Review: Ghost of Death by Chrys Fey

Book Description

Jolie Montgomery, a twenty-one-year-old woman, wakes up in an alley next to her corpse. She has no memories of her murder or the night she died. She didn’t even see the killer’s face before he or she took her life. Wanting justice, Jolie seeks answers in the only way a ghost can...by stalking the lead detective on the case. 

Avrianna Heavenborn is determined to find the person responsible for a young woman’s death. She gets closer to the killer’s identity with every clue she uncovers, and Jolie is with her every step of the way. 

But if they don’t solve her murder soon, Jolie will be an earth-bound spirit forever.

My Review

One of my blogging friends is an author and a couple of weeks ago I saw that she put a link to one of her supernatural-suspense short stories on her blog. I was curious so I clicked on it and at the time I bought it, it was just .99 so I figured why not. This is the first book from this author that I've read and I was pleasantly surprised at just how much I enjoyed it. 

Jolie is killed but she doesn't remember who killed her or how. She walks around her murder scene talking to the people who are trying to figure out who killed her but none of them can hear her. It's frustrating of course so while she's hovering around one of the detectives looking into her case she starts yelling. That's when Avrianna lets her know she can hear her and from that point on Jolie tries to help Avrianna find out who killed her. 

Avrianna is a really interesting character. Her story is curious because she was abandoned as a baby, can talk to the dead and has supernatural powers including the fact that her eyes glow green at times. I really want to now more about this character.

While this story is short, just 35 pages that didn't stop the author from giving us a back story into Avrianna and Jolie or making the scenes come to life. There's a lot of story contained in these few pages and that made this short story so enjoyable. It was very emotional as we find out why Jolie was killed and by who. It's a tragic look into the mind of a mentally unstable person who decided to kill for a reason that made my heart hurt. 

If you're in the mood for a quick suspenseful read, then give this one a try.

You can purchase this book at this link. 

You can find Chrys Fey at her Blog, Write With Fey.

I easily give this book 5 out of 5 stars. 

Review: Julienne Vegetable Peeler by Pridebit

Product Description

 EFFICIENT AND EASY TO USE - The Pridebit Julienne Peeler's sharp blades take the skin off fruit, vegetables and even squash quickly and easily. It juliennes carrots and other hard vegetables effortlessly. The two-in-one blade is versatile: peel with one side, julienne with the other. When you're done, just pop it in the dishwasher. Prepping great food at home has never been easier.

 BASIC KITCHEN TOOL FOR A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE - Fitness experts recommend eating about 2 ½ cups of vegetables and 2 cups of fruit every day. Use the Pridebit julienne peeler to quickly prep the food you need to hit your nutritional targets.

 PROFESSIONAL QUALITY - The Pridebit Dual Julienne & Vegetable Peeler is made from high-quality stainless steel that maintains sharpness even after washing in the dishwasher.

 FREE RECIPE BOOK - Looking for inspiration for healthy, tasty new dishes? We offer a FREE recipe book to all of our customers so that you can get the most use out of your julienne peeler!

My Review

I opened the box as soon as it came in the mail because ever since I saw this product, I've been wanting to try it out. 

As you can see this peeler works exactly like it says it will. I was able to make julienne and thin slices of carrot so easily. Cutting this carrot into pieces you see above took me just a couple of minutes. The thin slices are perfectly thin and it cut all the way down the carrot so this will be great for things like stir fry. What I really love and am excited about is the julienne feature. Look at those great julienne slices of carrot! I like to cut vegetables up into small slices to give to my rats because rats are supposed to have fresh fruit and vegetables everyday. Well this peeler just made my work so much easier.

And the best part is my rats love the tiny rat sized portions. I could hardly wait to give Scribbles a few julienne pieces of carrot and after sniffing around my hand to make sure that I hadn't hidden a yogi in there somewhere, he took the carrots. 

Flower isn't as picky and she took the carrots right away. As you can see these julienne pieces of carrot are exactly the right size for tiny rats hands. 

This julienne vegetable peeler is made really well. This thing isn't going to break anytime soon and it comes with a cleaning brush to get into those hard to reach places especially on the julienne side. I will be using this peeler especially the julienne side for making julienne vegetables for lettuce wraps, stir fry vegetables, rat snacks, and salads. This vegetable peeler is really easy to use too, it practically glides over the vegetables and is so easy to use and cut them.

