Mary Ann WinkowskiRezensionen

Nothing personal Ms. Winkowski but as much as I love ghost stories and the idea of them...I really don't care to have afternoon tea with one...and I probably would question the sanity of someone that reported that they have tea with their very own personal ghost on a daily basis. As Stephen King once wrote.."sometimes dead is better". The book is interesting and highly entertaining rather you believe in ghosts or not...Ms. Winkowski obviously does and so do the people that ask for her advise. The thing that has always bothered me about the people that actively invite them to come into their lives...the ghost hunters...the mediums and so forth...is that they are really dealing with an huge unknown quality and it's odd that no supposed haunting is really ever the same. If this is possible...and I say a big "IF"...it seems that what you have encouraged may not be your sweet old aunt...your loving child...or anything you would would really want to entertain and may not be able to send back.½

very good

Sorry but this seems like fiction. After seeing her other books, she is known for writing fiction books about hauntings.

From the description I expected this to be a ghost story. Instead it's a story with ghosts in it, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.

The story was okay, although some of the characters could have been developed a bit better. Although the story in itself is good I think it isn't worked out to it's full potential. There is so much happening in the main character's life (that hasn't got anything to do with the story) that the main plot gets snowed under. The ending also feels hastened.

Despite this it was an enjoyable read. It should have been a quick book for me to read but somehow it took me longer to finish this book than most books this length. I think it was because I simply didn't really care for the characters and what happened to them.

I kept going back and forth with this one. Whenever it dealt with the ghost's stories I kept going briskly along, but as soon as it got back to the character's crush on her kid's father I felt it lost momentum. I did find myself loathing the villain with a hatred I only reserve for those who cut up books. Horrible! Terrible! You disrespect an 11th century illuminated manuscript, you feel my wrath!

The Ice Cradle is the second in the Ghost Files series by authors Mary Ann Winkowski and Maureen Foley; the first being The Book of Illumination. Anza O'Malley and her son Henry return in this novel, when Anza accepts a bookbinding commission on a small island community, Block Island.

One of the elements I really like about this series is the main character's occupation of bookbinder. Weaved throughout the story are references to bookbinding techniques and materials that are irresistible to book-lovers and bibliophiles.

Anza has been hired to preserve, bind and exhibit the letters, reports, photographs and artefacts surrounding the sinking in 1907 of the passenger steamship Larchmont just off the coast of Block Island. Of the 200 passengers, only 19 survived and those with an interest in preserving history will enjoy these elements of the story.

When Anza arrives, she walks into an island divided over wind turbines. She learns that half of the island's residents are in favour of the construction, the other half against, and an ghost informs her that they plan to build the turbines right where the wreckage of the Larchmont lies on the seabed!

All this is happening at the same time her young son sees his first ghost, and Anza is trying to find reasons local fisherman doesn't stack up to Henry's Dad.

This is a fabulous read, and I thoroughly enjoyed it, although you will need to be open to paranormal themes to enjoy this one. The Ice Cradle is terrific as a second installation in the series but also works as a stand alone novel. Light and easy, with a feel good ending, most readers will enjoy this one. I look forward to the next in the series!½

I'm the type of person who really wishes he could believe in ghosts, but doesn't. I have loved a good ghost story, having heard my first half a century ago while sitting in my dad's lap. I am forever reading books or watching shows about haunting. Some are good. Others are .....well, not.

After the first couple chapters, I was inclined to think that The Ice Cradle would be one of the latter. Author Mary Ann Winkowski, a paranormal investigator and consultant on Ghost Whisperer, portrays ghosts as beings very similar to living humans, only not as dense. Someone with enough 'talent', such as protagonist Anza O'Malley, can see ghosts, chat with ghosts, take walks with ghosts, play with ghosts or even have tea with ghosts (okay, maybe not drink tea). While this may go well with the image of ghosts seen on Ghost Whisperer, it doesn't exactly fit my idea of what haunting are all about.

That said, it was a fairly short book so I plowed on to the finish and found that I did enjoy it. As it turns out, the ghosts, most of whom were victims of an actual maritime disaster that occurred in 1907 off Block Island, weren't key players the story. The main plot centers on an ongoing debate amongst islanders about whether or not to put up several wind turbines offshore and an apparent case of arson aimed at the measure's leading supporter.

It is definitely not the most challenging mystery I have read this year, nor is it a story that taxes the old gray cells. Thinkl of it as the literary equivalent of most network programming in TV these days. It is also not very scary so there is no reason that young readers can't enjoy it.

The bottom line is that if you are looking for mindless entertainment, you may well enjoy The Ice Cradle.

*Quotations and scene descriptions are cited from an advanced reading copy and may not be the same as appears in the final published edition. The review copy of this book was obtained from the publisher via the Amazon Vine Program.

