Strands of Love by N.J. Walters

Book Description

The final book in the steamy Tapestries series by New York Times and USA Today bestselling author N. J. Walters!

Tied to the land in a way that only another Texan can understand, Samantha Calloway is facing mounting debts and a merciless drought as she struggles to save the farm that’s been in her family for generations. Unwilling to surrender to an unscrupulous neighbor who offers her a way out, Samantha is left hoping for a miracle when she’s stunned by the mysterious appearance of two hulking, otherworldly warriors on her land—men who stir an undeniable sensual desire in her.

Jace and Darian Hunter are deeply committed to the welfare of their expansive lands and all the people who rely on them, but privately they are also deeply saddened at the prospect of living out their lives without the blessing of a loving woman. They know well the stories of the magic tapestry that might bring them a bride, but they’re still shocked when the tapestry appears—and mysteriously transports them to the world of the beautiful and sensitive Samantha.

As the brothers try to explain the promise of the tapestry to a skeptical Samantha, the trio are suddenly transported back to Javara, where Samantha soon learns that the brothers are as deeply dedicated to the land as she is—and also dedicated to unleashing the power of their passion to bring her to sexual heights she’d never imagined. And as she’s confronted with a choice between returning to her home alone or forsaking it all for a chance at a loving life with Darian and Jace, they will stop at nothing to entice her with every glorious erotic pleasure and unquestioning devotion to win her heart and a lifetime of unending love . . . 

My Review

Samantha had lost her parents and now the family farm was hers to take care of, only problem was she didn't have enough money to make it work. She had been talked into selling some of the land after her mother's death but for far cheaper than she should have gotten. Now she wasn't sure what she was gonna do to make ends meet before the bank took the farm. 

Jace and Darian love their land and the people on it but they long for a loving woman to live out their lives together. One day when the magical tapestry appears to them, they are transported to a far away land and to Samantha. She has only a little time to be around the guys before the tapestry appears and whisks them back to Javara where the guys are from. Samantha can hardly believe what has happened and doesn't believe them when they tell her where she is and that the tapestry will be back in 3 days to take her home for good if she so chooses but they hope she will stay with them. It takes a while before she starts to believe anything she's heard but she still wants to go back home. 

On Javara 2 or 3 men share one woman when she appears from the tapestry because there's a shortage of women born there. Both Darian and Jace are attracted to Sam and she is also attracted to them. She figures she only has a small amount of time with them so she gives into her attraction and sleeps with both of them. Watching them fall more and more in love and not knowing what to do was heartbreaking but their romance was powerful. 

There are a few twists and turns before the end of this book but it was so good! I have to mention that I didn't read any of the other books in this series but I really love this author's books so when I saw this one I knew I wanted to read it, even out of order and I'm so glad I did. The last few pages definitely made this girl cry, some happy and some bittersweet tears. Now N.J., why'd you go and do that to me? lol 

I definitely have to go back and read this series from the beginning now because if this book was anything to go by, I'm gonna love it. 

This book gets a 5 out of 5 from me, it was so good. 

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley but all opinions are my own.

Review: The Rogue King by Abigail Owen

Book Description

Kasia Amon is a master at hiding. Who—and what—she is makes her a mark for the entire supernatural world. Especially dragon shifters. To them, she’s treasure to be taken and claimed. A golden ticket to their highest throne. But she can’t stop bursting into flames, and there’s a sexy dragon shifter in town hunting for her...

As a rogue dragon, Brand Astarot has spent his life in the dark, shunned by his own kind, concealing his true identity. Only his dangerous reputation ensures his survival. Delivering a phoenix to the feared Blood King will bring him one step closer to the revenge he's waited centuries to take. No way is he letting the feisty beauty get away.

But when Kasia sparks a white-hot need in him that’s impossible to ignore, Brand begins to form a new plan: claim her for himself…and take back his birthright.

My Review

Brand has a mission, to bring Kasia to the Blood King. Ladon is not as bad as some of the other King's and Brand trusts him. 

Kasia has a secret, one that has Brand coming after her so that she can mate with the Blood King and Brand can get his revenge.

