Mini Review: The Ghost Children by Eve Bunting

Title: The Ghost Children
Author: Eve Bunting
Format: Paperback, 163 pages
Pub. Date: September 1st 1991
Source: Garage Sale


Book Description:

When Matt and Abby go to live with Great-Aunt Gerda in Sierra Madre Canyon after their mother dies, Matt is put off at first by the life-size wooden dolls whom Aunt Gerda talks to and calls her “children.” However, when someone vandalizes the dolls and two are stolen, it is Matt, with the help of his new friend, Kristin, who foils the would-be thief and returns the dolls to Aunt Gerda.

Review:

★★★

I first read this book as a kid, and I remember being particularly creeped out by it. I felt similarly towards a lot of books about dolls and dummies (like The Dollhouse Murders and Night of the Living Dummy, for example). I came across my old copy on one of my bookshelves and decided to give it another go as an adult, to see if it holds up.

And, it doesn't. Not quite. The intrigue and inherent spookiness is still there, but it's not nearly as scary as I remember. It lingers in a sort of mysterious tone, as opposed to horror or thriller. Obviously, this book is for children, so it did its job for its intended audience, and I've just grown up.

The tone is what really sells this book. It's all a bit spooky and ominous, although it is extremely predictable in some parts. And in other parts, there's big plot holes that don't ever really get filled in.

Still, it has that enjoyable 1990's nostalgia to it, in the same way that RL Stine's Goosebumps series does. But, I find those enjoyable to reread. As for The Ghost Children, I have fond memories, but it's time to say goodbye from my shelf.

If you enjoyed the Goosebumps book or if you have a kid who likes spooky stories, this is a good one to check out. But if you're an adult, it won't hold that same creepiness for you.

Review: The Ghost and the Goth by Stacey Kade

Title: The Ghost and the Goth
Series: The Ghost and the Goth #1
Author: Stacey Kade
Format: Paperback, 281 pages
Pub. Date: May 10th 2011
Source: Little Library


Book Description:

Alona Dare–Senior in high school, co-captain of the cheerleading squad, Homecoming Queen three years in a row, voted most likely to marry a movie star…and newly dead.

I’m the girl you hated in high school. Is it my fault I was born with it all-good looks, silky blond hair, a hot bod, and a keen sense of what everyone else should not be wearing? But my life isn’t perfect, especially since I died. Run over by a bus of band geeks—is there anything more humiliating? As it turns out, yes—watching your boyfriend and friends move on with life, only days after your funeral. And you wouldn’t believe what they’re saying about me now that they think I can’t hear them. To top it off, I’m starting to disappear, flickering in and out of existence. I don’t know where I go when I’m gone, but it’s not good. Where is that freaking white light already?

Will Killian–Senior in high school, outcast, dubbed “Will Kill” by the popular crowd for the unearthly aura around him, voted most likely to rob a bank…and a ghost-talker.

I can see, hear, and touch the dead. Unfortunately, they can also see, hear and touch me. Yeah, because surviving high school isn’t hard enough already. I’ve done my best to hide my “gift.” After all, my dad, who shared my ability, killed himself because of it when I was fifteen. But lately, pretending to be normal has gotten a lot harder. A new ghost—an anonymous, seething cloud of negative energy with the capacity to throw me around—is pursuing me with a vengeance. My mom, who knows nothing about what I can do, is worrying about the increase in odd incidents, my shrink is tossing around terms like “temporary confinement for psychiatric evaluation,” and my principal, who thinks I’m a disruption and a faker, is searching for every way possible to get rid of me. How many weeks until graduation?

Review:

★★★

Well, I more or less got what I expected based off of the cover and the back blurb. This book is a fast read that's pretty predictable and not all that deep, so there's not too much to think about, nor is it something I'm particularly going to remember a week from now.

Alona Dare (yes, that is her name) is the wooooorst. She's shallow. Like, insanely shallow, and judgmental. Girls who kiss a guy must be whores and sluts. Every straight guy wants her, and she doesn't think every lesbian in the school wants her, she knows it. She calls Will a goth (uh, not even remotely?), a psychopath (cool insult bruh), and more than anything else, a freak. Wanna know what her supporting evidence is for him being a freak? He wears a hoodie. With the hood up, inside. Are you not clutching your pearls yet? Well get this. He also wears headphones. A teenager with headphones! Burn the freak! It's also super gross that she's friends with a guy that in her own word grooms young girls to sleep with him before he leaves them. Popular or not, it's super skeezy.

Now, I understand I'm supposed to not like her. This book is, at its core, a reverse "It's a Wonderful Life" where Alona gets to see how much better off everyone is when her rude, shallow ass is dead. Then she changes for the better for a better afterlife. Or she's supposed to. I didn't think she really changed that much. She might be nicer to Will but she's still insulting and rude, even as she's helping people. I expected a better arc for her and I was left disappointed.