If you would like to buy this product you can visit Amazon to get the Julienne Vegetable Peeler. 

You can also visit their PrideBit website. 

Disclaimer: I was given this product for free in exchange for my honest review. 

Review: Miner's Sourdough Bread by Old Town Baking Company

Back when I was a kid living in California, my parents used to buy Pioneer sourdough bread. But now as an adult my brother and I can't find that bread anywhere and even my dad misses it. So when my brother and sister in law went to a farmer's market in California a few weeks ago my brother spotted this bread and bought a loaf hoping it would taste something like the Pioneer sourdough that we cannot find anymore. Imagine his surprise when this bread tasted almost exactly like the sourdough bread he's been looking for. 

He called me that night and told me that he'd found a Sourdough bread that tasted just like the one we were looking for and gave me the name. I was excited when I thought I might be able to order it or find it in a store near me but they only sell it to a few certain restaurants and at Farmer's Markets in certain locations. So my brother was nice enough to get me and our dad two loaves each and mail it to us. 

I have to say, it really is one of the best sourdough breads I've ever had. So if you're at a Farmer's market and happen to see this Miner's Sourdough bread being sold there, I'd buy a loaf. It might just be the best sourdough bread you've ever had.

If you are in California and would like to see their Farmer's Market schedule, you can find it here. 

And they have a FB Page

Happy Raturday!

Welcome to a new weekly blog post I'm calling, Raturday! I've seen Caturday and while that's really cute, I think the rats needs some photo time so everyone can see how cute these little animals are. I've gotten permission from Rat Logic's fb page to share their pictures on my blog. So get ready to smile because these are cute. 

*click pictures to enlarge*

Review: Queen of Hearts by Kristen Painter

Book Description
Welcome to Las Vegas, home of the Sin City Collectors. The job description is easy: Bring the offending supernatural in to the Boss and don’t ask any questions. Feline shifter Claudette Marchon traded life as a showgirl to become a Sin City Collector, giving up the glamour to earn some serious cash in order to buy her own business. Mission accomplished, she now runs a pawn shop specializing in gems and jewelry. Life is good until a Collection job requiring her specific skill set lures her back in. The Queen of Hearts, a museum-worthy ruby and diamond necklace has been stolen from the Boss’s private collection and she’s his last hope to do what two other Collectors have already failed to do. Bring in the necklace. And the thief. But gargoyle Jason Tennant isn’t quite the dangerous criminal Claudette expects. In fact, he’s not a thief at all. He’s former Special Ops and being set up by the real mastermind, forcing her to decide between the man she’s falling for and the man she works for. Proving Jason innocent may risk the Boss’s wrath, but Claudette’s heart says it’s a gamble worth taking. What’s Collected in Vegas, stays in Vegas... *All Sin City Collectors Novellas are stand alone novellas, all set within the world of the SCC. Our goal is for you to sit back and enjoy the ride as each author presents their unique story. The world of the Sin City Collectors is big. Places and characters will overlap, so be sure to look for your favorites and stay tuned for more novellas!

My Review
*Warning: This review may contain spoilers*

I was looking through some of the free ebooks on Amazon and found this one. I hadn't read this author before so I decided to try out one of her books. I live in Las Vegas so I'm usually excited to find stories set here but this one just didn't hit home with me. This book is a novella and even knowing that, I felt that the author tried to put too much into too few pages. 

While there were smoldering looks, flirting and even a couple of kisses...there was no sex. Not one sex scene. It was kind of a let down for me. This didn't feel like a romance book to me at all and I think a chance was missed to make it better. 

The other thing that bothered me was the fact that Claude retired from Sin City Collectors but according to her and her bosses you never really get to retire completely and if they suspect you turned traitor on them or break the rules, you can and will be punished. So then why did she ask for her new boyfriend to be a collector? Why would she want someone else to be in a job they can never really get out of, is dangerous and that you could be severely punished from if you mess up bad enough. 

Some things just don't make sense and if it doesn't seem believable then it detracts from the story which is what happened in this one for me. 

I did really like Claude and Jason's characters and thought the chemistry between them was awesome. The sparks flew right away. I even felt bad for Jason with all he'd had to endure over the past 2 years at the hands of Sloan. 

Maybe it's because this is a novella that I didn't feel like there was much world building and didn't feel connected to what was happening around them. They are in Las Vegas but we don't really feel that from the story being told. But if you're looking for a quick flirty read, this might be the book for you. 

