08/23/2025 Danielle's Dark Corners

Happy Saturday! Today I have 4 new awesome books to tell you about!

All of them are either brand-new releases or available for preorder!

Buckle up, it's about to get weird, and go all over the place... from splatter to poetry, I got ya covered!

EAT SHIT AND DIE & WHEN THE FALL CONSUMES: A SPOOKY SPLATTER DOUBLE

By Robert Essig

• Releasing on September 2nd.

EEK! I am a huge fan of Essig, and these two stories in this SPOOKY SPLATTER DOUBLE are fantastic!! There are only the two, so we're definitely taking them one by one!

EAT SHIT AND DIE:

"When the tweakers came for his catalytic converter, that was the last straw."

This story was WILD! The MMC has been going through it in life. He's over it. Ready to end it all. Truly a man with nothing to lose... then someone steals his catalytic converter, and he's about to make it EVERYONE'S problem... so that's exactly what he does.

This story is absolutely brutal from start to finish. The descent into madness that the MMC experiences is felt through the pages. Essig did an amazing job with the characters and their development. The ending on this one was rough, or rather, more shocking... to me anyway. And I mean that in the best way possible. I love a heavy-hitting ending, and that's exactly what this has. This is probably one of my favorite stories I have read by Essig. He does transgressive horror and Splatterpunk REALLY well, and this showcases that!

WHEN THE FALL CONSUMES:

"They didn’t deserve what you did to them. You’re just a selfish sicko who needed someone to blame for your own shortcomings."

This story was another wild ride! I need to start by quoting something I saw Essig mention on Facebook regarding this book because it explains some stuff better than I could ever, lol. He stated:

“What happens when the super-rich have it all? There are no more limits. When something like, say, their family threatens their specifically curated lifestyle . . . they might go to interesting lengths to rid themself of the threat.

This one takes a turn I don't think readers will see coming. And it is NOT for the squeamish. Triggers aplenty!”

Okay, so typically I don’t quote something like that because I’m always afraid of spoiling something, but when he says it takes a turn that he doesn’t think readers will see coming, HE IS NOT KIDDING. I was shocked and stared at my wall for a solid five minutes contemplating every word I had just read. I’m not going to lie; it was a tough read. It’s brutal, depraved, vile, and everything in between. Now, when I say that, I truly mean it as a compliment. This story may be my favorite from Essig. Along with the one above.

I highly recommend everyone go to Amazon and preorder this badass double feature. And the preorder is 50% off, so it’s basically a steal! I linked it below to make it easy-peasy for you, too! But be warned. This one has quite a lot of triggers, so make sure you double-check if you have any!!

SYNOPSIS:

Eat Shit and Die

All he wanted to do was kill himself but the tweakers just wouldn’t let him. They were the reason his life went to shit in the first place. Beware a man with nothing to lose!

When the Fall Consumes

He had everything: a good job, wealth, a big house . . . a family. H had the kind of money that could make the most twisted dreams come true . . . and that’s exactly what he did.

Preorder now: https://a.co/d/ioDZi4A

THE BALLAD OF SEVEN BASTARDS 

By Peter Caffrey 

• Releasing on September 18th.

“Copper Creek is not your typical town. It is a place of great savagery and brutality, of witchery and the like.”

Caffrey is quickly becoming one of my favorite people around here. He has a hell of a witty personality, he’s kind as can be, and oh, his writing?! Incredible! I know I’m late on the Caffrey train, but he is absolutely in my top 3 favorite authors that I have read in 2025.

So, to be fully transparent… Western Horror never appealed to me. Not splatter westerns, regular westerns, I think I just assumed westerns in general weren’t my thing. And I have no idea why I assumed that, because it wasn’t like I had read any before making that claim. That being said, I’ve been introducing them more and more into my TBR, and I’m kicking myself for waiting so long, because I’m loving them. And this one just took the spot for my favorite western horror yet!!

THE BALLAD OF SEVEN BASTARDS is brutal. It’s exactly as part of the synopsis states, which is: a brutal tale of manipulation, greed, and violent retribution. Brutal and violent are two extremely accurate descriptions. But there’s so much more to the story. The characters were done in a way that makes them very memorable. It’s super freaking gritty and there’s some wild scenes to be had, but again, absolutely remarkable book. The revenge was so damn sweet in this book, too. I can’t rave about it enough! So yeah, definitely make sure to get your hands on this one, whether Western is your jam or not. I really can’t see any horror reader being disappointed by this story!

SYNOPSIS:

Copper Creek appears to be little more than an unassuming mining community, but the reality is far more sinister. Elder Munroe controls the town and intends to transform it into his version of the New Jerusalem. However, the elder and his inner circle share a dark secret, creating a fragile bond forged in adversity.

When Elijah Black arrives, seeking work, a moment of misjudgment threatens to send the town, and those who run it, into a spiral of destruction. As suspicion and mistrust bubble to the surface, old relationships are discarded. Those involved quickly turn against each other, and the battle for personal gain becomes all-consuming.

