Dark & Cosy Book Recommendations 🕯️✨ | The Book Castle | 2024

🕯️ BOOKS MENTIONED 🕯️
Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett
Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett
Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher
The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
The Diviners by Libba Bray
The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton
The Strings of Murder by Oscar de Muriel
A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman
The One Hundred Nights of Hero by Isabel Greenberg
Poems Bewitched and Haunted
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🍂 WHERE TO FIND ME 🍂
I N S T A G R A M : / alicebookcastle
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🌙 ABOUT ME 🌙
Hi! My name is Alice and I love books! I read just about everything from classics to contemporary fiction, adventures to mysteries, fantasy to all kinds of non-fiction - and I love reviewing and recommending books, and just generally having a chat about literature. I also adore baking, hot chocolate, crafts and basically everything cosy, soft and peaceful. I currently live in Oslo, Norway.
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This video is not sponsored. Links to Waterstones, Taschen & Mythologie Candles are affiliate links.

[@ReadingNymph]

I hardly ever see people talking about The Diviners but it's perfect for this season 👌🏻

[@TheBookCastle]

It is! 🥰🖤

[@LiteratureLindsi]

5:22 I really enjoyed this book!! The snowy cabin, historical vibes are definitely super cozy, yet the story is really exciting and a fun read! It definitely reads like a fairytale. I wished the rest of the series followed the same vibes but for me it was definitely a turn from mythical fairtytale to straight up fantasy.

[@creepypapermultipack]

I’m so early! Excited for this particular video. Dark + Cozy = 🖤🖤🖤

[@TheBookCastle]

Yaaaay! 🥰🖤 Thanks for being here!

[@shellkay]

I’ve read & enjoyed 6 of these & have 2 on my current TBR..such similar taste!

[@chloehunter3428]

I love your list! I think you'd absolutely love Bryony & Rose by T. Kingfisher - it's definitely dark and cosy

[@krissyn.3366]

Fantastic list! We have such similar tastes. I would put the Flavia de Luce series by Alan Bradley on this list. I love the series as a whole so much. They are incredibly atmospheric, slightly dark, very funny, and cozy. I'm reading the 11th book that just came out, and it may just be the best yet!! 🍁🍂🎃

[@TheBookCastle]

Thank you! 🥰🖤

[@frannook]

I need to read Stuart Turton's new book, Eveylin Hardcastle was so so good!

[@brandon5080]

Plan on reading the last of Alice Hoffman's witch books. Hoping to get to it this month, but it might wait until November. Just finished the excellent and scary SLEWFOOT by Brom, and I have the classic CONJURE WIFE by Fritz Lieber (1953). It inspired most witch stories we know and love. A man discovers his loving wife is a witch. When he asks her to give up her witchcraft and be a typical fifties housewife, he becomes a target for an evil witch. Also picked up THE VERY SECRET SOCIETY OF IRREGULAR WITCHES by Sangu Mandanna. Going to the beach next week, and it looked like the right read for that location. Also picked up a non-cozy sea monster book to read on that trip.

[@TheBookCastle]

Amazing! 🖤🥰

[@sarahq1591]

I love that you post so much!!

[@munajedski]

Same ❤

[@TheBookCastle]

Thank you so much!! I’m trying to post some extra ones for autumn since it’s my fave season 🥰🍁

[@suziet6535]

Just finished the Emily Wilde books this month, all the other books you mentioned are on my TBR for this year ❤ (expect the 7 Deaths of E.H, that I've already read last year)

[@BookDustMedia]

Dark & Cosy sounds like a great combination to us! Nettle and Bone sound very interesting might have to pick that on up.

[@TheBookCastle]

🥰🖤

[@EllyLamoar]

I think you will like Blood Ink Sister Scribe! I devoured it! And I"m currently re reading Pratical Magic ❤

[@TheBookCastle]

I think so too! Hope you’re enjoying Practical Magic! 🖤

[@katherine_and_cats]

This is absolutely my favourite genre! Dark, cozy fiction (particularly with a supernatural/fantasy twist). I adore The Bear & The Nightingale series. I need to read all of these!

