Friday, 3 January 2025

**FELINE FICTION FIX** Book Reviews with Amber at The Mewton-Clawson Library #303 featuring **The Cat That Chased Cadillacs: Black Cat Detective Agency Book #1** by G. David Stirling **PLUS** Friendly Fill-Ins

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January Greetings, Furbulous Library Guests 

and 

Welcome to the Mewton-Clawson Library at BBHQ 

and 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Thank you for joining me in the stacks today. 

And good gravy, mew're actually lucky that I set my alarm. This festive period has been like a Sunday on a daily repeat for over a week, and I'll be honest, I still have no clue what day it actually is. Thank Fluff, the library mice were on the cheese, as they told me three days ago I needed a book review, and luckily I had a few on my Kindle, so being the dutiful Head Librarian, I got my specs out, snuggled up in my heated basket under my desk and off I went.

Amber's Book Reviews #303 ©BionicBasil® Amber Snoozing Off The Festivities

And if mew're wondering what went off over Catmas, there were many pawties, mainly in the bunker; they were quite riotous at times, and I did try rather a lot of new cocktails from Humphrey's spiffing new drinks menu, and I did do a lot of sleeping.

But Basil said, Amber, what happens in the bunker stays in the bunker unless we're sharing an adventure story or a birthday. Got it?

So there mew have it; I've had a BBHQ gagging order flopped on me, and so I can't share the thing or the other really funny thing. And then there was the incident with Smooch that I can't talk about. And I was told never to mention New Year's Eve, The Telephone Box, Astrid, Vera, The M Unit, or what happened on Level Eight. 

But just know this, if it was at BBHQ, mew know it was EPICALLY EPIC! MOL


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Today, the P.A. is also joining in Friday Fill-ins Blog Hop with the pawesome 15 & Meowing and Four-Legged Furballs.
1. My guide word for 2025 is ________________________.
2. I am counting the days to ___________________________.
3. 2025 is the year that I will _________.
4. I need to better organize _________.

The P.A.'s answers are...

1. My guide word for 2025 is Whatever! LOL, I like the simplicity of such a far-reaching word that is not bound by tight constraints like other words. There is no definitive answer to 'whatever' it is what it is; it's fluid, ever-changing, evolving, & moving. There's no rigidity to it, there's no conclusive outcome, whatever the outcome, so it is; it mitigates disappointment, things not turning out the way they should and a whole host of other eventualities that may be the harbingers of epic dissatisfaction. By adopting the whatever thought process, life is so much nicer, kinder, lighter and fun. What-fluffing-ever! LOL

2. I am counting the days to my birthday next month, as I'm hopefully going for afternoon tea at a castle. Oh yes, I'm really looking forward to that, but only if the castle is open and serving afternoon tea, as February is a tricky month; if not, then whatever! LOL

3. 2025 is the year that I will be doing whatever, whenever and hopefully, it's all ok. LOL 

4. I need to better organize my craft room; it's like The B Team went and had a pawty in there several times, back-to-back, without tidying anything up between events!  I've been looking at it for the last few weeks and decided, what the fluff, it can wait until 2025.

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Let's see what I've to share with mew this time!

Amber's Book Reviews #303 ©BionicBasil® The Cat That Chased Cadillacs - Black Cat Detective Agency Book 1 by G. David Stirling
Mewton-Clawson Library Copy

The Cat That Chased Cadillacs 

Black Cat Detective Agency Book #1


by 

G. David Stirling

       Here's a little snippet of the book blurb:      

In a peaceful mountain town located in the northwestern corner of North Carolina, B. Buckleberry, Copper Summit’s only black cat detective, is busy solving cases involving small-time animal crimes, paid for with cat toys and shiny objects. That is, until an enforcer for an international crime syndicate is let go on a technicality and now seeks revenge against the man who put him behind bars — Buck’s owner, Detective William Shaw.

With the lives of Shaw and his family at stake, Buck is forced to take on the biggest case of his career -- one that could mean life or death for him, and his family. And the unexpected snowstorm that’s moving in is not going to make things any easier...

