up. Haven't read the Outsider, but the limited series they did on HBO was fantastic. I know I'm in the minority, but I didn't like Head Full of Ghost. I honestly don't see why so many people love it. I don't know if this is really a spoiler but:
SPOILER
I think the tension in this kind of story hinges on ambiguity around if the possession is real or not. I never thought anything supernatural was going on. Whenever anything that could be supernatural happens it's usually immediately undercut by the blog character or sometimes in the same scene.
Will check out ring shout.
I really think you would enjoy Unbury Carol by Josh Malerman. Its creepy, campy, pulpy, allll of the things I associate with Olly. I'll be looking up a couple from this list right away
Hells bells, as if my TBR pile wasn't high enough.
😂😂😂
Well, out of that lot I have The Fisherman and Ring Shout on my Kindle, so I think I know what I'll be reading next.
Aww Saw the movie made from Bird Box. Wish I had known there was a book which is always better. (it was probably in the movie credits!)
They all look tempting - surprisingly, there's not one there that I have read, although I have read some other things by several of those authors.
I have read more current Horror over the last few years than was usual for me; I felt out of touch with modern Horror, and so acquired some reading guides and lists for ideas, and generally it has gone well, except when certain types of "Extreme Horror" are just too much for me.
Some books I enjoyed, published 2014-2023
Cuckoo Song, by Frances Hardinge (changling/artificial girl/hidden kingdom)
Pretty Little Dead Girls, by Mercedes M. Yardley (fairy tale romance gone wrong/serial killer/"girl power" theme)
In the Valley of the Sun, by Andy Davidson (vampire/Western vibe/ethereal and dreamlike at times)
Phantom Effect, by Michael Aronovitz (special mention of this one, which is not doing well at Goodreads, but I liked it; interesting supernatural serial killer novel, and it was fun reading this book around the same time as Pretty Little Dead Girls, as they were fun to compare)
I grabbed In the Valley of the Sun a few years ago on one of those kindle $1 deals and never got around to reading it. I think this is the first time I've ever seen someone mention it, I'm excited to hear it was good!
I may not read a lot of horror but I would definitely accept your horror book picks, no questions asked. (Ok I’m lying maybe 1 question)
I love The Fisherman
It’s so good!
Fever Dream was fantastic! I could not put it down, it was so fast paced and I just had to know what happened
Awesome video!
The Fisherman was really great for the first chapters but then it lost me. I liked: The Girl With All the Gifts, The Only Good Indians, The Black Maybe, Head Full of Ghosts, Experimental Film. I guess that's enough, though there were others.
Ooohhh, I’ve actually read three of them!
Thank you 🙏🏽
No problem 😊
Thanks for this list! I put them all on my list for the next time I want to be scared, lol. I also read Ring Shout and I agree, what a phenomenal novella. It was even better the 2nd time for me as I really enjoyed the audio version with the accents and singing. Great recommendations!
All books I haven't read, but all but 2 by authors whose work I do know pretty well.
I liked Bird Box very much and I have read something else by Malerman - the sequel, Mallory. It's got some good stuff in it, I suppose, but I really don't recommend it highly. A pity.
The only other one on the list I've read is A Head Full of Ghosts and I thought that was great, even if the ending kind of let the side down. I'm a huge fan of what I've read by Tremblay - The Cabin At The End of the World was ace, and Disappearance At Devil's Rock was really quite special; absolutely heartbreaking as well as extremely creepy.
I'm not sold on Grady Hendrix though. I read Horrorstör a few years back, and while it was beautifully packaged and a lot of fun, the actual story was really quite bad. I'm always willing to give second chances though, so I'll stick How To Sell... on the wishlist.
Finally, I actually bought The Fisherman just today! It'll be a few months before I get around to it (the to read pile is huge...), but I'm looking forward to it.
I have only read two on the list! 👏🏻👏🏻 BUT I own a few more. 😊#readwhatyouownchallenge
Wow I’ve read all but 2!
I enjoyed How to Sell a Haunted House too 😊
I just don't see the hype around My Heart is a Chainsaw. I mention it in my own review but I felt like the final quarter of that book had absolutely nothing to do with the rest of it and it just felt totally unearned to me. That said, I really enjoyed the sequel.
And second the love for Mary by Nat Cassidy. Excellent book
*Edit* YEAHHHHH HEAD FULL OF GHOSTS!
looking through vids about horror and here i am!!
Hope you enjoyed it!
I must confess that I remain blind to the merits of Paul Tremblay's A Head Full of Ghosts. I absolutely hated this novel and was greatly disappointed because the book was so hyped when it was released and came highly recommended by so many horror fans. Thankfully I am not completely alone with my opinion, but I am certainly in the minority. That said, have you done a full video review of the book? I'd like to hear more of your thoughts about why you think it is one of the 10 best horror novels of the last 10 years.
