Local Legends: The Mothman: Harbinger of Doom

 Myths and legends touch upon the unknown, intriguing us of what is beyond the things we can see.  Many cultures have legends or folklore that shows who they are, their beliefs and values..  Other myths and legend evolve from stories, true events, dreams, revelations and any combination of those things. Anywhere you go, you will be sure to learn of a legend centered in that area.  For West Virginia, the legend of the Mothman is such a tale that accompanies the area.  The tale of the Mothman is such an interesting story, that there was a movie produced in 2002 staring Richard Gere: The Mothman Prophecies which presents the tale and raises questions of what is the Mothman?

The Mothman legend started in November 1966 in the town of Point Pleasant, when a couple of gravediggers claimed to have seen a massive brown humanlike creature moving rapidly from tree to tree.  With that sighting, the legend begins.

Three days after the initial sighting, two couples report another sighting where they describe seeing a grey-winged beast standing 6-7 ft tall in front of their vehicle.  It had bright red glowing eyes, with a 10 ft wingspan.  It is possible the creature is sensitive to light as it seemed to have avoided the headlights of the car.  The couples tried out run the beast, but it had a flight speed of an estimated 100 mph, but was much slower when it ran.  

Several days later comes yet another sighting.  This time a man heard strange sounds outside while strange patterns appeared on his television.  When he looked outside with a flashlight, he seen what appeared to be 2 red eyes reflected back at him.  Oddly enough his dog went missing around this same time, which people have attributed to the Mothman.  One of the last recorded sightings is that of a young woman walking into her house with her baby when she observed the creature emerging from the shadows.  She ran inside only to have the creature peer in through the windows from the porch.  Then he suddenly disappeared.

In December 1967 after some of the last sightings, tragedy struck in the form of a bridge collapsing.   Forty Six people died from the incident, from either drowning in the river or being crushed among the wreckage.  There have been reports of the Mothman being seen just before the incident.  This has caused the theory that the Mothman is a harbinger of doom.  There is no census, however, on whether or not Mothman is trying to warn humans of impending doom or if he is the cause of the doom.  All together in West Virginia there have been over 100 reports sightings of the Mothman.   

Even though Mothman remains a West Vrignia myth, there have been other incidents of Mothman sightings outside of the West Virginia area.  Just before the disaster of Chernobyl, there are reports of Mothman sightings, even as recent as within the past couple years when a pilot in Chicago reported seeing the creature in August of 2019.  The pilot recounts riding on a shuttle to the terminal and seeing a large humanoid with wings sitting on a railing. Watching him with red eyes.  The creature kept his wings open, slowly moving them as it watched the shuttle. His account others can be read an the article by Tobas & Emily Wayland on the Singular Fortean website (link at the end of the post).

While it is unknown of what Mothman could be there are some theories that he is an alien stuck on earth, some sort of mutated bird, or even a vengeful curse.  Regardless of what the Mothman is or what he represents he is a legend that is revelant today as people continue to report sightings of the creature whether in West Virignia or not.

He has garnered enough intrigued that the town of Point Pleasant hosts an annual Mothman festival generally held in September.  For information on the festival visit the Mothman festival homepage. Not only has the Mothman been brought to life on the screen, there are several books about him as well you can check out:

The Mothman Prophecies by John Keel

Mothman: The Facts behind the Legend: by Jeff Wamsley

Beyond the Prophecies of Mothman by Andrew Colvin

Monsters of West Virginia by Rosemary Ellen Guiley

Other Articles of Note:

Second Pilot Reports Sighting of "Mothman" at Chicago's O'Hare

The Terrifying tale of West Virginia's Spectre: The Mothman

  

The Book of Speculation

Title:  The Book of Speculation
Author: Erika Swyler
Genre: Mystery, Family History
Source: Library Ebook
Rating: 4 out of 5 paws

Simon is a library with a love and appreciation for books. His parents have both passed on, his sister is off traveling the land in a circus, his home is slowly crumbling into the ocean, and he just lost his job due to budget cuts.  Out of nowhere Simon receives a book in the mail from a book seller.  The man who sent it to him, believed it would be of interest to his family history.  The book is a circus diary of sorts, a book written by the circus owner chronicling important events and dates.  Simon begins to notice a pattern.  On the same date, women who perform as mermaids or swimmers die, by drowning.  The same way his mother died, and all the women seem to be tied to his family.  He begins to worry about the safety of his sister as she comes to visit and the date slowly draws closer.  But the more Simon reads, the more he discovers about not only his family's past but also that of his neighbor.  Can Simon stop fate before it's too late?

