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Sister of Darkness: The Chronicles of a Modern Exorcist
The world’s only non-denominational exorcist—the subject of a forthcoming major motion picture—tells her astonishing true story: a riveting chronicle of wrestling entities from infected souls, showing how pain and trauma opens us to attachment from forces that drain our energy . . . and can even destroy our humanity.
As a secular exorcist, Rachel H. Stavis has cleansed thousands of tormented people, from small children and Hollywood moguls to stay-at-home moms and politicians. But for many years, the horror screenwriter and novelist denied her gift. As a little girl, she began to see "monsters" floating around her bedroom or attached to other children. Told it was only her imagination, Rachel learned to ignore the things she saw.
But a series of events in adulthood forced her to acknowledge her unique ability and embrace her power to heal. Since then, Rachel has dedicated her life to helping others cast off the forces feeding off of us. Performing her services pro-bono, she quietly worked in the shadows, until she unknowingly revealed her work to a journalist, who told her story to NPR.
A unique look at demonology removed from religious dogma, Sister of Darkness recounts Rachel’s journey to becoming an exorcist and chronicles some of her most extreme cleansings cases, including those that put her and her clients in peril. Going deep into her world, we meet the diverse range of people she has helped—young, old, famous and not—in gripping stories of danger and sometimes sadness, that are ultimately about redemption. Rachel teaches us that there are a diverse range of "entities" surrounding us—some of these are playful or misguided, while some are dangerous and harmful. She introduces each of them and explains their power, helping us understand what is attacking and hurting us, and what we can do to protect ourselves.
Frightening, eye-opening, and utterly enthralling, Sister of Darkness brings to light a world ruled by destruction, chaos and fear, and the woman who bravely fights to protect those who seeks her out.
As a secular exorcist, Rachel H. Stavis has cleansed thousands of tormented people, from small children and Hollywood moguls to stay-at-home moms and politicians. But for many years, the horror screenwriter and novelist denied her gift. As a little girl, she began to see "monsters" floating around her bedroom or attached to other children. Told it was only her imagination, Rachel learned to ignore the things she saw.
But a series of events in adulthood forced her to acknowledge her unique ability and embrace her power to heal. Since then, Rachel has dedicated her life to helping others cast off the forces feeding off of us. Performing her services pro-bono, she quietly worked in the shadows, until she unknowingly revealed her work to a journalist, who told her story to NPR.
A unique look at demonology removed from religious dogma, Sister of Darkness recounts Rachel’s journey to becoming an exorcist and chronicles some of her most extreme cleansings cases, including those that put her and her clients in peril. Going deep into her world, we meet the diverse range of people she has helped—young, old, famous and not—in gripping stories of danger and sometimes sadness, that are ultimately about redemption. Rachel teaches us that there are a diverse range of "entities" surrounding us—some of these are playful or misguided, while some are dangerous and harmful. She introduces each of them and explains their power, helping us understand what is attacking and hurting us, and what we can do to protect ourselves.
Frightening, eye-opening, and utterly enthralling, Sister of Darkness brings to light a world ruled by destruction, chaos and fear, and the woman who bravely fights to protect those who seeks her out.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published February 6, 2018
204 people are currently reading
1890 people want to read
About the author
R.H. Stavis
7 books43 followersRachel Stavis is a screenwriter for film, television, and video games. She has published four horror novels under the name R. H. Stavis. She is also an exorcist, doing her work pro bono and without advertising her services.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 187 reviews
May 12, 2018
A book about a self-taught, self-proclaimed Goth Barbie exorcist who allegedly services some of the biggest names in Hollywood - what's not to love? I'm a sarcastic cynic, but I also love a good spooky story; I went in prepared to suspend disbelief and enjoy the read. Sadly, this book is a flaming garbage pile with toxic fumes.
Rachel Stavis grew up seeing the kind of midnight terrors that I also saw as a child (as did my best friend, my husband...). She was raised by a mother she describes as a 'malignant narcissist' with addiction issues. But Stavis also has a one-in-a-million gift. She's a 'pathological caretaker'. She has a 'superwoman complex'. She just can't not help people because she was gifted with a unique ability, guys! As the blurb says, '[she] alone has the power to destroy our demons...at the crux of the spiritual crossroads of thousands of clients - all of whom she's been able to save'. She's kinda like Buddha and Jesus squared, and that's okay because, as a secular exorcist, she sees those guys on the reg.
Stavis sees a variety of entities that she rates on a danger scale from draining to [I gave up before I got to that chapter, okay]. People who have suffered childhood sexual abuse? Always beset by wraiths. Women who can't get pregnant? There's a wraith hovering around the ovaries, blocking the child asking to come into the world. (It's okay, Stavis saves the day. She also notes that she can't cure cancer or AIDS, so she knows her limits - clearly not narcissistic.) Porn stars are beset with Clives - entities ranging from palm-sized to that of a small dog - that cluster around their genitals like etherial lice. Stavis repeatedly states she doesn't judge how people choose to live their lives before throwing epic shade.
You get it; it's not my worldview and it sounds like grandiose bullshit. This book is clearly not meant for me. It's less of a narrative - as the 'Chronicles' would suggest - and more of a self-help book that replaces contemporary demons like depression, addiction and anxiety with literal demons that you can smoke out with the right herbs and crystals. Stavis posits that people's behaviour is driven by outside forces: A man who gets violent in the bedroom is absolved by his wraith pushing him to it. Victims of sexual assault carry around their trauma as literal shadows clouding their form. In a book that reads like a self-congratulatory fantasy much of the time - lest we forget, she is the only one - it's a pretty repellent worldview.
Rachel Stavis grew up seeing the kind of midnight terrors that I also saw as a child (as did my best friend, my husband...). She was raised by a mother she describes as a 'malignant narcissist' with addiction issues. But Stavis also has a one-in-a-million gift. She's a 'pathological caretaker'. She has a 'superwoman complex'. She just can't not help people because she was gifted with a unique ability, guys! As the blurb says, '[she] alone has the power to destroy our demons...at the crux of the spiritual crossroads of thousands of clients - all of whom she's been able to save'. She's kinda like Buddha and Jesus squared, and that's okay because, as a secular exorcist, she sees those guys on the reg.
Stavis sees a variety of entities that she rates on a danger scale from draining to [I gave up before I got to that chapter, okay]. People who have suffered childhood sexual abuse? Always beset by wraiths. Women who can't get pregnant? There's a wraith hovering around the ovaries, blocking the child asking to come into the world. (It's okay, Stavis saves the day. She also notes that she can't cure cancer or AIDS, so she knows her limits - clearly not narcissistic.) Porn stars are beset with Clives - entities ranging from palm-sized to that of a small dog - that cluster around their genitals like etherial lice. Stavis repeatedly states she doesn't judge how people choose to live their lives before throwing epic shade.
You get it; it's not my worldview and it sounds like grandiose bullshit. This book is clearly not meant for me. It's less of a narrative - as the 'Chronicles' would suggest - and more of a self-help book that replaces contemporary demons like depression, addiction and anxiety with literal demons that you can smoke out with the right herbs and crystals. Stavis posits that people's behaviour is driven by outside forces: A man who gets violent in the bedroom is absolved by his wraith pushing him to it. Victims of sexual assault carry around their trauma as literal shadows clouding their form. In a book that reads like a self-congratulatory fantasy much of the time - lest we forget, she is the only one - it's a pretty repellent worldview.
