Some of us readers like the darker books. The dark psychological scenes and the horror themes. Some people see a list of trigger warnings and immediately grab the book to buy, and who can blame them? From dark romance to psychological horror, books have no limit. Everyone has their niche; however, while some of these books may intrigue you, it’s important to remember not to romanticize their content. Remember to read the trigger warning lists and the descriptions before purchasing any books, as they are unavailable for a reason. That said, here are five dark books to read, if you can find a copy.
Raw by Seven Rue
Trigger Warning: This book contains the themes of rape/sexual abuse, incest, violence, and emotional abuse. Please exercise self-care when reading.
The first story on the list is Raw by Seven Rue. Seven Rue is a Swiss author known for her dark romance books. Raw was released in 2021 and is currently unavailable on Amazon and completely unavailable on Bookshop, Barnes & Noble, and Books-A-Million. Despite its limited availability, there are used copies available out there. This dark romance book pushes the limits of what is the “norm,” leading to taboo sex scenes and violence. While dark romance is on the up recently due to BookTok, this book isn’t for the faint of heart, and it is essential to understand the sexual content and kinks involved before reading.
The story follows one character, Vespyr, who seems to have gotten caught up with a guy named Fennec. They have known each other for as long as they can remember. As they grow up, Vespry realizes that Fennec is not who she thought he was. Manipulative, toxic, controlling, and so much more. But she has changed herself, hasn’t she? Despite the negative traits, she can’t seem to leave his side. This controversial romance is the first in the series, with the second book, White Fox, being Fennec’s perspective, after the first book’s events. The second book is just as challenging to find as the first. This book is heavy; some readers find it unsettling, while others find it intriguing.
She Let Herself Go by Hipsy Bohannon
Trigger Warning: This book contains the themes of rape/sexual abuse, strong laungage, violence, and emotional abuse. Please exercise self-care when reading.
Another dark romance on the list is She Let Herself Go by Hipsy Bohannon, another dark romance writer who resides in New York and started in the photography business. She Let Herself Go is a standalone romance that was released in 2016. It is available on Amazon but is harder to find in Bookshop, Barnes & Noble, and Books-A-Million. This story shows the true side of a toxic relationship and the side of healing and growth in a scary world. Despite its darker themes, this book is generally easier to digest than others on this list.
Elizabeth Lane felt like she had lost everything when her husband cheated on her. She didn’t know who she was anymore or what she wanted, but she was never one of the risk-taker types. She knew what the world was like and how to be safe. Except for one night, she needed a crazy night to forget everything. That is when she runs into Jezze Jamez Greyson. A man who thinks that he isn’t worth anyone or anything, with a troubled past and emotional scars. The type of guy your parents ask you to avoid. When he sees her, though, he knows he needs her. Through a troubled and shocking relationship comes connection and healing.
The Girl Next Door by Jack Ketchum
Trigger Warning: This book contains the themes of rape/sexual abuse, strong laungage, violence, animal abuse and emotional abuse. Please exercise self-care when reading.
Unlike the other stories on this list, The Girl Next Door by Jack Ketchum is a slightly more mainstream story, with a movie that was released in 2007. It isn’t a dark romance, but a dark psychological horror. Even though it became more popular, the original 1989 version of the book is almost impossible to find. They released a new version in 2015, which is this one. It contains extra stories and an introduction from Stephen King. Also, the original version is darker, and the language and scenes are more graphic. While written in fiction, this story is based on the true story of Sylvia Likens’ murder in 1965. It is a tougher read, with the story surrounding a kid, and requires a strong mind.
The story is told from the perspective of a young kid named David. He knows these two girls, Meg and Susan. David has a thing for Meg, but once she and Susan’s parents die, and they are forced to move in with their Aunt Ruth, things change. David witnessed horrible abuse that their aunt put her and Susan through. David watches as Ruth’s sons and the neighborhood become complacent to the abuse, and David struggles with the moral dilemma of getting involved and saving his crush and her sister, but staying out of it because… everyone else is. He’s just a kid, what can he do? This story is here to bring awareness of abuse and kidnappers like this, but also to have the readers question people’s moralities and decisions.
Exquisite Corpse by Poppy Z. Brite
Trigger Warning: This book contains sexually taboo topics, cannibalism, racism, homophobia, substance abuse, and many more. Please exercise self-care and read a TW list when reading.
Exquisite Corpse by Poppy Z. Brite is the dark horror book to read if you want to get into the mind of a serial killer. Poppy Z. Brite, a pen name for Billy Martin, is a dark horror author born in New Orleans, right where this book occurred. The first edition was released in 1996, but unlike the last book, the new edition released in 2025 was simply a reprint with no significant changes besides polishing it. It is a dark horror with twisted descriptions and an even more twisted love story on the side. It is highly graphic and meant for those with a steel stomach.
Aaron Compton is an artist, not by usual standards at all. No, murder is his art form. He just escaped prison and is back to doing what he loves most. Targeting young boys, Aaron runs into a man named Jay Byrne, another serial killer. Though the two form a twisted love, they set their sights on a young boy named Tran. Only, Tran’s ex-boyfriend is dying of AIDS and trying to ruin everything. Something irrevocable happens to all four men that changes everything, though. Despite the story’s darkness, it forces the readers to look into the extremes of the human mind and desires.
I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream by Harlan Ellison
Trigger Warning: This book contains violence, body horror, sexual abuse, and sexism. Please exercise self-care when reading.
I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream by Harlan Ellison is an old, dark, sci-fi psychological horror short story, first released in 1969. With only 100 pages, this book is hard to find in a physical copy. The copy on Amazon is over $100; other versions are on audio CD. It is graphic and intense and might seem to be only about dark themes, but I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream was one of the first to combine psychological horror with sci-fi. Not only that, but the AI components of the story were significantly developed at the time, and helped inspire AI in sci-fi movies such as The Matrix (1999). The story pushes past the robotic rebellion and into malicious intelligence consciously formed by AI. Now, there is a video game for it that came out in 1995 that can be bought on Steam and Nintendo, as it doesn’t have its own website.
The story follows five survivors after AM, the story’s version of AI, destroys the world. They resented humans for creating them, so a whole world broke out. It is told from the perspective of Ted, a survivor who believes that he has not been changed in any way by the AM, but the other survivors have. Both mentally and physically, the AM holds all power over the humans. They hold omniscient levels of power over the world. While the story may be full of dark and twisted scenes, the short story forces readers to understand the concept of unchecked power and how humanity can be stripped away from us. It is also more prominent now than in the 60s, as AI has only started to rise.
While these books are available in some ways, they are still dark books, covering dark topics for those who can read them. These books are not meant for everyone, so you must be in a healthy space to read them and practice coping and self-care. However, each story has something to tell the reader hidden behind the darkness. Are you brave enough to read any of these books?
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