Happy Raturday!

Instead of a bunch of pictures today, I decided to share a link to a page with you. One of my FB friends shared the page and even if you only look at the pictures on the 1st page (there are 4 pages) I'm sure you'll love the pictures. They are so darn cute. Click here to see the great pictures. Oh and you're welcome.

Review: Bittersweet Blood by Nina Croft

Book Description

Tara Collins just wants to be normal. Everyone else wants her dead.

Tara's eccentric aunt raised her to be fearful of the world and follow the rules. But after her aunt's death, Tara is ready to take control and experience life for the first time. But she quickly discovers that everything she's been told is a web of lies. Determined to solve the mystery of who she is truly, she hires a private investigator to help her uncover the truth.

Christian Roth is more than your average PI. A vampire and ex-demon hunter, Christian lives among the humans, trying to be "normal." But recently, things seem to be falling apart. There's a crazed demon hell-bent on revenge hunting him down, and a fae assassin on the loose with an unknown target. And the Order he abandoned desperately needs his help.

As the secrets of Tara's past collide with the problems in Christian's present, she finds herself fighting her attraction to the dark and mysterious investigator. Falling in love does not fit into her plans at all, but Tara soon learns that some rules are meant to be broken.

My Review

Tara was raised by her very eccentric aunt and when her aunt dies she does exactly what her aunt always told her not to do...she starts looking into the past and breaking her aunt's strange rules. Tara hires Christian Roth to find out who she really is but Christian is more than just a PI, he's also a vampire and now he has his sights set on Tara. 

Christian Roth is old and he has a lot of enemies, one enemy is going to bring the fight to him and anyone he cares about is in danger. Christian doesn't realize that by caring for Tara he's put her in danger, not until the threat hits really close to Tara and turns her world upside down. 

This book has one twist after another along with just about every paranormal creature you can imagine. Demons, fae, werewolves and vampires are just a few of the paranormal creatures that seem to be in all of the books in this series. This is the first book in the series but I read them out of order so I already know that there are more supernatural creatures to come. 

Tara was unique in that she was sweet, innocent and likable but she was also no pushover and when she knew something had to be done, she did it. Christian and Tara made a great couple, they just fit together. The romance was hot, like lava hot. The action was bloody and even though some of it happened and we didn't get an up close look while it was happening we did get to see the aftermath and it was gruesome. But then when you're dealing with demons you have to expect a little gore. 

I was quite happy the way this book ended and never saw some of the outcomes and twists coming. There were a few surprises along the way and I really liked that. This series has been one of my favorites so far this year. I can't recommend it highly enough. 

I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. 

I'm Not On FB Right Now

I was on Facebook yesterday and all of the sudden this page pops up and I'm locked out of my account. So I went searching on Google to see if this was legit and it indeed is. Only problem is some people think the 'virus detected' bit is a lie so that you'll download their anti-malware software. I ran Malwarebytes and no malicious malware or viruses were detected on my laptop. I can't even log into Ken's fb account and post a message for my friends on my account because I have the settings on my account so tight. I have it set that only I can see posts that get posted to my wall, so no one else would see it if I did post something from Ken's account. LOL 

I logged into my husband's account and it didn't stop me. So did it really detect malicious whatever on my device? I seriously doubt it. I contacted FB but I don't expect they'll remove the freeze on my account and I deleted cookies like some other forums said to do but that didn't fix the problem either. Some other people in forums and on Twitter said to wait it out and sometimes the error message will disappear on its own. But it can take 3, 5, or even 30 days for that to happen. I don't want to download their anti-malware software but I might not have a choice if I want to get back into my account. 

So if we're friends on fb and you don't see me on there for a while...this is why. 

Have any of you ever had this happen? What did you do?

UPDATE!! I'm back on! It took almost 4 days but I tried logging on just now and the page I took a screen shot of is gone!

So all those people who told me to wait it out were right! Don't download their crap!

Another Update! I tried posting something but fb said I'm blocked from making any posts for another 14 hours. I guess the malware they detected will magically disappear in 14 hours. 

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 great samples at Hey It's Free and Freebie Shark.

This week I received:

A box from Healthy Essential Program that contained:

Listerine Total Care Mouth Wash

Clean & Clear Deep Cleaning Face Wash

Compeed Foot Bandage

I also received:

Vaseline Mature Skin Rejuvenation Lotion

Schick Disposable Razor Refills

20 free prints from Snapfish

Did you receive any freebies this week?

