Books I Read in 2024

 

Here I am in the first week of 2025 looking back on 2024 and all that it involved for me. I lost a dear family member in the summer. I changed jobs a few months later. I had a horrid illness over Christmas. My best friend moved away. It's not been a wholly positive year for me, and yet... I enter 2025 with optimism, hope, and excitement.

I read so many wonderful books last year and they helped me deal with the upheaval, the grief, the depressive episodes, and the loneliness. Escaping was necessary at times, and I will always be grateful to my ability to experience literature. It's a privilege and one that I truly do celebrate. 

I hope 2024 was good to you, and if it wasn't, that you can look ahead to 2025 in a more positive light with hope. You've survived everything you've faced thus far in your life. And even when surviving is all you can do, hopefully you have something to comfort you. For me, it's the love of my partner and my friends, my pets, the joy I find in my work, the creativity and exploration I do in pursuit of my hobbies, and in reading. The best to you in 2025, friends. 

This Wretched Valley
By: Jenny Keifer

Wowza, what a book to start the year with! So the author of this book also owns a local horror bookstore (Butcher Cabin Books) and when I heard she was publishing a horror novel, I was thrilled. I purchased the book and was a bit skeptical about how much I might enjoy it because it centers on a group of hikers/rock climbers. I was worried the climbing wouldn't grip my attention, but boy was a I wrong! 

The book is set in an area I'm very familiar with, Red River Gorge in Kentucky, and it was exciting being able to picture the landscapes so clearly as I read the book. I devoured this book, and it crosses my mind every so often still three months later. 

It was great fun, had very tense and frightening moments, and is one I'm likely to read again. 

Crossroads
By: Laurel Hightower

This is a novella, really, and I found it gripping, heartbreaking, and frightening. A mother loses her son to a car accident. She discovers that he will return to her if she sacrifices her own blood to the ground near his memorial cross. Hijinks ensue. 

Okay, not hijinks, but horror-jinks, I guess. It was fascinating reading this mother's desire to reunite with her son nudging out all logic and sense of self-preservation. Wonderfully written, captivating, horrifying story.

Sleep Alone
By: J.A.W. McCarthy

This novella was a fun read, centering on a punk rock band where each member was turned into a succubus by the main character. Tragic, bloody, sexy, and gory. It was good fun and enjoyable.

Dungeons & Drama
By: Kristy Boyce

Every so often, I crave some bubblegum sweet romance. This book jumped out to me as the cover art was adorable, but also my deep dive into the world of Dungeons & Dragons as a hobby this past year drew me in. The book was very cute, but nothing remarkable. Characters were forgettable, plot was completely basic. 

The only bit that was compelling was the main character's relationship with her dad as he doesn't physically take great care of herself and there's a medical scare. That part was interesting, and I appreciated that drama flair to the plot.

Braving the Wilderness: The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone
By: Brene Brown

I read this book as part of the Kentuckiana Association for Volunteer Administrators (KAVA) Book Club selection. It's very much in the same vein as the rest of Brene Brown's work. In fact, much of it is repeated and re-hashed points from her other books. 

The stand-out part of this book for me was a brief mention of some time she spent with high school classes where she asked about 'belonging' and they had profound answers and were far more deep and insightful than I'd expect at that age.

The Last (Endling #1)
By: Katherine Applegate

At the time of writing this, I'm running a campaign in Dungeons & Dragons that involves the players portraying anthropomorphic woodland creatures. I wanted to read some books to inspire me, and the cover of this book jumped out to me on a pilgrimage to my favorite out-of-town bookstore: Naughty Dog Books in Nashville, IN. The book was less than $10, too, which is rare these days. 

It was an engaging story that had me in tears at least once. Emotional depth, danger, intrigue, it was a great world to dive into, I love all the characters and want to read more in the series.

Girls From the County
By: Donna Lynch

This is a collection of poetry, with the premise that you always hear about 'girls from the city' and 'girls from the country' but you don't ever hear about 'girls from the county'. The poems were powerful and the theme of discovering the fates of girls from the county was intriguing. An easy read that I enjoyed.

Every Woman Knows This
By: Laurel Hightower

This collection of short stories was great. Each story centers on a woman facing down a horrible foe and each story was unique and special. I was drawn in by the cover art, and Hightower brought it! 

Masters of Death
By: Olivie Blake

My first Olivie Blake novel did not disappoint. The book was often pretentious, with characters engaging in entirely too verbose conversations ad nauseum. But despite that, I managed to enjoy it immensely. I liked the premise, I liked the quirks of the different characters, it was like seeing Greek gods complaining and scheming and winning and losing.. I enjoyed it a lot but am not intrigued enough by Blake's style to seek out more books by her just yet.

Broken Monsters
By: Lauren Beukes

The synopsis for this book sucked me in, and I found it searching for female-written horror. Although I would classify this book more as a thriller than out-and-out horror, I completely loved this book. It was breath-taking, gross, beautiful, harrowing, quick and sharp as a whip. I couldn't put this book down and would like to see what else Buekes has to offer.