May 19, 2018
Warning! Rachel Stavis will drop you into a strange world in this book. Known as a horror writer and screenwriter, R. H. Stavis is also a secular exorcist. This memoirish book recounts how Stavis came to see entities. It's a talent she has had from a young age. She sees demons although she's not religious. And she taught herself how to expel them without use of the Roman Ritual or the Bible. Her techniques are much more New Age.
This is an engrossing book. It's clear Stavis believes sincerely in these entities. She describes different types of demons in ways that would fit no classical theological scheme. Clives, wraiths, collectors—this is a thoroughly modern taxonomy of evil. Based in California and sought out by high profile clients, Stavis spends time exorcising those turned away by a Catholic Church that's too skeptical about demons as well for those who believe in her techniques. She sees demons everywhere and is convinced that everyone has been possessed at some point in their life.
Stavis, although secular, does not disparage any religion. She's cool with Jesus and Buddha and the classical Greek goddesses. They all take part in her exorcisms, as do the Virgin Mary and Archangel Michael. When she's done, Stavis can see the demons being destroyed. With a high success rate and confidence that high energy and high-mindedness can drive out evil, she tells her story frankly and without guile.
Many will not be convinced by her account, however. It runs counter to traditional church teaching and even her understanding of what demons are doesn't fit that of the fallen angel paradigm. We've been taught by movies and television that it takes priests to do this. It's refreshing to see a confident woman taking on the topic. Although I can't go all the way down the garden path with Stavis, I like her style and confidence. This is a refreshing book on demons and it can leave the reader feeling strangely optimistic.
I have a little more to say about it on my blog: Sects and Violence in the Ancient World, as well.
This is an engrossing book. It's clear Stavis believes sincerely in these entities. She describes different types of demons in ways that would fit no classical theological scheme. Clives, wraiths, collectors—this is a thoroughly modern taxonomy of evil. Based in California and sought out by high profile clients, Stavis spends time exorcising those turned away by a Catholic Church that's too skeptical about demons as well for those who believe in her techniques. She sees demons everywhere and is convinced that everyone has been possessed at some point in their life.
Stavis, although secular, does not disparage any religion. She's cool with Jesus and Buddha and the classical Greek goddesses. They all take part in her exorcisms, as do the Virgin Mary and Archangel Michael. When she's done, Stavis can see the demons being destroyed. With a high success rate and confidence that high energy and high-mindedness can drive out evil, she tells her story frankly and without guile.
Many will not be convinced by her account, however. It runs counter to traditional church teaching and even her understanding of what demons are doesn't fit that of the fallen angel paradigm. We've been taught by movies and television that it takes priests to do this. It's refreshing to see a confident woman taking on the topic. Although I can't go all the way down the garden path with Stavis, I like her style and confidence. This is a refreshing book on demons and it can leave the reader feeling strangely optimistic.
I have a little more to say about it on my blog: Sects and Violence in the Ancient World, as well.
May 16, 2018
I expected an interesting take on a controversial and wide-ranging topic, instead I got what felt like a plug for the author’s business with a healthy side of victim blaming. The tone is reminiscent of the kind of person who corners you at a party to talk at length about how empathic they are. Lame.
July 23, 2018
While reading the introduction to this book I had a bad feeling. The feeling you get when you get your hands on a delicious looking desert, only to bite into it and discover it to be bland and kinda icky.
I wanted to finish this out of some masochistic completionist compulsion but has to give up.
My advice to you is to do the same, only before you’ve picked up this book.
While I am not a skeptic and am actually likely to believe that what the author claims is true I couldn’t not get past the horrid writing.
It reads like a poorly written, rant-y, non-proofread blog that you would stumble on at 3am while lost in some kind of internet abyss.
Don’t do this to yourself folks!
I wanted to finish this out of some masochistic completionist compulsion but has to give up.
My advice to you is to do the same, only before you’ve picked up this book.
While I am not a skeptic and am actually likely to believe that what the author claims is true I couldn’t not get past the horrid writing.
It reads like a poorly written, rant-y, non-proofread blog that you would stumble on at 3am while lost in some kind of internet abyss.
Don’t do this to yourself folks!
March 8, 2018
Oh where do I begin about this book. I loved this book, this book also scared the hell out of me. The experiences that she writes about kept me wanting to know more and also makes me hope to god that I'm not walking around with something attached to me. I will also never enjoy waking up in the middle of the night out of nowhere and enjoy the quiet calmness of my house while everyone but me is asleep, I'll be looking at those shadows in my room a lot different from now on.
May 28, 2019
A quick read and interesting to hear Stavis's experiences and beliefs. The author thinks that saying you're not judgmental right after you say something extremely judgmental negates the judgment of the statement, but I don't think that's true. After a while, the humblebragging about "highmindedness" really started to grate. But I guess I feel that way because I'm low frequency and probably have a bunch of entities attached to me.
April 26, 2022
I have not written a review in a few years but this book is definitely making me want to… and not in the good way.
I see many of the reviews saying that they don’t believe in this kind of stuff and it seemed like a work of fiction and that’s why they didn’t like it. Here’s the thing, I do believe in that kind of stuff but my distaste towards this book is for a whole other reason.
I picked this book up to truly learn more about exorcisms and different types of entities from a primary source. There was little information that was actually useful within this book and was basically just an ego boost for the author.
She continuously likes to point out how “she’s the only person in the world with these gifts and the only one who does this.” That was the first red flag, because she is not. By doing this, she is discounting spiritual practitioners and leaders from all over the world. Some white lady in LA is not the only person who does what she does. That made me sick to my stomach. As someone who works in the metaphysical field and as someone who has my own craft, that is bs. Americans are so entitled I swear.
She acts as if she’s freaking Harry Potter or Percy Jackson out here being the “chosen one.” This book was purely just to fill her ego, I have read other books similar to this where authors don’t boost in the way she does. It was unbearable at times. Not once did she touch on how much Spirit loves the person reading or anyone else who walks into her room. She also tries to make it seem like she is the only one who has a direct link to Spirit, also false. She tries very hard to make herself special and she is special, we all are special. No one wants to read about how special another finds them self for 75% of the book.
On page 137, she says “I need to be as egoless as possible in everything I do” and I literally laughed out loud when I read that because every page before that one was proof of how enlarged her ego is. Every writer knows that famous tip, “show, don’t tell” and she did a fabulous job of showing us just how much she likes herself.
It was evident that she is trying to make herself seem like such a good person by doing all of this and I truly do applaud her for that but if that were the case and if it was ONLY about being a good person, she wouldn’t have tell us every five seconds and we would just be able to formulate that opinion ourselves. She was showing and telling the very opposite things you should be showing and telling LOL.
Also, I am not one for New Age spirituality either but I found it very funny when she was turned off by reiki yet claimed to work in a 5D consciousness. This book was full of contradictions. I’m glad she has a spiritual practice and system that works for her, but I definitely urge her to learn more about different cultures and religions before talking about things like reiki, 5D and chakras.
Anyways, I don’t deny her work and it’s not like I didn’t learn anything. I think it’s awesome what she does and I respect her work and I respect her as a spiritual practitioner but there are other books in the world that will be better fit for learning purposes. If she truly wants to help people, I urge her to write something that is more insightful and full of education.
I see many of the reviews saying that they don’t believe in this kind of stuff and it seemed like a work of fiction and that’s why they didn’t like it. Here’s the thing, I do believe in that kind of stuff but my distaste towards this book is for a whole other reason.
