The Witch's Door: Oddities and Tales from the Esoteric to the Extreme

by Ryan Matthew Cohn, Regina M. Cohn

In this spellbinding and entertaining memoir, Regina and Ryan Cohn, founders of Oddities Flea Market, take us on a fascinating and specially curated tour of their most macabre and mysterious objects, art, and artifacts, sharing their incredible history and stories.

Enter at your own risk …

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Memoir, Witches, Witchcraft, Art, Gothic

304 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2024

Reviews

[H. Woodward · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5. This book has so much potential. It’s going to be beautiful with photos and formatting. I love wonder cabinets and medical artifacts. However, half this book is the memoir of the writers who are collectors themselves. Now, I worked in museums before I became a teacher, and love collectors, but I wasn’t expecting quite so much personal memoir. Like many collectors, Ryan is very interested in himself. I wanted a beautiful, historical book for students to page through and learn about relentlessly wonderful history. There is some of that here. The sections on the meaning and significance of artifacts are well done. There’s just not nearly enough of it,

[MKF · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted more oddities and less autobiography.

[Monica Lynne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay overall. I wanted more on the oddities and less an autobiography of the two

[Erinn H · Rating 1 out of 5]

The Witch's Door: Oddities and Tales from the Esoteric to the Extreme is part behind-the-scenes look at the Oddities Flea Market/oddities collecting business and part memoir.

Based on the description for this book, I thought this would be more focused on the business side of the Oddities Flea Market and the objects themselves, and less of a personal memoir focused on the personalities behind the shop/television series. I think it leans pretty heavily toward being about the personal histories of the authors. I was unfamiliar with the TV show and shop, so I didn’t go in with previous interest/being part of a fandom, and so I don’t know if I was the intended audience for this, and that may be part of why it didn’t land well with me. I will say, if you are a fan of them, I do think you will find this interesting, and I thought that their sections were cohesive even though they were written by two authors.

I enjoyed some of the informational aspects of the book, specifically around the histories of certain objects or types of artifacts, how the authors authenticate pieces, finessing reluctant sellers, ethical issues in the trade, et cetera. I would have liked to see the entire book structured more heavily around core issues in collecting and selling. You will also find some interesting images. But, I will say, there were a few issues covered that I think could have been addressed with more care and consideration. Some topics were just handled in ways that felt off-putting.

I also found the writing style to be a bit simplistic. It felt like a casual conversation with a friend, especially when the authors were relaying stories and conversations they had. Overall, I think this book might have tried to be too many things at once. I feel like the authors could have made distinct works that covered the inside workings of the collecting and selling, and then also a separate memoir, and then maybe also a coffee table book with visual interest pieces. This work just felt a bit unfocused to me, and I don’t know that it delivered on what the description promised.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Chronicle Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!*

[S.M. · Rating 1 out of 5]

I loved the Oddities TV show a dozen+ years ago, but after reading this book I realize TV remains the superior format for this subject matter. I respect Ryan's art and talent but frankly neither of these people are interesting enough for an autobiography of this scope at all. Who is Regini Rossi? I didn't know but I learned from this book...and I still couldn't care less. Social media influencers are a useless psychic plague in my opinion. And though the text "laments" the issue of ballooning this sort of art being at risk of ever higher fraud and price-gouging, these two wealthy, hypocritical, egomaniacal social media darlings are the exact same people who perpetuate the problem and continue to ruin bargain-hunting for weird stuff for the rest of us.

Skimmed through most of it. Wish I'd just watched an Oddities rerun instead. Not recommended to anyone.

[Emmie · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's got a great cover and it sounds promising but I'm listening to the audiobook and their personalities just rub me the wrong way. I'm halfway through and I have a goal to reach this year so I'll finish it. Like someone else said, it's more of a bio about the authors but I don't care that she dated someone really famous that she's still close with or worked at Agent Provocateur.

[Jenn Marshall · Rating 1 out of 5]

I hate writing negative reviews. I want to start by saying I love all things dark, witchy, and strange. I thought this book was going to be like that. I wasn't aware it was from the show Oddities and I was excited when I found out. Which is why it is so hard to write this negative review. I had to DNF it at about 100 pages. It was just so frustrating. The book starts by talking about the things they collected and while I understand that just because I see the sacredness of items doesn't mean others do. This book just felt so icky. The way they discuss the items felt so disrespectful. While talking about Kapala's there are pictures of the two of them making out in a photo booth and they talk about how they found it at a flea market like it was an old vase. But what really caused me to abandon the book was the completely disrespectful way they talked about the time they accidentally sold a stolen shrunken head. I was so disappointed. Sacred items should not be a centerpiece to show how edgy you are.

