Read in 2022
I’ll start with some books that I had the pleasure of reading in 2022, that only came out this year.
- Monstrilio, by Gerardo Sámano Córdova (Zando)
- The Haunting of Alejandra, by V. Castro (Del Rey)
- White Cat, Black Dog, by Kelly Link (Random House)
- Lone Women, by Victor LaValle (One World)
Faves of 2023
2023 has been yet another year of fantastic writing. The year isn’t over yet, and there are so many more great books I want to read before the year is out.
These are the books that I still think about frequently, and provoked a strong reaction within me.
How to Sell a Haunted House, by Grady Hendrix (Berkley)
I know, Grady Hendrix doesn’t need any help promoting his books, but I really enjoyed this. It made me laugh, it terrified me, and at one point, made me shout “NOOOOOOO!” to an otherwise silent room. I’ve struggled with Hendrix’s previous books, they don’t always work for me, but this was fantastic.
Chain-Gang All-Stars, by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah (Pantheon)
Such a graphic, devastating, brutal book. I’m glad it’s getting so much attention, but it deserves so much more. Add it to your TBR pile!
Thornhedge, by T. Kingfisher (Tor)
I love T. Kingfisher. She’s brilliant. I listened to this whole audiobook in one day. It’s an adult fairy tale, a spin on the traditional “princess in the tower” story. Glorious.
Maddalena and the Dark, by Julia Fine (Flatiron)
If there is one “under the radar” book that I think has been completely underrated this year, it’s Maddalena and the Dark. A gorgeous, gothic, queer thriller, with a Faustian element. Fine’s writing is transportive.
I love writers who say just enough to keep the reader guessing, and draw their own disturbing conclusions. Saxey’s debut novel is a curious story, and I genuinely still think about the ending at least once a week.
Hazardous Spirits, by Anbara Salam (Tin House)
Another fantastic “something’s not quite right” novel.
Chrysalis, by Anna Metcalfe (Random House)
This is probably the most unconventional book I read this year. Don’t read up on it, just give it a chance.
Chlorine, by Jade Song (William Morrow)
There is a moment in this book that is so disturbing. I won’t say anything more.
Honorable Mentions
- Weyward, by Emilia Hart – so glad people have fallen in love with this book!
- Biography of X, by Catherine Lacey
- Black Tree Atop the Hill, by Karla Yvette
- The Book of Witches (anthology)
- The Invisible World, by Nora Fussner
- And Then She Fell, by Alicia Elliott
- Shark Heart, by Emily Habeck
- Good Girls Don’t Die, by Christina Henry
- Loot, by Tania James
- Into the Uncanny, by Danny Robins
- The September House, by Carissa Orlando
- A Season of Monstrous Conceptions, by Lina Rather
- The Reformatory, by Tananarive Due – the most important horror novel since Beloved? Yup.
- Crow Face, Doll Face, by Carly Holmes
- A Haunting in Hialeah Gardens, by Raul Palma
- A Guest in the House, by Emily Carroll
Coming in 2024
Lastly, here are some books coming in 2024 that I’ve already read, and am very excited about.
- Through the Night Like a Snake: Latin American Horror Stories – preorder this now and get a cool t-shirt!
- The Haunting of Velkwood, by Gwendolyn Kiste
- The Book of Love, by Kelly Link
- The Bog Wife, by Kay Chronister
- Smothermoss, by Alisa Alering
- A Different Sound: Stories by Mid-Century Women Writers, edited by Lucy Scholes
Thanks as always to the generous authors and publishers who allow me to read fantastic novels before they’re released. I am so fortunate. And thanks to those who read this blog! Please share your favorites with me!
California Reading 