Apparently, I'm going to be the bad guy on this one. I'm seeing 5 star after 5 star rating, and all I can do is wonder if I read the same book as everyone else. "Loved it!" "Awesome!" "Another great one!" And that is just NOT the book I read. I found it stupid, not quirky. The characters were annoying instead of endearing. Evie's obsession with sweets and candy drove me nuts. It was clearly not the book for me, which is a bit disappointing since everyone else loved it. And I tried. Believe me, I tried. But all the annoying and stupid just went on and on and ON. And I just never could be anything but bored with it.

This story was my first one by Cathy Lamb. I enjoy when multiple points of view and timelines occur in books. In this story, we follow Evie at present day and Betsy in the 1970s. I immediately felt as if I was hanging out with one of my friends and hearing about her life. Evie's aunts made me giggle with their quirkiness. Evie's love for animals made me think about my own child who would have a farm if she could. I also love that Evie owns a bookstore which sounds magical, even if she has some strong opinions about reading. This book allowed me to experience a range of emotions from laughing to crying. I will be picking up more of Cathy Lamb's books after reading this one.

What a fantastic read! I loved absolutely everything about this book. From a completely adorable quirky cast of characters, Evie, her mom and aunts, to the town folk, you will love this village. I would want to live there. This book has a little bit of everything. They're are laugh out loud moments, mystery, tongue and cheek naughtiness, and a wonderful back history. This is the first book that I've read by the author but it will definitely not be my last. In fact I'm off to go see what other books she's read so I can catch up on them. I definitely recommend this read. It was hard to put down.

I would like to thank the author/publisher/Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This book goes back and forth between Evie's life present day and Betsy's life past to present. Evie lives I a lovely town with her mom and aunts. She runs a bookstore that sells treat an drinks. Helping her sister prepare for her wedding. Her sister decides they need a DNA test done.
Evie is a great lover if animals, and can sometimes see the future. Her love of animals brings her to see town veterinarian, Marcos.
My first read by this author had me laughing, crying, and wanting to punch a few guys

I love the Pacific Northwest having visited there a couple of years ago and would love to visit again. I didn't get a chance to visit the San Juan Islands, but I have read several books set in that area and would love to visit so I have a frame of reference for Cathy Lamb's newest book, All About Evie. I've read several of Cathy's books in the past and have enjoyed each one of them. This book however, hits it out of the park. I love books about books, books about bookstores and anything bookish. I wasn't quite sure what I was going to get when reading this but, I so enjoyed the quirky, nutty Evie that has premonitions and tries to make things right by changing the outcome before bad things can happen. I don't know if premonitions are a good thing or not and I don't know if I even believe in them, but in this book I did and I very much enjoyed the book.

I like the dual timelines, I loved the setting, I liked the mystery and the hopefulness of the story and most especially I loved Evie. What a great book, I'm glad I had a chance to read it.

I thought this book was very easy to read. I really liked the subject. It was not my usual type of read but I did fall in love with the characters. The story seems well thought out and you really cared about Evie and her premonitions. I have already recommended this author and book to my friends and was sad for it to end.

When I read a Cathy Lamb book, I know I am guaranteed certain things...I know I will laugh, I know I will cry, and I know I will read about strong, quirky women. This book does not disappoint! I loved the story of Evie and her life with her mom, aunts and sister. The aunts in particular are so quirky and funny that you will fall in love with them.

The character of Evie is someone I'd love to meet in real life. I loved how every time she eats a piece of pie or something that is not good for her she finds a nutritional value to it so she can justify eating it. That's my kind of girl! Her slow burning romance with Marco had me rooting for a happy ending. All in all, a wonderful read with characters you won't soon forget.

Another fantastic read by Cathy Lamb! Every time she has a book coming out I get so excited! This time was even more amazing because I was given an ARC and I felt so honored! "All About Evie" has amazing characters and a town that I would love to be a part of. I loved the way the book was written as we got to know the various characters and their stories. I loved the premonition aspect and was intrigued by each one. I felt so many emotions while reading "All About Evie", as I do with every Cathy Lamb book. She always makes me laugh, cry, get angry at someone, and get excited about her next gem! I highly recommend this book, and if you are a Cathy Lamb regular reader keep an eye out for an awesome reference to one of her best! (Also, I really want to meet Marco! Actually Evie too because she is awesome, but Marco sounds gorgeous!)

