Title: Something Wicked
Author: Debi Chestnut
Genre: True Haunting, Ghosts & Hauntings, Non-Fiction
Age Group: Adult
Rating: 1 star
Purchase: Amazon

Forget what you know or think you know about negative entities. Unless you are one of the few who have encountered a demon, it’s almost impossible to grasp the depth and scope of such pure evil and how these creatures can enter someone’s life and completely turn it upside down. Something Wicked explores the topic of negative energies, dark forces, and exorcisms with fresh eyes so that you may come to your own conclusions.

I read a few books by Debi Chestnut already, and usually I find them quite enjoyable. However, Something Wicked missed the ball for me. I didn’t enjoy the book at all. From the synopsis, I thought the author would give an explanation about negative entities, more in particular demons, and then would go on to detail some cases she worked on. While the author does mention some cases, it’s rather vague, and doesn’t give out a lot of details, making it rather boring.

I understand the need to protect the people involved, but still, if you don’t give out any details whatsoever and just a basic rundown, then it makes for rather boring reading. Also, the book was very, very repetitive. It paraphrased sections from what the Vatican said about demonic possession, for example, and then underneath, explained the already paraphrased sections again.

It just felt as if someone without any experience could’ve written the same book. It all stayed very much on the surface, rephrasing knowledge already known to most people with an inkling of interest in the paranormal world. The writing was dull, and it’s more than a manual than anything – except not a very enjoyable manual to read.

I have to say it was a dissapointment, and I expected more. I read it to the end because I forced myself to, but I didn’t enjoy it at all, in fact, I was bored ofr most of it. I would muh rather recommend “Stalking Shadows” or another book by this author.

Title: Forevermore

Author: Kristy Robinett

Genre: Non-Fiction, True Haunting, Ghosts and Hauntings

Age Group: Adult

Rating: 3,5 stars

Purchase: Amazon

Review copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Kristy Robinett has always had helpers in spirit, but when she was thirteen, she met the most fascinating spirit guide of all–Edgar Allan Poe. Forevermore tells the true story of how Edgar Allan Poe helps Kristy heal her soul so that she is able to fulfill her destiny.

Always reluctant to be known as a psychic, Kristy Robinett is shocked when Poe begins helping her discover information about her past lives. Not only does he encourage her to become a writer, but he also teaches her about his life so she is able to help him in his journey as a spirit guide, affirming the comforting fact that we are all given the chance to learn and grow on the other side.

Forevermore is the story of Kristy Robinett, who’s always had spirit helpers, one of them being an Indian, another a woman, but the most important one being Edgar Allan Poe. In Forevermore, Poe helps her discovers not only more about Poe’s life and his own tragic death, but also about Kristy’s past lives, and the role she played in Poe’s life back in the nineteenth century.

I was unsure what to think of the book, considering Kristy Robinett is convinced she talked not just to one spirit guide but several, and one of them is none other than Poe. It’s a stiff claim, and makes one think if the author is perhaps a little cocky to think the ghost of Poe would talk to her. However…I’m not convinced it’s all in Robinett’s mind. If it’s all true…I’m not sure either. But the author sounded sincere enough to convince me up to some point. She definitely believes what she’s writing, that’s for sure.

The book is part true haunting, part history novel. Robinett visits Baltimore, and other prominent places in Poe’s life, and tries to discover what happened to him, how he died, and what their connection is. Even if you don’t believe in ghosts, or anything of the sorts, it’s still entertaining, and a must read for fans of Poe. I knew a lot about Poe – at least, I thought I did – but I discovered something new every few pages, so my Poe knowledge is more limited than I thought, and I’m glad I learned more about the famous author.

The writing was solid, and like I said, the book is entertaining. I’m still not convinced it’s all true, but it made a good read nonetheless.

Title: Blessed Are The Wicked

Author: Steven A. LaChance

Genre: Non-Fiction, True Haunting, Ghosts & Hauntings

Age Group: Adult

Rating: 1 stars

Purchase: Amazon

Review copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Living with a paranormal storm looming on the horizon, constantly feeling the darkness trying to penetrate his soul, Steven LaChance has discovered that the aftershocks of a demonic possession can be more dangerous than the initial haunting itself. Marked by the supernatural trauma inflicted by the Union Screaming House–as chronicled in his first book, The Uninvited–Steven and his family find that no matter where they move, no matter what they do, they are still vulnerable to otherworldly attacks.

As malevolent forces continue their relentless assaults, violent outbursts erupt among the close-knit community that has been touched by unspeakable evil. Fighting for his sanity and his life, Steven records in Blessed Are the Wicked how repressed horror and pain nearly tore his world apart.

Blessed Are The Wicked is perhaps one of the worst true haunting books I’ve read. Why? Because it’s not about the haunting. It’s not about what happened at The Union Screaming House – which, by the way, is barely touched upon – and I, having not read the first book, barely understood what had happened there. It’s not even about the aftermath, about dealing with demonic possession and the occassional resurfacing of demons and ghosts. No. It’s about the author and his family, and that’s mostly it.

