My Favorite Reads of 2017!

And so 2017 comes to an end. The inaugural year of this blog and a great year for horror novels. I want to thank all of you who trust my opinion and seek out the books I enjoy, as well as all of you who write them. Without material to read, we've got nothing.

That being said, what's a horror book blog without a "best of" to wrap up the year?

However, opinion is obviously subjective, so I am going to refrain from calling it a "best-of" and we will call it a "favorites" instead...because this is pure opinion. ALSO, I am but one man with three jobs, a family, other hobbies and interests. I didn't get to read even mildly close to everything I wanted to this year. If your favorites aren't here, I'd love to hear about them below.

So, let's get started.

These are in no particular order, all things I just had a blast reading. I'd be hard pressed to name one of these better than the other...they are all solid reads and I highly suggest each and every one of them with no hesitation.

I opted out of selecting any reprints (to my knowledge), only books in their first publication were qualified to make the list. Also, while this is a horror fiction blog, two non-fiction titles made the list. Reason being is of course, they are totally worth your time and it's my blog. I do what I want!

Lastly, you may notice not all of these books got a review on the blog prior. Many of these were read before I decided to start the blog up. Sorry about that! If you are an author or publisher who is interested in submitting a book for review in 2018, shoot me an e-mail at bran1986saint@gmail.com.

And without further adieu...

My Favorite Reads of 2017.

What Do Monsters Fear By Matt Hayward (Post Mortem Press)BUY IT HERE

Matt Hayward's debut short novel blew me away when I first read it. It nails what I am looking for in a read. It's got monsters of all shapes and sizes, gore galore, great pacing, an incredibly likable cast of characters...It's been billed as "The Thing meets One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest" which is very accurate. But I'd like to add that it's The Thing Meets One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest...if Stuart Gordon directed it. 

We Came Back by Patrick Lacey (Sinister Grin Press) BUY IT HERE

One of my favorite new authors, Patrick Lacey, knocks it out of the park with his tale of teen angst, teen cults and teen tentacles. Everything I've read by the guy has been a fantastic time and this was no different. A great book by a great dude. I can't wait to see what he puts out next.

A God In The Shed by J-F. Dubeau (InkShares) BUY IT HERE

One of only two books on this list that I was able to walk into a physical bookstore and buy, A God In The Shed was wedged in the "Science Fiction & Fantasy" section of my local Barnes & Noble. Fear not, this is horror, through and through. It's just that B&N thinks that horror is such a "low-brow" genre that it doesn't even get it's own section...blegh. Anyway, the book is excellent and slated to become a TV series ala Stranger Things with some nasty gore...be the cool guy on the block and read it before everyone is losing their shit about the show.

Becoming by Glenn Rolfe (Self-Published) BUY IT HERE

Glenn Rolfe delivers his ode to classic paperback horror, small town and all. If you're a fan of the kind of stuff that's grabbing cult status published by Zebra, Onyx, Leisure or Tor...this is the one for you. You could almost swap the cover out and fool someone that this came out in the 'heyday'. A fun throwback from a great author (and great guy)...AND A SIDE NOTE: his earlier novel, The Haunted Halls was re-published this year as well. It's my favorite work of his, also highly recommended.

The Boulevard Monster by Jeremy Hepler (Bloodshot Books) BUY IT HERE

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the year for me was this. Hepler's debut novel is unlike anything I have read, but familiar enough to be comfortable. The story of a working class guy who gets mixed up in a desperate ride through hell is just perfect. I couldn't put this one down and if we had to break it down to one book that is a must read in 2017...it's this. I simply cannot wait to see what this author puts out next. Another note, the publisher, Bloodshot Books, is putting out some of the best looking novels in present day. Fantastic presentation for a fantastic read. 

Paperbacks from Hell by Grady Hendrix (Quirk Books) BUY IT HERE

There isn't much I can say about this book that hasn't already been said. If you're into horror fiction at all, this book serves as a great reference guide to what you might have missed in the 70s and 80s...all in a beautifully illustrated package. It's funny, it's useful, it's great for newbies and seasoned vets alike. 

It Came From the Video Aisle by Dave Jay, William S. Wilson & Torsten Dewi (Schiffer Publishing) BUY IT HERE

Speaking of reference titles...What a fantastic one here. Outside of horror novels, I am also a huge fan of horror film, as I am sure many of you are. Furthermore, If you're in your 30s or so and remember the VHS horror days, you certainly remember Full Moon doing its thing. For years, anything with Full Moon on it's spine was a mark of some semblance of quality B-Horror. Classics like Puppet Master, Subspecies, Castle Freak, Demonic Toys...it goes on and on. This book is quintessential reading for the B-Horror fan, giving you the in's and out's of every title in the catalog. Pages and pages of interviews and behind the scenes anecdotes...a dream tome for fans of Full Moon!

My favorite reads of 2017! Check em out! Cheers!