a TeMPLe of WoRDS

Note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. No other consideration was offered, expected or received.

Ever since 6th grade, when I first read the Salem Witch Trials in school, I have had a fascination with Salem. Not just because of the witches, but because of all the history, the culture, the mystery. When this book "came across my desk," I was both happy and excited and couldn't wait until I was able to sit down and read it.

It did not disappoint. From the very beginning, I was hooked. He is very eloquent and gives lots of information on every page, includes some beautiful pictures of this historic city, and goes beyond just the lore of the witch trials and it's aftermath. I was lucky enough to visit Massachusetts not too long ago, but this book has given me a lot more places that I want to visit when I head there again.

If you find the supernatural interesting and have a love of history, this is a great book for you to sit down and read - and there are two other books in the series (Ghosts of Boston and Ghosts of Cambridge) that I plan to pick up soon.

There was just ONE thing about the book that I found annoying, though it didn't affect the flow. Some information is written several times, just in different ways, and a lot of the captions under the pictures are written verbatim from the text. I've seen other books do this with pictures and it bugs me - a picture caption is a great place to add some small bit that you have not included in the story, but if you're not going to, at least change it a bit so I'm not reading the same exact thing a second time. Small issue, but after several times it became bothersome to me.

4 1/2 stars