Gently Haunted: True Stories from the Haunted Antique Shop

If you should ever find yourself in DeLand, Florida you might want to make a stop at the Haunted Antique Shop! For those who won’t be able to make a trip anytime soon, may want to check out Corrine Kenner’s book on her haunted shop in the meantime!

The author tells the stories about the history of the town, the hauntings and supernatural events as well as some of the haunted items in the shop. As a paranormal investigator myself, I was intrigued.

The book starts out with the history and how the author came to running the shop. Originally looking for a place to rent to write, this opportunity came about at a great price for her and a unique opportunity. Surviving the covid closures, the store started to thrive once business started to open back up in Florida. The shop transitioned into part antique shop, part tarot and reading facility. Of course the shop wouldn’t be complete or ‘haunted’ without some resident ghosts! Antiques themselves hold amazing residual energies and it’s fascinating to hear about some of these unique items and their backstories.

One of the things I loved about reading the book is the shop keeper is very particular about items they bring in. They allow only items that have a positive energy and feel. I have always been hesitant about antiques in my home unless I feel that energy would be positive and blend in with our existing home vibes.

In chapter two, Kenner tells the reader about the Resident Spirits. She provides the history of the previous owners, images of the shop, and helps paint the picture of when the shop first opened in 1920.This chapter also tells of some of the shop areas, how they attempt to research the items as well as use psychic methods to gain as much insight as possible. The reader also gets to learn about Haunted Charlie, a doll that is the official guardian of the shop.

This was a fun read. Just as the title states, the book is all about the stories from the Haunted Antique Shop. I enjoyed the book and if I ever find myself in the cozy town of DeLand, I will be sure to check out the shop! In the meantime readers can enjoy reading about the shop and it’s stories until they can make a stop in person to see it for themselves.

~review by Amber Barnes

Author: Corrine Kenner
Llewellyn Publications, 2022
pp. 232, $18.99