Would that I, like this book’s heroine, were newly turned sixteen again, for if I were I would have absolutely swooned over The Wicked Lies of Habren Faire. I cannot overstress how madly I would have loved this story. Now I’m old and cranky so I viewed it with a more demanding eye, but anyone interested in Welsh folklore and grumpy heroines will enjoy this road trip through the land of the Tylwyth Teg (fae). … Continue reading The Wicked Lies of Habren Faire by Anna Fiteni →
Most people know that Harry Houdini was a famous magician. Many people also know that Houdini devoted much of his life to debunking fake mediums during a time when Spiritualism had widespread acceptance. But did you know that Houdini’s chief investigator was a woman named Rosa Mackenberg? I did not, but thanks to a Skeptoid podcast episode I do now! Mackenberg began her career working as a private detective at a detective agency in New … Continue reading Kickass Women in History: Rosa Mackenberg →
This piece of literary mayhem is exclusive to Smart Bitches After Dark, but fret not. If you’d like to join, we’d love to have you! Have a look at our membership options, and come join the fun! If you want to have a little extra fun, be a little more yourself, and be part of keeping the site open for everyone in the future, we can’t wait to see you in our new subscription-based section … Continue reading After Dark at the Movies: Drive-Away Dolls →
Jane Austen’s Fashion Bible is a great gift book for a very specific reader. They must be sufficiently interested in Jane Austen’s work to want a book which combines excerpts from Austen with Regency era fashion plates from La Belle Assemblee, a periodical that published its first issue in 1806. But they also have just the right level of interest – too much, and this book will leave them feeling cheated of more information. This … Continue reading Jane Austen’s Fashion Bible by Ros Ballaster →
by Carrie S · Sep 10, 2025 at 8:00 am ·
Comments Off on Tarot After Dark: Goddess Tarot and The Burning Question
This piece of literary mayhem is exclusive to Smart Bitches After Dark, but fret not. If you’d like to join, we’d love to have you! Have a look at our membership options, and come join the fun! If you want to have a little extra fun, be a little more yourself, and be part of keeping the site open for everyone in the future, we can’t wait to see you in our new subscription-based section … Continue reading Tarot After Dark: Goddess Tarot and The Burning Question →
Lessons in Disaster is such a beautiful, finely crafted book that I feel kind of humbled to have been able to read it. It’s not a perfect book – it ends abruptly, it can be didactic, and I developed a love/hate relationship with the tendencies of all these intellectual characters to use words like ‘heuristic’ in the middle of emotional arguments. But overall, this was lovely. The book tells the stories of two women and … Continue reading Lessons in Magic and Disaster by Charlie Jane Anders →
This month we are going on a field trip! I visited the Rosie the Riveter/WWII Home Front National Historical Park in Richmond, California. This National Historical Park includes a small but mighty visitor’s center that has fascinating and inclusive exhibits. I encourage history buffs to check out their website. Better yet, if you are visiting San Francisco or Oakland, take a side trip to this location. It’s set along the San Francisco Bay Trail which, … Continue reading Kickass Women in History: Field Trip! →
This piece of literary mayhem is exclusive to Smart Bitches After Dark, but fret not. If you’d like to join, we’d love to have you! Have a look at our membership options, and come join the fun! If you want to have a little extra fun, be a little more yourself, and be part of keeping the site open for everyone in the future, we can’t wait to see you in our new subscription-based section … Continue reading After Dark at the Movies: The Old Guard 2 →
I liked Chuck Tingle’s book Camp Damacus, but I loved Lucky Day (I still haven’t read Bury Your Gays). I found Lucky Day to be much more assured and solidly constructed than his first book, and its X-Files/Welcome to Nightvale sensibility and musings on existential vs nihilistic philosophies really hit the spot for me. I even liked the fact that what seems like a potential romance turns out to be something else. Vera is a … Continue reading Lucky Day by Chuck Tingle →
This piece of literary mayhem is exclusive to Smart Bitches After Dark, but fret not. If you’d like to join, we’d love to have you! Have a look at our membership options, and come join the fun! If you want to have a little extra fun, be a little more yourself, and be part of keeping the site open for everyone in the future, we can’t wait to see you in our new subscription-based section … Continue reading Tarot After Dark: Finding Peace →
by Carrie S · Jul 16, 2025 at 2:00 am ·
Comments Off on After Dark at the Movies: The Damned
This piece of literary mayhem is exclusive to Smart Bitches After Dark, but fret not. If you’d like to join, we’d love to have you! Have a look at our membership options, and come join the fun! If you want to have a little extra fun, be a little more yourself, and be part of keeping the site open for everyone in the future, we can’t wait to see you in our new subscription-based section … Continue reading After Dark at the Movies: The Damned →