1 star

[Lu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this unique book!
A wonderful exploration of the world of Oddities and the story that aligns with each one. Each chapter of the book is filled with gripping stories of the lore and world of Oddities.
This story drips with passion and hard work for the love of creating and replicating Oddities. This book should be sold at the Oddities Expos around the world! It literally starts from the bottom, and only goes up from there! I especially liked hearing about the Proposal in the Catacombs (lol). Ryan explains the history and cultural significance behind prominent pieces as well as processing and care for the craft of collecting, preparing, and creating art that can come from all kinds of oddities. This book debunks myths about oddities as well as how to spot fakes, in some cases.
“You never know what you’ll find—even in your own collection”

[Harmony Soto · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not quite sure how to describe this book other than to say that it is just so freakin' cool. I've always had a soft spot for oddities and curiosities and those who collect them -- this book is such a neat look into this very interesting niche world.

[Ashley (Red-Haired Ash Reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book introduces you to the world of oddities that has been curated by Regina and Ryan Cohn, creators of the Oddities Flea Market. This is a look at their life collecting and some of the items that have been a part of their collection.

I will admit, I didn’t really know a lot about either Ryan or Regina. I only recently started following Ryan after seeing someone share one of his posts, so I had no knowledge about the show Oddities, which he stars in, or that they were the creators of the Oddities Flea Market. I know of the Oddities Flea Market because there is one somewhat close to where I live, but I haven't been yet. I do find oddities fascinating though so when I saw Ryan advertise his new book I knew I wanted to read it.

This talks about multiple big collections that they purchased and what happened before, during, and after. The stories were very interesting and I learned a lot about curiosities and the trading of them. I also really enjoyed learning about all the different kinds of curiosities that are in people’s collections.

I think my only real complaint is that in some of the stories they expect you to be familiar with their lives and will sometimes refer to collections or things, that I assume were on Oddities or on their instagram, but since I am new to this couple I wasn’t getting the full context but I understood enough that it didn’t impede me enjoying the story.

Overall, this was a fascinating look at oddities and the collecting of them. I learned a lot and it makes me not feel as bad about being drawn to weird items that some people just don’t understand.

*ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is an autobiography and I ended up skimming the second half of the book.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

When I received this book, I honestly had no idea it would be a piece of non-fiction or an autobiography. I think I thought it would be another paranormal or fantasy story.

Instead, its the first person narrative of how Ryan Cohn, from the TV Show Oddities, came into being interested in items like skulls, shrunken heads, etc. How he formed collections, preserved pieces, worked with collectors, started House of Wax and more. While parts of this book were interesting, such as the history behind shrunken heads and the real-life photos of item he talks about in the book, it just wasn't my cup of tea.

I got bored half way thru and started skimming the book. So... you could say this is a DNF for me. BUT I do believe that if oddities are interesting to you, you'd probably like hearing about it from Ryan- he's definitely a scholar of it.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC for review. To be published October 1, 2024.

A book of oddities focused primarily on death in both narrative and visual form.

The authors, two interesting people, tell of their adventures in buying, selling and marketing oddities. Ryan was on a TV show about them that I hadn’t heard of and Regina is his wife. They delight in being “spooky” people but also get down and dirty about the business, which is fascinating.

[Kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you want to know all about emailing, phone calling, and how many thousands of dollars it takes to acquire unusual things then this is the book for you! More for fans of the authors than for casual readers looking for a book of interesting artifacts. I gave up on trying to read this book when Regina wrote about the hardships of having a reality show wedding. It was such whiny nonsense I was done.

[Kelley 🌙✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit of false advertising. It’s a biography. Boyfriend bought it for me for Christmas based on the title, cover and blurb on the cover. Their life is interesting, but I don’t care that much about slightly pretentious art collectors who are blind to their privilege.

As another reviewer said, needs more oddities and less biography.

[Kelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I have never seen an episode of Ryan’s
Show ‘Oddities’, I do follow him and Regina on Instagram, so I was excited to see they had written a book.