As I collect ghost stories/hauntings books, I had to have this one. The idea of those "beyond the veil" still trying to pass on cooking advice tickled me a bit.

I find I like the stories a bit better than the recipes, which are presented with the flavor of a church ladies cookbook (a friend recognized a few of them as coming off the packages of some of the ingredients!) But, then, who doesn't like to take credit for a favorite recipe, rather than saying "oh, I just follow the instructions on the NoneSuch box!" I guess I was looking for a bit more..... something. I agree with the review that described the stories as a bit "mediocre." But it's still a fun book, I thought.½

Beyond Delicious: The Ghost Whistperer’s Cookbook (More than 100 recipes from the dearly departed) by Mary Ann Winkowski and David Powers. Cincinati, OH: Clerisy Press, 2011. ISBN 978-1-57860-499-9 (pbk.), $17.95 U.S.

I’m not sure what I expected; perhaps a book of stories having to do with the television series, The Ghost Whisperer – which I must admit I’ve never watched, only seen the advertisements. However, the book is a collection of stories, 2-3 pages each with a recipe, of "clearings" the author has done where she received a recipe from a departing "earthbound spirit."

The stories that go along with each recipe become repetitive and the writing is mediocre, using the same phrasing and sentences over and over. I wasn’t particularly impressed with many of the recipes, and some were, to me, quite odd.

For example, the recipe on page 273 for stuffing calls for “6 heaping tablespoons of breadcrumbs” – even with the volume of other ingredients, which only totals ¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon – that’s a pretty small amount of stuffing!

Then there’s the ingredient “potato water” in the nut roll recipe on page 6, with no explanation for the unknowing as to how to get “potato water.”

The recipe on page 217 for shortbread crust calls for “1 10-cent package Nabisco shortbread cookies.” Those cookies may have been ten cents in the time of the ghost, but the writer gives no equivalent for today’s shopper.

The bottom line, I suppose, is that I do not believe the premise of the book, and so I must read it as fiction. And as fiction, it is a poor read.

This was truly a fun read. I was excited to receive this book because it combined two of my favorite things - paranormal stories and cooking. The short stories were great and though I haven't tried all the recipes yet - I am working my way through and everything so far has been delicious.

The subject heading listed on the back of this book is Occult/Cooking which seems like a hilarious juxtaposition, but this book is, in fact, both. It is a collection of recipes given to the author by ghosts. So each recipe has a story of how the author met with a spirit who gave her the recipe. What is funny is how many spirits can't rest until they've given away their favorite recipe! Which is pretty much the theme of each story. I requested this book for the recipes and was disappointed on that account as they don't seem that good...they are mostly the kind of short recipes you would find in community cookbooks, which I guess makes sense, since they are from a "community" of sorts!

How often have you ever yearned for Grandma Sue's lost recipe for meatloaf or Aunt Julie's misplaced recipe for sugar cookies? Perhaps your dearly departed loved one bequeathed her recipes to your sister, but the copies she gave you were "changed" and just didn't turn out right. For those of us who have ever searched in vain for a lost recipe, this book is for you.

Just in time for Halloween, Mary Ann Winkowski, the ghost whisperer herself, brings us "Beyond Delicious," a book that is a collection of both recipes and ghost stories. Mary Ann is frequently called in to deal with troublesome earthbound spirits, and interestingly enough these ghosts sometimes share recipes before crossing over. This is a collection of just such recipes and the ghost stories related to each.

The Bottom Line: "Beyond Deliciou" is an interesting collection of ghost stories and recipes. It is both informative and fun to read. Not only did I find several fun recipes to try, but I learned about earthbound spirits as well. The recipes themselves are unique including several ethnic dishes and older recipes. Many of the recipes require some previous cooking or baking knowledge as directions received from spirits can be a bit vague. Also, there were several typos here and there. Overall, this is a unique book that will entice both cooks and readers interested in stories from the beyond.½

This is a fun book of ghost stories and recipes, although I'm not sure I would ever want to eat a few of them. I did go through a period in the middle of reading the book where I thought the idea that all these ghosts were stuck in some in between place because they were so angry the ones they left behind weren't cooking their food correctly (and other angry reasons but the bad cooking was a definite theme) and I worried that the author was out charging grieving people for this ghost interpretation service, then I decided I was taking it way too seriously and just read it like a novel. It's better as a novel.

This book is about the recipes that Mary Ann Winkowski (TV show The Ghost Whisperer's inspiration) has been given over the years from spirits that she has been called upon to help. Some look delicious and some....well. I was surprised that food would have such meaning to the grieving but then I thought of my grandma and her turkey stuffing and how much I have missed both of them.

