Book Review - Chapelwood

Chapelwood by Cherie Priest
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Cherie Priest takes us back into the world of Lizzie (Borden) where once more the horrors of otherworldly things must be confronted and overcome, this time in Alabama.

This is the second book in the series, and the first should be read in order to understand the story line, characters, and references.

I felt this one was much more in line with Lovecraftian horror in the way the horror elements were handled, which I enjoyed. There were few times where visceral gore was used to create the creepy vibe, and I can't recall any cheap jump tactics. This was about atmosphere, how far someone will go to save or damn the world, the loss of people who were important, and fates worse than death. The author's skill in relating the atmosphere, characters, and events were a noticeable improvement from the first book. While that doesn't mean the first book is terrible by any means, it is nice to see an author improving their craft from one book to another.

I liked the characters, new and old, and while none held my fascination quite like Maplecroft did with its antagonist, they were each interesting spins and insights for the story. I enjoyed getting to know them and their motivations.

One of my frustrations - and yet part of the appeal of this series - is the lack of total understanding of the 'other' side. You are given teases and hints of what they are, but never the whole story. You aren't meant to have the whole story. Which is aggravating and fascinating at the same time.

For anyone of the democratic or liberal persuasion with strong feelings about the 2016 USA elections I will caution that some of the story deals with an election that might hit a little close to home with the events and reasons.

The reason I gave this four stars instead of five were the following:

1. The journal/letter format was too detailed without a reasonable explanation to suspend my disbelief. I kept wondering to myself why they would bother describing rooms and how they walked so vividly to the 'reader'. It also made if difficult to believe certain character's demises when they'd just written ridiculously near the events that killed them.

2. There is a plot trope used that I can't get over because it seems like such a...lazy plot device. To not spoil anything I'll refrain from ranting in detail here, but it was impacting enough to me as a reader that it left a bad taste in my mouth that stayed with me through the rest of the book. And, no, it has nothing to do with triggers or sensitive subjects.

The book leaves plenty open to continue the series in spirit, if not with the exact same characters. I would recommend this series to anyone with an interest in Lovecraft-esque horror and Gothic tones without being a scary read.

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Book Review - The Heathen's Guide to Christmas

The Heathen's Guide to Christmas by William Hopper
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I wish it had been longer.

Will's sarcastic humor had me from the start with the story of his betrayal from none other than Santa Clause one Christmas morning. Going through popular aspects of Christmas, from Mistletoe to the infamous Candy Cane, he unravels the myth that Christmas has always been about the Christ of the Bible. About the babe in the manger.

The journey goes back well into the B.C. era and informs why it's the Celtic and Norse traditions that have been weaved so intricately with the Christmas we know of today, and not Grecian or Persian so much. It takes a jaunt through the roughly two-hundred years of Christmas hibernation, when Puritan influence decided celebrating it was a no-no. And then we're brought to mid to late 1800s, when a very specific poem was first penned and started the marketing schemes we are so aware of today.

Twas the night before Christmas...

This book goes through, making case after case that the 'true' spirit of Christmas has never been about baby Jesus, or the wise men, or angels on high. Christmas has always been about bringing together traditions, appropriating them from other cultures, and making them into something acceptable for the religious and political leaders at the time.

If you can't beat em...

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Book Review - TED Talks: The Official TED Guide to Public Speaking

TED Talks: The Official TED Guide to Public Speaking by Chris J. Anderson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Chris J. Anderson takes the reader through strategies of some of the most famous TED Talks, and how a perspective public speaker can utilize them - no matter the talk or presentation they're giving.

He warns of pitfalls for the reader to avoid, such as a take vs give talk where the speaker is trying to gain something from the audience instead of giving, which can lead to the talk becoming little more than an elaborate sales pitch. Or trying to impress your audience with your greatness. Even if the talk is about you and your accomplishments, your audience generally doesn't want to sit through an hour of bragging.

He gives suggestions for how to structure your talk, all the way down to the singular decision of should it be memorized or not. There are pros and cons no matter the decision, and I enjoyed reading how both may work and may not work for a particular speaker.

Most importantly, I feel, was he gives the reader the okay to be human on the state. To make mistakes. To have to bring note cards. To fumble. In fact he gives numerous examples on how this can work to an advantage. Embraced, but not beaten to death with apology after apology, a mistake or two can actually endear you to your audience. You're sharing a vulnerability - and with that people are more likely to want to root for you. To see you surmount your obstacle and succeed.

Specifically those people interested in TED Talks.

This is a book I would recommend to anyone interested in the slightest in public speaking - be it for a school presentation, a dreaded board meeting, or for fun. I learned so much from it and will definitely be keeping it on hand to review when the need arises!

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