I first heard of the The Twisted Spine on social media , advertised as a horror specific bookstore. Sounded like a dream to me as a big fan of horror books. I was so happy to visit and found myself loving the shop. The set up is so atmospheric and gothic in style. They even have a cozy fireplace reading area. The book selection was incredible. I had so much fun browsing all the books and horror specific genres. They also have a bar/cafe area where you can purchase drinks and advertisements for local events with authors. The bathroom event kept up with the gothic style and features gorgeous felted wallpaper. Such a unique shop with lots of fun horror themed flair. If you are a lover of books or the horror genre, the twisted spine is a must visit store. read more

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Happened upon The Twisted Spine by chance, and I fell in love with the bookstore immediately. They stock all types of horror from classics to contemporary and had an excellent seasonal selection as well. I visited in late June so the theme was Pride Horror (I love a good Chuck Tingle). The shop is dimly lit, with dark wood paneling and velvet chairs. There is a coffee bar in the shop and a back patio space to enjoy as well. Between Albertine Books and The Ripped Bodice, I love a good niche bookstore and I really hope there will be more in the future! read more

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Any horror/dark literature fan should visit NYC's first horror bookstore. The selection is fantastic and diverse: it's excellently organized by subgenres. They also do a great job of platforming authors/stories from marginalized communities. The owners are very friendly and knowledgeable. So are the staff! The drinks, especially the coffee ones taste great! Might be a bit pricey but quality is great and it's better than Starbucks. I also like the horror themed treats. They hold cool events, especially with screenings or author signings. This is a spot to put on your list when you're in the neighborhood. read more

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Absolutely love this place! Amaingly well curated selection of books, nice ambiance, tasty coffee, and great events. Definitely worth visiting if you're a bibliophile with a taste for darker works. read more

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Soooo cute, staff seemed super nice. Lots of different seating options, felt much more like a bar / coffee shop than a book store, but still so cute. Outside patio was the big winner for me! I def wouldn't recommend if u were looking for non horror books, but obv that comes with the name and the rep so it's okay!!! Great to just get a drink (coffee or alc depending on the time of day) and find a spot to read. read more

Horror lovers unite! What a cool bookstore that specializes in this genre but also has plenty of offerings in the broader speculative realm. They sell books from traditional big publishers, indie presses, and select self-published books. Kind of amazing and shows they have a genuine appreciation for the horror ecosystem. They have a bar/cafe area for snacks and a variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. When I went they had a seasonal menu with book-themed lattes like the Mary Shelley with pandan syrup. So cute! They've got a few cozy chairs by a fireplace (artificial of course, can't be accidentally setting any books ablaze). I'd love to return at one point and just cozy up in a chair with a tasty latte and spooky read, or chill on the patio come spring or summer, once it reopens. read more

The Twisted Spine - Getting into the holiday spirit. - Bookstores Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

I'm so excited that we now have this lovely horror-themed bookstore in our city! The Twisted Spine is cozy and spooky in all of the best possible ways. A fireplace, cozy seating, friendly staff, and all of the horror books you could imagine! The Twisted Spine is well-stocked with every horror sub-genre you can imagine. Whether you're looking for Goosebumps, horror classics, non-fiction, or contemporary authors, they've got it all. Looking for something that's not on the shelves? They will order it for you! I love that they are open slightly later into the evening and there's always a seat to get cozy with my newly purchased book. Subscribe to their newsletter, too. They have lots of great events, author signings, and more. If there is a horror or bookstore lover in your life, take them on a trip to Twisted Spine! read more

The Twisted Spine - A few of my recent purchases - Bookstores Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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I think this place was made specifically for me. I am a huge horror fan, book lover, and coffee addict, so when I heard there was a horror bookstore/cafe coming to Williamsburg, I had to go ASAP. They have perfectly curated a vibe that gives creepy but also cozy, which I think is a difficult task. The drinks were served in these adorable skull cups and the drinks themselves were very tasty and perfect for the fall/winter season. They also have adorably creepy snacks, and a solid selection of beer. We sat in the outdoor area which had a couple tables and chairs and a cool graveyard mural. I'm really happy my neighborhood now has a spot like this. I'm excited to attend some of their upcoming book events! Yay for Twisted Spine! read more

The Twisted Spine - Bookstores Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

I have been wanting to come here since I've heard about it's existence. I am a major horror book lover so when I heard they had a dark romance book club, I signed up immediately for their next meeting which was on "Tourist Season" by Brynn Weaver. There was traffic so I was late but the hostess was so kind and accommodating. Right away she told me what they were working on, which was on making bracelets and a scrapbook page to go along with the theme or the book. The way that place was decorated was heaven to my dark Christmas loving self. They had a Black Christmas tree embellished with skull heads. The whole bookstore was lined up with horror books and even Krampus coloring books. They even sell wine, cocktails and pastries that are horror-themed. I had a regular natural white wine and an Eggnog Snickerdoodle cookie that made the whole experience even better. There was even a trivia, which I lost but enjoyed nonetheless because it led to mingle and discuss with others who had read the book. The night ended with us discussing what we think the next book of the series will entail. The next book for the following book club was reveled as well, which is the Alchemist. I look forward to it! read more