I am excited to try some of these recipes

What a fun book! I love ghost stories and cookbooks(not cooking just cookbooks!) There is a story for every recipe in the book and a lot of these ghosts stayed behind just to get their recipe to the right person! Some of the ghosts went into the white light after Mary Ann got a recipe from them and she promised to share it so they would be remembered. She said many times that ghosts are just like the people they were-if they were a cranky person they are a cranky ghost. I still hope I never run in to one!

The stories in this book are really interesting, the recipes...not so much. Most of them sound... severely unappetizing. I also find it odd/interesting/amusing that so many ghosts have food related reasons for sticking around. I always thought I loved food, but, well, not quite to that extent. I'd never read anything by Winkowski before, so I wasn't aware of her particular view of ghosts, so I found some of her methods/ideas hard to grasp immediately since she did not feel the need to explain them. I love any sort of "true" stories of the paranormal, so I might actually have an overly generous attitude toward this book. That being said, I doubt anyone who didn't ahre my opinion would pick up this book. Take that how you will.

I requested this book simple because of how absurd it sounded. However, its a fun and fast 'read' if you look at the stories and some of the recipes actually sound pretty good.

Another book that I am very pleased to have received from LibraryThing (http://www.librarything.com/). I had a lot of fun reading each recipe and the ghost story accompanying each. I have to admit to a fondness more for the dessert choices, like Ted's Coconut Kisses, Mitzi's Golden Pumpkin Cookies, Lemon Sour Bars, Elderberry Pie, Frying Pan Cake (sort of a pineapple upside down cake in a frying pan)

There were some intriguingly named ones: Hank's Rabbit Pie...take one cleaned rabbit...., Florence's French Pork Pie, Grandma's Cuban Chicken, Toledo Lebanese Meatballs.

There were two that I know I will never ever, no way, nuh-uh make: Grandma's Pickled Beet Soup, Secret Harvard Beets...ask my mom, she'll tell you.

The stories accompanying each recipe were sweet, funny, odd and any mixture thereof. I do hope that Mary Ann does do a travel book sometime like she thought about in the book. I'd love to read about where she goes and the sites she visits, as much as the ghosts she sees every day.

I have a new cookbook for the keeper shelf in the kitchen. I look forward to trying many of these and see what my family thinks. I know the desserts will be a hit. Brown Sugar Refrigerator Cookies or Chocolate Torte to start.....

Four spooky yummy beans....

Fans of the hit TV series Ghost Whisperer will love The Ice Cradle. Mary Ann Winkowski is a consultant for the show and also the co-author of this incredible story. Ice Cradle has it all and without doubt covers several genres including: historical, paranormal, romance, political, environmental and mystery. It is also a clean read that is suitable for a broad range of ages. This is more than a paranormal investigation story. Thematically, it appeals to a reader on several levels. The historical elements provide a background to the haunting, but also raise the debate about disrupting burial sites for the sake of progress – or in this case, developing wind energy. Should the past trump the future? How should the living honor the dead? Anza O’Malley’s gift reminds us that what is important varies person to person, and although we have good intentions, sometimes a compromise is the best we can hope to accomplish. There are no good and bad guys, but a string of events, interests and perceptions all interacting and colliding on many planes, at the same time. Ice Cradle is a complex story that reads easy and is entirely entertaining while at the same time being thought provoking. This is a difficult task to achieve, but Winkowski and Foley have done it!

This book is written by Maureen Foley and Mary Ann Winkowski (the real life inspiration behind the tv show 'The Ghost Whisperer'). I loved Mary Ann Winkowski's first book 'When Ghosts Speak' which is an autobiographical account of her life as a medium. I was so excited to hear she had teamed up with another writer to publish a novel that I had to buy it right away. I savoured the sight of it on my bookshelf until I couldn't wait any longer and I dove right in.

The novel has so many cool elements: a character who can see and communicate with ghosts, two characters who are bookbinders by trade, ancient manuscripts, medieval monks, a rich family with a massive mansion and a butler, and a crime that needs solving.

I had such high expectations for the book that I couldn't help but be a little disappointed at the end result. I definitely believe too much time was spent on the main character's son and family arrangements (boring and not key to the plot) and I definitely wanted to read more about her ability to communicate with ghosts and how she decided to use this gift in her every day life.

In my opinion, the plot line was too complicated for these authors to successfully tackle in their first novel together, and the book would have worked better if they'd kept it simple instead of aiming so high.

Will I read any of their work in the future? Of course I will! Mary Ann Winkowski is the kind of author I will follow blindly, and I hope she hones her style and gains the confidence to write novels on her own. I'm confident she can do it and I'll support her work all the way.½

I absolutely loved this book!! It is written by Mary Ann Winkowski who is the renowned paranormal investigator behind the tv show Ghost Whisperer. Winkowski can only see earthbound spirits - those that haven't crossed over into the light yet. This is different from mediums who can see spirits who have crossed over. I guess even paranormal gifts have their own categories. Her gift also includes being able to 'cross over' earthbound spirits by creating a white light and sending them into it, bringing the spirit peace.

