What Reader Type are you? Do you know?
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...
FIVE 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) Rogues Redemption by A.J. Green
"He wanted to save her from her past."
Tropes: MC biker gang - stalker - he falls first
Triggers: stalking - murder - gun violence - mental health issues
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵
2) Deadly Love by D. Lamers
Genre/Tropes: mafia dark romance - m/f and m/m - multiple POV saga
Triggers: gun violence - murder - blood - suicide ideation
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵
3) Saving Helena by Slayd
"He keeps what he kills, and Helena is next."
Genre/Tropes: erotic horror thriller - serial killer - small town dark romance
Triggers: murder - gore - dubcon
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵
4) Pretty When You Scream #2 by Jas P. Dane
"The masked man who haunts my dreams is my husband."
Genre/Tropes: erotic horror - masked serial killer - stalker - forced marriage
Triggers: murder - gore - dubcon/noncon
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵
5) Blood Aria by C.C. Matthews
Tropes: Dracula retelling - vampire romance - historical Europe
Triggers: stalking - captivity - gore - murder - dubcon/noncon - orgies
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵
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