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
Devoted to giving her readers smiles, tears and tension in both her poignant non-fiction and fast-paced fantasy adventures, Liane Carter bares her soul. Author of The Chronicles of Joya, The Dream Devils, Darcy: The Dog Who Talked and Tammy: The Little Cat With A Big Attitude, she has written features and a weekly column for Costa Blanca News, articles for Writing Magazine, and has taught over 150 writing workshops. She pours her innate joy into her books and also expresses it in nature, playing instruments, creating art and dancing.
I was disappointed in
Liane, deeply disappointed. She’d
taken me out of the box and pretended she loved me, stroking her big digit down
my side. It felt good. It felt like love. I started to relax and think maybe
this giant and I could be friends. Then ROAR! What sort of monster made that noise?
It’s called,
‘It’s-okay-it’s-just-the-engine’. It growled through everything underneath and
all around me. The car shook. I shook! I leapt off Liane’s hand and ran up the
back of a soft wall. My claws couldn’t hold the grip. I fell, raced underneath
it to hide, but the noise was loud there too. Liane’s long arm shot under after
me and yanked me out. Her mum shouted. Liane pulled me back up. I hoped we
would jump out together and run away from it all. We didn’t. Instead of saving
us, Liane shut me back in the dark box!
I pushed
myself into a corner, trembled and focused on the holes from a distance waiting
for the monster to come for me. We kept moving and stopping and moving and
stopping. The growl NEVER stopped. When we turned sideways, I didn’t weigh
enough to keep myself still and slid across the cardboard.
Liane talked
to me. I wasn’t interested. I had to concentrate on being alert for the
monster! A big eye appeared in the hole. My insides screamed. Then I realized
it was Liane’s eye: the giant who refused
to protect me.
The monster
stopped growling and I heard a click to the side of me.
“We’re
home,” Liane said. “We live at the top of those flats.”
I didn’t
know what flats were. And I didn’t know whether to be relieved or worried about
what would happen next. I’d gone from a big wire cage, to a box, to being near
a growling monster and back into the dark box all in the same day!
We moved and
I felt myself going higher as Liane stood up. I dared to peep out of a hole.
Liane carried me out of the car and shut the car door. At last! She carried me
across a giant green floor called ‘grass’ and into the big building called
‘flats’. I knew grass. I’d lived on
it with my mother. Liane walked up three ‘flights’ of long rectangle stones all
stacked against each other which took us higher and higher. Her mum unlocked a
door called ‘the front door’. We walked into a place with lots of rooms and NO
other animals. The single small room of the pet shop, filled with birds, had
felt scary enough. This felt so BIG and EMPTY.
“Take her
into the living room,” her mum said.
Weren’t
all the rooms for living in? Did they have dead animals in the other rooms? I
shuddered. My heart pounded against my chest to get out. That’s when Liane
opened the box and let me out. She
placed me on ‘carpet’. It’s like grass except it’s all different colours and
less insects live in it.
Overall thoughts: I am a pet lover. I have two cats so I thought I would really like this book, that is why I chose to review it. On the whole I found the book to be ok. I liked the fact that Tammy narrated some of the story, but I think that is part of the issue with this book as a whole, she narrated some. Going back and fourth between the cat and human narration was ok at first, but then got boring, at least for me. I would have rather heard the whole story from Tammy's point of view. The cat was quite an interesting character (as most cats are) and in truth I think her viewpoint was more interesting than the humans. I think by having it flip flop an opportunity for a unique and interesting narration was missed there.
So would I recommend this book? As I said above it was ok. It is a true story (at least the human part anyway). I normally like these kinds of books but in truth I can't recommend it. I don't think I got anything from reading it. If my readers think they would enjoy it. Then go for it, but the book was for me. I was disappointed.
I would like to thank iRead Book Tours for letting me read and review this book. I would also like to thank the author for her guest post!
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.
“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
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.
Guest Post from the author:
I would like to welcome Mrs. Carr to my blog!
Writing Multiple Mystery Series: Keeping Up with Your Children
By Lauren Carr
I’m a mystery writer and have been blessed to write four
murder mystery series: The Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, Thorny Rose, and the
Chris Matheson Cold Case mysteries.
When asked if I favor any one series over the other, my answer
is, “Do you love one of your children more than the other?”