I have sort of been drawn into circus books or books that relate to a circus, so when I saw this book at the library (or rather on the library list), I decided to give it a shot.  I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked it, but also a little disappointed that more was not done with a certain aspect of the book.  But don't let me get ahead of myself.  The book overall was an interesting one to read.  I liked all the characters.  They each had their own interesting quirk and element to add to the story.  They all helped drive the story forward even if it is in a small way such as that of the book seller.

Simon, I found Simon to be an interesting character in that he got so wrapped up in the family history he didn't see anything else around him.  He began to alienate and hurt the people around them despite him thinking he was helping or protecting them.  He was a warm, lovable character but had so many faults to him, but that is what made me love him even more.  I loved how protective he got when Enola comes with a boyfriend, one covered in tentacle tattoos and can apparently create electricity. Throughout the book, the readers see many different sides to Simon that makes him a well rounded likable character.  Honestly I wanted more of Enola and her boyfriend in the book (I forget his name right now).  They floated around in the background and every so often would pop back up almost like a "hey remember me" kind of thing.  I wanted more of Enola's tarot reading skills and them correlating with the book aside from her tearing some out or hiding them when Simon came into the room.  Maybe a scene without Simon, where Enola is reading the cards and mutters "it's happening again" or something like that.  Something to tie her into the story a little more.

 enjoyed how the book went between the two story-lines but did it in a way that it was easy to follow.  The reader found out more information as Simon found it out, so it was exciting to read.  It left me excited to find out what would happen next and what happened to the circus characters as well as how they all related to Simon. I loved the incorporation of people drawn to water and knowing various techniques to holding their breath underwater for long periods of time.  As a kid I remember trying to see how long I could do that, and had contests with my brother.  How I longed to be a mermaid or Skelkie.  I got really excited when the legend of skelkies were alluded to, I was hoping this would be played up more, but it wasn't.  They are one of my favorite creatures of lore.

There is a lot of descriptions in this book that some may feel takes away from the story, but at times it adds to the story.  I say this because it helps build the picture.  It helps create the world that the author intends the reader to see.  She wants us to see her vision and goes the extra mile to do so.  The pacing is a little slow in the beginning but it does pick up after a while.  There were some things that were never really explained such as how Amos was able to appear like he disappeared (made me think of that part in Avengers Infinity War when Drax thinks he's moving so slow he's invisible).  Or why the women of the family mysteriously drowned when they could hold their breaths or were strong swimmers.  While I did enjoy reading the book and was surprised at how much I enjoyed it, being left with a lot of unanswered questions left me feeling unsatisfied.

Patchwork

The night of prom, Renata and her friends pull the greatest of practical jokes, but the moment is lost on Renata as she reflects on rejecting her boyfriend's proposal.  After watching him throw the ring into the river, she jumps in after it.  Moments before the rive boat the student body is aboard explodes.  Renata wakes up in a patchwork world of memories taken back a few months prior, where REnata thinks she can stop this murder, only to have it happen again at a different time.  She quickly realizes someone is after her and her friends, but she cannot figure out why.  This patchwork world holds clues to help her figure out how to make the madness end,  but will she figure it out quick enough to save the people she loves?

