"Ghostly Lights Return" By Annick Hivert-Carthew

Title: Ghostly Lights Return: More Great Lakes Lighthouse Fiends and Phantoms
Author: Annick Hivert-Carthew
Published Year: 1999
Pages: 137 pages
Genre: Mystery/Lighthouses

Lighthouses bring a sense of awe and intrigue to me along with a sense of mystery as well. How many lives have been saved per each one, and what kind of life did the people who kept the lighthouses going live? Most are now automated so there are less lighthouse keepers to watch and make sure the light does not become extinguished. These beacons of hope and warning bring a mystery to some as well.

I picked this selection of stories up thinking it would have to do with the hauntings of lighthouses of the Great Lakes. When I first looked at the map I was astonished at how many are dotted around the Great Lakes and this book is the sequel to another book on the same topic by the author. However when I started reading the book I was having a hard time grasping what I was actually reading. It turns out that these are not actual true haunting stories of the lighthouses that are listed. Instead I was provided with short stories on the lighthouses listed. At the end of each story the author provided some background on the lighthouse the story is based on. Some of the stories are based on historical facts and events that happened at the lighthouse. In other circumstances, the lighthouse was just a background object in the short story and was not directly related to the storyline. Those were the stories that were more of a stretch for me.

So if you are looking for some good bizarre tales of fiction that have lighthouses in them or mentioned in them, then this may just work out for you. If you are looking for true haunting tales then I would advise you to pass this one up.

"The Field Guide to North American Hauntings" By W. Haden Blackman

Title: The Field Guide to North American Hauntings
Author: W. Haden Blackman
Published Year:1998
Pages: 192 pages
Genre: Non-fiction, Folklore, Occult


Before I even get started into this post, there is one thing that bugs me about this book that I just have to state. This book's title is misleading, as in the North American part. When I think of North America I think of Canada, United States and Mexico, at least that's the part of the main section. However in this book, ghost stories only focus on areas in the United States and Canada. Mexico is completely left out and there has to be some good ghost stories there.

Okay getting off my soap box now about misleading information. In other terms, I enjoyed this selection of ghost stories and how the other split them up into section (but then again when have I not enjoyed a ghost story book?).

The split up of sections directs the reader to what tales they may interested in, and each section has some well-known haunts along with some lessor known ones which I was unaware of. Here's the sections listed by chapter in the book:

• True Haunted Houses
• Haunted Vessels and Phantom Craft
• Haunted Cemeteries and Burial Sites
• Natural Haunts
• Other Haunted Sites
• Ghost Hunting

Yes the author gives information on different haunts in each section and then goes on to divulge information about the art of ghost hunting. The cool thing about the ghost hunting part is that is is broken down and easy to understand. The author even includes outlines of questions to ask witnesses of the hauntings which is an outstanding tool to have. I have personally never went ghost hunting, but I have visited some of the locations in the book.

Each location is set up with general information such as where it is, who is suspected of haunting it, and ghost temperance level. The individual sections then go on to describe history and eye witness accounts of the hauntings. The easy to use format is great for any reader and you definitely do not have to be at an adult reading stage to get the information you need.

After reading the whole book, I find it a very useful reference tool and am looking forward to looking back on it in my further readings on ghost stories.

"The Roswell UFO Crash" By Kal K. Korff

Title: The Roswell UFO Crash: What They Don't Want You To Know
Author: Kal K. Korff
Published Year: 1997
Pages: 318
Genre: Non-fiction


While at work I had this sitting on my desk and my co-worker grabbed it to glance at it. His remark was that it looked just like the splurge of books on Roswell that came out in the 70s and looked at the published date to see just how old this is. Nope not written in the 1970s, but in the late 90s. This observation alone shows that the Roswell incident in the 1940s is still a hot topic among UFO and paranormal researchers all the way to the current times.

Unlike other Roswell books though, Korff takes a different approach to the facts and findings he presents based on his research on the topic. He has researched UFOs and has written other books on the subject as well. However he does not fully believe all that is presented and shows the reader the other side of the story which is evidence that shows how much of the so-called evidence can really not be trusted. He goes so far as to call other writers on the subject "pro-Roswell" because they seem to dismiss glaring facts that question the witnesses testimonies. Since Roswell is highly based on witness testimony, these badly researched statements bring the whole ordeal into question.

I personally have been to Area 51 (outside the gated area of course, there really were MPs in jeeps watching our every moves) and to the actual town of Roswell. I have been interested in UFOs and other paranormal activity since elementary school. However, this book brought another side to the story with back-up documentation that questions how I think about the Roswell incident. All I can say is I need to look into even more research options on the subject and fully develop my own beliefs about what happened there in the 1940s.

