Real Hauntings by Hans Holzer

Started: 10/29/07
Finished: 10/30/07
Year: 1995 (2002 this edition)
Pages: 337
Genre: New Age/Occult
Grade: B-
Reason for reading: grabbed it off the TBR shelf
Blurb (from book jacket): "Hans Holzer's Real Hauntings continues his account of true, authenticated case histories of hauntings throughout the United States.
"From the restless shade of a sea captain on Cape Cod, to the remorseful parishioner at St. Mark's in New York who is unable to forget her extramarital affair, to the little girl ghost of Landsdowne, Pennsylvania, who can't quite understand what happened to her world, Real Hauntings chronicles the fascinating and dramatic accounts of the true experiences that ordinary people have had with the world beyond our own.
"New Hampshire, Virginia, California, Louisiana, Minnesota: Ghostly encounters can occur anywhere and to anyone. Among the many remarkable encounters in Real Hauntings is the story about the ghost of a young girl killed during a wild party in Hollywood; the testimony of tenants at an 18th-century carriage house in New York's Hell's Kitchen regarding the several ghosts they have encountered; and the account of the piano-playing phantom in an old house in Arkansas. In all, twenty-five true, witnessed accounts are reported here by Dr. Hans Holzer."
Opinion: Much better than the last book that I just read. Much more details about what is seen and heard. Would love to see some scientific ghost hunting groups examine some of the places that were written about.

More Where the Ghost Are by Hans Holzer

Started: 10/26/07
Finished: 10/29/07
Year: 2002
Pages: 179
Genre: New Age/Occult
Grade: C
Reason for reading: grabbed it off the TBR shelf
Blurb (from back cover): "Do you want to know where the ghosts are? See them for yourself? Whether you're unsure, incredulous, or a true believer, renowned paranormal expert Hans Holzer will lead you on a thrilling tour of haunted locales. In this sequel to his bestselling Where the Ghosts Are, the author/investigator takes you to even more sites inhabited by spirits that manifest in a variey of fascinating ways. Meet and marvel at ghosts found in sites as diverse as the battlefield in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, a sorority house at the University of Charleston in South Carolina, the little-known resort of Aetna Springs, California (reportedly inhabited by the spirits of unhappy monks), and the house in Washington, D.C., where President Woodrow Wilson once lived."
Opinion: An average book about different alleged haunted sites. Some I was familiar with, others I wasn't. I wanted more about each site and felt a little disappointed that there wasn't more to it.

CoreText: A handbook for writers by Hairston, Ruszkiewicz and Seward

Started: 10/24/07
Finished: 10/26/07
Year: 1997
Pages: 306
Genre: Handbook
Grade: B+
Reason for reading: grabbed it off the TBR shelf
Blurb (from back cover): "CoreText is an innovative handbook written collaboratively by two writing teachers and a software designer. Not only does it give succinct, clear answers to questions about usage, style, and the strategies of research, but it provides crucial information about electronic sources and documentation for writers doing research online. It also aids writers who want to use the graphic capacities of computers to produce visually attractive documents.
"The key features of CoreText are:
"Emphasis on the role of audience and purpose in the writing process
"A chapter on critical thinking and persuasion
"Three chapters on crafting sentences and using language responsibly
"A chapter on essentials for ESL writers
"Two chapters on document design and model documents
"A comprehensive research section with up-to-date information about using and documenting electronic sources
"Complete documentation guides for four citation systems: ACW, APA, CMS, and MLA
"Finally CoreText's unique trim size, lie-flat design, and fresh use of four colors throughout make information easily accessible."
Opinion: A great handbook for all different types of writers. I'll definitely be utilizing this.