Motherthing
By: Ainslie Hogarth

I got a wild hair and dropped into a local bookstore (Carmicheal's) and purchased two of their "Blind Date with a Book" packages. This one was marked "gory, irreverent, and totally irresistible." And my goodness, was it. This book was not the kind of book I might have picked up based on the cover, but it was a really fun, gory read. It centers on a couple who are caring for the husband's elderly mother. She completes suicide in the basement of their home and starts haunting the couple. 

My only issue was the main character was written like she lived in the 1950s, but it was supposed to be modern day. I almost feel like the author wanted to write a story in the 1950s but didn't want to do all the research to be sure to avoid anachronisms. But that aside, I did enjoy this book quite a lot.

The X-Files: Ground Zero
By: Kevin J. Anderson

I really do enjoy these novels about the 1990s television series The X-Files. This one was about a man working on a top secret nuclear weapons project suddenly falling victim to some sort of localized blast that only destroyed his laboratory and him. Call in Mulder and Scully, we got an X-File! This is typical fare, if you're a fan of the show, you might enjoy this, and the other novels based on the show.

This Chair Rocks: A Manifesto Against Ageism
By: Ashton Applewhite

This book was tough to get into for me, as I find I have bias against 'olders' as Applewhite refers to them in the book. The whole point of reading this book was to force me to face this bias that I hold and wrestle with it. It did provide me with new perspective and insight, and taught me the term "Older-in-Training" which is something I now consider myself. Essentially, it refers to the idea of preparing for advancing in age instead of burying one's head in the sand and resenting those that are already there. I like that concept!

Straight On Till Morning
By: Liz Braswell

I read my first "Twisted Tale" by Liz Bracher as my last book of 2023. "Poor Unfortunate Souls" was a very fun read and I devoured it in a single day. This one was just as fun, centered on a re-imagining of Peter Pan and Wendy's story, but with a particular emphasis on Tinkerbell, which I appreciated. Her exploration of Neverland on her own terms and for her own means was fun, and I liked spending this time with the spunky, headstrong, intelligent, and determined Wendy.

The Magic of Terry Pratchett
By: Marc Burrows

This is the first biography penned after Sir Terry Pratchett's death and I wasn't sure I'd be able to finish it. Not for any sentimental reasons, necessarily, but because I struggle sometimes to read biographies. But this one was an easy read, as the subject matter is someone I have held dear to my reader's heart since adolescence. 

Pratchett's Discworld series dominates every bookshelf I have ever owned and always will. His writing has shaped me as a writer, a reader, a thinker, and a dreamer. I've admired and adored him for so long now that not much in the biography was surprising. But I enjoyed the author's point of view and narrative. GNU, Sir Pterry Pratchett.

My Heart is a Chainsaw
By: Stephen Graham Jones

This was a re-read for me, in preparation for the third book in the series being released in March. I loved this book the first time I read it, and I loved it even more this time around. The constant references to slasher, and broader horror, films was a riot, and I just love Jade Daniels as a character. Having read the second book already, it was great fun to revisit where it all began and seeing how the groundwork for where the characters go in the second book being laid here. 

Jones isn't for everybody, I can readily admit, as some don't appreciate his stream-of-consciousness style, especially during the Jade-centric chapters and sequences. I, however, can't get enough of how Jones writes her. 

Don't Fear the Reaper
By: Stephen Graham Jones

Again, this was a re-read in preparation for the third book's release. This book is even better than "Chainsaw" in that the plot is surprising and challenging at times, with Jones purposefully keeping details from their reveal to keep the reader guessing well into the 'third act body dump'. 

I truly enjoy how Jones has realism in his slasher villains (the escaped convicted murderer Dark Mill South versus the Lake Witch, Ezekiel, and white elk). Some parts of this book truly are insanity, but an homage to slashers wouldn't be complete without some guffaw-inducing moments of 'what the fuck just happened?!?!?' Jones is a master. 

The Angel of Indian Lake
By: Stephen Graham Jones

This was such an anticipated release for me, I just couldn't wait. The date has been marked on my calendar for what feels like forever, and finally my copy arrived in my mailbox. I had just re-read "My Heart is a Chainsaw" and "Don't Fear the Reaper" and cracked this book open just as soon as I closed "Reaper". I just had to know what happens. Letha, Banner, Jade... What would Jones throw at them this time? Would they come out the other side in one piece? 

This is a slasher. Come on. You know better. 

Gosh, I couldn't put this book down. I can't stop thinking about it. I loved every twist, every turn, every element. Even parts that made me incredibly angry, I understand their place in the slasher-verse and swallowed the razorblades of anger down as I turned the pages to the next gut punch. The ending was so bittersweet, beautiful, and powerful. I'll be reflecting on this series for a long time, and it will hold a place on the bookshelf in my heart forever.

The Shining Girls
By: Lauren Beukes

This book came to my attention as I was still in the mood for something thrilling and twisty and turny. This book was compelling, unique, and like nothing I've read before. It centers around a man who stumbles across a house that can transport you back and forth through time. He's compelled to seek out the "shining girls," murdering them in a rampage. A time-traveling serial killer? Yes, please! I didn't enjoy this one quite as much as the other Lauren Beukes book I read this year: Broken Monsters, but I did enjoy it and would recommend it as a unique book for those who like thrillers and serial killer/crime related books.