If you have ever been fascinated by the strange and odd in a museum or flea market, this book is for you. If you have thought about buying such items, then this book is for you. The book goes into depth about how certain items in their collections came into their possession. It also tells about their background and how they connected.

A delightful look behind the curtain and one of the most fascinating collecting couple out there.

Thanks to NetGalley and Chronicle Books for the digital copy in exchange for my review.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audiobook. An interesting read.
I may have been better off reading a hard copy. The authors/narrators have a habit of mispronouncing certain words that pet my peeves. Supposably is not a word. Provenance mispronounced as Prove-non-ce, really irked me. I know they are successful individuals but, It's hard for me to listen to the language being butchered. The editor should have corrected the audio version to make the authors more credible.

[E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is kind of like an adult version of a Ripley's Believe-It-Or-Not fact book but with a behind-the-scenes twist and a memoir format. I'd never heard of Oddities before, but just from how Cohn writes, I can see why the show was such a hit. Both Cohn and Rossi are personable and have such interesting POVs in addition to their fascinating stories from the niche world of collectors. As a bonus, it's a pretty fast read.

[Mackenzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! It makes me want to get weird.

I feel like Ryan and Regina are meant to be together and I want to tour their house.

I will definitely buy the coffee table book if and when it comes out.

[CR · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful collection of stories that I could not put down.

[Anita · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you enjoyed the TV show, you will most likely also enjoy the book.
It felt like meeting up with a friend you haven't seen for a long time.

[Beth Troxel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This is one of those things I wouldn’t typically grab and read but I’m glad I did. It grabbed ahold of me and didn’t let me go. It was one heck of a book!

From the start, I thought this was going to be interesting. It immediately started out describing different cultures and saying without really stating that even the odd is cool. I loved how so many things were packed into the book but read smoothly and wasn’t fast paced. It showed all kinds of different times, cultures, and people. There was a lot of information I wouldn’t really think twice about before but now I know when I see something the book talked about, I know I’ll be looking at the item with new eyes.

If it wasn’t for the pictures, it would be hard for me to really understand what the objects were. I don’t normally read book with pictures because I feel like I’m cheating myself out of a book, but without them here, I wouldn’t know what they were talking about. It also showed the complex details Ryan and Regina saw and was obsessed with. It was just one of those books you can see things through someone else’s eyes but feel like you know what’s being said without using your imagination to much.

Everything was great. The book kept me entertained, I learned a whole lot of things, and realized that being a little off step is ok. There’s no such thing as a perfect model and it’s alright to be different. One thing I would change though was maybe not highlight the “famous” life they had/have so much. Not everyone can do what they did but I do find it inspiring that they were able to grow up without camera and influential people and still make a name for themselves.

Like I said, this is one of those books I wouldn’t think twice about if I saw it on a shelf. I would’ve missed a great story, a great representation of the odd and taboo things in life and great and interesting objects. If I were to walk into an antique shop or see something on the internet of one of the objects talked out in this book, I would’ve thought it was something strange and not understand the importance of all things. Now, I know that even if I don’t find it cool or it doesn’t spark interest to me, I’ll still give it the curiosity and questions it deserves.

I love books that teach me something, and this one sure did. It was inspiring and knowable but not overly done or written like a textbook. It flowed well, didn’t overly describe a topic, or overly talk about an object. It’s defiantly one of the books that’s going to stick with me for a long, long time. Possibly for the rest of my life. Even if I don’t get into oddity collecting, it’s something that can still be applied to everyday life. It’s just a really good book with so many stories. It blew my mind and broadened my interests. Defiantly worth the money and time.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a fan of the TV show Oddities - I was drawn immediately to this offering. ( Thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for a chance to review this book.) This is the memoir of a sorts written by Ryan Cohn - documenting his passion for "oddities" and his rise in the field as creator, collector, and authority.

I was fascinated by his early career, apprenticed to a jeweler, and learning traditional fabrication techniques. I can see how that diverse technical skill base held him in great stead as he began work with trephinated skulls - which he is an authority in during the show. The tales of his youth starting his personal collection were intense! The book goes on to cover the experiences related to filming the show - and then on to his meeting and courtship with Regina. I found it compelling as it continued up until 2020, and related their struggles starting a fledgling business during a global pandemic.