Will Killian (yes, his name is Will Kill) is the most likable character in this book and is its saving grace. He's empathetic and a little brooding and mysterious. He has a whole web of secrets and masks to wear and it was admittedly interesting to see where his arc goes. His ability to hear and see ghosts, dealing with his father's suicide and the hospitalization of a friend, a doctor who might not have his mental health in mind after all, tangled with the weird and new feelings he has for the very dead cheerleader. There's a lot to unpack there and I think Kade did a pretty good job with this character. I get why Alona got attached to him.

As much as I have issues with this book, I actually liked the romance element. I liked that Alona and Will learned from each other. Alona gave Will some confidence and helped him get out of some trouble. Alona learned to be a little bit nicer and that her bullying actions did in fact have consequences. I liked seeing them warm up to one another and despite my overall "ugh" feeling of this book, I was rooting for them.

And then there's Joonie. Joonie is Will's one Goth friend. She is written as so unbelievably over the top as a "Goth" that it seems to be the only descriptors given to her. She doesn't really have personality, only traits that seem to be copied and pasted from a Wiki article about "Gothic Subculture". All I could picture in my head was Henrietta from South Park, which made all of her scenes hilarious for reasons I guarantee the author did not intend.

Like a lot of other contemporary set books, this one has a lot of pop culture references that really date this book. She makes references to Johnny Knoxville's (seven Razzie award nominated) version of The Dukes of Hazzard. She watches Joonie go to a MySpace page. There's just a LOT of oughts imagery here that I guess now works as a past setting, but since I was a teen in those years brings back definitely un-contemporary flashbacks of nostalgia.

I have to admit, the author does have my attention. I'd read the second book in this series if it came into my possession, though I won't be seeking it out. I'm just intrigued enough with where the Will/Alona romance is going. But, I don't really recommend this book. If you're into cheerleaders getting hit by a bus or fluffy books that don't take any brain power to get through, maybe you'll like it more than I did.

Review: Bats and Bones by Jeffrey Hickey

Title: Bats and Bones
Author: Jeffrey Hickey
Artist: Karen Kiser
Format: Paperback, 1st, 44 pages/audio cd
Pub. Date: October 12th 2015
Source: Author


Book Description:

Bats and Bones is IPPY award winning author Jeffrey Hickey's second work for children. This collection of spooky tales for middle school aged children and above is a subtle masterpiece of fright and emotion. Hickey wrote all the stories, the lush music, and does all the voices for the audio book. His wife, Karen Kiser, contributes the cover art, along with some penny whistle and a little piano. The inside illustrations, layout and design are by Rachel Betz, who also designed Hickey's first work for children, Wages Creek.

This was originally released as a CD only. This is the first edition in print.

Review:

★★★

This is a solid collection. Bats and Bones contains a collection of short stories that are aimed to be spooky reads for "middle school aged children and above".

The story telling was okay, but I didn't find it all too spooky. I don't think that the age bracket intended is spot on. It seemed a bit younger than middle school to me. I could be biased, since in junior high I was reading Stephen King already. But, the writing is fair, and I appreciated that each of the stories was unique from one another.

I do think that the audio cd/accompaniment that came with the print book made it a more interesting experience. I highly recommend utilizing the audio component. It does make everything a bit creepier, and makes up for the bit of lacking that I found while only reading the print alone.

If you have a child who is into ghost stories or starting to show an interest in horror, this is a good place to start. If they're already reading horror, then this might not be up to their level of entertainment.

I received a copy in exchange for my honest review. Thank you!

Review: Haunted Plantations of the South by Richard Southall

Title: Haunted Plantations of the South

Author: Richard Southall

Format: egalley

Pub. Date: June 8th 2015

Source: Llewellyn Publications



Book Description via Goodreads:

When you hear the word "plantations," most people think of grand homes with pillars and sweeping staircases. These houses of grandeur were located all through the South in the days before the Civil War, and there are some that still resonate with the loveliness they had in their heyday. These majestic homes have a long history, and some of those who lived in these homes remain today. The ghosts of soldiers, slaves, and the elite family who lived in the plantation homes still wander the halls.

Richard Southall explores gorgeous plantation homes and those that are abandoned and in decay to present a colorful history of the ghosts that linger there.

Review:

★★★

The American South holds a special place in my heart. For too short of a time, I lived in Louisiana. I immersed myself in the history and the legends, and I visited a few different plantations (among other things) in order to get a better appreciation for the stories. It is for those reasons that I was really excited to get a copy of this book. It was super informative, but not quite what I was expecting.

The book is divided into 8 chapters: Intro, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia

This book read way more like a text book than a standard nonfiction narrative. It was chock full of information, that's true enough. But it was pretty tough to get through all of the information dumping and facts. I was expecting it to be facts, but wrapped in more of a story-telling type tone, so I was pretty disappointed that it felt like reading a school book. It was interesting, just dry. I had to read it in small bursts. That's not necessarily a bad thing, and I did learn quite a bit about the legends and histories of various southern plantations. While I knew a bit about the Louisiana chapter, I didn't know much about the other ones.