Readers have expressed concern that when I
develop a new series that I am abandoning the older series. Most definitely
this is not the case. As a writer, each series offers me yet another venue for
a different type of mystery plotline.
Like children, each set of characters
offers a setting for various types of mysteries. If a story idea won’t work
with one series, it may fit perfectly for another.
My first “child” is Joshua Thornton, introduced in A Small Case of Murder back in 2004.
After being widowed with five children, Joshua returns to the small town where
he had grown up—Chester, West Virginia—my childhood home.
In the Lovers in Crime Mysteries, Joshua Thornton and his new
wife, Homicide Detective Cameron Gates live in a rural town along the Ohio
River in the northern panhandle of West Virginia. It is in this unique setting
that as a mystery author, I set my small-town mysteries.
Scheduled for release in January, The Root of Murder, is set right on the boundary connecting three
states: West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. The murder of an executive
reveals a deep secret, first brought to light by a DNA test online, which will
affect three families.
It was in my first two books, A Small Case of Murder and A
Reunion to Die For, that readers met a teenaged Murphy Thornton, destined
to become one half of the Thorny Rose detectives.
The Thorny Rose mysteries is quite literally the marriage of
the Mac Faraday and Lovers in Crime mysteries. In Three Days to Forever, Joshua’s son Murphy meets and marries
Jessica Faraday, Mac’s daughter.
Every now and then, plotlines come to mind that beg for a big
city protagonist or couple of protagonists. This was when Mac Faraday’s
daughter, Jessica, in her snazzy purple Ferrari, and Joshua’s son Murphy, the
Naval Academy graduate assigned to a special ops team, step forward to become
the Thorny Rose Mysteries.
Living in the heart of the Nation’s Capital, the couple of the
Thorny Rose mysteries kick things up a notch in cases dealing with big city
crime—not the least of which involves intrigue, sex, politics (of course!) and
murder.
The third installment of the Thorny Rose Mysteries was released
this summer. Murder by Perfection
explores the dark side of perfection.
Frustrated with their busy
schedules, Murphy Thornton and Jessica Faraday attempt to find togetherness by
scheduling a weekly date night. The last thing Jessica expected for her date
night was a couple's gourmet cooking course at the Stepford Kitchen Studio,
owned by Chef Natalie Stepford--the embodiment of feminine perfection.When Natalie ends up dead and Murphy goes
missing, the Thorny Rose detectives must peel back the layers of Natalie
Stepford's flawless life to discover that perfection has a very sinister dark
side.
The Mac Faraday Mysteries is my resort town mystery. Mac
Faraday is a retired big city homicide detective who inherits a two-hundred-and-seventy-million
dollars on the day his divorce becomes final. Coming from Washington DC, Mac
knows how to relate to the rich and powerful. As a homicide detective, he
remembers when he was the outsider, the enemy who used to be looked down upon
by those who believed they were above the law—which unfortunately he found
sometimes they were. Now, he is on their level and in Spencer, Maryland, they
are on his turf.
In the thirteenth installment of this series, Crimes Past, Mac Faraday brings together is former colleagues at
the Spencer Inn, the five-star resort her owns for a wedding—and the reopening
of a murder investigation in which most of them had been suspects.
The wedding of one of
the victim’s daughter is a bitter reminder of the double homicide of a former
colleague that had gone cold under Mac’s watch. The brutal slaying weighing
heavy on his mind, he is anxious to explore every avenue for a break in the
cold case—even a suggestion from disgraced former detective Louis Gannon that
one of their former friends is 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 is a cold-blooded murderer.
There are those cold cases that call for
possibly a mixture of all those elements—and a special touch of old-fashioned
detective techniques. Set in the eastern panhandle of West Virginia,
technically part of the Washington metropolitan area, Chris Matheson is
surrounded by a blend of rural living with cosmopolitan influence.
You may have noticed
that I have a fondness for cold case mysteries. There’s something intriguing
about going back into the past to piece together long overlooked clues to bring
justice for a a seemingly forgotten victim or victims.
It’s not just the
victims and their families who suffer when a case goes cold, which is the glue
that has brought together Chris Matheson and the Geezer Squad in the Chris
Matheson Cold Case Mysteries.