Things don't always go according to the plan. That's the biggest takeaway from this story. Each of them thinks that they know what's going to happen at some point during this book and they couldn't have been further from the truth if it had snuck up on them and smacked them in the face with a pie. 

When Brand finds Kasia she's at a clinic because she can't control the fire inside her but she's hasn't told them who or what she actually is so they can't really help her. Brand already knows what she is and that she's been lying about it. He's supposed to find her, bring her back for the Blood King and be done with it. But he feels something for her and his plans don't go as planned. 

While Brand and Kasia are on their way back to the Blood King, all sorts of other shifters come out of the woodwork when they find out she exists. They want to capture her for themselves. One King, Pytheios in particular wants her captured and they are on the run from all of them. While they are trying to get back to the safety of the King Brand trusts, they get to know one another better and get closer. 

The fact that Kasia kept calling him a giant lizard, Godzilla and a gecko because he's a dragon shifter made me laugh a lot. They have some really comical times together and the name calling got under his skin a little but I thought it was hilarious. He's all like, I'm a magnificent dragon, not some puny lizard. 

Kasia is still keeping secrets through most of the book but so is Brand. So when Brand and Kasia finally see that they're meant for each other towards the end of the book, it throws the Blood King, Ladon's plans into turmoil. He gets really mad but he turns out to be a really good guy and they all come together to help Kasia when she needs it. 

There was a lot of action in this book, a lot of scheming and plotting and a great slow burn romance. The dragon shifters, wolf shifters and other paranormals made this story so interesting. There is one very unusual or I should say, special paranormal that Brand knows that I really hope we see in future books because I want more of his story. There were so many great secondary characters that I really want to get to know better so I know this is a series that I'll be reading more of.

I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. 

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Apartment Life #91

This is a new weekly blog post that I'm calling Apartment Hell  Life. I've mentioned a few times some of the crazy things that go on in and around my apartment complex in the past 20 years that we've lived here and people keep telling me I should write a book. But instead of a book, I've decided to share the crazy things that have happened in and around my apartment complex in the last 20 years here in a weekly blog post.

It's not a very good picture but there are two police cars here, one in back of the one shown. The police showed up on Wednesday because 2 of my neighbors got into a shouting match that only lasted for a few minutes but one neighbor said he was going to set fire to his apartment and since he lives right next door to the other guy, he got worried. The police came, took statements and no one was arrested. No fires have broken out so that's good. 

It was quiet the rest of the week. 

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

Review: Daily Goodie Box

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

What did I get in this box?

Tipson - Organic Tea- I love trying new teas and I hadn't tried this one before but if you like herbal tea then you'll probably like this one. I thought it had a great taste to it.

Que Bella - Detoxifying Intense Black Peel Off Mask- I've never been a fan of these intense peel off masks because while they take off a good number of blackheads if you have them, they also hurt coming off. I tried one of these and as I thought, it hurt coming off. I don't have a blackhead problem and don't enjoy these intense masks so I gave the other packet to my daughter who loves these things and she appreciated it a lot. So while it wasn't for me I found someone who liked it.

Napz - All-Natural Sleep Solution- I sometimes have a hard time sleeping, I mean who doesn't? I know several people who do including my hubby and our daughter so I let everyone try this and while it didn't work for me it did seem to work a little for my hubby. Our daughter said she wasn't sure if it helped her or not.

Essential Oxygen - Organic Brushing Rinse-  I used this pre-brushing rinse for a few days and I'm not sure it did anything for me but it's not hard to use, just 60 seconds to use and it doesn't have a bad taste to that added to the ease of use.

Ode To Clean - All-Purpose Wipes-  These wipes clean really well. I used one of these wipes on my stove after frying bacon for breakfast and they clean up that oily mess with no problem! I love a good cleaning wipe.

Spudsy - Sweet Potato Puffs-  If you're like me, the only time you have sweet potatoes is Thanksgiving. So I wasn't sure I would like these but I was surprised that they were actually quite tasty. I would definitely buy these because they're a good snack.

CURAD - Quick Stop Bandages- So these bandages say they stop minor bleeding which is new to me. I didn't even know that there was something like this on the market. I haven't used these yet but I have no doubt that hubby will at some point cut himself while doing some kind of maintenance round the apartment and I'll be able to use these and see if they help the the bleeding any faster. Is it weird to be waiting to see if he'll cut himself so I can use this new bandage? I'm curious now.