The Black Girl Survives in This One
Edited By: Desiree S. Evans and Saraciea J. Fennell

This is a collection of short stories in which... I'm sure you can guess... the black female protagonist survives. Now, if you're a horror genre fan as I am, you know that there is a racist trope within slasher movies especially where Black characters tend to perish first among their ivory-skinned counterparts. A Black Final Girl is especially rare. This book did not disappoint, with quite a few compelling stories inside that upped the 'creep' factor and had me turning on the lights or coming inside from my back porch while reading because it was just too scary to read alone in a room with few lights on... I enjoyed this collection a lot!

Nimona
By: Noelle Stevenson

Netflix made an animated film adaptation of this graphic novel and I watched it and have since watched it, oh... four or five more times, loving it more and more each time. I had to seek out the source material, and it did not disappoint. The shape of Nimona's fiery personality, the queer love/enemy relationship of Ballister and Ambrosius, and the trans-coded message were all present. The art style is fantastic, the plot was fun, although different from the film. A quick read, I finished it in about 30 minutes, but it's one I'll return to just as I have the film.

Wonder Drug: 7 Scientifically Proven Ways That Serving Others Is the Best Medicine for Yourself
By: Stephen Trzeciak, M.D. and Anthony Mazzarelli, M.D.

I read this book for a professional development book club I am in, and the message behind the book is a wonderful one, especially working in the non-profit sector with volunteers as I do. The book did get repetitive with the studies being incredibly similar and described in the same ways multiple times. But I take from this book that science and medicine support the benefits of volunteering, that it's not just fluffy feel-good words people say you get from volunteering, but actual tangible medical health benefits as well!

Stuffed
By: Liz Braswell

I discovered Liz Braswell through her Twisted Tales series, wherein she retells Disney stories with a certain twist to the original plot. I learned that she wrote a book about stuffed animals that protect their humans from monsters and I had to take a look. The book was deeper and darker than I expected, and I loved that about it. The story follows a young boy who believes his stuffed animals and toys protect him from evil, and his mother starts to suspect he may be developmentally delayed relying on the presence of his stuffies to get him through the day. This results in a battle of wills and a battle for the very health and wellness of his dad who is being tormented by an unseen assailant that only the boys' stuffies could protect him from. It's imaginative and fun and I enjoyed this one very much.

Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War
By: Mary Roach

A couple Mary Roach books always manage to make it onto my reading list every year. Her writing style is right up my alley, with humor woven into incredibly interesting and life-changing information about subjects that on the surface might not seem that interesting. This book was one such topic: the science of humans at war, and man was it fascinating to read her take on everything from foodborne illnesses, dealing with sweat, and penis reconstruction surgery (far more prevalent an issue for the armed forces than you might realize). If you've never read a Roach book, I can't recommend them enough, she's bound to have covered a topic you'll enjoy reading about!

Liarmouth: A Feel-Bad Romance
By: John Waters

John Waters is most known for his films which are raunchy, ridiculous, over-the-top, and full of debauchery. He's responsible for a few of my favorite films of all time: A Dirty Shame, Crybaby, Serial Mom, and Hairspray. When I saw this book on the shelf of a local vintage thrift shop, I did a double take at the name, wondering if it could possibly be that John Waters. And it was! The book is exactly what I expected from the master of maniacal mischief and did not disappoint. The main character is a compulsive liar who makes her way in the world by stealing luggage from airports with the help of a man she has promised to have sex with once a year. The time is nearing for the coupling he's been promised, and she had never intended on following through on that promise. Sounds like a plot thinner than Waters' famous pencil-thin mustache, but every page just amps the insanity up a million notches until there's a cult that believes in bouncing above all over movement, a man who steals dogs and trains them to attack their former owners, and so on. So many laugh-out-loud and "what the hell am I reading?" moments that just kept me turning pages. All the love to John Waters and his weirdness, I'll never get enough.

The Chromatic Fantasy
By: H.A.

Half the reason I bought this graphic novel was because the presentation of it was just so stunning. If you have a chance to hold a physical copy in your hands, do so. The pages are edged in gilded gold, the cover has gilded gold accents, it's beautiful. I snatched it off the shelf of a local vintage thrift store and leafed through it. The plot is great, it centers on a transgender man who is living as a nun and longing to leave the convent and live as their true selves in the world. A pact with the very devil the convent tries to protect themselves and the world from frees the young man, but even after getting what he wants, the demon doesn't just leave him alone. It's a fun romp with mental illness themes and a beautiful queer love story. Enjoyed it immensely!

Midnight on Beacon Street
By: Emily Ruth Verona

Back to my usual fare: horror thrillers. This one opens with the death of a woman bleeding out in a kitchen. We don't know who this person is or how she died, just that it's being witnessed by a pre-teen boy. From there the narrative changes perspectives each chapter and bounces back and forth from days before the death to moments just before, until finally culminating in exactly how the horror went down. There's a bit of a twist, but I saw it coming. It didn't ruin the book for me, it was still good fun to read. Not one I'd particularly recommend, but I enjoyed it enough.

