There were a lot of great reads this year, so many that I thought I list the books I really enjoyed. No particular ranking. A lot of them were horror books.
Not a novel, but this short story is really good. I've read almost everything by Hill and cannot wait for his next novel. Definitely give this one a read.
Chizmar's Chasing The Boogeyman was one of my favorite reads last year. His new book is very good. He writes great characters. Don't know why, but when I read his books, I think of the films of Richard Linklatter.
This was an incomplete book by Crichton which Patterson finished. A fast paced thriller. I also learned a lot about volcanoes, particularly lava tubes!
I really enjoyed Tremblay's new book. It was not what I expected. I'm not sure if I would even call it horror in the traditional sense, but I like the tone and feel of it. The Disappearance at Devil's Rock and Head Full of Ghost are also worth checking out.
I've read all of King's books, and I love his short stories. There are some great ones in this collection.
I read Fever House and The Devil By Name back to back. Devil By Name has a different feel from Fever House's noir vibe, but it's really good. Both are page tuners. Definitely worth checking out.
I think this is one of those books you either like it or you don't. I thought it was really cool and a lot of fun. I guess you could put this one in the fantasy territory. I think Koontz called it a spooky screwball comedy.
I've been reading of lot of Koontz lately and I love they way he creates his villains. And this book has some big baddies.
Very intense and dark read. The story reminded me of John Carpenter's The Fog. I'm looking forward to reading more by Malfi.
A great coming of age story. Carson nailed the 1990s. I felt like I was in a time machine. There were some very scary moments. And then there were times where I was laughing out loud. Probably one of the best books I read this year. Also check out The Chills by Carson.
Another one of my favorite reads of 2024. Very scary, and very engaging. A fast read. I enjoyed the themes explored in the book, particularly the loss of innocence. The format took some time to get used to. But it's really effective in telling the story.
If you love horror and sci-fi movies, this is a must read. Nashawaty explores movies of the summer of 1982: Tron, The Thing, E.T. Wrath of Khan, Road Warrior, Blade Runner, Poltergeist and Conan The Barbarian. I love the way he structures the book. It reminded me of Peter Biskind's From Easy Rider to Raging Bull.
I got to see Alex Van Halen speak at LA Talks this past fall. Still can't believe Eddie Van Halen is no longer with us. Great read about Van Halen up to the 1984 record. Also check out Eruption - a book of interviews with Eddie Van Halen.
Ian Nathan has written a bunch of books for this series. A number of them I have read, such as Guillermo del Toro and Wes Anderson. His newest book on Spielberg is very good. There are some movies he only devotes a few pages too. Some of the stuff I already knew about Spielberg, but I really enjoyed the pictures and layout of the book. And great price!
