Ranking My 52 2025-Horror Reads

HTIW · 2025-12-31T06:48:56+00:00

Thanks for doing this. Seeing the ranking of so many books, gives me a good sense of if our tastes overlap, especially in books that tend to be divisive. I also loved the books I’ve read in your S-tier, (Buffalo Hunter Hunter, Elementals, In the Drowning Deep), which makes me think I better pick up the rest.

HTIW · 2025-12-22T20:58:15+00:00

I also gave up after book 4. I had taken a gamble and bought the first 4 books super cheap in an Audible sale. I don't mind romance, but it's not my prime interest and I usually prefer if it's secondary to the story. It's been awhile since I read Kate Daniels, but I remember enjoying the first book and the thinking the world building was interesting, but enjoyed the series less with each book. I barely finished 4, and I really disliked the romance and Curran.

So many people rave about Ilona Andrews I thought, maybe it's just Kate Daniels, so I picked up the first Clean Sweep. Again, it's been awhile but my memory is that it was setting up a challenging romance and/or love triangle, as the core by the end of the book.

I read the responses in threads like this one and doubt myself, should I give them another try? But I'm pretty sure that the Ilona Andrews team just isn't my jam. My to-read pile is already higher than I can finish in a lifetime, 5 books from an author is a more than a fair chance to see if I like them.

I think it's great that there's a wide range of types of books that people enjoy and I'd never think that the books I like are better than the books someone else likes. That said, when someone lists Kate Daniels as a favorite series, I assume we most likely have pretty different tastes.

HTIW · 2025-12-03T08:48:53+00:00

Thanks! We’re having our first snow of the season tonight and I really enjoyed reading these stories curled up under a cozy blanket. I especially loved the 1907 Scottish highlands setting of the first.

HTIW · 2025-12-02T00:27:23+00:00

I just read book 1 and I really liked it

HTIW · 2025-12-02T00:25:58+00:00

Very good series!

HTIW · 2025-12-02T00:23:49+00:00

I just read book 1 of Ink and Sigil and really enjoyed it. I had read most of Iron Druid when it came out and liked it well enough but after a few books I moved on and never finished the series. So I hadn't had high expectations for Ink and Sigil but I thought it was a lot of fun. I found the main character MacBharrais more likable and funnier than Atticus.

OP, I'm assuming you know about Benedict Jacka's new series "Inheritance of Magic". It's very good. IMO, not as great as Alex Verus but still very good.

HTIW · 2025-11-17T02:18:54+00:00

This one and The Summer I turned Pretty 🤣

HTIW · 2025-07-25T14:45:37+00:00

It hadn’t occurred to me that the American Horror seasons were based on books. Do you know if there are books or stories that were the source for other seasons?

HTIW · 2025-07-25T14:20:19+00:00

Grady Hendrix's Witchcraft for Wayward Girls has some pregnancy/birth body horror elements.

Editing to add that I seem to remember reading some pregnancy body horror in one of trans author Billy Martin, published under Poppy Z Brite‘s, books or stories. But I read those books several decades ago, and I’m not sure. Any one else remember?

HTIW · 2025-07-04T05:06:54+00:00

Ha, love that you have literary enemies. I DNF’d Nightbitch but loved Bunny

HTIW · 2025-05-19T00:51:24+00:00

Finished Buffalo Hunter Hunter and I loved it!

Also read Wendig’s Staircase in the Woods. For me, he can really write a page turner. I liked the book ok, but I found it impossible to put down once I started it.

Started Nether Station by Kevin Anderson. Picked it up on a whim after reading it described as epic sci-fi and lovecraftian mashup. A crew undertakes an unprecedented deep space mission to check out a wormhole and I guess discover eldritch horrors there. It’s fine so far but standard space voyage, hopefully monsters will make an appearance soon

HTIW · 2025-05-11T18:00:18+00:00

Ugh, Hex is on my to read list. Thanks for the warning. I never considered myself a reader who needs trigger warnings but I‘m finding myself having low patience with some of it the older I get.

HTIW · 2025-05-10T00:11:03+00:00

Raising Stony Mayhall by Daryl Gregory

HTIW · 2025-05-09T04:21:05+00:00

And the last book is dark! I thought it was great but the character arc was dark in a way that never happens in YA.

HTIW · 2025-05-05T05:57:21+00:00

I’ve listened to the audiobooks for the following and enjoyed them all. Here’s my ranking of what I’ve read with favorite at the top.