We Are All Completely Fine
By: Daryl Gregory

I'm a huge Grady Hendrix fan. His works are hit and miss for most folks, but for me, they are hits, including his novel Final Girl Support Group, which is as it sounds, a book surrounding a therapeutic support group of women who survived paranormal slasher villains reigns of murderous terror. I bring this up because that's how I learned about this book: a Reddit thread where readers who were disappointed in Hendrix's handling of that premise were searching for books that had a similar premise but handled it in a way that would appeal to them more. Someone recommended this book and so I figured since I liked Hendrix's FGSG I was likely to enjoy immensely something "better". And I did! Gregory does an amazing job writing a compelling narrative of a group of survivors attending a support group together and working through the trauma of surviving paranormal flavored fights for their lives. I enjoyed all the characters, I enjoyed how Gregory revealed their back stories and the therapy sessions themselves. I definitely recommend this one!

Chain-Gang All-Stars
By: Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah

Occasionally, I love a good dystopian future novel. This book delivered a compelling premise in a future where the incarcerated are offered the chance to take part in a reality television series that pits them in gladiator style fights to the death. If they survive these bouts for three years, they are able to be pardoned for their crimes and walk free. The scariest part of this novel is how close our current day incarceration practices mirror this 'dystopia'. In fact, the author includes footnotes whenever a practice is mentioned that isn't fictional and exists and is happening today. So much of our prison system is barbaric and inhumane, and seeing those facts alongside this intense narrative of fiction that doesn't feel all that far-fetched... it's eye-opening. I enjoyed this one a lot. The main character definitely gave me Furiosa from Mad Max: Fury Road vibes and I was definitely here for it.

Big Swiss
By: Jen Beagin

This book was completely ridiculous and I adored it. The plot wasn't anything deep, the writing not particularly mind-blowing, but I completely enjoyed this romp. It centers around a woman in her forties who is a transcriptionist for a sex and relationship therapist. She takes particular interest in one of his clients whom she only knows by her initials "FEW" but who she dubs "Big Swiss" because she's from Switzerland and the therapist describes her as tall and broad. One day at the dog park, lo and behold, Big Swiss appears and is recognized by her voice. The transcriptionist strikes up a friendship with the younger married woman and hijinks ensue. I laughed quite a few times during this book and really enjoyed the bohemian quirky voice of the main character. 

Transforming Disruption to Impact: Rethinking Volunteer Engagement for a Rapidly Changing World
Edited By: Doug Bolton, Beth Steinhorn, Jerome Tennille, and Craig Young

This was another book I read for a professional development book club I'm in. It's a collection of essays from professionals in the volunteer engagement sector describing how their work was disrupted by COVID-19 and the social unrest around the death of George Floyd and other people of color at the hands of police and how they developed innovative ways to maintain their volunteer engagement. The book feels dated even though it's less than two years old. Some of the chapters had compelling insights, but they started to feel a bit repetitive and several read like advertisements for their respective organizations and companies. 

Supernatural: Night Terror by John Passarella

When I get into a TV show or film, I often seek out novelizations. I've been a fan of Supernatural for a long time and have read a few of these novels. I'm not certain whether they are meant to be canon or not, but I still enjoy them. I will likely read more of these as I gear up to attending my first ever Supernatural convention in August. (I'm writing this in June.) I can't wait to meet Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles, and I can't wait to be around other fans of the show. Maybe I'll make it a goal to read all the Supernatural novels by then, who knows? There are 17 of them total and I've already read 2-3 of them. 

This one was a fun read where someone's nightmares are coming into existence and terrorizing a small town. Everything from sudden deadly sinkholes to giant tarantulas to Nazi zombies. Yep. Nazi zombies. A quick read, as these things often are, and a fun way to really let my imagination conjure up the hijinks of Sam and Dean Winchester. 

How to Be Eaten by Maria Adelmann

I saw this book listed in a Reddit post about how someone wanted to love "Final Girl Support Group" by Grady Hendrix, but they were left disappointed. I referenced this above when I read "We Are All Completely Fine." This book is a similar premise, survivors of horrific events come together to share their trauma in a support group. However, this book involves fairy tale survivors. You've got Little Red Riding Hood, Bluebeard's Wife, Gretel sans Hansel, and more. A unique look at these fairy tales through the lens of the women who survived them meeting in modern day NYC. Not all is as it seems, as is usually the case in fairy tales. I enjoyed this one a lot.

Big Feelings: How to Be Okay When Things Are Not Okay by Liz Fosslein and Mollie West Duffy

This is the last KAVA Book Club pick of this membership year and it's ending on such a high note. This book is a great read, tackling difficult topics that most people don't even try to think about (myself very much included in that camp). I feel I will reference this book quite a lot and the authors did a great job normalizing 'big feelings' and provide lots of encouragement and guidance on navigating these difficult waters.

Sheets by Brenna Thummler

This is a graphic novel and it was a bit dark but also fun and cute. It tells the story of a girl who is running her parent's laundromat on her own after her mother passes. Alongside the usual trials and tribulations of high school, she also has to worry about a menacing local who wants to purchase the laundromat to open and spa and an actual GHOST living in her laundromat and accidentally wreaking havoc. The art style is so great, I love the color scheme and design of all the characters. The resolution was heartfelt and I really enjoyed this one.