Tremblay generally seems to be quite a divisive author, and it does been like people who like one of his books might not like others. I’ve read Cabin at the end of the world as well no didn’t like that nearly as much. And yes, did do a full review th-cam.com/video/cLIahiB4BSE/w-d-xo.htmlsi=JS7DiNGNaq2GI1U9
Thank you for taking the time to reply and for the link to your full review of A Head Full of Ghosts.
I tried to like MY HEART IS A CHAINSAW, I really did. By the end, I was fed up with the heroine and confused as to what was actually going on.🤷
Good list.
I just can't get into Grady Hendrix. He's too silly, and I'm pretty hardcore about my horror. I've tried a few of his books and he always ends up irritating me to the point of anger, so... I'll just take your word on it for that one 'cuz I doubt it's for me.
I like Stephen Graham Jones but he always goes goofy on me. I've got the Chainsaw book but after I didn't like The Only Good Indians as much as I should've (I liked it, I just thought the one-on-one-basketball with an elk woman was too dumb) and then read Night of the Mannequins (don't ever read that book, it's awful, just infuriatingly stupid) I've held off on reading any of his other stuff. But I haven't given up on him.
Head Full of Ghosts is excellent. The Outsider is also really good.
I still haven't read Bird Box, although I have it. I did read Pearl and didn't like it at all, but I have some more of his stuff and will give him another go.
No Adam Nevill on the list? I think he's turning out some of the best horror anybody's ever done in a while, although I'll admit his newer ones aren't as great as his older ones (he's gotten in a bad habit of over-describing everything and it slows things down).
Between Two Fires and Those Across the River by Christopher Buehlman are really good... although I just looked and they're slightly over the 10 year mark, so, guess they can't count.
The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell is REALLY good, one of the best newer horror novels I've read in a while.
Night Film by Marisha Pessl is *almost* in the 10 year range, and it's really good.
Run on Red by Noelle West Ihili is pretty intense, good overall.
I'm sure I'm forgetting some things. Honestly, though, I've started reading a lot more old stuff, because most new horror turns out to be really bad. With self-publishing taking down the firewall, and paid "influencers" making most reviews hard to trust (god, I keep getting burned by supposed four-star books) I'm close to giving up on anything written in the past ten years. But, I still keep trying for fear of missing that one good one amidst all the chaff...
I was a little bit underwhelmed by Night Film when I read it, I think because my expectations were maybe a little high. But it's stuck in my head when there are probably many books I rated higher since that I wouldn't be able to recall anything about. The infiltrating the estate bit of the book was great. Seriously weird and creepy.
(You're probably going to tell me now that I've got the wrong book...)
@@alanpinks Yeah, Night Film is a strange one. It's not *really* a horror novel, ultimately... but it's so close and has such a weird, creepy atmosphere that I count it as one.
@@nunyabidness4220 I think we all get too hung up on genre definitions - genres are just useful tools to classify stuff, they're not real, inherent things. Night Film is weird and it's creepy and that's good enough for me.
Good list except for Grady Hendrix. I’ve tried 2.5 of his books (Dnf the last one, this very same one you mentioned, characters were stupid unlikable and puppets??? Cmon. Just stomp on the stupid thing) and they’ve all stunk. Just doesn’t work for me I guess.
I've actually seen many of these! I ould have put The Only Good Indians instead of chainsaw.
Not sure I’ll ever understand why so many people love Grady Hendrix… I read HORRORSTOR and it just felt like a YA horror novel. Not scary, only mildly humorous… Cover: 10/10 Book: 5/10… I understand it’s a labor of love for Grady Hendrix but I probably won’t buy more unless given the strongest of recommendations.
He’s not for me either. The writing feels too silly for it to be horror. It’s humor to me and that’s not for me
I love Grady's work, yes his work is a bit juvenile but it's kinda the whole point it's meant to be campy and silly. Think of his work like Goosebumps but for adults. They're fun reads not meant to be taken too seriously
I really need to pick up Whisper Man, I have wanted to read that since it came out! And I know I'm in the minority here but i did not like Bird box.
I haven't read any of them. The one about the klan intrigues me I think. 🤔🤔
❤
I honestly think The Fisherman has been one of the worst books I have read of recent.
I found the horror elements almost nonexistent, and the characters felt very flat to me. Obviously, purely my opinion of course.
Ah, there are so many better books than these IMHO (also any books written in the present tense are wannabee screenplays). GTFO
Okay thanks
I couldn’t stand the Bird Box. The two pregnant female characters were unbearable. And why are you knocked up in this environment?????