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If mew’ve ever wondered what goes on in the mind of a clever cat when he’s not busy napping in a sunbeam, then The Cat That Chased Cadillacs is the purrfect book for mew. In this delightful cat cozy thriller, we meet B. Buckleberry, Copper Summit’s only black cat detective. Trust me, mew’ll spend the entire read wishing mew could have a furry sidekick like him! Set in the picturesque mountain town of Copper Summit—where animal antics and human shenanigans beautifully collide—Buck is not your average feline. He solves “small-time” animal crimes, albeit with paws that don’t quite grasp the intricacies of human law. Instead, his payment comes in the form of enticing cat toys and shiny objects, which is the ultimate cat dream! But hold onto your yarn balls! When an enforcer of an international crime syndicate is released on a technicality, things get real. The stakes are raised as Buck’s owner, Detective William Shaw, becomes the target of a vengeful plot. Suddenly, our snarky detective kitty must dig deep (claws and all) to protect his beloved human and family. The plot masterfully blends humour and suspense while wrapping it all in cozy charm. Buck’s escapades are filled with clever observations and feline logic that had me smiling as I read. The unexpected snowstorm adds an extra layer of tension, making Buck’s mission all the more thrilling. I particularly loved the moments where Buck outsmarts both humans and animals alike—his wit, paired with some nipped Earl Grey, gives readers a whimsical view of how a cat might see the world. The Cat That Chased Cadillacs is an absolute treat: quirky characters, a captivating page-turning plot, and, of course, the hero is an adorable black cat! Purrfect for a lazy afternoon with a cup of nip tea, of course, this cozy mystery promises laughs, suspense, and a heartwarming tale that will leave mew eager for more of Buck's adventures. So, curl up in your favourite reading spot and join Buck as he navigates this snazzy detective case—mew won’t regret it!

And to make it even better, book two is available right now. Both books are available within the Kindle Unlimited Library if mew are subscribed.

A Totally Top Paw Read, and start to 2025's book review season!


Paperback:  237 pages
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My Rating Scale

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Ratings of:

The Cat That Chased Cadillacs 


Overall Enjoyment

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Other Fun Blog Hops to Join Today


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I'm off to read next week's books, as mew know the drill, so many books, so little time! 

Don't forget, if mew are looking for great books with cats, check out the Book Review page, just click the link here or at the top of the page, as that's the place to visit to get your feline fiction fix. 

Until next time...

Keep calm and read more books

Amber 

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Wednesday, 1 January 2025

**THE BBHQ NEWS YEARS DAY NEWS ROUND-UP** Where's Pandora? Parsley, Pandora & Fudge Are Plotting, Smooch Is Sleeping It Off, and Melvyn's Modelling This Weeks Top Pick Bandana **EXTRA EXTRA!!!** Jessie's Extra Strong Catnip

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Epic Greetings Furbulous Furiends

Welcome to the BBHQ midweek news round-up!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Woooo Hooooo! Finally, it's here, and WE MADE IT!!!! MOL

Here's to a truly terrific, pawsitively pawesome, epically epic 2025!

On Friday's Festive Photo Fails, the P.A. mentioned that Cat Dad bought her two prints for Catmas, and we asked which cat mew thought would be on the cat-themed art?

But nopawdy got it right because, as mew can see below, it's a supurr cute black house panther; therefore, it's Parsley! MOL

Just look at these; honestly, the P.A. looked like the cat who'd got the cream when she opened them!

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She said, and I quote verbatim, "Fluff me, these are EPICALLY EPIC!" And then she added, "Best fluffing present ever!" 

We've been following the artist on TikTok for quite a while and loved the colour palette and style of the artwork, but there weren't any cats, and mew know what we say at BBHQ: The Wurld is Way Better with Cats! MOL

Anyhoo, then by some total freak of fluff, on the TikTok feed in mid-December popped up the picture on the left called A Cat in Moonlight - yep, that is a furbulous title for sure. And then fluff me as if by magic, a second one appeared. The one on the right is another in The Cats in Moonlight series. Well, mew can't just have one on its own, so both were quickly dispatched to BBHQ and are now sitting on the kitchen sideboard until the P.A. takes them for framing.

Mew can't catch your breath at how pawesome they are in real life, the colours/tones, the light, the shadows, the depth, the details, just everything is so sublime, a recipe for art purrfection in our humble opinion, and the P.A. is hoping more will follow. Paws crossed! MOL

If mew want to see other artwork, click the link below.


(FYI, this is not a paid or sponsored or affiliate link.)

Anyhoo, after waxing lyrical for the last minute, let's look at this week's top headlines at BBHQ.

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First up in the news

Where's Pandora?


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Pandora went into stealth mode with a supurr obfuscation spell. However, she missed a bit. 

Can mew see it?

We'll give mew a moment....

No?

OK, look at the base of the yew tree on the left, just above the back edge of the millwheel.

Yep, that's her epically fluffy tail arcing most gracefully, we must add, out of the tree. 

