We’re celebrating spooky season with THE LIBRARY AT HELLEBORE by Cassandra Khaw—a fantasy horror about a group of magical students who seek refuge in the school’s library when the faculty go on a ravenous rampage.

Listen as Laura and Emma try to keep track of the many characters and their unique abilities, discuss the idea of monstrosity—specifically how women are made monstrous by monstrous men—and… Jason is there, too! Plus, Emma wonders whether this book is truly part of the dark academia genre.

Happy Halloween!

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Other books mentioned in this episode:

• The Devils by Joe Abercrombie
• The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie
• Katabasis by RF Kuang
• The Milky Way: An Autobiography of Our Galaxy by Moiya McTier
• Nothing But Blackened Teeth by Cassandra Khaw
• The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw
• Critical Role: Bells Hells - What Doesn't Break by Cassandra Khaw
• The Poppy War by RF Kuang
• A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid
• A Theory of Dreaming by Ava Reid
• To Bargain With Mortals by R.A. Basu
• Sing Me to Sleep by R.M. Virtues

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Spooky season is officially here! In this episode, we’re celebrating both our favorite time of the year and Hispanic Heritage Month with A CRUEL THIRST by Angela Montoya—a YA fantasy full of vampires, forbidden romance, and Mexican folklore.

Join us as we explore how the book draws on Latin American culture to make vampires feel fresh, why this tale about bloodsucking monsters gives off cozy vibes, and what we think of the “Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets Zorro” comparison. Plus, find out how A Series of Unfortunate Events helped Bella with the Spanish vocabulary in this book!

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Bookshop.org | Libro.fm

Other books mentioned in this episode:

• The Final Six by Alexandra Monir
• The Life Below by Alexandra Monir
• Little Thieves by Margaret Owen
• Holy Terrors by Margaret Owen
• Blood Moon by Jillian Graves
• Titan: A Gargoyle Daddy Dom Romance by Jillian Graves
• A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket
• Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E. Schwab
• The Milky Way: An Autobiography of Our Galaxy by Moiya McTier
• To Bargain With Mortals by R.A. Basu

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In this episode of After Dark, Bella is back and bringing the chaos with her pick, BULL MOON RISING by Ruby Dixon. Join us as we explore this steamy romantasy set “in a world of magical artifacts and fantastical beings, [where] a woman determined to save her family joins forces with an unlikely partner.”

Along the way, Bella reveals which co-hosts are the most (and least) fabulous, Jason makes a connection to The Mummy (1999), and Emma explains how the book suffers from what she calls the Fourth Wing Phenomenon.

Listen now to discover why this book left the hosts so divided!

CONTENT WARNING: This episode features discussions of an adult-themed book, contains explicit language, and is intended for mature audiences only. Listener discretion is advised.

Buy the Book!
Bookshop.org | Libro.fm

Other books mentioned in this episode:

• Ice Planet Barbarians by Ruby Dixon
• Deep End by Ali Hazelwood
• Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver
• Leather & Lark by Brynne Weaver
• Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
• Lord of Eternal Night by Ben Alderson
• The Sting of Victory by S.D. Simper
• Railed by the Krampus by Dalia Davies
• A Cruel Thirst by Angela Montoya

We’ve got a fever, and the only prescription is more dragons! In this episode, we discuss BRIGHTER THAN SCALE, SWIFTER THAN FLAME by Neon Yang, a queer, Asian-inspired fantasy novella about a renowned dragon slayer who never takes their armor off in public. Joining us for this discussion of identity, duty, and the power of love is multi-hyphenate guest host Fictional Tiff—musician, queer activist, and leader of the Sacramento Silent Book Club.

Listen as we celebrate the queer-normative worldbuilding and how it allows for exploration of personal identity, Laura draws parallels between the book and blind religious devotion, and Tiff shares why sometimes friendship means saying, “I love you, but you suck.” Plus, find out which of us is hoping for a sequel full of dragon smut.

Guest Host:
Fictional Tiff is a book blogger turned many things over the years. From heading up the Sacramento Silent Book Club to being a musician, gogo dancer, queer activist, weightlifter, and writer. She keeps her mind busy and shines bright and loud for her community. Reading books is what set Tiff on the course to being passionate about so many things, and she owes them her life. So ask her what she’s currently reading and be prepared for nonstop chatter.

You can find her on Instagram @fictionaltiff and listen to her music on Spotify here.

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Bookshop.org | Libro.fm

Other books mentioned in this episode:

• The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
• Automatic Noodle by Annalee Newitz
• You Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea by Rebecca Thorne
• Out of the Drowning Deep by A.C. Wise
• Outdrawn by Deanna Grey
• We Solve Murders by Richard Osman
• The Black Tides of Heaven by Neon Yang
• The Genesis of Misery by Neon Yang
• Fable for the End of the World by Ava Reid
• Death’s Country

It’s Pride Month! And we’re celebrating with OF MONSTERS AND MAINFRAMES by Barbara Truelove, a clever mashup of genres featuring an AI ship, a motley crew of supernatural monsters, and one very vengeful Dracula. Joining us for this discussion of love, found family, and identity is guest host Arden Harris (they/them) of A Seat at the Table Books in Elk Grove, CA, and host of the Sci-fi/Fantasy Book Club.

