Review: Geek Bearing Gifts by Milly Taiden

Book Blurb

Nita Islas wants to find love. She's tired of the superficial relationships and is ready to give true romance a try. She uses the Paranormal Dating Agency and hopes they can help her where all others have failed. What she didn't expect was to find her date flat on his back in nothing more than a towel.

Ky Stone has been in love with curvy and funny Nita since they were in High School. When she moved away, she took his heart with her. Then one day Ky wakes up to find her leaning over him. He's sure he's died and gone to heaven. He has no idea what she's doing there, but he's sure as hell not letting her leave.

Fate, meddling family and the PDA have brought them together again. The chemistry between them is explosive. But there's problems with Ky's neighboring clan and he's keeping secrets from Nita. He needs to find a way to open up to her or lies and unexpected danger could tear them apart... forever.

My Review

I knew as soon as I started reading the first book in this series and Nita had talked about the Bear Shifter that she had been friends with when she was younger, that there would probably be a book about her meeting him again in her own book, and I was right! I was really looking forward to this book and it really didn't disappoint at all. 

Nita was heartbroken when she had to leave her best friend when she was younger when her family moved away. She had a huge crush on the guy but she was too shy to let him know it. After not finding the guy of her dreams on her own she asks Gerri Wilder the match maker to find her a date and Gerri doesn't disappoint. 

Ky's sister set him up on a blind date without letting him know beforehand what she was doing and he was really mad about it but even madder that someone had hit him and knocked him out right before his blind date was about to show up and that's how she found him. Knocked out and half naked on the kitchen floor. 

Ky recognizes her right away, her scent, her voice..everything. She was his, his mate. But for some odd reasons, she doesn't seem to recognize him at all. Does he look completely different than he did 17 years earlier? Could happen I guess. He was a shifter so I imagine they change as they get older and he's not the skinny, shy teenager he had been, so it's possible she doesn't recognize him now. He was the Chief of the Stone Bear Clan now. 

I really liked the chemistry between these two but I found it a little irritating that Ky didn't tell Nita right away who he was. I mean, why keep it a secret? It was going to come out at some point anyway and by that time she might be mad that he hadn't been up front with her, I know I would have been. 

There's a little drama with a neighboring bear clan who want the river that in on his land but it isn't anything that takes up a lot of time during the book. I like that this book was all about the romance, these two getting to know one another and lots of hot sex. If you'd like to read this for yourself, you can find it here. 

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. 

Favorite Picture of the Week

So this picture was taken right after we rescued Falcor. It should be noted that he doesn't tear pillows up anymore. 

When I came out of the bathroom, he was just sitting there like, "Yep, I tore the pillow up. What the hell you gonna do about it?" 

lol

I bought 2 new pillows and thankfully he hasn't touched them. He will still chew on chews and any of my grandsons toys if they are left on the floor. And yes, that's an ax on the floor behind him. That's my "Just in case" someone comes through my door unexpectedly. I also have a machete. 

Review: Lucifer's Daughter by Eve Langlais

Book Description

It drives my dad nuts I'm such a goody two shoes, but the fact that I'm a virgin makes smoke pour from his ears. Literally. See, I'm determined to save myself for love, but daddy dear, more commonly known as Lucifer, just wants me to stop being an embarrassment. Maybe he'll get his wish because I met a hunk in my bar. We're talking serious sex on a stick--or so my sister Bambi likes to say. 

Could he be the one? 

He certainly melts my panties like marshmallows over the coals of Hell, but do I dare trust him? My last boyfriend thought he'd gain infamy by killing me. He's infamous all right. Dad had him mounted on the wall surrounding his palace, his version of modern art titled, 'Touch my baby girl and die'. Cute in a twisted way. But my love life isn't the only thing bothering me. 

There's someone threatening the denizens of Hell, and while my daddy says to not worry my pretty little head about it, I can't help but get drawn into the fight because whoever is behind the attacks keeps coming after me. Bring it. I'm not afraid to protect myself because being a princess of Hell means that sometimes I have to grab a demon by the horns and slap it around a bit. It's what keeps my ass looking great. 

Nothing in my life is ever simple, and I blame that on my dad, Lucifer. Assassination attempts, hellhounds, and a rebellion in Hell? A piece of cake compared to the turmoil in my heart. No one ever told me love would be the toughest battle of all.

My Review

Muriel is Satan's daughter but she's not as evil as one would expect her to be. She owns a bar called Nexus that is a safe haven for other supernatural beings and much to her father's dismay, she's still a virgin. Daddy dearest would like her to be more evil, commit a few more sins...something that he can be proud as much as Satan could be, but he loves her nonetheless. 

