A Year in Reading 2022

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.

I like to spotlight the books that I connected with most in a given year instead of ranking them. I read twenty six books this year, twelve less than last year. The is a reason for the dramatic decrease in books I read this year. It was my intention to focus on reading longer length books that have been sitting on my shelf this year. I didn't want to find myself reading short books just to reach my Goodreads reading goal so I set the bar lower (25) to afford myself more time to read longer books. And it worked.

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:

• 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.

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  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! 

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• 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.

You can check out the complete list of the books I read in 2021 on Goodreads.
You can check out my notable books read from 2021 HERE.

A Year of Reading 2021

 It's time to reflect on my year of reading for 2021.  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.

I like to present those books that really stood out to me in the past year. I read thirty-eight books this year, two less than last year. 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 2021:

• The Writing Life: Reflections, Recollections and a Lot of Cursing by Jeff Strand (2020) Independently Published: I don't usually go for writing fiction but Jeff Strand's book on writing takes a different approach than most. Strand cut his teeth during a changing era and he's had a good degree of success in the digital publishing age. Not only do I admire his work, but also, his work ethic. A must-read for anyone writing and publishing in the digital age.

• Billy Silver by Daniel Volpe (2020) Independently Published: Real. Uncomfortable. Wet. Daniel Volpe exploded onto the extreme horror scene early in 2021 with his viseral book, Billy Silver. Its a gritty, honest tale that presents a protagonist that you have no right rooting for and yet, for some reason, you do. You feel left as disgusting a human being as Billy Silver is in the end. Great ride!

• The Slob by Aron Beauregard (2019) Maggot Press: The Slob is disgusting. This Splatterpunk Award nominated book tells the story of the most depraved, dehumanized serial killer ever. Picture an episode of hoarders but with kidnap victims and the remains of those who came before them. Yeah, that's The Slob. Gross.

• Hogzilla by Mike Baron (2020) Wolfpack Publishing:  Last year, Mike Baron's FLORIDA MAN earned its way onto my notable reads list. This year he has returned with an even stronger follow-up to its predecessor, HOGZILLA. Where Florida Man lacked a narrative direction, Hogzilla is a finely tuned machine of storytelling. All the while, never losing its bat-shit-crazy edge that made the original a sucess.

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  Bird Castles by Justin Grimbol (2019) Atlatl Press:  Justin Grimbol has appeared on every notable reads of the year list I've done. He's a fixture. Bird Castles is another charming, poetic, simple and beautiful addition to his pantheon of wonderful poetic prose. I look forward to presenting another Grimbol book on the list next year.

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  Zoltergeist the Poltergeist by Douglas Hackle (2021) Independently Published:  Douglas Hackle presents what he claims is the penultimate book of his catalog. Douglas Hackle is is own genre but for my money, Zoltergeist the Poltergeist is my #1 Bizarro Fiction book for 2021 and the only worthy candidate for the Wonderland Book of the Year. Plus, these this thing in a cabinet that's the creepiest fucking thing in a book ever.

• Things Were Easier Before You Became a Giant Fucking Mantis by Matthew A. Clarke (2021) Independently Published:  Had Douglas Hackle not gone and written the most brilliant Bizarro book since Danger Slater's I WILL ROT WITHOUT YOU, Matthew A. Clarke's charming, twisted tale of the trials and tribulations of inter-cryptid-alien-species love would have been my top pick for Bizarro book of the year. As it is, it sits at number two and still earns a privileged place on my list of notable reads for 2021.

• Mother Maggot by Simon McHardy (2020) Potter's Grove Press: To say Mother Maggot has had a complicated publishing history is an understatement. The initial appeal of this book, at first, was simply getting my hands on a copy. Mother Maggot kept getting deplatformed from any distribution platform it was placed on. And yet, it had incredible buzz for being the most disgusting book ever written. Finally I was able to snag a paperback copy before it was removed from the retail market again. What I read became a focal point for how, what and where I consumed my fiction ever since. Mother Maggot brought extreme horror back into province. It was the 'killer app' that field the early success of Godless.com (an extreme horror fiction distribution platform that doesn't give a fuck if you are offended.) Mother Maggot also gets my nod for Cover of the Year. Look at that bad-ass thang!

