What Kind of Reader are You?
When facing the intimidating TBR list, full of dark romance and dark fantasy reads, crime reads, or whatever else you're into, it may be helpful to realize just what kind of "reader type" you tend toward.
Does this sound like you:
You want to read, but can't decide what to read next. Or maybe you have been making other excuses for not reading--even though you really want to, something is getting in the way of committing to your next read.
Understanding your reading habits and "reading type" can help you to come up with a better reading strategy for tackling that TBR list you've so thoughtfully taken the time to build.
Okay, so, we've narrowed Reader Types into a few common categories...
- Mood Reader: "Am I in the mood for a spicy read? Or how about something dark and gritty and full of cold, hard facts? Mm, good thing I've got a new True Crime pick on my TBR stack..."
- Genre Enthusiast: "I devour anything deliciously dark romance, dark fantasy, and erotic horror... Throw in some fave tropes - J/P, enemies to lovers, femme fatale - and I'm set."
- Nostalgia Reader: "Every book I read leads to the next. I like to stay in the same vibe, or read stuff that's in familiar territory, including modern retellings of fave classics. I hate accidentally starting the wrong book or something that wasn't for me, so I play it safe with book recs."
- Book Hoarder: "I collect more books than I read and I'm open to new genres. I love being surrounded by shelves of books I've either read or will eventually get around to reading."
- Or maybe you're a mixed bag reader. Sometimes mood, other times, nostalgia. Either way, between the three of us Bookish Baddies, we've got you covered with book reviews, recs and more... We've just launched a new free service for this and are excited to start sharing our reading world with you in the coming months!
Recently we put together this list for Gothika Books, Red Flame Press, and Dark Spice Magazine in accordance with Gothika Books Spice Rating (check it out below).
Spice Ratings are important in dark romance and dark fantasy or dark romantasy because dark romance readers, no matter the reader type, expect dark + spicy. These genres aren't just dark, morally grey, edgy, they're also spicy as hell! Dark Romance readers expect high spice and danger all in one book, and the reader expectations are fierce in this regard, because once you head down that steamy dark rabbit hole, there's no turning back.
Reader Type: Dark & Spicy, please!
That being said, here is a Dark Romance / Dark Fantasy / Erotic Horror Book Rec List to add to your TBR stack...
TEN New books we've added to our TBR list:
We're still in the process of devouring these, but here's what we have so far...
1) The Blackbriar Devil
"Barriers between human and monster blur."
Tropes: gothic - monster romance - dark fantasy
Triggers: domestic abuse - murder - gore - explicit
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵
2) Red Herring by Shelby Macabre "Trust No One"
Genre/Tropes: slasher romance - erotic horror - masked man - stalker
Triggers: violence - gore - murder - psychological
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵
3) Wicked Tides by Courtney Leigh
" The waters are filled with terrors and the waves are red with blood..."
Genre/Tropes: Dark Fantasy/Romantasy - Mermaid/Siren - Pirate - Enemies-to-Lovers - Slow Burn
Triggers: TBA
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵
4) Prohibited by Madeline Thorne
" SHE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THEIR MEANS OF REVENGE.
INSTEAD SHE BECAME THEIR OBSESSION."
Genre/Tropes: mafia - dark romance - psycho - why choose - Set in 1920's but with a modern style
Triggers: TBA
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵
5) Indecent Demands by Marlee Wray (serial, book 1)
" My stepbrother hates me. I need his help. What he expects in return is unthinkable."
Tropes: taboo - stepbrother - enemies to lovers - New Adult - J/P - bully - mafia
Triggers: TBA
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵
6) His Only Desire by Jas P. Dane (serial, book 1)
"They call him Pirate. He is feared and loathed, and works in the dark of night for the Hellfire Organization. Everything changes when he is hired to kill a target that becomes the object of his obsession."
Tropes: Mafia - Stalker - Captive - Bondage - MC
Triggers: BDSM - Murder - Violence
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵
7) Beautiful Beasts by K.J. Devoir (2 Book Standalone Duet: Nightmare Lovers Series)
"He's not supposed to love a missing dead girl. ...High stakes and dangerous love...dark thriller with gothic vibes."
Tropes: stalker - captive - mafia - taboo - steparent - enemies to lovers - New Adult - J/P - bully
Triggers:
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵
8) Snowman by A.EM.
Genre/Tropes: psychological thriller - stalker romance - dark romance
Triggers: "100+ triggers" - torture - violence - serial killer - abuse - explicit
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵
9) Pretty When You Scream by Jasmine P. Dane
Tropes: slasher - masked man - erotic horror - secret society
Triggers: Gore - BDSM - Psychological
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵
10) The Huntress and Her Hound by Annie Wild
Genre/Tropes: serial killer - dark romance - stalker
Triggers: murder - drug abuse - grooming by teacher - suicide ideation - assault
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
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