Listen as Arden weighs in on this story’s comparisons to both Murderbot and The Locked Tomb, we celebrate the queer representation (and beyond), and discover why Jason blocked the audiobook experience from his mind. Plus, Jason channels Haddaway to ask the eternal question: “What is love?”

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Guest Host:
Arden Harris (they/them) is a bookseller, crafter, and aspiring writer. You can often find them haunting the shelves at A Seat at the Table Books in Elk Grove, CA, or spending time with their wife and four cats.

They tend to lurk in the sci-fi, fantasy, and horror sections, but can occasionally be found creeping into other genres when the mood strikes.

They can be reluctantly perceived on Instagram @bookstore.cryptid

Buy the Book!
Bookshop.org | Libro.fm

Other books mentioned in this episode:

• Notes from a Regicide by Isaac Fellman
• Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky
• Volatile Memory by Seth Haddon
• The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen by Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill
• Dracula by Bram Stoker
• The Call of Cthulhu by H.P. Lovecraft

Sink your fangs into our first After Dark episode of the season with A HUNGER LIKE NO OTHER by Kresley Cole—a steamy paranormal romance where “a fierce werewolf and a bewitching vampire become unlikely soul mates whose passion will test the boundaries of life and death.”

Emma kicks off the season with this pick and sparks a conversation about what happens when monster theory meets gender essentialism. Meanwhile, Laura draws some surprising parallels to Star Wars, and we collectively urge parents to warn their children about the dangers of fated mates. Plus: find out why this book forced Jason to add a brand-new category in his After Dark grading system.

CONTENT WARNING: This episode features discussions of an adult-themed book, contains explicit language, and is intended for mature audiences only. Listener discretion is advised.

Buy the Book!
Bookshop.org | Libro.fm

Other books mentioned in this episode:

• The Sting of Victory by S.D. Simper
• Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
• A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
• Dracula by Bram Stoker
• A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
• Bride by Ali Hazelwood
• Ice Planet Barbarians by Ruby Dixon
• The Bones Beneath My Skin by T.J. Klune
• Railed by the Krampus by Dalia Davies
• Lord of Eternal Night by Ben Alderson

We’re kicking off Season Five with ALL SYSTEMS RED by Martha Wells—and a couple of very special guests! Sir Aaron Carter and Emma Skies join us to talk Murderbot ahead of the AppleTV+ adaptation premiering May 16th. (And yes, they’ll be covering the show in their very own Watch podcast, so stay tuned!)

Listen in as we dig into what makes Murderbot such a compelling character, why Emma has read this book four times, and whether Jason—reading it for the first time—thought it lived up to the hype. Plus, Aaron shares what took him so long to read the second Murderbot novella, and why he refuses to read book two of the similarly-themed Monk & Robot series.

Guest Hosts:
Aaron Carter is a writer, Twitch streamer, and Dungeon Master. He’s also a seasoned podcaster and co-host of BYLO Watch, a podcast series that looks at the film and television adaptations of novels. Beyond that, you won’t find him on social media. He’ll find you.

Emma Skies is a content creator, Twitch streamer, and host of multiple podcasts, including Reader Tangents, BYLO Watch, and our very own Shit We’ve Read After Dark. She’s also the acquiring editor for Skies Press, a publishing imprint under Bindery Books. Skies Press' first acquisition—To Bargain With Mortals by R.A. Basu—releases October 2025. You can find her discussing all the things she loves (and hates) in books and bookish things on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Bluesky, and Threads @EmmaSkies, and find her publishing updates on Instagram @SkiesPress.

Buy the Book!
Bookshop.org | Libro.fm

Other books mentioned in this episode:

• Five Survive by Holly Jackson
• Anji Kills a King by Evan Leikam
• Wayward Children series by Seanan McGuire
• Cold Eternity by S.A. Barnes
• Legendborn series by Tracy Deonn

In this special author interview, Jason and Laura sit down with Olivia Waite to talk about her beautiful new novella, MURDER BY MEMORY—a “sci-fi ode to the cozy mystery, helmed by a formidable no-nonsense auntie of a detective.” Listen in as Olivia shares how Star Wars unexpectedly led her to read her first romance novel, and reflects on the ways grief continues to shape her writing. She also opens up about which childhood memory she’d most love to recover, and makes a case for why the novella is the perfect length for impactful storytelling.

Oh—and did you know a glass brain was found among the victims of Mount Vesuvius? Olivia did, and that’s just the start of the incredible things she wants to share with you.

You can grab your copy of MURDER BY MEMORY now wherever books are sold!

Other books mentioned by Olivia in this episode:

• All Fired Up by M.K. England
• Discworld by Terry Pratchett
• Imperial Radch Trilogy by Ann Leckie
• Warrior’s Woman by Johanna Lindsey
• Babel by R.F. Kuang
• Murderbot by Martha Wells

Guest:
Olivia Waite writes queer historical romance, fantasy, science fiction, and essays. She is the romance fiction columnist for the New York Times Book Review. When the birds are propitious, she sends out the Oliviary: a newsletter full of news, recommended reads, and intriguing content curated from niche corners of the internet. She is represented by Courtney Miller-Callihan of Handspun Literary.

You can find her at