Dark Side of the Library Podcast

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Dark Side of the Library Podcast

Dark and gothic reads for goths, lovers of the macabre, horror fans, and the morbidly inclined. We b

03/03/2024

Coming out this week: “Mortimer and the Witches: A History of Nineteenth Century Fortune Tellers” by Marie Carter (Empire State Editions, 2024)

“Under the pseudonym Q. K. Philander Doesticks, P. B., humor writer Mortimer Thomson went undercover to investigate and report on the fortune tellers of New York City’s tenements and slums. When his articles were published in book form in 1858, they catalyzed a series of arrests that both scandalized and delighted the public. But Mortimer was guarding some secrets of his own, and in many ways, his own life paralleled the lives of the women he both visited and vilified. In Mortimer and the Witches, author Marie Carter examines the lives of these marginalized fortune tellers while also detailing Mortimer Thomson’s peculiar and complicated biography.”

I’m intrigued by this dark read!
-Carrie

01/03/2024

Do not be fooled by this cover. "Earthlings" is a very disturbing novel!
Lots of trigger warnings!! Some but not limited to: abuse, SA, cannibalism.

You can listen to our minisode about it today.
It's hard to say I "enjoyed" the novel. More so, I was fascinated by Sayaka Murata's ideas on social taboo, conformity, etc.

Have you read this novel? Join us and let me know what you think!

-Kaiti

29/02/2024

Coming in April 2024 from and - “Bless Your Heart.” It’s a mystery-horror novel and it’s giving me Southern vampire gothic vibes while being still totally different than the True Blood series.

“parlor in town, are keeping steady with…normal business. The dead die, you bury them. End of story. That’s how Ducey Evans has done it for the last eighty years, and her progeny―Lenore the experimenter and Grace, Lenore’s soft-hearted daughter, have run Evans Funeral Parlor for the last fifteen years without drama. Ever since That Godawful Mess that left two bodies in the ground and Grace raising her infant daughter Luna, alone.

But when town gossip Mina Jean Murphy’s body is brought in for a regular burial and she rises from the dead instead, it’s clear that the Strigoi―the original vampire―are back. And the Evans women are the ones who need to fight back to protect their town.

As more folks in town turn up dead and Deputy Roger Taylor begins asking way too many questions, Ducey, Lenore, Grace, and now Luna, must take up their blades and figure out who is behind the Strigoi’s return.”

This might be a fun read for us! What do@you think?

-Carrie

28/02/2024

Today, Carrie and I talk about all the dark YA books that are coming out in February 2024.

Some of the ones listed here are:

The Bad Ones, by Melissa Albert (February 20)

Daughter of the Bone Forest (Witch Hall Duology, 1), by Jasmine Skye ( February 27)

Dead Things Are Closer Than They Appear, by Robin Wasley (February 13)

Heartless Hunter: The Crimson Moth: Book 1, by Kristen Ciccarelli (February 20)

Snowglobe (Snowglobe, 1), by Soyoung Park (Author), Joungmin Lee Comfort (February 27)

Tender Beasts, by Liselle Sambury (February 27)

My Throat an Open Grave, by Tori Bovalino (February 20)

Where the Dark Stands Still, by A. B. Poranek (February 27)

There are many more on our podcast episode~

https://www.darksideofthelibrary.com/dark-side-of-the-library-podcast-episode-176-dark-young-adult-books-coming-out-february-2024/

Happy Publishing Month to you all!
~Kaiti

27/02/2024

New Tarot Cards and Oracle Decks for Winter/Spring 2024

25/02/2024

Coming in July 2024 from Becky Paige and : “Boo the Library Ghost.”

This picture book for spooky kids aged preschool to kindergarten featured a ghost who loves to frighten library visitors and a brave girl named Poppy who just wants to read!

A nice summer bedtime book while you wait to segue into the Halloween season!