Honorable mentions for 2021 include: 

• EVIL BIGFOOT MONSTER by FF Monsoon, a book that figures into Jeff Strand's THE WRITING LIFE. 
• WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING, Max Booth III's book turned big screen movie about a dysfunctional family trapped in a bathroom after a tornado strikes.
• THIS IS A HORROR BOOK, Charles Austin Muir's short story collection that packs a whallop.
• THE DEMON, THE DUMBWAITER AND THE DOUCHBAG, newcomer Sal Cangemi's bizarro tale of an apartment building tormented by a fuzzy demon. Its a Troma movie told in words not celluloid.

This year, only two books of the thirty-eight I read earned my elusive 5-star rating.  I hope I'm not becoming too much of a curmedgion in my old age. This year, I found the books I reached for were different than years prior. A new crop of extreme horror has made a lot of people take notice, myself included. A new distribution platform, Godless.com, has fueled a lot of that attention. Godless is a disruptive force and so far has proven to be a game changer for a lot of readers. Much of what is offered on Godless is very short and inexpensive fiction, much of which I deemed too short to quantify as a read on Goodreads. I may have to do a separate list for the short Godless stuff next year because it still deserves attention and recognition.

You can check out the complete list of the books I read in 2021 on Goodreads.
You can check out my notable books read from 2020 HERE.

A Year in Reading 2019

Its time to reflect on my year in books for 2019. This is my favorite annual blog post. It has become my annual tradition to spotlight my noteable reads for the past year. I think 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 and God forbid, controversial ranked list.

I like to present those books that really stood out to me in the past year. I managed to ready forty one books this year, one more than the previous year. 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 2019:

• BANG UP: A FILTHY COMEDIC THRILLER by Jeff Strand (2018) Jeff Strand: This book didn't seem to connect with fans of Jeff Strand's more comedic horror books but I loved it for the off-the-wall comedic romp that it was. If I were going to read erotica, it would all have to be like this. A solid 4.75 star effort.

• MY BEST FRIEND'S EXORCISM by Grady Hendrix (2016) Quirk Books: There has been a lot of buzz around Grady Hendrix since Horrorstor and Paperback's From Hell. Instead of starting there, I decided to start with this. If everyone is talking about those other books and this one made my notable reads for 2019 list then I best get cracking on the other's for 2020.

•  IMPOSSIBLE DRIVEWAYS by Justin Grimbol (2018) Atlatl Press: A perennial favorite of mine. Justin Grimbol always delivers with his unique brand of poetry/prose story telling. There is charm and beauty in the uncomfortable truths and honest observations of the poet laureate of the weird and wacky.

• OF FOSTER HOMES AND FLIES by Chad Lutzke (2019) Poltergeist Press:  Last year, Chad Lutzke made my list of notable reads with OUT BEHIND THE BARN, a collaborative effort with John Boden. I wanted to be sure to read a solo effort from Lutzke. OF FOSTER HOMES AND FLIES is, without a doubt, my favorite read of 2019. This is the only 5-star rating I awarded this year. I love that the world is slowly starting to discover this extremely talented horror author. I expect to see more awareness and great effort from him in 2020.

• A CONFEDERACY OF HOT DOGS by Christoph Paul (2017) Clash Books:  I've been meaning to read this one forever. I put it off afraid that it would read as an inside joke. The protagonist, Phil LoPresti is a real person and the character is based on that real person. Hence my apprehension of that turning out as an inside joke. But, I did finally commit to reading it and the result was it was my favorite weird/bizarre read of 2019. I think this will translate well and not come off as an inside joke to those in the know. Its simply fucking funny.

• BITCOIN BILLIONAIRES by Ben Mezrich (2019) Flatiron Books:  Ben Mezrich updates and turns the tables on his notorious book, THE ACCIDENTAL BILLIONAIRES. Where that book left the Winklevoss twins looking like the devil incarnate, BITCOIN BILLIONAIRES recasts them as the brilliant entrepreneurs that they are in real life. I have a love a affair with the story of Bitcoin and this telling of the Winklevoss twins story in cryptocurrency with gorgeous, sexy and Romantic. I've fallen in love with it that much more.

•  JURASSIC FLORIDA by Hunter Shea (2018) Lyrical Underground: Beautiful in its simplicity. This is a giant monster book. That's all. Its a great story wrapped around a giant iguana monster book set in Florida. Hunter Shea keeps it simple stupid (k.i.s.s.) and pulls off a notable read for 2019 in the process. 

