I'm very sad to say that Ken passed away at 1am this morning. Fortunately he passed away peacefully for which I am grateful. Elizabeth and I were at his side, holding his hands and talking to him.  I'm doing alright, I will be scarce for a little bit while I deal with my grief. You have all been such a support and I am forever thankful for all of you.

 

Welcome to another weekly Freebie Friday post, where I tell you what free samples and full sized products I received in the mail and how you can get them too. Someone asked me why I do a "Freebie Friday" each week, so I'll tell you.

A while back I listed all the free samples and wins that I had received that previous year and so many people didn't believe that I could have gotten so many free things. So I decided to prove it by taking a picture every week and sharing the sites that I found the links to the freebies at. So now you too can get great free samples coming to your mailbox each week.

  You can find links to great samples at Hey It's Free and Freebie Shark.

What I got:

A sample of Aerin Rose De Grasse perfume. 

A sample of Dove deodorant spray. 

And I won a kindle ebook from a Goodreads giveaway.

The perfume smells like roses. It smells so good. I already like this deodorant spray, I've used it before. 

Did you receive any freebies this week?

Review: Daily Goodie Box

 

The Daily Goodie Box has been around since about July of 2016. I signed up for an account right after I heard about them. They are 100% free, you don't even have to pay for shipping. And for a free box it's a nice sampler box of products.

What was in the box?

Miracle Tree - Organic Moringa Tea, Earl Grey- I love Earl Grey tea and this one has a good taste to it. 

B’s Gourmet Nuts - Insatiable Cashews- These were Rosemary flavor with a hint of heat. I don't like Rosemary at all, it just tastes like perfume to me so I really didn't care for these but my daughter did. 

Beekeeper’s Naturals - B.LXR Brain Fuel- This is supposed to be brain food and help you concentrate better than a cup of coffee. But I really didn't see any difference after taking it. 

All Good - SPF 30 Sport Mineral Sunscreen Lotion- Living in Las Vegas where the sun is brutal in the Summer time, I really like to have a lot of sunscreen on hand for the Summers here so that I don't burn if I have to go outside during the day. I used this a few times and while it was still hot outside and it did indeed stop my skin from burning in the hot sun. 

Free2b - Dark Chocolate Sun Cups- I actually thought these were really good. I love the dark chocolate taste and the sunflower butter instead of peanut butter taste really good. 

Kopi Luwak - Ground Coffee- My daughter loves this coffee so I gave it to her since I don't drink coffee. She said it tastes really good and she's so happy she got to try it. 

Green Roads - CBD Relax Bears- I tried one of these gummies and it did absolutely nothing for me. I felt nothing after taking it. My daughter also tried these and she said they did nothing for her as well. Neither of us felt any difference after taking these but they did have a good flavor. 

All they ask you to do is try the products and leave reviews for the products you got in order to be eligible for more Free Goodie Boxes. As you guys already know, I'm a fan of all these types of boxes. I love all the different subscription boxes and it's really nice to be able to try new to me products for free. This is a great box to try for.

Oh and one more thing, if you visit their FB Page, they give away Goodie Boxes to people who interact with their posts. So if you've tried before and weren't able to get a Goodie Box, there's even more ways to get one now.

Daily Goodie Box. It's more than just Free Samples!

Have you signed up? Have you received one of these boxes?

I'm a fan of subscription boxes and love trying new products for free so this was a huge hit with me. New products+free box = Fabulous!

Disclosure: I was given and free box in exchange for a review but all opinions are my own.

Wyoming True by Diana Palmer

 

Book Description 

An opposites-attract love may be in store for a gruff rancher and a small-town beauty in a brand-new Wyoming Men romance

Jake McGuire has worked hard to earn his vast wealth, with holdings that include ranches and his private jet. The only threat to his peace is the last woman he should ever want. Ida Merridan could easily go through him and move on to the next rich man, but lately she’s living in his mind rent-free. Falling for Ida just might be the worst thing to happen to him.

Twice divorced and independently wealthy, Ida did nothing to deserve her bad reputation—except choose the wrong husbands. Live and learn in a small town, which means no sexy ranchers, especially not Jake. But when one sizzling kiss leads to another, can Ida open her heart to the last man she should marry?