Muriel is saving herself for the one, that one special person that she falls in love with. She doesn't think she's ever going to find this person because really, who in their right mind is going to want Satan as a father in law?

Auric has a secret and so do his 2 friends. But when they walk into Muriel's bar, she wants to get to know him better. At first this guy and his friends seem like stalkers, they're showing up in places Muriel is at. But things aren't always as they seem or as we expect them to be. In this book, Heaven isn't all that great, hell isn't all that bad, god and satan are brothers and not many people make it to heaven. 

Things might be a little different from what we've come to expect but when they story is great, the characters have wonderful and sometimes funny interactions that's all that matters. If you'd like to read this one for yourself, you can find it here. 

I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. 

Happy Raturday!

*Photo courtesy of Poppy's Mischief*

"I love my ratty blankets, they keep me warm." 

*Photo courtesy of Poppy's Mischief*

"Get your fat butt off me, can't breathe."

*Photo courtesy of Poppy's Mischief*

"Ah yeah, rattie massages are the best."

Product Review: Hemp Hearts by Manitoba Harvest

Product Description

Great tasting Hemp Hearts have a slightly nutty taste, similar to a sunflower seed or pine nut

Simply sprinkle on salad, cereal, granola, oatmeal & yogurt, add to smoothies and recipes or eat straight from the package.

Contains more protein and omegas and less carbs than the same serving of Chia or Flax

Hemp Hearts are non-GMO project verified, Vegan, Whole 30, Kosher, Paleo, and made with 100% wind power.

Incredibly nutritious, raw, low carb, with 10g easy to digest plant-based protein and 10g omegas per 30g serving

My Review

I received a sample of this product courtesy of Swaggable. This is the first time that I've tried this product and it really wasn't to my liking. 

I love sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and nuts but I like them to be roasted and salted when I eat them. These re just shelled raw hemp hearts with nothing extra and really no flavor. They did taste a little like sunflower seeds if the sunflower seeds were softer, smaller and sweeter. I've tried pine nuts and they don't taste like pine nuts but they really didn't have much of a taste at all. I ate them straight from the package and I guess if I had used them in a muffin or roasted them and used them in a recipe they might have been better but they weren't good enough for me to bother. 

Review: Universal Yums Subscription Box

Universal Yums is a monthly subscription box that sends you snacks from all over the world. A different place each month. This is my second month and this is the May 2016 box. (I write my posts about a month ahead of time so that's why this is posted this month. I always have about 30-40 blog posts scheduled at any time) 

There are two box sizes to choose from. The 6 or more snacks or 12 or more snacks. I chose the 6 or more snacks box.  For my box size, it's $13.00 a month. And they sent quite a bit in my box. The other box costs $25.00 a month. 

So I was sent 11 snacks in my box. Candies, Wafer cookies, Bread Sticks, Chocolate cream filled croissant and rose candy. This months box is from Greece. It was interesting to try the different snacks because I've never had any of these things. I'm going to share with you a few of the more interesting things I found. Some of my favorites and some that I didn't care for. 

The first thing I tried was the rose candies and they were not at all to my liking. I popped one in my mouth and started chewing and it stuck to my teeth something awful. I just wanted to spit it out but I couldn't get it off my teeth. It was like eating rose scented soap. Not good at all. 

Then I tried this chocolate wafer bar and it was so good. I always break things in half and share it with Ken and he liked it too. 

Later we tried this chocolate filled croissant. This to me was the best thing in this months box. I popped it in the microwave for a few seconds so the bread was warm and the chocolate filling was melted and it was so good. Ken didn't care for it so I ate his half too. lol But this was seriously the best thing I've had from these boxes so far. 

I'm looking forward to trying more boxes from Universal Yums and I think next months box is going to be US yums because they give you a hint on the back of the pamphlet. Have you tried a subscription box yet? This is a really good one to start with. 

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. You can also sign up at these sites and get products at a great discount. No Kidding Coupons, AMZ Review Trader, and Elite Deal Club.

This week I received:

A box from Smiley360 with the two Philosophy face creams.

I also received a sample of Advil and Lancome Beauty Sleep Perfector.

I also won a book, notepads and Basil seeds from a blog contest.

Did you get any freebies this week?

Product Review: Set of 6 Packing Cubes Luggage Compression Pouches /Travel Organizers by Stay Dry

Product Description

With a stylish look, this packable go-anywhere pack is for super-minimalists who make every gram count. Ultra-light. Ultra-durable. Ultra-awesome. These bag assortments are perfect for day-to-day use or occasional travel. 