Make sure you check Hey It's Free and Freebieshark everyday to find freebies like these to sign up for. 

Review: Bittersweet Darkness by Nina Croft

Book Description

There are no monsters, only good guys and bad guys. That’s the creed by which Detective Inspector Faith Connolly has always lived.

When Faith discovers she has a time bomb counting down in her head, she has one goal: to solve the murder case she’s working on and gain closure. Her investigation brings her in contact with Ash Delacourt, who is definitely one of the bad guys, albeit a stunningly gorgeous one.

As payment for a debt, Asmodai, AKA Ash Delacourt, finds himself working with the Order of the Shadow Accords. He’s the demon representative on the newly formed committee for the integration of mankind and well…everything else. It’s a chance to be near his daughter, make a new start, and—once he’s met the delectable Detective Connolly—maybe have a little fun.

But as Faith’s investigation deepens, her beliefs are eroded and for the first time, she is falling in love—with one of the bad guys. How can she ever let Ash close when her time is running out…?

My Review

Detective Faith Connolly was tracking a killer when she fell ill and while in the hospital she finds out she had a stroke and doesn't have much time left...terminal brain aneurysm that could go off at any time. She thinks the killer is some weirdo, a vampire wannabe but the truth is harder to accept. Real vampires don't exist, do they?

Asmodai or Ash as he likes to be called is a demon that works with the order of Shadow Accords and his life is about to get a lot more interesting. Not only is he trying to spend more time with and get to know his daughter better but now he's also trying to get to know Faith better. 

There's quite a lot going on in this book and right from the start it seemed like everyone involved was somehow connected to everyone else and some of the players either wanted revenge or weren't the good guys they first appeared to be. But then again some of the supposed bad guys weren't as bad as I would have thought either. 

There's a lot of fighting, kidnapping, bullets flying and Faith finds herself in the middle of something she doesn't realize could be dangerous until it's too late. 

I started with the 3rd book because I read the blurb and a review and it hooked me. After I read this one, I knew I was gonna need to read the rest of the series and bought the others as well. And I just have to say that I hated the cover. Anyone who knows me knows that I really hate these headless torso covers that bring to mind images of the Highlander movies...Off with your head! But this book was so darn good. I love stories with vampires, werewolves and other supernatural creatures and this book has them and more. 

I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. 

Review: Walmart Beauty Box- June

The Walmart Beauty box is a subscription box that comes out 4 times a year. You sign up for it and it comes automatically every 3 months. These boxes are jut $5 each and shipping is free. 

There were quite a few samples in this box. 

Here's what was in this month's Walmart Beauty Box. 

Roc Multi Correxion 5 in 1 Chest, Neck and Face Cream

2 samples of Dove Cool Essentials Deodorant

Ponds Make Up Remover Towelettes

Dove Dry Shampoo

Pantene Shampoo

Pantene Conditioner

That's quite a few samples for just $5. I'm very happy with this box and so far I've liked everything that I've tried. I think this box was well worth the $5 I spent on it. I love getting all these sample size bottles of products that I can try before I buy a full size bottle. If you haven't signed up for the Walmart Beauty Box yet and you like what you see in this box, sign up.

And if you have or are expecting a baby, Walmart now has a Baby Box that you can sign up for.

I was happy to see the Dove dry shampoo because I had received another bottle of it in another beauty box and I just used the last of it. I like it because it works without leave a weird white residue in my hair and it smells good.

Do you have a favorite subscription box?

Recipe: Chicken and Vegetable Frittata with Avocado Corn Salsa

You will need:

1 chicken thigh

1 green onion, chopped

7 eggs

6 mushrooms, chopped

1 zucchini, chopped

2/3 cup of corn, divided

3 brussel sprouts, shredded

1/4 cup shredded cheese

2 TBSP butter

1 TBSP oil

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 tsp. cumin

1/4 tsp. chili powder

1 avocado

1 tomato

2 TSBP cilantro, chopped

2 TBSP lemon juice

1/4 tsp. salt

What to do:

Cut chicken from bone, cut into 1 inch pieces and fry in the oil until cooked through. Remove from pan and set aside. Add butter, mushrooms, zucchini, 1/2 of the corn, brussel sprouts and spices to pan and saute until tender, add chicken back to pan and stir. Add mixture to baking dish. Beat eggs in a bowl and pour over mixture. 