I was a bit surprised that this book had no pictures. When references specific historical places and scenes that still exist in modern day in a nonfiction guide, I had just assumed that there'd be at least a couple sprinkled in. Maybe there are pictures in the final copy, but I received a digital copy in advance, so there were none in my copy at the least.

In short, there's lots of information and it's rather interesting. However, there are no pictures and it can get a bit boring, which is not something that I expected when opening a book on ghosts and hauntings. I'd recommend it to those interested in the south, history, or paranormal activity, but be prepared for the factual tone.

I received this book in exchange for my honest review.

Mini Review: Lucas Mackenzie and the London Midnight Ghost Show by Steve Bryant!

Title: Lucas Mackenzie and the London Midnight Ghost Show
Author: Steve Bryant
Format: egalley
Pub. Date: February 24th
Source: Month9Books, LLC


Book Description via Goodreads:

“Lucas Mackenzie has got the best job of any ten-year-old boy. He travels from city-to-city as part of the London Midnight Ghost Show, scaring unsuspecting show-goers year round. Performing comes naturally to Lucas and the rest of the troupe, who’ve been doing it for as long as Lucas can remember. But there’s something Lucas doesn’t know. Like the rest of Lucas's friends, he’s dead. And for some reason, Lucas can’t remember his former life, his parents or friends. Did he go to school? Have a dog? Brothers and sisters? If only he could recall his former life, maybe even reach out to his parents, haunt them. When a ghost hunter determines to shut the show down, Lucas realizes the life he has might soon be over. And without a connection to his family, he will have nothing. There’s little time, and Lucas has much to do. Keep the lights on! Lucas Mackenzie’s coming to town.

Review:

★★

Ultimately, I don't have too much to say on this book. I was really excited when I got the chance to read it, because I love books that are given a circus-y setting. I don't know why I'm fascinated by it, but I'm the first to admit that I am. I was hoping that it would be something like the Cirque du Freak books, which is one of my favorite young adult series. Plus, I love the cover. And I should know by now that that is not the best way to judge.

Anyway, that's not what I got.

I don't have a lot to say about it, because I found to this book to be really, really boring. That's a very weird and rare thing for me to say. Normally if I don't like the book I can pick a reason, like bad writing or bad character development. This book wasn't badly written per se, though it did use outdated language that made it a bit irksome at times.

I just felt like nothing was happening. I expected action or excitement or even to be creeped out at a book that has "London Midnight Ghost Show" in the title, but at the end of the day I was left just glad that the book was over so that I could go and read something else.

By all means, give this book a try. I think this is just one of those times where a book and me aren't meant to be friends. Maybe this will be right up your alley. But for me, it was a swing and a miss.

I was provided a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Blog Tour: Review & Giveaway- The Girl from the Well by Rin Chupeco

Title: The Girl from the Well
Author: Rin Chupeco
Format: egalley
Pub. Date: August 5th 2014
Source: Netgalley & Sourcebooks Fire



Summary:

The Ring meets The Exorcist in this haunting and lyrical reimagining of the Japanese fable.

Okiku has wandered the world for hundreds of years, setting free the spirits of murdered children. Wherever there’s a monster hurting a child, her spirit is there to deliver punishment. Such is her existence, until the day she discovers a troubled American teenager named Tark and the dangerous demon that writhes beneath his skin, trapped by a series of intricate tattoos. Tark needs to be freed, but there is one problem—if the demon dies, so does its host.

With the vigilante spirit Okiku as his guide, Tark is drawn deep into a dark world of sinister doll rituals and Shinto exorcisms that will take him far from American suburbia to the remote valleys and shrines of Japan. Can Okiku protect him from the demon within or will her presence bring more harm? The answer lies in the depths of a long-forgotten well.

★★★★ ★

Four and a half stars.

---

I don't read nearly enough scary stories, and to be perfectly honest, I have no idea why. I enjoy them, but maybe I wore myself out a bit with them in my younger days. Regardless, when I saw that The Girl from the Well was influenced by Japanese folklore, I knew I needed to read it. I'm very glad I took a chance on this one, it's one that will stay on my mind for awhile to come.

The narration is beautiful. It's very poetic and soothing, and yet has a haunting, ominous tone starting from the very first page and continuing onward throughout the book. It's a very strange but equally pleasant sense of calm that you know won't last for very long, and yet you let yourself get lost in the dream-like prose. And then of course, you are yanked to attention by something creepy and crawly and freaky.

While I won't say this book scared me, I would definitely say that it creeped me out. There's a lot of vivid imagery that conjures up images of rot and decay and death. It, of course, goes hand in hand with the plot of the story, and let's just say that having read this book, I definitely would not want to run into Okiku in a dark alleyway.