21/02/2024

Come listen to our podcast episode about new non-fiction releases coming out in February 2024! (Link in bio)

There are quite a few I can't wait to get my hands on. "Clay and Bones" by
Is my number one! "A History of Mysteries: The Life and Death it Edgar Allan Poe" by Mark Dawidziak is a must-have. Which one are you excited for?
-Kaiti

20/02/2024

Victor LaValle is a brilliant storyteller. "The Changeling" is a spooky fairytale that is atmospheric, emotional, and stunning. He blends real-life horrors with the imaginary flawlessly.

I really enjoyed LaValle's novella "Ballad of Black Tom" and can't wait to start this one...

💘Summary:

"When Apollo Kagwa’s father disappeared, all he left his son were strange recurring dreams and a box of books stamped with the word IMPROBABILIA. Now new parents, Apollo and Emma's exhaustion and anxiety start to take their toll. Apollo’s old dreams return and Emma begins acting odd. Irritable and disconnected from their new baby boy, at first Emma seems to be exhibiting signs of postpartum depression, but it quickly becomes clear that her troubles go even deeper. Emma commits a horrific act—beyond any parent’s comprehension—and vanishes, seemingly into thin air.

Thus begins Apollo’s odyssey through a world he only thought he understood, to find a wife and child who are nothing like he’d imagined. He meets a mysterious stranger who claims to have information about Emma’s whereabouts, takes him to a forgotten island, a graveyard full of secrets, a forest where immigrant legends still live, and finally back to a place he thought he had lost forever.

This captivating retelling of a classic fairy tale imaginatively explores parental obsession, spousal love, and the secrets that make strangers out of the people we love the most."

I can't wait!

-Kaiti

20/02/2024

Take a Peek at These Dark Tarot and Oracle Decks

17/02/2024

What I’m reading this weekend: “Witchcraft: A History in Thirteen Trials” by Marion Gibson ( January 2024)

It’s a non-fiction history read that takes us through centuries of witch trials, from Salem to Norway to Lesotho.

A bit disheartening to read but an important look at the history of gendered persecution.

15/02/2024

Do you think you would survive a zombie apocalypse?

I used to think I had a pretty good chance, but as I've been reading "Zone One" by , I'm beginning to question myself. There are so many things that I hadn't considered, such as dealing with the PASD (post-apocalyptic stress disorder).

In some zombie stories, we see a back and forth between post and pre-apocalypse but nothing quite like "Zone One." Our protagonist is constantly juggling between memories, the crisis at hand, and the beginnings of the apocalypse simultaneously. This reads like a fever dream in a way that I think I would experience an event like a zombie apocalypse.

Rather than dealing with the theme of the brutality of humanity, we see the psychological effects. It's functional madness and survival and adaptability.

I highly recommend "Zone One" by

-Kaiti

14/02/2024

Happy Valentines Day AND Wicked Wednesday! Today, on our podcast, we share our favorite dark adult fiction finds for February 2024. There are so many dark books coming out that we had to make multiple episodes. This is episode one, and episode two will come out on Freaky Friday!

Come join us and see what new reads you can put on your

Of course, I had to start with "The Book of Love" by Kelly Link! This supernatural thriller is 640 pages long!

"Bored Gay Werewolf" by is a dark comedy that explores the woes of adulthood and being a werewolf.

"The Fortune Seller" by is a drama coming of age story with tarot.

"Island Witch" by is set in 19th century Sri Lanka and follows the daughter of a demon-priest .

"The Book of Doors" by Gareth Brown is a love letter to books! Similar to "The Night Circus."

"King Nyx" by is a hauntingly mystery about lost girls and the women who try to find them

"The Blueprint" by is a speculative horror about a world very close to our own. A world of injustice where a young black woman must navigate.

Check out the entire episode for more dark reads to add to your tbr!

-Kaiti

11/02/2024

I went to two today. One was a newer, smaller, more tightly curated version with light wood floors and some light gray carpet. I took two pictures of the New Fiction shelf so you could see which titles they are currently highlighting. I didn’t take pics of the sci fi and fantasy new books section where a lot of the darker books end up.