A Talent for Murder by Peter Swanson

This was the first book I selected for the Book of the Month Club. This is a subscription service where they curate books that subscribers can select from to receive each month. For my first month I selected this book, and added an additional book titled "Honey" by Isabel Banta. This is a pretty typical thriller who-dun-it novel, but with some significant twists. I did figure out what the ending would be and wasn't entirely shocked by it, but I still had fun going along for the ride. I didn't love the writing style, but it was entertaining enough to keep me reading through to the end.

In Real Life by Cory Doctorow and Jen Wang

This is a graphic novel in which a young girl discovers an online game where her talent for finding gold and items becomes a way for her to make real money. In her pursuits, she takes up arms against 'farmers' who are also being paid to find items and gold in the game, but are doing so at the behest of companies paying them pittance and working them endlessly. Her avatar in the game befriends one of these gold farmers and in putting a person to the action, she finds it more difficult to smite them for the sake of smiting them and takes her battle to the real world to help out her new real life friend. The art style is so incredible and I thought the story was pretty touching and honestly very real-to-life.

 Meddling Kids by Edgar Cantero

This is a fun update on the Scooby Doo formula. A grittier telling of what happens to the likes of Daphne, Velma, Fred, Shaggy, and Scooby after they've unmasked the villains but also possibly unearthed some Apocalypse level monsters at the same time. This one was difficult for me to get into at first, and I almost gave up on it. I wasn't enjoying the writer's flow and style. But I kept going, genuinely curious about where the story would go. Then I got more used to the rhythm and cadence of the writer's style, including the fourth wall breaks and meta references, and I did enjoy this book a lot. It's a genre I really love, and the story was compelling and fun. Scooby Doo fans who've grown up since their days of unmasking the bad guys will love this!

 Supernatural: Witch's Canyon by Jeffrey J. Mariotte

When I say Supernatural has captured my imagination, I truly mean that in every sense of the word. I am so excited to go to my first Supernatural convention this year and meet Jared and Jensen, be around other fans, and see the fun merchandise that I imagine will be available. Reading these short novels is a fun way to expand into the Supernatural universe outside of the show. A simple story in this one about a witch who curses a town, it was a lot of fun.

What an Owl Knows: The New Science of the World's Most Enigmatic Birds by Jennifer Ackerman

I spied this book on a trip to my favorite local bookstore, Half Price Books, and picked it up maybe three times before leaving the book in the store. Oddly enough, the book lodged itself in my mind and I thought about it a few times since that trip. It wasn't available in my library app, but the next time I went to the book store, lo and behold, there was the book waiting for me. So I grabbed it, and devoured it. I didn't think a non-fiction book about owls would hold my attention but it completely did. I learned some really cool facts and enjoyed the author's clear reverence and deep knowledge of the birds. The pictures in the book were breathtaking and beautiful and owls were already pretty cool to me but now they are fascinating, as are all birds of prey to me. Highly recommend this book, it's more entertaining than you might imagine.

Unmask Alice: LSD, Satanic Panic, and the Imposter Behind the World's Most Notorious Diaries by Rick Emerson

This book had me in a chokehold for the 2 days it took me to read it. At 349 pages, that's not a super small feat. But I couldn't put it down! It read just like watching a documentary with scenes and plot twists and it was just profoundly shocking and interesting. The book explores where the (fiction? non-fiction?) diary of a 15 year old drug addict referred to as "Alice" that was a major best seller for decades actually came from. If you read "Go Ask Alice" as a teen and want to know the true story behind the diary, you have to check out this book. It's fantastic!

Family Don't End with Blood: Cast and Fans on How Supernatural Has Changed Lives edited by Lynn S. Zubernis

So like I said.... Supernatural has a choke hold on me at the moment. This book is a collection of essays by cast members and fans of the series explaining what the series means to them. This book is unique for me for a bit of a silly reason... it's the first book I listened to in it's entirety on audiobook. I know, shocker. I usually can't sustain the attention span to get through an entire book being read to me. But this turned out to be a somewhat easy listen as the essays were mostly pretty short. It got repetitive after a bit, but there was just enough variance between the stories to keep me listening to the end. I was especially moved by the woman who talked about giving her 6 month sobriety chip to Jared Padalecki and him promising to keep it forever. It was later confirmed that he keeps it in his bedside table as a reminder of the impact his work has had and how important it is to "always keep fighting" (his anti-suicide mantra). I found Jared's essay at the end of the book the most poignant and it really touched me how much his fans and the show mean to him. I didn't know that he suffers from bad anxiety and depression. It humanized the struggle and brought new depth and meaning to his performance as Sam Winchester. 

The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer

I joined the Book of the Month Club and for July's book selection, I was drawn to The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer. The description made it sound like a fairy tale for adults and that's exactly what I happened to be in the mood to read. This book did not disappoint. I couldn't put it down and finished it in record time. I enjoyed the characters, I enjoyed the story, I enjoyed the magical realm. I hope the author writes a sequel, which it appeared the ending definitely was leaving room for her to do. Another cool aspect of this book was it referenced a research forest near the city I live in, Bernheim Forest, that happens to be where I got married. It felt so special to see it described accurately and even mention of the "Forest Giants" that live there (art installations that I love). Turns out the author lives in Louisville. I didn't know that at all when I selected this book, but made it all the more magical. That's the second book I've read this year by a local author that I devoured and loved.