I picked this book up to truly learn more about exorcisms and different types of entities from a primary source. There was little information that was actually useful within this book and was basically just an ego boost for the author.
She continuously likes to point out how “she’s the only person in the world with these gifts and the only one who does this.” That was the first red flag, because she is not. By doing this, she is discounting spiritual practitioners and leaders from all over the world. Some white lady in LA is not the only person who does what she does. That made me sick to my stomach. As someone who works in the metaphysical field and as someone who has my own craft, that is bs. Americans are so entitled I swear.
She acts as if she’s freaking Harry Potter or Percy Jackson out here being the “chosen one.” This book was purely just to fill her ego, I have read other books similar to this where authors don’t boost in the way she does. It was unbearable at times. Not once did she touch on how much Spirit loves the person reading or anyone else who walks into her room. She also tries to make it seem like she is the only one who has a direct link to Spirit, also false. She tries very hard to make herself special and she is special, we all are special. No one wants to read about how special another finds them self for 75% of the book.
On page 137, she says “I need to be as egoless as possible in everything I do” and I literally laughed out loud when I read that because every page before that one was proof of how enlarged her ego is. Every writer knows that famous tip, “show, don’t tell” and she did a fabulous job of showing us just how much she likes herself.
It was evident that she is trying to make herself seem like such a good person by doing all of this and I truly do applaud her for that but if that were the case and if it was ONLY about being a good person, she wouldn’t have tell us every five seconds and we would just be able to formulate that opinion ourselves. She was showing and telling the very opposite things you should be showing and telling LOL.
Also, I am not one for New Age spirituality either but I found it very funny when she was turned off by reiki yet claimed to work in a 5D consciousness. This book was full of contradictions. I’m glad she has a spiritual practice and system that works for her, but I definitely urge her to learn more about different cultures and religions before talking about things like reiki, 5D and chakras.
Anyways, I don’t deny her work and it’s not like I didn’t learn anything. I think it’s awesome what she does and I respect her work and I respect her as a spiritual practitioner but there are other books in the world that will be better fit for learning purposes. If she truly wants to help people, I urge her to write something that is more insightful and full of education.
February 13, 2019
This review originally appeared on my blog, Books Without Any Pictures: http://bookswithoutanypictures.com/20...
Have you ever found yourself in an airport with nothing to read and a dead battery on your e-reader? A couple months ago I was traveling home from my friends’ wedding and found myself in exactly this situation. I ducked into an airport bookstore and saw Sister of Darkness: Chronicles of a Modern Exorcist by R.H. Stavis. Airport bookstores tend to have slim pickings aside from bestsellers (generally not my genres), and this book looked both weird and wild. In other words, promising!
The basic premise: west coast goth sees entities that have attached themselves to people for various reasons, and starts doing exorcisms on the side. She’s able to help people get over their (literal or metaphorical) demons so they can live to their full potential.
The descriptions of the different types of entities and the way that the author interacts with them reminds me a little bit of anime where the main character is the only person who can see the yokai, the other creatures who live both within and beyond our world and comprehension. The entities themselves exist on a continuum from mostly harmless to pretty disruptive in people’s day-to-day lives, and once an entity attaches to a person, it shapes their interactions with the world. Entities can attach to people for many reasons, but usually, one type of entity gravitates towards people who have had certain life experiences (abuse, etc.). And because the author can see the visual manifestations, she can exorcise them.
I found the book interesting, if not a bit melodramatic. The author’s description of her childhood in particular felt like it was making mountains out of molehills, and taking very normal experiences and making them seem more supernatural than they are or might be. There’s a lot of bragging about her unnamed Hollywood clients, and I found it off-putting, and a flat-out dismissal of other people’s spiritual beliefs that don’t align with her worldview. But the one thing that came through clearly to me was the author’s desire to be believed: the words “believe me” and “trust me” are repeated throughout the book nearly constantly, highlighting a sense of vulnerability beyond the grandiose facade.
The book itself feels like a cross between a memoir, a guide to what kind of entities are out there, and a promotion for an upcoming televised special. Which, of course, is true–the author is currently working on a documentary about an exorcism of the Cecil Hotel, so the book serves as a way of building buzz before it is released.
Overall verdict: an engaging trainwreck, but now I find myself waiting to see that documentary on the Cecil Hotel exorcism, so there’s that.
Have you ever found yourself in an airport with nothing to read and a dead battery on your e-reader? A couple months ago I was traveling home from my friends’ wedding and found myself in exactly this situation. I ducked into an airport bookstore and saw Sister of Darkness: Chronicles of a Modern Exorcist by R.H. Stavis. Airport bookstores tend to have slim pickings aside from bestsellers (generally not my genres), and this book looked both weird and wild. In other words, promising!
The basic premise: west coast goth sees entities that have attached themselves to people for various reasons, and starts doing exorcisms on the side. She’s able to help people get over their (literal or metaphorical) demons so they can live to their full potential.
The descriptions of the different types of entities and the way that the author interacts with them reminds me a little bit of anime where the main character is the only person who can see the yokai, the other creatures who live both within and beyond our world and comprehension. The entities themselves exist on a continuum from mostly harmless to pretty disruptive in people’s day-to-day lives, and once an entity attaches to a person, it shapes their interactions with the world. Entities can attach to people for many reasons, but usually, one type of entity gravitates towards people who have had certain life experiences (abuse, etc.). And because the author can see the visual manifestations, she can exorcise them.
I found the book interesting, if not a bit melodramatic. The author’s description of her childhood in particular felt like it was making mountains out of molehills, and taking very normal experiences and making them seem more supernatural than they are or might be. There’s a lot of bragging about her unnamed Hollywood clients, and I found it off-putting, and a flat-out dismissal of other people’s spiritual beliefs that don’t align with her worldview. But the one thing that came through clearly to me was the author’s desire to be believed: the words “believe me” and “trust me” are repeated throughout the book nearly constantly, highlighting a sense of vulnerability beyond the grandiose facade.
The book itself feels like a cross between a memoir, a guide to what kind of entities are out there, and a promotion for an upcoming televised special. Which, of course, is true–the author is currently working on a documentary about an exorcism of the Cecil Hotel, so the book serves as a way of building buzz before it is released.
Overall verdict: an engaging trainwreck, but now I find myself waiting to see that documentary on the Cecil Hotel exorcism, so there’s that.
April 27, 2018
got to page 65 before giving up. first she says she not into Reiki because it deals in "invisible" energy. then she goes on to explain how she works with invisible energy. she also says she has a 100% success rate with exorcisms. not having a single mistake during the learning of a craft is unprecedented. finally I gave up on page 65 because that author states she can see Clives in pictures. that would mean these entities reflect light. it then follows that the existence of these entities would be provable, but there is no proof that anything like these entities exist. sorry. not buying it.
October 3, 2019
Rachel is such a beautiful soul! Although I don't know whether or not I believe in demons, I do believe in energy and that the way you take care of yourself has a huge effect on your life. Rachel gives you all of the ways you can higher your frequency and become a more positive being. And she is so damn interesting!
April 8, 2018
Hmmmm. . .I don't know where to begin, so I don't think I will.
January 13, 2020
Whoa. I.....uh.... feel like I need to sage myself, hold my crystals, burn some herbs, sing, laugh and do anything to bring myself to a very high vibrational space and then when I feel depression kicking in, turn my head over my shoulder and say, "F^ck off!" (Which, btw, I do anyways, but I'm talking going waaaaay more out this time!)
