Here is my end-of-year compilation of the stories which really impressed me in 2019, everything from short stories to stand-alone novels, book series and novellas:
TOP 2019 SHORT STORIES
INSULAR by Jamie Stewart presents the concept of being so wrapped up in our own heads that we miss something very wrong happening right in front of us, and made such an impact on me, I also recommend TRICK OR TREAT by the same author. You will definitely see Stewart in the Lair a third time in January 2020.
A GOOD PAIR OF EYES by Matthew Buza is a crime drama mixed with supernatural horror, and the story scared the crap out of me with the vivid descriptions. If you like movies such as The Grudge or Unfriended, you're going to love this short horror story.
THE CAT ON ALPINE ROAD by Keith Knapp is full of suspense, and the cat, Buckshot, is magnificent. If you love the cat, General, from the movie Cat's Eye, you'll enjoy Knapp's story.
PHILOPHOBIA by Sin Ribbon is a short story about a man attempting to resurrect his wife. I'm so intrigued with the town itself, Ribbons could probably create a few more stories with the townsfolk, particularly with Mrs. Becca's church and Lisa Common.
EASY.GONE. by Daniel J Ings is terrifying. I can't imagine what Mr. Yan was thinking, selling such a dangerous item as the pocket-sized Necronomicon to a kid with a huge chip on his shoulder.
I JUST WANT TO DIE by Nicholas Wolff mixes horror, sci-fi and drama to create one of the best apocalyptic outbreak scenarios I've ever read! Wolff has taken the plague subgenre to a new level.
I'M ALL ALONE AND IT'S GETTING DARK by Brandon Lee Hayes is a story told from a child's POV. He wakes up from a nightmare to pee and finds the babysitter missing. (This story made me think of the illustration of a toy bear using a sword to defend the sleeping child from a monster.) Roosevelt is the kind of bear I'd want my kid to have.
THE HIKE by Sarah Gribble is far better than I expected. I thought it would be a group of people getting attacked by a werewolf, but it's so much worse, and there's far more to the story.
PARK CLOSES AT DUSK by D.W. Nathan is the best short story I've read by the author. For some reason, I thought I would be reading a vampire story, but the creatures Nathan has created are much more terrifying. If you like Ghoul by Brian Keene, you're going to love the nightlife in this park.
THE TUNNELERS by Geoff Gander is one of the best stories I've read in 2019, even though this story was published in 2011. Halfway through reading, I googled legends of the First Nations to figure out which parts are historical and how much of the story is a creation of the author. What I found convinced me Gander is Lovecraft reincarnated.
TOP 2019 NOVELS
ONE OF US by Craig DiLouie is a very emotional drama set in 1984. The horror element is the way the characters treat each other: deplorable. I've often commented in my reviews about the definition of a monster...DiLouie wrote an entire novel about the debate over what defines a monster.
TOOTH & CLAW by Dave Jeffery (author of A Quiet Apocalypse) is one of the best werewolf stories I've ever read. The author has blended folklore, crime drama and horror with an excellent balance of action and suspense to create one hell of a thriller!
EMILY ETERNAL by M.G. Wheaton is one of the best science fiction novels I've read in a long time, and one of the most creative stories I've read this year. This thriller is told from the POV of the artificial consciousness, a five-year science experiment attempting to save humanity. Basically, the author has combined a crime drama in an E.L.E. setting with a sci-fi coming-of-age battle for survival.
THE FOREST by Julia Blake centers on the villagers of Wyckenwode and the Forest, filled with secrets which have affected the lives of every generation. Blake has skillfully woven folklore, suspense, drama and romance together to create a detailed coming-of-age tapestry. I haven't been this moved by a fantasy novel since the last time I read Ursula K LeGuin.
TOP 2019 SERIES
Grinning Skull Press has a GRAVE MARKER series, eighteen so far, and I recommend all of them. One in particular,
THE MEMOIR OF DARIUS FISCHER by Ezekiel Kincaid mixes theology, mysticism, folklore and more with the precision of a master.
I AM THE NIGHT by Ruth Miranda is a companion story for her Blood trilogy, and narrated by Marcus. This installment offers fans of the series his perspective on events leading up to his confrontation with Caius, as well as the beginning of his relationship with Marianne.
THE BEAUTIFUL ONES series by Kody Boye follows the POV of a sixteen year old girl, Kelendra, chosen to keep up genetic standards for the Glittering City. The society Boye has crafted contains elements similar to the Hunger Games and The Handmaid's Tale, while retaining the author's skill in using personal drama to draw readers into his disturbing creation.
TOP 2019 NOVELLAS
IT NEVER DIED by Joshua Scribner is the author's best story, of the 100+ stories I have read by Scribner. This isn't just a supernatural story, or a karma/revenge plot, this is the ultimate reincarnation tale!
A QUIET APOCALYPSE by Dave Jeffery (author of Tooth & Claw) is a very different kind of post-apocalyptic story. There are no zombies, nothing supernatural of any kind...only people enslaving other people. After an illness renders most people deaf, the hearing are hunted down to become servants for the newly hearing impaired. Those born deaf are given a much more terrifying treatment, as they are blamed for the virus which causes the loss of hearing.
Special thanks to all of you who share my review and interview links and help get the word out about all the great indie authors and small presses! There are tons of great stories to read in horror, science fiction, fantasy and suspense, but many readers are afraid to try the unknown.
Have a safe New Year's Eve, and be sure to come back in 2020 for even more fantastic recommendations!
As always,
AstraDaemon
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