Book Review: The Word Search Oracle: Yoga for the Brain by Cristina Smith, Rick Smith, and Darity Wesley

RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I could tell right away that The Word Search Oracle: Yoga for the Brain was going to be a fun and unique book. Never before have I seen such a book, with word search puzzles, secret messages, and even more for the reader to enjoy! This fun and inspirational book begins with an introduction about the authors and the book, then discusses some of the aspects, including oracles—what is an oracle? and how to use the book. The word search puzzles are set up in a pleasing way, and these puzzles gradually get harder as the reader progresses. Basically, you are not only doing a regular word search puzzle, but looking for a secret message that goes along with a theme. Some of the many themes included are ambition, courage, imagination, trust, faith, and happiness. There are so many! Authors Cristina Smith, Rick Smith, and Darity Wesley did a superb job with layout and the overall positive vibe of the book.

What I enjoyed most was that The Word Search Oracle: Yoga for the Brain was not just a word search puzzle book, but also packed with facts and information. There were write-ups about the human brain, fearlessness, trusting intuition, and much more. Sitting down with the book is a great way to relax and stretch those brain muscles. I can see why the puzzles are considered “yoga for the brain!” The themes held my attention, I was pleased that there was an answer key at the back of the book, and I enjoyed my time highlighting the words throughout. This book is highly recommended for those looking for puzzles, relaxation, inspiration, and enjoyment!

Book Review: The Goddess You: Principles for Living in Soul Alignment by Jeanne Street

RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Goddess You: Principles for Living in Soul Alignment is the perfect book for anyone looking to better their life through positive guidance and divine healing. Included in the book are definitions of angels, personal stories, breathing exercises, information about chakras, and my favorite, bonus sections to help you with journaling. The book is beautifully illustrated with a consistent, pleasing pattern and colors, and I particularly loved the colors in the chakra section! Author Jeanne Street discusses topics we can all relate to, such as dealing with life’s challenges and forgetting to see the joy, as well as themes of forgiveness and karma. There are also meditations and calming techniques that should benefit readers and help them get attuned to divine energies.

I enjoyed that The Goddess You: Principles for Living in Soul Alignment was one part informational book, one part workbook. The book is extremely interactive, and because I have trouble with journaling, I was delighted to read all the prompts and exercises. Author Jeanne Street shares so many personal stories, and by the end, the reader not only feels a connection to the author, but a thankfulness that so much information was gained through the pages. My favorite section was the chakra chapter, but I also enjoyed the meditations and the information on health, particularly food. There is just so much included in this book, and the chapters are neatly set up and the flow works terrifically. I recommend the book to those interested in divine energy and finding alternative methods to relax and enjoy life!

Reviewed for Readers' Favorite

Book Review: Short Story Pro Market 2017 by TC Michael

RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Short Story Pro Market 2017 is a must-have for anyone trying to get a short story published! This book includes specific information that pertains only to journals and publishers looking to acquire short stories for their publications. Author TC Michael breaks down each publisher by genre, so it’s easy to find exactly what you are looking for. Included are publishing opportunities for those who write short works for children, authors of short fiction in crime, thrillers, nonfiction, humor, mystery, romance and more. Beneath each publisher, the reader will find submissions information, the typical response time for each publisher, the length of work they accept, and more. This is an easy way to find what you need and what publishing houses might be interested in your short stories. Author TC Michael also includes a note to not give up if you are rejected (which is unfortunately common in the publishing world), advice on publishing, and even the definition and history of short stories. This is a great book that I highly recommend!

