Enchanting Nicholette was another delightful read from The Everstone Chronicles.

Book Details:

Book Title: Enchanting Nicholette by Dawn Crandall

This book was a gem! It's heart-warming, funny and told from both the perspectives of Liane and her cat Tammy. Book Details:

Book Title: Tammy The Little Cat With a Big Attitude by Liane Carter
Category: Adult Non-fiction, 140 pages
Genre: Pets / Memoir (told from cat's perspective)
Publisher: Independently published
Release date: September 28, 2018
Tour dates: Nov 26 to Dec 21, 2018
Content Rating: PG (mild language - "hell", "bloody")

Book Description:

I was snatched from my mum when I was only two weeks old, and what happened next was bigger than any kitten could imagine.

"A gently witty and charming story which draws the reader in from the word 'go' to a truly entrancing feline perspective on human well-intentioned but frequently misguided behaviour when taking on a new pet."
- Mary Ashton, retired veterinary surgeon

"A heart-warming story that really has unique perspective on the ever-important animal-human bond (and how our pets really feel about us)."
- Sommer Pari, licensed veterinary technician


This book was a gem! Heart-warming, funny and told from both the perspectives of Liane and her cat Tammy, I quickly devoured this little unassuming book that reinforced how precious and deep the connection between a pet and its owner can be.

Liane is a kind, animal lover who was thrilled to get a tiny kitten (it was the only one at the pet store) for her 16th birthday. Throughout her teen years and on into adulthood and marriage, Liane takes the reader on a journey of her relationship with her cat Tammy. I have a cat (who looks similar to Tammy) and was able to relate to some of what Liane experienced but Tammy was special and had such a strong personality, doing things that most cats don't do. Some of the tricks she did on unsuspecting visitors had me in stitches. What an amazing little cat!

This memoir alternately told from both perspectives was brilliantly done. Liane's joyous way of embracing life was a breath of fresh air. I liked her instantly and this feeling only grew as I continued reading. Tammy's perspective was insightful and there were moments when I forgot she was a cat! The story flowed smoothly and quickly and was a pleasure to read. It is an endearing book that had me in tears at the end.

Highly recommended for cat lovers, animal lovers and readers of memoirs. It's a story that would appeal to young readers and adult readers alike. Truly a  beautiful story.
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Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba at Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news. A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead.

It's been terribly cold and snowy this past week, ending today with a bleak rainy day. Looks like winter wants to come early this year. I've been doing a lot of reading and enjoying the books I've chosen to read. 

What a treat this book was! All the stories were a great way to revisit favorite characters and remember why I liked them so much.

Book Details:

Book Title: Spring Thaw by Lauren Carr
Category: Adult fiction, 237 pages
Genre: Murder Mystery, Short Stories
Publisher: Acorn Book Services
Release date: August 12, 2018
Tour dates: Nov 12 to Dec 14, 2018
Content Rating: PG (mild violence and sexual suggestion)

Book Description:

In today’s hectic world, many whodunit fans don’t have time to get their mystery fix diving into a whole novel. Lauren Carr’s SPRING THAW AND OTHER MYSTERY SHORT STORIES is for these fans—but that doesn’t mean whodunit fans who do have time can’t dive in as well.

A novella, Spring Thaw features retired federal agent Chris Matheson from Lauren Carr’s newest bestselling cold case series. When his late father’s former friend is indicted for the seven year old murder of a church bishop, Chris renews old broken friendships to thaw out the cold case.

Featuring Mac Faraday from Lauren Carr’s popular Mac Faraday Mysteries, an estate auction turns into a deadly affair after Gnarly's antics cause Mac to purchase a gem of a dress, which isn't his color in Killing Bid. (Previously published in Lauren Carr’s BEAUTY TO DIE FOR.)

Beauty to Die For features the Lovers in Crime, Joshua Thornton and Cameron Gates in a race against the Angel of Death to clear the name of a dying woman's son, who was framed for murdering Miss Pennsylvania. (Previously published in BEAUTY TO DIE FOR.)

Countdown to Murder returns to the Lovers in Crime where Cameron and Joshua try to solve the murder of a young pregnant widow before it happens. (Previously published in BEAUTY TO DIE FOR.)

Mystery fans will see that every dog has his day, especially if that dog is Gnarly. In Lucky Dog, Gnarly helps Mac Faraday to solve the murder of a wealthy society girl. (Previously published in BEAUTY TO DIE FOR.)

Dog Loving Mystery Fans will get a special treat when they read The Gnarly Rehabilitation Program. In this Gnarly Mystery Short, Bert and Ernie learn the hard way that crime does not pay when they dog nap Gnarly. (Previously published as a bonus feature with A WEDDING AND A KILLING.)