6 convenient bags in one kit. Must have on every trip. 

These bags are made from highly rip and water resistant polyester fabric, provides strong and long-lasting performance with minimal weight. 

KEEP THINGS ORGANIZED. 6 different sizes great for quick access. 

My Review

These packing cubes are very sturdy, very easy to open and close and hold quite a bit of stuff. They come in a set of 6 so the whole family can use them. Or one person can pick and choose which cubes they use while traveling. These packing cubes are cute, sizable and durable and hold items securely so they are easy to find in a suitcase, drawer, cabinet, dresser or larger bag for storage. Some are solid pink and some are see though mesh so you can see what's inside those. 

My husband does some traveling and he said that this is big enough to hold all of his medication bottles that he usually puts into zip lock baggies in his suitcase. These packing cubes would be great for storing any number of products as well as craft items and baby care items in a diaper bag. If you're planning on using these in a suitcase when flying, they are very lightweight which is great since you don't want anything to weight down your suitcase. If you'd like to buy a set, you can find them here. 

Disclosure: I was given this set of luggage cubes free in exchange for an honest review. 

Favorite Picture of the Week

I was going to share a picture of Falcor but I couldn't pick just one, so today you have the Many faces of Falcor. And I'd like to wish my daughter a very Happy Birthday. Today she turns 25 years old. 

"Why would I open my eyes? You're still taking pictures with that bright flashy thing."

"I'm trying to sleep here. You woke me up from my 6th nap of the day."

"Good grief, put some clothes on!" 

"No, I really don't think that I'll be fetching that ball for you. You just throw it again and I'm over it." 

"No, I'm not gonna be your guinea pig and taste tonight's dinner surprise. I almost barfed up my kibble last time." 

Being a dog is so hard. Such a hard life he leads. lol 

Review: Scared of Spiders by Eve Langlais

Book Description

Bring on the bug spray, because to prevail, Josie’s going to have to face her greatest fear. Josie’s not a brave person, and she’s especially scared of spiders. Imagine her surprise when she finds herself attracted to not one, but two, larger than life men. Clint and Brandon both want the timid mouse who’s come to work for them—and their beasts are chafing to mark her—but when she can’t decide between them, there’s only one thing to do–share her. Before they can convince Josie that a threesome would benefit them all, they need to take care of the menace threatening their chosen mate. And when Josie confronts the bogeyman of her nightmares, she discovers an emotion stronger than fear—love.

My Review

This one hit home for me on so many different levels. The first being that Josie has been having horrible nightmares about spiders or a spider killing her in some way. Since I've had a problem with nightmares for over 30 years, this always seems like an interesting story line for me. 

I'm not afraid of spiders but I am very afraid of bee's so I can understand the phobia of something like that. I really liked Josie and the fact that she has not one but two hot shifters after her. As soon as they meet her they know she is their mate. At first they don't know how to react to the knowledge that they are both a mate to her and aren't sure what they are going to do about it but they soon figure out a plan, now if they can just make Josie see that it's a great plan. 

I thought it was a little far fetched that Josie didn't freak out when she finds out what they are but maybe it could happen that way, maybe. 

Clint and Brandon are yummy shifters, they work well together at getting what they want and in making sure that Josie gets what she needs...in the bedroom and out of it. I really liked them both and thought that both of their personalities went well with hers. 

There's some rogue wolves, a villain and a twist I didn't see coming. There's a secret that only one person knows about and the rest of the characters find out about in an interesting way. If you'd like to read this one, you can find it here. 

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. 

Happy Raturday!

*Picture courtesy of Rat Logic*

*Picture courtesy of Poppy's Mischief*

"Get your butt outta my face!"

*Picture courtesy of Poppy's Mischief*

"We're still sleeping, you come back later."

*Picture courtesy of Lisa Koop*

"What are you staring at? Back off, human."

Product Review: Psiroy Sterling Silver Women's Oval Cut CZ Pink Topaz Ring

Product Description

Discover the Psiroy Collection of jewelry. The selection of high-quality jewelry featured in the Psiroy Collection offers Great values at affordable Price, they mainly made of high quality Stainless Steel, Tungsten, Silver and Leather.

Find a special gift for a loved one or a beautiful piece that complements your personal style with jewelry from the Psiroy Collection.

My Review

I don't wear a lot of jewelry regularly but I do wear rings all the time. Right now I have 5 rings that I wear all the time. I saw the Psiroy line of jewelry and knew that I had to get one and because the price is so low, I didn't mind buying one to ty out for a while and see if it would hold up to everyday wear. 