One thing I was struck by was the desire for and joy in finding community. As an artist and a member of the Mythic Arts community - it is a homecoming to find the peers that work in the same motif and share the same passions. I found myself relating to Ryan's experiences among the circuit of collectors and clients... although this isn't my genre, the sense of finding community was so relatable!

I found the book to be a fast and easy read, it is very conversational in tone. It contains many illustrations - which I think are essential to telling its tale. ( Although I wished for more.) I think it would be a great gift, or "coffee table" book for collectors, fans of the macabre, collectors of natural history...

[Ana Neubaum · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an incredible read!

I have a degree in Anthropology, and during my studies, I always loved learning about items that were unique to cultures, the rituals surrounding them, and how those items told a family history. I believe that’s why I love this book so much- I learned about so many different types of oddities, their proper names, how to look for them, what to avoid, and how close knit connections with other collectors can honour those that have passed, through their collections they left behind.

This is a part autobiography, part How-To book… which I enjoyed very much. I like how each chapter was divided, and the corresponding stories in each section. The photos that are included are beautifully printed, but part of me wishes there was an accompanying coffee table book, mainly because I wanted to see photos of every piece that was mentioned.

This should be one of the first texts you read if you’re about to venture into oddities collecting. I am not a collector… yet. My budget does not allow for space to start a collection, but I do enjoy visiting oddities shops, museums, attending the flea markets, and of course, reading about the collections of others. This book taught me so much- about artists I’d never heard of, how to make sure the shrunken head you’ve got your eye on isn’t a fake, and how there is a true passion for collecting.

Mr. Cohn references how he loved skulls and the like as a child, and how that fascination never went away as he grew older. Reading about that made me so happy, because I myself have always loved oddities, even when I didn’t know it had a name. I didn’t know there were others out there who loved skulls and those items that may be odd. Being called “odd” and “weird” were a daily routine for me as a kid. Really appreciated the history of his personal life he brought to the text. It reminds me of the time I found the skeletal remains of a rat under my grandmothers mobile home and I thought it would be the perfect item to bring to school to show-n-tell. My dad even helped me gently scoop it up and put it in an empty shoe box so as not to separate any of its bones.

Ms. Rossi tells the lovely story of her meet-cute with Mr. Cohn and how she’s found high-fashion shares a connection with oddities items- that’s what I surmised anyway- they are works of art. It’s a perfect blend, and hearing (audiobook) their stories made this a very personal book, as well as a teaching one in regards to the items one can encounter if you just take the time to give it a second look.

I read some of this book, and listened to other parts while I was on the go. Happily surprised that Mr. Cohn and Ms. Rossi were both narrators.

I reflected on my experience with my family and how some items we have can be viewed as an oddity - not only for what it may be depicting- but for the story that’s attached to it. Like those coffin keys I have in a drawer from when my father moonlighted as an undertaker. Odd? Perhaps. But each time I look at them I’m reminded on how they came to my possession and the wonderful story attached. This is what this book expresses at its core. Great people. Great collections. Even better stories.


Buy the book. You won’t regret it.

[Catherine Green]

I was a little disappointed to receive a PDF for this book to review rather than a physical copy, and because of that I have not viewed the photos in the book very well because they are black and white on my device, they are small, and I cannot see the detail clearly due to my vision challenges. Putting this aside, I have thoroughly enjoyed reading the book! Being in the UK and having grown up in a sheltered environment, I hadn’t heard of the TV show that made Ryan Matthew Cohn famous in his circles, nor did I know about the TV show that he and Regina Rossi subsequently filmed their wedding with. It was interesting to read about that side of life, something I have never been exposed to.

I like to learn how people find their careers, and the collecting business is something I have only ever dreamed about doing. I grew up watching Antiques Roadshow on the BBC and wishing I could be a rich, posh person, with a big house full of treasures. But I’m not (yet!). It was nice to see how Ryan and Regina forged their careers independently, with a few chance meetings leading them to people that could help them grown and learn. They have clearly both worked hard to get where they are, and while it’s easy to feel jealous about their glamorous lifestyle, they laid bare in the book some harsh truths about how it negatively affects their personal life.