Bake in a 370F oven for 30-40 minutes or until eggs are set. Remove from over and let sit for 5 minutes before cutting. 

Salsa Recipe

Chop the tomato and avocado into bite size pieces, add to bowl. Add the other half of the corn, cilantro, lemon juice and salt. Mix well. Let sit in fridge until frittata is done. Serve salsa with frittata. 

So now that I'm the frittata queen, or princess...whatever. Now that I can make a good frittata, *giggle* I've been experimenting by putting all kinds of things in them as you can clearly see and they have been coming out so good. You can pretty much put anything you want into these things and they come out good. This is definitely my favorite lunch and even Ken has been liking them. 

Happy Raturday!

*Photo courtesy of martymousehouse.com*

"I was going to show you the proper way to make freshly squeezed orange juice..."

*Photo courtesy of martymousehouse.com*

"But my wittle paws aren't strong enough to squeeze this orange. Don't worry, I know what to do....Moooom!"

*Picture courtesy of Jenni File Snyder*

"I just received my Crazy Rat Lady starter kit and I love it!" 

Review: Ice Moon by Lisa Kessler

Book Description

One touch and she is his...

Jared Ayers works outdoors, embracing a solitary life, hiding from his inner demons. But after so many of his Pack brothers have found their mates, he starts wondering if there might be a mate in his future too. His world turns upside down after he's hired by the "Ice Queen of Lake Tahoe". One touch is all it takes. One touch to send the wolf howling within...

A gifted psychic with pyrokinesis, Taryn Goldstone wields fire beyond her control- sometimes with dire consequences. With Jared, she discovers that some flames are meant for passion and healing. She has enemies who covet her powerful gift, but they are about to learn just how far a wolf will go to protect his mate.

My Review

Jared gets a call from Taryn, also known as The Ice Queen because of how she keeps people at arms length. She wanted an estimate on a new deck for her house but things don't go the way she expects them to but she ends up hiring him in the end. 

Taryn has a reason she keeps people away and never touches anyone. She has a lot of emotional baggage and a bad past she's been running from without really knowing that she's running. If the people she unknowingly escaped from ever find her, she'll be kept in a cage and experimented on. 

Right from the start the sparks begin flying when these two meet and even when they speak on the phone. At first Taryn doesn't like the fact that Jared keeps calling her by her first name. But when Jared starts spending time with her young son and she sees how happy her son, Charlie is about helping with the new deck, she lowers her guard just a little. When Jared can see that Taryn is warming up to him a little, he kisses her and that's when he knows for certain that she's his mate. 

Things would be perfect if someone from a big corporation wasn't trying to get to Taryn and her son as well as Jared's pack. Jared knows he has to tell her he's a werewolf and thinks he has the best plan to do it. But it doesn't turn out to be the big magic moment he was hoping for. Things go very bad after that very quickly. 

There are secrets, twists and heartbreak in this story but it also has a very hot *pun intended* romance. 

I'm reading this series completely out of order and because of that it makes it a little confusing when some characters show up that I haven't seen before. But other than that I had a lot of fun with this one. 

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. 

Review: Degusta Box- July

DegustaBox is a monthly subscription box filled with food and drink products. The price for the box is $19.99 a month.  

You do not get to pick any of the products you get, it's a surprise each month. But they say each box contains 10-15 items and each box is worth at least $30. I like trying boxes like this because they usually contain products that I've never tried or haven't seen before. 

In this months box was...

Karma Wellness Water

Vermont Smoke & Cure Cracked Pepper Beef and Pork Stick - 2

Kala Roasted Fava Beans

Essential Goodness Chocolate Chip Cookie Baking Mix

Goya Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Mutti Tomato Sauce

Wise Popcorn-4

Mrs. Thinsters Brownie Batter Cookie Thins

Waffle Waffle Vanilla Flavored Waffle

And a coupon for a free RXBAR protein bar

The only things I didn't care for were the roasted fava beans but I've had them before and I just don't care for them and the Cinnabon flavored popcorn. That popcorn was one of the worst things I've ever put in my mouth. Ken and I both were spitting that out because it was awful. The cookie thins were really good and so was the waffle. I use extra virgin olive oil for my roasted vegetables so that was nice.