There’s not enough about the haunting here, and way too many mundane details about the author and his family. The story itself seems over the top and fabricated – if a house was truly that wicked, it would be worldwide news, especially in today’s era. The author offers little proof for what happened besides his own word (no real search for the history of the house, no other witness accounts). This book reads like a horror movie, or an episode of Goosebumps, except then for grown ups. It’s too over the top not to be fabricated. Even Hollywood is more down to earth when they make horror movies ‘inspired by real events’.

I’m willing to keep an open mind, but when you have poltergeist-like phenomena, demonic possession, satanic rituals in the basement….well, then you know you’ve just stumbled into lalalala-land (aka fiction territory).

The author also has a very black/white view on just about everyone. He classifies people as “good” and “bad” and leaves out everything in between. The writing is boring and sloppy, the author focuses too much on himself instead of on what’s happening, the haunting sounds fake, and all in all, there was nothing scary about it.

Title: Vanquishing Ghosts and Demons
Author: Sandrae Mosses
Genre: Non-Fiction, True Haunting, Ghosts and Hauntings
Rating: 3,5 stars
Purchase: Amazon
Review copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

The bizarre and terrifying true accounts in this book will have readers on the edge of their seats, aghast at what is “out there” and what can happen to those unlucky enough to cross pathways with deadly astral predators.

This book explores more than 30 case studies of spiritualist medium Sandrea Mosses and her colleagues as they battle ghosts, ghouls, and demons that have entered our world through portals or invitation. This is not a how-to book — in fact, the author is quite clear that inexperienced individuals can actually cause astral onslaughts to escalate and unwittingly bring great danger into their own life. However with the proper people, training, and tools, dark entities can be beaten.

In her work, Sandrea Mosses has removed astral beings from people, places, and the land itself. She has encountered everything from eerie ghost hauntings to creepy other-dimensional beings to full-blown demonic infestations

Vanquishing Ghosts and Demons tells us about the experiences of Sandrae Mosses, a spiritual medium, who battles ghosts, ghouls and even demons, along with her colleagues. Sandrea has lots of experience, and the cases she presents in this book range from tame, regular hauntings, to demon attacks that are downright creepy.

I found some of the terminology in this book strange, and I had trouble understanding how the demons/ghosts were pictured to Sandrae. Sometimes they appeared small, sometimes large. Either way, the spirits metioned were very cunning, and Sandrae’s own spirit guides often had to help her, or intervene.

I’m used to reading more scientifically-based true haunting books, but even the ones I’ve read before that deal with mediums, used different methods than Sandrae and her group. It was good to see a different perspective, and a different way of handling things.

Although I still prefer the scientific method, and find it far more credible, this book was a pleasant read with good writing.

Title: Haunted Ontario 3

Author: Terry Boyle

Genre: Ghosts and Hauntings, Non Fiction, True Haunting

Age Group: Adult

Rating: 3,5 stars

Purchase: Amazon

Review copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Interested in discovering more about haunted Ontario? Join Terry Boyle as he explores the shadowlands beyond the grave. Revel in the outstanding evidence of spirit habitation in museums, historic homes, inns, jails, and graveyards. Witness the full apparition of the innkeeper’s wife at Greystones Inn in Orangeville. Encounter the misty form of a civil war veteran in the graveyard of the old St. Thomas church. Experience the incredible slamming-of-doors at the Keefer Mansion in Thorold. Visit a whole village of spirits who share the buildings at Black Creek Pioneer Village. You can even spend the entire night in the Orillia Opera House with Terry and his friends.

Prepare to be scared out of your wits with the stories behind these and other hauntings. After providing you with a list of addresses, phone numbers, and websites for each location, Terry invites you and all other ghost enthusiasts along for the adventure. Feeling brave?

I’ve never been to the Canada, let alone Ontario. But after reading this book, I really, really, really want to go. Sounds to me like they have more haunted spots there in half of Europe. Or maybe we need more ghost hunters here. Just saying.

Either way, Haunted Ontario 3 focuses mostly on Black Creek Pioneer Village, and several buildings there. Most of those buildings are, presumably, haunted. We get eye witness accounts, and some pictures that are really helpful to imagine how the buildings look like. I would’ve liked it though if the author included more of his own conclusions. He visited all the sites mentioned in this book, so I would’ve liked to know what he thought, and whether or not he did some actual investigating there. Sometimes he gives us his opinion, but it’s always rather short, and gets lost in the opinion and stories of others. I would’ve loved to read a longer description of one of his ghost hunts in the locations mentioned.

I imagine that if you know the Ontario area, and have the possibility to go to the areas mentioned in the book, that it must be three times as interesting to read about the tales of hauntings going on at the various locations. Since I’m not in that position, I would’ve liked less description of the sites, and more focus on the ghosts, their history, and some actual ghost hunting.

Nevertheless, it was an interesting read, and the author has a clear, basic writing style that fits this type of book. I’m kind of bummed this is the third book though, which is probably my OCD kicking in, but I wished I could read all three books in the series. I’m eager to read about more the hauntings, and about the author’s adventures while ghosthunting.

A solid book for fans of ghost hunting books, and true haunting books. If you’re heading to the area, then you should definitely read this book before going out there, so you know what spirits to look for, and where.