Review: Dead Strange: The Bizarre Truths Behind 50 Unexplained Mysteries

Dead Strange: The Bizarre Truths Behind 50 Unexplained Mysteries by Matt Lamy

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



If you are a reader who is interested in the supernatural, mysteries and weird facts, then “Dead Strange” may be the next book for you. Matt Lamy explores 50 world-famous stories and brings together current and past information into quick snippets of reading. The items selected run the gambit from superstition, religion, mythology, folklore and science. Lamy consistently plays the devil’s advocate to give the reader a well-rounded understanding of each topic. Side bars are included with most mysteries which give additional information to enhance the reader’s knowledge. Many intriguing photos and art work are also included to give supporting evidence for or against the topic presented. This non-fiction book would be great to keep on hand for quick reading without worrying about completing a story.




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Review: Ashen Winter (Ashfall #2)

By - Mike Mullin / Published - October 14, 2012

Ashen Winter is the second book of Mike Mullin's Ashfall series. Alex and Darla have decided it was time to leave his uncle's house in order to find his parent's who left to look for him. It is now 10 months since Yellowstone's super-volcano has erupted and North America has been sent into a mini ice-age. Readers of the first book will not be disappointed in this second volume. Ashen Winter will keep you on the edge of your seat and wondering what you would do in these situations. Would you be a heroic survivor? Would you be a villainous survivor? Would you be a victim? Goodreads Book Information

Review - The Paladin Prophecy (The Paladin Prophecy #1)

 

 

By - Mark Frost / Published - September 25, 2012

 

Will West hasn't lived in one place longer than 18 months. His family has taught him many rules and insisted that he not draw attention to himself. No athletic or academic achievements are encouraged by his parents. Suddenly, Will's life gets turned upside down. He is chased by a black sedan while running in the morning, a strange car is parked outside of his morning group stop, he is called to the office where he is informed he scored off the charts (a perfect score) on a national exam and he is invited to a private school called The Center. 

Will's mother is not acting like herself and she has an unusual scar on her neck; his father (who was away on a business trip) is sending him text messages, but is also out of contact. After being chased again by additional black sedans Will decides to take The Center up on their full scholarship offer and begins an extraordinary adventure cross country to safety. But is he safe? One of his father's rules is to TRUST NO ONE. He is alone and has to decide what to tell people. He is also discovering powers that were not there a few days before.

"The Paladin Prophecy" is a roller coaster adventure that keeps the reader wondering who should be trusted and who should be avoided. As the first book in a series the author ended this portion of the story in a great spot. There are so many unanswered questions that the reader will want to read the next book, but enough issues were resolved that it stands strong on its own. Goodreads Book Information 

Review: The Time Keeper

 

By - Mitch Albom / Published - September 11, 2012

Father Time was once a living man.  His name was Dor and he was the first human to measure time.  He lived 6,000 years ago when life and time were simpler.  After a tragic illness took his wife, Dor wanted to reach the heavens and demand more time.  The result of this action was the fall of the Tower of Babel and him being placed in a cave where he had to listen to any mention of time.  Sarah is a girl in modern day New York.  She wants time to speed up so that she can be with the boy who is showing interest in her.  Sarah believes that if Ethan spends time with her, he will see how wonderful she is.  Victor is a millionaire in Manhattan.  He is dying and wants to cheat death.  Victor wants to freeze his body so that it can be healed of its cancer in the future and be given another lifetime to live.

 

After 6,000 years, Dor is release from his cave and sent to modern times to save these two people.  He must learn several lifetimes’ worth of information in order to succeed in this task.  He must also determine what he is supposed to do to save them.  The Time Keeper will take the reader on a spiritual journey through time.  Why is time so important?  Do humans spend too much of their precious time thinking about time?  This story is told through the eyes of these three different individuals, but the story still flows smoothly as you move through time and locations.  Readers of Mitch Albom’s other books with not be disappointed in this novel.   Goodreads Book Information 

Review: Freaks Like Us

 

By - Susan Vaught / Published - September 4, 2012

Jason, Derrick and Sunshine are Alphabets. This is not an official description; they gave it to themselves and others like them. They all have some sort of a mental disability with shortened descriptions (ADHD, MDD, BPD and GAD). Jason is SCZI (Schizophrenic) and hears multiple voices in his head. Derrick and Sunshine have been his best friends since childhood and they are now in the last year of high school.

Jason and Sunshine also have a secret. Sunshine asked him to do something for her on Saturday and keep it a secret. Since she is his best friend he did not hesitate to honor this request. Unfortunately, his disability is causing him to wonder if he is remembering Saturday correctly. Did she really ask? Did he really do it? This confusion may not be that big of a problem until Monday night when Sunshine goes missing. She never made it home from the corner that Jason, Derrick and her parted ways at after the bus ride home. 

Since Sunshine is a disabled minor, the local authorities decided to call in the FBI for assistance. Everyone is a suspect including Jason. Jason doesn’t think he did anything to Sunshine, but the voices in his head make everything so confusing he is unsure about his own innocence. Freaks Like Us will pull the reader in after just one chapter. Jason’s persona comes alive as one reads about different issues that Alphabets have to deal with including the fact that no one wants to listen to them or take them seriously. The reader will experience characters they love, characters they hate and characters they just can’t decide upon. This is a great coming of age story that will have the reader laughing and crying throughout.  Goodreads Book Information 

Review: Unspoken (The Lynburn Legacy #1)

 

By - Sarah Rees Brennan / Published September 11, 2012

Kami Glass has a friend she has never met. They speak to each other through their minds and have done this since they were babies. Kami is unsure if he is imaginary or real. That is until Jared appears in her small town with his family, the Lynburns. The Lynburns have sworn to protect the village residents, but after their return bad things start happening. Kami decides to use her journalistic prowess to find out who is behind these events and no one or nothing can keep her from this investigation. Will Kami discover the secrets of Sorry-In-The-Vale in time to save her friends? Unspoken is a heart racing first book in a series that will leave the reader panting for the next installment.   Goodreads Book Information 

Review: Wilde's Army (Darkness Falls #2)

 

By - Krystal Wade

Published - July 4, 2012

Katriona has had everything taken away from her. She is in a new world where she is destined to bring Light and vanquish Darkness. This destiny was prophesied before she was born and the ramifications are still unraveling. At the beginning of Wilde’s Army Katriona discovers that all of the residents in the compound have been taken hostage except Perth. Perth and Katriona were betrothed as payment for the building of the compounds. Unfortunately, Katriona is in love with Arland and they believed that Perth did not know she had returned. Katriona must learn to trust Perth and convince him to help her rescue the others. If only things were that simple. Not only does she need to rescue her new friends, comrades and family members, they all must travel to Willow Falls so that she can complete her destiny, unite the three peoples of the world and form an army to fight Darkness.

Wilde’s Army is just as fast paced as the first book, Wilde’s Fire, and keeps the reader anticipating the next chapter. The story introduces new characters and delves deeper into the persona of many existing characters. This novel clearly reads as a second book in a series. It is not advisable to read this book without reading the first. The reader will also wait with anticipation for the next book in the series.  Goodreads Book Information