• TERROR MANNEQUIN by Douglas Hackle (2019) Douglas Hackle: Douglas Hackle turns in a darker, more horror focused offering for 2019 and the result is TERROR MANNEQUIN. This title wins cover of the year handily. Its also backed up by one weird, twisted story full of macabre crazy. This book feels like its own new thing and others will only follow suit. Read the original, whatever it is!
  
  
   

• POPSICKLE HEART by J. Peter W. (2018) DP Books:  POPSICKLE HEART by J. Peter W. represents the sleeper hit of 2019. A full on, bizarro tale of one clown's struggle against the world. So bizarre, so weird, so artistic and visceral. Great weird writing, it's time everyone found out that J. Peter W. has got the write stuff. Dip your pink little toes into this quiet gem.

Honorable mentions for 2019 include: THE WARRIORS by Sol Yurick, a classic that I finally got around to reading: different but as good as the classic film inspired by the book. PRESTO! by Penn Jillette a different type of diet book. F*CKED UP STORIES: VOL. 1 edited by Ira Rat, a stand out DIY 'zine that wasn't big enough to warrant a mention of the main list but still a standout offering in short form for 2019. And lastly, Tim Meyer's LIMBS a twisted tale that simply fell one slot shy of getting main stage recognition.

2019 was punctuated by the fact that I only rated one book at 5 stars. And yet, I probably awarded the most 4-star reviews in a given year at the same time. Lots of great books but just one super stand out. 2020 promises to have more great reads in store. Weird will rise again and horror is sure to birth new great names. Catch ya in 2021!

You can check out the complete list of the forty books I read on Goodreads.
You can check out my notable books read from 2018 HERE.

A Year In Reading 2018

Its time to reflect on my year in books for 2018. This is my favorite annual blog post. It has become my annual tradition to spotlight my noteable reads for the past year. I think its a more realistic way to reflect on the best material I've had the honor of reading instead of making some inaccurate, ever changing and God forbid, controversial ranked list.

I like to present those books that really stood out to me in the past year. I managed to ready forty books this year and the following are the books that have left and 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 2018:

• IN THE COMPANY OF OGRES by A. Lee Martinez (2007) Tor Books: The first book I awarded five stars in 2018. In The Company Of Ogres was my return to A. Lee Martinez, a writer whose work is near and dear to me. Style-wise, my own writing most closely resembles his work. It had been a few years since I read any of his books and I was not disappointed by this comic fantasy gem. 

• BUYING ILLEGAL BUGS WITH BITCOIN by George Billions (2017) George Billions: I picked up this book because I have a mild obsession with Bitcoin and cryptocurrency. I was happy to find a fiction book based around the subject matter. I was blown away by the story itself. George Billions is the writer I am most excited about in 2018. This book is brilliant, if you read no other book on this list, read BUYING ILLEGAL BUGS WITH BITCOIN. For those who want to keep score, this is my favorite read of all in 2018.

•  CRAWLSPACE by Dan Padavona (2016) Dan Padavona: Crawlspace was my early pick for best horror read of the year. Though, in the end, it didn't top my list, it's still a solid, creepy horror story with an 80's throwback feel. The titular crawlspace in the book was a creepy area I could relate all too well to as I once lived in an apartment building with a very similar artitecture. This was my first dive into Dan Padavona's work and I look forward to more creeps and chills when I dive back into his work again.

• CYCLOPS ROAD by Jeff Strand (2016) Jeff Strand:  There were three strong contenders for my favorite read of 2018. Cyclops Road was one of those three. This my my first experience with a full-on Jeff Strand novel and it was glorious. Its fantastic, funny and captivating. An honest-to-God page turner of a book that will not let you put it down until you find out if there is a cyclops at the end of the road. A must read book no matter what your taste in reading.

• DIE EMPTY by Kirk Jones (2017) Atlatl Press:  Die Empty was a book I knew I wanted to read as soon as I read the synopsis. This is the third of three books that were far and away my favorite reads of 2018. Die Empty shines in its ability to pull off the 2nd person point of view, only one other book that I've read has accomplished that feat and Kirk Jones may have just done a better job. If you've lived some life and can appreciate the ups and downs it throws at you, you need to experience Die Empty.

• OUT BEHIND THE BARN by John Boden & Chad Lutzke (2018) Boden/Lutzke:  One of the few books I read that was published in the current year. This little book packs a powerful wallop. It is my pick for favorite horror read in 2018. A genuine page turner that you will plow through to get to the shocking conclusion. It has one of those Sixth Sense type endings that will take your breath away. Gorgeous horror.