Now here's a treat for you. If this box looks like something you'd like, you can use code MARYK-ACB and get your first box half off. That's a big box of food for only $10! and you can cancel anytime. So if you're interested, go to the DegustaBox site and sign up and don't forget to use my code to get your first box for just $10. 

This is what the cookies came out looking like when I made them from the mix they sent. While they tasted really good, they looked nothing like the picture on the box. They had a great flavor though. 

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 great samples at Hey It's Free and Freebie Shark.

Advant EDGE Carb Control Shake

A box of OB Tampons

Hello Toothpaste

And I won this gift basket full of snacks. I enter about 100 giveaways a month and I remember a snack basket being on one of them but since the box arrived without a note telling who it was from, I don't remember who I won it from but woohoo I won. lol 

Did you receive any free samples this week?

Recipe: Vegetarian Taco Bowl

What you'll need:

1 medium zucchini, chopped

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

1 bell pepper, chopped

1/2 cup sliced black olives

2 green onions, chopped

1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 tsp. chili powder

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. onion powder

1/4 tsp. paprika

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. salt

What to do: 

Saute the onion, zucchini and bell pepper until soft. Add the spices and 1/4 cup of water. Cook over med. heat for 3 minutes or until water is almost gone. Remove from heat. 

Now assemble the taco bowl. Add half of the vegetable mixture to a bowl, top with black olives, salsa, a little cheese, crema and green onions. 

This made 2 servings. 

For the Salsa you'll need:

1 tomato, chopped small

1/2 yellow onion, chopped small

2 TBSP lemon juice

2 TBSP chopped cilantro

1/4 tsp. salt

Mix all ingredients together, cover and let sit in fridge until ready to use. 

 And for the homemade crema, I mixed together 1 avocado, 2 TBSP sour cream, 1 TBSP lime juice and a pinch of salt. 

The first time I'd heard of crema was from Anna and Herding Cats & Burning Soup blog. She used it on a really tasty looking dish that you might find interesting. 

Omg you guys, this is so good. Oh and on a side note, if you don't have all those spices or just want to make it easier, you can totally buy an envelope of taco seasoning and use a little of that. Some of them are really good. I do that a lot of times when making taco salad. 

Review: Moonlight (Moon series book 1) by Lisa Kessler

Book Description

Rancher Adam Sloan is more than meets the eye. As the heir to his Pack, the sexy werewolf's biggest challenge is keeping his kin's true nature under wraps. But a group of jaguar shifters threatens to reveal the pack, blasting into town killing humans in plain sight. And when he smells one at the local diner, his standing orders are to take her out.

Lana Turpin doesn't realize she's a moving target. Raised in the foster system, she only knows that she blacks out during the new moon and wakes up without remembering a thing. But now she's being tracked by some strange organization that wants her back--even though she's never stepped foot inside their compound. And the stranger across the diner is watching her like an enemy.

It should be a simple mission for Adam, but when he touches the frustratingly beautiful Lana, his inner wolf howls...mate. Now, the two must find and stop the people who hunt her...and Adam must keep his own family from killing the only woman he will ever love.

My Review

Lana is on the run and only stopped in the diner to get a quick bite. She thinks that the psych ward sent armed goons after her to bring her back because she can't remember what happens when she blacks out once a month. 

In walks Adam and he gives Lana the most sexy smile he can muster when he see's her in the diner. But she flatly dismisses him until he saves her from armed goons trying to take her away. Then they're both on the run from a shady organization. 

Right away Adam realizes he's found his mate and after his dad starts on him about becoming the alpha, settling down and having babies...he can hardly tell his dad and pack that he's found his mate, because she's not a wolf. Adam is afraid to even bring her close to his family for fear they'll hurt or kill her and ask questions later. 

Sometimes the secondary characters really make their mark in a book and Sebastian was one such character. He starts out an evil, bad guy that everyone wants to kill. But his story changes somewhat part way through the book and I was happy to see things take an unexpected turn. The twists in this book are many, one of the best comes right at the end of the book. I really liked that a lot. 

There's plenty of action, fights and romance to keep you from putting this one down after you start it. 

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. 

Review: Titanium (Rent A Dragon book 3) by Terry Bolryder

Book Description

A dragon contractor? Expensive.