What a mind blowing book. If you want to read this and enjoy it, I feel you need to have an open mind. If you go in with nothing but defensiveness up, you're going to huff and puff and roll your eyes the whole time. Maybe have a little laugh. With an open mind you could learn to change your perspective a little and wonder a little more. What if? Reading this book I definitely have questions for the author. Some critiquing and some out of mere curiosity.
Rachel Stavis is an exorcist. But not your typical exorcist, tho. She can see demons or as she calls them "entities" that we share our world with and latch on to us. She has named them in categories such as Clives, Wraiths, Tricksters, Collectors, Furbies, Realm Walkers, Poofs, Sandman..... and more(!) Depending what the entity does. She talks about what each entity does, is attracted to, what it looks like and how you can avoid them.
This whole book is just so very interesting. She even answered one of the questions I had regarding exorcism. What happens if you are not religious? Not Catholic? How would an exorcism be performed then, especially if you fall under the Pagan umbrella? Such as Wicca and witchcraft. Her answers made sense to me.
Rachel also talks about her past, how she came to be today, cases she has worked and tips on how to stay high vibrational and herbs you can burn to keep these entities away.
On one hand, all this is very interesting and makes you wonder. On the other hand, she almost makes it seem like any problem you have is bc of an entity. Depressed? Entity. Anger problems? Entity. Poor decisions?Entity. Health problems? Entity. Over eating? Entity. Sexually abused, sex addiction, mental illness? You probably have an entity. According to her, they are everywhere!
Despite all that, it's still a fascinating read. Read it with a grain of salt and as she says, question everything. But I am definitely looking at this world a little differently now in a new wonder.
What a mind blowing book. If you want to read this and enjoy it, I feel you need to have an open mind. If you go in with nothing but defensiveness up, you're going to huff and puff and roll your eyes the whole time. Maybe have a little laugh. With an open mind you could learn to change your perspective a little and wonder a little more. What if? Reading this book I definitely have questions for the author. Some critiquing and some out of mere curiosity.
Rachel Stavis is an exorcist. But not your typical exorcist, tho. She can see demons or as she calls them "entities" that we share our world with and latch on to us. She has named them in categories such as Clives, Wraiths, Tricksters, Collectors, Furbies, Realm Walkers, Poofs, Sandman..... and more(!) Depending what the entity does. She talks about what each entity does, is attracted to, what it looks like and how you can avoid them.
This whole book is just so very interesting. She even answered one of the questions I had regarding exorcism. What happens if you are not religious? Not Catholic? How would an exorcism be performed then, especially if you fall under the Pagan umbrella? Such as Wicca and witchcraft. Her answers made sense to me.
Rachel also talks about her past, how she came to be today, cases she has worked and tips on how to stay high vibrational and herbs you can burn to keep these entities away.
On one hand, all this is very interesting and makes you wonder. On the other hand, she almost makes it seem like any problem you have is bc of an entity. Depressed? Entity. Anger problems? Entity. Poor decisions?Entity. Health problems? Entity. Over eating? Entity. Sexually abused, sex addiction, mental illness? You probably have an entity. According to her, they are everywhere!
Despite all that, it's still a fascinating read. Read it with a grain of salt and as she says, question everything. But I am definitely looking at this world a little differently now in a new wonder.
March 13, 2018
I keep alternating between one star and two, because the stories themselves were super interesting, but it is just hard for me personally to take someone seriously who claims to be the only person in the world who can do something.
I am always interested in books about paranormal activities, mainly experiences with ghosts/hauntings, but the sub title about a modern exorcist hooked me. Unfortunately the rest of the book was sub-par from what I was expecting, and the writing was not all that great - constantly getting "But more about that later..." For someone who also claims to be doing this all to help people, and does all her work for free, doesn't advertise, etc does lend some credibility, but at the same time we hear more than once how she is the only person in the world who is a secular exorcist and she is the only person who can get rid of these 'entities' and she is confident, she will win every time. And the idea of secular exorcist alone is very odd. The random naming of the various entities is also weird, as is her supposition that satan doesn't exist because she has never seen him in all her years doing this. There were just far too many claims of how she alone is The One who can help people, etc etc. I am, however, hugely interested in the section where she discusses the Cecil and would definitely like to see that documentary when/if it is made. The book is a quick read and some parts are really interesting, but overall I can't say that I would recommend it.
I am always interested in books about paranormal activities, mainly experiences with ghosts/hauntings, but the sub title about a modern exorcist hooked me. Unfortunately the rest of the book was sub-par from what I was expecting, and the writing was not all that great - constantly getting "But more about that later..." For someone who also claims to be doing this all to help people, and does all her work for free, doesn't advertise, etc does lend some credibility, but at the same time we hear more than once how she is the only person in the world who is a secular exorcist and she is the only person who can get rid of these 'entities' and she is confident, she will win every time. And the idea of secular exorcist alone is very odd. The random naming of the various entities is also weird, as is her supposition that satan doesn't exist because she has never seen him in all her years doing this. There were just far too many claims of how she alone is The One who can help people, etc etc. I am, however, hugely interested in the section where she discusses the Cecil and would definitely like to see that documentary when/if it is made. The book is a quick read and some parts are really interesting, but overall I can't say that I would recommend it.
December 27, 2017
I received this book via Edelweiss+ to give an honest review.
What pulled me to request this book was the word exorcist I love movies that have possession in them just because that is a world that is really unknown. For me this was a quick read; all I really remember is I started with chapter 1 and within 30 minutes I was on chapter 12. I felt as though I was flying by with the reading of what this author was going through and what she has saw.
This story is told by the author she is someone who sees entities which is pretty neat but scary as well. When she explains how entities can attach themselves to people especially with those that have had trauma of some kind or depression in a weird way it kind of could make sense.
Towards the end of the book the author explains the different frequencies that we transmit and how to get a higher frequency that is better for us. If we need to have a cleansing what herbs are good to use and so forth. I thought the author did a good job with getting a good message out there about the paranormal world and how it can affect you yet did not push her beliefs on the reader.
Would I have liked more stories about what the author has seen of course because I am weird like that but overall it was a quick read.
What pulled me to request this book was the word exorcist I love movies that have possession in them just because that is a world that is really unknown. For me this was a quick read; all I really remember is I started with chapter 1 and within 30 minutes I was on chapter 12. I felt as though I was flying by with the reading of what this author was going through and what she has saw.
This story is told by the author she is someone who sees entities which is pretty neat but scary as well. When she explains how entities can attach themselves to people especially with those that have had trauma of some kind or depression in a weird way it kind of could make sense.
Towards the end of the book the author explains the different frequencies that we transmit and how to get a higher frequency that is better for us. If we need to have a cleansing what herbs are good to use and so forth. I thought the author did a good job with getting a good message out there about the paranormal world and how it can affect you yet did not push her beliefs on the reader.
Would I have liked more stories about what the author has seen of course because I am weird like that but overall it was a quick read.
November 20, 2020
When the exorcist need a psychiatrist!
This book scream narcissisms so loud my head still hurts! It wasn't good and wasn't even well written. I was going into it, interested in the subject even if skeptical, but with open mind, curious on the topic and wanting to learn. Instead I find myself in a book mostly about the author and she just doesn't seem too me like a person I would trust the judgement or sayings. A book I will regret buying for the rest of my life...
