Step On A Crack by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge. © 2007 Little, Brown and Company. ISBN 0-316-01394-3. Hardback. 383 pages. $27.99 US. [ Purchase ]

I found this book to be highly unbelievable. What busy detective is going to have ten adopted children!? How odd that the former first lady is murdered and at her funeral terrorists see this as an opportunity to strike. And at the same time his wife loses her battle with a deadly disease, leaving him with all the children and a high-profile case. This story is too cliché and predictable. We barely get into the depth of the characters and there seem to be plot holes.

The insanely short chapters made me feel like I was reading a play rather than a novel. It seems to me that the strain of producing so many books a year is causing Mr. Patterson to be lazy in his work. Simply churning out books for profit, rather than genuine storytelling.

I’ve not given up on James Patterson though, as I have been told his Experiment novels are much better than this crime dramas. Perhaps I will have better luck there, but I’m sure this is the last of his murder mysteries I will read. Die-hard Patterson fans will no doubt love this, but it’s just not my cup of tea.

[cross-posted on GoodReads]

Ghost Worlds: A Guide to Poltergeists, Portals, Ecto-Mist & Spirit Behavior by Melba Goodwyn. © 2007 Llewellyn Publications. ISBN 978-0-7387-1195-9. Paperback. 241 pages. $14.95 US. [ Purchase ]

As a one-stop book for beginning the adventure of ghost hunting, Ghost Worlds offers practical ghost hunting tips, describes how to conduct a ghost interview, create an environment that attracts spirits, and how to capture evidence of ghost using traditional ways and new technology. Along with this, Melba Goodwyn, a seasoned ghost hunter and parapsychologist, offers original insights and true stories from over twenty years of work. She presents in-depth explanations of different kinds of ghosts, entities, and other paranormal phenomena. We are given a look at the best places to look for ghosts, the types of phenomena (traditional spirits, residual ghosts, shadows ghosts, ecto-mist, portals, vortexes, crisis apparitions, bi-location, demons, haunted objects, levitations, ghost lights, spirit guides, thought forms, and EVP), and gives a detailed look at a average ghost hunters kit. Finishing it all off, Melba tells what she calls “the ultimate ghost story.”

I found this book highly valuable and fascinating and plan on recommending it to all who have an interested in the spirit world and in ghost hunting.

Goth Craft: The Magickal Side of Dark Culture by Raven Digitalis. © 2007 Llewellyn Publications. ISBN 978-0-7387-1104-11. Paperback. 300 pages. $16.95 US. [ Purchase ]

Upon beginning the book, we are instructed on what is Goth. We are shown the types of people who are considered Goth and what type of apparel they wear and music they listen to. After that we venture into the Craft. Some basics are mentioned here like what is a Witch, the types of Witches, and the different traditions (and the symbols of those specific traditions and while the author does tell that Satanism is not a form of paganism, it is will included since some in the Goth scene are attracted to it).

Part three consists of the Philosophies of the Dark Witch. Raven shows that “dark” does not mean evil but being willing to work with and acknowledge your shadow shelf/side. He continues to show the reader about attitude and personality, discipline and traditionalism, utilizing emotional energy, and using effigies as emotional channels. Read more

Walking with the Green Man: Father of the Forest, Spirit of Nature by Dr. Bob Curran. © 2007 New Page Books. ISBN 1-56414-931-5. Paperback. 221 pages. $14.99 US. [ Purchase ]

From heroic archetypes such as Robin Hood to Demigods, such as Herne the Hunter, from the King of the Woods to the Jack in the Green, Walking With the Green Man examines the interconnectedness of Man and Nature throughout history.

I found this to be an absorbing book, rich in detail and study and charming with its gorgeous drawings of various Green Man aspects. This is a fantastic source of the mythology of the Lord of the Greenwood.