And then we come to the subject of the book, all things anatomical, macabre, spooky and weird. I would absolutely love to view everything that is described in the book, and those wax figures from Munich really captured my imagination! I am also fascinated with the exploded skulls and why they were made for purposes of medical research. It’s hard to think back to a time before computers when people had to physically explore the world in order to learn about it. Back then they made figures and models to replicate what they had studied and invited other medical students and academics to do the same using these models. Now they are being brought out of storage and put on display for us to marvel at.

This book is worth reading, not only for fans of the macabre, fans of weird subculture, and anyone who just doesn’t fit mainstream society, but those who are interested in antiques and collecting. Reading the book felt like I was visiting all the places that Ryan and Regina visited when they collected their artifacts and artwork. It was descriptive, immersive, and just a delight to read. Now I need to save money for a visit to the House of Wax museum in New York!

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a great example of how a person can be a storyteller, but not...a writer. (That feels like I'm being judgmental.) (But I am! I'm judging a book on the book-judging place!) Which is to say that the prose was sometimes - not even infrequently - so boring that it actually got in the way of how potentially interesting the stories were. The chapters had the quality of very long Instagram captions, stories that must be great when you're sitting with the authors in some velvet and skull-fest of a room, moodily lit to highlight their fancy outfits while you drink expensive cocktails and they tell you all about their lives. There's dry ice smoke coming from somewhere, but you can't tell exactly where. In the distance a wolf howls, which is weird because you're in Brooklyn.

I was not familiar with either of the authors before this, but I can absolutely see how it was a gimme for them to put together a book. But their story is a visual one - from the obvious fact that they're collectors of neat-looking curiosities, to the way that they likely would not have gotten this level of fame and TV exposure if they weren't a good-looking and well-dressed couple of professional goths. It was frustrating reading about all of these cool objects they were tracking down while not getting to see all that many of them; the photos are few and far between in this book compared to the volume of prose.

I don't know why this book in particular makes me feel like I shouldn't be mean, but I'm going to try and say this delicately: although I get why the couple thing is a big selling point, I think the inclusion of some of Regina's sections should have been reconsidered given that the totality of them ends up being kind of a bunch of complaining. (Ugh, our TV wedding might have looked cool but filming it sucked. Ugh, our honeymoon was ruined by Ryan working on a wax doll deal the whole time. Ugh, the pandemic interrupted our plans. Ugh, where are we going to put all this stuff Ryan just bought?!) Like, all the complaints are fair! Just...you know, not all that interesting to hear about.

This book will likely be interesting for fans and fellow collectors (I'm a vintage dealer myself, so I did connect to the passion here!), but if what you really want is an in-depth peek inside a cabinet of curiosities, I gotta say this ain't it.

My thanks to Chronicle Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

[Paul Sutter]

We are warned early in the pages of THE WITCH’S DOOR that the book may be haunted. While nothing unusual happened to me while reading, I must admit there were moments while reading the book that a sort of chill eased along my spine. This is a most fascinating book, starting with the title. The author’s who are a husband and wife team have always had a fascination for items that were above and beyond the norm, with a hint of the macabre thrown in for good measure.
Ryan was the host of a popular television show called ODDITIES, that excelled in presenting items and artifacts that were not your everyday possessions. Throughout the pages of the book, Ryan and Regina takes turns presenting the chapters. While some of it is more a look at their own lives, that still offers a back story of sorts, to what the two have been seeking over the years. They have traveled pretty well around the world for rare items and treasures that most people do not own. They have acquired shrunken heads. Ryan notes that not all shrunken heads out there are genuine. He also points out how to tell if the shrunken head you have acquired is real or fake. Just the thought of owning one is creepy enough, but there is definitely a market for them.
And there are items that most people have never seen, nor thought of ever casting eyes upon. A Kapala is a prized possession of his, which is a Tibetan bowl made from human skulls. And it was the skulls that brought this couple together, as Regina was working at a famous lingerie store when she noticed a mention of them.
Ryan also talks about others in the business who also buy, sell, and collect such rare items. He has had interesting experiences with such collectors, positive and sometimes negative, but based on the enthusiasm evident in the chapters, he would never have any regrets. There is a chapter on dolls like the famous Charlie McCarthy ventriloquist dummy, which adds to the mystique of dolls as odd things happened to his own collection of dolls, acting as if they acquired a mind of their own. One of the most unusual possession is the Witch’s Door, that reportedly was on the door of a house where a woman was accused of being a witch during the Salem Witch Trials. The couple host Oddities Flea Markets across the United States, offering the same sort of one-of-a-kind, and hard to find items noted in the book. It certainly is a unique work, one that appeals to fans of the unusual and bizarre.