Unless you're the woman Titus Kroll just fell madly in love with. As a decisive, capable, and newly awakened metal dragon, Titus is used to seeing what he wants and going after it. Right now that's Bree Durell, a sweet, curvy woman who needs help with her house badly and can't afford to pay. Still, his heart says she's his mate, and no matter the price, he's ready to serve her every need, whether that's repairing her home, healing her heart, or restoring her trust.

Bree Durell isn't looking for romance. She has enough on her plate with a crazed stalker, a clumsy but adorable dog, and a house that's falling apart around her and too expensive to repair. Though there is instant attraction when she sees Titus in all his tall, blue-eyed, muscular glory at Rent-A-Dragon, she's sure she can't afford his fee. So when Titus shows up on her doorstep with an offer she can't refuse, she vows she will only keep things professional, no matter how wickedly talented he might be with his hands.

As Titus and Bree work in close quarters, sharing a home and a few steamy encounters, there are big threats circling. From an ancient friend-turned-enemy, to rogue dragons obsessed with vengeance, Titus is going to have his hands full if he wants to protect his newly-built life.

Titanium is the third book in the Rent-A-Dragon series! It contains stubborn dragons, action-packed fights, and hot, steamy dragon romance. Enjoy!

My Review

Bree's house is in serious need of repair but before she can even get a quote from Rant A Dragon, she leaves thinking that she could never afford them. Titus shows up at her door later and makes her a deal. He'll fix her house if she'll do something for him. Of course she doesn't trust him at first but she agree's and he starts repairing her home. 

Things are going really good and then the rude neighbor complains about her dog. Another thing that I really liked about this series is all the women had pets and the pets instantly liked the dragons which the women really liked. Having pets in books is always nice to see and I loved Biff, he's a big, clumsy Great Dane. 

Bree has an ex boss that's obsessed with her and still bothers her. She's afraid that if she doesn't get her house fixed up that she'll be kicked out because it's not up to code. Good thing that Titus is good with his hands and likes to fix things. But she's been hurt by men who she thought were her friends and isn't ready to trust Titus even though she's lusting after his body. 

There's another story going on with other dragons and if you have been reading this series then you know there's another group of dragons that have it out for the metal dragons. There's a few really exciting fight scenes and the action in this book is really good...these dragons like to fight and keep their mates safe. So while most of the mystery as to why this other band of dragons has had it out for the metal dragons is realized, the reason that another dragon has been setting all of them up to hate each other was not concluded and this was the last book in the Rent A Dragon series. There's going to be another series of books with another band of dragons and I'm sure that the mystery will continue with those books but I would have liked to see that storyline come to a conclusion. 

I give this book 3 out of 5 stars. 

Happy Raturday!

*Photo courtesy of martymousehouse.com*

"No, I'm not playing in the powdered sugar again. I'm making cookies."

*Photo courtesy of martymousehouse.com*

"First you have to taste the powdered sugar to make sure it's still good."

*Photo courtesy of martymousehouse.com*

"Then you have to roll the cookies into little balls and put them on the baking sheet."

*Photo courtesy of martymousehouse.com*

"Then you get to eat all the cookies because you baked them yourself." 

Review: Immortal Unchained by Lynsay Sands

Book Description

In a spellbinding new Argeneau novel from New York Times bestselling author Lynsay Sands, a dangerous rescue is just the beginning of red-hot adventure…

Ever since Domitian Argenis recognized Sarita as his life mate, he’s been waiting for the perfect moment to claim her. Those fantasies did not include him being chained to a table in a secret lab or both of them being held hostage by a mad scientist. Somehow, they have to escape…

Sarita has seen some crazy things as a cop, but nothing to rival Domitian. A vampire? Seriously? But his healing ability, incredible powers, and their mind-blowing physical connection—none of it should be possible, yet her body knows differently. Now, not only do they have to save each other, but other innocent lives are at stake. Failure is not an option, for Sarita intends that Domitian show her exactly what an eternity of pleasure feels like…

My Review

Domitian is on a mission to find out who is kidnapping immortals but he doesn't realize that the person he's looking into knows what he is and plans on using him in a strange experiment. Sarita finds herself kidnapped and left alone on an island with a vampire who just happens to also be her lifemate. The Doctor who left them alone on the island wants to see how lifemates react to one another and how the nanos are transferred from vampire to lifemate to make them immortal. 