One lesson for the reader on this book is, always look for an alternative view and research, you'll be surprised what you learn and others ideas on the same topics.

"Matilda" By Roald Dahl

Title: Matilda
Author: Roald Dahl
Published Year:1988
Pages: 240

Who couldn't use a a little Roald Dahl in their life? Despite this being known as a late elementary school level of reading, adults can enjoy it too, and I did just that. I'm just happy that I was finally able to read it after reading other of his works, many of you will remember such as James and the Giant Peach, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and The BFG just to name a few. Just like his other works, this is one that does not disappoint. It is full of imagination and fantasy.

In Matilda the story follows the life of an extraordinary little girl with exceptional capabilities and skills. She is extremely brilliant and struggles with this brilliance due to the people in her life holding her back. There are others in who life that she helps along the way and uses her abilities to help these people out.

One extra thing that is fantastic about this book is that the movie that is made based from it is one of the closest adaptations I have found. Usually when watching something that has been adapted, I find holes or too much artistic licensing used. However, while reading this book I could visualize the movie in my mind and it was matching up quite nicely. This did allow me to know what was coming up, but also kept me going at the same time because I was curious to see how close the ending really would be between the book and the movie.

Great read to read alone or with your kids. I know when mine become old enough, I will be reading this to her. That's what being a book nut will do to you.

"Above Top Secret" By Jim Marrs

Title: Above Top Secret
Author: Jim Marrs
Published Year: 2008
Pages: 284
Genre: Non-fiction, conspiracy theory

This is not the first Jim Marrs book that I have read. The previous ones that I have read dealt with more alien technology and whether or not there are aliens which have visited us. This work of Marrs' focuses more of what I consider conspiracy theories and are more into the current "digital age". This digital age is called so due to all the Internet access most people have and the major amount of volume of information that is available on the Internet. Marrs has his own website that is devoted to the topics that mainstream media does not typically address and that is where the topics for this book come from. Each section starts out with a who, what where, how and when type of break down and then launches into the evidence from it. As with these types of books, I always recommend looking at other sources. Not to discredit anyone, but sometimes the authors are so wrapped up in their beliefs of the subject that they themselves are not subjective. Nonetheless, the material is thought provoking and provides a stepping point for the topic.

The list of topics that are found in this book are as follows:

• Was 9/11 an inside job?
• Is the supply of oil peaking?
• Why did the Air Force change its story on Stephenville?
• Do road signs contain hidden codes?
• Is free/alternative energy being kept from the public?
• Is the Federal Reserve a scam?
• Are chemtrails for real?
• Is there a Nazi base in Antarctica?
• Who killed JFK?
• Did John Titor come from the future?
• Who built the spidery drones?
• What passed by the space shuttle Atlantis?
• What hovered over O'Hare gate C17?
• What flew over Phoenix?
• Were the moon landings faked?
• Who parked the moon?
• What crashed at Roswell?
• Is God and alien?
• What will happen in 2012?

Just based on these topics alone you can see that there is not enough room in a 284 page book to thoroughly go over each topic, which is why this is a good selection to get a general idea of the different topics and then decide which ones you would like to investigate further.

"Belly Laughs" By Jenny McCarthy

Title: Belly Laughs
Author: Jenny McCarthy
Published Year: 2004
Pages: 165 pages

Jenny McCarthy the author of a book? I'm betting that's what some of you are thinking when looking at this posting, and yes she did it and its the first one, she's written more and I plan on reading those too. McCarthy keeps it real and does the one thing that many people who have never written a book about are encouraged to do: write about what you know. And it just so happens that she writes about the hysterical ups and downs of her pregnancy. As she mentions in the beginning of the book she wrote the book to give other women who are pregnant an idea of what the process can be like from her own experiences and not just having to rely on the books that state the facts and what happens during each week.

Currently as en expectant mom, I could not resist the urge to read this book. I find that other mothers who have gone through the experience already have much more valuable information that any of the other pregnancy books I am currently reading. Don't get me wrong, those other books are valuable and easy quick references, but McCarthy's book makes me feel much more normal. And on the bright side, I have come to the realization that my own has been a breeze compared to what she has gone through. Its nice to know that the ups and downs of a pregnancy affect all women, even if you are an ex-Playmate.

Any mom to be, or any that have had kids should enjoy this book as long as they are not easily offending. McCarthy has a knack for telling it like it is and not holding back, a trait I wished more people had.

