Tag: non fiction

True Ghost Stories: Real Haunted Hospitals and Mental Asylums by Zachery Knowles

True Ghost Stories: Real Haunted Hospitals and Mental Asylums
Author: Zachery Knowles
Published: October 15, 2015
88 Pages

Reviewed By: Kim
Kim’s Rating: 3 stars

Book Description:

Looking for a Scare? Then Read These 13 Spine-chilling StoriesFor people who believe in the paranormal-ghosts, spirits, and other unexplainable encounters-most will agree that old hospitals and asylums are the most haunted places you can visit. With thirteen chilling chapters, Haunted Hospitals delves into the history of the most infamous asylums, sanitariums and hospitals on Earth, unlocking their dark histories and detailing their paranormal activities.

Take Waverly Hills Sanatorium, home to Mary, the apparition of a little girl who “wasn’t normal.” Left behind after a disease cut her young life short, Mary went from innocent in life to something more horrific in death.

Then there’s Old Changi military hospital, where a history of wartime bloodbaths still stains the old abandoned halls-leaving behind chilling images in the minds of trespassers.

Or what about any of the other haunted hospitals contained within, where apparitions, disembodied voices, and strange occurences are commonplace. With overcrowding and barbaric medical procedures being practiced, these buildings were the torture houses of the 20th century, and the eeriest haunts of the 21st.

Haunted Hospitals unlocks the dark histories of the most chilling abandoned hospitals from around the world. Every chapter describes the eerie and often frightening details of the best ghostly encounters. Are these sightings based on myth or true horrors? Only you can decide.

Ready to scare yourself senseless? Scroll to the bottom of the page and hit buy!

Kim’s Review:

I mean, duh. I saw this and had to read it … I think we’re all aware that I have a type. One crucial thing to understand about this book is that it is not an in depth history. It’s a vague overview; like a tantalizing, small appetizer. I wish I could have a book with a complete history for each of the hospitals listed in this book, because now I want to know! This very tiny book gives a very tiny look into some of the stories from these hospitals. And I mean tiny. It whet my whistle for a ghost story, but it felt like this book was for those who don’t normally read horror, but want to say that they do. It was ok, but not enough for an addict like me!

Purchase Links:
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Book Review: Voices from Chernobyl: The Oral History of a Nuclear Disaster

Voices from Chernobyl: The Oral History of a Nuclear Disaster
Author: Svetlana Alexievich
Published: April 18, 2006
236 Pages

Reviewed By: Kim
Kim’s Rating: 5 stars

Book Description:

On April 26, 1986, the worst nuclear reactor accident in history occurred in Chernobyl and contaminated as much as three quarters of Europe. Voices from Chernobyl is the first book to present personal accounts of the tragedy. Journalist Svetlana Alexievich interviewed hundreds of people affected by the meltdown—from innocent citizens to firefighters to those called in to clean up the disaster—and their stories reveal the fear, anger, and uncertainty with which they still live. Composed of interviews in monologue form, Voices from Chernobyl is a crucially important work of immense force, unforgettable in its emotional power and honesty.

Kim’s Review:

So far this is my top read of 2021! Chernobyl is a fascinating subject; the secrecy by the Soviets only makes the mystery more intriguing. I’ve told Ivan for years that I’d like to visit Pripyat, and of course Mr. Genius Physician Assistant said no. So I decided to read about it. It certainly helped that I read Fallout right before Voices, so I was already freaked out about radiation.

Alexievitch got into the trenches for this book. She traveled throughout the forbidden zone and talked to as many people as she could. The ones that were the most fascinating were the everyday people who didn’t know anything about radiation or the dangers; all they knew is the life that they lived their whole lives, so they kept right on living like nothing happened. And they lived a long time! And then the most tragic were the people the Soviets just threw at the blaze with little to no protection and no real plan for their survival. I still can’t wrap my head around the fact that the radiation on the roof of Reactor 3 was so bad that 40 seconds exposed the men to the maximum amount of radiation a person should absorb in their entire life. And then many stayed up for much longer and then went back up again the next day!! And radiation poisoning is a terrifying thing! The Russians are a strong people. They’ve always put their heads down and trudged through and Chernobyl was no different.

Alexievitch captured that in every page. I absolutely recommend this as a great anthology of eye witness accounts. History is what can be proven through documentation and this book shows how history can be documented in so many different ways because it was witnessed by so many different people. I would even suggest using this book as required high school reading! I really love it!

Purchase Links:
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Citlali and the Day of the Dead: Citlali y el Día de Muertos

Citlali and the Day of the Dead: Citlali y el Día de Muertos
Author:  Berta de Llano
Illustrator: Jamie Rivera Contreras
Published: August 11, 2020
32 Pages

Reviewed By: Jessica
Date Read: September 21, 2020
Jessica’s Rating: 3 stars     

Book Description:

GRADES PK–3: This 32 page storybook follows Citlali through her Day of the Dead celebration. Readers will get a glimpse of the festivities and traditions associated with the important holiday.

CULTURAL STORYTELLING: This traditional Hispanic folktale with original illustrations, told in bold English and Spanish, captures a child’s interest while engaging them with a story that fosters reading and cultural literacy.

FEATURES: With English and Spanish translations, this storybook is a great resource for strengthening reading skills and foreign language comprehension.

Jessica’s Review:

This colorful children’s picture book talks about the real Mexican holiday Day of the Dead. This year it runs from October 31- November 2.  The story shows Citali and getting ready for Day of the Dead in school as her class is in charge of the ofrenda (offering) this year.  The Day of the Dead is where families fondly remember those who have passed away. It is a happy remembrance. 

This is Citali’s first year honoring Mama Elena and she is having the most difficult time picking an item to bring to the ofrenda to remember her. Citali wants her remembrance of Mama Elena to be a special one. 

The pictures are very colorful as is the Day of the Dead holiday. It is a very basic introduction to the holiday, though to me it does not explain much. I had to look up what the meaning of what ofrenda was, which was the purpose of the story.  I had to look up the Day of the Dead in general as I have no knowledge of the holiday.  This would be a good story for children who already have knowledge of the Day of the Dead holiday, but not an introduction to it. 

I did like that the children’s book is in both Spanish and English.  That way if a child is working on learning a second language, they do have a reference point to their original language, be it Spanish or English.  

Many thanks to the publisher for granting me a review copy via Amazon Vine.

Purchase Link:
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