16 Lighthouse Road by Debbie Macomber

Started: 10/22/07
Finished: 10/24/07
Year: 2001
Pages: 377
Genre: Romance
Grade: B-
Reason for reading: booksfree.com
Blurb (from back cover): "Dear Reader, You don't know me yet, but in a few hours that's going to change. You see, I'm inviting you to my home and my town of Cedar Cove because I want you to meet my family, friends and neighbors. Come and hear their stories-maybe even their secrets!
"I have to admit that my own secrets are pretty open. My marriage failed some years ago, and I have a rather...difficult relationship with my daughter, Justine. Then there's my mother, Charlotte, who has plenty of opinions and is always willing to share them.
"Here's an example: I'm a family court judge and she likes to drop in on my courtroom. Recently I was hearing a divorced petition. In Charlotte's view, young Cecilia and Ian Randall hadn't tried hard enough to make their marriage work-and I agreed. So I rendered my judgment: Divorce Denied.
"Well, you wouldn't believe the reaction! Thanks to an article by Jack Griffin, the editor of our local paper (and a man I wouldn't mind seeing more of!), everyone's talking.
"Cedar Cover-people love it and sometimes they leave it, but they never forget it!
"See you soon...Olivia."
Opinion: This was a slightly confusing story with all of the characters and keeping them straight. Some powerful stories. The ending fell flat...very flat. Wanted more about all of the characters and didn't get it.

Dora: An Analysis of a Case of Hysteria by Sigmund Freud

Started: 10/20/07
Finished: 10/22/07
Year: 1963
Pages: 124
Genre: Psychology
Grade: B-
Reason for reading: grabbed it off the TBR shelf
Blurb (from back cover): "An appealing and intelligent eighteen-year-old girl to whom Freud gives the pseudonym 'Dora' is the subject of a case history that has all the intrigue and unexpected twists of a first-rate detective novel. Freud pursues the secrets of Dora's psyche by using as clues her nervous mannerisms, her own reports on the peculiarities of her family, and the content of her dreams.
"The personalities involved in Dora's disturbed emotional life were, in their own ways, as complex as she: an obsessive mother, an adulterous father, her father's mistress, Frau K., and Frau K.'s husband, who had made amorous advances toward Dora. Faced with the odd behavior of her family and friends, and unable to confront her own forbidden sexual desires, Dora falls in the destructive pattern of a powerful hysteria. In this influential and provocative case history, Freud uses all his analytic genius and literary skill to reveal Dora's inner life and explain the motives behind the fixation on her father's mistress."
Opinion: It's an interesting look into an actual case of Sigmund Freud's. Many disagree with his theories but to actually see them applied to someone was interesting.

Desert Cut by Betty Webb

Started: 10/16/07
Finished: 10/20/07
Year: 2008
Genre: Mystery
Grade: B-
Reason for reading: review for MyShelf.
Blurb (coming)
Opinion: Not as strong as her previous mysteries have been. I was kinda disappointed in this one. Too many twists and turns. A good subject matter to include in a mystery however.

The High King by Lloyd Alexander

Started: 10/15/07
Finished: 10/16/07
Year: 1968
Pages: 285
Genre: Children's Literature
Grade: B-
Reason for reading: part of a bookring on Bookcrossing.com
Blurb (from book jacket): "In this magnificent finale to the chronicles of Prydain, the whole land is the stage for the ultimate clash between the forces of good and evil which determines the fate of Prydain and of Taran, the Assistant Pig-Keeper who wanted to be a hero.
"The last and greatest quest of Taran and his companions begins when the sword Drnwyn, the most powerful weapon in the kingdom, falls into the hands of Arwan Death-lord, threatening Prydain with annihilation. Taran and Prince Gwydian raise an army to march against Arawn's terrible cohorts, human and inhuman, in a decisive struggle which may be their last. After a winter march filled with danger, the challenge of battle and the tragedy of defeat, love and sorrow, Taran and his army finally arrive at the very portal of Annuvin, Arawn's stronghold and, ultimately, to a decision for Taran that is the most crucial of his life."
Opinion: I'm glad that I gave this series another shot. I had read the first book back in 6th grade and hated it. This was a good way to end the series-questions were resolved and also brought back to things that were introduced in the first book.

On Writing by Stephen King

Started: 10/11/07
Finished: 10/15/07
Year: 2000
Pages: 297
Genre: How to write
Grade: A
Reason for reading: booksfree.com book
Blurb (from back cover): "Long life the King, hailed Entertainment Weekly upon the publication of Stephen King's On Writing. Part memoir, part master class by one of the bestselling authors of all time, this superb volume is a revealing and practical view of the writer's craft, comprising the basic tools of the trade every writer must have. King's advice is grounded in his vivid memories from childhood through his emergence as a writer, from his struggling early career to his widely reported near-fatal accident in 1999-and how the inextricable link between writing and living spurred his recover. Brilliantly structured, friendly and inspiring, On Writing will empower and entertain everyone who reads it-fans, writers and anyone who loves a great story well told."
Opinion: Reading this made me feel like I was getting first hand advice from a prolific writer. The memories that Stephen King put throughout this book is entertaining and show what he went through to get to where he is now. A great book.

