Early Book Review: Loch Ness Uncovered: Media, Misinformation, and the Greatest Monster Hoax of All Time by Rebecca Siegel

Loch Ness Uncovered: Media, Misinformation, and the Greatest Monster Hoax of All Time by Rebecca Siegel is a middle grade nonfiction book currently scheduled for release on April 23 2024.

In 1934, a man was walking by a lake in the Scottish Highlands when he saw a long-necked creature swimming in the water. He grabbed his camera and snapped a photo. When the photo landed on the front page of the Daily Mail, it shattered the belief that paranormal creatures were pure fiction. But amid the monster-hunting craze, complex conspiracies soon emerged. The Loch Ness Monster became more than a mysterious sea creature—it became a phenomenon that caused people to question their assumptions and dig for the truth.   Meticulously researched through primary sources and in-depth interviews with key figures, Loch Ness Uncovered is the fascinating true story of the conspiracy that sparked intrigue worldwide.

Loch Ness Uncovered is a book with solid research and many details about the Nessie legends that I did not know previously. I liked the inclusion of archival images, and the context of what else was going on in the world and how the known news cycles effect the way things were reported and viewed. The depth of information is amazing and I appreciated it throughout the book.  The images and text were well balanced and the text was engaging and entertaining to read. I am a firm skeptic, with the caveat that I still think there are things to discover out there in the world. While on the face of it I agree with the book, that Nessie is a combination of many things but not a monster living in a loch.  However, I did wish that the tone was a little less judgmental. It was clear within the first chapter that the author had little empathy for those that believe (or want to believe) that Nessie could be something more than a hoax, a scam, or a log or known animal in the water. It is possible to point out the problems in a sighting and possible motivations behind claims as well as the psychological and sociological reasons why someone might believe something without distain.

Early Book Review: A Haunted Road Atlas: Sinister Stops, Dangerous Destinations, and True Crime Tales by Christine Schiefer; Em Schulz

 A Haunted Road Atlas: Sinister Stops, Dangerous Destinations, and True Crime Tales was written and narrated by Christine Schiefer and Em Schulz. It is currently scheduled for release on May 31 2022. 

Pack up your Ouija board, wine bra, and squirt guns full of holy water, we’re going on a road trip! From the podcast And That’s Why We Drink, this is an interactive travel guide to the hosts’ favorite spooky and sinister sights. The world is a scary place, and that’s why we drink! Full of fun facts, travel tips, and beverage recs, this guide includes some of the country’s most notorious crime scenes, hauntings, and supernatural sightings. You’ll also find Christine and Em’s personal recommendations to the best local bars and ice cream parlors, oddity museums, curiosity shoppes, and more. Explore some of the most bizarre cases you’ve heard on the show, as well as exclusive new content from bayous, basements, and bars!

 A Haunted Road Atlas is exactly what the title and blurb promise. The audio book offers a great listen, and the print version has the bonus of pictures, illustrations, the print list od recommendations and such. The audiobook version does offer these items as a PDF for those interested. I liked the tone and mood of the book. It offered interesting information while including fun facts and a great deal of snark and humor along the way. I like that they also encurage readers that might take thier own adventures to go about it with cation and respect. Many of the stories were ones I had heard before, but I did enjoy the way they told the stories and approched it. THe only thing that really bothered me is that they seem to be big fans of Zak Bagans and Ghost Adventures. I have watched many of the paranormal investigation shows, and his is one I could never enjoy. There is something about him that rubs me (and my husband to be completely honest) the wrong way. So the consistent mention of Zak and his show kind of took me out of the enjoyment and mood of the otherwise wonderful storytelling. Others will not have this problem, as it is a me problem, but it did effect my overall enjoyment. I liked the conversational style of the book, and think that must be a product of all the hard work they have put into their podcast and live shows. I think I will give the podcasts a go and enjoy their work even longer. 

Audiobook Review: Cursed Objects: Strange but True Stories of the World's Most Infamous Items by J.W. Ocker, Narrated by Tim Campbell

Cursed Objects: Strange but True Stories of the World's Most Infamous Items, written by J.W. Ocker and narrated by Tim Campbell, details strange but true stories of the world's most infamous items. It will appeal to true believers as well as history buffs, horror fans, and anyone who loves a good spine-tingling tale. They're lurking in museums, graveyards, and private homes. Their often tragic and always bizarre stories have inspired countless horror movies, reality TV shows, novels, and campfire tales. They're cursed objects, and all they need to unleash a wave of misfortune is you. Many of these unfortunate items have intersected with some of the most notable events and people in history, leaving death and destruction in their wake. But never before have the true stories of these eerie oddities been compiled into a fascinating and chilling volume.