This book scream narcissisms so loud my head still hurts! It wasn't good and wasn't even well written. I was going into it, interested in the subject even if skeptical, but with open mind, curious on the topic and wanting to learn. Instead I find myself in a book mostly about the author and she just doesn't seem too me like a person I would trust the judgement or sayings. A book I will regret buying for the rest of my life...
June 10, 2018
This seemed like it would be a very interesting read. The author is way too into herself. I couldn’t even finish this one, it wasn’t about exorcisms, it was more about what a fantastic person Rachel finds herself to be. Super lame read.
September 27, 2022
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was compelling, interesting and kept me hooked- I actually devoured it in just a few days.
This was right up my alley with my own beliefs in energies, entities and energy work. This is a very compelling and believable outlook on energies, vibrations, good and evil- and it’s always nice to get a different perspective on “demons” outside of the Christian belief system that we see used over and over in horror fiction and Hollywood.
I think this book is perfect for anyone who has a connection or interest in energies and energy work or wants a different perspective on demons and exorcism.
On the other hand, If you’re looking for demons and devils of the highest order within the Christian belief system or an extreme, graphic horror experience, this may not be the one you’re looking for.
This was right up my alley with my own beliefs in energies, entities and energy work. This is a very compelling and believable outlook on energies, vibrations, good and evil- and it’s always nice to get a different perspective on “demons” outside of the Christian belief system that we see used over and over in horror fiction and Hollywood.
I think this book is perfect for anyone who has a connection or interest in energies and energy work or wants a different perspective on demons and exorcism.
On the other hand, If you’re looking for demons and devils of the highest order within the Christian belief system or an extreme, graphic horror experience, this may not be the one you’re looking for.
April 3, 2018
Clives, Wraiths, Tricksters, Collectors, Furbies, Realm Walkers, Poofs, and Sandman....these are just some of the entities that Rachel Stavis says are plaguing 99% of the world’s population. As a secular exorcist (think the complete opposite of the masculine robed priest brandishing crosses and distributing holy water showers), Stavis claims that she’s been able to see these entities her entire life. And about a decade ago, she also claims that she unlocked the power to remove them.
Now, Hollywood is rife with all kinds of spiritual buffoonery. That’s a fact. And it’s not untrue that you have to suspend disbelief, at least temporarily, to give this book any kind of credence. I mean, it’s out there. OUT THERE. But if you do (and I highly suggest you try) then you’ll get a good dose of entertainment and maybe even a new lesson on the “frequency” that you are living with and putting out into the world.
Blaming personal and global problems on “entities” may be pretty simplistic and eyeroll-worthy to many educated readers and natural skeptics, but this book is pretty unique - and in a world deluged by all kinds of literature that’s not nothing. I certainly don’t regret pulling it off the shelf. Am I picking up everything she’s putting down? Nope. Sorry. However, I find her and her sideline business intriguing. She doesn’t advertise (save for an NPR piece and subsequent stories about her freaky freelancing - and the book of course) and she doesn’t charge (except by donation). In the book she seems genuinely interested in helping people which makes this crazy read much more tolerable.
There’s a lot to like about this book. Rachel Stavis is open, witty, and fearless between the pages. She has performed exorcism services for A-list actors, musicians, and politicians. And while she’s extremely confident (she’s comfortable with saying multiple times throughout the book that she’s never failed in an exorcism) she doesn’t come off like an irritating know-it-all. She’s not afraid to say that she doesn’t know why something happens.
I certainly won’t debate the validity of her exorcisms in the context of this review. What I will say is that if you have a fairly open mind, you’re looking for something new and interesting, and if you can take away lessons from any book you read, then this could be a very engaging read for you. And who knows? Perhaps you’ll come out of it with some new ideas and understanding of the spiritual dimension around us.
Now, Hollywood is rife with all kinds of spiritual buffoonery. That’s a fact. And it’s not untrue that you have to suspend disbelief, at least temporarily, to give this book any kind of credence. I mean, it’s out there. OUT THERE. But if you do (and I highly suggest you try) then you’ll get a good dose of entertainment and maybe even a new lesson on the “frequency” that you are living with and putting out into the world.
Blaming personal and global problems on “entities” may be pretty simplistic and eyeroll-worthy to many educated readers and natural skeptics, but this book is pretty unique - and in a world deluged by all kinds of literature that’s not nothing. I certainly don’t regret pulling it off the shelf. Am I picking up everything she’s putting down? Nope. Sorry. However, I find her and her sideline business intriguing. She doesn’t advertise (save for an NPR piece and subsequent stories about her freaky freelancing - and the book of course) and she doesn’t charge (except by donation). In the book she seems genuinely interested in helping people which makes this crazy read much more tolerable.
There’s a lot to like about this book. Rachel Stavis is open, witty, and fearless between the pages. She has performed exorcism services for A-list actors, musicians, and politicians. And while she’s extremely confident (she’s comfortable with saying multiple times throughout the book that she’s never failed in an exorcism) she doesn’t come off like an irritating know-it-all. She’s not afraid to say that she doesn’t know why something happens.
I certainly won’t debate the validity of her exorcisms in the context of this review. What I will say is that if you have a fairly open mind, you’re looking for something new and interesting, and if you can take away lessons from any book you read, then this could be a very engaging read for you. And who knows? Perhaps you’ll come out of it with some new ideas and understanding of the spiritual dimension around us.
February 13, 2018
Sister of Darkness: The Chronicles of a Modern Exorcist
“I’m just Rachel Stavis, the exorcist next door.”
Self-professed “Goth Barbie” is not your stereotypical exorcist. She’s not a Catholic priest. In fact, she’s non-denominational. She’s incredibly likeable. But most importantly: She’s genuine.
Exorcists need not be Catholic priests. Hollywood likes portraying exorcists as male priests. It’s an oversimplification yet one that audiences expect. Peruse any motion picture listing of movies on exorcisms, and you will find males taking the lead. In reality, women are fully capable of performing exorcisms. Enter R.H. Stavis.
Rachel Stavis breaks the mold and her semi-autobiographical book highlighting some of her most interesting cases showcases her skills as a modern-day exorcist. Sister of Darkness: The Chronicles of a Modern Exorcist, published this month, is part biography, part educational reference book. Every paranormal investigator should own a copy highlighting the invaluable information contained within.
Stavis is a professional writer. She has authored 4 books under her initials R.H. Stavis. She is most known for creating the backstory for Lara Croft, Tomb Raider. Yet, something kept tugging her into the paranormal realm.
From an early age, Stavis has seen entities, abstract smoke or blobs floating or attached to humans. She pushed these images aside until finally giving in and embracing whom she would become: Professional Exorcist.
Sister of Darkness: The Chronicles of a Modern Exorcist is a refreshing look at the work an exorcist performs. Stavis offers sage wisdom explaining her classification system on the entities she sees. And it makes sense. All of it makes sense.
Sister of Darkness is well written, as well as, well laid out. Stavis’ chatty nature makes for an enjoyable read, even though the topic is extremely serious.
Stavis’ book is a cautionary tale about the dark powers continually working to devour and to disrupt. Heed her warnings. Most importantly, practice what she preaches.
Sister of Darkness: The Chronicles of a Modern Exorcist is available online in hardback and electronically. Follow Rachel on Twitter @RHStavis to see where she is signing books.
“I’m just Rachel Stavis, the exorcist next door.”
