
"Alanna gritted her teeth and thrust her chin forward stubbornly. She would see this through." It's midwinter in the endless library, and Aurelien has only the very best books to shine a light in the gloom. "Alanna" (1983) by Tamora Pierce is a bright, fun, gritty-in-age-appropriate-ways, accessible first book in a girl-forward fantasy series. Episode references: Sunny Nwazue from AKATA WITCH series by Nnedi Okorafor Penelope from THE MYSTERY HOWLING series by Maryrose Wood -- Want more quoteable quotes? Support the show at https://www.patreon.com/spookyaurelien ------- Theme: Magical Transition by Kevin McLeod Additional music and sound effects from zapsplat.com
Dec 15, 2023
15 min

A wealthy CEO faces a criminal investigation amid tragedy, trauma, and a supernatural threat. The Usher family learns an informant lurks among them. The Fall of the House of Usher (2023) has entered the Flanaverse. Based on various Edgar Allan Poe stories and characters, this show explores the prominent and wealthy Usher family. Is this just spooky Succession? Is it spooky at all? What kind of horror is this? Watch episode 1 along with Aurelien and find out! The Fall of the House of Usher (2023) Created by Mike Flanagan Directed by Mike Flanagan, Michael Fimognari Network: Netflix Original release: October 12, 2023 -- Want more commentary watchalongs? Support the show at https://www.patreon.com/spookyaurelien ------- Theme: Magical Transition by Kevin McLeod Additional music and sound effects from zapsplat.com
Nov 19, 2023
56 min

"Her head starts to turn, and I gasp --" Trick or treat, spooky friends! Aurelien and Dustin (from The Rewatch Recap) wrote a spooky little PG-rated story together. Keep an eye on your windows and stay alert as you settle into "The Woman in the Brown Coat" (2022). Produced by Dustin: https://linktr.ee/DustinCanRead With additional voice acting by Kay: https://linktr.ee/fmwlpod -- Want more original stories? Support the show at https://www.patreon.com/spookyaurelien ------- Theme: Magical Transition by Kevin McLeod Additional music and sound effects from zapsplat.com
Oct 27, 2023
23 min

"All the future looked gloomy and threatening, and the gaunt wolf hovered at the door of the Lynnes' humble home." Gather round, spooks and strangers! For this special spooky season October Friday the 13th, Aurelien reads aloud chapter 1 of "Her Dark Inheritance" (1892) by Mrs. E. Burke Collins. What do you think the inheritance is, spooky friends? And do you want to hear more? Read the story: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/46363/46363-h/46363-h.htm -- Want more spooky reads? Support the show at https://www.patreon.com/spookyaurelien ------- Theme: Magical Transition by Kevin McLeod Additional music and sound effects from zapsplat.com
Oct 13, 2023
12 min

"It was on Halloween, or All Hallows' Eve, that superstition ran riot..." Trick or treat! Aurelien explores the spooky archives of Project Gutenberg and comes back with 1880s non-fiction takes on Scottish Halloween traditions. How is bobbing for apples part of a divination ritual? Is any of this actually spooky? Join around the cauldron for readings and stories from "Curiosities of Superstition, and Sketches of Some Unrevealed Religions" (1882) by W. H. Davenport Adams. Read it for yourself: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/41566/41566-h/41566-h.htm -- Want more random reads? Support the show at https://www.patreon.com/spookyaurelien ------- Theme: Magical Transition by Kevin McLeod Additional music and sound effects from zapsplat.com
Oct 8, 2023
36 min

"Mary was a misfit. She didn't want to be beautiful. And she wasted time doing mad things - like eating and sleeping." Aurelien reads another original Twilight Zone source story. This time, let's go back to 1952 (or is it 2022??) with The Beautiful People by Charles Beaumont. Read the story at https://www.gutenberg.org/files/36258/36258-h/36258-h.htm Want more old school stories? Support the show at https://www.patreon.com/spookyaurelien ------- Theme: Magical Transition by Kevin McLeod Additional music and sound effects from zapsplat.com
Sep 18, 2023
45 min

