Book Review/Give-Away: Taking Leaps and Finding Ghosts by Janet DeLee

Throughout the month of January, I will be featuring a few books that for a myriad of reasons, I didn't have time to review by the end of 2015. Taking Leaps and Finding Ghosts by Janet DeLee is one of them.

Also, while there are two cats, (Minnie and Sally),  who make an appearance in the book, they are not core characters. Normally I wouldn't agree to review a book on this blog where a cat (or cats), aren't the main characters, but in this case, I made an exception because the subject matter greatly interested me. I am GLAD that I made an exception because I thoroughly enjoyed this book!


  As luck would have it, the times I had to change the date of the review turned out to be beneficial, because this delightful and and engrossing mystery  that has a clear message that with planning and faith and by taking action, what you hope to attain in your life CAN come to fruition, turned out to be perfectly suited for ringing in the New Year. It also was perfectly suited for ME, and may prove to be the kick in the butt that I need to make some much-needed changes in 2016!

ABOUT TAKING LEAPS AND FINDING GHOSTS by Janet DeLee:

Dreams aren’t just for the young, and baby boomer Ginny Lawther

is happy to prove that she can still brave a leap of faith…she just

needs a little prodding from like-minded individuals. Step one: place

an ad in the local newspaper inviting other dreamers to form an

Ideal Life Club. Step two: see if anyone shows up.

When Ginny meets four hopeful strangers at the first club meeting,

she thinks they’re off to a great start. Now it's only a matter of time

before the sixty-something widow Hilda, turns her crafting into a

full-time career; the twenty-something Jerry becomes a professional

musician; and the thirty-something housewife Lydia publishes her

cookbook. That is, until the rugged divorcée, Lee, sets a goal to solve

his ghost problem—and upends all their lives!

Suddenly the support group isn’t just trying to navigate the ups and

downs of pursuing their dreams; they’re also wrestling with a strange

cast of spirits who keep interrupting their endeavors. What do these

apparitions want? And why have they latched on to the Ideal Lifers?

 Taking Leaps and Finding Ghosts is a part of a new genre, (Ghost Mysteries),  that I normally would never think I would enjoy reading, but I found it to be a thoroughly engrossing read. Just as can be found in traditional mysteries there are "clues and red herrings", but unlike traditional mysteries, the perpetrator in Taking Leaps and Finding Ghosts is NOT a murderer, but instead is a GHOST!

 I found the idea of the "Ideal Lifers" club to be innovative and brilliant, so much so that I am thinking of applying what I have learned from reading this book  to my OWN life and I would LOVE to be a member of a group such as this!

Each of the members of the "Ideal Lifers" club  are believable and easy to relate to. I loved that they were all at different stages of their lives, which makes this book perfect for those who are young (20s) and those who are more "seasoned", like me!

 "Hair-raising, hilarious, inspiring and always surprising, Taking Leaps and Finding Ghosts by Janet DeLee follows the visionary quintet as they struggle to maintain their resolve, support one another, and solve the mystery behind these strange specters before they derail the group's efforts.

But can their hopes and dreams possibly survive all the unexpected challenges they will face?"

You will have to read it to find out!

Available on Amazon

Author Janet DeLee

About The Author:

"Janet DeLee is a self-appointed, self-actualization guinea pig who firmly believes in leaps of faith and is committed to creating an ideal life for herself.

The Texas author, who lives in the Dallas area, was inspired to write ghost stories after experiencing unsettling events during stays at several bed-and-breakfasts, as well as an old New Orleans hotel.

In addition to having a hint of mystery, DeLee’s novels also tend to follow characters struggling to pursue their dreams."
http://www.amazon.com/Taking-Leaps-Finding-Ghosts-Novel/dp/1511656220/

DeLee's first book titled, "Creating an Ideal Life"
http://www.amazon.com/Creating-Ideal-Life-Janet-DeLee/dp/1452570183/

 Author Janet DeLee is generously offering a give-away to my readers!!! ONE winner located anywhere in the world will win a kindle copy of Taking Leaps and Finding Ghosts and ONE winner located in the U.S. will win a signed paper-back copy (An approximate $14 value)!  Entering is easy! Simply enter on the rafflecopter below! Good luck! a Rafflecopter giveaway

In full disclosure: I was not compensated for this review/give-away. I was sent a copy of Taking Leaps and Finding Ghosts by Janet DeLee in exchange for my always honest review.

Book Review and Give-Away! Sleight of Paw-A Klepto Cat Mystery by Patricia Fry

Today it's our pleasure to bring to you book number three in the Klepto Cat Mystery series by author Patricia Fry, Sleight of Paw.

Back in October, Cody and I had the pleasure of reviewing Catnapped:A Klepto Cat Mystery by Patricia Fry , last week we presented Cat-Eye Witness  and  Sleight of Paw brings as much romance, entertainment, plot twists and suspense as the previous books in the series.