If you'd like to buy this book for yourself, you can do so here.

I give this book 3 out of 5 stars. 

What is Rat Bite Fever?

*Scribbles*

You might have heard last year about the 10 year old boy who died after contracting streptobacillus moniliformis, also known as Rat Bite Fever. There are two types of rat bite fever, the most common one is streptobacillus moniliformis, which is found in the United States, and Spirillum Minus, which is primarily found in Asia.

Symptoms
Symptoms include fever, chills, muscle aches, headache, vomiting and rash. The symptoms may occur anywhere from 3-10 days of being infected. Anyone with rats should known these symptoms and get treated immediately as this disease is rare and completely treatable.

According to the CDC, "RBF is rare in the United States. Accurate data about incidence rates are unavailable because the disease may not be reportable to state health departments. Since RBF is not a nationally notifiable disease, trends in disease incidence in the U.S. are not available. Recent case reports have highlighted the potential risk for RBF among persons having contact with rodents at home or in the workplace."

How Is Rat Bite Fever Transmitted?
Streptobacillus Moniliformis can be transmitted to humans through rat bites, scratches or handling an infected rodent. This disease is not transmitted from human to human. There are no vaccines for rat bite fever and pet rats do not get vaccinations.

Most pet rats will not bite but if they have been abused or are scared, bites can happen. Most bites will heal on their own within a few days and need no medical treatment but if after a rat bite you get flu like symptoms, you should seek treatment and make sure your doctor knows about the bite. Rat bite fever is completely treatable and the rare occurrence of it should not prevent you from adopting a rat.

I've had rats for 20 years and have been bitten on the rare occasion with no problems. It is up to you to research the type of pet you have and make sure you are informed about how to care for them, what diseases they can get as well as what diseases you can get from them.

Freebie Friday!

Welcome to another edition of Freebie Friday, 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 samples like these at Hey It's Free and Freebie Shark.
Did you know you can sign up at Tomoson and get free products too.

This week I received:
2 Samples of Zing sugar substitute.
Free Secret Deodorant and Olay Face Cleanser
Purex 3 in 1 laundry sheets (Tomoson)
Gimmee Jimmy's 2lbs of brownies (not free but only paid $3.60 thanks to a coupon code from Amazon Review Trader. Regular Price is $35.99)

Did you receive any freebies this week. 

Review: Lost With Leo by Shelley Munro

Book Description

Leo Mitchell wants to contribute to the operating expenses of the new family-run Middlemarch resort, which specializes in capture fantasies for female guests. Betrys Torins offers what Leo thinks is a wonderful opportunity, but in reality is potentially deadly. He hungers for revenge. A capture might be the perfect payback…

In order to protect her son, Betrys must procure men for her alien employer Iseult Orna. She hates her job and loathes the guilt she feels at trapping the sexy Leo into signing an irrevocable contract. Even worse, she has started dream walking and sharing passionate sex with the gorgeous man. She’s smitten, yet knows they have no future, because when Iseult catches up with Leo, he’ll die.

Inside scoop: Iseult’s appetites for men are extreme. Because of that experience, shifter Leo starts out as a sourpuss, but Betrys knows he’s just the cat’s meow. 

Reader Advisory: This story has graphic sexual language and scenes—no closed bedroom doors (or other rooms) here!

My Review

This is book 3 in the Middlemarch Capture series. I'd previously read the first two books in the series and thought that each book was the best one yet until this one...because this is hands down the best book in the series. This story has one of the most creeptastic characters I've ever read. Iseult is a Spiderus female and she is exactly what she sounds like...a spider shifter! And if that isn't bad enough, she has little spider minions that do her bidding. I love horror books, movies ect.. so this character and her entire story line just made me love this book even more. Nothing better than a paranormal romance having a little darkness added to it for fun.

I felt so sorry for Leo, what he endures because of the contract he signed is hard to imagine. But even though I felt bad for him I felt doubly bad for Betrys because she is only doing what she must to keep her son safe.

I love the story line for this series. The family that owns Middlemarch Resort offers capture fantasies for their female guests. When I first read that I thought this would be a really interesting idea for a resort. Kind of like a Fantasy Island, if you're old enough to remember that show. I talk with a lot of romance book readers and I know that a resort like this one might actually go over really well. So I'm really looking forward to anymore books in this series.