Book Review: Jockey Hollow by Rosalie Lauerman

Reviewed for Readers' Favorite

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Jockey Hollow was a pleasure to read and was packed with historical facts and intriguing stories. Jockey Hollow, a lesser-known area from the Revolutionary War era, was indeed worse than Valley Forge. The book explains the difficulties the soldiers of the Revolution faced, including low temperatures, winter blizzards, no good shoes, thin blankets, and little to eat. Author Rosalie Lauerman has constructed an engaging book that does not read like a boring history book, but is filled with facts, tidbits, illustrations, and quotes. There is side information as well, such as the beacon fires and the youngest soldier (ten years old!). The day-to-day functions of the soldiers during the Revolutionary War are also listed, and it was fun to learn how they played checkers, cards, and darts to pass the time. This book is also a great resource for the entire war, as it covers much of what went on, including civilian life, diseases faced during the era, and the history of Benedict Arnold and others. Included at the end are war hero bios and resources.

Jockey Hollow was a short read but packed with valuable information. The book is immaculately edited, and all quotes are credited. I especially enjoyed the timeline at the end of the book, as it’s a little easier for me, personally, to follow timelines rather than war moves and strategy narratives. It was interesting to learn about the mutiny due to bad conditions, no food, and lack of warm clothing. It was inspiring, however, to learn how many soldiers did stick around despite these conditions to fight for a cause they believed in—American freedom. Author Rosalie Lauerman follows the Revolutionary period from Jockey Hollow to the triumphant end of the war, noting fun information with a clear passion for the topic. I would recommend this book to history fans!

Book Review: Cook & Chatter: A Trip Down Memory Lane by Jill Peck Vona with Nancy Fuller

Reviewed for Readers' Favorite

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Cook & Chatter: A Trip Down Memory Lane was an absolute delight to read. With a clear, simple theme of family, tradition, and wonderful food, this cookbook will remain close to my heart long after reading. The cookbook opens with a Forward by Food Network’s Nancy Fuller, then goes on with notes about the recipes and traditions listed inside. From there, author Jill Peck Vona gives us helpful tips, such as placing water inside a measuring cup first so oil doesn’t stick, and continues with cute little stories about family and small-town living. The recipes are fun with no pressure—these are just family recipes to play around with and enjoy. Some of the included recipes are mouthwatering molasses recipes, cakes, pumpkin breads, pickles, blueberry muffins, an interesting recipe called Tomato Soup Cake, and Jell-O recipes that harken back to the fifties and sixties era of baking and family get-togethers. Many of the recipes are handwritten, and there are pictures and cute little cooking quotes sprinkled here and there as well.

My family and I are huge fans of the Food Network and watch it continually, so I was excited to read the opening by Nancy Fuller. After that, I was really drawn into the theme of family life throughout Cook &Chatter: A Trip Down Memory Lane, and loved the recipes. As a vegetarian, I appreciated the Garden Burger recipe, though there certainly is a variety of all recipes here! I’m excited to try many of these, and hopefully will someday get the courage to make the Men’s Salad! There is a definite feel of family recipes, family love, and community—there’s even a one-hundred year old recipe included. Author Jill Peck Vona did a superb job collecting recipes, photos, and quotes and putting them together in a cohesive theme. I highly recommend the book to home cooks, bakers, and anyone interested in nostalgic recipes!

Book Review: Writing Memoir by Jerry Payne

Reviewed for Readers' Favorite

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

In a short amount of space, Writing Memoir: The Practical Guide to Writing and Publishing the Story of Your Life, educates the aspiring memoir writer on every aspect of book construction, including pitches, themes, writing techniques and publishing. Author Jerry Payne does not sugarcoat the facts of book publishing but holds the reader’s hand as they start with a concept for a memoir and develop a manuscript. Included in the book are reasons why people might write a memoir, advice on how to stick to the facts of a story while honoring private names and places, writing tips, examples of story structures, and how to outline. There are invaluable examples of other memoirs, as well as what to do when you are finished writing. Writers, experienced and new, should find something helpful in this book.