From Matilijapress:Michael Ivey, the local veterinarian and Savannah's new husband is attacked by an enraged client and then later accused of this man's murder. The evidence quickly stacks up against Michael, until Rags, Savannah's kleptomaniac cat, starts digging up clues implicating the unlikely suspect.

Coinciding with the details of this challenge is the discovery that the old house, which the couple purchased from Savannah's aunt, is cursed. Is this why the couple has not been blessed with a child? Savannah's sister Brianna comes for a visit. She teams up with the Iveys' vet tech, Bud, to discover how to break the gypsy spell and they fall hard for each other. Will their courtship be strengthened or weakened by a frightening carjacking incident? 

Detective Craig Sledge is prominent in this story as the lead investigator in the murder case. As usual, he engages in some creative tactics to get the information and the confessions he's after. He has also become embedded in Savannah's friend, Iris's family. He's dating Iris and helping with her son, Damon's rehabilitation in prison. 

Playing on the definition of the word "Sleight":the use of dexterity or cunning, especially so as to deceive, two positions that cannot be harmonized ,  all "signs" and "evidence" point to Michael as being the killer of the enraged client....but WAS he?

I was pleased with the addition of Savannah's sister, Brianna in this third book of the series. She adds an element of fun, boldness and a free-spirited personality is not only a delight, but is the polar opposite of her more practical sister, Savannah. I eagerly await the next book, where I can see what Brianna adds to the already entertaining series.

If you love mysteries, (or even if you don't, as was the case with me until I began reading the Klepto Cat Mystery series), you will derive great enjoyment from the Klepto Cat books. Sleight of Paw is a quick read at only 258 pages. The character development, dialogue and plot twists make these books ones that I had a hard time putting down. I found myself constantly saying "let me read just one more chapter" as the night grew late. Rather than wanting to sleep, all three books in the series had me grabbing another cup of coffee, rather than my bed covers!

WHERE TO PURCHASE:
ON KINDLE:
Catnapped, . http://amzn.to/14OCk0W
 Cat-Eye Witness, http://amzn.to/1bJiq0x
Sleight of Paw   http://amzn.to/1mGuAXQ

ISBN 978-0-9911065-4-7

PRINT:All of the books are also available in  paperback  in the Matilija Press store

Photo Courtesy of
http://www.patriciafry.com/

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Patricia Fry has been writing for publication for over 40 years and she's the author of 45 books. Patricia lives in California with three cats, Max, Sophie and Lily.  

GIVE-AWAY!!! Author Patricia Fry is once again generously offering one of my readers who resides in the U.S. (we apologize to our International readers, but due to shipping costs, the give-away is limited to the U.S. only), the chance to win a copy for themselves! Entering is easy, just enter on the rafflecopter below! Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

In full disclosure:We were not compensated for this review/give-away. We were sent a copy of Sleight of Paw in exchange for our honest review.

Book Review and Give-Away! Cat-Eye Witness A Klepto Cat Mystery by Patricia Fry

Back in October, Cody and I had the pleasure of reviewing Catnapped:A Klepto Cat Mystery by Patricia Fry and today we are thrilled to present to you book #2 in Patricia's Klepto Cat Mystery series: Cat-Eye Witness!

Those that follow our blog regularly know that over all I am not a huge fan of mysteries. Often I could care less about "who done it?", but  for me the Klepto Cat mysteries series , are completely different, they contain  romance, humor, suspense, interesting character development, and  are the purrfect novels to curl up with on a cozy winter evening or ANYTIME! There is action, entertainment and a "small-town" feel to this series that adds a warm and welcoming touch to this series.

Cat-Eye Witness: A Klepto Cat Mystery, Book 2

Savannah and Aunt Margaret open the old Forster home to the Hammond Cat Alliance for a fundraiser to help rehabilitate the abused horses rescued months earlier from the catnappers. Before the afternoon is over, the collected funds go missing and someone is murdered in an upstairs bedroom. Suspicion surrounds Iris, a local waitress and Savannah's new best friend. The only witness to the murder is Rags, Savannah's cat. With the assistance of a cat psychic and Rags's good friend, Charlotte (the young girl with Downs), the cat helps to "paw" the killer...but not before an attempt is made on Rags's life.  Some say this is a love story with a mystery in the background.  I began the book on Friday night and could barely put it down. The dialogue moves freely, quickly and held my interest. At 295-pages it is an amazingly QUICK, FUN and INTERESTING read! The plot twists and interesting facts about each character had ME of all people, actually CARING about "who done it?"  I am confident that you will too! So much so, that I asked Patricia if we could hold a give-away (I am sorry, but due to the cost of shipping,  Patricia asked if it could be U.S. only) The give-away is open now and there will be ONE WINNER.  It will be open until Tuesday, January 13th at 5pm EST, and the winner will be chosen via random.org and will be announced Wednesday, January 14th! TO ENTER:leave a comment CLEARLY STATING THAT YOU WISH TO BE ENTERED, that's it! GOOD LUCK! Cat-Eye Witness is available now at Amazon in paperback and for Kindle. Cat-Eye Witness paperback is available in the Matilija Press store. +++++ Photo: Richard Billings Patricia Fry has been writing for publication since 1973, having contributed articles to numerous magazines. She published her first book in 1983 and now has many self-published and traditionally published books to her credit.  LOOK FOR OUR NEXT PATRICIA FRY BOOK REVIEW AND GIVE-AWAY: SLEIGHT OF PAW ON MONDAY, JANUARY 12TH!!! In full disclosure:We were not compensated for this review. We were sent a copy of Cat-Eye Witness in exchange for our honest review.