Gnarly, the rambunctious German shepherd, is also features in Lauren Carr’s Christmas short, A Gnarly Christmas. It is Christmas day and Gnarly has been up to his old tricks again. Now he's in the dog house--or rather the boathouse--after stealing the Christmas feast! Moments after Archie and Mac leave Spencer Manor, Gnarly hears a call for help from Rocky, the Maltese down the street. Four assassins for hire have invaded the home of Rocky's elderly owners. While the home invaders wait for instructions from a mysterious caller, Gnarly must plot to stop them. Can Gnarly save Christmas with only the help of an 8-pound Maltese dressed in an elf suit? (Previously published as a single short story by the same name.)

I enjoyed reading ICE, the first book in Lauren Carr's new Chris Matheson Cold Case Mystery series. So I was eager to read this novella that also includes some short stories. What a treat this book was! All the stories were a great way to revisit favorite characters and remember why I liked them so much. The Chris Matheson novella was a quick read and now I'm looking forward to the next installment in this series.

But I must say my favorite stories were the ones that included Gnarly, especially Killing Bid and The Gnarly Rehabilitation Program. Oh boy, that Gnarly cracks me up! I had a few laugh-out-loud moments reading those stories. I simply cannot imagine a Mac Faraday mystery without him.

I've read about a dozen novels from Lauren Carr, but this is the first time I read her short stories. I think Spring Thaw is ideal for fans who want snippets of Lauren Carr's writing between waiting for her next novel in a series to be released. But it's also ideal for readers who have yet to read her books as this will give them a taste of her writing style, her memorable characters such as her smart tricky Gnarly, and the beloved characters from three of her series.

“Lauren Carr is a master storyteller who combines the humor of Janet Evanovich and the investigative skills of Patricia Cornwell. She is always at the top of my reading list."
- Sherry Fundin, Fundinmental

"Lauren Carr could give Agatha Christie a run for her money!"
- Charlene Mabie-Gamble, Literary R&R

"Lauren Carr's books are never boring, that's for sure. They entertain, give us a good mystery to dig into, keep the reader guessing, give us a few good laughs and make us eager for the next book. Warning: Lauren Carr's series are addictive, so be ready to read more than just one book!"
- Laura Fabiani, Library of Clean Reads

"She is an amazing author that draws you into the story, makes you fall in love with the characters (they feel like family!) and keeps you guessing right to the very end."
- Working Mommy Journal

"Lauren Carr does a good job of moving the quirky storyline along nicely with an abundance of witty dialogue. And you have no idea who the good guys are and who the bad guys are until the end."
- Every Free Chance Book Reviews

To read reviews, please visit Lauren Carr's page on iRead Book Tours.


Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, and Thorny Rose Mysteries—over twenty titles across three fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!

Now, Lauren has added one more hit series to her list with the Chris Matheson Cold Case Mysteries. Set in the quaint West Virginia town of Harpers Ferry, Ice introduces Chris Matheson, a retired FBI agent, who joins forces with other law enforcement retirees to heat up those cold cases that keep them up at night.

Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr’s seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, crime fiction, police procedurals, romance, and humor.

Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She lives with her husband, and three dogs on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

​Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram
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Book Details:

Book Title: Seven Steps to Heal Your Thyroid: A Proven Plan to Increase Energy, Elevate Mood & Optimize Weight by Dr. Meghna Thacker
Category: Adult Non-Fiction, 164 pages
Genre: Health and Wellness
Publisher: Self-published
Release date: November 15, 2018
Content Rating: G

Book Description:

If you are someone who has low energy and has to push yourself to get through your day or suffer from mood swings that may alternate between depression and bursts of anger, or has a difficult time losing weight after trying all the diets and exercise programs out there, then this book is for you.

The Seven Steps to Heal Your Thyroid gives you a Step by Step approach to get to the root cause of your thyroid problem and helps to find the solution along the way. The first step begins with introducing you to how your Thyroid Gland works and which hormones does it produce and what influences its function. In step two, you will learn about the different naturopathic treatments to heal your thyroid problem. Step three will address the important role of our gut and how conditions like leaky gut are related to autoimmune conditions like Hashimoto's Thyroiditis. Step four addresses the Environmental influences on the thyroid. In Step five you will understand why it is important to keep all the hormones balanced, not just the thyroid. Step six addresses the important aspect of stress and emotional health and its affect on the thyroid function and last but not least, Step Seven brings it all together by treating the person as a Whole. Finding the balance in Trinity of Life- Mind, Body & Spirit.

I have written this book from both my personal struggle with this condition which went un-diagnosed for years and my clinical experience treating patients for more than a decade. I hope that you find it helpful.
​

Meet the Author:

Dr Thacker is a compassionate healer and has a passion to help people with thyroid disease, drawn from her personal struggles with this condition. She has created a protocol, Seven Steps to Heal Your Thyroid for everyone to feel like themselves again while increasing their energy, elevating their mood and optimizing their weight. She is a licensed Naturopathic Physician in the State of Arizona.