All About Evie was such a great read! I absolutely loved the quirky characters, especially the main character Evie. Reading through her point of view was so fun and different; her love of animals, books, and desserts, and the way she thinks, was so entertaining. She has such a simple and sweet way of thinking and her gift/curse of having premonitions helped shape her so perfectly. I have always been fascinated with premonitions, deja vu, and dreams coming true, so I gobbled this all up eagerly. The other characters in the novel were also created and shared wonderfully, there was such a variety of personalities with spot-on traits and actions. Being a big fan of reading about families and psychological and sociological subject matters, I was thrilled to read about the hereditary link of Evie’s gift/curse and even more so of the DNA test and results that Evie and her sister took. There is so much to this book, with so many layers and inner stories (that I haven’t even touched upon), yet everything is all tied together so perfectly and creatively. This was such a delightful, easy, and fun read!

You can always depend on Cathy Lamb to bring you a book that will make you laugh and make you cry, a book full of quirky characters that you'd love to meet all living in a beautiful location. A book with a bit of romance and a bit of mystery and filled with love. All About Evie is a wonderful book told in Cathy Lamb's unique style - I loved it.

Evie lives in the Pacific northwest with her mother, her aunts and a menagerie of animals - two alpacas, two goats, four cats, five lambs and a three legged dog. She owns a bookstore called Evie's Books, Cake and Tea because she loves all three. She also has premonitions. She gets sudden flashes about something that is going to happen and she usually tries to change it. When the book starts, she gets a flash that a little girl is going to be hit by a car a block away. She sprints to the corner and grabs the little girl right before a car hits her. Many people see this is a gift but Evie tends to feel like it's a burden that separates her from other people. The person that she is closest to is her sister, Jules, a biker chick who is planning her wedding. When Jules decides that she and Evie should take DNA tests to find out where their ancestors are from, the results cause anger and pain in the family and Evie begins to question everything she had known about her life and her family. Will she be able to move on from her feelings of pain and betrayal and learn to trust her family again?

Evie and her family are characters that I won't soon forget. Grab this book and go to your favorite reading spot with a slice of cake and a cup of tea and be sure to have your dog or cat close while you are reading. And then relax and let Cathy take you into her world of imagination.

Cathy Lamb’s distinctive style of writing is delightful. The characters are quirky and lovable, and I can’t help but root for them from start to finish. The females are always strong, yet soft and troubled....just like myself. Reading All About Evie is like discovering a new friend, one that I love to spend time with. She experiences premonitions, owns a fantastic book store, and has wonderful, amazing relatives,....some we discover along the way. A wonderful novel; part romance, part women’s fiction., completely worth a read.

"“You had one of your premonitions again, didn’t you, Evie?”
"I shook my head, sucking air in. “No. I don’t have premonitions.”
"I rolled my pretty gold eyes. “No, I can’t see the future.” Yes, I can."

Yes, she can.

Evie has premonitions.  Mostly about other people.   And they drive her to do whatever it takes to stop what she sees from happening.

"All of my tiny criminal acts or legal interventions have been to slow someone down so that the premonition will pass them by.  So many times in life an accident hits that if you waited one minute, one, it would have shot past you. I try to make that minute happen.
"That’s the curse of having premonitions: You know what’s upcoming for people. You may have to become a criminal momentarily to save them."  --  Evie Lindsay

But there is one premonition that's been dogging Evie since she was a small child.   It's about herself when she's older.   And includes one other woman.   Problem with this one is that it's slightly different each time she gets it.   And it always ends in a haze, so she doesn't really know how it ends. Is she about to find out?

Evie is surrounded by love, in the guise of a loving mother and two doting aunts who take it in turns to support without getting "sappy".  Surrounded by love and hats.  Her mother and aunts are a hoot.   I particularly love Aunt Iris, but all of Lamb's characters are quirky and endearing; these are people you'll love to spend time with!

Lamb introduces early on in the book the information that lies at the basis of this story.  From that point forward, the reader is doubly invested in Evie's story, trying to draw parallels and conclusions along the way.