Bakery On Main - Cranberry Almond Maple Granola- I love granola so much that I usually have some kind of granola around to snack on. This was different from most of the granola that I've tried in the past because it has some kind of round chips that kind of look like corn chips that a lot of the granola and nuts are stuck to. Everything has a sweet flavor and it was quite crispy. This was really good, and my favorite thing in the box.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 stop banning abortion sticker.
A Sephora Clay Mask sampler.
I cashed out my points on eRewards for a $50 Macy's eGift card and bought a whole bunch of makeup that was on sale which I will be reviewing on here when I get it.
I won a book in a blog giveaway over at Do You Dog Ear.

I've used these clay masks before and they do make my face feel softer after using them.

There were some gift sets and single makeup items on sale at Macy's and I got a free gift for spending $50, so I'll be reviewing a few items that I got here on the blog when I get them.

Did you receive any freebies this week?

Review: Birchbox Subscription Box - July

I decided to sign up for a Birchbox subscription box. It's only $15 a month and this month's box came with 6 products. 

In this box was...

Balance Me congested skin serum.
Beautycounter mineral sunscreen lotion.
Bumble and bumble leave in hair conditioner.
Marcelle waterproof eyeliner- Expresso.
Purlisse coconut oil and coffee sugar body scrub.
YENSA tone up primer. 

All of these products were new to me and I've tried them all and liked them. The eyeliner is a dark brown and while I always use black, this is dark enough to not really notice that it's not black and it goes on really smoothly. 

The leave in hair condition smell so good and so does the coffee body scrub. I have had a few coffee scented bath products and they usually smell really good. The primer works well under my makeup. The sunscreen lotion works but is a little greasy. 

All in all I liked everything I got in this box and think everything works well. 

Did you get this box?

#ToYouLoveYou

Favorite Picture of the Week

I have a shelf on my computer table that sits above my laptop. So the other day this tiny beetle fell on my hand from that shelf while I was typing. I was like, well hello there. lol I had to enlarge the picture just to see it sitting on my fingernail. I took him outside so he can live out his little beetle life. 

Review: You Had Me At Jaguar by Terry Spear

Book Description

They're not the only ones on the prowl...but they're the most dangerous...

The United Shifter Force gives jaguar agent Howard Armstrong an impossible task—to protect fierce she-jaguar Valerie Chambers, when the last thing she wants is protecting. They're going international to take down a killer and he can guard Valerie all day long. But guard his heart? He doesn't stand a chance.

My Review

Val is an Enforcer for the United Shifter Force (USF) and when she gets sent on a mission to catch a jaguar shifter who killed his wife after he turned her into a jaguar shifter, the mission is harder than they thought it would be. 

Howard and his partner are sent to be Val's backup when she goes after a violent shifter. Howard has the hots for Val and wants to date her but she's not really taking to his flirting because she's much to engaged in getting the guy she is sent after. 

Howard and Val get closer as they go to find Bowie and kill him for murdering his newly turned mate. They make their way to Belize where they believe Bowie is hold up and where Val's parents who still work for the USF are also on a mission. 

Howard and Val are fun together but I liked Howard more than Val at times. I found myself being bored quite a lot while reading this book. I usually read pretty fast but this book took me a few days to read because I just couldn't get into it for the most part. Trying to find Bowie just took way too long and most of the things that took place while they were trying to find him just weren't exciting enough to keep me engaged. The romance was slow going at first and then all of the sudden, boom! they're in love. I had a hard time believing their feelings for each other because I didn't feel much excitement from them. 

The story wasn't a bad one, I just don't think it was for me.

I give this book 3 out of 5 stars. 

Happy Raturday!

*Picture courtesy of Pippa and Neema*

"We're snuggling."

*Picture courtesy of Pippa and Neema*

"Do I smell snacks?"

*Picture courtesy of Pippa and Neema*

"I definitely smell snacks."