Christ the Lord by Anne Rice

Started: 10/9/07
Finished: 10/11/07
Year: 2000
Pages: 339
Genre: Literature
Grade: C-
Reason for reading: part of a bookray through Bookcrossing.com
Blurb (from back cover): "With the Holy Land in turmoil, seven-year-old Jesus and his family leave Egypt for the dangerous road home to Jerusalem. As they travel, the boy tries to unlock the secret of his birth and comprehend his terrifying power to work miracles. Anne Rice's dazzling, kaleidoscopic novel, based on the gospels and the most respected New Testament scholarship, summons up the voice, the presence, and the words of Jesus, allowing him to tell his own story as he struggles to grasp the holy purpose of his life."
Opinion: If I had never read any of Anne Rice's previous novels both her erotica and horror fiction, I would have thought that this was a decent book despite the subject matter. Anne Rice took a huge chance in having this book published.

The Choice by Nicholas Sparks

Started: 10/7/07
Finished: 10/9/07
Year: 2007
Pages: 272
Genre: Romance
Grade: A-
Reason for reading: review for MyShelf.com
Blurb (from book jacket): "Travis Parker has everything a man could want: a good job, loyal friends, even a waterfront home in small-town North Carolina. In full pursuit of the good life-boating, swimming, and regular barbecues with his close buddies-he holds the vague conviction that a serious relationship with a woman would only cramp his style. That is until Gabby Holland moves in next door.
"Despite his attempts to be neighborly, the attractive redhead seems to have a grudge against him...and the presence of her longtime boyfriend doesn't help. Still, Travis can't stop trying to ingratiate himself with his new neighbor, and his persistent efforts lead them both the doorstep of a journey that neither could have foreseen. Spanning the eventful years of young love, marriage, and family, The Choice ultimately confronts us with the most heartwrenching question of all: How far should you go to keep the hope of love alive?"
Opinion: Another touching story by Nicholas Sparks. Not as strong as some of his previous works but definite makes you think about what you would do if you were in the situation of his characters. For a more complete review, please check out MyShelf.com.

The Red Room by Nicci French

Started: 10/1/07
Finished: 10/7/07
Year: 2001
Pages: 468
Genre: Thriller
Grade: B-
Reason for reading: grabbed it off the TBR shelf
Blurb (from back cover): "The first time London police psychiatrist Kit Quinn interviews a homeless sexual predator named Michael Doll, he slashes her face with a broken mug. Months later, after the emotionally vulnerable Kit is asked to question Doll about the killing of a teenage runaway, she reluctantly concedes his innocence and he walks free. Then another woman is abducted and murdered-and again the clues lead to Doll. Now, as a seductive and mysterious new lover enters her life, Kit finds Michael Doll always in the shadows. Outside her doorway. Calling her on the phone. Wanting to have her. Yet, even as Doll's obsession escalates, Kit is gripped with paralyzing fear that the killer isn't Doll-but someone close to her heart."
Opinion: This was a little long and had some bits that just weren't relevant to the story. Overall it was a good thriller and a good read.

Smashed: Story of a Drunken Girlhood by Koren Zailckas

Started: 9/26/07
Finished: 10/1/07
Year: 2005
Pages: 339
Genre: Autobiographical
Grade: B-
Reason for reading: booksfree.com
Blurb (from back cover): "The summer Koren Zailckas turns fourteen she is standing in the kitchen of her best friend Natalie's house, dripping wet after a swim in the lake. With a sly grin, Natalie emerges from a cupboard holding a bottle of Southern Comfort. With one stiff sip, Zailckas is initiated into the world of drinking. From then on, she will drink faithfully, fanatically. In high school, her experimentation will lead to a stomach pumping at age sixteen. In college, her excess will give way to a pattern of self-poisoning that will grow more destructive with each year. At age twenty-two, Zailckas will wake up in an unfamiliar apartment in New York City, elbow her friend who is passed out next to her, and ask, 'Where are we?' Smashed is a sober look at how she got there and, after years of blackouts and smashups, what it took for her to realize she had to stop drinking."
Opinion: A strong look into a different form of alcohol abuse-one that isn't really looked at and should be. This should be a must read for pre-teens and parents