Andrew Buckner’s 25 Favorite Books of 2025

*Please note that all the books included in this list are done so based on an original release date in 2025. 

by Andrew Buckner

25. In the Land of What Little’s Left Over

by Z. Schwartz

24. The End of the World As We Know It: New Tales of Stephen King’s The Stand

by Various Authors including Christopher Golden (Co-Editor), Brian Keene (Co-Editor)

23. Another 

by Paul Tremblay

22. Scene: A Memoir

by Abel Ferrara

21. Paper View

by Laughton J. Collins, Jr.

20. Curse of the Blood Witch

by Dawn Colclasure

19. The God Who Breaks: Old Testament Plays of Rebellion and Despair

by Laughton J. Collins, Jr.

18. With a Vengeance: A Novel 

by Riley Sager

17. The Preservation of Species Trilogy

(Rule of Extinction, Struggle For Existence, and Beasts of Prey)

by Geoff Jones

16. Going Home in the Dark: A Novel

by Dean Koontz

15. Tom’s Crossing: A Novel

by Mark Z. Danielewski

14. What Kind of a Name is Lolly Anyway?

by Lucy Brighton

13. 3 A.M. Poetry

by Dawn Colclasure

12. The Horror of it All: Stories

by Laughton J. Collins, Jr.

11. Never Flinch: A Novel 

by Stephen King

10. King Sorrow: A Novel

by Joe Hill

9. Witchcraft for Wayward Girls: A Novel

by Grady Hendrix

8. The Widow: A Novel

by John Grisham

7. Lloyd Kaufman: Interviews (Conversations With Filmmakers Series)

by Matthew Klickstein (Editor)

6. Cleave the Sparrow

by Jonathan Katz

5. Horror Movies: The Definitive History

by Jon Towlson 

4. Sorrowful Mysteries: The Shepherd Children of Fatima and the Fate of the 20th Century 

by Stephen Harrigan

3. The Fourth Mind

by Whitley Strieber

2. The River is Waiting: A Novel

by Wally Lamb

1. We Did Okay, Kid: A Memoir 

by Anthony Hopkins

Runner-up:

Stinetinglers 4: 3 Chilling Tales By the Master of Scary Stories

by R.L. Stine

Andrew Buckner’s 30 Favorite Books of 2024

by Andrew Buckner 

*Please note that the inclusion of the books on this list are done so on the basis of an original 2024 publication date.

30. Eruption: A Novel 

by Michael Chrichton, James Patterson

29. Heads Will Roll

by Josh Winning 

28. Dear Hanna: A Novel 

by Zoje Stage

27. Memorials 

by Richard Chizmar

26. The Rack: Stories Inspired by Vintage Horror Paperbacks

by various authors            

25. The Hitchcock Hotel 

by Stephanie Wrobel

24. The Bad Weather Friend 

by Dean Koontz

23. The Forest of Lost Souls 

by Dean Koontz

22. Extinction: A Novel 

by Douglas Preston 

21. The Angel of Indian Lake

by Stephen Graham Jones

20. Incidents Around the House: A Novel 

by Josh Malerman

19. Middle of the Night: A Novel 

by Riley Sager

18. Camino Ghosts: A Novel 

by John Grisham

17. Cringerotica 

by Soli

16. Butcher: A Novel 

by Joyce Carol Oates

15. Melancholy Arcadia 

by John Compton

14. We’re Alone: Essays 

by Edwidge Danticat         

13. Shock Induction 

by Chuck Palahniuk

12. Only Animals 

by Chelsea Sutton

11. Be a Revolution: How Everyday People are Fighting Oppression and Changing the World – and How You Can, Too

by Ijeoma Oluo

10. Horror Movie: A Novel 

by Paul Tremblay

9. Bootlace Cinema: Collecting Horror,  Science-fiction, and Exploitation Movies on Super 8

by Mark Williams

8. Words Left Unspoken 

by J.A. McGovern

7. Shadows and Light: Haiku and Senryu 

by Laughton J. Collins, Jr.

6. Hip Hop is History 

by Questlove, Ben Greenman

5.  Black Ceasers and Foxy Cleopatras: A History of Blaxplotation Cinema 

by Oldie Henderson

4.  You Like it Darker: Stories

by Stephen King 

3.  Framed: Astonishing True Stories of Wrongful Convictions 

by Jim McCloskey, John Grisham

2.  Sonny Boy: A Memoir

by Al Pacino

1. Sociopath: A Memoir

    by Patric Gagne, Ph.D.

    Runner-up: 

    The Accomplice: A Novel 

    by Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson

    A Word of Dreams’ 10 Favorite Books of 2018

    By Andrew Buckner

    10. HOOKED ON HOLLYWOOD: DISCOVERIES FROM A LIFETIME OF FILM FANDOM by Leonard Maltin

    9.WADE IN THE WATER: POEMS by Tracy K. Smith

    8. WARLIGHT by Michael Ondaatje

    7. ELEVATION by Stephen King

    6. THE CABIN AT THE END OF THE WORLD by Paul Tremblay

    5. TRUE INDIE: LIFE AND DEATH IN FILMMAKING by Don Coscarelli

    4. THE RISE AND FALL OF THE DINOSAURS: A NEW HISTORY OF A LOST WORLD by Steve Brusatte

    3. THE RECKONING by John Grisham

    2. GHOSTBUSTER’S DAUGHTER: LIFE WITH MY DAD, HAROLD RAMIS by Violet Ramis Stiel

    1. THE OUTSIDER by Stephen King