Favorite Picture of the Week

 

When my grandson comes over on the weekends, he's been walking Falor for me since my back is hurt. I was standing on the step, and he walked him down the sidewalk for me. He's only 13 and he's already taller than I am, and I'm 5'6".

So many clouds, no rain. All of the pictures of clouds were from the same day.

It rained over the mountains though.

I love those big, puffy clouds.

Saw a line of clouds rolling in as I was out with Falcor. I can't walk far so I just stayed in one place and let Falcor do his business. 

Popcorn clouds in another direction.

Then took another picture of the line of clouds getting closer.

Later that day there were more clouds over the mountains.

As the sun was setting it looked nice. 

I stood out there slowly walking Falcor back home and thought this picture was neat. Sun was almost gone, the clouds were driven off with the wind and the mountains looked black. You can even faintly see a few stars in the sky in my picture.

Book Review: Beastly Arrangement by Elizabeth Dunlap

 

Book Description

An ancient agreement between a family of witches and the Dragon beastkins sends Evangeline straight into a marriage she doesn't want.

Her new husband is scaly, rude, and he makes her heart pound with excitement. She has no intention of bowing her head to this beast, but one touch from him is enough to bring her walls crumbling down.

Julien had no intention of agreeing to this marriage, until he saw Evangeline's face, and his heart was stolen instantly. He knew he would have her, no matter the consequences.

If Julien and Evangeline can't cast aside their differences, their timid new feelings will be shattered when another Dragon comes to claim Evangeline for his own.

Julien must prove to Evangeline, and himself, that she belongs in his bed, in his heart, and nothing will ever tear them apart.

**Warning: For Adult Audiences 18+. Language and actions may be deemed offensive to some. Sexually explicit content.**

My Review

Evangeline has known since she was a small child that one day the beasts might come for her to marry one of their own because of a treaty their ancestors made a long time ago. In order to keep the peace, a female witch from her coven is chosen to marry one of the dragon beastkins. 

But no marriages have taken place for decades because no male dragon beastkins have been born until Julien and his cousin were born and now that they're both of age to get married, Julien's father is demanding he take a witch bride. 

Neither Julien nor Evangeline want to marry someone they don't love but as soon as they meet, sparks fly, just not exactly the right way. Julien is rude, grumpy and doesn't know how to treat Evangeline because he feels the sparks of passion right away and he thinks she's used her witch magic to enchant him somehow. So he fights the pull he feels for her after she moves into his home. 

Evangeline doesn't understand why Julien is so rude to her but she decides not to make things easy for him. The only problem is, if Evangeline doesn't mate with Julien and become pregnant with three months, according to the treaty contract, she'll be passed to the next eligible beastkin, which would be Julien's cousin. Julien doesn't want to see her with him because he knows his cousin would hurt her, he's not a nice guy. 

Once Evangeline realizes that her younger sister's life and freedom are on the line if she doesn't try to make her marriage work and somehow get pregnant in three months, the dynamic changes between Julien and Evangeline. They actually start to like each other and the spice level hikes up quite a bit. 

I liked the magic part of this story too. It was fun to see the explanation of how her magic works.

There are a lot of misunderstandings between the two of them in the beginning. I love a good enemies to lover's romance and this was good. It had a good ending too. 

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. 

Amazon

Happy Raturday!

 

*All pictures today are courtesy of martymousehouse.com*

Apartment Life #420

 

This is a weekly blog post that I'm calling Apartment Hell  Life. I've mentioned a few times some of the crazy things that have gone on in and around my apartment complex and in my neighborhood in the past 27 years that I'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 27 years here in a weekly blog post.

Life Update:

Once again, my daughter got a referral from her doctor's office to physical therapy this time and when she called them, they told her they don't take her insurance. The referral department are not doing their job. How hard is it to make sure they take her insurance? The marijuana edible drinks are helping my daughter with the pain she's having. Good thing too since she hasn't been able to see pain management yet. I'm not asking for too much, just do your damn job. She's still waiting to see if the weekly infusions will be given a pre-authorization or not. 

My back is still painful. At least I'm not having the shooting nerve pain down the back of my leg anymore. I'm having to use one of my crutches to walk around. 

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 I made this meme when I spotted this pigeon eating on a chicken bone. 

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I received an email that went out to all residents at my apartment complex. New rules for dogs.

 Specifically," Dogs are not allowed to URINATE anywhere on the property, including the rocks by the sidewalk." That's never been in the lease before. I haven't signed a new lease yet so I have no idea if it's in the new one. 

And there's still a $600 fine for letting guests brings their pets into your apartment. That is in the lease. These people are crazy. 

If the manager doesn't like dogs, just make it a dog free apartment complex for all new residents. 