Reading the book Writing Memoir: The Practical Guide to Writing and Publishing the Story of Your Life happened to coincide with a class I’m taking on memoir writing and nonfiction. I have to say that this book is more straightforward and entertaining than my class textbook, and I indeed learned more through Jerry Payne’s examples and advice. Some of the highlights would include the perfect start to finish structure of the book, the advice to connect with a reader and make the memoir less about you, and the editing and publishing advice toward the end of the book. Many books of this kind do not offer that kind of help for the reader. All in all, this book was a delight to read, extremely informative, and will no doubt help me with my own writing endeavors. I recommend it to anyone looking to start a memoir for any reason, whether as a family keepsake or to sell to the public. 

Book Review: Discover Your Master Chakra by Stephanie S. Larsen

Reviewed by Carla Trueheart for Readers' Favorite


Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I don’t know if I’ve ever been so perfectly matched with a book as this one! Discover Your Master Chakra by Stephanie S. Larsen touched on everything I’m interested in, the science of color, chakras, and connecting all of this with a person’s personality. I was absorbed within the first dozen pages, drawn in through the descriptions of types of chakras and personality types associated with colors. Not only will the reader learn about chakras, but also about the types of personalities that match each color. For example, yellow people are thinkers, green people are healers. There are specific traps people of a certain color personality can fall into, as well as various gifts they might have. The list of famous people under each color helped me understand the traits of the color as well, and I enjoyed reading personal accounts of people who were a specific color personality.

One of the best parts of the book was a quiz to determine your color. I was a violet, though I thought for sure I was a blue until I read further into the descriptions! The book goes on with these color descriptions of personalities, side chakras and light partners (how the colors work together), jobs for each color personality, and Master Chakra Workbooks. I can’t say enough about how much I enjoyed this book. Discover Your Master Chakra is interesting and informative while remaining entertaining and enlightening. Author Stephanie S. Larsen concludes with an appendix: the days of the week associated with each color, crystal colors, and key characteristics. Basically, everything is included here, and the reader should have a great time determining their color! Highly recommended!

Book Review: The Ghost of Christmas Past by Michael Hebler

Reviewed for Readers' Favorite

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

With an old-fashioned writing style and a connection to the beloved Dickens’ story A Christmas Carol, The Ghost of Christmas Past by author Michael Hebler is a must-read for the Christmas season or any other time of the year. The story opens with The Ghost of Christmas Past attempting to save a suicidal woman, but when the spirit fails, it is sent on a journey to view the life it led in the past. While the spirit does not initially know if it was, in life, a female or a male, it learns the truth about its upbringing, including the relationship it had with its father. The spirit, after witnessing its own life and death, journeys back to the earthly world to try to save the suicidal woman and show her the truth about her own past. 

There is much to love about The Ghost of Christmas Past. While I was initially drawn to the book because of the connection with A Christmas Carol, I quickly learned that the story stood on its own but still retained the old-fashioned writing style associated with Dickens. My favorite part of the book was when The Ghost of Christmas Past traveled back to its own beginnings. The scene of the spirit’s death was one of those rare book moments when you read through the pages without being aware of anything else around you. Also of note was the mention of Ebenezer Scrooge, which was greatly appreciated, and the Ghost of Christmas Future. At the root of the story is family misunderstandings, a connection author Michael Hebler constructed with ease, showcasing the theme without hitting the reader over the head with it. The writing was beautiful, the story was reminiscent of the original, and there was a believable backstory for the Ghost of Christmas Past. I would recommend the book to fans of A Christmas Carol or anyone who is interested in this genre. 

Book Review: Color Your Chakras by Susan Shumsky, DD

Reviewed for Readers' Favorite

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Color Your Chakras by Susan Shumsky is a highly unique and informative interactive coloring book. I’ve seen many adult coloring books, but I have not seen one like this before. It is like getting two books in one, with one part information on the different chakras located in the body, and one part interactive coloring book. There is so much information on these pages! Each bit of instruction on the chakras precedes an intricate coloring page for your use. Within these coloring pages and instructions, the reader will find yin and yang, deities, doorkeepers to each chakra, hieroglyphics, meditations, and mantras. This will aid in memorizing the chakras and also serves as a fun way to use the colors and your own imagination.

