Ebooks and Thrill: Hot Tea and Chilling Reads from the JKM Library
During COVID in the fall and beyond, we will undoubtedly have those moments where we just want to curl up in blankets, read a great book, and sip on some tea. Chenoa Baker ’21, a senior in Cultural Studies and tea enthusiast, and Jocelyn Codner, Outreach and Reference Librarian combined their specialties to bring us a cozy guide with a Halloween theme, matching Chenoa’s curated tea selections to the Jennie King Mellon Library’s eBooks for some quarantine-friendly sips and shivers. So... e-book and chill?
North American Lake Monsters: Stories by Nathan Ballingrud
Just as the Solange song says, “I saw things I imagined, things I imagined,” and this book explores the darker parts of the human psyche. We are introduced to monsters that are real and imagined, that are ourselves and others. This grouping of short stories is irresistible and was recently adapted into Hulu’s Monsterland.
Sips: The earthy and guttural vibe goes great with some matcha.
We Are All Completely Fine by Daryl Gregory
If the satirical title of this group of short stories doesn’t spook you enough, think detectives + psychotherapy + monsters + messages on bones. If you are bold, find out the mystery of what that sundry of things has to do with each other. Happy reading!
Sips: This horrific novel pairs with Dandelion Carmel Nut. These kind of weird flavors fool the tastebuds because it tastes like you are drinking caramel coffee.
Darkness: Two Decades of Modern Horror edited by Ellen Datlow
This collection represents 25 years of horror writing. If you want to sample a bit of everything, this is for you. Everything from the writing Stephen King, George R. R. Martin, Clive Barker, Poppy Z. Brite, Thomas Ligotti, to Kelly Link, Neil Gaiman, and Joe Hill, there is something for everyone.
Sips: The tea that pairs best with this wonderful read is something that can be in any sampler—Earl Grey.
Carmilla: A Critical Edition by J. Sheridan Le Fanu
This novel is an LGBTQ+ romance between a woman and a female vampire. As the protagonist seeks love and companionship, the universe honors her request in an isolated house in the forest. This novel predates and inspired Dracula.
Sips: Raspberry Tea is intoxicatingly sweet and tart. This will really get you in the mood for an unconventional romance.
Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
Jane Austen—enough said! If you are not already familiar with her work, she conjures dramatic romantic stories. Fun fact: this novel, which was her first, was published after her death. This novel follows an English woman who is delusional, retreating in the countryside, and meets a man that will shake things up.
Sips: Do a fun twist to the classic English Breakfast by making it into an iced tea. Add ice cubes of lavender, lemon, or whatever flavor you would like to infuse in this.
Lovecraft's Monsters edited by Ellen Datlow
As heightened interest builds around H.P Lovecraft because of the HBO show Lovecraft Country, many critically gaze at his work and life. This anthology reclaims, revisits, and recrafts the work of the father of cosmic horror by modern authors reinterpreting the Lovecraftian tradition.
Sips: A tea that matches this book is something dark yet understated. Maple Rooibos matches this completely by providing us with aromatic fall vibes and is a super dark brew (seriously, it’s so dark that it makes a great DIY deep conditioner for darker hair because of its color and qualities.)
The Best of Joe R. Lansdale by Joe R. Lansdale
This short story collection exudes the Texan gothic horror tradition. Prepare to react strongly in the best of ways. Goodreads gives us somewhat of sneak peak of the madness when it says, “Godzilla's in a twelve-step program. A soul-sucking Mummy stalks Elvis and John F. Kennedy.”
Sips: A great masala chai or Nepali breakfast tea will do the trick. Something that is spicy, packed with flavor, and surprisingly good is perfect for this anthology.
Archivist Wasp by Nicole Kornher-Stace
Are you ready to follow around a ghost hunter? This young adult fantasy novel reads similar to the Odyssey because it is based on a long journey— albeit one to the post-apocalyptic underworld to find ghosts. Find out if Archivist Wasp is the chosen one to survive the underworld and attain goddess-like powers.
Sips: The unpredictability and spice of this novel pairs well with Sweet Cinnamon Tea. This will surely kick you into gear to read about ghosts. If you want to set the mood, make sure your cup is extra steamy.
Errantry: Strange Stories by Elizabeth Hand
The mundane and the dream space will haunt us in this novel. Everything from weird neighbors to “dark strangeness in everyday life.”
Sips: Dark Chocolate Cookie tea flavor fits how dreamy this book is. This sweet dessert tea and other chocolate based teas are sure to make you happy to read.
Some notable mentions to leave you with that the JKM library has as spooky electronic resources includes: The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe, Frankenstein: Or, the Modern Prometheus by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Other Tales by Robert Louis Stevenson, Dracula by Bram Stoker, and Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë. We hope that you enjoy our picks.
Let us know your favorite reads and sips this season! The Jennie King Mellon Library has a ton of great books, resources, reference materials, and more—make sure you’re following them on Instagram @jkmlibrary.
