The Monthly Herd--November 2015--a herd babe scare, LOTS of reads & dip. Glorious dip.

Erm. December already? Gah! November was intense at Casa Herding Kitties. A lot of yall know but November brought a herd babe crisis and I nearly lost my foster girl Rosie. That's a huge part of why I wasn't around as much visiting blogs and on social media. There were lots of vet visits, emergency visits and then home care when she finally got to come home. She had a feeding tube and multiple meds and I was her sole provider for all food, water, etc because she wouldn't eat. Thankfully she is doing so much better. Eating and drinking on her own and looking good. Still a lot of healing to do but I'm finally able to take a breather. Whew! So that was home life in November.

On the actual blog I am thanking my stars for having done Blog Ahead 2015. It saved the blog and my sanity while I was away with Rosie. Posts still went up! Yay! And there were a LOT of them. I usually try to do about 15 review posts each month. November? 22. That was a lot of extra reading/blogging for me and I'm a spot behind where Dec comes into play reading-wise. Definitely need to pay more attention in 2016! Anywho. On to the recap for November!

Quote-tastic/Review--a chaperone?--Dukes Are Forever by Anna Harrington

Join us every Monday and share a favorite quote that's grabbed ya for one reason or another.

You can add a review or post just a quote. You can post other days of the week too. Totally flexible.

Everyone's welcome to join in. Authors, bloggers, readers. The more the merrier!

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A new to me author with one seriously gorgeous cover! Didn't quite fit the book but dayum...total #covergasm. Anywho. I had a good time with Dukes Are Forever. And for some reason this little scene just made me smile...

Tag: The Cat Herder [Edition 13--omg the cute! the yummy! the...dirty!]

I get tagged, tweeted, private messaged all the time with variations of... "omg this so reminded me of you! (or) that book you're reading!" which...okay...at this point...kinda makes me nervous. I just never know WHAT it's going to be. lol

And I thought it might be fun to start putting those random and wonderfully weird things people think just scream...me. This feature won't always be, erm, family friendly. Heh. Big <tackle hugs> to everyone who tags me. Yall really make my days so fun :)

  

I do. I really do. Hope yalls last little bit of the weekend rocks :D

Authors for the Holidays 2015: The Schedule of Events!

Woohoo! It's time for our 4th annual Authors for the Holidays Extravaganza! 

(yeah I totally added extravaganza in this year heh it sounds so...celebratie)

For all of December we're going to party! Not only is it the Christmas season but the blog is gearing up to turn..4 whole years old. Holy cow!  

The Highlander's Accidental Marriage by Callie Hutton & Something Like Love by Sara Richardson

The Highlander's Accidental Marriage (Marriage Mart Mayhem #6) by Callie Hutton

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Oh be careful what you say! You may just end up accidentally married to a highlander. who's a professor. crazy smart and rocks some glasses. Second thought. Totally do that! Doooo it!! He's yummy! #SnagYourMan

The quick of it is that Sarah is basically on the worst trip ever. She's traveling to see her sister in Scotland and nothing has gone right. Carriage accidents, deaths, a sickly maid, broken carriage wheels and, well, accidentally hitching herself to the good Samaritan who saved her along the way. It's been a rough go and everything is a complicated confusing mess!

#CountdownToChristmas--My Kind of Christmas (Virgin River #20) by Robyn Carr

Squeezing in one more review today. I didn't wanna skip a Christmas Countdown for this week but might have maybe over booked with review requests this month. So a second for Friday. This was one of my book club reads this year and oh it was fun. Don't let the #20 in the series scare ya. It works fine as a stand alone.

So. My Kind of Christmas. I love Christmas in Virgin River! As the book says.. the town is only little on the outside. Inside though, they're brimming with spirit, love, and heart. And Carr does an amazing job at showing just that. The families. The friends. The community that comes together. They don't have a lot financially but they make up for it by being there for one another no matter what. Add Christmas into the mix and it's truly magical.

4 stars--The Lost Soul of Lord Badewyn (The Order of the MUSE #3) by Mia Marlowe

Seductive! The Lost Soul of Lord Badewyn held me in it's grip from beginning to end. Fiercely guarded secrets, loathsome villains, centuries old curses, passion and some paranormal woo-woo. Seriously. How could it not hold me captive and completely spellbound?

2 stars--Sweet Ride (Playing for Keeps #3) by Cathryn Fox

I have been loving on this trilogy something fierce. Fun, sexy, make you smile goodness. And I was really excited about diving into Sweet Ride and spending time with Jag as he tries to convince a girl he knew in high school (and thought of as the one who got away) to spend a week with him on his dude ranch to see if they have what it takes for something more.