While I chose this book assuming it was an adult coloring book, I was pleasantly surprised at all of the information provided about chakras, the main energy centers in the body, and the lotuses. Author Susan Shumsky explains so many different energies of chakras that I could hardly believe it was so involved! There are chakras in your skull— who knew? I also enjoyed the information about the deities, and especially liked the Color Wheel and the Wish-Fulfilling Tree. It was a brilliant idea to link a coloring book with the chakras! Color Your Chakras should be a welcome addition to any spiritual library, and I recommend the book to readers interested in chakras or those who would like to use their imaginations for coloring beautiful images while learning something new. 

Book Review: Finding the Raven by Patty Dickson Pieczka

Reviewed for Readers' Favorite

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I don’t remember the last time I was so absorbed in a book. Finding the Raven by author Patty Dickson Pieczka is a page-turning novel set in the year 1904, around the time of the World’s Fair in St. Louis. The book revolves around Julia and Rose, two women who find themselves in difficult situations. Julia has just lost her father, an actor, in a stage accident, while Rose, a well-off woman from a wealthy family, is sent away to a boarding house when her father learns of her pregnancy. After losing her father’s inheritance, Julia winds up at the same boarding house, and the two become instant friends. From there, Julia tries to find work while falling in love with the charismatic Monroe, and Rose goes through her pregnancy without the man she loves—the father of her baby. Rose ends up married to another man she believes is wealthy and will take care of her and the baby honorably. Through all of this, Julia finds a black crystal inside her father’s Buddha figurine, and the crystal, through vivid visions, shows her many interesting things that pertain to her life.

There are many twists and turns in this beautifully-written story. Author Patty Dickson Pieczka held my attention the entire time, but most importantly, the characters in Finding the Raven felt so real to me that I was sorry when the story ended. In particular, the author did a wonderful job balancing the romances and pacing the story. People were not always who we thought they were, and this made for an interesting tale. I enjoyed the friendship between Julia and Rose and loved that they could fall back on each other through the difficulties in their lives. The crystal visions were done just right—believable and not straying from the reality of the story and the reality of the time period. A great book that is highly recommended!

Book Review: The Drummer's Call by Patricia Leppo

Reviewed for Readers' Favorite

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Drummer’s Call by Patricia Leppo follows fourteen-year-old Josh through an extraordinary adventure that will thrust the reader into the Civil War era. When Josh visits his family’s inn in Tennessee, he hears a story that rings true about a boy named Toby and his untimely death many years before. Josh, attempting to save who he believes is the ghost of Toby from this tragic death, finds himself launched backward through time, into the Civil War era. From there, the two boys bond, meet people on their way to the war, face some obstacles and unkind soldiers, and then decide to become Drummer Boys for the war effort. Josh and Toby become friends with many of the soldiers, assist with daily chores, and witness the death and tragedy of the Civil War. 

There is so much to praise about The Drummer’s Call. The friendship between Josh and Toby is touching, and their bond breaks the barrier between the time periods. They each learn things from each other along the way, and each one is an authentic representation of their particular era in American history. It was interesting to learn about the different types of drumbeats used in combat as well, and that the soldiers depended on these drumbeats and rhythms for their daily tasks and assignments. I truly enjoyed when Josh had to intercept with certain normal practices during the era that would be considered a huge no-no in today’s world, such as germs and contaminates. These little authentic touches by author Patricia Leppo helped bring the reader right into the war and learn a little something while enjoying a good book. I would recommend the book to anyone interested in the Civil War or history, or YA readers who enjoy reading about different time periods. 