I found the first half of the book to be boring, nothing was happening with the exception of them being stuck in the house on the island and going at it like bunnies. They know they're being watched, they've seen the cameras but it doesn't stop them. I just found that to be ridiculous. They're doing exactly what the doctor wants them to. 

Thankfully this story does pick up and get better once things start changing and they have to find a way to help themselves. There were a couple of twists that I really liked and a couple of new characters that show up and made the story line really move along. While this book was good and I liked it, I didn't love it but it was worth reading if you like this series. This book introduces us to some new characters and I can only hope that we'll see some more of them in upcoming books because I don't want this to be the last I see of Thorne. 

I give this book 3 out of 5 stars. 

Favorite Video of the Week

You probably know who Marilyn Manson is but have you ever watched one of his music videos? If not, he's very theatrical and a little over the top but I like him and this is one of my favorite music videos of his.

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 great samples at Hey It's Free and Freebie Shark.

This week I received:

Naked Essentials Dog Food
Make Up remover sample
Dove Men Care shampoo+conditioner

Did you receive any freebies this week?

Bonus...

Since it was a slow freebie week for me I thought I'd share something new I tried this week.

I've been trying to eat low carb because I'm diabetic and my A1c a couple of months ago was 11.1 which was high. So I tried this low carb yogurt which has a really good taste, and I mean a really good taste. The only down side was the texture. It's a little chalky but it only has 3 carbs as opposed to 31 that the regular yogurt I had been eating had. I tried several different flavors and they were all really good and I even got used to the texture of it since it really does taste good.

Recipe: Sausage and Vegetable Hash

You will need: 

1 small potato, chopped

1 medium zucchini, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

1 small yellow onion, chopped

1 small bell pepper, chopped

5 mushrooms, quartered

2 links of Italian sausage

2 TBSP shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 tsp. Italian Seasoning

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. salt

1 TBSP butter

1 TBSP oil

What to do:

Break up the sausage into small pieces and fry until almost done, about 5 minutes. Remove sausage from pan. Add oil and chopped potato to pan. Cover and cook for 6 minutes, add carrots and cook for another 4 minutes. Add the rest of the vegetables, spices, and butter to pan. Cook for an additional 6 minutes or until all vegetables except for the potatoes are done but still crisp. Add the sausage back to the pan and cook with lid on until sausage is cooked through, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Sprinkle cheddar cheese on top. Enjoy!

Favorite Picture of the Week

My brother took a video of this squirrel in his backyard raiding the squirrel feeder (The box in front of him). I thought it was cute so I took a couple of screen shots.

He's a cute little guy. 

My brother and sister in law are animal lovers like me. They have a dog, cats, a turtle, and rabbits and a koi pond. They get a lot of humming birds in their back yard so they have hummingbird feeders out as well as boxes they fill with nuts and food for the squirrels and birds. 

Review: Iron (Rent A Dragon book 2) by Terry Bolryder

Book Description

A Dragon Mechanic? Unheard of.

Unless you're Magnus Ironside, a metal dragon who just awakened in the modern world and happens to be obsessed with cars and their inner workings. Add in the fact that his mate just walked in to hire him to work at her auto shop, and Magnus is one happy dragon. Now he just has to flex his pecs, show her his huge 'axe', and everything will work out, right? Wrong.

Lindy Dunn doesn't have time for a relationship, not while she's working herself to the bone trying to make ends meet. She doesn't have time to notice the huge muscles or gorgeous, jade-green eyes of the oddly sexy handyman she just hired. No matter that he's seriously good with cars, and fun to be around. With someone sabotaging her dad's shop, it's not the right time to fall into any man's arms, even if it's someone as capable as Magnus.

Magnus knows he can win over Lindy, as long as he doesn't move too fast with talk of dragons and destiny. The heat between them is too blazing to deny. But though Magnus thought he'd left the past far behind him, one big storm is still approaching, bringing a dark figure that threatens to destroy everything the iron dragon holds dear.

Iron is the second book in the Rent-A-Dragon series! It contains stubborn dragons, action-packed fights, and hot, steamy dragon romance. Enjoy!

My Review

Magnus is fighting some demons and nightmares. He blames himself for their ship going down in a storm because he built it and thought it couldn't be brought down by a storm. They all could have died and stayed dead if they hadn't been found and Magnus blames himself for that fact. But all is not as it seems. 