** I received a copy of this book from Netgally in exchange for an honest review**




I was excited about this book when I read the summary, it sounded very interesting because not many authors play with the idea of a phoenix.  But I have to say I struggled to get into this novel and I am not 100% sure of why.  The writing was good, the idea was good.  I think it was more so the character of Renata.  In the beginning she comes off as not a horrible person but one that was hard to like and hard to feel compassion for even though her friends kept dying over and over again.  I would have liked to have her learn something more in the patchwork world in the beginning rather than that she was reliving memories and going back to stop someone from killing her friends and possibly her.


It takes a long time to build up and formulate into a story until it gets further into the plot, then it does pick up, so readers need to be able to get through. 


It was a decent enough read to be able to read it on a wonderful Saturday afternoon in the park or alongside the pool, but I am not sure if it would be one that has me coming back to reading it again and again.  Although other readers might.  This would be a good book for young adult readers and some adult readers as well.  There is a lot that happens in the novel with murder, betrayal, heartbreak, love and romance to magical forces.  I did like the idea of going back in time and being able to change things, or try to change things, but for Renata she remembers everything from the point at prom and no one else does which does make it interesting to see her interact with people differently and see people differently second or third times around.


Overall as stated it's an alright book, it was entertaining and interesting, it just didn't tickle my fancy in the end.  I would recommend it to other readers and hope others do find it enjoying.  As for a rating I would give it a 3 out of 5.

The Magic Queen

Baba Yaga has a reputation as a baby eating, ruthless badass witch.  Finding love has never been on her list of things to do with her life.  She was content with the way things were.  Until Calypso and Aphtodite decided to play a little matchmaking game.  Now Baba is psir with Freyr a god of sex and lust as they battle five other "couples".  The goal?  To fall in love and proclaim their love for one another before the deadline or they will be punished.  Will Freyr break through her tough exterior or will Baba be too stubborn to admit that to love doesn't mean weakness.

I got interested in this book based on the fact that it involved Baba Yaga.  For those unfamiliar, Bsba Yaga is a figure in Russian/Slovak folklore as a witch with iron teeth.  Many stories have her as having two sisters also named Baba Yaga, others have her having three forms.  It is said that she hold power over the elements and is the goddess of wisdom and death even though she isn't a goddess.  I find her to be a fascinating character and was happy to see her used in a story.  This story uses her in the form of having three forms to which Aphrodite and Calypso requests she be in maiden form for the "games."  We do see the crone form at another point in the story, but not the mother, which part of me wishes we had.  It would have added a different dimension to the story.

I enjoyed the romantic build up of their relationship even if it was far from romantic, but their banter back and forth was adorable.   There was a scene where Freyr was a frog in her bodice that made me laugh of loud.  The beginning of the stort takes a while to build up and really take off.  I almost wanted a little more of the battles, especially with the Pied Piper, but I understand why there wasn't more.  The dialog was well done, as I said the banter between them was funny and when theygot serious it was believable.

I  enjoyed the general concept of the story and the idea that love isn't a weakness, or allowing oneself to be vulnerable in order to allow love to enter into our lives.  I loved seeing her becoming soft and growing love in the beginning with Phlegm, and agreeing to the challenge that Freyr poses to her after their first battle.  There seems to be a lot happening in the story, but it all works well together and doing feel forced or unnatural.  When you read this book you not only get a story, but you get transplanted into different worlds as each battle takes place and have a front row seat to the love forming between Baba Yaga and Freyr.

Would I recommend this book?  Yes, I think anyone who enjoys fantasy, romance, and folklore would enjoy this book.  It was something different and unique to some of the other books I have read recently.  I give this a 4 out of 5 and hope others enjoy it as well.

 

 

Banshee's Embrace

Jacqueline is confused at what is happening to her after a strange attack.  She should have died, but her husband sacrificed his life for hers.    Strangely, since then she is drawn to death, moreover she can see when it is coming for someone.  Even stranger is the urge to sing for those who are dying.  All of this happening to her becomes disturbing and affects her emotions.  Jacqueline meets Toby who has been charged with keeping an eye on her, as he knows the truth about her banshee origins, and how rare half-banshees are.  While they are rare, if in the wrong hand she can be a very powerful weapon, and Toby must work to help keep her safe from those who want to use her.  Jacqueline finds herself falling in love with Toby when she is kidnapped by another wizard and she must use her powers to save herself and the man she loves.