Saga, Volume 1-10 by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples

I have to admit, the cover art for this one caught my attention immediately and I just had to read it. I read it in about thirty minutes, I couldn't take my eyes off the art and the characters captured my heart and imagination immediately. As soon as I closed the book, I grabbed my phone and ordered the next four issues. I'm not sure if the series is still being released currently, but I hope there are a lot of issues as I want to be immersed in this world for a long, long time! 

So I have read the next three issues of this comic, starting the fifth issue, and have already ordered up to issue #10. I'm adding this here because I plan to just update this paragraph as I read more of the comic series instead of listing each individual comic. I am still loving the series and am fully invested. It's funny, dramatic, shocking, gross, sexy, and completely exciting to read. The art work is beautiful, I love all the characters, I can't get enough!

Hey, Hun: Sales, Sisterhood, Supremacy, and the Other Lies Behind Multilevel Marketing by Emily Lynn Paulson

This is another book I listened to on audiobook. It felt close to a podcast, and while I found the information interesting, it got repetitive quite a few times, and the author came off to me as trying too hard to appear 'woke'. She was being honest and open about her experiences in a multilevel marketing scheme (Rejuvenate) but I also got the impression that she brought up white supremacy in every chapter just to 'prove' that she knows what it is and please understand that I know what it is and I'm aware of it, do you get that I'm aware of it? Anyway, I called my friend and made her feel like shit for not selling enough stuff to get me to Level 45 Wizard Woke Bitch status... you know how it is. Or maybe you don't, because women of color aren't benefactors of multilevel marketing because of white supremacy and stuff. I'm so woke. That's what listening to this book felt like. I appreciate the author spilling the tea, so to speak, on her engagement with Rejuvenate, but I could have done with several fewer chapters.

Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents: How to Heal from Distant, Rejecting, or Self-Involved Parents by Lindsay C. Gibson

One day I remember Googling something along the lines of: "how to deal with no contact from mom". And yes, it was kind of sad to feel the need to search for that on the wide open space of the internet, just hoping others maybe have had similar experiences of a parent not maintaining contact or accepting their child's stated emotional and mental boundaries and instead going silent for years. This book popped up from that search. I actually started reading it either late last year or early this year but just finished it. If you suspect that you may have had a parent who didn't fulfill your emotional needs as a child, I recommend checking out this book. For me, it was very eye-opening as to what my childhood wounds stemmed from and even pathways for healing and coping. I appreciated this book a lot and might even utilize some of its teachings to attempt a pathway to reunification with my estranged family.

From Here to Eternity: Traveling the World to Find the Good Death by Caitlin Doughty

I have read a few books now on morbid topics such as death and have enjoyed them, as educating myself on what happens to the body after death and what rituals various cultures observe around death is incredibly fascinating to me. This book was no exception, although it got me a bit more queasy than other books of this nature have. It was truly eye-opening to read about how incredibly different other societies and groups are from American ideals of death rituals. Truly fascinating, but I don't recommend reading while you're eating.

I Was a Teenage Slasher by Stephen Graham Jones

I am a long-time fan of Jones and this year has been especially exciting as this is his second book release. The first was the third and final book in his Indian Lake trilogy, which I devoured and totally loved. This book was very highly anticipated by me, I was counting down to its release. I have to admit, it took me a bit to get into this book, but once it did hook me, I was hooked. I loved the concept of experiencing a slasher's killing spree from the POV of the slasher themself. And the concept introduced in this book as to how the main character became that slasher is pretty unique and interesting. I enjoyed it and was somehow rooting for the killer in the end? 

The Gates by John Connolly

I love a good humor-filled romp through the potential end of the world. This one, told through the eyes of a prepubescent boy with his trusty Dachsund at his side was truly a romp. It reminded me of Good Omens, in the best possible way. It was funny, irreverent, and had that wonderful British humour (yes, with a "u") that I adore. The threat of the world's end got too close for comfort, but even though the heroes were young and inexperienced in the ways of saving the world, the demons didn't stand a chance.

The Child Finder by Rene Denfeld

This book was eerie and unsettling and as frightening and chilling as it's setting: a snow-covered mountain forest. Dangerous, uncaring, cold. I loved the lyrical language of the prose in places, and I loved the insight into the mind of a child-napping mountain man. The naivety and complete psychosis of the antagonist was chilling, and the resiliency of the child alongside the resiliency of the protagonist was poignant and I was sucked in beginning to end.

The Woods All Black by Lee Mandelo

I completely adored this book. The protagonist, a transgender man performing the duties of a nurse in a secluded tiny community in Kentucky while an evil entity lurks in the woods was sublime. I was entertained, afraid, and then rooting for the monster by the end of it. 