•  COME HOME, WE STILL LOVE YOU by Justin Grimbol (2017) Atlatl Press: Justin Grimbol makes back to back appearances on my year end list. Come Home, We Still Love You is poetry told in prose. It is signature Grimbol. There is charm, discomfort, humor and hefty doses of reality in these little vignettes from snippets of Justin's life and relationships. It's beautifully real even when it's (maybe) not. Justin Grimbol is a man who can wield words like a gentleman caller with a box of long-stem roses. You will melt.

•  PERSON by Sam Pink (2010) Eraserhead Press:  A sleeper hit, for me. This book had sat for a year and more unread. I was inspired by a facebook post to reexamine my desire to read it. Though the opening chapter made me want to close it and put it back on the shelf, I read forward and from chapter 2 through to the end, Person was glorious. It was everything I enjoy about bizarro fiction and is exemplary of the genre during is golden era. 

•  SKULLFACE BOY by Chad Lutzke (2017) Static Age Books:  Skullface Boy had all the buzz through 2018 in the horror circles. After falling in love with Lutzke's collaboration with Joh Boden, I knew I had to read Skullface Boy. It is equal parts horror, coming of age, bizarre and road trip. But what makes it truely work is just how real the inprobable character Skullface Boy is. Skullface Boy is an adventure full of trials and tribulations that we all wish we could face, it would give us as much character as he has. You must read this book in 2019 if you haven't in 2018.

There they are, the cream of the crop for 2018. A few honorable mentions that didn't make the list are: AUNT POSTER by John Wayne Comunale, THE MORBIDLY OBESE NINJA by Carlton Mellick III, Ray Bradbury's SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES (my first read of the classic) and TEXAS CHAINSAW MANTIS by Kevin Strange. 

My To Be Read pile for 2019 is already threatening to topple over. I'm sure I will get derailed along the way, as I always do, with an array of simply-must-read work that will debut in 2019.

You can check out the complete list of the forty books I read on Goodreads.
You can check out my notable books read from 2017 HERE.

A Year In Reading 2017

Like many, I enjoy reflecting on the many titles I've read over the past year. Thank goodness for Goodreads.com where I can actively track the books I've read over time. As has become tradition, I'd like to present to you my notable reads for the year 2017. Sure, everyone is doing it but here's my hook: These are the books I've read and enjoyed in 2017 but were not necessarily published this year.
The fact of the matter is, I probably read more books not published in each given year than those that are published in the current year. I'm always impressed with those who focus on reading mostly new books. Of course, this is coming from a chronically slow reader. There are just so many great books out there and even if I were a fast reader, there are just too many great books to get to that you couldn't possibly get to in any given year. 

So, let's get on with my list of notable books I've read in 2017! These are listed chronologically in order read from January through December.

• THE HOTTEST GAY MAN EVER KILLED IN A SHARK ATTACK by Douglas Hackle (2016) Douglas Hackle: I started the year off reading  Douglas Hackle's first long form story because I'd seen so many other fans of Bizarro say this was a strong contender for top Bizarro book of the year. Ya know what, they were right! This is a jolly good story about a sentient sled, the detached arm of a famous rock star, a polar bear-headed keytar player and a not-so-hot gay guy who take off on a road trip of epic proportions. It is as awesome as it sounds!

• TANUKI TANGO OVERDRIVE by Arthur Graham (2016) Arthur Graham:  Arthur Graham is an author and editor that's been in the bizarro game for quite sometime. Since stepping away from Rooster Republic Press he's gone on to edit the Horror Sleeze Trash Zine as well as focus more on his own writing. Tanuki Tango Overdrive was a fun romp that took me by surprise. It's a funny, over-the-top action adventure similar to A. Lee Martinez. Check out this hidden gem for a good laugh. Oh yeah and Tanukis are real and they have giant balls. Really!

• THE NIGHTLY DISEASE by Max Booth III (2016) Perpetual Motion Machine:  Originally published by the now defunct DarkFuse and since reissued by Perpetual Motion Machine, THE NIGHTLY DISEASE was another book I made a point of reading due to all the hype I'd seen the previous year on this darkly funny tale of life as a hotel night auditor. This is the type of book that takes you behind the scenes of a job you never knew could be so interesting. Okay, so, maybe author Max Booth III punches up the action from the true, ordinary and mundane night to night life on the job. But, if you've read Confession of a Hotel Night Auditor blog then maybe you realize there is an uncomfortable amount of truth to this dark, bizarre thriller.