Magnus is a metal dragon and after so much time, he and his friends are trying to find their mates. They work at Rent A Dragon so they can meet people and try to find their mates while being out there. 

Lindy needed someone to work on her car as well as a few other things, it had already broke down once at night and Magnus stopped to help change her tire. She sped off before he could even get a number so imagine her surprise when she goes to hire a Rent A Dragon and Magnus is the one picked to work on her car and in her shop. 

These two were so funny together. Magnus wants to get to know her better, hang out with her and have fun. But Lindy is all about her job and not interested in a relationship right now. Her dad died and left her his shop but the shop is being vandalized and she is in great need of help. Another shop in town wants her to sell her shop to them and things get dangerous when she refuses. Good thing she now has a big dragon shifter to help her out and hopefully scare away the bad guys. 

There are other dragons out there and not all of them like humans and some of these dragons are down right dangerous. But Magnus has several dragons that he lives with in the castle and I loved how they all get along and the great banter that goes on between them. 

I've been devouring this series because I've really loved reading the stories and getting to know these dragons and their mates. I'm really looking forward to the next book as well.

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. 

Happy Raturday!

*Photo courtesy of martymousehouse.com*

"Time to get my fortune and a cookie!"

*Photo courtesy of Poppy's Mischief*

"Your tail smells like vanilla. Have you been baking cookies again without telling me?"

*Photo courtesy of martymousehouse.com*

"I help fact check the Science."

Review: Red Wolf by Jennifer Ashley

Book Description

A man is only as strong…

Red wolf Shifter Dimitri has fought his whole life for respect. It is claimed that red wolves are tainted with coyote blood and therefore not pure. He may not be skilled at verbally defending himself, but because he's a bodyguard, tracker, and champion of the fight clubs, his fists are always ready for some rough and tumble. However, he’d prefer a roll in the hay with the woman who is his oldest friend.

…as the woman who’s got his back…

A spirited leopard Shifter and a fellow tracker, Jaycee Bordeaux has no problem forging a mate bond with Dimitri, but soon the two are called to infiltrate a rogue group bent on enslaving Shifters. Jaycee may have defended Dimitri from taunts before, but they now face a more lethal danger—one that threatens not only the future of their people, but also their love.

My Review

Dimitri knows that he and Jaycee are destined mates but she hasn't accepted or denied the claim as of yet. So when they get sent on a mission together, I knew some sparks would fly and it wouldn't be from their fake collars. 

While they're off on their mission they stay in Jazz's house, which seems to be alive and has a distinct personality. The house and their interaction with it was the first thing I liked about this story. While it starts out a little slow, it does build up to some really good action, a little mystery and a lot of naughty fun between Dimitri and Jaycee. 

These two find themselves among shifters they aren't sure they can trust and even though they seem to be nice and not out to hurt them, things aren't always as they seem. There are a few twists, new people to this series are showing up left and right and a Fae lady actually does something nice when a couple of shifters find themselves in need of help. 

It's obvious that a war is brewing between the Fae and the shifters but when it will happen and exactly what will happen is a mystery. 

As a person who has been reading this series, it was nice to see so many of the characters from previous books show up in this one. It was also nice to see new characters emerge and I can only hope to see some of these newbies again in upcoming books. 

I give this book 3 out of 5 stars. 

Favorite Video of the Week

I don't know if you guys have ever listened to Seether but they're a favorite band of mine. When I saw this video I laughed so hard. They wore make up to look old and even got some older people to be in their music video and I found the entire thing very funny.

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 great samples at Hey It's Free and Freebie Shark.

This week I received:

Nioxin Shampoo and Conditioner
Toppik Hair Building Fibers for thinning hair
Nice Jerky Bites for dogs
$5 Amazon gc from Crowdtap

Did you receive any freebies this week?

Review: White Tiger by Jennifer Ashley

Book Description

Wanted and on the run...

For twenty years, Kendrick, a white tiger Shifter, has been the Guardian of un-Collared Shifters who spend their lives living in secret—and in fear of being shunted into Shiftertowns. When Kendrick’s group is discovered and forced to flee, Kendrick is more desperate than ever to protect them

His only salvation was in a beautiful stranger.