Book Review: The Tale of Liril by Kevis Hendrickson

Reviewed for Readers' Favorite

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Tale of Liril by Kevis Hendrickson is a short story with fairytale-like writing and a beautiful theme. Liril is poor but wants to buy her papa a birthday gift. On her quest, she meets an old woman who tells her she will give her a magic seed, but Liril must go into the Black Forest to find a locket. Liril enters a forest of monsters and wolves, only to stumble upon an apple orchard and a hand mirror. She finds the locket, but when she realizes the locket is a little more than she expected, she decides to keep it. From there, Liril does some fantastic things, but she also learns a valuable lesson about making wishes.

This is the second short story I’ve read by author Kevis Hendrickson, and I love each story more and more. Not only is the writing crisp, lyrical, and engrossing, it also has a fairytale-like quality that is rare and appreciated. The theme of the story was not forced upon the reader, but it was evident nonetheless. Because the story is short, Liril’s quest was known right away, so the story grabs you from the minute you start reading. The world in The Tale of Liril is magical and filled with color, and I could easily envision the moon and stars locket, the Black Forest, Liril’s jeweled dress, and the gold animals. The story is short enough to read in one sitting, and it is highly recommended to fans of fables, fairytales, and magical adventures.

Book Review: Dancing to an Irish Reel by Claire Fullerton

Reviewed for Readers' Favorite

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Dancing to an Irish Reel by Claire Fullerton tells the story of Hailey, an American who lands a job at a music centre in Ireland. Hailey helps local musicians organize their careers at the music centre, but she also has friends at the centre as well. Throughout the story Hailey helps her friends, she thrives in the culture and landscape of Ireland, and she relays the beautiful land and the residents of Ireland through introspection, providing insight about the many people she meets. The heart of the story, however, is Liam, a shy and withdrawn musician who steals Hailey’s heart. Hailey is confused by Liam’s behavior, and the two find they are similar in the ways they avoid talking to each other and telling each other how they truly feel. 

Sometimes an author connects with their subject so well that it is evident in the story. Author Claire Fullerton gives many details of Irish life and culture, and the reader does feel very much inside the Irish landscape, hearing the voices of Irish residents and breathing in the fresh Irish air. There is much to like in Dancing to an Irish Reel, from the inner thoughts of Hailey to the budding romance between Hailey and Liam. I would have loved a little more spark between the two, but my take is that the book was more about Hailey’s journey in Ireland than her Irish romance. I enjoyed the little scenes that captured the magic of Ireland, such as the Tarot card reader and the unique music. The dialogue was spot-on for the area, and I did enjoy the many characters and their interactions with Hailey. Dancing to an Irish Reel is a relaxed, sit back and read book, and it is recommended to those who like stories with light romance and cultural commentary. 

Book Review: Lilly Peppertree: Lilly's Spell by Julie Hodgson

Reviewed for Readers' Favorite

Rating:  ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Lilly Peppertree: Lilly’s Spell by author Julie Hodgson is an enchanting book for children that has easily become one of my new favorite books. Lilly Peppertree loses her beloved mother to what she is told is an accident, but after living with her grandfather for some time, Lilly begins to have dreams about her mom. These dreams prompt her to follow a verbal message left behind, find a crow’s feather, and locate a spellbook. Young Lilly also learns about the Dying Tree, where accused witches are hanged, and witnesses a witch trial in town where an obviously innocent woman is sentenced to death. Lilly then begins her own journey, making potions and fulfilling a destiny of non-evil witchcraft. But there is a girl in town who wants nothing more than to accuse innocent people of witchcraft, and Lilly meets some unexpected complications that threaten to tear apart what is left of her family.

Author Julie Hodgson has created a world that begs readers to curl up and settle in for a bewitching tale. The writing in Lilly Peppertree: Lilly’s Spell is spellbinding and lyrical, the characters are authentic, and the plot is imaginative and fun. Lilly’s relationship with not only her grandfather but also everyone around her is endearing, and the reader can’t help but fall in love with Lilly’s gold heart and her quests and difficulties. The book highlights what true witchcraft is really about, and I was completely absorbed in the story at all times, reading the book in one sitting. Lilly Peppertree: Lilly’s Spell is recommended to fans of children’s books about witchcraft and magic, and it will be a welcome addition to any library.