Cursed Objects is a very entertaining and well researched book. I have a love for the weird, spooky, and just plan strange things in the world. From wacky bits of nature and strange history to the things people believe about themselves and the world. This book did a great job or giving well researched information, and sharing the lore around objects while making sure the difference between what is known and what is speculation is shown. There was also a healthy does of, who knows and you might as well be careful in there too. I liked the organization of the book by type of object, and thought that a great deal of reading, listening, and travel went into getting the research done for this book. Some of the objects were well known to me, and are likely to be at least known about by anyone that picks up a book on this subject matter. However, I also learned new details about those items, and learned about some things that I had need heard of before. There was a good deal of insight that made this a fully engaging read. I also like that the author took the subject matter seriously, but not so seriously that humor is left behind. There is a good deal of tongue and cheek commentary and pop culture references that actually made me chuckle out loud as I was listening to the book. I even let my teenage listen to it with me, and we both enjoyed it.

Cursed Objects is and intriguing and well narrated book. I was fascinated and entertain through the entire listen. I recommend this book for anyone interested in the subject matter, or even vaguely curious about cursed objects.

Book Review: Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt: Egyptian Mythology for Kids by Morgan E. Moroney, Meel Tamphanon

Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt: Egyptian Mythology for Kids by Morgan E. Moroney features illustrated myths of incredible Egyptian gods and goddesses, these  twenty stories describe the magic each deity performed along the Nile. From the rising of the morning sun to the summer flooding of the Nile River, the ancient Egyptians believed powerful gods and goddesses ruled over every aspect of their daily lives. This Egyptian mythology guide explores the legends and how Egyptian mythology was a key part of ancient Egyptian culture, like pyramid building, the mummification process, and even the worshiping of cats. 

Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt is a book that helped me fill in some of my mythology knowledge gaps. I have read some Egyptian mythology before, but feel much less versed in it than Greek, Roman, Celtic, or even Norse.  Now I feel like I have a better understanding of the mythology, and I really enjoyed the read in the process. I thought the color choices for heading and text were bold, and as expected, and the illustrations by Meel Tampanon added a great deal to the read. I also liked the inclusion of photographs of artifacts from the culture, and photographs of the land. It really brought home the reality of the lives and beliefs of the people in ancient Egypt. I knew the basics of Egyptian mythology, and as I read I discovered new things and was reminded of details I had forgotten. While I still need to do an in depth look at the mythology to assuage my own curiosity, I think that this is a good introduction for young readers.I really appreciated the family tree, glossary, resources for further reading, and references that were included in the endpages. 

Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt is an accessible and engaging read. 

Book Review: The Jasmine Sneeze by Nadine Kaadan

The Jasmine Sneeze is a picturebook written and illustrated by Nadine Kaadan. Haroun, the cat, likes nothing better than to spend his days sleeping in the sunlit courtyards of Damascus. But one thing always ruins his sleep; jasmine! Haroun can’t stand the sweet-scented flowers. Their pollen sends him into fits of sneezes! So one day, Haroun hatches a plan to fix the problem. But little does he know that in doing so he deeply angers the Jasmine Spirit who plans her revenge in her own crafty and hilarious way.

The Jasmine Sneeze is a story that gives a small insight into the culture of Damascus, at least in relation to jasmine. In lovely illustrations, reader see the silly cat Haroun suffer through the sneezing fits near the jasmine. He hatches a plot to stop the scent of jasmine from making him sneeze- but as expected in a fable from any culture, things do not go as planned. His efforts anger the spirit of the jasmine and suffers the consequences, at least until he makes it right. I love that the author of the work wrote about her own culture. I like that a little more of the culture of Syria was given at the end of the book. My only problem was that I wanted a even more of the folklore and culture. However, the illustrations were wonderful, and I did enjoy the little glimpse that we got. 

Book Review: What We See in the Stars: An Illustrated Tour of the Night Sky

What We See in the Stars: An Illustrated Tour of the Night Sky by Kelsey Oseid is an illustrated guide to the myths, histories, and science of the celestial bodies of our solar system, with stories and information about constellations, planets, comets, the northern lights, and more. It includes more than 100 magical pieces of original art, all accompanied by text that shares both related legends, lore, and scientific facts. This book covers the constellations, the moon, the bright stars, and the visible planets, as well as less familiar celestial phenomena like the outer planets, nebulae, and deep space. Adults seeking to recapture the magic of youthful stargazing, younger readers interested in learning about natural history and outer space, and those who appreciate beautiful, hand-painted art will all delight in this charming book.

What We See in the Stars: An Illustrated Tour of the Night Sky is a beautiful and informative read. I found it to be well organized, accessible, and interesting to read. I have always been fascinated by the sky, I was one of those kids that wanted to be an astronaut, until I discovered how much math and engineering was involved in the process. In fact, I was in the astronomy club in high school and loved every minute of it. I still read about and study the sky when I can. I like that this book features both the science and the related legends and history that make astronomy so fascinating to me. The science is well worded and organized, and not lacking in any way when combined with the other included information. The hand painted artwork only adds to the wonder this book inspires. What a great book for anyone with interest in the night sky and all the science, myth, and legend that can be found there.

What We See in the Stars: An Illustrated Tour of the Night Sky is a wonderful read, and one that I might add to my library. My only issues were with the digital galley, which has no bearing on the final product but reduced my ability to fully enjoy the combination of stunning artwork and the text.