"Next" By Michael Crichton

Title: Next
Author: Michael Crichton
Published Year: 2006
Pages:547 pages

Genetics is a complex industry and this work of fiction brings those complexities to the attention of the everyday reader. One problem with what I consider abstract sciences like genetics is that it is hard for the common lay person to understand all the terms and procedures that are part of the science. Crichton takes these terms and spins a web of mystery and action to showcase these ideas and some of the problems that result from genetics research. Hear me out, I think that there is some use for the genetic research that can do the world harm, but some of the research and the legal think tanks behind protecting this research can be hazardous to the world as this book will present.

The storyline does not follow just one issue, but multiples and if you have read some of Crichton's other works, you'll understand how he knows how to make it all come together. Getting to that together point is part of the fun of the book and a reason that I kept pushing myself to finish it and figure out how everything came together.

Here are a few of the issues that are brought up in this book:

• Splicing cells to genetically alter the code of an animal such as introducing human cells into members of the ape families
• Using genetic alterations to change the look of animals for the purpose of advertising
• Licensing issues when new genetic cells are discovered and who is the proper owner of these.

But its not as simple as it seems. Crichton takes you all around the world to show you that this is not just happening here in the United States but that other countries are in a race to patent genes that are found. After reading this, and despite it being a work of fiction I have developed some of my own opinions on whether or not genes should be patented and who really owns them. Crichton presents his own thoughts after the book as well as all of his research on the subject.

If you like any of his other works, don't pass this one up, I wasn't disappointed and I bet you won't be either.

"A Dark Matter" By Peter Straub

Title: A Dark Matter
Author: Peter Straub
Published Year: 2010
Pages:588
Genre: Fiction

"A Dark Matter" is only the second book of Peter Straub's that I have read. The other work of his that I have read is "Ghost Story". As with "Ghost Story", "A Dark Matter" immediately pulled me into the fascinating world of the unknown with plenty of twists and turns.

The book is based on the premise that the main character Lee wants to write a book about a strange encounter that happened to his friends when they were in highschool. The only problem is that he was not part of the experience and his friends have scattered and taken different paths in their lives, many of which happened due to this catastrophic event. To make matters even more complicated, he is married to one of the friends that experienced this event. The strangeness of the event has to deal with opening another dimension that was opened during a ceremony that went horribly wrong.

Each member that was there and present at the time tells their own version of the story and as the story progresses it is amazing to see how the various characters viewed the event and what they actually thought happened at that time. Along with this, the author spins a web of how the characters reconnect after all of those years and what paths they ventured onto afterwards. None of their lives will ever be the same but they can learn from their experiences.

For my personal review, I would give the book 4 out of 5 stars. It is an intricate piece of work that needs a lot of attention to follow the lines of connection. If you want a quick read just to pass the time, pass this one up, it deserves more attention than that.

"Elephants on Acid & Other Bizarre Experiments" By Alex Boese

Title: Elephants on Acid And Other Bizarre Experiments

Author: Alex Boese

Published Year:2007

Pages:290

Genre:Science/ Cultural Studies

Strange titles have a way of grabbing my attention and reeling me in, and this book was no exception. Thanks to Amazon's recommendations based on other books I have rated and bought over the years, this book came as a suggestion to me and I was not disappointed. I am amazed and intrigued by the bizarre things that have happened in our history and those that will happen in our future (you know more bizarre things are bound to happen in our future).

Boese has experience with writing about hoaxes and has done books on them as well. While he was in college he couldn't help but be interested in the bizarre experiments that are mentioned in medical texts whether it be mainstream medicine, sociology or psychology as a few examples, of which these experiments do not get the justice they deserve. He spent time during college looking more up and continued to do so after graduating. A discussion at lunch with his publisher brought the idea of using these experiments he had already researched and adding more to it and turning it into a book is how this book got its idea.

The experiments range from whether a head transplant is actually possible to whether babies love their mother for the love or just to be feed and everywhere in between. I would suggest that some of the sections not be read while eating or right after eating, such as the "Bathroom Reader" section. Readers without strong stomachs may not be able to hold their food in.

Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of fun experiments to read about but you also must be ready for the ones that make you want to scream "What the hell were you thinking!". There are some sick and twisted people out there, and some of these bizarre experiments shine this through. At the same time there are things to be learned from all of the experiments in the book and they are presented in a way that anyone with a curiosity around bizarre experiments can enjoy them. I just now have a lot more random facts I can divulge to unsuspecting listeners as I have a tendency to do.