I am happy to say that after having worn this ring every day for over a month, it still looks like new. There's no tarnishing, the gemstones still sparkle vibrantly and the silver isn't rubbing off which I didn't expect to happen since this is a sterling silver ring but you just never know. 

I'm very happy with my purchase and since it comes in a nice box it's ready to be wrapped and given as a gift. 

As you can see, I like all kinds of different rings. Sterling silver happens to be my favorite but that Black Hills Gold heart ring I wear on my pinky finger is the ring Ken gave to me years ago and it doesn't fit on any other finger. If you like this ring then you would probably like a lot of the rings this company sells and when I bought this ring it only cost me $4.99 and that included shipping. Their rings are gorgeous and so inexpensive I really thought something was going to be wrong with it but it's perfect and they have so many rings to chose from. If you'd like to get this ring, you can find it here. 

Review: Alien Betrayed by Marie Dry

Book Description

In a bleak and apocalyptic future, where the Zyrgin Warriors are getting ready to conquer Earth, Marcie is sent to infiltrate the alien stronghold in the Rocky Mountains, only to be betrayed by her own people. Instead of stealing the alien’s technology and accomplishing her mission of causing mayhem and destruction among them, she is captured by Larz, an arrogant alien, who wreaks havoc with her heart when he insists that she will be his woman. Still, he may no longer want her when he discovers her secrets…ones she doesn’t even know she has.

My Review

First off I need to state that I didn't read the first two books in this series, so I felt like I was missing parts of the whole story. Not that it made it bad in any way, just felt like I was missing something or not really knowing some of the characters the way I should have but this story can be read by itself. While this is the first time I've read this author, I doubt it will be the last time. 

Larz captures Marcie when she is sent on a mission to stop the aliens. In this book breeders are what the aliens call their wives and Larz decided that he wanted Marcie to be his. But after the deal is sealed and they have sex for the first time, she wakes up only to find she can't remember anything, not even who she is or why she's there. 

Larz and the other aliens don't believe that she's got amnesia but she really is a totally different person. Marcie was a cold bitch and I really disliked her but there's more to her than meets the eye. While she's done some awful things, there's a reason and when it's revealed I was shocked. She's had a harder life than anyone knew and it really put things into perspective. She's been betrayed so many times, it's no wonder that she has a hard time trusting Larz at all. 

I absolutely loved Larz, and even though Marcie compares him to a giant lizard all the time, he has a heart of gold. His species doesn't show their emotions often and his people kinda reminded me of Klingon's in the way they hold honor above just about everything but his was a great character. 

You'd think that aliens coming to take over Earth would be a bad thing but humans have used up the resources and wild animals were darn near extinct because of us. So it was actually a good thing for the aliens to come, conquer and use their closely guarded technology to make Earth whole again, all the while not killing off the human race. I think this was a fabulous story and the ending with so many twists will leave the reader smiling like it did me. 

If you'd like to read this one, you can find it here. 

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. 

Disclosure: I was given this book free of charge but all opinions are my own. 

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. You can also sign up at these sites and get products at a great discount. No Kidding Coupons, AMZ Review Trader, and Elite Deal Club.

It was a slow freebie week for me but I did snag a $5 gift card. 

Review: Target Beauty Box-June

The Target Beauty Box is a subscription box that comes out once a month and you have to be fast because they can sometimes sell out faster than I can even tell anyone about them. Usually within a couple of hours they have sold out and are gone until the next month. This was the June box called Sun Kissed and it was $10 plus tax and free shipping. 

I actually think this is one of the better boxes I've gotten from Target. There were 11 items in this box. The list of items in the box were...

Yes to Cucumbers Soothing Facial Wipes 10 Count

L’Oreal Paris Revitalift Volume Filler Moisturizer

CoTZ Face SPF 40 Sunscreen for Face

Laneige Water Bank Serum

Pantene Expert Intense Hydration Shampoo 

Shea Moisture Fruit Fusion Coconut Water Weightless Creme Rinse 

Soap & Glory The Righteous Butter

S.W. Basics Exfoliant 

L’Oreal Paris True Match Lumi Cushion Foundation in W3 Nude Beige

e.l.f. Lip Kiss Balm in Bare Kiss

Pixi Mesmerizing Mineral Eye shadow Duo in Apricot Glow 

It was quite the haul this month. I really like these boxes because I get to try a few things before I consider buying them. Most of these things I've never heard of or tried so this was nice to be able to try a few new to me items. Were you able to grab this box before they sold out? 

Favorite Picture of the Week

So here's a throwback picture from 1985 on my 8th grade graduation. That's me on the right in pink and a classmate in purple. My family took me out to a Chinese restaurant for dinner afterwards. 