You can read this book as a stand alone and understand it just fine, but Leo's family are a big part of this book and you'll get to know them better if you read the previous two books first.

I cannot think of s single thing that could have been added to this book to make it better. It was dark, yet sweet and romantic. There were times when something disgusting was about to happen or did happen and I caught myself making a face just thinking about it. But then something unexpectedly funny would happen *pets do the darnedest things* and I would end up laughing. 

If you like intrigue, romance, shifters and a character that will give you goosebumps, then this book is for you. 

If you'd like to buy this book, you can do so here. 

If you'd like to read an excerpt of this book you can do so at the author's website. 

Disclaimer: I received this book as a gift from the author.

Review: Bob's Red Mill Pancake Mix

At the local Smiths grocery store I've seen a few of the Bob's Red Mill product line but had not bought anything from it. But after going to their website and seeing just how many different mixes and products they had, I wanted to try a couple of their products. 

I'm always on the look out for new products to try and Ken and I love pancakes for breakfast and snacks so this was the first product we decided to get and try. 

The instructions are easy, just mix with egg, oil and milk and then cook them on a griddle or waffle iron. This mix made really good pancakes, that were fluffy and tasted great. I made enough that we had some left over for the next day and they heat back up really great as well. I like making big batches and then storing them in the fridge to just heat a couple up the next day and you can easily do that with these. Easy snack for later. This mix wasn't overly sweet but just sweet enough to make the pancakes tasty. I added a little sugar to my second batch because I like my pancakes a little sweeter.

I love to cook, bake ect. I think making something homemade or from a mix that you have to add some fresh ingredients to is better for you instead of buying products that are already made like frozen pancakes that you just heat in the microwave. 

I still have one coupon for another free product left and I will be writing another review for that product that I decide to get as well. 

So if you see Bob's Red Mill products in your local grocery store, pick one up and try it out, you might find a new favorite to buy on your shopping trips. 

Disclaimer: Bob's Red Mill sent me two coupons for free products in exchange for an honest review. 

Review: Purex Complete 3-in-1 Laundry Sheets

Product Description

This is a great product for those on the go. Perfect for the traveler, college students or anyone who hates to carry messy liquids to the laundry. Just toss a sheet in the Washer (washing machine) and let it's detergent do the rest. After the soap takes care of the dirt. Then the fabric softener goes to work making everything soft to the touch, no more scratchy clothes! It eliminates static with it's antistatic properties. Whether you are using liquids, powders or pods make your life easier! Just Grab the 20 count starter kit and GO!

My Review

First of all as soon as I opened the package, I loved the scent of these. The scent that I was sent is Tropical Escape. If you're like me and don't have a washer and dryer in your apartment and have to take your laundry down to the laundry facilities provided by your apartment complex then you know that having to carry a bottle of detergent, fabric softener and bleach if you use it is kinda a pain in the rear. But in using these laundry sheets all I had to do was bring one for each load of laundry and throw them in the washer. You can even transfer it to the dryer and it works as a static cling sheet as well. 

They come with their own holder/dispenser which stands up on my counter top. It's small and doesn't take up a lot of space which is nice. I wasn't sure that there would be enough detergent on these thin sheets to clean an entire load of clothes but we put a load of clothes through the washer an were pleasantly surprised when they came out clean and smelling great. 

I can genuinely say that this product works great and does what it says it will. 

Disclaimer: I was given a free box of this product in exchange for an honest review.  

If you'd like to buy these you can find them here. 

Happy Raturday!

Welcome to a new weekly blog post I'm calling, Raturday! I've seen Caturday and while that's really cute, I think the rats needs some photo time so everyone can see how cute these little animals are. I've gotten permission from Rat Logic's fb page to share their pictures on my blog. So get ready to smile because these are cute. 

*click pictures to enlarge*

Review: Under Cover Of Dark by Jaunita Kees

Book Description

New Australian romantic suspense follows Under the Hood, about a Western Australian drug gang, the teenagers they recruit, and the cop who wants to bring them down.

When Mark Johnson delves deeper into his investigation into the murder of Tiny Watts, and the involvement of a teenage gang with sleazy lawyer Gino Bennetti and his drug world ties, the last thing he expects is to be interviewing Gino’s widow, a woman in a world of trouble.

When her husband is shot and killed, it is both a relief and a disaster. Lily has her son to protect and secrets that run deeper than the scars she bears. Mark Johnson is the last person she wants uncovering those secrets, especially the truth about her son Luke’s involvement in Tiny Watts’s murder.