“Don't join the book burners. Don't be afraid to go in your library and read every book...” ― Dwight D. Eisenhower Aurelien digs out from under a pile of library sale books and catalogs her unread gems. Tune in for hot takes on old books! Ranging from "the most unusual mystery novel ever written", to neurological non-fiction, to the YA of our nightmares, and short story collections from famous writers, plus all the various genre adventures, and a random secret gift, the gang's all here. Shade of the Tree by Piers Anthony Condominium by John D. MacDonald Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz Dawn by Octavia Butler The Letter, the Witch, and the Ring by John Bellairs The Man who Mistook his wife for a Hat by Oliver Sacks Girl Waits with Gun by Amy Stewart The Nine Lives of Chloe King by Celia Thompson Wicked Witch Murder by Leslie Meier Bluebeard's Egg and other stories by Margaret Atwood From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by e.l. konigsburg Smoke and Mirrors by Neil Gaiman Shade's Children by Garth Nix The Floating Admiral by Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, G.K. Chesterton What to read first, spooky friends?? Weigh in and support the show at https://www.patreon.com/spookyaurelien ------- Theme: Magical Transition by Kevin McLeod Additional music and sound effects from zapsplat.com
Aug 24, 2023
1 hr

Spooky salutations, listeners and readers! It's time for a "what I was reading when I wasn't here" mid-2023 check-in. Slither into the shade and have a listen, then make your plan of (reading) attack. **** Black Bloom by Felix I.D. Dimaro After Dark with Roxie Clark by Brooke Lauren Davis Rolling in the Deep by Mira Grant The Two Doctors Gorski by Isaac Fellman The Honeys by Ryan La Sala The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean Amari and the Night Brothers by BB Alston Birds, the first story in Evil Flowers by Gunnhild Øyehaug, translated by Kari Dickson **** Episode references: Cari Can Read youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/caricanread With Cindy youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@withcindy **** Theme: Magical Transition by Kevin McLeod Additional music and sound effects from zapsplat.com Support the show at https://www.patreon.com/spookyaurelien
Jul 31, 2023
20 min

"Here are the confessions of a vampire." Let's read INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE (1976) by Anne Rice together, spooky friends! Tune in to hear Aurelien's running commentary on her first time reading Chapter 1/paperback book pages 1-34. Readalong with your own copy or just listen in for the story! -- Theme: Magical Transition by Kevin McLeod Additional music and sound effects from zapsplat.com Support the show at https://www.patreon.com/spookyaurelien
Jul 9, 2023
26 min

Could you slip through a hole in reality? Aurelien interviews horror author Hailey Piper, author of QUEEN OF TEETH, THE WORM AND HIS KINGS, NO GODS FOR DROWNING and more. It's a far-ranging conversation about so many ways we experience horror. Listen for horror geekery about unreliable narrators, our fuzzy reality, takes on modern movies, hopeful hopelessness, splatter Westerns, and how to trick your loved ones into reading the horror you know they'll love. Listen to THE TURNING, Spooky & Strange ep 74: https://pod.link/1469388636/episode/25b72ed05e0c96a5b293f3cff3d4badf Read the horror of Hailey Piper: https://haileypiper.com/piper-books/ Pre-order CRUEL ANGELS PAST SUNDOWN: https://haileypiper.com/cruel-angels-past-sundown/ Look out for her upcoming stories in Unspeakable Horror vol 3, We're Here, Les Petits Morts, and more! Books Hailey Piper recommended: The Ballad of Black Tom by Victor LaValle IT by Stephen King Mostly everything by Ramsey Campbell They Drown Our Daughters by Katrina Monroe -- Theme: Magical Transition by Kevin McLeod Additional music and sound effects from zapsplat.com Support the show at https://www.patreon.com/spookyaurelien
Jun 17, 2023
56 min
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