I liked Alix and Jag. Both hearing a little bit of time they knew each other in high school and the spark that still simmered. They had a fun bit of teasing between them and some very hot moments once she settled down at the ranch and decided to explore some erotic fantasies with him. They were enjoyable people and I really wanted to know more about each of them. And, well, yummy hot sex. Total plus! And whew it got hot!

Guest Post w/ Jennifer Byers Chambers--Women of the Oregon Trail + giveaway

Hey guys! Today we've got Jennifer Chambers joining us for an interesting post about the Oregon Trail. Yall check it out then hit those comments and leave Jennifer some love! ~anna

Insta-Wednesday: Rosie, treats & a sad #BabyG

Because I love Instagram and fun pictures. The Herd's week ala Instagram :)

Whew! I was photo-graphy this week. Lotta pics. 

Buy The Book: New Releases (11/24), Free & Cheap Reads

I give up. The TBR pile is disgustingly long now and this week is NOT helping things.
Foster, Hoyt, Aiken, Lane. ::swoons::

Yall read any of these authors? Have a favorite?

4 stars--Texas Hustle (Texas Montgomery Mavericks #5) by Cynthia D'Alba

Cowboys! I can never say no to a cowboy. It's a weakness, I know. And I'm totally okay with that. lol And, oh, Texas Hustle was fun! The quick of it is that Porchia needs to get out of town to avoid some drama from her past. And Darren is kinda in a male auction for charity and in a wild moment (and kinda to save his skin from the grips of another bidder) Porchia bids on the man. Without even realizing that her prize?...is 10 days camping in the woods with him and his massive family. Um... lol

Quote-tastic/Review--Seriously. He got the whole hog! --Steal Me by Lauren Layne

Join us every Monday and share a favorite quote that's grabbed ya for one reason or another.

You can add a review or post just a quote. You can post other days of the week too. Totally flexible.

Everyone's welcome to join in. Authors, bloggers, readers. The more the merrier!

Just grab the button and toss up your post :) No blog? No worries, just leave your favorites in the comment section or in a FB post and link it up.

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Today's pick is Steal Me by Lauren Layne. It was such a fun read! It's a whole family of cops in New York and gah I just love this family. This is one of their Sunday breakfasts at a dinner where the heroine works. I so loved the heroine's response. She definitely has a little fire in her which was definitely needed to keep up with this big rowdy family...

Tasty Delights-- Cheesy Bacon Dip

I think this is another "blame Buzzfeed" recipe. lol It's from FB at least. 

It was super easy and pretty tasty too. 

Mine, of course, is Cheesy (fake) Bacon Dip. lol

Spotlight: Mischief Under the Mistletoe Anthology

Hey guys! Today we've helping one of our favorites--Kimberly Kincaid--celebrate her newest release, Play Me. It's part of a yummy looking Christmasy reads in it. Yall check it out then hit those comments and leave Kimberly some love! ~anna

Randomly Random: Oh no. I'm a noise maker. Noise. So much noise. #shameface

So a friend of mine posted on FB the other day some words she hates and omg yall. *hangs head* I say, erm, type, like 4 of them! And thus, I realized...I make a lot of noises. Like. A LOT of noises!

#CountdownToChristmas--4 stars--Compromising Her Position by Samanthe Beck

Santa is a good lay! If you get the chance...boff him in the supply closet! You just might just find your happily ever after. #SantasPeppermintStick #SantaShagging #TackleFuckedNeedsToBeAWord

Okay so the quick of it is that Chelsea is a people pleaser. Life is good until an accidental shagging of Santa at a Christmas party. Then finding out your boyfriend is a cheater and, well, the Santa you thought was said boyfriend was actually the new owner of the company and your boss. Well, until you quit, that is, and someone kinda maybe follows you across the sea. Yeah. Life just got a mite complicated. It really did. And it was so much fun!

Thankful for You Giveaway Hop! (Nov 20-27)

With Thanksgiving right around the corner I wanted to do a hop for all of us bloggers and authors to let yall know how much ya'll mean to us. And, seriously, yall mean the world! Hop on through and meet all the other bloggers. Say hey to the ones you know already and maybe find a few new ones to get to know this coming year :D There's a giveaway at each stop!

Bites & Nibbles-- A Talent for Trickery by Alissa Johnson & A Mackenzie Clan Gathering by Jennifer Ashley

A Talent for Trickery (The Thief-takers, #1) by Alissa Johnson

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A man of the law and the criminal he fell in love with. Murder. Encrypted messages. Secret identities and danger. A chance to right past mistakes and maybe find love and forgiveness. A Talent for Trickery was full of so much yummy historical goodness!

Insta-Wednesday: Nature, books, peeled, erm, eggs?

Because I love Instagram and fun pictures. The Herd's week ala Instagram :)

It's been a long week here. I'm still catching up on blog visits now that Ro is through her surgery. Still a little slow since recovery and all that. Getting there though :)

Interview w/ Callie Hutton--Cheese, Pups, & Accidental Marriages??

