Part One / Part Two / Part Three
We’re getting closer and closer to the end of Blogtober, so I thought I’d try to get in one, maybe two more posts about the Goodreads Most Popular Horror books. This has been really fun to check out, and if you’re a horror fan looking for recommendations, there’s some really good ones there.
These books are Adult Horror published between October 2017 and September 2022, and popularity is measured by shelving – books from readers’ Read and Want to Read, and overall star ratings.
Devolution by Max Brooks
Published: June 16th, 2020
Status: Read
Rating: 5/5
This was one of the earliest books I got on NetGalley, and I think I was so chuffed at getting a novel by Max Brooks, I just enjoyed the book without thinking about it too deeply. If I read it now, I think the rating would be bumped down just a little, but still. If you like monster stories, it’s enjoyable enough. I do think though it’s not necessarily as good as some of the other books on the list, and like Stephen King I think its place on here is largely due to it being Max Brooks rather than the book itself, but still, he’s a good writer, so can’t grumble too much.
Into the Drowning Deep
By Mira Grant
Published: November 14th, 2017
Status: Read
Rating: 5/5
I listened to this as an audiobook and it’s so incredibly effective. The atmosphere, the sense of danger, the slowly unfolding mystery all combine to make this a standout novel. Specifically for the audio version, the narration is really great here too. I really don’t think it can be argued that this book doesn’t deserve its place on the list.
A Dowry of Blood
By S.T. Gibson
Published: January 31st, 2021
Status: Want to Read
I thought this was a much more recent release than it was – it feels like the buss around it has been fairly recent? Either way, as soon as I did hear about this I pretty much squealed for joy, and was absolutely over the moon to be approved for it on NetGalley. It’s right at the top of my list and I’m definitely hoping I can get to it fairly soon!
The Lost Village
By Camilla Sten
Published: April 4th, 2019
Status: Hadn’t Heard Of
This definitely sounds intriguing, and I’m fascinated by the premise alone. I say I hadn’t heard of it, but it’s possible I saw some stuff about this when it first came out. Either way, I really do hope I get to read this at some point.
The Burning Girls
By C.J. Tudor
Published: February 9th, 2021
Status: Want to Read
Why does it feel like this came out earlier than Feb 2021? Anyway! Yeah, this has been on my radar for a while. I’ve heard a lot of great things about Tudor, and really do want to check out her work. I just have a thing for these mysterious, secretive towns, and maybe that’s something I need to try and read more of in 2023. Now there’s an idea!
So there’s the next five, and so far this list really does seem pretty solid, so if you are looking for horror recommendations and are keen to find stuff you may have missed, I really do suggest checking the list out. If you’ve read any of these, I’d love to hear what you think – point me towards your reviews, and let me know if you think there’s any I really should read immediately.
Unwrapping Words 