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I'd never been to a bookstore that was dedicated to only horror books, so I was super excited to check this out opening weekend! I love that it's a bookstore, cafe, and bar! The interior is dark and moody, but didn't have a ton of character to it other than that. The staff were very kind and helpful across all different areas of the store--floor, cafe, and register. They even had someone greeting people at the door! Although there was a wide selection of books, the shelves were a little empty, but I might attribute that to it being opening weekend. I liked that they still broke the horror books out into separate sections (queer, romance, splatter punk, paranormal, etc) to make it easier to browse. My hope for their future is that they PACK those shelves and lean more heavily into the horror vibes instead of just relying on dark wood and leather chairs to convey the horror theme. read more

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Came for a friend's book event here (which, aside from her reading also had a burlesque performance and costume contest, lots of fun and a good engaged audience). The place has such a cozy ambiance--loved the fireplace with the skeleton dog, big cushy armchairs, cute decor. There were coffee and alcoholic drinks available to purchase (though a bit overpriced I felt) and I looooved the skull mug for the coffee! I want one! Cashier & barista were friendly. Bathroom (single one for everyone) was spacious & clean though dimly lit to fit with the vibe (loved the velvet appliqués on the dark blue walls). If I lived nearby I would be there a lot! read more

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Such a delightfully dark bookstore for horror lovers. I like how the sub-genres are organized, making it easy to find the type of book you want. This store is predominantly horror, but there are also non-fiction books and fiction books that are dark but not horror (think weird lit fic or thrillers). In addition to a bookstore, The Twisted Spine is also a bar and cafe. I visited during a dark romance fest, so there were themed cocktails. read more

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Very cool bookstore. Lots to choose from and various types of horror. They also have a cafe for drinks and pastries. One of the more unique bookstores you will find in NYC! read more

The Twisted Spine - Spooky vibes - Bookstores Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

I heard about this place from my sister who is horror fanatic. I know opening weekend was absolutely crazy so my husband surprised me today bringing me since my birthday is two days away. I was welcomed by the man & woman standing at the cash register. They were absolutely welcoming and answered all my questions. The black decor and gothic but wicked, black theme just had me the second I walked in the store. Each section was labeled by genre. The snack and coffee bar was definitely a must. The "stay mug" was absolutely stunning s handcrafted beautiful skull mug. They had a special area in front with two different jewelers with some of their finest pieces of jewelry that fit the whole horror vibe. They also had some cards, some Wednesday Adams's pieces, some random arts &craft pieces. It's definitely a place you can go for a last minute gift. It definitely a place that is pretty close to home and I will be spending time there much often moving forward. The store definitely lived up to its hype!!! I also got to speak with a nice lady who was interviewing our interest on the store and horror. She was writing a piece about the store. I will recommend this book store to everyone I know. Just a few add ons I forgot** they had a kid section along with a queer section and the bathroom was so goth gorgeous!!! My husband definitely did a great job taking me over! Thank you again to the great staff and barista today! Great vibes, great people, great books and great horror!! read more

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We popped in because we thought it would be cute! We were blown away. One of the favorite bookstores and coffee shops over ever been to! Cant recommend the mary shelley latte and the zombie pastry enough! Loved seeing my favorite horror author chuck tingle's books there! read more

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I like how the sections are broken up in horror themes. Kinda wish they would have a section honoring black and brown voices or spotlighting their stories. The pastries are good and the backyard is cute too. They also hosts events. read more

Beautifully designed gothic-looking space with a lot of thought put into it, and one of NYC's new speciality bookstores - this one with a focus on horror. Right now, it's functioning more as a fun coffee shop with books (and a nice backyard) rather than the opposite. They have very cool, unexpected sections (splatter punk!) that may lean more on hipster vibe than on utility. I kept seeing the same ten authors in five different locations, and the same dozen or so books, over and over. They are new and trying things out, but they need to get some serious stock in the store and make the experience slightly more navigable for people; weekends they seem to attract crowds and sell out. I was hard-pressed, on multiple visits, to find books by Stephen King, Daphne du Maurier, Peter Straub, Dean Koontz, Riley Sager, or other buzzy new titles by known horror authors. They did have a selection of fancy editions of horror classics you may not be able to find elsewhere. Kudos to having a focus on queer horror (though not enough of one) and to catering to younger people as well. They have a large table of pamphlet-looking items (taking up a lot of floor space) that are self-published indie authors. I had no interest in this at all, however others may. If I were them, I would reach out to the many many traditionally published authors in Brooklyn, and the rest of NYC, writing in the horror genre, get their books in stock, and offer signed copies, therefore creating more of a symbiotic community of support with local authors, while expanding their stock. They experienced flooding only months after opening, so pay a visit, and support if you can, you are always supporting the city, the neighborhood, and the general enlightenment of the population by supporting indie bookstores. read more

The staff is incredibly friendly and knowledgeable. It's also nice they have a welcoming and nonjudgmental attitude towards book choices.

Great atmosphere, great selection of books, cute and themed snacks and drinks, an outdoor seating area, and couches. read more

The Twisted Spine - Bookstores Near Me - Brooklyn, New York