Hey Guys! We've got  Callie Hutton joining us today! She writes historical romance with yummeh highlanders :D Yall give her a big welcome and hit those comments!

One King's Way by Samantha Young & Ex-Con by Shiloh Walker/MS Parker

One King's Way (On Dublin Street #6.5)

by Samantha Young

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Oh I do love Young and her men. One King's Way was a fun time as Craig --who is a total flirt and thinks one night stands are the perfect length for a relationship--gets knocked on his ass when a stunning women rocking 40s pin up girl style saunters into his bar and has him thinking maybe, just maybe he's ready to be a one-woman man. Too bad she's only there to get revenge on her sister's ex and isn't one bit wowed by his flirty ways.

Buy The Book: New Releases (11/17), Free & Cheap Reads

Okay so. Compromising Her Position. That. Cover. OMG
Some other really tasty ones. I do love Jennifer Ashley and her highlanders. And Deborah Blake's series is fantastic UF. Noms!

Yall read any of these authors? Have a favorite?

Guest Review--Nighttime Promises (Make a Wish #2) by MA Church

Morning yall! Sharon from I Smell Sheep is back! And she's bringing you another dose of tentacle lovin'!This one is m/m sci-fi romance. Check out her review and leave her some comment love! ~anna

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Who can resist a cover with a sexy alien with tentacles for hair? Not this girl! I recently read book one, Nighttime Wishes and giggled my perverted little heart out over the big bad warrior alien, Ziang, falling for the cute little twink Shawn. But as he was sweeping him away to his planet Maz’Rar, Ziang’s first-in-command, Daroshi, got his tentacles all in a twist over the manly Sheriff Bryan Coltrane. Nighttime Promises picks up right where book one ended.

Quote-tastic/Review--cut & chop--Tough Enough by M. Leighton

***Hey guys! I'm WAY behind on blog visits. I haven't forgotten yall. I have a sick herd babe and we've had a lot of extra driving to emergency vets and sleepless nights worrying over her. She's doing better (yay!) but I'm way behind. I'm gonna catch up hopefully over the next couple days***

Join us every Monday and share a favorite quote that's grabbed ya for one reason or another.

You can add a review or post just a quote. You can post other days of the week too. Totally flexible.

Everyone's welcome to join in. Authors, bloggers, readers. The more the merrier!

Just grab the button and toss up your post :) No blog? No worries, just leave your favorites in the comment section or in a FB post and link it up.

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Aaaaaand M. Leighton is my pick for this week's Quote-tastic. Love Michelle's books. This one pits a make up artist against an MMA fighter who's doing a guest appearance on the television show she works for. Ahhh. It was so good! Not sure why this quote tickled me so much but it had me giggling. Literally....

You Oughta Know! Stocking Stuffers (Cute Emergency), Sign Ups & More!

Hey guys! Figured it was time for an You Oughta Know! I've got a few things for yall today. There's a new sign up for our first hop of 2016 plus a cute little idea for a stocking stuffer for your animal loving friends/family. Check em out. Let me know what you think! ~anna

#PrayersforParis

With everything that happened yesterday in Paris I decided to have the blog go quiet for today.

Yall. Hug the people you love. Let em know how much they mean to you. Do something kind and good for someone else today and spread a little love for those who were lost.

For our French followers. Please check in when you can so we know you're safe. Many years ago I called Paris my home for a short time and it will always have a special place in my heart. I'm so very heartbroken over everything yall are going through. Prayers and love from me and the herd.

4 stars--What Happens Under the Mistletoe Anthology by Jeffries, Hawkins, Camp and Duran

Sweet, spirited  full of saucy adventure. Jeffries, Hawkins, Camp & Duran charmed with a lovely Christmas anthology. I love Christmas stories. There's something so warm and cozy about them and the four novellas in What Happened Under the Mistletoe hit just the right spot. Each was the perfect length for a cold winters night in front of a roaring fire. The romances were quick but nicely done. A little heat, a lot of attraction and a dollop of action to keep things interesting. Nicely done!

The Heiress and the Hothead by Sabrina Jeffries

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The Quick Of It: A Christmas gathering. A heated kiss. A hero set on exposing the atrocities of mill owners. An American heroine who owns a mill. Realizing you just kissed the enemy? #Priceless

Guest Post w/ Vanessa Kelly--Team Lady Scribes

Hey guys! One of my long-time favorites, Vanessa Kelly, is joining us today to chat about a new anthology she's in with a couple other ladies. Yall give her a bit welcome and don't forget to hit those comments! ~anna

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Insta-Wednesday: Cookies, Cats & the Herd Mama

Because I love Instagram and fun pictures. The Herd's week ala Instagram :)

There's a lot of herd babe. And me!