In a diner in the middle of nowhere, lonely waitress Addison Price has seen a lot of unusual drifters come and go, but none has ever captivated—and intimidated—her like the imposing fugitive who wields a broadsword with incredible skill. But when he risks all to protect her, Addison’s fear turns to empathy—and empathy to desire as she learns more about her savior. Soon she’s more than willing to help the crushingly sensual white tiger and his cubs in a passionate bid for freedom. Whatever the cost.

My Review

Ever since coming into the diner with his cubs, Kendrick hasn't been able to stop coming back to see Addie. He'd been coming back every night right before closing time, getting pie for him and his three kids just so he could see Addie. This night was just like the others until Addie finds one of the employee's dead outside, then all hell breaks loose and Kendrick comes to the rescue. 

Kendrick didn't realize that some of the shifters wanted him dead, not until they start shooting at the diner and he has to come to the aid of Addie. Addie soon realizes that Kendrick and his kids aren't human, the're shifters but after the shock wears off she knows she has to keep the kids safe until they can get out of there. After the bad guys are dealt with Kendrick sends her away to what he thinks will be safer for her but it turns out not to be the case. 

Kendrick battles his instincts and his attraction for Addie all the while trying to keep his clan safe and figure out who to trust. There's quite a bit action, fights, blood and romance in this book. I've been loving this series for years and even though I hate the fact that shifters are treated worst than second class citizens and have to wear collars that are supposed to keep them in line, they are finding ways around that in secret. I do hope at some point this story line will evolve to where they aren't treated so badly by humans and have more rights. 

Addie ends up being stronger than I first thought she would be and I loved that she didn't back down when things got scary. I really liked seeing characters from previous books. That's one of the things I love about long series, the past characters and new characters tend to pop up in books and we get to see what they'e been up to. 

I highly recommend this series. 

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. 

Favorite picture of the week

Last month my daughter and grandson came over for her birthday. Logan showed off his Paw Patrol hat. I thought it was funny because when I first saw it, I thought it had devil horns instead of ears.

Review: Steel (Rent a Dragon book 1) by Terry Bolryder

Book Description

A dragon as a handyman? Ridiculous.

At least Liam Steel thinks so. Sure, he and his crew of newly-awakened metal dragons are experts at building things, but after being sunk at the bottom of a frozen ocean, all they want is to find the mates they were sailing in search of in the first place, and Liam isn't sure how that can happen while he's playing in the dirt. Until he meets his first client, a sweet, curvy, no-nonsense business-woman busy taking care of everyone but herself. His heart screams 'mate', and he's ready to get his hands on more than her yard.

Kate Hinton doesn't know what to make of the beefcake Rent-A-Dragon sent over to help with her yard. Impossibly tall with soulful teal eyes, dark hair, and the features of a male model, she's pretty sure he should be walking a runway rather than digging trenches in her yard. And the way he looks at her? Like nothing else matters in the world. But the more she gets to know her kind, friendly, amazingly efficient handyman, the more she is realizing he's not from her world.

He lives in a remodeled castle. He doesn't know certain modern words. And he definitely doesn't understand the rules of modern courtship. But somehow, Kate is finding herself falling in love with this 'dragon' all the same, and finding out there is a whole other world outside her own. One full of secrets, and danger, and maybe even the love of a lifetime.

Steel is the first book in the Rent-A-Dragon series! It contains stubborn dragons, action-packed fights, and hot, steamy dragon romance. Enjoy!

My Review

Kate and Liam were so good together. I loved how they got along right from the beginning even if she had no idea that he was a dragon shifter. From the title I really thought that these dragon shifters were going to be made of steel or robot-like but that's just not the case. I realized only after reading this book and looking for the next one that this is a spin off of The Awaken Dragon series. I will have to go and read that series as well because even though this book and most likely this series can be read without reading the other series first, I'm sure that the characters will make more sense once reading about them in that first series. 

Liam meets Kate while working as a handyman as his cover for finding his mate. He and the other dragons are awesome at fixing things so this works out well. Kate gets to know Liam while he's fixing her house and yard. But she is hilarious because she can't stop staring at him while he's working up a sweat and taking his shirt off. All the naughty things she was thinking about him and about doing to him were just funny. If a tall, muscled, hot guy were working in my yard, I'd probably be having some of the same thoughts. 

There are different types of dragons and some of them don't get along. While the main story is resolved there's a bit of a back story going on that didn't really get resolved and I suspect we'll be seeing more of the mad dragons in subsequent books and I look forward to seeing what happens with that story line. 

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.