As the investigation continues and Lily’s wounds begin to heal, she finds the detective easy to trust and the friendship between them blossoms into more. But the secret Lily holds places everyone in very real danger. When it is finally revealed, Lily will lose everything: her son, the man she’s grown to love, her freedom and her life.

My Review: 

Gino Bennetti is a big time jerk with ties in the drug world. Even though he's a big time lawyer and rich, none of that matters because he's also an abuser of his wife and son. In short, the man is a big time sleeze ball. So it's no surprise that once his kid is old enough to fight back...he does. In order to save himself and his mother, Luke does what he has to do and shoots his father, killing him. 

Lily Bennetti has been taking her husband's abuse for such a long time and trying to keep her son safe at the same time. But with a husband and father like Gino, that was really hard to do and now she is faced with keeping quiet about all their secrets and letting her son go to prison for killing his father or opening up to Mark Johnson, the detective in charge of finding out what really happened the night Gino was shot. 

Things would be nice and neat and not at all as dangerous as they were if Gino's business partner Nic Albero wasn't stalking Lily and her son because he thinks that they know too much and are going to talk to the police about what he and Gino were into and have done. 

There are some scary moments, a lot of drama and a couple plot twists that I never saw coming. And the one plot twist is a big one, I'm talking huge revelation and I almost felt sorry for the bad guys when they found out...almost. 

My only complaint was that it started a little slow and some parts in the middle of the book slowed down and didn't keep my attention as much as I would have wanted. But I do recommend this book if you like romantic suspense because it's a really good story. 

If you'd like to buy this book, you can do so here. 

I give this book 4 stars. 

Review: Orblue Bag Heat Sealer

Product Description

Place edge of poly or mylar bag in your sealer and slowly pull the bag through. Magnetic bottom so it easily attaches to refrigerators. 

My Review

If you like chips then you know what a pain it is to roll up the bag and find a clip to seal it. The clips really don't keep air out and they don't stay fresh for long. But with this bag sealer you can squeeze the bag and seal it so that no air gets in. Just hold the bag closed and pull the sealer along the edge of the bag. 

I found it easier to start in the middle and pull it to one side and then back to the other and that seemed to seal it really good. I didn't find that this worked with sandwich bags or the like, it just cut those bags but it works really good on potato chip bags which is why I wanted it in the first place. 

I also really like that it has a magnet on the back so you can keep it right on the refrigerator where you can easily find it. It's nice and small and doesn't take up much room. 

I was able to use this heat sealer right out of the box because it comes with batteries already installed. 

If you'd like to buy one of these heat sealers, you can find it here. 

I tried this heal sealer out of a few different bags of stuff that I already had. This snack pack was a thicker plastic than a sandwich baggie and I had no problem sealing it.

I cut off the end and slid the heat sealer across the opening and it sealed it right up. 

All sealed up. 

I tried it on a bag of Bugles we had. I had to cut the top off because it was so wrinkled that the heat sealer wouldn't slide across real easily but it sealed this too. 

All sealed up. 

Disclaimer: I got this product at a deep discount in exchange for my honest review. 

Freebie Friday!

Welcome to another edition of Freebie Friday, 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 samples like these at Hey It's Free and Freebie Shark.
Did you know you can sign up at Tomoson and get free products too.

This week I received:
Coupon for 2 free Bob's Red Mill product and 2 $1 off coupons.
Coupon for a free Seeds of Change product
Package of Colore Liquid Chalk Markers (not free but deeply discounted from Amazing Deals Group)

I also received a $5 Amazon gift card from Bing just by using their search engine. 

What did you get for free this week?

Our Day In Court

If we're FB friends then you probably already know that Ken and I had to appear as witnesses in court yesterday. We called the police on our neighbors a few weeks ago because the guy was beating on his pregnant girlfriend. We got subpoena's had to go to court and testify as to what we saw. 

So my dad drove us down to the Regional Justice Center and sat in the courtroom as we both testified. We were there for about 3 hours and it was quite the experience since I've never been in a courtroom before. We were a little worried about going because the guy's father came to our apartment last week, we get a knock at the door and there's a guy and a woman standing there asking for Ken by name. The weird thing was the guy was half dressed in a Metro police uniform..just the pants, shoes and belt with his badge, gun and handcuffs and wearing a regular civilian black and orange t shirt.

