Kitty’s House of Horrors (Kitty Norville, Book #7) by Carrie Vaughn. © 2010 Grand Central Publishing. ISBN 9780446199551. Paperback. Paranormal/Thriller. 292 pages. $7.99 US. [ Purchase ] Source: review copy from publisher

Synopsis: After defeating the djinn summoned by the vengeful vampire priestess she encountered in Vegas, and making a few unexpected friends in the Paradox PI team, we re-join Kitty Norville—late-night radio show host and the world’s first celebrity werewolf—a year later back at the KNOB station in Denver, Colorado.

This time around Hollywood has come calling to Ms. Norville’s door. Approached by two young up-and-coming reality television producers our heroine is pulled into something she never thought she’d do by a couple of friends. After being flown into a deserted lodge with the other cast members, things begin to turn from strange to downright life-threatening seemingly overnight. Read the rest of this entry »

Kitty Raises Hell (Kitty Norville, Book #6) by Carrie Vaughn. © 2009 Grand Central Publishing. ISBN 9780446199544. Paperback. Paranormal/Thriller. 322 pages. $6.99 US. [ Purchase ] Source: Half.com purchase

Synopsis: When we last saw celeb werewolf Kitty Norville, she had been confronted by an enigmatic word—Tiamat—burned into the door of her beloved restaurant and pack hangout, New Moon. It was then she learned that the gauche cliché of “what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas” is nothing more than a lie. But the brand on the door was only the beginning. Soon, danger and murder surround Kitty’s life and she is faced with an even bigger evil that forces her own view of the supernatural to broaden.

Yet, when a mysterious vampire rolls into town claiming he has the power to save her and her pack, can Kitty fully trust him? Throw in an unexpected reminder of days gone by, and you have yourself a massive mix of marvelous mayhem that could only come from best-selling author, Carrie Vaughn. Read the rest of this entry »

A New Science of the Paranormal: The Promise of Psychical Research by Lawrence LeShan, Ph.D. © 2009 Quest Books. ISBN 978-0-8356-0877-0. Paperback. Science/Paranormal. 133 pages. $14.95 US. [ Purchase ]

Synopsis
Citing documented cases, he [LeShan] offers the only current view for making a serious study of important subjects like clairvoyance, mediumship, and psychic healing. (excerpted from back cover)

Review
A New Science of the Paranormal includes both a rational agenda for furthering this field known as “psychical research” and anecdotal information in the form of case studies. Psychical research is still very much held back because many view it as an inferior science. This is one of the main points LeShan brings up in the book, that we need to move beyond this thinking and understand that not all sciences can be proven using the same methods. Anthropology, astronomy, geology and others have moved on from this thinking and are still very much excepted as legitimate sciences, so why the backlash in regards to psychical study? Read the rest of this entry »

The Ghost Files: Paranormal Encounters, Discussion, and Research from the Vaults of Ghostvillage.com by Jeff Belanger. © 2007 New Page Books. ISBN 1-56414-974-9. Paperback. Paranormal. 221 pages. $13.99 US. [ Purchase ]

Have you ever wondered what it is like for those plagued by ghostly encounters, psychic abilities (which technically we all have, only some use) or those who investigate the paranormal or are skeptic to no end? Best-selling author Jeff Belanger saves you the trouble in his new and informative book, The Ghost Files.

The sections of this book deal with death, ghostly encounters, what is a ghost, folklore and legends, possession, animal spirits, psychic abilities, skeptics, paranormal investigation and where are the ghosts.

It was fantastic to see psychic ability backed by a passage from the Bible (Corinthians 12:7-11), some we [people of alternative beliefs and spiritualities, and even liberal Christians] can use in their arsenal next time we are badgered by Bible-thumpers. Read the rest of this entry »

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.