Black Cats save Christmas in The Case of the Crafty Christmas Crooks, A Buckley and Bogey Cat Detective Caper by Cindy Vincent

Christmas? Yes Indeed! Christmas may be over, but the wonder, fun, and SPIRIT and TRUE MEANING of Christmas remains strong for many ALL YEAR,  and will for you when you read the young adult mystery,  The Case of the Crafty Christmas Crooks (A Buckley and Bogey Cat Detective Caper) by Cindy Vincent.

Cover Photo
Courtesy of
http://www.buckleyandbogey.com/

This delightfully entertaining story is told from the POV of Buckley Bergdorf , a newly adopted almost-2- year- old Maine Coon  with paws so huge that he wonders if he will EVER grow into them!

Buckley idolizes his "big brother" Bogey, the top cat behind the Buckley and Bogey Cat Detective Agency,  who is the complete antithesis of Buckley, Bogey is sleek and slim and it has been rumored that he could run so fast that sometimes his feet barely touched the ground! The other cats in the household could swear that he could fly!! He also never seems to be without a stash of cat treats which he is constantly pulling out to help calm down the more nervous, Buckley.

From Goodreads:

Buckley and Bogey, Cat Detectives, find their next case hits a little too close to home. Because someone has been breaking into houses and stealing all the Christmas presents! And the first two robberies even took place in their very own neighborhood. Holy Catnip! Of course, the boys leap in on all fours to investigate right away. Then it isn't long before they realize they are dealing with some real criminal masterminds, since these burglars know exactly how to cover their tracks. Plus, the crooks have the whole town of St. Gertrude on edge and they're threatening to ruin Christmas for everyone. But figuring out the identity of the Christmas Crooks isn't the only mystery around. After all, Buckley had just been adopted from the cat shelter this year, and this was the first he'd ever heard about Christmas. And he quickly finds out there is a lot to learn! From Christmas trees to Santa Claus, and jingle bells to the birth of baby Jesus, the real meaning of Christmas is a mystery to him. But he and Bogey can't really enjoy any of it until the Christmas Crooks are caught. That's because it becomes very clear, very quick these Christmas Crooks have set their sights on the boys' house, too! And the burglars are headed straight for their door. Holy Mackerel!


I would be remiss if I didn't mention something that was in my mind while reading this book, and I am sure it is NOT a coincidence!  Bogey (which happens to be short for "Bogart"),  the more suave, confident, outgoing and bold of the two cats, and the mastermind of their detective agency seems to watch his nervous-nellie, novice brother, Buckley with mild amusement.  In fact, he refers to Buckley as "kid" numerous times throughout the book. Could author Cindy Vincent be a Casablanca devotee?  I would say so!! The last name of the kitties:Bergdorf (Ingrid Bergman in the same movie) tells me that I have just cracked THIS case!  Does detective-in-training Buckley help find and bust the criminal mastermind in The Case of the Crafty Christmas Crooks?  You will have to read this book to find out!

ONE HINT: "Here's looking' at YOU kid!!"


The Case of the Crafty Christmas Crooks by Cindy Vincent might be a young adult mystery but children and cat lovers of all ages will enjoy it too! It is a fast moving,  lively and MERRY read for anyone and everyone!    It was an engaging and often side-splitting funny read for me, and guess what?

BUCKLEY AND BOGEY ARE REAL CATS!!!

ABOUT BUCKLEY AND BOGEY CAT DETECTIVES

FROM CINDY VINCENT

"Bogey"
Courtesy of
http://www.buckleyandbogey.com/

Buckley and Bogey are real, live cats who inspired the Buckley and Bogey Cat Detective Capers

Bogey was adopted from an animal shelter when he was just a kitten, and he came to live with us and three much older female cats. About a year after we adopted him, we noticed a real disconnect between him and the other cats. Not only was Bogey the only male cat at that time, but he was also much, much younger and far more energetic than his sisters. Bogey believed in playing all day, every day, and frequently during the night, too. And since he had no other young cats to play with, he continually tried to engage his older sisters. Unfortunately, they got sick of him quickly, and they would hiss and swat until he left them alone. Then Bogey would flop on the floor and sigh. He wanted someone young to play with so badly, and before long, it became very apparent that he needed a brother. And though we really hadn't intended to bring another cat into the fold right then, we realized we needed someone else to join our little cat family. 