General Property & Lease Rules

No animals are allowed on the premises or property — even temporarily — unless specifically authorized in writing by the Owner or Management.

This includes animals belonging to guests.

Approved pets are only those listed on your Lease Agreement.

Unapproved animals are considered a lease violation and may result in fines, lease penalties, or possible eviction.

Dogs must be taken completely off the property to urinate and defecate. Pets are not permitted to relieve themselves in any on-site areas, including rocked areas, landscaped sections, or turf. 

Under Clark County Code § 10.36.020 – Solid Waste Excretion, it is unlawful for a pet owner to allow an animal to defecate on public property, common areas, or another person’s property unless the waste is promptly removed. The code specifically includes common areas of apartment complexes and multiple dwellings.

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Summer is here. 

The high this week was 104F/40C

The low this week was 70F/21C

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

While We Were Hiking In Nevada

 

I thought I would post something different today. I share a lot of pictures right around my neighborhood because I don't travel out of my neighborhood all that often but there was a time that me, Ken (my late husband) and our daughter, Elizabeth would drive to Mt, Charleston or Red Rock and go hiking. We did it all the time, back when my knees and back could take it. 🤣🤣

Before our daughter was even born Ken and I went to Red Rock here in Nevada and we stopped to pet the burros. They would come right up to you and stand there while you petted them. It's illegal to feed them. This is me back in 1990. 

When our daughter got a little older we took her with us hiking out in Red Rock around 2011.

For the most part we would just hike out in the desert during the nice weather before it got really hot. it was flat and easy to navigate for a kid. As our daughter got a little older we would climb up the rocks and mountains. She had a lot more energy than we did and she got to the top so fast.

Red Rock has mountains and cliffs that you can climb and we would hike through them to find interesting spots.

Getting to the top of some of the big rocks gave me a nice backdrop for some of the pictures I took. Like for this one.

My daughter and her friend went back to Red Rock when she was older and found this place. What an interesting find.

My daughter took some pictures like this one while she was hiking with her friend. You can see why it's called Red Rock.

Sometimes you can find small creeks with running water.

But there's always more to see and take pictures of.

When you get to the top of some of the big rocks, the climb back down is a little scary but the view is nice.

Me and my daughter around 2012. There is still a little snow on the ground where we went hiking at Mt. Charleston.

Standing on the side of the road where we pulled off to get a picture on the way up to Mt. Charleston.

Mt. Charleston has a lot of trails to follow. I've always been a bigger women but that didn't stop me from getting out there and hiking some of the trails and climbing up some of the rocks we found.

My daughter always liked going hiking too.

We found a large, big, red rock and me and Elizabeth climbed halfway up it so some of the red rock would be showing in the picture. Then we all climbed to the top of it and took the next picture from the top. 

That view was worth it.

This one came out so dark because I didn't have a digital camera back then. But we found this little alcove to eat lunch in and there was cool sand to sit and relax on for a while.

Ken and Elizabeth at Red Rock. We were once again standing at the top of a big rock so I could get the view in the background in the picture.

And then Ken took a picture of me as I climbed up to the top of this rock. He didn't think I was going to make it so he stayed behind me until I got up there. Our daughter was already at the top waiting for us. 🤣🤣 To have the energy and stamina of a 12 year old. 

I hope you enjoyed the hike through the hiking pictures.

Freebie Friday!

 

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.  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.

This week I received: 

A sample pouch of IAMS wet dog food and a coupon for a buy 1, get one free. 

Falcor liked the food so that's always good. 

I also won a book from a FB contest. 

I won a Healthy Snack Box on FB.

The Healthy Snack box was great. 

There was popcorn, granola bars, vegie straws, rice cakes, gummi bears, shake mix and biscuits.

Did you receive any freebies this week?

Book Review: Blown Away by Cara Bristol

 

Book Description

She’s devoted to her work. He’s not ready for love. When a blinding dust storm on a remote planet traps them together, will hostility turn to passion?

Astrogeologist Breeze O’Day won’t trade her perilous career for anything. Taking a research job on a faraway alien world to escape her abusive ex-husband, she can’t wait to bring her findings back home and announce a game-changing discovery. But when her ship is swept up in a catastrophic sandstorm, her gratitude at being plucked from certain death quickly sours when she realizes her savior is a rude, ill-mannered brute.

If Tack Grayson wanted company, he wouldn’t have moved to the middle of nowhere. Still suffering from PTSD after killing a shapeshifter disguised as his wife, the furloughed cyborg soldier’s instincts compel him to rescue the passenger of a crashed hovercraft. But as he forces himself to care for the injured and strong-willed woman, his gruff exterior crumbles as unexpected attractions ignite.

After Breeze recruits her host’s help in securing her valuable data, she struggles to admit that her initial unease has morphed into undeniable chemistry. But as Tack’s haunting past catches up to him, he fears giving into his feelings will only rope the gorgeous scientist into his own misery.