My Review

Ida is nothing like the fake persona she lets most others see her as which is just fine with her because she's hiding. 

Jake doesn't care for Ida but he doesn't really know her. He gets a small glimpse into the real Ida and it intrigues him into spending more time with her even if she isn't wanting to be around him. 

Ida is hiding from her abusive ex-husband who just got out of jail. She doesn't want men coming on to her so she wears her fake persona like a shield to keep them away and it worked for most. But when Jake gets a glimpse of the real Ida, he's surprised that she's actually shy and not at all the promiscuous woman that she pretends to be at times. 

When accidents keep happening at her ranch and her animals keep getting hurt, she knows that her ex-husband is behind it but doesn't know how he's getting on her property. Jake is there to help her with dealing with everything as well as making sure that her ex can no longer get to her or her animals. 

I am a huge Diana Palmer fan so I was happy to have had the chance to read this book. These two are such a sweet couple. Ida has some physical and emotional scars from her ex but Jake has some scars of his own. It was fun to see how they were going to get closer when they both had reasons why they couldn't. Diana Palmer gave me another great book. 

I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. 

Disclosure: I was given an eARC of this book via NetGally but all thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Review: Shades of Darkness by Alexandra Ivy

 

Book Description

The Guardians of Eternity think they’ve averted the disaster that could destroy them. But in New York Times bestselling author Alexandra Ivy’s world of temptation, lust, and secrets, one slip could change everything . . .

 

Chaaya endured centuries as a sacrifice, protecting her people from an evil that could destabilize all magic. At long last, her servitude is over—and she’s raring to have some fun. The baddest ghost-girl in Las Vegas has a talent for causing mayhem. And for getting under the skin of her solid, silent bodyguard, the vampire Basq . . .

 

Basq doesn’t let anyone close. He’s learned the costs of companionship. But reckless, disrespectful Chaaya, with her fiery temper and her fierce loneliness, isn’t like anyone else. Staying near her isn’t just a duty, it’s a hunger. When a prisoner of Chaaya’s last battle escapes, possibly seeking Chaaya’s nemesis, Basq isn’t letting her chase through a hellscape mirror London alone. But when the choice is between abandoning everything that’s kept them alive, or each other, survival will take not only desire—but trust . . .

 

My Review

Chaaya was betrayed and sacrificed by her own mother and has been a prisoner for a long time. She was sacrificed in order to save the world from an awful beast. She finally escapes and is a real handful but I think she deserves a little leeway after all she's been through. 

Basq has known for a long time that Chaaya is his mate and has vowed to go wherever she goes even if that place ends up being a different dimension. 

Chaaya is more than she seems now and can do things that regular humans cannot. When she is asked to find out if an old enemy is behind a prisoner escaping, it's Basq that decides to go along with her and help her. These two make for an interesting couple since she is always seeming to get into trouble and he's always so grumpy. But as they're following the clues to find the escaped prisoner they meet some strange people that help and also hinder their travels. But Chaaya and Basq being the powerful beings they are, have little problem getting out of trouble and back on the trail. 

When a big twist is thrown in their direction, I wasn't sure how they would react to finding out who was behind it all.  Levet makes an appearance again and I love him so much. He is so funny and I can only hope that he gets his own book at some point. 

I have been loving the Guardians of Eternity series and this was another great book. The characters are always so much fun to get to know and the story always keeps me guessing what will happen next. 

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. 

Disclosure: I was given an e-ARC of this book via NetGalley but all thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Update on Ken

 

Ken started doing better yesterday and the nurses said his vitals were better too. He seems to be feeling a little bit better as well. The nurses as happy that he seems to be doing a little better right now. My daughter and I are planning on decorating for Christmas early and celebrating both Christmas and Thanksgiving early so Ken can enjoy it too. We don't know exactly how much time we have with him but it looks like it will be a little more. So I thank all of you that have sent thoughts and prayers for him. Cancer is hell but we are dealing with it as best we can.