I was really excited about this book because it is something different from the typical, ghosts, vampire, werewolf, demon, angel stories we have been seeing all too often.  The idea of the main character being a banshee had a lot of potential for me and I had very high expectations for something unique.  That being said the book was very well written and entertaining, but it didn’t hit the mark for me.  The beginning was rather confusing and seemed to stumble a bit as it gives readers a back story of Jacqueline.  But once you get about 25% through, the story really picks up and begins to fly.

The book is paranormal romance, I would have personally enjoyed it without the romance aspect to it. I know sometimes it adds depth to the characters and gives them something more than her being a banshee and him a wizard trying to save her, but sometimes it also takes away from the story.  It almost feels like it began to take away from the story.  The romance didn’t help build a connection to the readers, nor did it seem to be natural.  The book unfortunately does not stand out as all that fantastic to me, yes it is a good read and a great way to spend an afternoon.  But there isn’t much that is making me excited to read the next book or hold on to the characters the way I do with another book.

Would I recommend this novel, sure. I think there are people who would greatly appreciate the story and get enjoyment out of it.  As for a rating, I would give this a 3 out of 5 star rating for the reason that it’s didn’t grasp me and hold on, and I have forgotten most it shortly after reading it.

Shadow magic (audiobook)

Connor was just a normal teenage boy with a father who taught ancient languages.  His world completely changes with a visit from his aunt, who happens to want to kill him.  He is transplanted into another world, Tir Na Nog,  where there is a prophecy of the son of the handed king.  There he meets another family member, his uncle, as well as his mother.  After a quick battle he is separated from his parents and he teams up with 3 other companions to find his way across Tir Na Nog to find his parents.  Everyone within the realm wants to kill him and Connor must work with his companions to find their way to their destination.  Along the way Connor discovers things about his friends as well as himself and grows stronger in the process.  Will Connor succeed in his quest and make it safely to his family?

I listened to this book as an audio book via LibriVox, and it is read by John Henahan himself.  I am not sure how I feel about audiobooks.  I tried it to see if I would enjoy them while I am at work or driving.   I found I had a hard time paying attention to the story because it quickly became background sound to the other things that I was focusing on, so I ended up listening to it when I wasn't doing something.  I enjoyed this book a great deal when I was able to finally focus on it.  The author read it while slight inflections in his voice when different characters were speaking.  That was a hard things to work through, knowing when someone was speaking and who.  When I read the dialog it is easier to understand when dialogue belongs to different people.

The story was very interesting and humorous, children in the age range (it says 7-10 but I would say 8-15) would greatly enjoy this story and get lost within.  I enjoyed the use of different Celtic folklores like imps and leprechauns.  There is a lot of action throughout the book, enough to keep readers (or listeners) interested and eager to find out what happens next.  The narration reads (flows) much like a teenager is speaking/writing which adds to the effect that the main character is in fact a teenager.  He acted and spoke the way a teen would rather than someone older than they were supposed to be.  Some of the descriptions were hilarious such as when he describes himself dismounting as resembling a giraffe on an escalator.  It was refreshing to "read" a book that had battle scenes and the sense of war, but didn't have a lot of blood or gore.  It focused more on respecting the people, plants and animals of the land, such as asking a tree for permission before picking an apple or asking a boar if it was alright to kill it.

I would recommend this book to young reads and older readers as well, it is refreshing to read something youthful and airy for a change.  I anticipate reading the other books in this trilogy, I may also listen to it on audiobook if it is available.  I give this audiobook a 4 out of 5 rating, and think I will give audiobooks another change, but I am not sure if they are for me.  We shall see...

Happy reading!