[Lillie Grace · Rating 2 out of 5]

Going into The Witch's Door I wanted to love it as a lover of all oddities and all that is esoteric, it could have been a guide into the history of oddities and the esoteric items the authors had come across and brought into their collection. Instead, we received a memoir that came across as dismissive of the history of the items, and of the real lives they are tied to in the past and focused instead on the lives of the authors and how 'interesting' they are.

I want to tell you that I enjoyed this book, but I did not, it was deeply uninformative, did not hold my attention, and read like the memoir of those who are disconnected from their own privilege and wealth and instead see themselves as upstart oddities 'collectors' while not providing the context on the items the entire book is meant to be about. Picking this up I wanted to learn more about the weird and strange items they had handled in their lives, not about their personal lives and romance, or how they dated famous individuals.

I cannot recommend this book despite the editing and writing being well done as it does not contain the contact that both the blurb, cover, description, and advertising are promising. If you want a memoir this may be a book you would enjoy, but if you want to learn more about oddities and the history behind them this isn't the book you should be picking up.

I received an advance review copy of this book, and I am leaving this review voluntarily and all thoughts and opinions are wholly my own and unbiased.

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

The Witch's Door is an anthology of true (but occasionally creepy) curiosities gathered and explained by Ryan Cohn & Regina Rossi about his, and later their, journey as collectors and purveyors of biological collectibles and artifacts. Released 1st Oct 2024 by Chronicle Books, it's 304 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats.

The background stories, historical facts, and trivia surrounding the artifacts are worthwhile and fascinating. These include articulated human skulls, bones, skeletal remains, and ritual objects. They should be the focal point of the book, but most of the content is the authors' memoir and recollections about their journeys as collectors themselves. The split between collections and artifacts, and the autobiography of the authors is probably about 30/70.

Three and a half stars. Although it's scrupulously factual and not at all prurient or shocking, some parts might be a bit much for very sensitive (young) readers. For that reason, acquisitions personnel should vet thoroughly before adding to juvenile accessible collections. It's otherwise weird and quirky and recommended. It would be an excellent choice for public (adult) libraries or home use, or for gift giving.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

[Marnie Hageman · Rating 2 out of 5]

I went into this book expecting something completely different than what I received. Growing up, I really enjoyed reading Ripley’s Believe or Not! collections and learning the history and culture behind various artifacts that were considered haunted or supernaturally charged. The Witch’s Door is, as other reviewers have pointed out, more an autobiography than a deep dive into collecting relics. I’m not familiar with Cohn’s show Oddities, but now that I know this book was co-written by a TV personality, it makes sense why the prose reads as sensationalized and hyperbolic. Take, for instance, this sentence: “I actually became physically crippled for a moment before regaining my posture.” I guess saying you were so stunned you temporarily couldn’t move isn’t as powerful a statement. Throughout the book, the two authors draw attention to themselves and their lives; meanwhile, I kept waiting to hear tales from the esoteric to the extreme, as promised in the subtitle, but the book never delivered on this. Call me a prude, but I don’t want to see any couple’s PG-13 photo booth pictures from when they started dating. I think Cohn and Rossi could stand to hear it once again: “you know, life isn’t a show.”

[Meghan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 3.75 rounded up. I recently joined Netgalley, and this was my first ARC. Thank you for the opportunity to read this book. As other reviewers have mentioned, this book serves mostly as an autobiography for the collectors. While I thought the engagement story and others were humorous and entertaining, I found many of the sections to be repetitive. The progression wasn't chronological so the author spent time revisiting some of the same details. This worked in a sense that the Witch's Door was the introduction and conclusion. Metaphorically, doors serve as portals that can defy space and time, and when I thought if it that way, it didn't bother me. I wish there had been a little more focus on sub-categories of oddities, history, detection of authenticity, etc. Since the author related collectibles along his journey to memories associated with tattoos, I'm sure there are plenty of other stories that could've been shared about individual pieces. Maybe they were not included because the acquisition of collections that had been most career-altering.

P.S.: I hope Mr. Peepers can be restored to full glory.