Another thing that truly sets this apart is the Japanese themes and settings. I don't read a lot of young adult books featuring Asian characters or settings, so this was an aspect that I found especially engaging and enthralling. (I admit that a large part of this fascination is because I'm taking both a Japanese language course and an Asian religions course this semester of college, but I digress.)

The characters were unique and interesting and altogether captivating. It was addictive reading about Okiku and Tark and how their lives tangle together. I am not just blowing smoke when I say that I personally have never read a book quite like this one before, and I mean that in the absolute best way possible. This is my first reading experience with Rin Chupeco, but after completing this book I can say with certainty that it won't be the last (provided that she gives me more books to devour, of course).

I also really liked the cover of The Girl from the Well. It's eerie and simple and creepy all at once, and it would look absolutely lovely on my Gothic/horror shelf.

I'd recommend this to fans of horror/paranormal YA, those with an interest in Japan, or younger fans of movies such as "The Grudge" or "The Ring." Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Fire for providing me with a copy in exchange for my honest review.

About the Author:
Despite uncanny resemblances to Japanese revenants, Rin Chupeco has always maintained her sense of humor. Raised in Manila, Philippines, she keeps four pets: a dog, two birds, and a husband. She’s been a technical writer and travel blogger, but now makes things up for a living. The Girl from the Well is her debut novel. Connect with Rin at www.rinchupeco.com.

Giveaway:

Now, here's your chance to win a copy of The Girl from the Well!

The Rules:
-This giveaway will run from September 22nd to September 30th, 2014.
-This giveaway is open to those 13+ and is USA & CANADA ONLY.
-It is open to anyone over that age who can legally enter, receive, and use their prize.
-One (1) winner will win a copy.
-This giveaway is sponsored wholly by the publisher.
-This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity.
-Winner will have 48 hours to reply, or a new winner will be chosen. Winner will be chosen using Rafflecopter.
-Invalid entries will be removed, so please don't cheat.
-Void where prohibited. Odds will vary. No purchase necessary.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Happy Book Birthday Review & Interview: Mary: The Summoning by Hillary Monahan

Hello, my lovely readers. Today I'm posting to wish a very happy book birthday to Mary: The Summoning by Hillary Monahan, which releases today from Disney-Hyperion! Hillary was awesome enough to stop by and answer some of my questions. So, without further ado, let's get bookish!

Interview:

Thanks so much for taking time to answer some questions! Mary: The Summoning is a book that weaves together history and the present to make a ghost story come to life. Did a lot of research go into the writing of this book?


To a point, especially since the first iteration of MARY was historical. The original story had five chapters of present time and then Mary dragged Shauna through the mirror into Mary's time and world. The letters are essentially the cliff notes version of that draft.

One thing I remember from writing the original story was learning how to defeather a chicken. You boil the chicken corpse to loosen the feathers so you can shuck it. It's apparently the worst smell in the world. Who knew?

You see? Who says you don't learn things on Bitches n Prose. Now, Mary thrives on the fears of her victims. What is your biggest fear?

I am terrified of snakes and heights, but mostly snakes. Whenever I'm anxious, I have nightmares of enormous snakes that are fifty trillion feet long and bitey. It's unpleasant!

I'm with you on heights- in airplanes especially. If I'm reading correctly, Mary: The Summoning is your debut YA novel. What other genres do you write? Was it hard to transition to writing for a younger audience?

I started with a younger audience and have lingered there. I was a voracious reader as a kid so I write what I would have loved. My next book, THE AWESOME, is another YA that's paranormal comedy (under the name Eva Darrows and out 5/26.) I find my bread and butter are two extremes—scares or laughs. I like those reactions that come from our reptilian brains.

Shauna and her friends don't really believe in the Bloody Mary story at first. Do you believe in ghosts?


I think so? I really want to but I have a skeptic's brain that tells me it's silly. I did live in a house that was built in the 1700s so if anything makes me slant toward yes, it'd be that house. We had to clean out the urns in the attic the first week we moved in.

Mary approaches her hauntings by making herself known in mirrors and reflections. Is there a specific item that you would want to haunt?

Well, if we go with the trope of haunting our best-loved stuff, I'd probably inhabit a basset hound or a computer. That makes me a fairly ineffectual ghost.

Ineffectual, maybe, but that at least you would be adorable. The four girls that make up the main characters in this book are each unique, but still remain friends. Are any of these characters based on people in your life?

Anna's the most like me, and the character of Kitty was loosely based on someone who'd annoyed me when I'd written the first iteration of the book. I'm not sure if I'm supposed to admit that part or not.

It's okay. I won't tell them. One of the adventures these girls face is visiting an old church. Have you ever visited somewhere that was thought to be haunted? What did you experience?

My old house had some very odd things happen. Weird noises, the dogs used to sit at the foot of the stairs and growl up at nothing on the second story. It didn't help that the woman who inhabited the house before my family left an audio recording telling us that if we heard footsteps or children laughing in the night, not to worry—it was just Mrs. Keeler coming back to the home she always loved.