So Ken lets them in and they they tell us that they are the guys parents and they wanted to get our side of the story before court. So Ken told them what we saw and the dad who we thought was a metro police officer tells us that even though we got a subpoena, we don't have to show up...it's really voluntary and we won't get in any trouble if we don't go. That he is trying to get his son in the military and if he is convicted for battery domestic violence that all that is out the window. But if Ken doesn't show up in court that the case will get thrown out and he can get on with his life.

Essentially the father tried to intimidate us into not testifying...Not gonna happen. 

So yesterday when we went to court and the prosecutor asked us about this incident, they found out that he actually isn't a metro police officer...he's actually just school police. I got a call last night from the city attorneys office and they wanted us to go file a police report on the father for witness intimidation and impersonating a police officer. But we decided to just let this drop as long as he and his son let it drop. We don't want to pursue this any further.  

I took this picture out of the 5th floor lobby that I was waiting in after I testified and Ken was on the stand. That's some of the Las Vegas skyline right there. You can see the Stratosphere off in the distance. 

This is outside the Regional Justice Center where we went to court. I was surprised that when we went inside they made you take your shoes, belts, ect off and put everything in a basket to get scanned just like at the airport. Ken and I had no problems going through the metal detectors but they stopped my 83 year old dad and took a closer took at his cane and even took one of those hand held wands and swiped it over my dad. Obviously because my 83 year old father looks like a criminal. lol 

I'm just glad it's over. 

Review: Blood Moon by Lisa Kessler

Book Description

Nadya Dalca has been handed a death sentence. She's been bitten by the last living genetically enhanced werewolf―part of the Nero Organization's disastrous Moonlight project. With the poisonous blood now coursing through her system and pushing her to the limits, it is only a matter of time before Nadya's fate is sealed...

Gareth Takoda told himself he couldn't get involved. Caught up in a maelstrom of grief and bitterness, he has been isolating himself from his Pack. But when he is charged with watching over Nadya's first transformation―or bear witness should it go horribly wrong―Gareth is torn further by unwanted desire and the need to protect what is his.

One kiss changes everything. One shattering, all-consuming kiss. And with it, Nadya and Gareth face either salvation...or death.

My Review

This is the first book in The Moon Series that I've read and even though it's the 3rd book in the series, I had no problem reading it as a stand alone book.

Nadya is facing what could be a death sentence, but she's always so upbeat and has a hopeful attitude. She was bitten by one of Nero's genetically enhanced soldiers and is now infected with mutant werewolf DNA. She displays psychic abilities and that has something to do with why she has survived the bite. 

After finding more out about Gareth, I felt bad for him. Emotionally, he's broken and can't take another loss in his life right now.  But when you find your mate, you do what you have to in order to make them happy. 

The only story line that I didn't like was them trusting a doctor from Nero to try and find a treatment for Nadya. As much as I wanted it to make sense, it just didn't. Trusting someone from Nero,  knowing what they had done just made Jason look too gullible in my opinion. 

There were a few scenes that had me in tears. I felt bad for Gareth and Nadya several times and it shows how well Lisa Kessler draws the reader into her stories when one is reading and gets so emotionally involved that they actually tear up. 

If you like werewolves, bikers, shifters and a few twists that are sure to keep you guessing, then you'll like this book. 

If you'd like to buy this book, you can do so here. 

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. 

Disclaimer: I was given this book free of charge by the author after winning it in a contest, all opinions are my own. 

Review: Diatomaceous Earth by Abundant Living

Product Description: 

Tired of pests on your pets, in your bed & home? Natural, organic pest control that really works!

No chemicals to spray around your pets. No worries about kids getting into poison. 100% Nontoxic.

Good health is on its way! DE & CB used for 100+ years. Experience relief! Be parasite free.

Amazing natural remedy with tons of uses. Save money, time & mess! Applicator bottle is prefilled.

Purchase today & Abundant Living guarantees you experience success or they'll give you 100% refund!

My Review: 

I really hate ants and every summer my apartment courtyard gets ants so bad that we can't even stand in one place on the side walks because they will get on you there's so many of them. I've been using DE in my home for years as a preventative measure to keep the stray ants, spiders and beetles away. But this year I decided to get some more DE and sprinkle it outside. So when I saw this I knew this was what I was going to get. They send you a big bottle and it has an added ingredient that I've never used before and wanted to see if that killed the bugs faster. I sprinkled this stuff all over outside where I saw the ants and went back out the next day and there were half as many ants! Another day went by and I checked again and while there are still some stragglers coming from places I didn't put this product down, so many of the ants are now gone. I plan on sprinkling this stuff all over my courtyard, especially in front of my apartment and where I walk the dog.

