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On Haunted Ground by Lisa Rogers: Book Review
Publisher: Llewellyn Publications (May 2012)
Genre: Nonfiction, 264 Pages
Source: Netgalley for review
Summary From Llewellyn Publications:
Lisa Rogers sensed that the house she bought with her husband Wes came with a ghost. But nothing prepared them for doors slamming on their own, objects flying, and the nightly appearance of a freaky green orb in their bedroom. Their two children had opposing views on the paranormal activity. While Keshia grew attached to the grandmotherly ghost who taught her not to be afraid of thunderstorms and the Native American spirit that tucked her into bed, her brother Troy wasn’t quick to believe in their unearthly guests.
This amazing true story details two decades of terrifying, funny, and heartwarming paranormal encounters—the mischievous entity that imitated the voice of each family member, the spool that “came to life” to chase the kids, the shocking events that shake Wes and Troy’s skepticism—and the enduring love that keeps the family together through it all.
Our Two Cents:
I enjoy a good ghost story and one that is true is even more enjoyable. On Haunted Ground did not disappoint. It starts off with a bang and keeps on banging!
Can you imagine living in a haunted house? Lisa Rogers makes it very easy for us to experience what she and her family did. I ask myself if I would have handled it as well as she and her daughter or would I have been the one looking for the ‘rational explanation’ like her husband and son. I know I would have believed but I would probably have been scared to death. Lisa didn’t run scared, she lived in the house for many years, still lives there today with the spirits.
There were some creepy moments like seeing her daughter, Keshia all tucked nicely in bed and asking how she did it and managed to get her arms under the covers. Her daughter answered that the Indian did it, he tucked her in every night!
I felt a chill go up my spine when I read that but then a smile came to my face. How nice to know that Keshia was not afraid of this ghost and that she was being looked after by the spirit world.
I enjoyed watching Wes, Lisa’s husband come around from being a non-believing skeptic to experiencing first hand the spirits in his house, his workshop and places where he worked. While he still ‘tried’ to find a solid reason for strange happenings, when he couldn’t, he accepted
I enjoyed the entire book but my favorite part was the epilogue. The epilogue was written by Lisa’s now grown and married daughter Keshia from her point of view growing up with ghosts, being followed to her new home by spirits and her descriptions of them. I love how she says that “ghosts were just part of life, nothing to get too excited about.” Or when she says that some of her experiences were unpleasant or frightening but isn’t that the same with people?
I believe that children are very receptive to spirits because they do not become afraid and jaded until they are taught to. I love how Ms. Rogers never tried to convince her daughter that she was not seeing or hearing or experiencing these things but allowed her to talk about them openly and without criticism. Of course it was easy for her to do that since she believed as well but I still think it is great that her daughter’s experiences were never belittled.
There was nothing about this book that I did not like other than for me, it was too short. I would have loved to spend more time with the author and her family and spirits. I learned a lot, I cringed, and I laughed. Now when I see that movement out of corner of my eye, I just may have the nerve to ask them who they are!
Related articles
- Spirits Among Us – What Are They? (wdednh.wordpress.com)
- ~~~~16 Signs That Your House is Haunted~~~~ (demonizerdoom.wordpress.com)
- New Paranormal Investigation Web Series Mass Most Haunted Coming to YouTube (dreadcentral.com)
- Ghosts (annstanleywriting.wordpress.com)
- Ghost of Rosewood Asylum by Steven Prosapio: Book Review (tellysays.wordpress.com)
Ghost of Rosewood Asylum by Steven Prosapio: Book Review
Publisher: Otherworld Publications
Genre: Paranormal Fiction, 294 pages
Source: Publisher for review
About the book….
Zach Kalusky, host of Sci-D TV’s Xavier Paranormal Investigators, is ecstatic when he’s given the opportunity to explore the most haunted site in Chicago for a Halloween Special: Rosewood Asylum, a place long made off-limits by the local government, plagued by decades of mysterious fires and unexplained events. It’s Zach’s dream investigation but there’s a catch: the network forces Xavier Paranormal Investigators to partner with the more dramatic-but less ethical-Demon Hunters.