The Ballad of Seven Bastards is a brutal tale of manipulation, greed, and violent retribution.

Preorder now: https://a.co/d/aTCFNtI

SOILED

By J. Boote

"But as he took it all in, seeing his body in the sexy underwear still and tasting his own shit on his lips, he did something unexpected. He ejaculated."

Nope. That’s all. That’s my review. Kidding, lol. But wow, this book almost took me out within the first ten pages. I don’t have triggers, but umm… my gag reflex isn’t great and there’s a lot of bodily fluids… well, poop. There’s a lot of poop in this one… and I’m still attempting to swallow what I read.

I love Boote’s writing, especially his gross-out stuff. He has a really crafty way of writing stories. You want to puke, but at the same time, you can’t stop reading to find out what happens next. This is the second book in The Fetish Freaks series (the first one is Fluid Freak), but you can totally read each as a standalone. 

As foul as this story was, the characters were quite interesting. I had to know more about them. The father/son dynamic was written really well despite some of the stuff going on. You could feel the emotions of the characters through the pages. 

I’m certainly not one to kink shame, but dang. I honestly didn’t know much about this specific one (Scat, aka consumption of feces, alongside some other stuff), and quite honestly… I think I learned enough for a lifetime. There’s also a spot where everything takes a crazy turn — yesss, a good ole plot twist per se. So that’s always a 10/10 for me as well. 

This book will not be for everyone. Check your triggers. And if your gag reflex isn’t good, get ready. That being said, I totally recommend the hell out of it! I cannot wait to see what comes next in this series! 

This book was just released yesterday and is also available on KU! You can find the link to grab it below! 

SYNOPSIS:

Donald Hempshaw has a fetish, his own little secret. Until one day his wife discovers his secret and kicks him out of the house. In his new apartment, though, he can now carry out his fantasies to his heart's content--except when his son comes over, of course.

But then, one morning, he wakes up with a hangover and finds himself in a very awkward and dirty situation. Yet rather than be disgusted by his actions, he quickly discovers he has yet another fetish. One that will lead him down a rabbit hole in a search for more like-minded folks.

But this time, absolutely no one must know about it or he could find himself in a very embarrassing position. Unfortunately for Donald, he may not be as careful as he likes to think...

Based on a true story.

Amazon: https://a.co/d/bhMKz18

COFFEE SHOP

By Aaron Lebold

"You, as a person, are irrelevant. You don’t matter. You are pathetic and weak, and you’re going to end up surrounded by burned bridges, sitting in a trailer with nobody in your life that wants to deal with you."

Okay well let's go ahead and start with the fact that I am typing this and choking up at the same time. This book was beautiful. It was raw, really raw. Full of emotion. Raw emotions. And thoughts. Just In-depth and beautiful thoughts. Heavy feelings were felt throughout. And I LOVED every page. I don't typically quote a dedication... but I really think this one needs a special spot here:

"This book is dedicated to anyone who feels a constant need for growth and self-awareness. Change is hard, but not as hard as staying the same."

The dedication alone put me straight in my feels. Truly. Now I must admit, while I do a lot of poetry reading and even writing, I typically don't review them. Thus, I am totally unaware of what the protocol is for reviewing a book like this, and I felt it would be inconsistent with who I am if I googled how poems were to be reviewed. So, here we are, I am just totally winging it!! Something I loved about this was not only were there poems, but there were also journal entries, and then "breaks" if you will, where Lebold did.

This collection is extremely well balanced by pairing long, rich prose with powerful poetry. I have been a fan of Lebold's writing since I ARC'd one of his extreme horror books (PENNYROYAL TEA) back in November 2023. From there, I have read most of his work, and it's really amazing to see him go from extreme horror to psychological horror to this beautiful book. Lebold has a great range and is definitely an author I look forward to reading more from. Both poetry and stories. I highly recommend this to literally anyone and everyone. This is one of those times where if you're on the fence, I highly encourage you to take a chance. It's worth it.

The eBook is available now on Godless, and you can find the link below. Then it will go live on Amazon, September 4th. and that can be preordered now using the link below!

SYNOPSIS:

Blood Moon by Uncomfortably Dark presents Coffee Shop by Aaron Lebold

Sit with me at the coffee shop as I type some current thoughts and feelings into my vintage typewriter while sipping my triple foam mocha latte with gummy bears or whatever.

The majority of this book has been taken from journals and notebooks from my youth. I thought I had left them behind but when I came across them, I felt the need to do something with them.

Written as a reflection of a past addict's study of his journals and poetry from his youth. A raw look at the thoughts and feelings of their past self, steeped in anger, loss, neglect, and the need to be loved, to be saved, and to be found. Join him at the Coffee Shop.

"At times, dark and bitter, other times, morose and reflective, Lebold's Coffee Shop is gritty, raw, and real." --Candace Nola

“A poignant rumination about growth and self-reflection that will inspire and infuriate with its honesty.” --Patrick Tumblety, author of COME OUT & PLAY

Godless: Coffee Shop by Aaron Lebold – Godless

Amazon: https://a.co/d/6LDOvle