Self-professed “Goth Barbie” is not your stereotypical exorcist. She’s not a Catholic priest. In fact, she’s non-denominational. She’s incredibly likeable. But most importantly: She’s genuine.
Exorcists need not be Catholic priests. Hollywood likes portraying exorcists as male priests. It’s an oversimplification yet one that audiences expect. Peruse any motion picture listing of movies on exorcisms, and you will find males taking the lead. In reality, women are fully capable of performing exorcisms. Enter R.H. Stavis.
Rachel Stavis breaks the mold and her semi-autobiographical book highlighting some of her most interesting cases showcases her skills as a modern-day exorcist. Sister of Darkness: The Chronicles of a Modern Exorcist, published this month, is part biography, part educational reference book. Every paranormal investigator should own a copy highlighting the invaluable information contained within.
Stavis is a professional writer. She has authored 4 books under her initials R.H. Stavis. She is most known for creating the backstory for Lara Croft, Tomb Raider. Yet, something kept tugging her into the paranormal realm.
From an early age, Stavis has seen entities, abstract smoke or blobs floating or attached to humans. She pushed these images aside until finally giving in and embracing whom she would become: Professional Exorcist.
Sister of Darkness: The Chronicles of a Modern Exorcist is a refreshing look at the work an exorcist performs. Stavis offers sage wisdom explaining her classification system on the entities she sees. And it makes sense. All of it makes sense.
Sister of Darkness is well written, as well as, well laid out. Stavis’ chatty nature makes for an enjoyable read, even though the topic is extremely serious.
Stavis’ book is a cautionary tale about the dark powers continually working to devour and to disrupt. Heed her warnings. Most importantly, practice what she preaches.
Sister of Darkness: The Chronicles of a Modern Exorcist is available online in hardback and electronically. Follow Rachel on Twitter @RHStavis to see where she is signing books.
July 13, 2024
Quotes that stood out:
“People aren’t their symptoms, they’re just people���
“Head space vs. Heart Space”
“People aren’t their symptoms, they’re just people���
“Head space vs. Heart Space”
Read
February 12, 2018As a caveat, I love religious horror; it always freaks me out. But I don't believe in demons or possession or the devil or any of the typical premises. So it's both super obvious and very weird that I would want to read this book, right? And yet here we are.
This is a very interesting book, and Rachel Stavis tells it well. She is obviously more of an expert in this than I am, and if she says it's real, who am I to be like, "Yeah...no, I don't think there are entities everywhere and that almost literally all of us have been possessed at some point"?
So if you're at all curious, absolutely check this out. It's an insanely fast read, and you'll almost definitely enjoy yourself. (Or get completely freaked out, which I mean, let's face it, you're not going to read this if you're not a fan of scary things, right?)
And if there is a show about her performing an exorcism at the Cecil Hotel, I will absolutely watch.
This is a very interesting book, and Rachel Stavis tells it well. She is obviously more of an expert in this than I am, and if she says it's real, who am I to be like, "Yeah...no, I don't think there are entities everywhere and that almost literally all of us have been possessed at some point"?
So if you're at all curious, absolutely check this out. It's an insanely fast read, and you'll almost definitely enjoy yourself. (Or get completely freaked out, which I mean, let's face it, you're not going to read this if you're not a fan of scary things, right?)
And if there is a show about her performing an exorcism at the Cecil Hotel, I will absolutely watch.
December 5, 2018
This was an interesting book, and I have a lot of feels about it. I read it in 4 days, processing everything she shared, and as much as the paranormal excites me (also finding someone who encounters entities on a regular basis), I had a couple of turn-offs.
I loved Rachel's humor. She had me giggling more than once, and I love how she puts her personality into the book. It seems a lot of people don't like how she talks about herself as "Goth Barbie" but I dig it. It makes her stand out. It creates an image of her in my mind before I even see look her up (I already follow her on IG). She's definitely a bold personality, and that's something I admire.
But sometimes it's bold to the point of haughty. She mentions several times that she's almost positive there's * no one else * in the world who can see entities as she can.
Throughout the book, she uses little snippets to make herself seem like the only person in the whole universe who can exorcize these things.
Toward the end, I literally was expecting her to answer the question "So what happens when you die? Who's going to do these things for the millions of people who need exorcisms?"
In addition, she seems to be a wee bit belittling to people who have gifts of being open to the spirit realm, communication, sight, etc. (Like me.)
She says mediums just "aren't able to handle" (or don't want to handle) the kind of deep darkness that isn't a big deal to her. But there's no disrespect because she has lots of medium friends. (See also: "I'm not racist, I have black friends!")
I felt like she was making my ability seem like it wasn't a real one, or wasn't valid, and that's a biiiiig trigger for me.
It was a little obnoxious how everything was "This was one of the worst Wraiths I had ever encountered" and "This person had the most Clives I've ever seen" and "This was the biggest Collector I'd ever witnessed."
Everything was the MOST extreme. That also raises some red flags.
Just like the Clive. Yes, it's an evil place. And horrible things have happened there. But her promotion of this upcoming task (is it confirmed or not?) seemed totally dramatic-action-movie-climax-esque. No details about it? Seriously?
I would rather her have not written about it all since she can't give any information on her plan of action or secret information she's acquired from spirits about it. I was miffed at this.
But, of course, she's the only person in the world who can defeat that Realm Walker, and even though it feels like she almost said she might not make it out alive, she reminds us that she'll be fine because she ALWAYS defeats the entities.
Her tips at the end of the book for raising your vibration and connecting to Spirit were...disappointing. It was nothing different than any article on the internet about the same thing. I learned more about reconnecting to Source/Universe from the book's content before this last section. And what I did learn was great.
Overall, this book was useful to me because of how it encourages me to not "box in" my relationship to Universe.
Do I believe in what she sees? Yes—and that's how she sees/relates to them.
Do I believe this book was also a power trip? Yes.
If she really wanted to stay on the DL and help people, she wouldn't have been featured by any radio show or magazine.
She knows how to drive people crazy because there's no way to get in touch with her to arrange an exorcism. She knows how to leave people wanting more.
This was the first book about this sort of thing that I've ever read. If you know any other good books about psychics/mediums/etc. feel free to send me a message!
I loved Rachel's humor. She had me giggling more than once, and I love how she puts her personality into the book. It seems a lot of people don't like how she talks about herself as "Goth Barbie" but I dig it. It makes her stand out. It creates an image of her in my mind before I even see look her up (I already follow her on IG). She's definitely a bold personality, and that's something I admire.
But sometimes it's bold to the point of haughty. She mentions several times that she's almost positive there's * no one else * in the world who can see entities as she can.
Throughout the book, she uses little snippets to make herself seem like the only person in the whole universe who can exorcize these things.
Toward the end, I literally was expecting her to answer the question "So what happens when you die? Who's going to do these things for the millions of people who need exorcisms?"
In addition, she seems to be a wee bit belittling to people who have gifts of being open to the spirit realm, communication, sight, etc. (Like me.)
She says mediums just "aren't able to handle" (or don't want to handle) the kind of deep darkness that isn't a big deal to her. But there's no disrespect because she has lots of medium friends. (See also: "I'm not racist, I have black friends!")
I felt like she was making my ability seem like it wasn't a real one, or wasn't valid, and that's a biiiiig trigger for me.
It was a little obnoxious how everything was "This was one of the worst Wraiths I had ever encountered" and "This person had the most Clives I've ever seen" and "This was the biggest Collector I'd ever witnessed."
Everything was the MOST extreme. That also raises some red flags.