Red Rabbit by Alex Grecian

I wish I had written this closer to the date I finished this book because gushing now is a step removed from the absolutely pure joy I had reading this book. But I'll try to conjure it up because, truly, this book is one of the best I've read in a long time, and I've read a lot of great books just this year. This book leaps ahead to a spot as a favorite read because the characters were unique and compelling, the setting was perfect, the plot was fun. Essentially, a posse of misfits bands together to hunt a witch in a far-off town. The journey there is fraught with peril and I was rooting for each and everyone of the members of the posse. There's a sequel coming out in 2025 and I'm counting down the days. 

Smothermoss by Alisa Alering

This book was yet another great read this year. The prose was lovely. The story follows a pair of sisters living in a remote area of the Appalachian mountains and a serial killer is offing hikers. Even the land itself gets to voice its thoughts, and the whole story has a haunting quality reminiscent of folklore and ghost stories, but with a coming of age and coming out tale wound in between. It was truly a great read.

House of Cotton by Monica Brashears

This book caught my eye as the plot revolved around a woman down on her luck being offered a job by a mortician along the lines of dressing up and imitating deceased loved ones. How creepy and weird is that? The story was just that: creepy and weird, and I did enjoy it. I liked the supernatural elements woven in, and the descent into possible madness of the protagonist. 

Clown in a Cornfield 3: The Church of Frendo by Adam Cesare

Two different horror trilogies that I love had their final books released this year, so I've been loving reading them! This one did not disappoint as the Clown in a Cornfield series has been such a treat for me. This one adds an element of historical fright and strange goings-on as a man comes to a small, hyper-religious town and instills in them the church of Frendo the clown. Meanwhile, the survivor of the first two books is hunting down those that were involved in the clown in a cornfield massacres and taking care of them in bloody ways. The two come to a head in a climactic, edge-of-my-seat finale that had everything a good slasher ending has. I throughly enjoyed it.

The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern by Lynda Cohen Loigman

I selected this book as my Book of the Month selection and while I did find it an okay read, it was a bit long and repetitive at parts. The major "twist" or "surprise" at the end wasn't shocking or revelatory to me at all and I found the ending lackluster at best. 4/10 would not recommend.

Supernatural: Nevermore by Keith D.A. DeCandido

I've read a few of these novelizations within the world of the Supernatural television show now and this one was by far the worse. The author smashed two different plots together, I suppose, as he didn't feel one was strong enough to hold an entire book, but instead they both felt underdeveloped. I'm not sure how I made it through this one.

Midnight is the Darkest Hour by Ashley Winstead

This book was a fun, dark read but it fell just a bit flat for me in places and I think that has more to do with my desire for the supernatural and paranormal to prevail in these stories. Spoiler alert, but it turns out to be completely natural/human forces at work here, when I was hoping for a monster of some sort. I did like the two main characters and their chemistry and I loved the ending (once I got over that it wasn't going to be paranormal in nature). The references to Twilight were annoying, but it wasn't a painful read at all despite that.

Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver

I was very disappointed by this book and struggled to finish it. The idea of two serial killers engaging in a romance was compelling, but nothing about this book read like the author had any idea how psychopathy operates. The Dexter series, while also very flawed, did a better job of showing the killer's inner thoughts and how he saw the world around him from a cold and calculating place where human life was not that valuable to him. This is a rosy romcom where the characters just happen to kill people. It doesn't seem to affect their lives all that much, or their inner workings, and that was confusing and frustrating to me as a reader. I want my serial killers deeper and darker and haunted. Not hanging out with their besties at a coffee shop talking about how their job intimidates them and they don't know what to wear to a fancy dinner. Come on, now... Did "You" by Caroline Kepnes walk so this book could just fall on its face and look a fool? I guess so.

Run, Rose, Run by Dolly Parton and James Patterson

I don't think Dolly Parton had much to do with the actual writing of this book, but put her name on an author byline and I'm reading that book. I'd never read a James Patterson novel before. It was straightforward prose, straightforward characters, and just... straightforward. I didn't find the plot all that compelling, and 2/3 into the book I was just annoyed that Rose's past hadn't come out. It felt arbitrary and ridiculous that no other clues or information had come about. I enjoyed the male protagonist character, though, and the Dolly stand-in was luscious. It was a quick read with no need for real deep thinking.

The River Has Teeth by Erica Waters

The cover caught my eye for this book and I purchased it based on that entirely. I didn't realize it was a YA novel, but it did not disappoint. I enjoyed it so much. I couldn't put it down! the plot was unique, the characters well-drawn out and interesting. Honestly, the queer romance subplot wasn't compelling to me, but it didn't take me out of the story too much. I think the concept and characters were so strong that romantically entangling them just muddied the waters. See what I did there? Definitely worth a read if you like teenagers battling monsters and discovering their own magic and power within.

The Wild Huntress by Emily Lloyd-Jones

This was another Book of the Month Club selection for me and I devoured it eagerly. I enjoyed everything about it, even though it was a fantasy story which isn't normally my cup of tea. I enjoyed all the characters and cared about them immensely. I cried, I celebrated, I rooted for them to triumph. I loved the ending, it was a very unique story and I'd love to read more within this universe, I hope Lloyd-Jones writes more.