"Buckley"
Photo courtesy of
http://www.buckleyandbogey.com/

So we decided to stop into the adoption center at our local pet food store, and that’s when we spotted one-year-old Buckley. After spending some one-on-one time with him, we knew he’d be a perfect fit

At night, they often run around the house together and seem to be "investigating" and "running surveillance". And since cats are such imaginative creatures -- they can play with a stuffed mouse for hours, as though they're hunting big game in a dense jungle -- Buckley and Bogey seemed to be perfect characters for a cat detective series. Especially considering how well the two get along. Hence, the Buckley and Bogey Cat Detective Capers were born!

You'll notice in the books that Bogey is very outgoing and well . . . practically fearless. Nothing seems to rattle him at all. Whereas Buckley is kind of a nervous wreck. He's afraid of lots of things and always worried about the outcome. The real life Buckley and Bogey are very similar. Bogey knows no fear and believes everyone will love him. He's a very confident cat. But Buckley, who was a year old when we adopted him, and had originally been rescued from a kill shelter, really is a pretty anxious guy. He suffers from something called FLUTD, or Feline Lower Urinary Track Disease, which has recently been changed to FIC, or Feline Idiopathic Cystitis

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Cindy Vincent was born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and has lived all around the US and Canada. She is the creator of the Mysteries by Vincent murder mystery party games and the Daisy Diamond Detective Series games for girls. She lives with her husband and an assortment of fantastic felines! For more books by Cindy Vincent visit Mysteriesbyvincent.com

GIVE-AWAY!!! Cindy Vincent has generously offered one of my readers who resides in either THE U.S. OR CANADA the chance to read this fun book!!! (A $10.00 value).  All you have to do is leave a comment below telling me you would like to be entered! The give-away is open NOW and will end on TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18th AT 5PM, the winner will be chosen by random.org and will be announced on WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19th.

CAN'T WAIT TO SEE IF YOU ARE THE LUCKY WINNER?

Available for purchase in paperback, or Kindle or Nook versions at:

Amazon
Barnes and Noble 

ISBN:978-1-932169-73-7

GOOD LUCK!!!

In Full Disclosure: I was not compensated for this review. I was sent a copy of the book for review purposes only. 

Happy 2nd Blogoversary Sammy & Pam! Also: The Mystery Of David's Bridge by Pamela June Kimmell

OH MY CAT today is a special day! Today is the SECOND blog-oversary of my buddy Sammy's blog:  One Spoiled Cat!

Sammy's blog banner was used
WITHOUT PURRMISSION
FROM SAMMY'S MOM PAM!!
Isn't he just too adorable?
TO VISIT SAMMY
AND WISH HIM A HAPPY BLOG-O-VERSARY
CLICK HERE!

Many of you who read my blog are familiar with Sammy and his Mom (Pam)! You know that on Tuesdays,  Sammy has a fun feature called Tuesday Teaser.  This is where Sammy posts pictures from various vacations that his Mom and  Dad have taken, and he  has his readers guess where they think the photos were taken. Mom and I NEVER guess correctly, but it is so much fun to see  try to cheat, when we see everyone else's answers!

Right now Sammy is having a Jammie contest, in honor of his PJ pawty which is on his blog today!

Sammy and his Mom are incredibly caring, thoughtful and fun, and my Mom and I consider them to be two of  our dearest and incredibly special furiends!

I have featured Sammy's talented Mom, (Pam) on Cat Chat before, because she happens to be a talented artist and author!!

I am happy to tell all of you mystery lovers out there that Pam's book: The Mystery of David's Bridge is now available on KINDLE!!!

Did you know that Pam
PAINTED this beautiful cover?
YEP she DID!!

Here is a description of Pam's book, as seen pilfered from Amazon.com:

Bailey Ferrol is a young private investigator in a very small Virginia town where most people think a P.I. just might be rather bored and starved for some intrigue. David's Bridge isn't your typical small town though. The large estates surrounded by iron gates can't hold the secrets kept within. Bailey's job to do background investigations for an open position on one of the large horse estates turns into something decidedly sinister. It also puts a touch of romance into her life in an unexpected way. Small towns sometimes have big secrets to hide and Bailey finds that out and more in this entertaining mystery read.

We are hoping that Sammy's Mom sells A LOT of books, so go on over and check it out. While you're at it, don't forget to wish Sammy and Pam the HAPPIEST of Blog-o-versaries!!

We Love You Pam & Sam!!!
Cody & Caren