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I have concluded that there are too many characters and it isn't because I'm not sharp enough to keep track of them. We should relate to a central couple or protagonist. Instead, we have a bunch of people converging on Wales, which we are led to believe is a dangerous country for English to enter. As if the spirits of that place might reject or kill non-Welsh who try to live there. Awfully prejudiced, isn't that?

Too many characters and I'm not someone who has trouble keeping track. I'm sharp with details but no characters are polarizing yet. We begin to feel for a teacher but she seems like an outsider. Is she Welsh, or just not from that bizarre town? I don't think I novel or story should be introduced with so much uncertainty about the basics, even if there is a lot to set. We should know someone by 100 pages.

Extremely bizarre, the point unlear, and nor can I tell who the protagonists might be. It seems Phil Rickman eventually did very well but I think this is his first novel or among them. It was a weak way to start a story: opening unrelated scenes all over the place, with no characters that we hone in on or even like, after this many pages. All I can surmise is that this supposedly off-limits Welsh town factors in.

Fair warning: this is another of the far too numerous authors, seemingly being unaware that contriving ghost-related titles, no matter how clever they imagine they are, must not be done if there is no spirit! Surprisingly, despite not liking the sarcastic heroine at first, a reversal of the gothic mystery blueprint has had me enthralled. We know from the start that she, Anita, is the ghost but her plight is crazy!

I cherish knowing we can speak with trees but the first book comprised transcripts, without seeing Michael sharing the marvels with his family. In book two, Michael included Treenie all the time and related a story. His writing is still overdone; annoying things like water is "gentle" and I hated reading of animals being killed. Overall Michael was surprisingly slow to grasp the concepts of his mystical journies.

I like to see this author, exploring a change of consciousness with the nature soul of our world, including his wife, Treenie, much more. One complaint with the first book in this duology is that he shared extraordinary moments but doesn't show us how that fit into his normal life. It would have centered things well to see him walking home from a river or forest and how his family reacts to these occurrences.

I took a break from Michael's flowerly writing, not a propos for the cause of revealing new thoughts: the united consciousness of Earth. First, his introduction was too slow; anxious about prepping readers for ideas he had trouble with. I am continuing the second book, "Journey Into Nature" and find it odd he gives it no introduction. His inner self is suddenly inside a rock, meeting famous nature spirit, "Pan".

I have looked forward to this volume in particular. I had been thinking, since the previous novel or two, that I would love to revisit Charlotte's parents. Lo and behold, I saw that the next story would! Acquainting Thomas's parents at all would be nice as well. This is an interesting story. It differs from her others. There is no bad crime, which I never want. There is a refreshingly personal, small mystery.

What a surprise, because I love Mary Downing Hahn. Unfortunately, further to overdosing on all congugations of the stupid verb, "tug", more than anyone I've ever seen (for F's sake, use "pull" and "yank"!).... I do not like this story anywhere near as much as I anticipated. It looks so enchanting and exciting, certainly haunting. But the twist is what I thought it is. Clearly, the reverse is far less mysterious.

This isn't a novel about skimming the highlights of a summer trip, leading to the thrilling exploration of a cave for the duration. The whole story is this trip, step by step, with a couple of discoveries only as sidetrips. I tightened at a memory of killing a grouse in a boy's past (those lessons in "compassionate killing") but hunting was mentioned minimally, except fishing. This boy's trip is written enjoyably!

Everyone says this is so spooky, they question it being for children and count it among "spookiest of all time" books, for its demographic. That must happen nearer the end because nothing is scary yet. One gusty attic moment that is over before the narration explains what occurred and why it ought to be scary. We are finally getting into a mystery. Until now, it was mostly about a niece sidestepping a sour uncle.

Sarah shouldn't be sullen when she very assuredly had her Mother's love and understanding. Never mind a Father favouring a Sister. She shouldn't have turned out so hollowly with one parent and champion who adored her and cared. We'll see how this unpleasant horror mystery crime goes. It is possible Amanda Stevens wrote a bleak tale well. Pitiful that Sean loves Sarah above whom he married but fled their discord.

Stories about evil or violence are not for me but having read two forensic crime mysteries by Patricia Conrwell in a row, I can handle it. However unless my second standalone Amanda Stevens mystery is a rarity in psychotic horror, I think her ghost series is the only one I like. I love it as an enthusiastic fan, actually. We'll see how this novel goes. I found it and "The Dollmaker", which I liked less, on sale.

I love Lucy rejoining the cast! Patricia needed to lay off such garish emphasis on Kay's low computer knowledge; especially since all she had to do was type what Lucy directed. Dialogue repeating "slow down" was annoying. Perhaps pretending comes off poorly from Patricia, who was a computer analyst. So much minute detail but personal things like Mark's death skimmed! I am however, enjoying this story very much.

Stop talking about coffee! Who the fuck brings a *thermos of it* somewhere in their house???? Just damn well finish a cup and get another, if you need more that badly! It isn't a day trip to some sort of desert! Also I hope Patricia figured out that she needs to stop talking about rain. Mention that it has rained occasionally but drop the painstaking detail about it dripping on you or how it looks in the window.

Now that I read the correct volume that is third, I might as well reprise the fourth! Regrettably despite finishing "All That Remains", I still feel quite a personal chunk was left out. Ought we not have been along for a scene of Kay moving house and what happened to Mark!? It is uninformatively blurted out here that he died by a fluke! I am incredulous that volume 3 didn't cover such a major circumstance either.

I guess this becomes dry because it is several brief quotations jogging all through this book instead of stories. However they are amusing and I think I enjoy them best, not whooshed through too many at a time but in little doses amid other reading, that makes me laugh. That makes a lovely dose of laughing and smiling. It has occurred to me: since publishing, I wonder if people say silly things to Jen on purpose!

Could you imagine how much fun it would be to have the "expanded Canadian and American bookshop" edition I notice in Goodreads' list? That one entertains us for 188 pages and of course would be things we would deliciously relate and titter over. Meanwhile this is grand. I am laughing along to be sure. Thank you, Jen Campbell! One shocked me: "A shame Anne Frank didn't write a sequel. She's such a good writer".

I am galloping along until I nod off and drop this novel every time. I read at night and was too upset over my absent cat to read, or chose animal subjects that depressed me. We await his homecoming anxiously but believe he is all right. After choosing the balm of fiction instead of anything heavy, I am so glad to be enjoying these, I want to zoom through a lot of pages. I try longer even after dropping the book!

I wonder where I got the idea "Cruel & Unusual" was #3. It was the only volume excepting newer releases that I needed to fill in. I found it Thursday! The many lined up in our bathroom, funny enough, couldn't budge until I had the next novel. I started it and wondered why an event seemed to jump ahead. When I cliced on it, Goodreads called it #4. I see "All That Remains" could have cleared the bathroom sooner!