It scared the hell out of me as a kid.

Funny aside with that? She's buried in the same cemetery as my grandparents. When we went up to attend to my grandfather's headstone, we stopped by Mrs. Keeler's plot and her epitaph is "Goodbye, For Now." She was pretty much the creepiest!

My inner-East Coast is going to come out for a second. That is wicked creepy. And speaking of things that go bump in the night, it's a dark and dreary October night, one that is perfect for staying in with some popcorn and a movie. What's playing on your TV?

Behind the Mask, The Rise of Leslie Vernon if I want some spooks and laughs. If I just want to climb the walls and be terrified? The Exorcist, The Ring, or the Japanese version of The Grudge.

*shudder* the Japanese one is so much creepier. Were you always interested in horror stories? Is there a favorite ghost story you used to share, or a favorite spooky read that you remember?

I read a whole lot of Christopher Pike when I was a wee Hillary. A well-loved copy of SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK occupied my shelf. Then I made a massive leap over to Stephen King with THE SHINING and it was all downhill from there. I've had a love of the genre since I can remember.

Excellent authors. I loved Christopher Pike when I was younger too, the one I remember most being Chain Letter. The Summoning is only the beginning. Can you tell me a little about the next book? Do you have any other projects in the works?

The next book takes the characters back to Solomon's Folly to uncover the last of Mary's origin and to "handle" Mary permanently, for better or worse.

Ahhhh I'm so excited. Thanks again for taking the time to talk with me and I cannot WAIT to read the next book!

Synopsis via Goodreads:

There is a right way and a wrong way to summon her.

Jess had done the research. Success requires precision: a dark room, a mirror, a candle, salt, and four teenage girls. Each of them--Jess, Shauna, Kitty, and Anna--must link hands, follow the rules . . . and never let go.

A thrilling fear spins around the room the first time Jess calls her name: "Bloody Mary. Bloody Mary. BLOODY MARY." A ripple of terror follows when a shadowy silhouette emerges through the fog, a specter trapped behind the mirror.

Once is not enough, though--at least not for Jess. Mary is called again. And again. But when their summoning circle is broken, Bloody Mary slips through the glass with a taste for revenge on her lips. As the girls struggle to escape Mary's wrath, loyalties are questioned, friendships are torn apart, and lives are forever altered.

A haunting trail of clues leads Shauna on a desperate search to uncover the legacy of Mary Worth. What she finds will change everything, but will it be enough to stop Mary--and Jess--before it's too late?

You can buy a copy for yourself by clicking here.

Review:

Title: MARY: The Summoning (Bloody Mary #1)
Author: Hillary Monahan
Format: egalley
Pub. Date: September 2, 2014
Source: Netgalley & Disney-Hyperion


★★★★★

Five stars.

---

I have to say, I positively adored this book. I am a lover of all things creepy and crawly, especially when it comes to young adult books. I am happy to say that Mary: The Summoning offered everything I look for in a ghost story, wrapped up in one little book.

Before I even get to the meat of the text, I have to mention how much I love this cover. It's what initially drew my attention in, and I have to say it really captures what the book is about. I would hang that poster up on my wall (and then forget it was there, and promptly give myself a heart attack).

This book follows closely a group of four friends who accidentally summon Bloody Mary. What really made me enjoy this book was in fact the character. Each of the four friends has a distinct personality. They all had strengths and weaknesses and their own agendas, but they all gelled when they needed to. I thought that the friendships seemed genuine and true-to-life. And then there's Mary. Holy hell, Mary. I'm trying not to swear *too* much as it is a kids' book. but Oh. My. God. She is creepy. She's also got her own history to her that we learn based off of letters she wrote to her sister. Being a history nerd, I loved this aspect, and I really liked learning how Mary got shaped into what she is.

Now let's talk about the creepy factor. It wasn't the kind of scary that made me stay up for days. However, it was the kind of gory, squeamish kind of scary that throws me back to the good ole days of R.L. Stine's Goosebumps series. There's a lot of blood, oozing sores, crawling black beetles, and murky dark water with lord knows what living inside of it. As I mentioned earlier, Mary only manifests in reflections. THIS IS A LOT OF THINGS YOU GUYS. You think, oh, okay, so no windows or mirrors. But there is so much more than that. When I was reading this, I had to walk down the dorm hall to the community bathroom my floor shares. There are shiny things everywhere. From shower heads to the handle that flushes toilets and the key panels on my door and the super waxed floors. Wow guys, Mary could haunt us something fierce. I admit, I may have tried to get a glimpse more than once.

The pacing was good and the descriptions were remarkably vivid to all of the senses. You could see, taste, and smell what Shauna was going through, and believe you me it is not always pleasant.