Apartment Life #90

This is a new weekly blog post that I'm calling Apartment Hell  Life. I've mentioned a few times some of the crazy things that go on in and around my apartment complex in the past 20 years that we've lived here and people keep telling me I should write a book. But instead of a book, I've decided to share the crazy things that have happened in and around my apartment complex in the last 20 years here in a weekly blog post.

For whatever reason my apartment manager had the maintenance guy paint the rocks in front of the complex, black. They had been rock color as you can see towards the bottom of the rock. The maintenance guy didn't even bother painting the entire thing, he left them looking like this. He pushed the smaller rocks up to the bigger rocks he painted but you can still see the bottom of the rocks aren't painted. 

These rocks look ridiculous. The least he could have done was paint it further down. I even waited a couple of weeks to see if he would come back and fix them and he hasn't. 

I also found out that our complex was sold and my apartment manager's last day is the 24th. After that we get a new manager and new maintenance man. All the residents were sent a letter with the new fees for things like renters insurance, eviction filing fee's, month to month rent increases and late payment fees. The rent is now due on the 1st with no grace period and all the older people on social security who don't get their checks until the 3rd are going to the manager and complaining. We're hoping that the new owners will chance the grace period until the 3rd with no late fees until the 4th for these people. We'll see. 

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

Review: Target Beauty Box - July #TargetBeauty #TargetBeautyBox

Each month Target releases a new Target Beauty Box but supplies are limited and it's first come first serve until they run out. These boxes go fast so I try to grab one as soon as I see it being talked about on Twitter or fb. They are $7 a piece and usually well worth the price.

This is what was in the box...

Simple Sassy Sachet Moisturizing Face Wash. 

Simple Micellar Cleansing Water

Nexxus Frizz Defy Anti Frizz Sheets

Crest Kid's Anticavity Protection Fluoride Toothpaste- Strawberry Rush Flavor

Head & Shoulders Smooth & Silky Shampoo

Head & Shoulders Smooth & Silky Conditioner

Acure Radically Rejuvinating Day Cream Facial Moisturizer SPF 30

I wasn't sure I would like the strawberry toothpaste but it has a good taste and I love Crest so a win for sure. The Head & Shoulders shampoo and conditioner work so nicely on my long hair. It smells great and it leaves my hair soft and silky. another win! I've used Acure moisturizer before and even though it's a little greasy so I wouldn't use it on my face under my makeup, it is good for my chest, neck and arms. I haven't used the frizz sheets yet. 

Now on to the 2 Simple products. I've used this brand before and even though they both work really well for what they're made for, they have a strange scent especially the face wash. I wouldn't buy this product because of the unpleasant scent is has even though it works good. The scent reminds me of an old wet towel that's been bunched up on the floor for a couple of days that your lazy kid left there and forgot. It's not a strong scent but it's not a scent I want on my face. The Micellar water has a strange scent too, different from the face wash but still not pleasant. 

So for the most part I was pleased with almost everything I got in this box. 

Did you get this box?

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 book for a review.
Heinz Mayonnaise from PinchMe.
A Personal Library Kit, $10 Amazon gift card (not shown) and Book Lovers Journal that I won in a blog giveaway.

Did you receive an freebies?

Review: Untamed Delights by Suzanne Wright

Book Description

Return to the sensual and feral stirrings of the Phoenix Pack as a woman who’s already bound to one man is tempted by a wolf who’s bound only to his nightly desires.

Cat shifter Mila Devereaux can’t help but see it as a betrayal. That her one true mate imprinted himself on another female was hard enough to accept. Struggling to be at peace with her loveless fate, she doesn’t fight the suggestion of entering an arranged mating. Then she meets Dominic, a pack enforcer with a notorious reputation. It’s in his very scent. This irresistible playboy—and delicious badass wolf—is making Mila’s fantasies come alive again.

Alarming, compelling, and heady with sensual energy, Dominic is an expert at making women shed their inhibitions. Now everything about him—his killer smile, his perfectly sculpted body, and his smooth-as-honey voice—is drawing in a captivating new catch. But for the first time in his life, Dominic is feeling more than a fling. He finds himself tantalized by a female who makes him think of forever. He wants all of Mila and won’t be satisfied until he has it.