• THE FIRST CUT by Chuck Buda (2016) La Cigolli Publishing:  Every year there seems to be at least one book I read that I enjoy even thought it has a lot of technical flaws. This year, Chuck Buda's The First Cut is that book. I loved the story and the characters in The First Cut. This is a very graphic, sexually perverse and violent story. It also represents a maturing in the storytelling skill of the author. I gave it three stars at first because of a few technical aspects that I felt hurt the overall reading experience. However, in the end, many months later this book still sticks to me. I can't wait to read on further in the series and see how it all plays out.

• HOME IS WHERE THE HORROR IS by CV Hunt (2017) Grindhouse Press:  CV Hunt is on the list again this year after winding up on last year's list with my uber-favorite, Ritualistic Human Sacrifice. I didn't think Hunt could follow-up such a strong book but Home Is Where The Horror Is is as nearly as strong an effort as the aformentioned book. This is a very real, very visceral story with vivid characters and a rather unique monster. Great horror and a book actually published in the year I read it! This one stuck to my ribs as well since reading it.

• HUSK by Rachel Autumn Deering (2016) Tiny Behemoth Press:  Yet another book I read to catch up on the buzz books of 2016. I wanted to grab a signed copy of this at a convention Deering and I were both at but unfortunately I was also vending books at a table and never had the opportunity to meet her. Nevertheless I grabbed the digital copy and found out what all the hubbub was about. In some ways this was similar in tone and feel to CV Hunt's Home Is Where The Horror Is and it's still unique unto itself. The monsters battled in this one come from within. Right. Right? Right!

• MINIVAN POEMS by Justin Grimbol (2016) Thicke & Vaney Press: This is exactly what it says it is, a book full of poems about minivans. Yet, you still cannot prepare yourself for the wonderful poems held within. These are very short, bite-sized poems that are an ode to minivans, country living, down-home folks, loved ones and butt. Lots of butts. I am not one for poetry at all but Justin Grimbol makes poetry a wonderful art accessible to everyone. I need more Minivan Poems in my life. And a hard copy of this book to put out on my coffee table.

• SPUNGUNION by John Boden (2017) Dynatox Ministries:  Right at the end of the year I read two fantastic books. Spungunion is one of those books. This one took me by surprise. I'd read another of Boden's books last year. I saw this title and thought the premise sounded pretty cool. The introduction by Bracken MacLeod stresses that no two John Boden stories are alike and boy is that the truth. Spungunion is nothing like Jedi Summer (the book I mentioned previously). Spungunion is some folksy, truck, road trip horror. The writing is keen and vivid. The prose is poetry. It's a short book but it packs a wallop. This is like Convoy if Convoy was a surreal horror thriller.

• IS WINONA RYDER STILL WITH THAT DUDE FROM SOUL ASYLUM? AND OTHER LURID TALES OF TERROR AND DOOM!!! by Douglas Hacks (2017) Douglas Hackle:  I start and end with Douglas Hackle. The only author who I read two of their works in 2017 and both knocked it out of the park. This book is a collection of absurdist short stories, the realm in which Hackle really shines. This should be taught in Bizarro lecture halls the world over. Perfection of the genre. This is how weird fiction is done.

So, there you have the top of my reading list for 2017. I don't like to stamp the list at 10 or 20 or anything like that. This is just the most enjoyable reads of the year. The list is longer than last year's which only featured six books. This year come in at nine. I put away more books than I did last year and I think overall I read a lot more quality stuff that the previous year. 

Some honorable mentions that didn't make the list would be: SUNFALL by Tim Meyer, Chad Scanlon and Pete Draper. M.R. Tapia's THE DIE-FI EXPERIMENT. JOHN WAYNE LIED TO YOU by John Wayne Comunale, VERY TRUE STORIES STARRING JEFF O'BRIEN by Jeff O'Brien. And CHILDREN OF THE DARK by Johnathan Janz.

I've already got a full reading list of what promises to be top notch shit for 2018. If the titles I have at the top of my To Be Read pile are any indication of the year in reading to come, it will prove to be a banner year in reading. Hope you're year in reading will be grand as well.

You can check out my full list of books read for 2017 HERE.