I mentioned that I liked the realism of the four friends. I also liked the relatable premise of the plot. And no, I don't mean that we all have almost died at the hands of the ghost. But I do know that in at least my childhood, playing Bloody Mary was super common at sleepovers. It's right up there with Light as a Feather, Stiff as a Board and Ouija boards. It's just a game that makes no sense and that no one really wants to play except for the cool girl (Jess in the book, Brittany in my own life) and so you play it because you want her to think you're way cooler than you are and even though NOTHING HAPPENS AT ALL you are still afraid of your shadow for a month.

....Or is that just me?

I loved this book. I think it's a great book for the young adult age group, provided the reader can handle the blood and ghosts. Fans of the Goosebumps series I feel would really enjoy this one. This is book one, so there's a bit of a cliffhanger ending. Be prepared for that. Thanks so much to Netgalley & Disney-Hyperion for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Release Day Giveaway, Interview, & Review: Haunted Stuff by Stacey Graham

Hello my lovely followers. Today I'm happy to have author Stacey Graham here on the blog talking to me about her book, Haunted Stuff: Demonic Dolls, Screaming Skulls & Other Creepy Collectibles. This book goes live today, and to celebrate the release Stacey and Llewellyn Publications have graciously offered up a few pretty copies up for a giveaway to a new home. But first, what's Haunted stuff about?



Synopsis from Goodreads:
Finding a one-of-a-kind antique doll at a garage sale is a great feeling--until you bring that doll home and discover it's haunted. Objects with restless spirits attached to them can quietly invade a home through auctions, antique dealers, estate sales, garage sales, and inheritance. This spooky collection examines a wide variety of haunted items, from screaming skulls to demonic dolls, and how they affect the owner's life. Haunted Stuff provides true accounts of possessed possessions, often found in the strangest places. Discover chilling stories of the island of haunted dolls, the tumbling coffin, Rudolph Valentino's cursed ring, and even the Queen Mary ocean liner--one of the largest haunted items of all. Experience these true accounts that will make you look closer at the antiques on your shelf . . . and wonder if that creepy doll just blinked.

Interview:

Thanks so much for stopping by to talk with me, Stacey! What inspired you to write Haunted Stuff?

I've had a lifelong fascination with things that we can't quite explain away, and wanted to know if there was more than just floating head stories. Haunted houses are the ultimate ghostly abode, but what about blenders or ceramic cupcakes? It was time to find out more, so I dug in and found some doozies.

Have you ever thought about what item you'd haunt? What would it be? Why?

Great question! I'd go old school and haunt an oil painting. I'd be the eyes watching you from across the room.

Have you ever visited a place that you knew was haunted? Where was it? What was it like?

been investigating the paranormal for over 25 years and have seen a lot of odd things, but one of the most compelling was at a haunted mansion I visited during a writer's retreat near San Francisco. Detailed in the book, I had my share of run-ins with a mustachioed gentleman, and a very noisy dining room.

Everyone has their own version of nightmare fuel. What are you most afraid of?

Rats. Next question. :shudder:

Thousand-leggers for me. Quickly, let's move on. What was the weirdest/most interesting thing you researched while writing Haunted Stuff?

I have a penchant for haunted ships. I was going to be a marine archaeologist before life (and children) took me in another direction; I think part of that lure to the sea was wrapped up in the stories shipwrecks bring. The ones that haunt the coastline, such as the Lady Lovibond, or relive its former glory, like the USS Constellation, make all of us shiver just a little bit. It's addicting.

What gave you the most trouble with the story?

I ran into a lot of dead ends when doing research. I tried to follow a story to the object's owner or at least have three solid references to it from reputable sources. A lot of urban legends fell apart when held up to scrutiny so they didn't make it into the book.

If you could have dinner with five people, living or dead, who would they be? Why?

Jane Austen, for writing tips and love life advice
Daniel Craig because Daniel Craig
Queen Elizabeth I & II because I want the skinny on the hidden tunnels in the castles
The Dalai Lama because I think he'd be a hoot at parties

What's one item you can't live without?

Lip gloss. I know I should say my husband and children, but I'd toss them over in a second for a great lip gloss.

Describe your book in ten words or less.

Is that clown doll looking at you funny? HAUNTED STUFF!

What's one thing people would be surprised to learn about you?

I didn't start writing professionally until I was 39, and then had four books and a dozen short stories published by the time I was 46. Five busy kids don't leave a lot of time for dillydallying, so I hit the ground running after the last one could walk.

Can you tell us about any upcoming or previous works?

My first books, The Girls' Ghost Hunting Guide (Sourcebooks Jabberwocky), and the Zombie Tarot (Quirk) were so much fun to write. I like to read books with a heavy dose of humor, so try to add that to everything I send out. My next book, The Boxcar Children Guide to Adventure: A How-To for Mystery Solving, Make-It-Yourself Projects, and More (Albert Whitman, & Co) and written as Gertrude Chandler Warner, will be released September 1, 2014. I love writing for younger audiences, they get all the booger jokes.