As the passion grows wild, so does the risk. They’re falling in love in the shadows and secrets of their pasts. And it’s threatening to destroy everything Mila and Dominic are fighting for. And are destined for.

My Review

Mila is a pallas cat shifter, which are badass little cats who will tear you to shreds if you piss them off. Most other shifters think of pallas cats as crazy animals who should not be messed with. They might be small but they are fierce. 

Dominic is always having a fling with one woman or another and he's always making perverted remarks to those close to him. His sense of humor is weird but most people just shake their head at him and move on. Everyone knows that this wolf shifter is not looking for a relationship, just a one night stand so when he sets his sights on Mila she scoffs at him and turns him down, something he's not used to happening. 

When Mila finds herself in danger because of something her brother did, Dominic finds that he feels more possessive of Mila and her cat than he thought he would. Mila has plans to move to Russia and engage in an arranged mating with a shifter there because of a certain person she wants to be away from but she isn't expecting to feel things for Dominic. 

There's quite a bit of action because of the danger that both Mila and Dominic are in but that only added to the excitement of this story and it really showed both Dominic and Mila just how much they cared for each other when they other was put in danger or got hurt. It was fun to watch the relationship grow between them. I really liked the twists this story took because it kept me guessing as to who was behind all of the drama until the end of the book. 

I've enjoyed this series so much and thought that this story closed the series out nicely even though I am sad to see the series end.

I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. 

Review: Stolen Desire by Robin Lovett

Book Description

Koviye

My people call me the Sex God, but I, Koviye of the Fellamana, am so much more. I read their every desire and satisfy them with a mere touch of my hands. I’m sworn to share my powers, and this thing humans call monogamy is biologically impossible for me, or so I thought until I met the human, Jenie, Lieutenant General in the rebellion against our mutual enemy determined to destroy us. Now, as though Jenie has some power over me, I cannot think of touching anyone but her.

Jenie

I’ve dreamt of Koviye every night since I landed on this sex planet where every breath I take is an aphrodisiac to my blood. I am not fully human, I am part alien, and the planet has awakened my body’s instinct to find a mate. The next person I have sex with I will form an attachment for life, which is impossible for the Sex God. I have a rebellion to lead. Mating a polyamorous alien would ruin me. I can never have him, no matter how much I burn for him.

But I need his help. My best friend was taken prisoner by our enemies, the Ten Systems, and the only person with a ship fast enough to save her is Koviye. And all those dreams I’ve been having about him aren’t just dreams, he tells me. They’re real. He can dream walk, so if I can’t have him while I’m awake, at least I can have him in my dreams—as if that will ever be enough.

Each book in the Planet of Desire series is STANDALONE:

* Toxic Desire

* Captive Desire

* Stolen Desire

My Review

This is the 3rd book in this series but this is the first book I've read. It says that each book is a standalone so I figured I would give it a try after reading that description. I was able to pick this book up and read it and not feel confused. 

Koviye lives on Fellamana and the planet itself exudes some sort of toxin that will slowly poison you if you don't have sex frequently. But Koviye is special on this planet because he has a special talent of a healing touch, so he is sought after. The people on this planet have sex frequently and with whomever they want. They don't believe in monogamy and neither does Koviye. He doesn't see that as even a choice for him. 

Jenie is half human and half alien. Since she is half alien it's her alien side that will require her to choose a mate at some point, sex will secure the bond with her mate and her species of alien mates for life and it's monogamous. She knows that being with someone like Koviye who can never stick to just one mate would destroy her. But the toxin on the planet starts to work on her and turns on her body's instinct to find a mate. The only problem is she's attracted to Koviye, a male that she can never have. 

Jenie needs Koviye's help to find and rescue her friend that was taken but the more time they spend together the more the attraction between them is sparked and once that match is lit there's no going back. These two were so hot together, wow. This is an erotic romance so I knew there would be plenty of sex but good grief these two should come with an extinguisher because they lit the pages on fire!

This starts off on an alien planet and ends up in space which was fun because so many interesting things happen while they're in space. I had a really good time with this book and plan on going back and reading the first two books because I want to see what else happened. This book was hard to put down and I love finding a book that I love so much I don't want to stop reading long enough to do anything else. 

I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. 

