I’ll admit it – I have a problem. I’m slightly addicted to all things paranormal. My DVR is bursting with old episodes of Ghost Hunters and Paranormal State and I have read every single Fear Street book ever printed. However, despite my voracious appetite for this stuff, I still find it rare to stumble across a decent supernatural thriller. Sure there are old standards like Dean Koontz and even Stephen King, but often those ones focus on “monsters” as opposed to ghosts, which are really more my thing. So once I found “The House of Lost Souls,” I knew I had to get my hands on it!

This novel focuses on Nick Mason and Paul Seaton. Nick’s sister is slowly spinning into insanity after a visit to the notorious Fischer House in England where horrific, satanic acts and rituals took place in the first half of the century. Paul Seaton is a “sensitive” journalist who is called in to save Nick’s sister. Why Paul, you might wonder? Because, he is the only known person to visit Fischer House and come out with both his sanity and his life. As Paul works to save the girl, he must confront supernatural experiences from his past by returning to Fischer House and coming to terms with the evil that lurks there.

I can say that I thoroughly enjoyed “The House of Lost Souls”. Not only is it extremely well-written, with vivid, lush descriptions of one of my favorite cities in the world, London, England, but the characters are well-developed and most importantly, believable. While reading, I felt like I may have been listening to my old friend recount their adventures overseas, like I was actually there and being spoken to by a real person, instead of just words on a page. Read More »

Even though it seems like the New Year’s parties were only last week, February is already here! It’s the second month in the year, but that doesn’t mean it’s second-par in anything!

There are plenty of reasons to love February: it’s Black History Month, American Heart Month, and even National Cherry Month! Not to mention it’s the month of the ever-so-lovely Valentine’s Day (or not-so-lovely, in this single girl’s case). So spit out those cherry pits and get ready for some February action:

1. Happy Year of the Ox! On January 26th, billions of people celebrated the beginning of the Lunar New Year with noisy firecrackers and traditional food, but the fun doesn’t end there! This celebration lasts a full week, well into February, and you can join in the festivities too! Make your own bubble tea, create your own lion dance, but most importantly, ask your parents for that lucky red hong bao filled with money they owe you in the name of all that is Asian.

2. It’s ok to start off this month a little on the meatier side, after a delightful (and delectable) holiday experience, not to mention all the V-day chocolate fondues. While grandma’s homemade chocolate-chip cookies were wonderful for your taste buds, they were not so friendly for your waist. It’s totally fine to embrace your curves, like Jessica Simpson does, but it’s important to stay healthy too! Here are a couple of new books that will help you stay on track and stick to your resolutions you so adamantly vowed to keep 31 days ago. So take some time this month to catch up on your light reading. (Haha, light, get it? Witty, I know.) Read More »