Next, I went to a much larger, older format Barnes and Noble with dark dingy carpet and photographed the sci Fi and fantasy shelves as well as all the new fiction shelves. (I skipped the display tables, which mostly were covered in mounds of Iron Flame editions)

It’s interesting how many books that came out well over a year ago (such as the hardcover copy of Barbara Kingsolver’s “Demon Copperhead” which came out in October 2022) are placed prominently on the “New” shelves. At both bookstores I saw prominently faced out copies of “Silver Nitrate” by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, which came out in July 2023 - seven whole months ago!

That sort of feels disingenuous and rather insulting. It makes it hard for people who aren’t Bookstagrammers or Booktokers to find books that are actually newly released. They should have called those shelves “New and Popular” or “New and Bestsellers.”

I remember specifically going to Borders Books back in the glory days when it was still open, to find an actually new book to gift my voracious reader sister. Borders did a much better job of curating books and surfacing new releases. Sigh.

Do you get frustrated seeing obviously older books on “new” displays, or are you ok with it for the general reading populace who might not research books as carefully as those of us in ?

09/02/2024

This morning, I started "Zone One" by , poured myself a cup of coffee, and lit my Mythologie candle (affiliate link is in bio!)

Wow, what a start! Mark Spitz is the protagonist in this zombie novel. He is a part of a team of civilian sweepers tasked to clear parts of Manhattan of the remaining zombies. We are shown the effects of what it would be like to come to terms with something like a zombie apocalypse. Spitz recalls bits of the past, his normal life in conjunction with the task at hand.

So far, I am enjoying it. I love zombie stories, so this is right up my alley.

😋

On another note, check out Mythologie Candles (quick link in bio or copy here:)

https://mythologiecandles.com/?ref=Aux-6l6i7J0Wt-

They have a new line of "Onsen" fragrances to get you ready for springtime! 🌼

✨️✨️Question: Are you a fan of zombie stories?✨️✨️

08/02/2024

This is my Black History Month reading list! Black Horror contains themes that reflect the experience of Black communities. There is a combination of social commentary and genuine scares!

I adore and Victor LaValle. I cannot wait to read Tananarive Due's "The Good House" and LaValle's "Lone Woman."

I have been eager to read "Fledgling" by for forever.

's "Zone One" is right up my alley. This is the book I am going to start with!

"White is for Witch" by Helen Oyeyemi is perfect if you are looking for lots of paranormal. Vampires, ghosts, haunted houses!

Finally, "Cherish Farrah" by has similar vibes to 's "Get Out." This is one of my top horror movies. I am excited about this thriller!

QOTD✨️
Who are some of your favorite Black authors?

08/02/2024

Coming in mid February from and A.G. Slatter: “The Briar Book of the Dead.”

“Ellie Briar is the first non-witch to be born into her family for generations. The Briar family of witches run the town of Silverton, caring for its inhabitants with their skills and magic. In the usual scheme of things, they would be burnt for their sorcery, but the church has given them dispensation in return for their protection of the borders of the Darklands, where the much-feared Leech Lords hold sway.”

Witchcraft, grimoires, past sins and speaking to the dead feature heavily in this gothic dark fantasy read.

06/02/2024

Coming in September 2024:

“The Book of Forgotten Witches: Dark & Twisted Folklore Stories from Around the World” by and ( publishers)

01/02/2024

A Mystery of Mysteries: The Death and Life of Edgar Allan Poe comes out in February 2024 from Mark Dawidziak ()

Just in time for Valentine’s Day as a matter of fact! Do you think Edgar Allan Poe died of natural causes?

31/01/2024

Join us for our latest podcast episode. Carrie and I discuss the new dark YA books coming out in January 2024!

This is one of our longest episodes for the month because there are a ton of great YA books! I am the most excited for "The Invocations" by . I thoroughly enjoyed her previous book, "House of Hollow." Most of these books sound intriguing.