Review: Darak by Cara Bristol

Book Description

Revenge is best served sweet with a hot, horned alien.

Free-spirited pastry chef Lexi Sutterman has discovered that true love is pie in the sky. The only thing more difficult than finding an Earth man willing to commit is pleasing her wealthy, hypercritical family who view her as a failure. So she’s given up on both, focusing her energy on her new bakery. Now that her uber successful little sister manages to nab a well-heeled fiancé, Lexi fights back by joining the Intergalactic Dating Agency. She plans to bring a huge, purple, tentacled alien as her plus-one to the wedding.

Darak of planet Dakon isn't purple or tentacled—he’s just seven feet of horned alien hotness. To get a woman on his world, a guy has to literally win the lottery. Tired of waiting for the Fates to send him a female, he joins the dating service to meet a nice Earth girl to call his own. He recognizes Lexi as his true mate, but realizes convincing her they’re meant to be together forever and not just a weekend will be no cake walk.

But when a sweet-tart pastry chef and a horned alien hottie fall in love, everyone might get their just desserts…

* * * *

Dakonian Alien Mail Order Brides is a new science fiction romance series and a spin-off from the Alien Mate series. In the Alien Mate books, Earth women travel to planet Dakon to become the mail order brides of aliens. In this new series, the Dakonians come to Earth through the Intergalactic Dating Agency to find their human mates.

My Review

Lexi was never good enough fr her prim and proper high society mother. Nothing she ever did was good enough so she figured she would show up to her sister's wedding with an alien. When she signed up to the alien dating agency, she thought they would send her some weird looking alien that she could shock her mother with and then send him on his way. Lexi never envisioned that Darak would be gorgeous and nice. After meeting him, she almost calls off the wedding invitation but he comes with her much to her mothers dismay. 

Darak kept getting passed over in the lottery to have a female on Dakon when they came so he decides to travel three months to Earth and hope the dating agency can pair him with his mate. When the dating agency tells him he has a match he goes out with her and knows right away she is his mate but all she wants is a date to her sisters wedding, at least in the beginning.

They travel to her parents house where they stay for several days leading up to the wedding. In that time they get closer and they fall hard for each other. Darak is really likable, he's so attentive and sweet. Lexi is exactly right for him, so when they do decide they're going to do more than kiss, the sparks fly. 

Lexi's sister is a lot nicer than I thought she would be but their mother is just awful. I'm surprised they turned out as well as they did with a mother like her. 

This book had me laughing and smiling throughout. I usually like this authors books but I really liked this one. The characters were great and Lexi and Darak were so great together. 

I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. 

Happy Raturday!

*Picture courtesy of martymousehouse.com*

*Picture courtesy of martymousehouse.com*

"I no want stinky breff."

*Picture courtesy of martymousehouse.com*

"Fudgesicles are a great way to keep cool during the summer."

Apartment Life #89

This is a new weekly blog post that I'm calling Apartment Hell  Life. I've mentioned a few times some of the crazy things that go on in and around my apartment complex in the past 20 years that we've lived here and people keep telling me I should write a book. But instead of a book, I've decided to share the crazy things that have happened in and around my apartment complex in the last 20 years here in a weekly blog post.

I was walking Falcor the other morning when I saw this blanket move. Scared the bejuju's outta me too. Then I saw the guys face. It was one of the meth heads that used to hang out at the drug dealers apartment before he got kicked out. He laid down cardboard on the rocks and laid on that with his blanket. I thought it was just a pile of blankets or rugs or trash there and then it moved. Damn, scared me half to death. 

The the next day he moved and was sleeping a little further down the path. He's been hanging out across the street where some of the other drug dealers live. I found him passed out in front of a parked car about a week ago. Falcor barked at him and he woke up but was so high or drunk he couldn't even get up. The apartment manager has called the cops on him twice now but they just make him get up and move. One day he was so high and couldn't walk so the police called an ambulance and he was gone for a couple of days but he's baaaack. #DontDoDrugs 

On Thursday our apartment manager finally opened the swimming pool. One of the women from across the street decided she would take a dip and that didn't go over well with the manager who told her she had to get out and leave since she doesn't live her. The woman apparently told the manager, "You don't have to tell me to get out of the pool, I live on this street." The manager made her get out and leave and she must have told the people in the courtyard where she lives because they were over there across the street screaming at my manager calling her a bitch, that they should be able to use the pool. lol 

I suggest you go take a cold shower because the manager ain't letting you get in our pool. She closes the pool and locks the gate right before she leaves at 5pm and because she's not here on the weekends, the pool isn't open then either. Now she said that you'll have to come in the office and sign in and show that you're a resident before getting in the pool. The pool in in the same courtyard as the office so she see's everyone that goes in it. 

