Rating: 
Summary: The Bell Witch......huhhhhhh?
Review: I have read several other books about the Bell Witch haunting in Adams, Tennesee in the early 1800s. It has always been a fascinating tale for me, especially since no one alive today is really sure what exactly was there, only that something was in fact HAPPENING. I opened "All That Lives" by Melissa Sanders-Self expecting much more than I got. What a colossal piece of .... It started out being an interesting novel of the Bell Witch phenomenon told from the point of view of Betsy Bell, historically the most frequent target of the "spirit"'s abuse, and digressed into some kind of goofy, pretentious, New Agey, quasi-feminist "child molester gets divine punishment" thing. Early on, I was interested in what this author would attribute this noted phenomenon to; demons, black-magic retribution from angry neighbors, African JuJu, Native American spirits or something nobody has put forth before. 450 pages, not to mention 23 bucks, later and I'm still not sure what the hell this book was about...
Rating: 
Summary: A Dull Ending to a Good Story
Review: I loved the story of the Bell Witch. I read a lot of horror novels and the hauntings in this book were unique and kept me intrigued. I could not wait to find out why this family (especially the daughter) was being tortured. Unfortunately, my curiosity was not satisfied and I was upset that the story ended with little explanation. There are many unanswered questions like: Why were people outside of the Bell home tortured? Where exactly did this spirit come from? Did the jawbone have anything to do with the haunting? Why did she suffer painful encounters when it was stated that the spirit only had her best interest in mind? Where did the "witch creatures" come from? Did Old Kate really summon the witch? Was it really a witch? It did not possess the characteristics of a witch. It behaved more like a poltergeist or doppelganger. What was wrong with Josh? Why did the spirit not want Betsy to be with her love? The spirit revealed an unhappy Betsy in the future, but why was she unhappy and was this unexplained unhappiness worth having stones and twigs thrown at her? Why did the spirit not broadcast Jack's wrongdoings if that was the reason that he suffered the most? The story was going well until the end. Maybe a sequel would suffice to respond to the unanswered questions.
Rating: 
Summary: An engrossing spin on the story of the Bell Witch!
Review: I loved this book and couldn't put it down. Melissa Sanders-Self offers a credible and entertaining possibility of how the Bell Witch came to be and why it was so loving towards Mrs. Bell but hated and murdered Mr. Bell. This book will chill you to the bone and leave you wanting more...
Rating:
Summary: LOVED THIS BOOK
Review: I loved this book from beginning to end and I couldn't put it down. When I finished it I wanted to read it again because I didn't want to leave the beautiful countryside and the wonderful characters. I had never heard of the Bell witch, but the author created a spirit that was both evil and frightening and wise and good, and incredibly real. I found it thought provoking and completely absorbing and I loved the way it was written. I want all my friends to read it now so we can talk about the themes. I highly recommend this novel, especially if you like to think about all the things we hear we can't explain.
Rating:
Summary: LOVED THIS BOOK!
Review: I loved this book from beginning to end and I couldn't put it down. When it was over I wanted to go back and read it again because I didn't want to leave the beautiful countryside or the wonderful lively characters. I had never heard of the Bell Witch but it seems the author used imagination creating a spirit that was evil and frightening, yet also wise and good. I found the themes and the story FASCINATING and thought provoking. I want all my friends to read it so we can talk about it. I highly recommend this novel.
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting spin on a haunting
Review: I read this book in one sitting because it was so interesting. I have to admit I was drawn more to the character of the 'Bell Witch' than any of the members of the Bell family. This book is full of interesting historical details and enough fictional plot twists and dialogue to keep most readers involved in the action. Although not particularly frightening, I found it different enough to be slightly unsettling. The Bell Family is a typical rural Tennessee family that gains notoriety in their community when their house becomes haunted.
'The Spirit' attaches itself to the family's daughter, Betsy, and proceeds to destroy the physical structure of the home and the infrastructure of the family. The Spirit is particularly fond of Betsy and her mother, and not all that kind to the male members of the family or community.
My only complaint about this book is the ending. The book just ends without any real resolution or explanation of the haunting, nor any historical documentation about what really occurred. I found myself wanting more story to satisfy my curiosity.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting spin on a haunting
Review: I read this book in one sitting because it was so interesting. I have to admit I was drawn more to the character of the 'Bell Witch' than any of the members of the Bell family. This book is full of interesting historical details and enough fictional plot twists and dialogue to keep most readers involved in the action. Although not particularly frightening, I found it different enough to be slightly unsettling. The Bell Family is a typical rural Tennessee family that gains notoriety in their community when their house becomes haunted.
'The Spirit' attaches itself to the family's daughter, Betsy, and proceeds to destroy the physical structure of the home and the infrastructure of the family. The Spirit is particularly fond of Betsy and her mother, and not all that kind to the male members of the family or community.
My only complaint about this book is the ending. The book just ends without any real resolution or explanation of the haunting, nor any historical documentation about what really occurred. I found myself wanting more story to satisfy my curiosity.
Rating:
Summary: Dull & Unreadable
Review: I started this book hoping for a good ghost / witch / supernatural story. It did not happen. This story is boring; the writing is stilted. I was unable to finish the book. I really try to finish the books I start, especially after spending [$$$], but this is one I just couldn't finish. It is not scary despite the author's evident best effort to make it so. It just drones on & on...
Rating:
Summary: Engrossing Tale - Interesting twist on a well-known tale
Review: Sure the tale is a well-known one. But in this retelling much more of the interior view is brought forth. Instead of a dry retelling of the "facts" surrounding the haunting, the author attempts several interesting views of what may be happening through very well-crafted characters. This technique works perfectly. The reader has a considerable amount of latitude to imagine exactly what "caused" the haunting. An enjoyable read.
Rating: 
Summary: Narration yes, dialog no
Review: The author does a good job of re-creating early America. But be warned: in either a failed attempt at more "formal" and old-fashioned speech or the worst case of Tin Ear you've ever read, these characters are made to speak out-landish dialog. No human being in the history of the race ever spoke like these people do. Apart from that, however, it is a good story, well-told though not "scary."
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