Which of these YA books are you excited for?
-Kaiti

30/01/2024

Which of these new upcoming 2024 Dracula editions appeals to you the most?

29/01/2024

We just wanted to let you know that we are proud affiliates! They have a pretty cool cottage core sale going on now:

https://mythologiecandles.com/pages/highcottage?ref=Aux-6l6i7J0Wt-

I've gotten in the habit of lighting a candle before I begin reading my spooky books. I tend to light a candle while doing a tarot reading as well. Does anyone else do this? Haha! 😆

Next to my amazing candle are two of my favorite tarot and book combos. 's "Beneath the Moon/ Tarot of the Divine" and
+ "Women of Myth" Book and Oracle deck! I adore both of these artists!

I like this candle company because there are a lot of fantasy vibes that fit into my book aesthetic. I took their fun test to see which scent matched my vibes, and I got "Artemis" and "Into the Feywild!" Let me know what fragrance you get if you decide to take the quiz as well.

~Kaiti

26/01/2024

I just picked up the mystery/thriller “The Heiress” by ( January 2024)

So far it’s a slow burn with well written and believable characters. I feel like something is being hinted at about a changeling, or perhaps I only read that in a review blurb (or I dreamed it)

“Soon, Jules and Cam realize that an inheritance can entail far more than what’s written in a will––and that the bonds of family stretch far beyond the grave.”

So far the house isn’t very creepy (I’m slightly disappointed, as a lover of eerie house books, but I’m only a few chapters in!)

You might have read Rachel Hawkins earlier books, “The Villa” or “The Wife Upstairs.” She seems to specialize in dark family dramas.

Are you reading “The Heiress” right now?

24/01/2024

Another snowy winter week lies ahead for me, so I got this post-apocalyptic book from my little small town library.

“Moon of the Crusted Snow” is by ( 2018)

Check out the premise.. “With winter looming, a small northern Anishinaabe community goes dark. Cut off, people become passive and confused. Panic builds as the food supply dwindles. While the band council and a pocket of community members struggle to maintain order, an unexpected visitor arrives, escaping the crumbling society to the south. Soon after, others follow.”

I’m really intrigued, and diving in to read this tonight instead of switching on my television!

-Carrie

23/01/2024

We have to wait until for this creepy cute little kids book to come out!

“Dracula’s First Tooth” is by Jen Arena and Beatriz Torres German ( 2024)

Pre-order yours via our links in Stories and highlights here on Instagram!

22/01/2024

I have a long snowy week ahead of me and I’m eager to dive into “The Witchng Year” by (Diana Helmuth)

It’s the perfect non-fiction read for the first month of our New Year. In this book, the author details her 366 days of exploring modern Witchcraft, forging her own path through festivals, rituals, camps and incantations.

It’s been decades since I attended Pantheacon and I wonder if reading through this will bring up memories of my own exploration of modern Paganism and Wicca!

-Carrie

19/01/2024

It’s another snowy day and I don’t at all mind being housebound with tea and books!

I started reading “Anna O” today ( / January 2024)

My small town library system only has one copy of this and eight people are waiting to get ahold of it. I’m determined to finish reading it today so I can drop it off at the library tomorrow.

So far, I’m on Chapter 19 and thoroughly enjoying it. (A couple times I had a naughty thought though, “Did anyone try just slapping her in the face five or six times?” Shame on me!)

Some of the sleep psychology parts are boring and I sort of skip over them but I can see why the author took so much care to research and introduce that info in this book.

I’m in a Ben chapter right now, wondering what he is going to try next to attempt to wake Anna O up; and I’m eagerly awaiting the next “Lola” chapter!

-Carrie

18/01/2024

I set aside some reading time today, knowing it was likely to snow. (I absolutely love working for myself and setting my own schedule, although it does mean long hours on most non-hooky playing days).

“The Last Word” was the book I reached for today (after making a huge, and I mean huge pot of Japanese sencha tea.)