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

Favorite Video of the Week

A friend on Twitter posted that this video was released and I hadn't heard it even though it's one of my favorite bands. I love this song and have been listening to it a lot this week. Listen to it and let me know what you think.

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 coupon for a free 2 liter bottle of Root Beer.

A sample of Ester-C effervescent vitamin c.


Did you receive any freebies this week?

Review: My Liege Of Dark Haven by Cherise Sinclair

Boom Description

Threatened by university cutbacks, Professor Abigail Bern’s only hope is to publish a provocative research paper–soon. Planning to covertly observe behavior in the notorious Dark Haven BDSM club, she takes a receptionist job. When the owner calls upon her to assist in a demonstration, she’s appalled. Then fascinated. Under the unyielding hands of the master known as my Liege, she discovers a need to be more than an observer.

Xavier’s new receptionist is striving to keep an emotional distance, and he’s intrigued. Although she’s intriguingly intelligent, beautifully submissive, and sweetly vulnerable, her defenses keep her on the fringe of life. As he draws her into truly participating, she, in turn, begins to fill his world.

Ever since meeting Xavier, Abby questions everything she believes about herself. She’s falling for the stern owner of Dark Haven, and he’s beginning to care for her…until the day he learns why she’s in his club.

My Review

A few months ago a friend posted on FB that this book was free on Amazon and I looked through my blog and couldn't find a review for it even though I thought I'd read it. It turns out I hadn't read this one even though I thought I had. So I got it and read it. Whew boy, this is one hot read. Hot!

Abby isn't happy with her boyfriend, Nathan wanting to throw some BDSM into their relationship. She's not into it, at least with him. Nathan was an ass so it's no wonder she wasn't into it with him. But there's about to be some big budget cuts at the University she works at and she figures a paper on BDSM would be sure to be what she needs to keep her job. When she gets to the BDSM club, Dark Haven she thought she could just go in, look around, study the people, write her paper and be done with the whole thing. Only her plans don't work out because the club isn't that easy to get a membership to anymore. So she takes a job as the front desk receptionist in order to gain access to the club not knowing that one of her other duties is to assist the Dom's when they need hands on help showing something. While I think most people would have been like, "Nope, nope get me the hell outta here." Abby stays because she needs to see what goes on so she can write her paper. She's obviously in over her head but Xavier, the owner and one of the Dom's in the club decides to show her the ropes...literally. 

Xavier *My Liege* is big, formidable, intimidating and awesome! He takes a liking to Abby and even though he doesn't do relationships ever since his wife passed away 4 years before, he can't stop thinking about this woman. I really liked Xavier and Abby together and I liked the camaraderie of most of the people at the club. They really did seem like a big family or close friends. I guess you really get to know someone when you're all getting hot, sweaty and naked together. *Wink*

I'm not gonna lie though, for all the fun and great times I had with this story there were a few times that the story got real uncomfortable for me. Reading about someone being in pain or being humiliated is just not my thing.  

I did enjoy this story and was surprised it had somehow slipped through the cracks when I was sure I had read it at some point.

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. 

Favorite Picture of the Week

Have you ever used silicone ice cube trays? 

I can't be the only one who's had a problem with them. Yes they work well but there's a weird white film on the ice when you use these. There's a weird smell and the ice takes on a weird taste as well. It doesn't happen with my plastic ice trays. I washed the trays, boiled them, washed after each use and the white film always came back. I ended up just throwing them away because it's just not worth the hassle it caused and the plastic ice trays don't cause a weird smell. 

I love my silicone cooking utensils like the spoons and spatula and they don't get a weird white film on them so it must be something about putting them in the freezer. I don't know but it was weird.