Buy The Book: New Releases (11/10), Free & Cheap Reads

Some interesting ones today! Love me some Joanna Wylde (it was real good too. review was up yesterday) I'm really thinking I need to try Lee too. Such a cute cover!

The Entangled sale is still happening. A few have gone back to original prices so if you want any of em I'd say grab em real quick!

Yall read any of these authors? Have a favorite?

1 star--Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook by Pearl Barrett & Serene Allison

In their debut cookbook, the Trim Healthy Mama’s share hundreds of delicious, healthy recipes to help readers successfully slim down while eating well.  This companion cookbook to the bestselling Trim Healthy Mama Plan is just what readers have been waiting for. It features simple, mouthwatering, recipes for breakfast, lunch and dinner—including slow cooker and one-pot meals, hearty soups and salads, omelets and waffles, pizzas, breads and more.  No Trim Healthy Mama should be deprived, so there are also favorite snacks, delectable desserts, and the smoothies, sippers and teas fans love. With  pantry-stocking advice, time-saving tips, and information on how to cook for the entire family, the Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook offers a delicious and nutritious way to make trim and healthy meals with less stress—so you have more time with your loved ones.

Type: Cookbook
Difficulty of Recipe: Easy to Moderate (mainly because of ingredients)
Rating: 1 star

Amazon | Goodreads

So. This is a first for me.  I saw Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook and thought it looked great. Healthy recipes and a focus on slimming down without losing awesome recipes and taste. And it's HUGE with over 350 recipes. But, for me, that's where the good bits ended. This is the first time I'm giving a cookbook a 1 star rating. There ended up being very little about this cookbook that worked for me. It was a huge disappointment especially after seeing hundreds of 5 star reviews it has received. From expensive and difficult to find ingredients to weird inclusions and lack of veggie friendliness it was a bust. It made me think of an ex friend who would fall into the category of hippy dippy earth mama who would say things and you'd just have that look on your face like say what now?

Secret Santa w/ Herding Cats :D You're Invited!

Hey guys! I've shared over on FB but wanted to do so here as well. I'm hosting a Secret Santa gift exchange this year. Would love to have yall join in! I've actually got three Christmasy things going. Sign ups for all three end Nov 15th so that people have time to shop and send. Two are for actual prezzies and one is for recipes. Noms!

Quote-tastic/Review-- Scaaaaared of You.---Reaper's Fall by Joanna Wylde

Join us every Monday and share a favorite quote that's grabbed ya for one reason or another.

You can add a review or post just a quote. You can post other days of the week too. Totally flexible.

Everyone's welcome to join in. Authors, bloggers, readers. The more the merrier!

Just grab the button and toss up your post :) No blog? No worries, just leave your favorites in the comment section or in a FB post and link it up.

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Sooo today is BIKERS! Joanna Wylde's Reaper's Fall. I've been dying for this one. I knew it was going to be a rough ride and sure enough it was but it was so damn fun too. Anywho. Two quotes today. This first one is before the hero and heroine got together and is between her and another of the bikers. They'd had a near moment the night before and it just cracked me up how he so bluntly spelled things out when they were all out at a Fair/Rodeo thing...

Tasty Delights-- S'mores Dip

Damn you Buzzfeed and your Tasty videos! You got me again. *hangs head* And it was DELICIOUS! S'mores Dip. Good Lord. So easy too!

And so begins some holiday-ish foodie posts. Next two months I'm bringing noms that are perfect for holiday gatherings or just hit the celebration spot :)

Love the Herd? Stalk the Herd!

Every once in a bit I like to toss all this at ya!

There's always new people stopping by so couldn't hurt, right?

If you enjoy the herd and want to keep up with the herd I'm pretty much all over the place.

So stalk away!

Word from the Herd-- Acceptable Violence: Heroine's who strike their heroes...

Something I've noticed lately has really started to bother me and I wanted to talk about it today.

I think we'd all pretty much agree that if a hero hit/slapped/physically struck a woman he would no longer be considered a hero. That's just not acceptable, right?

But a heroine slapping/physically striking or trying to knee a hero in the balls while arguing? Totally okay. No one bats an eye. Some would cheer her on because he totally deserved it for <insert whatever excuse here>!

This has happened in 5 books I've read recently and it's a trend I'd started seeing in reads prior to that as well. And it's irked the ever fucking hell out of me.

I've pretty much got the expression of my meme cat right now.

#CountdownToChristmas--4 stars--One Wild Winter's Eve (Honeycote, #4) by Anne Barton

Lovely and unique. Barton never fails at delivering gorgeous romances between characters that are full of fire, life and the determination to be true to themselves. The ton be damned! (gah I love that!) One Wild Winter's Eve was quite the adventure as Rose goes searching for information about her long lost mama who abandoned the family years ago and instead comes face to face with a man from her past.