This book is extremely well structured and very informative. With chapter headings such as: 'the truth behind ghosts' 'why some souls stay behind', 'animals' etc the book covers all aspects of earthbound spirits, from why they stay, to how to protect yourself from attracting them and how to get them to cross over. Winkowski relates particular cases to illustrate her point and she remains on topic. She even lists the most common places to find earthbound spirits, who feed off the energy of the living, and the most popular occupations for attracting earthbound spirits.

I could go on and on about this book, because I'm still thinking about it even though I finished it a few days ago, and some of the stories were very touching. Even if you're a non-believer, it would be hard not to be touched by the impact she has on people's lives and how she brings peace to so many spirits and people.

I thoroughly recommend this book.

You will notice I rated this book with four stars. I save my five stars
for books that are life changing, stunning works that have touched and enriched
my life. I can't say that about this book.

What I can say is, this is a lot of fun to read. it has a little bit of everything..
Mystery, romance, thrills.. and lots of ghosts. A seriously large population of ghosts
of all ages. I enjoyed every page.

There was no dragging through the middle of dull descriptions.. it was all fast paced
and fun. Anza O'Malley and her son head to Block Island one spring day. She is a freelance
book binder, and a single mom. She has been retained to put together information on a
tragedy that occurred in 1907, a shipwreck that killed many people. A great number of whom
remained in the area.

She and her son Henry will spend a week staying in a restored B&B that has been in the owners
family for many years. Timing is everything, don't you know! Henry was able to attend a week
long drama camp that was provided during the schools spring break, thus enabling him to be
supervised and to make friends.

Anza made friends too, corporeal and non. Most of the book takes place during a faced paced
week during a normally quiet time on the Island. You won't want to miss a page of it. This is
a book that you want to read straight through to the end, to see how things are wrapped up.
And, let me tell you, they are wrapped up beautifully.

Read this on, you won't be sorry !

I know there are a lot of people who don't believe in ghosts or any other types of paranormal phenomena, but I grew up in a very old house in which there were often strange occurences that could not be logically explained away.This book is a "must read" for any person who is interested in the supernatural or paranormal. The author is the consultant for the CBS series "Ghost Whisperer" and was the inspiration for the main character, Melinda Gordon. If you're not sure about the book, take a look at the show and then revisit the idea. Repeat episodes can be found on Comcast channel 38 (ION network), Monday thru Thursday at 6:00 and 7:00 p.m. (and 8:00 p.m. on Wednesdays)

I have always been a lover and a believer in the spiritual world.Ever since i was little and I could probably blame that on my father who pretty much taught me everything that I know. But when I was younger, growing up in my Grandmother's 1912 home there were some pretty strange things that had happened there that had never been explained. So that had a lot to with my obsession of everything paranormal.

I really enjoyed reading this book because it gives you a different view from someone who has had to live all of her life 'seeing dead people'. That is just fascinating and to have someone in her life that fostered and nurtured her 'specialty'. She tells the tales of some of her incredible encounters with ghosts and even goes as far to have chapters devoted to what to do if you think you're being haunted. What to do to prevent from bringing a ghost home with you. It's amazing and she came up with a great deal of stuff that I had read from other authors who deal with ghosts. This book was truly a fantastic read. If you love the 'based on a true story' type stuff than this is the book for you. Even if your a skeptic and I'm sure there are a lot of you out there, still why not keep your mind open to just the possibilty.

If the reader is already a believer, this book will be quite a treat. If the reader is a die hard skeptic, the book will be put down before the first fifty pages have been turned. Few who've made up their minds about ghosts and afterlife are going to be swayed to change their opinion. But that does not seem to be an objective of this book, nor perhaps should it be.

What the book affords is a long series of anecdotes, told in an amusing style, about a life extraordinary. Mary Ann has been providing a service, at first to her very local community, and then to a larger community (now extending internationally) since she was still a child.

Having been raised in a family environment that was apparently largely open to the Bigger Possibilities, she seems to have lived something of the charmed life indeed.

For those who follow the "Ghost Whisperer" television show, some of the stories in this book will be especially interesting.

While I do not necessarily approve of Mary Ann's "All Ghost Must Go!" philosophy (she has a seriously effective bag of tactical tricks she employs to encourage, cajole, or manipulate a spirit to "cross over", whether they want to or not), I certainly think her heart is in the right place. No John Edward "that's not how it works!" crap here, just some fascinating stories, told in a very matter of fact way, as your Aunt Mary might tell you over a cup of tea.

Charming.