Best Books of 2021

Let me explain the graphic-the first 37 books starting with Queen of Teeth and ending with When Things Get Dark are my favorite reads of 2021. My highest recommendations. The rest of the books are ones that are on my priority stack and so I felt they should be included because I can only read so much. I read 156 books this year, but I read a bunch of previously released titles too. You can find my favorite backlist books I read this year HERE

I'm currently in the middle of reading The Ghost Sequences by A.C. Wise and Cunning Folk by Adam Nevill and enjoying them so much, they have to be on this list. I have three Josh Malerman titles on here because he's a favorite author, but I did not have time to read Ghoul in the Cape--but for sure it makes my noteworthy releases for 2021--so that's how I'm playing it this year. Without anymore prefacing, the 37 in no particular order:

Queen of Teeth by Hailey Piper (LBGTQ+ feminism horror)

Immortelle by Catherine McCarthy (Gothic lit)

Malignant Summer by Tim Meyer (coming of age/epic summer)

Nothing But Blackened Teeth by Cassandra Khaw (GHOSTS, Haunted)

My Heart is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones (coming-of-age/final girl/murder/book about movies)

Children of Chicago by Cynthia Pelayo (police procedural/mystery/urban legend)

LOLA ON FIRE by Rio Youers (crime thriller)

The Turnout by Megan Abbott (weird sisters/lust/dance)

Come With Me by Ronald Malfi (murder mystery/grief horror)

Hearts Strange and Dreadful by Tim McGreggor (historical fiction horror)

Shards by Ian Rogers (this is a free read on Tor.com) (found footage)

48 Hours to Kill Andrew Bourelle (crime thriller)

With Teeth by Brian Keene (VAMPS!)

Dark Across the Bay by Ania Ahlborn (domestic thriller)

And The Devil Cried by Kristopher Triana (fucked up crime noir)

Human Tenderloin by Craig Wallwork (short stories)

When the Reckoning Comes by LaTanya McQueen (antebellum era horror)

The Secret Skin by Wendy Wagner (LBGTQ+/1920/Haunted/creepy kid)

Book of Accidents by Chuck Wendig (family drama/horror)

Later by Stephen King (coming of age/supernatural)

Body Shocks edited by Ellen Datlow (body horror antho)

Cackle by Rachel Harrison (feminism/witch lit)

GOBLIN by Josh Malerman (novellas/shared universe)

Elements of My Anatomy by Hailey Piper (LBGTQ+/Short story collection/versatile)

RED X by David Demchuk (LBGTQ+ murders/human monsters)

Flowers for the Sea by Zin E. Rocklyn (Dark Fantasy/Feminism)

The Strange Thing We Become and Other Tales by Eric LaRocca (short stories/queer horror/LBGTQ+)

Goddess of Filth by V. Castro (feminism/cultural/coming-of-age/possession)

ROVERS by Richard Lange (VAMPS!)

Moon Lake by Joe Lansdale (crime thriller)

PEARL by Josh Malerman (creature feature)

Queen of the Cicadas by V. Castro (feminism/cultural/urban legend/revenge)

Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward (thriller/mystery/horror)

Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke by Eric LaRocca (queer horror/LBGTQ+/internet)

Chasing the Boogeyman by Richard Chizmar (meta/crime/murder/small town horror)

YOU Love Me by Caroline Kepnes (Murder/human monsters/Series)

When Things Get Dark edited by Ellen Datlow (Shirley Jackson inspired short stories)

Must read on my TBR for 2021

The Ghost Sequences by A. C. Wise

Cunning Folk by Adam Nevill

Beneath A Pale Sky by Philip Fracassi

Getaway by Zoje Stage

Where They Wait by Scott Carson 

Dangers of Smoking in Bed by Mariana Enríquez

Billy Summers by Stephen King

The Blacktongue Thief by Christopher Buehlman

The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix (final girl/book about movies)

The Push by Ashley Audrain

The Ghosts of Who You Were by Christopher Golden

The Death of Jane Lawrence by Caitlin Starling

This Thing Between Us by Gus Moreno

The Ghoul in the Cape by Josh Malerman

The Glassy, Burning, Floor of Hell by Brian Evenson

Razorblade Tears by S. A. Cosby

Shelter for the Damned by Mike Thorn

Comfort Me with Apples by Catherynne M. Valente

Boys in the Valley by Philip Fracassi