Dark bleatings, my beloved tribe! I gave you my favourite novels and short story collections, and now finally, I give you my Top 10 Horror Novellas of 2023. These aren’t books that were necessarily published last year, but books that I read for the first time in 2023. This was possibly the hardest category to choose from: I read A LOT of novellas last year, and pretty much all of them were awesome. It took me a while, but I’ve narrowed down my top picks, so without further ado, in no particular order, here they are!
It took me forever to get around to Woom, only because I tend to avoid extreme horror at all costs. And yet… I decided to dive in. Like a smooth, bald head. You won’t get that unless you’ve read it.
I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it, despite wincing at all the elements I knew I wouldn’t like. It was a jolly good time. Trigger warnings galore though – I wouldn’t go in blind if there are topics you prefer to avoid!
For the first time, I got to enjoy the wonderful world of Priya Sharma. In a glorious conversation that I was lucky enough to share with George Daniel Lea, he described Priya as “the real deal”, and I couldn’t agree more. There are writers, and then there are artists, and Priya is an artist. Pomegranates draws from mythology, fantasy, and horror, and ties it all up in a beautiful, horrific bow.
Towse and Healy absolutely smash both horror and comedy out of the park in this fast-paced, hilariously horrific novella about a B&B run by an old couple called Marge and Alby. Only… something isn’t quite right with this seemingly innocent old pair. I honestly can’t recommend it enough. It’ll make you wince and howl with laughter in the same breath.
A town is under seige by MASSIVE BLOODY SPIDERS!!! I’m an arachnophobe so this was a winner as a horror story for me. There’s something so fun about the way that Watkins writes too – his horror is always full of fun, somehow. A great read, especially if you’re after something you can devour in one sitting!
This is another novella that I would never have picked up if it wasn’t for my extreme horror reading experiment. It’s the book that made me realise that, actually, I might like some extreme horror after all. I was very attached to the characters, and cursed Sonnet many times as I read it. But only because I found her writing so engaging, so the pain she wrought upon me was very effective! Like Woom, I’d check trigger warnings if there’s anything you actively avoid, but this novella really packs a punch.
This novella was actually a bit of a shock to me because I’m used to Millard’s funnier side. This novella is not funny, though Millard’s (absolutely hilarious) sense of humour is woven into one of the characters, for which I was grateful because the setting and subject matter is very dark. A short, perfectly paced horror story that paints the most depressingly beautiful picture.
You didn’t think I’d make a Best Novellas list without including at least one Tim Lebbon novella, did you? His stories are so excellent, but this one is extra special. It’s the most beautiful take on the eradication of humanity you’ll ever read!
One of Kozeniewski’s best works of horror, in my humble opinion. It takes place over one night, in which a little girl awakens to the sound of a horrible voice threatening to devour her and everyone she loves. It’s simple, good old-school monster horror, and had me tense from the first line to the last.
This is on the longer side for a novella, but the shorter side for a novel, so I figured it would fit in nicely on this list. Of all the books I read last year, this is one of the top 5 that’s just stuck around in my brain for months and months. There’s definitely something supernatural afoot, and I thought I had it all figured out, but it went in unexpected directions and kept me on my toes! Plus, it’s a little bit sexy. Not erotica by any means, but it made me blush just a little!
I’d describe this as a delightful horror tale, and the writing is humorous. I sensed shades of Pratchett, and thoroughly enjoyed every single page of it. It seems to be lesser-known, which I think is a real shame, because it’s so worth a large audience! It’s about an “Unwitcher” on a quest. Hilarity and horror ensues!
And with that, I have wrapped up all of my favourite reads of 2023. Now, we move on to the newer pastures of 2024, and all the devious, delicious horrors that await us! Let me know if you have a novella recommendation that I can add to my TBR this year!
Happy Goat Horror 
Leave a comment