A documentary about a
forty-year-old cold case mystery in Baltimore was the inspiration for the
characters in this series. The case involved the murder of a nun. With no
action on the part of the police, several of the nun’s former students gathered
together and each one used their own special talents to work the case. One
scoured the Internet. Another went through newspaper clippings in the library.
One who was gifted in talking to people hunted down witnesses to interview.
This got me to
thinking, “what if …?”
The end result was
Chris Matheson, who retires from the FBI after the death of his wife leaves him
with three small girls to raise. He returns home to his family farm to live
with his widowed mother, a librarian. On her insistence, Chris attends a book
club meeting made up of law enforcement retirees who specialize in crime
fiction. Surprisingly, he discovers that the group, called the Geezer Squad,
doesn’t read books but investigates those cold cases that keep them up at
night.
Number one rule of
the Geeze Squad: Never talk about the Geezer Squad.
The first installment
in this exciting new series was released to rave reviews this past February. In
ICE, Chris’s first case with the
Geezer Squad is the close to the heart disappearance of a pregnant young woman
who he had been accused of killing.
Looking at the many characters in each of my series, and the
roles they fill with each mystery that comes their way, I have to agree with my
mother. I love all of them equally, but differently.
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.)
“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
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.
I guess todays post is on something that makes you laugh. My favorite humorous author who I highly recommend is Christopher Moore! I read most of his books. He written books like You Suck, Fool, Serpent of Venice, A Dirty Job and more. The book that I read 1st that got me introduced to his work was A Dirty Job. It is such a fun and offbeat book! All of his works are fun and offbeat/unique. I love them.
Non-fiction: I love this genre it should be no surprise because if you read post Ive done on this blog in the past I have claimed to be a history buff (which I am).
I am in the process of reading some non fiction right now and have just finished some so it seems to be a genre that is always on my TBR pile.
I don't know of a favorite non-fiction book. I like most I've read.
Life changing books? Im not sure if I can really identify a certain book which was life changing for me. Books in general are a life changer, life saver. My life has been filled with books and reading. I couldn't imagine it without. So even though there have been some dud books along the way I going to have to say all books are life changing for me.
The Best title I think I've seen on a book would have to be No More Dead Dogs. Its a good enjoyable mid grade book that I would recommend. As I have discussed before I don't like when animals die in books because I am a pet lover, so this was an enjoyable book for me.
What are the best titles you've ever seen on a book.
Im not really sure what to say for this one. I like fall colors but they are just ok for me. Fall leaves can be pretty to look at sometimes.
We had a tree in our front yard that always had the prettiest leaves and I grew up playing under that tree and in those piles of leaves it made but alas we had to get it chopped down not to long ago because its limbs were getting dangerous.
So no leaves in our front yard this year.
What about all of you where do you like to see leaves or fall colors.
There are lots of books out there that break your heart. One kind for me is when they kill a dog or a cat in a book. I love animals. I know pets do die but it still breaks my heart when they die in a book.
I guess I could say that with a lot of other books. Why invest your time? Fall in love with a character only to have the author break your heart by killing it.
I have read a heartbreaker lately but since my review of it is coming at the end of the month I wont spoil it for you.
DNF means Did not finish
Do you have a pull of books you have not finished yet? I know I do.
The pile is really too big to list hear.
I sometimes get into the habit of forcing myself to try to finish these books but sometimes not. Mostly I do this because I want to give these books a chance but just find myself disappointed in them.
I would am curious however for other readers why do you not finish a book?
For me its several things:
1. If the book is just plain awful
2. If the book is boring
3. Time constraints
4. Life gets in the way
Today is the 1st day of the Thankful For Books Reading Challenge.
My goals for this month:
1. Read and feature more books on this blog! Right now I only have one book coming up for this month.
2. Get Caught up on reviews. I have a big list of books and finished and what I thought about them but haven't had time to get them all up on my blog.
Goals for the future:
1. Blog a lot more if I can. I know life got in the way so I was gone for a little bit. I recently however posted my 1000 posts on here. So I would like to go for 1000 more!
2. Get more followers. For the followers I have thanks for sticking with me!
3. Host more giveaways
4. Try to find more audiobooks to review/feature. I love audiobooks but I have a hard time finding ones to review it seems. I don't do digital.