If you'd like to buy this you can find it here. 

Disclaimer: I was given this at a discount in exchange for my honest review. 

Happy Raturday!

Welcome to a new weekly blog post I'm calling, Raturday! I've seen Caturday and while that's really cute, I think the rats needs some photo time so everyone can see how cute these little animals are. I've gotten permission from Rat Logic's fb page to share their pictures on my blog. So get ready to smile because these are cute. 

*click pictures to enlarge*

Could Thyroid Problems Be Caused by Perchlorate in Tap Water?

With Thyroid disease on the rise in the U.S. we have to wonder why so many people are being effected by it and if it's hereditary or caused by toxins in the things we eat and drink. Here in Las Vegas, Nevada, perchlorate is found in our tap water.

What is Perchlorate?
Perchlorate is a salt formed when oxygen molecules are added to chloride. It is sometimes used as an oxidizer in solid fuels and is a byproduct of rocket fuel production. Perchlorate can contaminate ground water and end up in tap water like it did here in Las Vegas when an industrial complex that made rocket fuel let perchlorate get into the ground water and then it traveled through the Las Vegas wash where it ended up in Lake Mead where most of our drinking water comes from.

How Does Perchlorate Effect The Thyroid?
Perchlorate inhibits the Thyroid from absorbing iodine which can cause the thyroid from making enough thyroid hormone. When the thyroid isn't able to make enough thyroid hormone that's when you see Hypothyroidism or under active thyroid. I know this because I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism more than ten years ago and my husband was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism just a couple of years ago. Most times Hypothyroidism runs in families but neither one of us have any family members with this disease so we thought it must be caused by other factors.

According to The Las Vegas Valley Water District, "Lake Mead, which is the source of approximately 90 percent of Southern Nevada's drinking water, contains low concentrations of perchlorate. During 2012, concentrations in the treated water averaged 1.2 parts per billion (ppb). One ppb is roughly equivalent to a half teaspoon of water in an Olympic-size swimming pool."

Even small amounts and low exposure to perchlorate can have harmful effects on the thyroid. According to About.com, "According to the Environmental Working Group, the CDC has found that perchlorate levels in water as low as 3 parts per billion - think of one teaspoon of water in an Olympic-sized swimming pool - can have an effect on women's health."

Symptoms of Hypothyroidism
I've had Hypothyroidism for more than ten years and some of the symptoms I had are, dry skin, memory loss, depression, thinning hair, brittle nails, weight gain, puffy face, muscle weakness, muscle cramps, fatigue and joint pain but there are more symptoms than those I had.

So I have to wonder if the perchlorate in my tap water had anything to do with my husband and I both developing thyroid disease.

Recipe: Home Made Ice Cream

*The homemade coffee ice cream I made*

I don't know if you guys have seen the video that's been going around for the 3 ingredient ice cream or not but I saw it on fb a week ago and decided to try it and it is so good. The video I saw with his directions are below. 

These directions are super easy.
Mix 3 tablespoons of instant coffee with 2 tablespoons of water and stir until mixed,  and add that to 1/2 can of Sweetened Condensed milk and stir again. Then add that mixture to 20 ounces of heavy whipping cream and use hand mixer until the mixture is thick. Pour into a plastic container with a lid and put into freezer for 2-3 hours.

I cannot believe how easy this was or how good it was. I might try making a different flavor next time.

While it was good, it did seem to leave a thick oily film in my mouth. Ken said the same thing. I think I need an ice cream maker instead. lol

Review: Seized & Seduced by Shelley Munro

Book Description

During a routine stop en route to Viros, Jannike Hondros is kidnapped and incarcerated, her destination a planet she’d hoped to never, ever visit again—Manx Two, the planet where she was accused of murder. 

Prince Lynx Leandros of Viros, second-in-line to the House of the Cat, and his bodyguard, Shiloh Tetsu, are caught in the same trap as Jannike. Destined for sale as a breeding pair and a spare, escape seems impossible, and now Jannike informs the feline shifters they’re showing mating signs. Impossible. Neither Lynx nor Shiloh believe her, yet they can’t deny their relationship has turned strangely touchy-feely. 

