Book Review: One Bed Over: A Hospital Haunting by Alex Matsuo

Believe it or not, this is the 46th book I've read this year (so far). I've been keeping count on Goodreads, and have been known to binge book series on Kindle Unlimited, which is what makes that count go up so fast, I think. 

Anyway, paranormal peeps are going to want to read this one: if you’re a fan of Haunted Hospitals, then you may have seen Alex’s story featured in S3, E12, “It Followed Me Home.” But what TV can’t really give you in a 15–20 minute segment is the whole story of what happened when the author suffered a traumatic accident involving a 25-foot fall, ended up in the hospital for quite some time, and while there, encountered an angry spirit who followed her home. 

While HH covered Alex’s story really well, you will definitely want to read her FULL account. It’s riveting and rich, and I really appreciate Alex’s transparency about her life, what she went through, and what she took away from it.  

Another plus to this book is the author’s voice: this is accessible, intimate reading, like she’s telling you her story in person over a coffee. A true joy to read! And while you're at it, check out the author's cool site, The Spooky Stuff.

You can order her book on Amazon in either Kindle format or paperback, read for free with a Kindle Unlimited subscription (at the time of this writing), or, like me, get a signed copy from the author if you see her at an event. 

It was so nice meeting Alex and getting up a signed copy of this book at ConCarolinas 2022.

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Book Review: The Farnsworth House Haunting: On the Gettysburg Ghost Trail by Richard Estep

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I’ve had this book on my to-read list for a long time, and a couple of months ago, I finished it in only a couple of days. I was able to get it in the Kindle edition.

Synopsis:

This book is a history of the Farnsworth House and the role it played in the Battle of Gettysburg in July of 1863. It is also a history of Richard Estep and his team’s investigation of the Farnsworth House, with experiencer accounts included as Mr. Estep interviewed people who had witnessed objects moving, strange voices, etc. while he stayed there. He also included evidence from Brad Klinge of Ghost Lab (and known for video footage of a soldier on the battlefield). The Klinge brothers had done an investigation of Farnsworth House that was very interesting, which was touched on here. Finally, at the end is a short piece of historical fiction to give the reader a realistic sense of what things were like during the war.

My thoughts:

I gave this book 5 stars on Goodreads without even hesitating! It was a real page-turner and well researched, with a friendly, accessible voice and tone. You could almost imagine Richard Estep just talking to you as you read it. I appreciated his thoroughness in both historical research and trying to get a balanced sense of what the paranormal issues are. He has a knack of giving your mind’s eye the details it needs to envision past and present together as he discusses his team’s investigation.

I was particularly impressed by the short fiction piece at the end. I had no idea that would be in the book before I started, but it was an immersive experience and I got quite emotional. I used to be a Civil War reenactor, and I know Gettysburg quite well. For someone to be able to help you really see the battles for the human toll they took is quite a gift.

Get the book:

You can find The Farnsworth House Haunting: On the Gettysburg Ghost Trail in various formats on Amazon. At the time of this posting, it was also available for free with your Kindle Unlimited subscription. I read this book via my KU subscription and love that for a small monthly fee I have excellent books at my fingertips anytime I wish! 

Inquire with your local bookstore or library about availability in those venues. While I provide links to books as a courtesy, if you want to support your library or indie bookstore, or buy from the author directly, I always support that!

Have you been to Farnsworth House, and if so, have you had an experience? Submit your story or share one in the comments! I'd love to hear all about it, especially as I am about to go to Gettysburg in a little more than a week.