Book: Dolls: A Horror Short Story Collection

Dolls: A Horror Short Story Collection
Mav Skye
Amazon product link

The scratching at your bedroom door—what is it? Why do you sometimes find your doll under the bed instead of on the shelf where you left it? And what about the doll you lost – the one you left out in the rain by the old stream where you liked to play in the summer? You went back for it, but it was already gone. Did it fall into the stream and float away? Did the neighbor girl steal it? Or was it simply buried in tall grass and weeds. What if, after all these years, while you are warm under your blankets, reading 3 Tales to Chill Your Bones by the dim moonlight, your forgotten doll is climbing the stairs, dragging an axe behind her? You won’t have to wonder long. No, no, dear readers. Snuggle deeper into your blankets, clutch them for dear life. For you will be meeting the DOLLS, very, very soon….

The China Doll— Sabel Gray has received a very special package from her daddy who is serving over seas in the Navy. She taps on the package wondering what it could be, and is concerned when something inside taps back.

Simply Wicked— It was not an evil doll, definitely, absolutely not evil; it was simply wicked. Wicked is what wicked does. Jane finds this out the hard way.

Poison Lip Gloss— The life sized doll must complete the witch’s three tasks before midnight if she wishes to become real, but when she accidentally kills the troll prince, the night takes on an unusual kind of macabre magic…  “First, you must carve a face. I don’t care what or whom you carve it on. Second, you must find an eye to replace the one you lost. And third, you must prove that you want life by taking a life.”

= + = + = + = + = + = + = + = + = +

This review is written a whole 2 months after reading, so I don't recall specifics. But one thing is for sure, none of the stories were actually horrible or scary.

Book: Deadly Odds

Deadly Odds (A Virginia Holmes Cozy Mystery)
Zelda White
Amazon product link

An ancient chalice. A missing man. A mysterious death ...

Retired detective Virginia Holmes arrives in Las Vegas and quickly finds herself taking on more than she bargained for! With the help of her plucky assistant, she'll need to uncover the mystery of an ancient artifact if she has any hope of finding an important executive who's gone missing in the Sin City. But the closer they get to the truth, the faster the bodies pile up.

And if she's not careful, Holmes will be next!

= + = + = + = + = + = + = + = + = + = +

This was a pretty cute read. Possibly easier to read than the actual Sherlock Holmes books as Sam/Fox is pretty funny. Review is written a whole month after reading so I don't remember specifics; the mystery itself wasn't that mysterious (I guessed it from the start), and body was fun with many amusing input from Sam, and the end was "standard" (predictable in the given story situation). Nevertheless a fun read.

Book: Hannibal versus Rome: The Battle of Ticinus

Hannibal versus Rome: The Battle of Ticinus
Virtus Libris
Amazon product link

The year was 218 BCE and the world was a different place. The great empires of Rome and Carthage struggled to control the riches and lands of the Western Mediterranean. These nations would stop at nothing as they conquered lands and subjugated millions of people in their ruthless quest for absolute power.

In November of that fateful year, the Carthaginians and the Romans met on the field of battle at Ticinus. The legendary Hannibal led his Carthaginians into battle and into the pages of history. On that day, Rome would discover that they now faced one the world greatest generals on their land in a fight that would ultimately decide the fate of nations. It would be the beginning of one Empire’s ascent to power and the beginning of the end for the other. These two great nations would struggle to the death, and in the end one would only be remembered in myth and whispers.

= + = + = + = + = + = + = + = + = +

A very easy read. Though, I guess I didn't know enough of all these historical people to appreciate the book as much as one could have.

I didn't mean to miss October

I didn't mean to miss October! But I was just way too busy!
My days are just full with things to do, I can't even go do my own things (even though my days are full with my things LOL). Everyday I get home, walk the dogs, have a quick short dinner, and either go running, or go do some yoga from my app... and then it's time for bed, I fall asleep almost right away, and then it's the next day anew.

Today I had wanted to go to China, but in the end I'm just stuck at home... I'm sorting out some bags the parents brought back home from the warehouse. It's all winter clothes... they stink of those anti-moth bombs and I just had to put all of them to wash to rinse out that smell. Once this second batch dry out, it's all going back under the bed and finally I can have a lay down (bed board is out so I can't go lie down.

So much had been going on, so much had happened, so many stories to tell! Yes, I don't have the luxury to write that all down right now. I'll try to get some writing done tomorrow and share some stories (my life related). I can only say the following things: The World Is Round, Macau Is A Small Place, Karma Can Easily Find You.

Going to check out if the laundry is done. Bye!