Apartment Life #227

 

This is a new weekly blog post that I'm calling Apartment Hell  Life. I've mentioned a few times some of the crazy things that go on in and around my apartment complex in the past 21 years that we've lived here and people keep telling me I should write a book. But instead of a book, I've decided to share the crazy things that have happened in and around my apartment complex in the last 21 years here in a weekly blog post.

I saw a police car from my bedroom window but the big palm tree was hiding most of it. They just sat there in their car and didn't get out. It looked like he was doing paperwork to be honest so maybe he was just sitting there doing paperwork. Things have been quiet around here lately. 

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Update on Ken. 

Ken had a seizure on Monday and hasn't been doing too well since then. The hospice nurses have been coming out everyday to check on him. He hasn't been out of bed since Monday because he's so tired and the nurses told me he probably doesn't have much time left with us. I'm telling you, I really thought we had more time with him. He was doing pretty well up until he had the seizure and now he just wants to sleep and is sometimes confused. 

My daughter set up a GoFundMe to help prepay for his final arrangements and cremation if anyone wants to share it, I would appreciate it. Funds can also be sent to my Paypal address at miztik_rose@yahoo.com

So that's it for this week's Apartment Hell  Life! Be sure to come back next week for more. 

Review: Alpha's Desire by Renee Rose and Lee Savino

 

Book Description

She’s the one girl this player can’t have. A human.

I’m dying to claim the redhead who lights up the club every Saturday night.

I want to pull her into the storeroom and make her scream, but it wouldn’t be right.

She’s too pure. Too fresh. Too passionate.

Too human.

When she learns my secret, my alpha orders me to wipe her memories.

But I won’t do it.

Still, I’m not mate material–I can’t mark her and bring her into the pack.

What in the hell am I going to do with her?

 My Review

Jared is a bouncer at a club called Eclipse and has the hots for Angelina who is a dancer there. He wants her but can't have her because she's human and if she ever found out that he's a shifter, he'd have to have her mind wiped of the events which could be dangerous. 

He and Angelina are having a little fun and he's keeping things low key and just fun until they have car accident and she sees him do things that he shouldn't be able to do. When he tells his alpha that she saw too much he already knows that he's going to be told to take her to a vampire and have her mind wiped of what she saw. But when the times comes, he can't go through with it and so now he either has to mate her or take her back to the vampire to finish the job. 

Jared's alpha gives him a few days to make up his mind but that means that Jared has to stick with Angelina all the time so she can't tell anyone about shifters and that gives them a lot of time together. I actually really like both Angelina and Jared and think they are fun together. Their romance was fun but there was one thing that I didn't care for because during some of the more explicit sex scenes and light spanking scenes Jared wants Angelina to call him, "daddy" and that was a big nope for me. 

But I did like this story even though I hadn't read any of the other books in this series and I thought that it could be read as a stand alone book just fine.

I give this book 3 out of 5 stars. 

Review: Healing of the Wolf by Cherise Sinclair

 

Book Description

A decade in captivity tore away all hope.

But Margery never lost her resolve to help the sick. The village she’d hoped to serve as banfasa, caring for the ill and injured, is long gone. Humans captured the young shifters and killed the adults. Finally rescued, she has a chance at her dreams—at least for meaningful work. With her leg crippled and her face scarred, she knows she has no hope of ever finding love.

Tynan is ready to find their mate.

After years away from his littermate as a police officer among humans, Tynan is finally home, a beta in the wolf pack, and serving his people as a law officer. Assigned as Margery’s mentor in the pack, he patiently works to earn the skittish little wolf’s trust. Her captivity has left her with problems, including a fear of uniforms. But he’s a fixer at heart—and he’s starting to want more from the gentle female than just friendship.

Donal has no intention of making a family.

Separated from his littermate for years, Donal has remained unmated, devoting his energies to healing. Believing ugly rumors about their new neighbor—a banfasa—he won't have her in his clinic or his life—no matter what his newly returned brother wants.

But a feral shifter’s attack on Tynan shows Margery in a whole different light. She’s levelheaded, compassionate, sweet—and far too appealing. What male could resist her?

