Alright, so last week I shared my list of top ten books I read in 2020 that weren’t released in 2020. Soon, you’ll find my list of my top 10 books of 2020 from 2020 over on Kendall Reviews.

But, I also wanted to feature some truly amazing Collections/Anthologies that I read this year. This list is purely based on reading in 2020 and not publication date. I read A LOT of collections this year and A LOT of anthologies, which made it very difficult to whittle it down to a top ten. I did cheat though, in that I doubled two of them up, but you’ll see why and because this is my site, I’ll damn well bend the rules if I want! HA!

For this list, the order is based on when I read them during the year starting with earliest to most recent.

1. To Wallow In Ash & Other Sorrows by Sam Richard

An grief filled batch of stories, Sam opens this up with a foreword sharing that after his wife passed away, the only two things that kept him alive was his pup and writing this collection. Be warned – this group of stories will absolutely wreck you.

You can buy this from Weirdpunk Books here;

https://weirdpunkbooks.square.site/

Or Amazon;

2. Dark Celebrations by Calvin Demmer

Demmer returns with another fantastic group of stories. I loved that we start off strong and each story grew and grew until the final few were excellent. Demmer is one of my favorite authors and I get excited for each and every one of his releases.

3. Grotesque Monster Stories by Lee Murray

Lee Murray is not only one of the most encouraging authors out there, she’s also one of the nicest. Don’t let that fool you though. The brutality and darkness she delivers in this stunning collection will make even the hardest reader squirm. 

4. North American Lake Monsters & Wounds: Six Stories From the Border of Hell by Nathan Ballingrud

I couldn’t just choose one of the two collections I read from Mr. Ballingrud this year as both were superb. Covering a variety of story lines, each and every one eats into your brain. I loved these two.

5. Murder Ballads and Other Horrific Tales by John Horner Jacobs

After I was shockingly approved for a digital ARC for this (blew me away!) I dove into this collection and saw why so many people have recommended I read John Horner Jacobs. Featuring some truly stunning stories, this really was outstanding.

6. Every House is Haunted by Ian Rogers 

Ian Rogers collection was a spellbinding experience and one that made me a bit ashamed that it took me so long to dive into. Pair this with his Tor release ‘Go Fish’ and you get a really great world that I hope to visit more of. FYI – the ebook is currently unavailable but will hopefully be returning to the world soon. Used/secondary paperbacks are able to be found, or once again, you could wait until a re-release!

7. Under Her Black Wings and Graveyard Smash by Kandisha Press

The first two anthologies from Kandisha Press feature a stunning TOC of some of the best writers out there. These are must read for fans of dark fiction and I wouldn’t be surprised if we see a Stoker be awarded for short fiction from Volume 2.

8. Cradleland of Parasites by Sara Tantlinger

A poetry collection centered around The Black Plague, Tantlinger absolutely eviscerates the reader with each additional poem in this collection. Stunning work from an absolute beast of a writer.

9. Different Beasts by J.R. McConvey

McConvey’s collection was a joy to find. I wasn’t sure what to expect but his storytelling and prose mastery was fantastic. Featuring some great dark fiction, I loved this batch of stories and look forward to reading more of his work.

10. Wyrd and Other Derelictions by Adam Nevill.

Adam Nevill has been a revelation for me this year, having read a number of his releases. With ‘Wyrd and Other Derelictions’ he took a bold leap and completely delivered. This book is one of the most unsettling things you’ll ever read. 

You can purchase the book directly from Nevill here;

https://www.adamlgnevill.com/ritual-limited-shop-2/

Or from Amazon here;

There we go. Done and dusted. Now keep your eyes open for my Top Ten of 2020 list coming soon to Kendall Reviews!