Review: Croc and the Fox by Eve Langlais

Book Description

A career military man, Viktor lives for the next mission – and his collection of weapons -- but a raid on an experimental lab makes him an unwilling protector, mostly because he can’t peel Renee off. A cold blooded croc, he never intended to settle down, but he didn’t count on a foxy lady warming his heart. The world outside the laboratory was a big scary place. Frightened, Renee latches onto the biggest, baddest, and sexiest, warrior around. Sharp toothed and with ice in his veins, Viktor’s violent side should have sent her running, but instead, she finds the courage to face her fears –and tame the lizard. Warning: An ornery croc discovers he does have a pulse when a hot to trot fox decides to latch on, and never let go. Tongue in cheek humor, sizzling moments and a tiny, evil villain await.

My Review

I've only read a couple of Eve's book at this point but the more of her books that I read, the more I want to read because not only are they sexy but they are funny as well. When I first started reading this one, I was a bit confused because the heroine, Renee refers to herself as 'Project' so I wasn't sure who or what she was referring to when she said it the first time but it quickly became apparent as I read on. Not only does Renee have a strong will but she's sarcastic and funny as well. Not something that I would have expected from someone who has spent her whole life being a guinea pig for a crazy scientist. 

After Viktor and his team rescued the shifters being held captive from the cells, he took Project to FUC Headquarters. When Project heard the name of the place, she had the same thoughts that I did...must be some sort of sexual experimental building but no, FUC stands for Furry United Coalition. 

Renee is scared of everything after she is rescued. Good thing she's not scared of her rescuer, the big tough Croc. She latched onto him *literally* and wouldn't let go until she felt safer with her new surroundings. While Viktor isn't used to having a lovely female hanging on him and his buddies and teammates rib him a bit about it, he's a great guy. 

While in captivity Renee had all sorts of experiments performed on her and one accident that left her so special it probably saved her life because the crazy doctor that held her captive realized she was special, special enough to keep around. Renee turns out to be even more unique and there's an interesting turn in the story about her that really made me smile. 

I had so much fun reading this book. Who knew Croc's were so seductive. 

I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. 

If you'd like to read this book for yourself, you can find it here. 

Happy Raturday!

*Photo courtesy of @Poppy's Mischief*

"Sometimes I'm shy."

*Photo courtesy of @Poppy's Mischief*

"And sometimes I'm not shy."

*Photo courtesy of Storms Rat Pack*

"Oh you made me blush."

*Photo courtesy of Storms Rat Pack*

"No, my son can't come out to play. It's cuddle time." 

Product Review: Classic Brown - Tree of Life - Leather Writing Journal by The Amazing Office

Product Description

UNIQUE DESIGN - will make this notebook a great conversation starter, and you the envy of your friends.

EASY TO USE - The small size is easy to carry and will take up a small space on your desk or on the go and with the 200 pages (counting both sides approximate) of White Lined Paper, you can use any pen. pencil or crayon to make notes or drawings.

ORGANIZE - Your thoughts and ideas on your life's journey.

CRUELTY FREE - Made from Faux Leather, so no animals were harmed in manufacturing

IDEAL GIFT - For your friends, family, etc

My Review

I'm a real sucker when it comes to journals because I love having them on my shelves. Even if I don't use them for a while, that's ok because I know that I have a few extras just in case I need one. I really liked the look of this journal because the tree of life is beautifully embossed on the front of it and the brown color of the cover goes with all the wood bookshelves and wood desk and table that I have. 

This cover has a closing magnetic claps to keep the cover securely closed. And I have to say that the stitching on the cover looks very profession and nicely done. 

The journal is a nice size and I love the fact that it's faux leather so no animals were harmed in the making of this journal. 

It comes with a small brown ribbon attached that acts as the bookmark for the journal and the pages are lined. The paper is a nice thick paper so I don't have to worry about the writing bleeding through the other side of the paper. 

The first page is blank so you can personalize the journal if you want to. I know someone who used to have stickers that said, "This book belongs to..." and I really like those because they were big enough to look nice. I might see about getting something like that for my journals. 

The pages are all lined and the lines are dark enough to see the entire line and they are crisp and straight. 

The journal also comes with a little loop on the inside back cover that will hold a pen and is big enough to hold a larger pen or marker like a sharpie. If you'd like to purchase one of these journals for yourself, the price was $19.99 when I got mine and you can find it here. 

I give this journal 5 out of 5 stars. 

Disclosure: I was given this product free of charge in exchange for an honest review.