Vicious Deep by Zoraida Cordova

I was able to receive this book through Reader's Legacy which is an awesome book reader community and place to buy books.  I discovered it accidently one day and love it.  So Vicious Deep is a story about Tristan, a high school student who serves as a life guard for the beach at Coney Island.  When a freak storm sweeps Tristan away, he is discovered alive 3 days later, a completely different person.  He begins have weird nightmares and noticing his senses have gotten stronger.  Then suddenly he grows a new appendage...a tail.  In  a short time he learns his mom was a mermaid princess and the Sea King wants Tristan as his next heir.  But Tristan needs to compete with other members of the royal court in order to find the scattered pieces of the king's Trident.  But the other champions are not the only people hunting Tristan and his friends.  Will Tristan be able to accept his fate as a merman and find the pieces he needs to become king?

I am happy to see a YA fantasy novel focusing on a male lead, lately most of my leads have been strong females.  Not only do we have a male lead in this tale, but also a merman rather than a mermaid.  It begins with Tristan coming off as a douchebag, male slut type of character kissing random girls at parties and breaking hearts.  But as the story progresses he becomes a strong character with his interests and concerns shifting to accepting his new heritage and what decisions he needs to make.  Will he accept being the new king or will he sacrifice his tale to be with the girl he loves?  Only we don't find out the answer, we have to read the next book(s) in the series to find out, and I for one cannot wait to get my hands on the next book in this series.

 Cordova does an excellent job at presenting readers with a tale that is both entralling and unique.  While the idea of mermaids is not new, most stories focus on women, not mermen.  This story adds a new twist to a treasured legend and makes it possible to believe in these creatures again.  I love the addition of mythology with Poseidon, and how the race has dwindled throughout the ages.  I also enjoyed the element that the merfolk have magical powers unique to each one rather than focusing on the lore of mermaid leading humans to their deaths.    I was completely captivated with this story and read it within the night, I refused to go to bed until I finished the story, and  I may have grumbled when I got to the end because I didn't want it to end.

Congratulations to Cordova for a wonderful story and meeting a need in the fantasy/folklore genre.  I anticipate reading more novels in the series as well as any other written.  I would give this a 4 out of 5 simply because there were moments that seemed like they did not fit in with the story, but there are so many other elements that kept me on the edge of my seat.

Old Farmer's Road By Isaiyan Morrison

I have to say that Old Farmer's Road is one of those books that is chilling and suspenseful.  Old Farmer's Road has been the center of several mysterious deaths for centuries. No one knows of the true horrors that reside in that swampy area except for two teenagers: Isaac and Elsie. They quickly befriend Cecilia shortly after she moves from California to Minneapolis. The conduct a ritual that turns Cecilia into the same rare creature they are, an Impa. Each day Cecilia is plagued with a voice asking for "just one more," and a hunger that can only be quenched by the flesh and essence of humans. Soon the voice and the hunger become more than she can bear, and Cecilia tries to find another way to save herself as well as the unwilling victims of Isaac and Elsie. Meanwhile Jan and Derek are investigating the murders since Derek brother became one of the victims. Little do they know the truth that is lurking in the swamp. There is some truth to the old legends revolving around Old Farmer's Road, but is there a way to eliminate an ancient evil with a grudge against the town?

 This book was probably one of the best books I have read so far this year.  There is so much in it that makes it a great novel to read, one that I couldn't put down.  I would lay awake reading telling myself "one more page, just one more.  Just to the end of the chapter" then it would be 3 in the morning and I would growl at myself.  When I did put it down, I couldn't stop thinking about it.  There were points in this book that were down right terrifying as Morrison describes the Impa and their feeding habits. I thought the folklore around the Old Farmer's Road was interesting and a great use of how small towns hold on to things.  I enjoyed that Morrison used a different legendary creature that we don't see too often in literature.  Instead of relying on the vampire lore, Morrison created something even more terrifying.

Morrison's writing simply radiates off the page as the characters develop and become something new right before our eyes.  Readers quickly get dragged into the story and it clings to them until the bitter end, although I hope there will be more books from Morrison.  I give this book a 5 out of 5 because it is completely unique and well written.

See my other review of this book at Onlinebookclub.org as well as countless other reviews of phenomenal books.