At the beginning of the year, I decided I would actually start using my Goodreads profile to track and rate the books I read during the year. Like most authors, I read a lot of books, but then I get to the point where I can’t even remember everything I read. I figured this would be a good way to remind myself of what books I enjoyed the most — and it also made sense to share some of my top picks here on this blog. These aren’t necessarily all books that came out this year, but they are the books that I’ve read during this time.
So, if you’ve already finished reading I Know What UFO Did Last Summer and are looking for something else to read, here are a few of the books I’ve really enjoyed to start out the year:
Middle grade reads:
It’s Watching, by Lindsay Currie
A new release! I’ve enjoyed a lot of Lindsay Currie’s books, but this is definitely my favorite of hers so far — and also my favorite middle grade read to start the year. A trio of kids investigating a graveyard to try to write a story for the school paper get sent a creepy meme with an ominous countdown…and a whole bunch of scary, ghostly occurrences start happening to them. Some of the haunting incidents are really creepy, and the book moves quickly as the kids work together to solve the mystery.
Nightbooks, by J.A. White
I really loved J.A. White’s The Thickety series, but this was the first time I got around to reading Nightbooks — and I really enjoyed it! Alex’s story is a mix of The Arabian Nights and Hansel and Gretel, with a similar blend of fantasy and horror elements that I liked about The Thickety. After getting trapped in a witch’s enchanted apartment, Alex is forced to read her one of her scary stories each night. At the same time, he and his fellow prisoner Yasmin must try to find a way to escape. Alex’s stories that are shared periodically throughout the book are very reminiscent of Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, which also added to the fun of reading this book.
Nox Winters and the Midnight Wolf, by Rochelle Hassan
This is the first of a planned duology. While it says it’s for ages 8 and up, it really feels more like something for older kids due to some of the darker elements of the book. This is a fun dark fantasy story, in which Nox discovers the mysterious Nightwood as he tries to find a cure for his twin brother’s mysterious illness. The Nightwood is an interesting world filled with all kinds of crypts and dark creatures, and of course, secrets that Nox will unravel over the course of his journey.
For adults:
H.P. Lovecraft’s The Shadow Over Innsmouth (Manga adaptation), by Gou Tanabe
The Shadow Over Innsmouth is one of H.P. Lovecraft’s most famous stories, and this relatively recent manga adaptation is another winner by Gou Tanabe. Tanabe’s artwork does an excellent job of bringing the dreary town of Innsmouth and its monstrous inhabitants to life as the story’s narrator accidentally stumbles upon the dark history of the town and finds himself in conflict with the Deep Ones. This manga adaptation is fine for older teens, but certain elements might be a bit too intense for younger kids.
The Best of Richard Matheson
Richard Matheson is most famous for his book I Am Legend, and for writing some of the most famous episodes of The Twilight Zone, like “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet.” This short story collection includes many of his most popular works, including several stories that were adapted into episodes of The Twilight Zone and Night Gallery. Like any short story collection, not all of these are winners, but the ones that are good are really good. Matheson’s stories mostly lean into science fiction and horror, but a few of the stories venture into other genres as well.