Now, Zach must fight for both his show’s integrity and his team’s loyalty while trying to protect his own secret: that he, himself, is possessed.
Our Two Cents:
There is nothing like a good ghost story, good being the key word. Not one that is filled with guts and gore (though I do like those too) but the kind that make you scare yourself with the way the book forces your thoughts to go. THIS is one of those books. It starts out innocently enough, so innocent that I thought “Oh boy, I am not going to like this” but once it gets a few chapters in, you are hooked.
I liked the cast of characters. I have to say that Zach and his longtime friend Ray were my favorite. The author easily portrayed how close a friendship they had and the ease of the funny, quirky chatter that went on between them. I also loved Evelyn, the old lady who wants to help….or does she? Partnering Xavier Paranormal Investigators with the Demon Hunters was great. At times I laughed and at times I was appalled but all the time I was enjoying myself.
The setting an old haunted asylum could not have been better. How many of us ghost loving people would love to investigate a place like this? I would but I have to be honest and say I probably would not have the guts. BUT, while reading this book I felt like I was there with the team. I was the one running the other way, but I was there.
If you love a good, creepy ghost story, don’t miss this one. I loved it. I look forward to more.
Stephen Prosapio received his Bachelors of Arts degree in Political Science from DePaul University in Chicago. After reporting for one of the nation’s largest fantasy football websites, footballguys.com, Stephen wrote his first novel, Dream War. Competing against 2,676 other novels, it won a Top Five Finalist award in Gather.com’s 2007 First Chapters contest. Dream War was released as an eBook in July of 2010. Articles about him and his writing have been featured in the San Diego Union Tribune, The North County Times, Today’s Local News, San Diego Magazine and the DePaul University Alumni magazine.
Stephen works as an executive recruiter and resides in Oceanside, California. He is currently crafting a sequel to Ghosts of Rosewood Asylum that chronicles the Xavier Paranormal Investigators next case.
Related articles
- Fancy a bit of ghost busting this halloween? (visitwales.co.uk)
- Most Haunted Places of the World (oddstuffmagazine.com)
- Rolling Hills Asylum – Shadow Figure (spookypics.com)
- Ghost Connections (the-view-outside.com)
Imperfect Justice by Jeff Ashton: Audio Book Review
Title: Imperfect Justice: Prosecuting Casey Anthony
Author: Jeff Ashton with Lisa Pulitzer
Narrator: Jeff Ashton
Audio book, 11 hours, 34 minutes
Publisher: Harper Audio
Source: Purchased
About the book:
Oh come on, no explanation necessary, we all KNOW what this book is about…….
My Two Cents
I have mixed feelings about this book. It’s not that I didn’t enjoy it, I did. BUT, if you followed the trial like I did which was not missing a second, watching all of the replays, etc on HLN and anywhere else I could find them, then you really didn’t learn anything from listening to the book.
I thought it would have more behind the scenes dirt. It had some, but not a whole lot. IF you never paid any attention to what was going on with the trial and never saw anything on the news then you will learn a great deal from this book.
That being said I will tell you what I enjoyed….
*I loved Jeff Ashton narrating. I don’t think listening to anyone else read it would have done it justice. The emotions that Mr. Ashton felt came across very well. Especially his dislike of Casey and Jose Baez! At times that was comical.
*I enjoyed the little bit of back story about the other lawyers which showed them as normal people.
*Mr. Ashton’s honestly was powerful. Though we never had a doubt about his feelings, listening to him tell the story only proved even more how passionate he was about the case.
*The insight about the jury selection and the jury itself was interesting. There were some details that I didn’t know.
I don’t think saying there were things that I didn’t like is a fair statement. As I said, I thought it would be more of an eye opener, include never told information, etc. Maybe that is not allowed, maybe there is none! definitely worth a listen if you have any interest in this case.
Telly is giving a 4/5 only due to it not telling me anything that was not already known.
4/5 stars
The Safehouse by T. Thomas Ackerman: Book Review
Telly Says….
“Every nine seconds in this country another woman becomes a victim of domestic violence.” (p. 17)