Book Review: Get a Grip by Kathy Flann

Reviewed for Readers' Favorite


Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Get a Grip by Kathy Flann is a collection of short stories that evoke a sense of love and loss and share a connection in human despair. The book opens with "Neuropathy" which sets the mood right away as a bitter and somewhat mentally impaired woman struggles with her son’s life and impending marriage to a crippled girl. Also included are stories about Russian brothers battling stereotypes in a bad neighborhood with the hopes of getting into college, a man hiking with his sister after a car theft, a middle-aged woman who needs a change in life, an aspiring nurse troubled by the actions of her teen son, and a man on the edge of a heart attack out looking for a valuable meteorite. Each story has a separate plot, separate characters, and a different writing style, yet all the stories in Get a Grip share a similar mood and theme. According to author Kathy Flann, the book is set in the Baltimore region and captures the area’s charm, compassion, and self-doubt.

Get a Grip is expertly written with imaginative prose and insightful conclusions about love and life. The mood never fluctuates, even between separate stories, and the reader is hooked right away. One of the best things about short story collections is finding a favorite, and the book’s title story, "Get a Grip," was mine. Also enjoyable was "The Meteorite Man" story as it was different from typical plots and left the reader with a knowing nod at the end, punctuated with sadness for The Meteorite Man. All in all, I am now a huge fan of author Kathy Flann and will look for her next collection of stories.

Book Review: Fiction-Writing Modes: Eleven Essential Tools for Bringing Your Story to Life by Mike Klaassen

Reviewed for Readers' Favorite

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Whether you’re a beginning writer or a master, there is something for you inside Mike Klaassen’s Fiction-Writing Modes: Eleven Essential Tools for Bringing Your Story to Life. The book is expertly formatted and includes just about everything a novice or professional writer might need, broken down into eleven modes. Each chapter opens with a list of forthcoming topics, such as Advancing Plot Through Dialogue: facial expressions, gestures, and movement. Other topics addressed include Sensation and Emotion (strong verb use, adverbs and adjectives, character reactions, setting, emotional journey and more), how to use introspection and recollection, how to advance the plot through action, and how to use attributions in dialogue. While the beginning writer will note unfamiliar terms such as exposition, stimulus-response order, scene and sequel, adverbs of attribution, and obtrusive narration, the seasoned writer will hone their skills through reminders of strong verb usage, connotation and denotation, and use of transitions. Because so much is covered in Fiction-Writing Modes: Eleven Essential Tools for Bringing Your Story to Life, the book will be a splendid addition to any writer’s library.

In addition to providing the eleven writing modes, author Mike Klaassen uses writing examples to illustrate each topic covered in the book. No writing tool is mentioned without a follow-up example so writers get a sense of the ultimate goal. Also, the book covers punctuation, which is something many writing books do not include. Punctuation and grammar are important parts of the writing process, especially during editing and revision. The book concludes with a Glossary of Fiction-Writing Terms, which sums up the terms used in the book. I highly recommend Fiction-Writing Modes: Eleven Essential Tools for Bringing Your Story to Life to anyone interested in becoming a writer or polishing their writing skills. 

Book Review: The Great Time Lock Disaster by C. Lee McKenzie

Reviewed for Readers' Favorite




Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Great Time Lock Disaster by C. Lee McKenzie is a charming, fast-paced middle grade novel with lots of magic and mayhem. Pete Riley is not a very good wizard. He has trouble with spells, and during a magic lesson with a witch named Harriet, he has so much trouble that he accidentally unlocks a Time Lock. Pete and his friend Weasel end up in England around the time of Queen Victoria’s coronation, and from there, they have to find out how to fix the spell and get back to their own modern time period. They also meet many fun characters in Victorian England, such as the determined and brave Margaret, and Dr. Dread Wraith, who bounds off the page with his electric personality. There’s also a talking alligator named Fanon, a witch named Mattie, and some interesting boys at The Spike, a home for children that Pete describes as stinky with bad food.