Just like the Clive. Yes, it's an evil place. And horrible things have happened there. But her promotion of this upcoming task (is it confirmed or not?) seemed totally dramatic-action-movie-climax-esque. No details about it? Seriously?
I would rather her have not written about it all since she can't give any information on her plan of action or secret information she's acquired from spirits about it. I was miffed at this.
But, of course, she's the only person in the world who can defeat that Realm Walker, and even though it feels like she almost said she might not make it out alive, she reminds us that she'll be fine because she ALWAYS defeats the entities.
Her tips at the end of the book for raising your vibration and connecting to Spirit were...disappointing. It was nothing different than any article on the internet about the same thing. I learned more about reconnecting to Source/Universe from the book's content before this last section. And what I did learn was great.
Overall, this book was useful to me because of how it encourages me to not "box in" my relationship to Universe.
Do I believe in what she sees? Yes—and that's how she sees/relates to them.
Do I believe this book was also a power trip? Yes.
If she really wanted to stay on the DL and help people, she wouldn't have been featured by any radio show or magazine.
She knows how to drive people crazy because there's no way to get in touch with her to arrange an exorcism. She knows how to leave people wanting more.
This was the first book about this sort of thing that I've ever read. If you know any other good books about psychics/mediums/etc. feel free to send me a message!
September 7, 2024
I have been practicing my own spiritual practice for almost 20 years. During that time I have been searching for any viable information on exorcism that was non Judeo-Christian or a closed or indigenous practice, because I’m one of the people that Rachel claim she’s searching for, that see entities and want to combat them.
This book, in the beginning had me feeling so seen and validated and I was ready to jump on board.
That was until she started saying things along the lines of people with mental health problems, sex workers (the author says porn starts and prostitutes) and homeless people are just “so low vibe”; making wild (and disproven) claims the more women go into labor under the full moon; recommending that people who are going themrough loss and grief should just do what she does, feel terribly sad for an hour or two and then just get back to being “high vibration”.
I am not a spiritual guru or claim to have all the answers by any means. But Rachel is missing the mark.
I believe her intentions are pure and she truely wants to help the world, but I feel that she is misguided.
Spirit can be wrong. Spirit can hide the truth to get what it needs to accomplish done. And believing everything your told as pure truth when your in contact with the spirit realm is dangerous.
We are spiritual beings having a Human experience on Earth. Being obsessed with remaining as “high vibe” as possible and rejecting the grounded, normal, “low vibe” emotions and experiences that this life has jam packed in it is spiritual bypassing at its finest.
The author is terribly disrespectful to her clients, saying she flat out ignores what they tell her because “Spirit” tells her different.
She disregards working with spirit guides for seeking out “higher vibrational” teachers in the spirit realm. I find this to be incredibly strange for someone who has been doing this for so long. If your spirit guides aren’t guiding you, there’s a reason.
Rachel talks in this book as if she’s speaking to an audience that has 0 knowledge to the spiritual and does so without backup from other sources. Everything she’s learned seems to be from Spirit directly with very little research or background to back it up.
She recommends using white sage which is endangered and part of sacred indigenous practices.
She claims to use parafanelia from indigenous practices all over the world without much knowledge of their context or purpose. And just regurgitates half-new age half-Christian ideology and doesn’t seem to know that that’s what it is.
To wrap this up, there is a way to go about combating and removing and preventing entities and attachment and I don’t think Rachel’s way is it. If you like being condescended at for having mental health struggles or not being from a place of privilege, this book is for you.
This book, in the beginning had me feeling so seen and validated and I was ready to jump on board.
That was until she started saying things along the lines of people with mental health problems, sex workers (the author says porn starts and prostitutes) and homeless people are just “so low vibe”; making wild (and disproven) claims the more women go into labor under the full moon; recommending that people who are going themrough loss and grief should just do what she does, feel terribly sad for an hour or two and then just get back to being “high vibration”.
I am not a spiritual guru or claim to have all the answers by any means. But Rachel is missing the mark.
I believe her intentions are pure and she truely wants to help the world, but I feel that she is misguided.
Spirit can be wrong. Spirit can hide the truth to get what it needs to accomplish done. And believing everything your told as pure truth when your in contact with the spirit realm is dangerous.
We are spiritual beings having a Human experience on Earth. Being obsessed with remaining as “high vibe” as possible and rejecting the grounded, normal, “low vibe” emotions and experiences that this life has jam packed in it is spiritual bypassing at its finest.
The author is terribly disrespectful to her clients, saying she flat out ignores what they tell her because “Spirit” tells her different.
She disregards working with spirit guides for seeking out “higher vibrational” teachers in the spirit realm. I find this to be incredibly strange for someone who has been doing this for so long. If your spirit guides aren’t guiding you, there’s a reason.
Rachel talks in this book as if she’s speaking to an audience that has 0 knowledge to the spiritual and does so without backup from other sources. Everything she’s learned seems to be from Spirit directly with very little research or background to back it up.
She recommends using white sage which is endangered and part of sacred indigenous practices.
She claims to use parafanelia from indigenous practices all over the world without much knowledge of their context or purpose. And just regurgitates half-new age half-Christian ideology and doesn’t seem to know that that’s what it is.
To wrap this up, there is a way to go about combating and removing and preventing entities and attachment and I don’t think Rachel’s way is it. If you like being condescended at for having mental health struggles or not being from a place of privilege, this book is for you.
March 4, 2021
Warning, some small spoilers.
Why one star? If you are looking for something that makes you consider the possibility that there might exist more than what we can see. The possibility that there are entities and beings among us influencing our lives which is the point of this book it is an utter failure. A pile of self-indulgent garbage that no matter how much the author tries to say she doesn't want any attention it may be the most look-at-me book I have ever read.
Now, if you are looking for a comedy, this is 5-star affair. It is hysterical. I was laughing almost from the beginning. Either the author is the most egocentric person ever or highly delusional. And if you don't believe her it's because you have a demon attached to you that prevents you from believing in it. She is the only one in the world who can see the entities, so only she can remove them, and as the book progresses basically she is the only one who can solve depression, help prevent conflicts, and even make downtown LA and eventually the world better. She does this with the help of every major religious figure including Jesus and Buddha and assorted other deities that appear before and give her the spirit needed.
My honest feeling is this a treatment for either a tv or film series as she names and describes all the entities that she comes across and provides situations and ways to remove them. Think of a darker and more sinister Ghost Whisper.
It's a good con and quite funny. So maybe it's not really a one star because it was enjoyable as fiction.
Why one star? If you are looking for something that makes you consider the possibility that there might exist more than what we can see. The possibility that there are entities and beings among us influencing our lives which is the point of this book it is an utter failure. A pile of self-indulgent garbage that no matter how much the author tries to say she doesn't want any attention it may be the most look-at-me book I have ever read.
Now, if you are looking for a comedy, this is 5-star affair. It is hysterical. I was laughing almost from the beginning. Either the author is the most egocentric person ever or highly delusional. And if you don't believe her it's because you have a demon attached to you that prevents you from believing in it. She is the only one in the world who can see the entities, so only she can remove them, and as the book progresses basically she is the only one who can solve depression, help prevent conflicts, and even make downtown LA and eventually the world better. She does this with the help of every major religious figure including Jesus and Buddha and assorted other deities that appear before and give her the spirit needed.
My honest feeling is this a treatment for either a tv or film series as she names and describes all the entities that she comes across and provides situations and ways to remove them. Think of a darker and more sinister Ghost Whisper.