Review: Rescued By the Alpha by Anna Santos and Alyssa Breck

Book Description

He stole the bride but ended up rescuing his mate. 

Getting kidnapped was the last thing Fiona expected on the day of her arranged marriage. Yet, the unthinkable happens, and she finds herself trapped in a cabin with an arrogant but gorgeous male who claims he’s doing this for her own good.

Alpha Joshua needs to do what’s best for his pack. That means he has to steal the young woman inheriting the Greenwoods Forest and prevent her from marrying his worst enemy. If Gareth lays his hands on those lands, he will do whatever is necessary to destroy it and evict the pack of wolves that have used it as their haven for hundreds of years. 

Fiona finds herself in the middle of an ancient feud between vampires and werewolves. Finding out that the products of nightmares roam the earth isn’t her biggest problem. Her fake fiancé, Gareth, wants Fiona back, and he’ll do anything, including killing anyone who stands in his way. 

Joshua thought it would be simple to keep Fiona safe until she turned twenty-one and sold the land to him. But desire courses through his veins every time he looks at her. He wants to do more than protect her, he wants to claim her as his. When her fiancé uses all his means to get her back, the alpha must step up to defend his mate and prevent the evil vampire from taking her … again. 

My Review

Fiona's father had taken to gambling and drinking ever since her mother had died but he really messed things up this time by losing everything they had to gambling. Now she's agreed to marry Gareth so he can control the protected forest she stands to inherit when she turns 21 in just a couple of weeks. They don't love each other and she knows if he were an honorable man he wouldn't be making her marry him. Everything seems to be going great until she's kidnapped before she can take the marriage vows. 

Andrew and Joshua had the same father but different mother's. Joshua is the alpha of his pack and Andrew comes with him to help him kidnap Fiona before she can get married. Josh plans on keeping her safe in his cabin until he can get her to sign over the land to him but things take a strange turn when one of his own pack betrays him to Gareth. 

Gareth is a vampire and wants the forest for his own reasons while Joshua and his pack are werewolves and use the forest to let their wolves out to run and to keep them safe and hidden from humans. 

Fiona agrees to stay with Joshua when she reads a letter from her father explaining why Gareth wanted to marry her and why he helped get her out of the marriage she never wanted to be in, in the first place. 

Joshua is such a nice guy who truly cares about Fiona and when they stop fighting the attraction they feel for each other, it's fireworks! These two were hot, sexy and adorable. There's a couple of great twists during the story that I didn't see coming which just made the story even better. For a novella, this book packed quite a lot of story. 

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. 

Happy Raturday!

*Picture courtesy of martymousehouse.com*

*Picture courtesy of martymousehouse.com*

*Picture courtesy of martymousehouse.com*

Apartment Life #88

This is a new weekly blog post that I'm calling Apartment Hell  Life. I've mentioned a few times some of the crazy things that go on in and around my apartment complex in the past 20 years that we've lived here and people keep telling me I should write a book. But instead of a book, I've decided to share the crazy things that have happened in and around my apartment complex in the last 20 years here in a weekly blog post.

A couple of days ago I heard a loud fight going on 5 doors from mine, across the courtyard. I took the dog out front of my apartment complex and the police showed up. When I heard the screaming and yelling getting louder and the police yelling for someone to get on the ground, I stayed out front until the yelling stopped and I figured things had calmed down enough for me to walk Falcor back into the courtyard and go back in my apartment. I always have my camera on me when I go outside just in case something like this happens because you just never know when a fight is gonna break out around here. But I try not to take a lot of pictures of the police officers themselves while I'm outside because they get really mad when you do that and I'm not gonna be on the wrong end of that mess, so I just take pictures of the police cars most times. My brother likes to ask me why I don't stand out there and film the police and my neighbors and, well, that's why. 

On the 4th of July we heard a few gunshots but nothing around here caught on fire so that's good. 

Then on Friday night when California had the 7.1 earthquake we here in Las Vegas definitely felt that one. I was sitting on the couch and yelled at Ken that we were having an earthquake but it took a few seconds for it to register with him. My place shook for a while but nothing fell off the shelves. 

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