Some authors need to use pink ink, others have to sit in a special chair. Do you have any quirks when you write?

I get hyper-organized when I'm on deadline for a book. I have mind-maps, legal pads, Excel spreadsheets, multiple chapters, and two screens (or more) going for online resources. And a bowlful of chocolate doesn't hurt either.

Thank you so much for joining me today. Be sure to check out Haunted Stuff, and all her other books too!

About the Author
Stacey Graham has spent a good part of the last twenty years as a ghost hunter sitting in dark attics waiting to poke the paranormal and see if it giggles. When not wrestling ghosts, she enjoys reading Jane Austen and writing zombie poetry, humor, and ghost stories. She is the author of The Girls' Ghost Hunting Guide and the Zombie Tarot. Her current projects include: Haunted Stuff: Demonic Dolls, Screaming Skulls, and Other Creepy Collectibles for Llewellyn Publishing (releases August 8, 2014), plus The Boxcar Children Guide to Adventure: A How-To for Mystery Solving, Make-It-Yourself Projects, and More for Albert Whitman & Co (releases September 1, 2014).

Please visit her at her website at http://staceyigraham.com for information on Ghoul School and how to schedule Skype bookclub or Scout meetings, on Facebook at facebook.com/authorstaceygraham, and on Twitter at twitter.com/staceyigraham. She may also be found at her blog, Late Bloomer, at http://staceyigraham.blogspot.com.

Review:

Title: Haunted Stuff: Demonic Dolls, Screaming Skulls & Other Creepy Collectibles
Author: Stacey Graham
Format: ebook
Pub. Date: August 26th 2014
Source: Stacey Graham



★★★★

Four stars.

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When I saw that this book existed, I knew that I needed to read it. I'm a frequent shopper at places like estate sales, thrift stores, and garage sales. When you frequent these sorts of places, or at least in my opinion, you get certain feels on older items. An item that comes to mind to me is a pink pearl necklace that I bought at an estate sale after the old woman who had lived there for decades had passed away. It hadn't bothered me much to buy the used necklace.... Until I held it in my hands. It felt... Sad. This was the first time, I think, that I'd ever experienced touching a non-living object and felt an emotional reaction to it.

So, when this book popped up on my radar, my ears (metaphorically of course) perked up, realizing that hey, I'm not the only one who has felt something like that. I needed to learn more. I was not at all disappointed when I got to reading Haunted Stuff. Stacey Graham takes you around the world and tells true story account of haunted objects and places with believable research and citations and first-hand accounts. This book is written in a very well-researched manner, but in such a tone that inspires a bit of humor and that puts me in mind of telling ghost stories around the campfire.

This book is fascinating, and if you're like me and are the type of person who believes that things can go bump in the night, then this book is right up your alley. It'll make you look twice at some of the items in your house that inevitably creep you out. (Thanks for that Stacey. I live with a woman who collects porcelain figurines and dolls. It won't be hard to fall asleep at ALL now >.>) Suitable for any age that can handle a few ghosties, this is a great book for anyone with an interest in the paranormal.

Thanks so much to Stacey Graham for giving me a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Giveaway:

Rules:
-This giveaway will run from August 8th to August 15, 2014
-This giveaway is US ONLY.
-This giveaway is open to those 13 and older (with parental permission of course)
-It is open to anyone over that age who can legally enter, receive, and use their prize.
-Two (2) winners will each win a copy.
-This giveaway is sponsored wholly by the publisher. I am not responsible.
-This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity.
-Winner will have 48 hours to reply, or a new winner will be chosen. Winner will be chosen using random.org.
-Invalid entries will be removed, so please don't cheat.
-Void where prohibited. Odds will vary. No purchase necessary.
-My opinions are my own. Information will not be stored or sold, and will be used only to contact the winners.

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Review: Joyland by Stephen King

Title: Joyland
Author: Stephen King
Format: Paperback, 283 pages
Pub. Date: June 4th 2013
Source: Gift

★★★★

Four stars.

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Devin Jones needed to get away from it all for a little while. The girl he loved more than anything broke his heart, and he needed to take some time to himself to remember what life without her is like. When he gets a summer job at a small town amusement park, he starts to feel at home... At first. When he started to uncover the oddities surrounding the park: a ghost story, tales of murder, and even a hokey psychic who may not be lying after all, he discovered that this summer would change his life completely.... That is, if he survives it.


I was really excited when my girlfriend's mother surprised me with a copy of this book. I'm a big fan of King's, and had fallen in love with the cover. I'm a sucker for stories set in a carnival/circus setting, and I knew I needed to read this one. It definitely didn't disappoint.

The thing that I loved most about this book was, you guessed it, the setting. This crime tale takes place in a Coney Island-like amusement park on the east coast. I loved all of the "Talk" that the carnies used, that is, the slang among them. Whether it's accurate or not, it was really cool to see life at one of these attractions after hours, and from the employee's point of view. The way King writes made it sound like a place I'd want to visit, and a place of sleepy summer life. I felt like I was at the park, from start to finish.