It's a good con and quite funny. So maybe it's not really a one star because it was enjoyable as fiction.
June 20, 2018
It's so hard for me to bomb a book, but this one is a bomb. I don't even know where to begin with what bothered me most. I read to page 200, wanting to finish. But after the chapter on the Cecil hotel--which was clearly a promotion for an upcoming documentary--I'd had it. To tell me all this stuff and then NOT tell me how it ended? WHAT?!?!?
And the ego. I'm the only one...there's no one like me...I'm the only one that can help... It occurred to me several times to count up the number of personal pronouns in a chapter. And OF COURSE I understand that it's a memoir/autobiography. But really?!?
Many people are going to think that I'm objecting to the treatment of religion in here. I am not. I, too, see much value in a number of world religions without subscribing to any particular one. Nope. I am objecting to the suggestion that all of us require exorcisms to live our best life and that we can't do it without her. As someone who has lived through the depths of significant depression and come out the other side WITHOUT an exorcism, I am angered by the narcissism of this non-denominational exorcist.
And the ego. I'm the only one...there's no one like me...I'm the only one that can help... It occurred to me several times to count up the number of personal pronouns in a chapter. And OF COURSE I understand that it's a memoir/autobiography. But really?!?
Many people are going to think that I'm objecting to the treatment of religion in here. I am not. I, too, see much value in a number of world religions without subscribing to any particular one. Nope. I am objecting to the suggestion that all of us require exorcisms to live our best life and that we can't do it without her. As someone who has lived through the depths of significant depression and come out the other side WITHOUT an exorcism, I am angered by the narcissism of this non-denominational exorcist.
April 6, 2018
I would have read this book in one sitting because I was hooked right from the start, but because I started at night, I knew I'd be afraid to turn the lights out if I kept going. That said, the first half is dark and scary because it covers the dark entities and the exorcisms, but Rachel has a great sense of humor and knows when to lighten things up. The second half of the book is what I needed. The past two years have been not the best years for me and many people I know, and I love that Rachel talks about how to raise our individual and collective energy frequency. It was exactly what I needed to know at exactly the right time!
May 10, 2019
A fantastic read! I found this book incredibly enlightening on so many levels. Although, I never got to train in energy work (i.e. Reiki), I have had it practiced on myself and seen it worked on others. Ms. Stavis' book presents her wonderful experience and exposure about energy practices and ways to incorporate simple practices and rituals into our day to day lives. In her work, she delves much deeper in her practice of exorcism and expelling negative energies. Besides her work, she also gives very good explanations of various crystals and various herbs, such as sage, copal, many others and how to use them to raise our vibration to enjoy a freer and happier existence.
February 6, 2018
Such an amazing book. It kills everything I initially thought about exorcisms, how they worked, performed and even helps the reader to have a base if interested in doing them if they are able to read between the lines.
Sister of Darkness is filled with a lot of stories and examples that make it easier to have a better understanding of what the authors explains and tells, making it even a more dynamic experience in all of its pages.
Totally waiting for a new book by Stavis!
Sister of Darkness is filled with a lot of stories and examples that make it easier to have a better understanding of what the authors explains and tells, making it even a more dynamic experience in all of its pages.
Totally waiting for a new book by Stavis!
October 26, 2023
I had high hopes for this book, as the author appeared on an episode of a podcast that I routinely listen to. Some of the information that was in the book was pretty entertaining and interesting, but I quickly started to get annoyed by the writing style.
The author came across as incredibly vain. Multiple times throughout the book, she made sure to tell you that she has a 100% success rate, 100% of the time. I do not know how many of you are aware, but you should always be suspicious of someone who claims this. There is no such thing as being successful 100% of the time. And she kept saying "as a non-denominational exorcist," as though this somehow made her the ultimate authority.
She gave multiple examples of exorcisms she had done that were on celebrities, but there was a sense that she seemed to think that she was super cool or important, because she had done them. You could almost hear her saying," I know this super famous person, and I totally helped him. but I can't tell you who he is, but just know that you would absolutely know who he is, if I chose to tell you. Aren't you super impressed by the people I know?" After a while, it felt like it was more important to her to make sure you knew that she knew all of these famous people, rather than that she was supposedly helping people.
There was even one whole chapter dedicated about how she knows that there is an entity in the Cecil Hotel, and she really wants to do something about it. She is sure that she knows how she is going to take care of it, because she knows what will make it angry. According to her, it is the reason the Original Night Stalker did what he did, and it's the reason why Elisa Lamb died (because it was actively tormenting her ... but the facts that have come out about Elisa Lamb's death make it clear that she hadn't taken her meds, she was hallucinating, and the water tower's lid was not closed when she was found) I don't see why this chapter was put into the book, or at least, why her desire to do something about what might be inside the hotel was presented in the way that it was.
And I know I should not be annoyed by it, but I was aggravated by the fact that she said that the Mayan calendar 12.12.12, and it predicted the end of the world. Uhh, no, on both counts. It ended on 12.21.12, and at no point did this calendar the end of the world. That was simply the date that the calendar ended. It's like saying that Gregorian monks predicted the end of the world, because their calandar ended on December 31. It's complete rubbish.
The author came across as incredibly vain. Multiple times throughout the book, she made sure to tell you that she has a 100% success rate, 100% of the time. I do not know how many of you are aware, but you should always be suspicious of someone who claims this. There is no such thing as being successful 100% of the time. And she kept saying "as a non-denominational exorcist," as though this somehow made her the ultimate authority.
She gave multiple examples of exorcisms she had done that were on celebrities, but there was a sense that she seemed to think that she was super cool or important, because she had done them. You could almost hear her saying," I know this super famous person, and I totally helped him. but I can't tell you who he is, but just know that you would absolutely know who he is, if I chose to tell you. Aren't you super impressed by the people I know?" After a while, it felt like it was more important to her to make sure you knew that she knew all of these famous people, rather than that she was supposedly helping people.
There was even one whole chapter dedicated about how she knows that there is an entity in the Cecil Hotel, and she really wants to do something about it. She is sure that she knows how she is going to take care of it, because she knows what will make it angry. According to her, it is the reason the Original Night Stalker did what he did, and it's the reason why Elisa Lamb died (because it was actively tormenting her ... but the facts that have come out about Elisa Lamb's death make it clear that she hadn't taken her meds, she was hallucinating, and the water tower's lid was not closed when she was found) I don't see why this chapter was put into the book, or at least, why her desire to do something about what might be inside the hotel was presented in the way that it was.
And I know I should not be annoyed by it, but I was aggravated by the fact that she said that the Mayan calendar 12.12.12, and it predicted the end of the world. Uhh, no, on both counts. It ended on 12.21.12, and at no point did this calendar the end of the world. That was simply the date that the calendar ended. It's like saying that Gregorian monks predicted the end of the world, because their calandar ended on December 31. It's complete rubbish.
April 20, 2022
This book was very interesting, and I was really glad to read from a non-Catholic Exorcist's point of view on this subject. I really agree with and appreciate her perspective on the different kinds of spirits that inhabit our world and I feel that your opinion on this book will really come down to whether or not you believe the author regarding her abilities and perspectives. I have been fascinated by the concept of exorcising demons since I was a child and most of the books I have read about demons or demonic entities have been strictly from a Christian (predominantly Catholic) perspective, so I felt like this book was refreshing for sure.
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