With trouble on the horizon, will this star-crossed pair forge a path to happiness?

Blown Away is the suspenseful first book in the Cyborg Force science fiction romance series. If you like steamy encounters, wounded warriors, and heartfelt connections, then you’ll adore Cara Bristol’s futuristic adventure.

My Review

Breeze is on the edge of a huge discovery and the samples she's collected of the sand may lead to trouble for her. So, when she's hurdled in the wrong direction during a bad sandstorm and ends up crashing near Tack's place, she's happy to be alive but wary of him at first because he's a bit grumpy. 

Tack lives alone out in the middle of nowhere so he's surprised that a vessel has flown near enough to him to crash near where he lives. After pulling her out of the craft and getting her safely inside, he's not sure what to make of her. He wasn't expecting company and doesn't want any. 

Tack had something bad happen to him and now he lives in solitude trying to get a grip on himself. Tack is a cyborg and works in an elite cyborg team that he wasn't sure he would be able to go back to work after getting PTSD. But Breeze makes him realize that life can go on and he might just have feelings for her. 

When Breeze entrusts Tack with her discovery, he lets her know that the government might try to shut her up, permanently if she goes ahead with sharing her discovery. So, he volunteers to be her bodyguard as well as more since they realize that they have feelings for each other after spending days in close proximity because of the bad sandstorm preventing them from leaving his house. 

But not only might they have problems with the government, but her abusive ex-husband proves to be a problem too.

Tack's dog, Bandit was also great. I love it when animals are part of the storyline. 

This is the 1st book in the Cyborg Force series and I loved it. I'll definitely be reading the next book in this series. There's an ongoing storyline about a maybe new lifeform, but all my questions about this couple were answered by the end of this book. I'm looking forward to finding out more about the lifeform and what dangers all these people are going to be facing. 

I give this book 5 out of 5 stars.

Amazon

Favorite Picture of the Week

 

We have a small red oleander bush out front of my apartment complex. It's not as big as the white one but it's a nice splash of color around here. No clouds this week, how about some flowers.

There are a couple of these bushes with the purple flowers. Not sure what they are.

The flowers are pretty though.

And across the street I spotted these pink flowers right before the landscapers cut the bush down really small. 

Book Review: The Last True Vampire by Kate Baxter

 

Book Description

He is the last vampire king, and he has finally found his mate.

Michael Aristov survived the massacre that erased his race. Now an immortal predator hiding in the nightclubs of Los Angeles, he longs for vengeance and hungers for the woman whose blood can restore his power.

Claire Thompson survives by stealing from men who underestimate her. Fast, fearless, and sharp-tongued, she never planned on crossing a monster until one claims her.

The moment their fated-mate bond ignites, it does more than tie them together. It makes him stronger and paints a target on her back.

The Slayers who massacred his kind are still watching. They will kill her to destroy him.

Claire has spent her life running from danger. Now she must choose.

Walk away from the immortal king who would burn the world for her.

Or step into the shadows beside him and become something far more dangerous than prey.

Explicit open-door heat. Fated mates. Immortal alpha vampire and defiant street thief. A power bond that could resurrect a kingdom or get them both killed.

My Review

400 years ago, the Sortiari vampire hunters backed by the church annihilated the entire vampire race, save for one, Michael.  The Sortiari were actually Berserkers so they were strong and fast killing machines. 

Claire is a pickpocket and goes to a club to try and pick the pockets of those partying at the club. Michael just happens to be there to feed on someone. They meet when Claire spots him as an easy mark but things get tense when he realizes that she's his mate. She feels the pull and makes out with him but as soon as she gets the expensive watch off him, she runs and he can't find her for a while.

While there were no other vampires, there were Dhampirs, which were a product of birth. To be turned into vampires the Dhampirs would have to be drained of blood and feed on a vampire but Michael couldn't do that for any of them since he hadn't found his mate yet and was too weak to do anything but exist until such time as he found his mate. 

Claire and Michael find their way to each other again and again even when Claire runs and tries to stay away from Michael after she finds out what he is and she feels the pull towards him. Michael knows shortly after meeting her that she's his mate and wants to be with her but it's dangerous with the Sortiari around every corner just waiting for Michael to show himself. When the Sortiari find out that Michael has found his mate and taken her blood, they want her dead and that puts Claire in a lot of danger. 

I really like the fated mate storyline and the Sortiari made things really dangerous for all of them. Berserkers after the vampires and Dhampirs was very different from what I have read in vampire romance before. This was a thrilling ride from start to finish and can highly recommend this book. Now I need to go read the next book in this series. 

I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. 

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

Amazon

Happy Raturday!

 

*All pictures today are courtesy of martymousehouse.com*