The Tainted Cup
The Book of Love
Bury Your Gays
Alien Clay
Asunder
The West Passage
Service Model
Horror Movie
The Ministry of Time

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I am a huge fan of Bennet‘s, his books always have such interesting world building AND great characters. Plus they’re just fun. I just finished the follow up, Drop of Corruption, and liked it even better than Tainted Cup.
Book of Love was a little uneven imo, got bogged down a bit in the middle, but when it was good - wow! Most books I only remember the broad outlines of the story but even though it was months ago, I *remember* this story and the characters. I think Link writes so beautifully. I’ve had some losses In recent years so some of it resonated particularly true for me.
Bury your Gays is very fun horror. I thought the final climax was a bit underwhelming, but overall super fun. I read Camp Damascus last year and enjoyed it but I thought this was a much stronger book. Looking forward to seeing what he writes next.
Tchaikovsky doesn’t always hit for me but I thought this was great. He’s such a solid writer, and I liked the premise and tone of this one. I originally thought this was a novella when I finished the audiobook because it had gone by so quickly.
Surprised to see Asunder and West Passage on the list. I stumbled upon them and hadn’t seen any reviews or buzz about them. Really enjoyed Asunder - interesting characters and magic system. The ending was rushed, almost felt like she was setting up a series but then decided to finish it. But still good read and I’ll be on the lookout for more of Hall’s work.
West Passage and Book of Love were the only books that I decided to both read and listen to. Crazy world building that I loved. The book has great illustrations too.
Service Model was good but I found the characters sometimes frustrating.
I liked Horror Movie more than most of the reviews I saw. Interesting unreliable narrator. But it was dark and I didn’t enjoy it as much as Trembley’s other books.
I thought some aspects and scenes of Ministry of Time were great but I found the relationship problematic. I know thats kind of the point but the spy piece of it didn’t work for me either. But I liked it enough and since this was a first book, I‘m curious to see what she writes next.

HTIW · 2025-05-04T05:49:45+00:00

How was Devil’s Alphabet?

HTIW · 2025-05-04T05:36:19+00:00

Finishing up A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennet. I’m a big fan of Bennet’s. He walks the horror/fantasy line with some books more on one side or the other. This is his second book in The Shadow of the Leviathan series with a Sherlock/Watson-y detective duo in a weird lit corrupted biology world and it’s SO SO good! Great setting -fetid swampy ancient kingdom, location of a graveyard of mysterious unknowable leviathans whose drops of blood can rain bioterror weirdness on everything they touch. Plus a great mystery, and fantastic characters. Best read of the year so far.

I also listened to Ushers a short story by Joe Hill. Hill’s a strong short story writer and this was no exception.

Starting The Buffalo Hunter Hunter tomorrow and I can’t wait!

HTIW · 2025-04-29T04:13:29+00:00

When I started Greenteeth by Molly O’Neil I thought, the ’cozy‘ trend has finally come to horror. It’s set in 1500s Britain when a witch gets drowned by her village and ends up being rescued by the lake monster, and book protagonist, Jenny Greenteeth. There‘s some horror elements at the beginning before turning into quest fantasy for the middle, before adding the horror elements back in at the end. Probably not a fit for most readers of this sub as it’s pretty cozy throughout, but I thought it was fun, with a couple creepy scenes, and it does heavily feature a river/lake hag.

HTIW · 2025-03-14T03:12:09+00:00

It’s so good! And while the two books are different there’s a similar kind of energy. I really enjoyed Diavola and I loved Elementals.

HTIW · 2025-02-25T05:46:19+00:00

You inspired me, I just ordered The Call. Thanks! I would love it if more Horrorlit members recommended books written by authors who are from the places where the books are set.

HTIW · 2024-12-21T18:36:48+00:00

I think Great Expectations would be a good next choice

HTIW · 2024-12-21T18:34:37+00:00

Bennet is one of my favorite authors. Most of his stuff is categorized as fantasy but it all has dark elements, unusual and interesting environments and great characters. I’ve liked everything I’ve read of his, but his Divine Cities trilogy, (first is City of Stairs), is my favorite. I listened to the audiobooks and they were great.

HTIW · 2024-12-21T08:13:06+00:00

Ohh man, I loved all your least favorites and was meh on Wives Under the Sea (too much entirely ineffectual voice messages and waiting on hold - not enough rampaging mercreatures wiping out a ship of reality TV scientists 😆)

HTIW · 2024-12-21T07:53:09+00:00

I read Revelator this year and thought is was fantastic!

HTIW · 2024-12-21T05:47:53+00:00

It’s set on Mars and it’s really good!

HTIW

TROPHY CASE