The Hollow Places by T. Kingfisher

I had high hopes for this book as I've seen Kingfisher's name all over horror book recommended lists and the first few chapters were compelling. I loved the main character, her quirks and quips were so fun and relatable. However, the middle bulk of this book, where the horror is supposed to be happening, fell really flat to me. I couldn't get in the headspace that 'negative space' between willow trees was frightening. The beginning and ending were great, though, and I especially loved the final showdown between the main character, her sidekick, and the evil monster. 

Ghosts by Raina Telgemeier

This is a graphic novel and I enjoyed it tremendously. The artwork and coloring is superb, and although the story is short, it packed a punch. I felt some emotions coming to the surface and teared up at parts. It was wonderful.

A God in the Shed by J F Dubeau

This book read like a movie in the best way possible. It was creepy and atmospheric, and all the characters were interesting and very lifelike. I thought the decisions that were made were realistic and the danger kept ratcheting up and it was wonderful.

Last Train to Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley by Peter Guralnick

Don't ask me where my hyper-fixation on Elvis Presley came from this year. I'm sure part of it had to do with my grandfather's death this past summer. He wasn't necessarily a big Elvis fan, but my grandmother is, and when I think of her, I often think also of Elvis. I started listening to his music and became captivated by the facts of his life and the mysteries of his death. Maybe it was a way cope with feelings that I wasn't sure how to feel. I don't know. 

This book is an incredible work of journalism, cataloging in striking detail Elvis' life up to the point of his mother's death and his entry into the Army. There is a sequel that covers the latter half of his life and I look forward to reading it.

Witches Abroad by Terry Pratchett

I'm not going to rehash yet again my love for Terry Pratchett and his silly fantasy Discworld. This happens to be one of the novels I had never read and it pains me to admit that since Esme Weatherwax and Gytha Ogg and Magrat Garlick are three of my most favorite characters ever created in fiction. This book is a fun romp across the Discworld with those three witches at the helm, er, broomstick, if you will. Enjoyable, laugh out loud funny, and thought-provoking as all of Pratchett's works are.

Small Gods by Terry Pratchett

I needed more Discworld and wanted to revisit an old favorite of mine in Small Gods. This book is a masterpiece. It explores the differences between Eastern and Western religions and has fun along the way. It follows the story of the god Om who finds himself trapped in the body of a one-eyed tortoise and the only human who can hear him is a hapless monk-in-training. They travel the Discworld in search of answers for Om's predicament and to find out the true power of belief.

What Blooms From Dust by James Markert

The title and cover of this book drew me in. I read the synopsis on the back and it reminded me a bit of Red Rabbit by Alex Grecian which I read earlier this year and absolutely loved. The setting was Western, and there was a subtle play of magic and folklore. It was touching and poignant and I enjoyed this one a lot. If you need a resurgence of hope in humanity and seeing characters who have been through tragedy remember what it is to support and love one another through it, I highly recommend this one!

Lords and Ladies by Terry Pratchett

This book, once again, is one I somehow skipped over within the Discworld all these years. And it centers on the three elder witches of the Ramtops who are my favorite characters. You may be wondering, "How have you missed so many of their books within the series and still consider them not only favorite characters but the best characters ever crafted in fiction?" Well, they are that incredible. Even in their cameos in other books that don't center on them, their presence is palpable, powerful, and memorable. But an entire book centered on them? Life-changing. This one may be my favorite of their arc. It's beautifully written and Pratchett is in his glorious storytelling stride here as he uses Midsummer Night's Dream as a template to tell this tale of good versus Elves.

Pratchett's Women: Unauthorized Essays on Female Characters of the Discworld by Tansy Rayner Roberts

No notes. I enjoyed this author's dive into the female characters within the Discworld. Pratchett, even I can admit as one of his biggest fans, didn't write every female in the Discworld anywhere near perfectly. Especially in the early books, they could be downright problematic. But the growth he had as an author and the complete wonderment his female characters illicit in me as a reader... worth a study and I'm glad Roberts did so!

A Merry Little Meet Cute by Julie Murphy

I met up with two of my gal pals at a bookstore a bit before Christmas and we found ourselves gathered around a table covered in Christmas themed rom-com novels. Definitely not my usual fare as I find the characters far too vapid and unrealistic to get swept up in their stories. This book's blurb on the back cover made me grin, though, and so I did end up buying it. It's about a woman who makes her living doing plus-size pornography and has found herself cast as the star of a Hallmark-esque Christmas movie. Her co-star? An ex-boy band member she's crushed on her whole life. It was cute, it was fun, I did enjoy it. I'd read Dumplin' by Julie Murphy before and I really enjoyed that book, so I had hopes she'd get me through a rom-com such as this, and she did! It was a fun and cute warm little read. Raunchy and sexy as hell, too.

Feet of Clay by Terry Pratchett

I finished out the year with another Discworld favorite re-read. This one holds a special place in my heart as it was the very first Discworld novel I ever read. And I was nervous to see if it held up, but I don't know why I would ever doubt. This book has it all: a mysterious crime to solve, plenty of character development and interaction with some more of my favorite Discworld characters: Angua, Carrot, and Cheri Littlebottom. It's such a profound and genius novel, I am glad I ended this year of reading on such a high note!