[@TheBookCastle]

Totally agree, I love these kinds of books! 🥰🖤

[@munajedski]

I loved the dog in Nettle and Bone :)

[@TheBookCastle]

Me too! 🥰🖤

[@Darkpumpkinspice]

I woke up and went about my day when I saw that you posted a video…..yay! It’s my birthday so I decided to treat myself to one of your recommendations! I picked A string of murders because I’ve been wanting to read it for a while…🎻🍂👻

[@TheBookCastle]

Happy birthday!! Hope you have a great day! 🖤

[@Darkpumpkinspice]

Tusen takk!

[@tanyaestes6276]

Great list! Definitely try CACKLE by Rachel Harrison 🎃

[@irhonda31]

Thanks for all the recommendations!

[@danieleigh6468]

You should do a video of your favorite Fall movies and shows or spooky movies and shows

[@TheBookCastle]

I talk a little bit about it in my next video actually, so keep your eyes peeled 👀

[@pedrabrulez5075]

Emily Wilde’s first book is now out in my native language. There is a book fair at the end of october and I hope to be able to buy it there. I think I buy the second book in English because it will take a while before it is available in my language. Loved the Seven deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle. Just bought the book The winter Spirits - ghostly tales for frosty nights. From the creators of the Haunting Season. Laura Purcell is one of the authors 😮….high expectations ❤ 🕯️boeken.

[@TheBookCastle]

🥰🖤

[@katycox8382]

You have to STOP 🛑 been so cute all the time...lol the vibes the background the outfit.. soooooooo cute.. ❤❤❤

[@TheBookCastle]

Oh stoooooooop it you 🥰🥰🥰🥰

[@caitlinl2750]

Read all but strings murder and the last two!

[@catsandbats77]

I love dark cosy books! I eat them up. I especially love that combination of cosy and dark in gothic books. I have yet to read The Diviners but have heard good things, so I definitely want to read it. Same with Evelyn Hardcastle. The Winternight Trilogy is my favorite fantasy trilogy. I could reread them every winter. The Emily Wilde books and Nettle and Bone are definitely books I'll want to reread too. Alice Hoffman is one of my favorite authors. I love all the books of hers that I've read. I would also recommend House of Salt and Sorrows and Small Favors by Erin A Craig.

[@TheBookCastle]

I love them too! 🥰

[@julieg9847]

I read Salt and Broom by Sharon Lynn Fisher last year and for me it gave the dark and cozy vibe. It's a witchy Jane Eyre retelling. I have never read the classic and got on fine with Salt and Broom. I think you would like it, but you never know! 😀

[@TheBookCastle]

Oooh that sounds amazing! 🥰

[@AbiofPellinor]

I definitely needed these recs¬ Weirdly I found Nevernight to fit into this "cosy reading experience" category 😅 I was curled up so cosy and it was a slow but engrossing read

[@TheBookCastle]

🥰🖤

[@tawnyachristensen7310]

Loved!

[@TheBookCastle]

🥰🖤

[@starlasell5698]

❤📚📚❤️ Hi Alice. Great list! I've read all but, One Hundred Night's of Hero, A Discovery of Witches, The String Murders and The Bear snd the Nightingale. Of course, now they are a high priority. The Diviners was very creepy for YA, really good, but I stopped with book one. 😅

[@TheBookCastle]

🥰🖤

[@FaeryLaume]

The only ones I haven't read yet is The Strings of Murder, which I have on my shelf, and The One Hundred Nights of Hero, which I'd never heard of but added to my Goodreads TBR. Cozy elements but dark recs - Into the Heartless Woods by Joanna Ruth Meyer, A Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faizal, Thistlefoot by GennaRose Nethercott, After the Forest by Kell Woods, and Small Favors by Erin Craig.

