Scary Reads

Two books I read last year are my favorite scary reads.

One disclaimer, I do not care for gore, blood and guts.

None of that is contained much in these two novels.

Been there done that at the hospital as a nurse in real life.

I have witnessed the aftermath of stabbings and it is not pretty.

~~♣~♣~♠~~

Joe Hill’s Heart Shaped Box ,his debut horror novel form 2007, is a gripping ghost story.

A  ghost for sale on the internet is the premise of this novel. It arrives contained in a suit in a box.

An aging rocker, Jude who is flawed but likeable, buys the ghost and mayhem and terror ensues with the revengeful ghost.

Joe Hill weaves a tale of redemption and horror that is fast paced and difficult to put down.

This spine-tingler is my favorite ghost story ever. You will not be disappointed in Heart Shaped Box.

~~♣~♣~♣~~

Then there is Vlad the Impaler in Elizabeth Kostova’s The Historion.

I read this while we were sleeping on an air mattress at the yellow house last year and I was convinced Vlad was alive and coming down the hall to get me!

 The Historian  is 720 pages and has three story lines in three different time frames that intersect.

Kostova spent ten years in the Eastern bloc doing research for this novel.

It has wonderful historical scope and is beautifully written.

Historians, who learn the truth about Dracula, began to vanish but I do not want to give away the complex plot.

It is enough to say that for a few nights in 2009 Vlad the Impaler was very much alive again to Olive.

Kostova achieved a perfect thriller in The Historian and I was glad I was not a historian!

Just thought I would share some not so quick reads to disturb your sleep.

What is your favorite scary book?

grace surrounds us

Olive

Photo Challenge: Food

Irish Oatmeal Bars outside on the patio table.

With coffee.

What is better than that?

Please join Chania at Razmataz for the Friday Photo challenge.

grace surrounds us

Olive

Encore Azaleas

Encore azaleas are blooming now.

They are truly beautiful.

Enjoy

Shown in a little Staffordshire creamer.

I wish I could send them to all of you!

grace surrounds us

Olive

Pass the Tater’s Please

Party in the kitchen anyone?

Shelia at Note Songs is having a Heart of the Home Party.

This is our kitchen at the yellow house.

It is small but has a huge bar on one end.

Both of us love to cook in this efficient kitchen with our glass stovetop.

I have taken photos of some of the details I like best and the art work we have in the kitchen.

It has lovely views to the backyard where we feed birds.

The large bar needed a commanding piece of art and this oil painting, found at an estate sale, is our favorite painting.

This is a vintage print, probably from the 1940’s, found at a thrift store. It has some damage but I adore the flowers and the soft colors. The frame has tiny pink scallops.

This tiny oil painting is leaning on the top of the stove and was found at a garage sale. All the people in it have on hats.

Corbels are underneath the massive bar. I call it the “autopsy table” sometimes. Which is sick nurse’s humor. It measures 49 inches across.

This makes  it difficult to pass the taters across!

grace surrounds us

Olive