“After posting a negative review of a horror novel, a woman staying at an isolated beach house begins to wonder if the author is a little touchy—or very, very dangerous.”

I’m currently staying at an isolated lake house in eastern Washington, so the premise of this book really called to me.

Check out some more details about this .. “One day, she reads a poorly written—but gruesome—horror novel by the author H. G. Kane, and posts a one-star review that drags her into an online argument with none other than the author himself. Soon after, disturbing incidents start to occur at night.”

Yikes! I can’t wait to find out what happens next!

-Carrie

17/01/2024

I am thrilled to present some graphic novels/comic books coming out in January 2024. These are all dark, spooky, or Gothic. In fact, about half are vampire stories!

Check it out! You can find out more on our podcast on our website or YouTube.
What graphic novels have you been reading lately?
~Kaiti

16/01/2024

Celebrate Dark Pop Culture Characters with These Finds

16/01/2024

Coming in September 2024 from - “
The Book of Forgotten Witches: Dark & Twisted Folklore Stories from Around the World.”

This book is by and

Pre-order your copy now via our Stories highlights or storefront link in bio.

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New Dark Kids Books December 2023 Dark Side of the Library Podcast Episode #166: New Dark Kids Books December 2023 (Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, we will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you) Be My Valenslime, by Kris Tarantino (Author), Cori Doerrfeld (December 19) https://amzn.to/3QK252D Big Bub, Small Car: Ready-to-Read Ready-to-Go!, by Alastair Heim (Author), Aaron Blecha (December 12) https://amzn.to/3G9PS20 A Call To Cthulhu, by Norm Konyu (December 12) https://amzn.to/41eMzjZ A Christmas Carol - Kid Classics: The Illustrated Just-for-Kids Edition, by Charles Dickens (Author), Maïté Schmitt (November 14) https://amzn.to/3PURT6H Love from Godzilla, by Olivia Luchini ( December 26) https://amzn.to/47jAEDF Mika and the Gurgler, by Agata Loth-Ignaciuk (Author), Berenika Kolomycka (December 5) https://amzn.to/47FrhhE Permanent Detention (Piggy Original Graphic Novel), by Vannotes (Author), Malu Menezes (December 5) https://amzn.to/40HPEJ4 Dark Side of the Library Amazon Live Channel: https://www.amazon.com/live/darksideofthelibrary/ Dark Side of the Library Podcast: https://www.darksideofthelibrary.com/ Dark Side of the Library on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/darksideofthelibrary Dark Side of the Library on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darksideofthelibrary

Dark Side of the Library Dark Young Adult Fiction December 2023

Dark Side of the Library Dark Young Adult Fiction December 2023 Follow us @darksideofthelibrary on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. Visit our website at www.darksideofthelibrary.com

Dark Side of the Library Dark Adult Fiction December 2023

Dark Side of the Library Dark Adult Fiction December 2023 Follow us @darksideofthelibrary on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. Visit our website at www.darksideofthelibrary.com

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Alerts

Videos

New Tarot Cards and Oracle Decks for Winter/Spring 2024

Take a Peek at These Dark Tarot and Oracle Decks

Celebrate Dark Pop Culture Characters with These Finds

Spooky + Cute Dolls, Accessories, and more!

Dark + Witchy Holiday Gifts

New Dark Kids Books December 2023

Dark Side of the Library Dark Young Adult Fiction December 2023

Dark Side of the Library Dark Adult Fiction December 2023

Spooky Kids + Adult Reads for Holiday Gifts

Dark Witchy Cyber Monday Finds + More

Dark Witchy Cyber Monday Deals + More

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Dark Holiday Gifts + Decorations for Kids + Adults

Tarot Cards and Witchy Books

Happy Halloween! Let's Look at Tarot Cards, Books, and Much more!

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Spooky Read for Halloween and Beyond

Halloween Decor and Gift Options

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Let's Shop for Halloween Toys and Dolls

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