The Great Time Lock Disaster is the sequel to Alligators Overhead, which I did not read. In lieu of weaving backstory into the first chapter, C. Lee McKenzie took a creative approach by having Weasel, Pete’s best friend, provide some helpful information about the characters. After that, the book moves along at a fast pace, never straying from the plot and Pete’s quest to fix the Time Lock spell and get back home with Weasel. The writing is smooth and fun, and stays true to the intended age group. Pete was believable as a clunky wizard, and his friends all had unique personalities to the point where I could hear each character’s distinct voice. The initial landing in Victorian England via the graveyard gave a spooky edge to the story, especially right in the beginning. I knew from there I was in for a treat! I recommend the book to fans of children’s literature who enjoy fun, magic, and quirky characters. 

Book Review: Horror 201: The Silver Scream by Joe Mynhardt and Emma Audsley

Reviewed for Readers' Favorite

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Horror 201: The Silver Scream has something for just about anyone who is interested in horror films. Included in the novel is an introduction about the history of horror films, which explains the universal relevance of horror films and why certain films do well in a certain time period. Also included is a handy breakdown of writing structure: establishment, animation, intensification, and resolution, advice for screenwriters (page count, editing, format, etc.), and even passages about music scores. The bulk of the novel is a broad Q&A with notable screenwriters and producers where they give further advice about horror movies and explain what works in film and what does not. Mentioned are the Halloween movies, Child’s Play, Stephen King movies, A Nightmare on Elm Street, and many, many others. Horror 201 is an invaluable resource for horror fans, screenwriters, and even fiction writers.

In addition to the history of horror films and the Q&A sessions with writers and producers, editors Joe Mynhardt and Emma Audsley have included a scary screenplay which should please horror fans (and sufficiently freak out the curious). While I enjoyed the Q&A and the writing information, the history of horror films was the most intriguing, as it broke down America’s obsession with films that reflect issues in society. All of this was highly informative and written quite well. I also can’t forget to mention the query to horror writers and producers: Which horror scene haunts you the most? I highly recommend Horror 201: The Silver Scream to fans of horror movies, those interested in the mystery of making a movie, screenwriters, fiction writers, and anyone who just wants a good history lesson on horror films.

Book Review: What Dwells Within by Jayne Harris and D.J. Weatherer

Reviewed for Readers' Favorite

RATING ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What Dwells Within: A Study of Spirit Attachment packs a lot of information into a small amount of space. Included is an introduction on spirit attachment, stories about haunted dolls and items, a breakdown of investigative methods and ghost hunting tools, FAQS, photos, and testimonies. There is something for everyone inside, whether you are a paranormal fan with years of experience behind you, or you’re just interested in reading true short stories about haunted dolls and items. Further, What Dwells Within also serves as a reference guide and is a fantastic source for writers in the paranormal genre or for anyone who frequently steps into the supernatural world. Jayne Harris and D.J. Weatherer have researched their subject and produced a well-written book on spirit attachment—a branch of the paranormal field that deals not with possession of a person, but of an object.

The highlight of What Dwells Within is undoubtedly the many stories throughout the book, accompanied by photographs. It would be easy to produce a book just on haunted dolls alone, and that would certainly serve to pique a reader’s interest, but the book also includes fascinating stories about haunted rings, haunted mirrors, and—my favorite—a haunted wooden box. Many of the stories could fill their own books, but the format works just fine—the reader gets background information, photos, and paranormal evidence. Overall, this is a professional take on spirit attachment, highly entertaining, and spectacularly creepy. I would recommend the book as a reference guide or a fireside read, and I look forward to reading it all over again.