It's time to reflect on my year of reading for 2022. It has become my annual tradition to spotlight my notable reads for the past year. It's a fun way to reflect on the best material I've had the honor of reading instead of making some inaccurate, ever-changing, or controversial ranked list.
The following are the books that have left an impact for one reason or another. They are presented in chronological order as I read throughout the year. I hope you will be inspired to check out any on this list that you haven't and discover those you wouldn't have ever considered.
And now, my most notable reads of 2022:
And now, my most notable reads of 2022:
- Boondock Butcher by Chuck Buda (2021) La Cigolli Press: Chuck Buda's latest horror situated in the rural mountains of Tennessee. This reads like the bastard child of Edward Lee and Richard Laymon. Its gritty, extreme, gore fueled and just backwoods enough to lose a tooth while reading it. This is Chuck Buda's best horror to date. Wash it all down with a sweet tea.
- Talia by Daniel Volpe (2021) Independently Published: Last year, Daniel Volpe made my list with Billy Silver. This year, its Talia, a prequel to Billy Silver and every bit as visceral and disgusting. Maybe even more so. While it is connect to Billy Silver, the story takes on a whole different flavor from its predecessor. This is a tale of revenge wrapped in cringe and filth. Read if you dare.
- The Ballad of TERROR TINY TIM & Other Tales of Unkindness by Douglas Hackle (2022) Independantly Published: If Douglas Hackle writes a book, there's a really good chance you're going to find it on my year end list. Like this, Hackle's supposed last hurrah (though rumors are there maybe one or two more before he hangs it up for good.) This is a collection of odd, absurdist stories as on Douglas Hackle can tell them. These stories are weird but also, smart. Hackle practically dares his readers to see the brilliance of his work hidden in the miasma of silly preposterousness he weaves in words, both coherent and incoherent. Pick up TERROR TINY TIM... if you dare!
- Moonfellows by Danger Slater (2022) Perpetual Motion Machine Publishing: As with Douglas Hackle, so too will Danger Slater almost certainly appear on my year end list anytime he publishes new work. And such is the case with the uber-moody, MOONFELLOWS. You know that old timey movie where a rocket ship is launced to the moon and then the grainy, choopy image of a man with his face painted like the moon, harrumph's when said rocket pierces him in the eye? And
also, you know that similarly toned but more modern, yet still goes for the old-timey asthetic Smashing Pumpkins music video for the song Tonight? Yeah well this story are those two things, but its a Danger Slater book. So unique. Its party alternative history, part fantasy, part absurdist sci-fi, part bizarro, and part literary fiction. In the end, what it is is all good. Read it. For mankind.
- Southern Fried and Horrified by Ronald Kelly (2022) Stygian Sky Media: I'm nearly embarrassed to admit that this is the first book by Ronald Kelly that I've ever read. That's because this is the non-fictional account of Ronald Kelly's storied writing career from breaking into publishing as just before the industry collapse at the dawn of digital publishing and the comeback he made to once again find himself among horror fiction's elite in a new golden age of dark fiction books. The story is full of the southern charm it promises and is feel good even through the darkest time. You likely won't find another book 'on writing' quite like it. If you were to twist my arm and force me to rank these books, this one would easily be my number one read of 2022. Time for me to read some Ronald Kelly fiction in the coming year!
- Honorable mentions for 2021 include:
- PARADISE CLUB by Tim Meyer, a book who's path was dictated by his Patreon contributors
- ZODIAC by Tom Duffy, the debut novel with a wickedly sinister concept. A serial killer is forced out of retirement
- THE TRIANGLE OF BELIEF by Brian Keene, a non-fiction offering by one of horror's greats that connects the dots between belief, faith, maturity and writing.
- TOLLBOOTH by Bud Smith. Too many people are sleeping on Bud Smith's work. This is the second book that I've read by him and it is exceptional, accessable fiction of the every man. This is what I like to call 'blue-collar fiction.' Do yourself a favor and check it, or anything, by Bud Smith out.
There you have it. Due to the curtailed amount of books I've read overall this year, I've made a comparable amount of notable books to spotlight this year as well. This year, three books of the twenty-six I read earned my elusive 5-star rating. That's one more five star book with twelve less books read. Quantity went down, quality went up.
Next year I will endeavor to read at least thirty books. I liked having the time to allow myself to read longer works but I was also a bit frustrated by the really longer books. I'll try to find a happier medium this year. I'm kind of getting frustrated dictating my book journey by reading goals I set for myself on Goodreads. But, its also fun to set those goals. Bottom line, I'm going to keep reading and you should too.