She graduated from Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine from Tempe, AZ in 2007 upon completion of her Bachelors in Homeopathic Medicine and Surgery from Mumbai, India in 2002.

She has worked at Sottopelle for more than a decade and learned the pellet therapy from the pioneer, Dr. Gino Tutera himself. Her focus in practice is balancing hormones in women and treating thyroid disorders, naturally.

Besides her work, she loves to spend time with her husband and two boys. She loves dancing and outdoor activities like ATV riding.

She believes that Life is about finding Balance in this Trinity- Body, Mind & Soul

Life is simple. Life can be simple again.

Connect with the Author: Website ~ Facebook ~ Instagram
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Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba at Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news. A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead.

So my eye is better. Turned out it was a blocked tear duct that turned into a painful stye on my lower lid. It's not quite gone but at least it's less painful. 

I watched Allied with Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard on Netflix. It was good and sad...but not great. I felt there was something lacking between the two actors. I did not feel any chemistry between them. Hope you all have a great reading week! 

Book Details:

Book Title: Crimes Past by Lauren Carr
Series: A Mac Faraday Mystery (Volume 13)
Category: Adult fiction, 322 pages
Genre: Murder Mystery
Publisher: Acorn Book Services
Release date: October 16, 2018
Tour dates: Nov 12 to Dec 14, 2018
Content Rating: PG (mild violence and sexual suggestion)

Book Description:

It’s a bittersweet reunion for Mac Faraday when members of his former homicide squad arrive at the Spencer Inn. While it is sweet to attend the wedding of a former colleague’s daughter, it is a bitter reminder that the mother of the bride had been the victim of a double homicide on her own wedding night.

The brutal slaying weighing heavy on his mind, Mac is anxious to explore every possibility for a break in the cold case—even a suggestion from disgraced former detective Louis Gannon that one of their former friends was the killer.
​
When the investigator is brutally slain, Mac Faraday rips open the cold case with a ruthless determination to reveal which of his friends was a cold-blooded murderer.


I am now a big fan of Lauren Carr and enjoy all the books in her four series, but the series I like the most is the Mac Faraday series (although her newest Chris Matheson series is also my favorite). I think it has to do with Mac being the long-lost son of a bestselling and legendary murder mystery writer. And of course, there's Gnarly, ah Gnarly... Mac's beloved German Shephard with a law enforcement history who is now the Mayor of Spencer. How did THAT happen? You'll just have to read Candidate for Murder, which was a hoot to read.

Carr's whodunit mysteries include a great cast of characters (including pet characters), a fast-paced action-packed story that takes place over three days with a complex plot that comes together seamlessly by the end of the novel, and a good dose of humor throughout. Crimes Past, the latest in the Mac Faraday series, has all of this and was another fun book to read. So entertaining!

Mac Faraday is hosting a wedding at his 5-star Spencer Inn as a gift to the daughter of a former colleague who had been murdered sixteen years ago. A murder Mac has yet to solve. Among the guests are all those who were present when the murder took place and Mac is hoping to flush out the killer. There are a few surprises along the way that includes a nasty neighbor, a long-lost love and a character from another series making a brief appearance.

I'm always amazed at how Carr keeps all the different plot threads straight and then brings it all together in the end. I did guess who one of the killers was and I enjoyed trying to figure it all out. There were also some laugh-out-loud moments for me. If you like murder mysteries with an entertaining cast, I suggest you pick up one of Lauren Carr's books. They are all stand-alone novels but are addictive so that you will want to read the next book, and the next, and the next after that...

Books I've read in the Mac Faraday Series:

Three Days to Forever (Book #9)
Cancelled Vows (Book #11)
Candidate for Murder (Book #12)
Crimes Past (Book #13)
Twofer Murder (includes characters from 3 series)

Books I've read in the Lovers in Crime Mystery Series:

Dead on Ice (Book #1)
Real Murder (Book #2)
Killer in the Band (Book #3)
Books I've read in the Thorny Rose Mystery Series:


Kill and Run (Book #1)
A Fine Year for Murder (Book #2)
Murder by Perfection (Book #3)

Books I've read in the Chris Matheson Cold Case Mystery Series:

ICE (Book #1)
Spring Thaw (Book #1.5)




“Lauren Carr is a master storyteller who combines the humor of Janet Evanovich and the investigative skills of Patricia Cornwell. She is always at the top of my reading list."
- Sherry Fundin, Fundinmental

"Lauren Carr could give Agatha Christie a run for her money!"
- Charlene Mabie-Gamble, Literary R&R

"Lauren Carr's books are never boring, that's for sure. They entertain, give us a good mystery to dig into, keep the reader guessing, give us a few good laughs and make us eager for the next book. Warning: Lauren Carr's series are addictive, so be ready to read more than just one book!"
- Laura Fabiani, Library of Clean Reads

"She is an amazing author that draws you into the story, makes you fall in love with the characters (they feel like family!) and keeps you guessing right to the very end."
- Working Mommy Journal

"Lauren Carr does a good job of moving the quirky storyline along nicely with an abundance of witty dialogue. And you have no idea who the good guys are and who the bad guys are until the end."
- Every Free Chance Book Reviews

To read reviews, please visit Lauren Carr's page on iRead Book Tours.


Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, and Thorny Rose Mysteries—over twenty titles across three fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!

Now, Lauren has added one more hit series to her list with the Chris Matheson Cold Case Mysteries. Set in the quaint West Virginia town of Harpers Ferry, Ice introduces Chris Matheson, a retired FBI agent, who joins forces with other law enforcement retirees to heat up those cold cases that keep them up at night.

Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr’s seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, crime fiction, police procedurals, romance, and humor.

Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She lives with her husband, and three dogs on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

​Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram
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Book Details:

Book Title: The Consultant by Tj O'Connor
Category: Adult Fiction; 432 pages
Genre: Thriller & Suspense
Publisher: Oceanview Publishing
Release date: May 15, 2018
Tour dates: Nov 5 to 16, 2018
Content Rating: R (The story deals with terrorism and describes some scenes of violence. Some harsh language.)

Book Description:

When a rogue CIA consultant goes AWOL from his Middle Eastern post in response to his brother’s plea for help, he arrives just in time to witness his brother’s murder. For years, Jonathan Hunter and his brother Kevin Mallory had not spoken―until Kevin’s final words, “… Khalifah … Not Them … Maya.”

Pursuing his brother’s killer, Hunter stumbles into a nest of horrifying terrorist activity by Middle Eastern refugees, which sparks a backlash across America. In the shadows, Hunter’s mentor, the omnipotent Oscar LaRue, is playing a dangerous game with Russian Intelligence. Neither Hunter nor LaRue realizes that a new threat―the Iranian threat―has entered the game. Stakes rise as two shadowy players are one step ahead of Hunter and LaRue―Khalifah, a terrorist mastermind, and Caine, a nomadic assassin who dances with the highest bidder.

As attacks escalate and the country drifts toward another Middle East conflict, innocent refugees become trapped between the terrorists and the terrorized. Prejudice, hate, and fear vent everywhere. Is this who we’ve become? Before the country explodes, Hunter must find Khalifah, learn the next terror target, and pray he’s in time to stop further annihilation.

The Consultant is a fast-paced non-stop action-packed thriller that took me for a ride. Jonathan Hunter is a CIA consultant who returns home to Virginia from his Middle Eastern post to help his brother who he hasn't seen in almost 20 years. But his brother is shot just as he arrives at their meeting rendez-vous and dies in his arms. Jonathan is now on the hunt for the killer as he tries to figure out why his brother was killed. He gets caught up in a terrifying terrorist plot as he tries to deal with his brother's death and the family he left behind.

The story takes place in the span of seven days with enough action to make one's head spin. It's a race to try to find not only a ruthless killer but also to stop a terrorist plan that will kill thousands of innocent people. The last few chapters were nerve-racking in a Mission-Impossible style of stunts and revelations as Jonathan risks everything to stop what seems like an inevitable disaster and tragedy.

Most of the book is written in Jonathan's first-person POV with a few chapters in third person. Through Hunter's internal dialogue we see he's got emotional baggage like most action heroes, but there are plenty of humorous moments, which are a welcome relief from the intensity of the brutality of terrorist acts. For a while, I did not know where Jonathan's new relationship with Noor, his late brother's estranged wife was leading. I found her clingy, with a "damsel in distress" persona, and was glad there was no romantic entanglement, although I suspect she will be present in future instalments.

The Consultant is the first book in Tj O'Connor's Jonathan Hunter Thriller series, a classic true thriller, with a unique likable main character, and a well-executed plot from an author whose expertise in international anti-terrorism is evident throughout the pages. I'm a new fan and look forward to reading more!

To read more reviews, please visit Tj O'Connor's page on iRead Book Tours.

​

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Today, I'm kicking off the tour for Correna R. Barzey's new book. You could win a paperback copy too.

Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba at Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news. A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead.

So I'm suffering from another eye infection, this one different from the ones I've had in the past. It's affected my lower lid and caused swelling to my lid and undereye. I look like someone sucker punched me. And it looks like it got worse from all the crying I did from watching The Hate U Give. What a powerful movie! We were three families who went to see it (we all have teen kids who came with us) and even the dads had red eyes after the movie ended. Has anyone seen the movie?