Ghost Files by Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson

I've watched a few episodes of Ghost Hunters and have enjoyed the show, so when I saw that the library had Ghost Files: The Collected Cases From Ghost Hunting and Seeking Spirits by Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson (with Michael Jan Friedman), I had to read it.  Jason and Grant run The Atlantic Paranormal Society (T.A.P.S.), and this book showcases some of the interesting experiences they've had while investigating the paranormal.  Jason started having paranormal experiences at age 20 when he dated a woman who practiced Reiki, which deals with manipulating life-force energy.  After six months, he started seeing mists, "out of which emanated a dim light, and then out of the light came other things-including see-through animals and full-body human apparitions" (page 6).  Jason soon started the Rhode Island Paranormal Society (R.I.P.S.), and Grant contacted him about improving the R.I.P.S. website; they started talking, and Grant revealed that he had also had paranormal experiences, so they joined forces and founded T.A.P.S.  I enjoyed reading about all of the cases in this book, but these were my favorites:

-"Possessed": When the T.A.P.S. team arrived to help a child in need, "nine-year-old Emily was dragging furniture around her bedroom and swearing like a sailor" (page 46).  Her older sister admitted that she had been using a Ouija board (never a good idea), so the team called in a priest.  After the priest performed an exorcism, Jason and Grant removed the Ouija board from the house, and the demonic activity came to an end.

-"The Stanley Hotel":  This hotel was the inspiration for The Overlook Hotel in The Shining, so it should be no surprise that this place has its share of spooky happenings.  During the investigation, Jason woke up to the sound of the closet door opening, then awoke again to banging sounds in the closet, while in Grant's room, the curtains repeatedly opened by themselves.  In another room, a "table lifted up and slammed down-right along with the chair that was standing beside it" (page 260).  (I don't know about you guys, but if I had seen that, I would've peed my pants.)

If you're a fan of Ghost Hunters, you should definitely read this book, and if you've never watched the show, but you like reading about true paranormal encounters, you'll probably enjoy Ghost Files and might be inspired to start watching Ghost Hunters.

My rating: 8/10