I also really liked the combination of genres in this book. It has supernatural elements, crime, murder, and a good old fashioned whodunnit. I didn't see the puzzle being pieced together until the very end, and then I got irrationally angry at the results. That's a good sign, because it means that King wrote characters that I cared about and really connected to.

The book jumps around a bit in time, but they're easy transitions, and I was at no point in the novel confused by the changes.

This book put me in mind of R.L. Stine's Fear Park series, but for the older crowd. This book contains profanity and sex, but it's a Stephen King book, so you probably guessed as much. I recommend it to anyone who likes a good murder case with a bit of a haunted twist.

Thanks again for the book, Lisa.

Review: Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer

Title: Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer
Author: Katie Alender
Format: egalley
Pub. Date: September 24th 2013
Source: Netgalley and Scholastic Press

★★

Two stars.

Colette is a junior in high school, and this school trip to Paris is just what she needs after her dad leaves her mother and family behind. She'll be there with her popular girl friends, and knows that she'll have a blast. That is, until murders start popping up all over Paris. Colette keeps spying a costumed woman who resembles the title royalty, and she, alongside a boy that she meets, must try to halt the danger.

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I was so excited when I received this title through Netgalley, but unfortunately, I was left disappointed.

-I didn't like any of the female characters. Not one. From the beginning few chapters, I was already against the protagonist, which is never a good thing in a book. She's obsessed with what her friends think about her, and actually gauges herself on a scale- she's prettier than one friend but not the other, and skinnier than one but not the other, so that she's the perfect addition to the trio. Never mind that they should judge on personality, just making sure that a friend doesn't out-hot you. The fact that she is acutely aware of this, and knows that the queen bee she's "friends" with could "unfriend" her at any point but continues to hang with her anyway is both discouraging and sad. She also thinks that people are only nice to others because they want something out of it, instead of just genuinely wanting to do good. I didn't enjoy reading about her.

-It wasn't scary. Mind you, I am aware of the fact that this is a young adult title. But based on the blurb, as well as the fact that serial killer is right in the title, I expected at least a shiver or an aloud, "Oh that's creepy." But none came. It wasn't all too creative, which surprised me because I really liked this concept for a story.

+ I am a sucker for a French backdrop, and this is no exception. It just sounds like such a pretty place, even when there are almost comical headless serial killer ghosts running around murdering people. It's probably by setting and the romantic interest alone that I finished this book.

+I do like the cover. Don't be fooled by it, but I do think that it's very catching and I openly admit that it's what drew me in at first.

All in all, this seems immature to me, even for a young adult book. The characters were cookie cutter and the killer was not scary, but the French setting and the romantic interest in this story help the plot plunk along. If you like paranormal stories that aren't scary, pretty French scenery, or books with a "Mean Girls" type cast, then maybe you'll like this more than I did.

Thanks to Netgalley and Scholastic Press for my copy.

Review: Haunted Asylums, Prisons, and Sanatoriums: Inside Abandoned Institutions for the Crazy, Criminal & Quarantined

Title: Haunted Asylums, Prisons, and Sanatoriums: Inside Abandoned Institutions for the Crazy, Criminal & Quarantined
Author: Jamie Davis
Format: egalley
Pub. Date: September 8th 2013
Source: Netgalley/Llewellyn Worldwide, Ltd.

★★★

Three stars.

Haunted Asylums, Prisons, and Sanatoriums: Inside Abandoned Institutions for the Crazy, Criminal & Quarantined is a travel guide that gives insight and information, as well as personal experiences within some of America's most haunted places.

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In a nutshell, this is a good starter book for someone with an interest in haunted places mentioned in the title. This is also a good guide for people who are interested in planning a vacation to these locations.

+ The author does a good job explaining techniques and equipment that are commonly used in paranormal investigation. It's put into simple terms so even the most unfamiliar reader can understand what's being used throughout the book.

+ There are small stories and histories associated with each place. These are more factual than urban legend, despite how the back blurb of this book reads. There are photographs peppered throughout the book that help the narrative and show the reader a glimpse of what to expect.

+ It was useful to me that included after each landmark/haunt, there was a list of prices, websites, and additional information that the reader can use if planning to visit.

- The author also tells stories from their own paranormal investigations. In my opinion, these came off as rather unprofessional and altogether a bit lacking in evidence.

- I also felt like I was left with only an introduction to each haunt. I've researched most of these places in my spare time, since I do want to visit a few of them in the future. Because of that, I didn't really gain any additional information. Most of these facts can be found online, and don't really require this book to learn them.

All in all, I'd recommend this for travelers or newcomers to the topic. If you have no intention to visit these places, expect a ghost story, or are a relatively well versed person in regards to haunted places, then this book isn't for you.

Thank you to Netgalley and Llewellyn Worldwide, Ltd. for my copy.