[@TheBookCastle]

Ooooh thank you for sharing, I’ll have to check them out! I have Tempest on my shelves, really need to read it 🥰

[@joandrummond524]

Thank you

[@bonnieleary1197]

I know you reccomended Bunny by Mona Awad. I went to the library to get it and it wasn’t there, BUT her other book Rouge was there. Holy hell! So so so so good! Must read! Bunny is next, I’m reading everything by this author.

[@TheBookCastle]

I have Rogue on my TBR, really need to read it!! 🖤🥰

[@bonnieleary1197]

@@TheBookCastle I can’t wait to hear what you think of it! Very trippy.

[@jamieserrano827]

The stepmother in the bar and the Nightingale can actually see the spirits too, but she thinks they’re demons

[@nmartin5096]

🍁Happy October🎃 Reading🍁 I need to read Emily Wilde's books and Nettle and Bone. Read Practical Magic and I liked it but nothing like the movie. Hope you enjoy your October reading! 🍁🎃🍁

[@TheBookCastle]

Happy October!! 🍁🖤🍂🕯️🦉

[@LisaHoweocsb]

Not a cozy book but a witchy one - have you ever read The Witching Hour by Anne Rice? I read it a long time ago and while I don’t remember much of the story, I do remember loving it and the atmosphere.

[@TheBookCastle]

I haven’t but I really want to!! 🖤

[@chigangrel]

Have you read the sequel to Strings of Murder? I gave both books 3 stars when I rated them because I had a problem with the way the author writes women - it's not as noticeable in the first novel but in the second novel it gets to be a bit much, at least for me. Which was disappointing because the duo of Frey and McGray are fun (they're very Scully and Mulder). I think I wrote in a review of both books like Oscar de Muriel writes about dirty rotten people in a dirty rotten world, or something like that lol like not one character is actually a decent person. Sorry, I just remember having a lot of feelings about those books haha Putting everything in this list on my TBR now (if it wasn't already lol), and I actually have The Seven 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle up next in my audiobook TBR! Looking forward to them!

[@TheBookCastle]

I haven’t read the sequel yet! Interested to hear your thoughts 👀

[@AmericanaGardens]

Emily Wildes ❤

[@TheBookCastle]

🥰🖤

[@kristenhyden2497]

Hello-what blouse and sweater are you wearing? Love the look!

[@TheBookCastle]

Hello! The sweater is from H&M and the blouse is actually just a collar I found in a secondhand shop (so it’s not a full shirt, it that makes sense) 🖤🥰 thank you!

[@charlenesims9063]

the discovery of witches i believe is made into a movie.i senn a part of it and stopped watching because i got disinterested in it. i would read the book.

[@РоманПаляниця-к5э]

The fact that I can now watch this video is a miracle. For more than two months, the Russian army has been attacking civilians in our city with rockets, drones and guided aerial bombs. Last Saturday, the Russian army attacked our city hospital with drones. As a result, 9 civilians, including nurses, died, and another 21 people were injured. The day before yesterday, the occupiers, using ammunition prohibited by the Geneva Convention, set fire to the forest and other dry vegetation in front of our city, it is almost impossible to breathe. Firefighters are extinguishing, but it is very difficult. Because of the bombing, the lights often go out and there is no Internet. Tonight there was no light either, but it appeared a few minutes ago. I will take the opportunity to go to KZbin, which offered me your video, from which I received aesthetic and intellectual satisfaction, thank you! I try to read when I can. As you can see, the surrounding life has long become horror, so I don't read horror, but I read a lot of books. Since the beginning of this year, I have already read 44 books, including the Norwegian historian Terje Tvedt's book "History of the World". This not only distracts, but also helps to maintain common sense and not to go crazy. I bought books that I plan to read in the future: "The Magic Mountain" by Thomas Mann, "King Lear" and "Hamlet" by Shakespeare, I also bought several books by Ukrainian authors. Thanks again and greetings from Ukraine!