But even as the brothers work to win their mate, cruel forces move to crush their entire clan.

My Review

When the Scythe went to Margery's village and made all of the men train as shifter-soldiers for them, the women were held captive by the sadistic humans to ensure the men did what they were told. Margery had given up hope that she and the other would ever be rescued so when she and the others are freed, she is scared and doesn't trust the new people. 

The captives were places in different towns so they couldn't be found but the first place she had been put in wasn't a good town and the people didn't really like her or treat her well. So when she was told she could leave and find some place else to live, she did just that. She was wary of the new people even though they seemed friendlier than the last town she had been in. 

In the new town she meets some of the men that saved her from captivity and even though they still scare her, she feels something more for at least one of them. Donal and Tynan are brothers and live together very near where she lives in a little house. When Tynan is given the job of being her mentor by the pack alpha, he has mixed feelings about it but he likes her and doesn't like that she's scared of him so he takes on the job. 

Once Margery and Tynan become closer and start to have feelings for one another then Donal starts to see that he was wrong about her and comes to like her too. With both men pursuing her at the same time it's only a matter of time before she realizes that both of them want her together. I really thought this was such a great book. It's been a while since I've read a book by this author but I really like her books and this one was no exception. 

I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. 

Favorite Picture of the Week

 

Last week my daughter and I talked Ken into getting in his wheelchair and going for a little walk. 

While we were out there we ran into Ken's friend, Robert who was dog sitting a tiny chihuahua named Yawny (because she yawns a lot lol ) Falcor had fun playing with her too. 

Both dogs are about the same age but she is much smaller. They had fun playing though.

Review: Sucker Punch by Laurell K. Hamilton

 

Book Description

A brutal murder, a suspect in jail, and an execution planned, but what if the wrong person is about to be killed?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

When a fellow U.S. Marshal asks Anita Blake to fly to a tiny community in Michigan's Upper Peninsula on an emergency consult, she knows time is running short. When she arrives, there is plenty of proof that a young wereleopard killed his uncle in the most gruesome and bloody way possible. As the mounting evidence points to him, a warrant of execution is already under way.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

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But something seems off about the murder, and Anita has been asked for her expert opinion on the crime scene. Despite the escalating pressure from local cops and the family’s cries for justice for their dead patriarch, Anita quickly realizes that the evidence doesn't quite add up.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Time is against Anita, as the tight-knit community is up in arms and fear against supernaturals is growing. She races to uncover the truth and determine whether the Marshals have caught the killer or are about to execute an innocent man—all in the name of justice. 

My Review

Anita flys out on a small plane to help her friends, a fellow Marshall with a murder case. But they aren't sure that the guy in question, a leopard shifter is the killer. Some of the deputies don't seem to care that the suspect might be innocent because he's a shifter and they're scared of him so they are less than nice about how they feel. 

I usually really enjoy this series but this book was a bit boring and just seemed to go on and on in the investigation. We don't see many of the guys she's in a relationship with during this book which I kind missed. I like the interactions she has with the people that do show up but there are a few too many twists in the murder investigation for me. 

Olaf made an appearance and for some reason I just love this guy. He's a sociopath and a serial killer but also a Marshall and he's go a soft spot for Anita. He really gets in her face about wanting to date her or at least sleep together and she seems to be failing to come up with more and more reasons not to. She's a little bit attracted to him but it's weird because she wouldn't be pursuing anything with him if he wasn't so insistent. Plus the fact that she is afraid that if she gives him a flat no, that he'll stop seeing her as a potential date and more of a victim which no one wants. 

Edward also made an appearance in this book and I like him as well. He and Olaf always make for an interesting time when they are together because Edward is a lot like Olaf as he's also a sociopath. It's kinda funny how many sociopath's there are in this series. 

The murder case took a few turns that really didn't add to the story and just made it seem like it would go on forever. I would have liked it more if they had solved the case earlier and then had time to spend with Olaf and get all of his questions out of the way. While there was some talk of sex, unlike a lot of the other books in this series there was no sex in this book. 

The book was an ok read but I didn't like it as much as I liked some of the other books in this series. 

I give this book 3 out of 5 stars.