A lucky break sees them fleeing for their lives, but danger lurks over every sand hill in their race for safety. The two men are becoming even closer. Jealousy and yearning stalk Jannike. She can’t fall for either feline and certainly not for both, then nothing matters when she comes face-to-face with her past and death stalks her with its beady eye. 

Contains two headstrong alpha shifter males and their female match, enough kitty cats to make a leap and some hot lovin’ in the great outdoors, the indoors and places in between. 

My Review

This is the 3rd book in the House of Cat series and Shelley Munro has done it again with this one! I love a love triangle when it's done right and this one sure was. Lynx and Shiloh find themselves on the same ship as Jannike on their way to a planet where they are to be sold as slaves. After they escape and hope that friendlies find them and help them get off the planet, Lynx and Shiloh find that they want to be closer than their friendship has ever taken them. Jannike feels something for the feline shifter pair but keeps her distance as best she can...until she can't. 

I love a good shifter story and for the most part it doesn't matter to me what kind of shifter I'm reading, although I really like big cats. Maybe that's because my mother had an obsession with black panthers when I was growing up. So I love meeting new types of shifters. Kelvin is a Tremin and is a really interesting secondary character. He's also a shifter but he's a tree shifter. He shifted into a tree and gave them shade as well as water after they escaped. He was such an interesting character and not something I'd ever come across before, which makes him unique and I love unique characters like him. His story is a sad one but I hope we haven't seen the last of him. 

There was so much to love in this book, from the mention of the rat-pygmies, the imaginary mouse which was hilarious and the shocking twists that I found both sad and wonderful depending on which characters it was happening to. 

I really liked how Lynx and Shiloh work together to woo and bring around Jannike. They know they have to go slow because of all she's been through and even though it's driving Shiloh nuts because his cat wants more from Jannike than they have gotten, he gives her time to come to them in her own time. 

While you can read this story as a stand alone book, there are characters from the first two books in this story and you would have a better understanding of them and how they relate to the others if you read those books first.

I should point out that there is a rape in this story for those who usually don't read stories that have that in it but it's done in such a way that we know it's about to happen and then we don't come back to it until it's over and she is being rescued. It's not graphic or done in such a way that should offend anyone. What it does show is how strong this character is and how with love, support and maybe even a little revenge you can get through even the darkest of times. 

This story is fast paced and I always felt like something else was going to happen because it did! The author did a great job of keeping this reader completely absorbed in the story.

If you like shifters, alpha men, threesomes, plot twists and paranormal romance then you will like this book. 

If you'd like to buy this book, you can do so here. 

I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. 

Disclaimer: I received this book free of charge from the author in exchange for my honest opinion. 

Freebie Friday!

Welcome to another edition of Freebie Friday, 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 samples like these at Hey It's Free and Freebie Shark.
Did you know you can sign up at Tomoson and get free products too.

This week I received:
Friskies Cat Food Sample
Dove Shampoo and Conditioner Samples
Coupon for a free Tostitos Dip
Digital Meat/Candy Thermometer
A Book: Mate Bond by Jennifer Ashley (Free using my Amazon no rush shipping credits)

I also won $30 in Amazon gift cards from Crowdtap. 

Did you receive anything free this week?

Recipe: Roasted Asparagus

Believe it or not, I've never made fresh asparagus before. I've always had it out of the can but ever since finding out I have Diabetes I've been experimenting with new recipes, new vegetables and more fresh vegetables. 

I asked Ken to pick up some fresh asparagus because I told him I found a recipe for roasting it and he's been really good about trying all these new recipes that I've been finding and trying out. I made just a few stalks the first night because we weren't sure if we'd like them this way and I wanted to be able to try other ways of cooking them if this wasn't good but it was so we'll be doing this again. 

You will need: 

Fresh asparagus

Virgin olive oil

Garlic powder

Onion powder

Salt and pepper to taste

What to do: 

To ensure that the woody, chewy parts of the stem are discarded just hold the asparagus spear by each end and bend. It will naturally break off the end that should be tossed away before cooking.

After breaking off the ends coat the spears in olive oil and sprinkle with seasoning ingredients. Bake in a 425 degree oven for 12 minutes or until tender. Larger spears might take a minute or two longer. 

These tasted so good, much better than any canned asparagus I've ever had.