Please don't ask what she was doing; we don't know, but apparently, the invisible monster who lives at the back of the sofa aka Were-Dee-Go or W.D.G. (if mew watch Melyn's modelling videos, sometimes W.D.G. is about! MOL), anyhoo so W.D.G. has been moving silently and invisibly around BBHQ, so maybe Pandora, and we can only surmise had moved into the astral or invisibility realm so she could... what? 

a. see him in all his monsterly glory

b. was hoping by being invisible, W.D.G. wouldn't see her?

c. it had nothing to do with W.D.G.?

d. she just wanted to operate in stealth?

Or if mew have any idea's do let us know in the comments!

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Next up in the news

Parsley, Pandora & Fudge Are Plotting


The BBHQ Midweek News Round-Up ©BionicBasil® Parsley, Pandora & Fudge Are Plotting

Don't ask me what these three heathens were doing or plotting, as I have no idea. The only thing I can hope for is that it doesn't involve tanks, any weapons, a new mission or my secret catnip stash being discovered! MOL

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In other news...

Smooch Is Sleeping It Off


The BBHQ Midweek News Round-Up ©BionicBasil® Smooch Is Sleeping It Off

If mew're wondering why Smooch is flat out on the shroom in catnap land, we can answer this!

And it has something to do with our EXTRA EXTRA segment below! 

Yep, he got a little bit effervescent with the extra strong catnip and crashed! MOL

I have two words; fluffing lightweight! MOL

Finally this week

Melvyn's Modelling The Top Bandana Pick


Melvyn's modelling the final pick for December, and mew chose Jingle All The Way to start the New Year!

The BBHQ Midweek News Round-Up ©BionicBasil® Melvyn Modelling The Jingle All The Way Bandana

Sadly, after the video was created in TikTok, the usual witty text commentary vanished during the posting phase, so apologies for that, but Melvyn is still looking supurr epically cute, and he's really looking forward to 2025, as he is sure that a modelling agency will finally sign him up! 


Check out Melvyn's videos on your preferred social media channel:




Which one is your favourite this week?



Which one should he model next?


Here's the bandana collection for January. 

The BBHQ Midweek News Round-Up ©BionicBasil® January 2025 Bandana Collection

The January Collection

Top row from left to right.

1. Off To Space

2. Zero Fox Given

3. Smart Cats

4. Owl at The Moon

Tell us your top pick for next week in the comments!

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EXTRA EXTRA!!!

Jessie's Extra Strong Catnip

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Oh my cod, a couple of weeks ago, the pawesome peeps at Jessie's Catnip** sent us a bag of the green stuff to try, and as we're Mewton-Clawson's most furmative authority on catnip, it was an offer we couldn't refuse.

Well, mew know we are catnip connoisseurs at BBHQ, so trying this was a must, as we love a bit of extra strong catnip.

And it lived up to ALL expectations and exceeded some, too. Mew've already seen Smooch, who's still in his catnip coma reverie after an early morning binge session.

Parsley, Melvyn and Fudge all experienced the epic hallucinogenic properties, with a full-on manifestation of a unicorn; yep, it's true; take a look at the evidence below. If that's not a unicorn manifestation, then I'm not Wing Commander Basil! MOL 

JESSIE'S CATNIP, SO GOOD IT MAKES MEW SEE UNICORNS!!! MOL

The BBHQ Midweek News Round-Up ©BionicBasil® Jessie's Extra Strong Catnip - It Makes Mew See Unicorns

Fluff me, I couldn't believe it either, but there's no denying that anything which makes mew see unicorns has to be purretty epic.

Fudge even made a New Year's wish in the unicorn's ear, "Please, can we get a repeat order of Jessie's Extra Stong Catnip!?" 

And there mew have it, if mew looking for unicorns, just ask Jessie! 

And if mew're looking for some fabulously fur-tastic, whisker tingling, supurr strong catnip, just ask Jessie!

Jessie has mew covered. 

And on that note, furry many thanks to Jessie for making our New Year's Eve Pawty so much fun. Thank mew, mew are EPIC!

**Disclosure ~ Even though we were given this item free of charge for a review, our review is completely honest and reflects our own experience with the product.

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That's us done for today. Amber will be back on Friday with another meowvellous book to kick off the 2025 book review season, and if mew missed any other posts, here are the links:

Meowy Catmas!

 Pre-New Year's Stonehenge Selfie


Festive Photo Fails

Check out the latest episodes of The Purrminator in Melvyn's epically epic origin story:







Sadly, due to unforeseen time constraints, Chapter Eight is not quite finished, so many apologies for that, and we'll resume the adventure next Thursday.

Once again, New Year's Blessings to mew all, and remember to always...
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Wing Commander Basil & The B Team 













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