My Top 5 Horror Reads of 2025

The books that stuck with me, and still do

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In terms of reading, this past year was a bit of a slower one for me. I returned to writing in a big way, while also experiencing some health issues, all of which cut into my reading time. Even with that, though, I still managed to get though close to 50 books. Here are the 5 titles that stuck with me long after I flipped over the final page.

The Troop by Nick Cutter

I actually read 3 different books by Cutter this year, and while all could easily have made the list, I narrowed it down to just this one. Imagine a Lord of the Flies scenario with a bunch of cub scouts stranded on an island with a mysterious visitor. There are some scenes of animal cruelty that are sure to be jarring to some, but it all just adds to the horror of this tale.

Image Credit — Gallery Publishing

Red Walls by Christina Bergling

The Monere House is a place that most people avoid, but Talia decides to take a peek inside. What she finds leaves her forever changed and sets her parents on the path of revenge. The story moves quickly inside a house that feels both expansive and claustrophobic at the same time. I LOVED this book.

Image Credit — Graveside Press

Cosmic Showdown by Jeremy Crews

The first book by this author, Drive-Thru Hell, was a bonkers ride through a possessed fast-food restaurant. How was he going to top that? By offering up and equally wild dive into 80’s professional wrestling with a strong helping of aliens on the moon madness. Crews writing is off the wall, and you never quite know what is coming next.

Image Credit — Live Evil Publishing

Green Unpleasant Land by Matt Thomas

While cosmic horror tends to be filled with dread and can often be quite dull, you absolutely cannot say that for this book. Set in an alternate Victorian timeline, Green Unpleasant Land is a rip-roaring adventure from start to finish, with some of the best action scenes I have read in quite some time. I cannot wait to dive into the sequel to this one.

Image credit — Matt Thomas

When the Wolf Comes Home by Nat Cassidy

I have had all of Cassidy’s books loaded on my Kindle for a minute yet have never got around to reading one. This was his latest release, so I pulled the trigger and bought the paperback version. It proved to be a very smart decision. You might see the title and cover and imagine some sort of werewolf tale, but you would be sadly mistaken. What you get is a truly original story with an absolutely amazing ending.

Image Credit — Tor Nightfire

I should have mentioned at the start that these books were not all released in 2025. This is just when I read them. I would love to hear about your favorites this past, even if they are not in the horror genre, so please do drop them in the comments.