All About Evie is littered with little buds of wisdom, mystical bon mots that had me stopping to really take in each message.   I love it when a fictional work, meant to entertain, still can make me stop and think!

“You have to read in different genres. You have to keep learning and thinking and learning and thinking. How do you do that if you read in the same genre all the time? You can’t. It’s impossible.”
"Books should be read as regularly as one brushes one’s own teeth."

I don't usually write reviews that incorporate so much of the book itself, but with Evie's story I just couldn't help myself.  The book almost demands that you become invested.   It's out today.   You need to read it.   I can't say enough good things about this author and this her latest work!
 
[I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author, and am leaving an honest review of the book.   The opinions expressed herein are entirely my own.]

Cathy Lamb
I will read any book with her name on it- sight unseen, no premise or description needed--
I want to read everything by her!
I have read every book and will continue.
When I received email, "Premonitions and a DNA test, What could go wrong?
I knew that I had to read this book. Once I started reading,
The book made me smile, laugh, fall in love with characters, and scream about others.
I could not stop, I had to keep reading!
Add this to my Cathy Lamb's Good Reads!!

Premonitions causes a moral nightmare.
She has premonitions that she must try to soften or hide, even committing crimes to stop the
premonition from becoming fact or reality.

Books saves lives of many.
Books should be treasured.

Cathy Lamb has been a favorite of mine for years and this tradition simply continues on with All About Evie. You have your quirky, local girl who keeps to herself for the most part and loves her books. She adores her animals and may be in love with the local vet. She’s learned over the years to not get too close to anyone, though, except for her mom and aunties. It’s hard when you have seen premonitions your entire life. Sometimes you have to choose and that’s hard. So you just keep your distance.

Evie is the only one in her family to see these premonitions and it can take a toll. She’s learned how to deal with it in her own way and has made a place for herself in the Pacific NW. She owns a bookshop and is adorably brusque with customers when she feels it’s justified. She adores cake and pie and loathes a good workout. I feel a kindred spirit here.

She is likable, endearing, and you want what’s best for her. You root for her as she figures this all out, planning her sister’s wedding in the middle of it all. Your heart will be warmed, you’ll be put on edge just a wee bit, and her family can be charmingly irritating and stubborn. They are all the best kind of women.

All About Evie is the perfect fall read. So, grab some tea and a slice of cake. Maybe even the whole cake. You need the sustenance if you’re going to read this all in one sitting. Evie would approve.

I received an advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Evie knew the little girl was going to be hit by a white truck. Evie was going in her book store carrying a box of books she had been reviewing at home, in her other arm she had a cat kennel with Ghost the cat in it. Ghost loves to go to Evie’s book store . It was early in the morning. She saw the little girl with her mother . She had reenvisioned the premonition she’d seen in a flash when she noticed her. Evie knew the little girl was going to be hit immediately and started running up the street. Evie grabbed the girl just in time. Evie decided she would have to make a change in her life. Exercise. Eat more vegetables, but not today. Maybe next Saturday ...maybe not. The little girl wasn’t moving, she was in shock. The little girl’s name was Maggie, her mother screamed and asked her if she was alright. The mother was crying as she thanked Evie. Darrell was an organic farmer and sells to local grocery stores. He said” Those premonitions must be awful. Yousee something and you have to go save someone. You’re a right kind person Evie. Always helping others.” Mr. jamon croaked out “Lucky she had premonition it was going to happen! She’s been having them since she was a little girl.” Evie said” I don’t have premonitions.” She knew no one believed her, but it was her standard line. Evie could see the future for someone . Sometimes it was scary, or bad, or sometimes it was wonderful. It leads to a lot of mental distress, trying to save people, or choosing not to save people and committing minor crimes along the way, all of her tiny criminal acts or legal interventions, have been to slow people down so that the premonition will pass them by. But she has one premonition on and off her whole life, starting when Evie was about five years old. In the premonition there are two women, and one is Evie and one of them dies. She has not been able to figure that out, which was strange. Her endings for her other premonitions are all quite clear, but there’s fussiness here, as if the premonition doesn’t even know who precisely is dead at the end of it. She doesn’t know who the woman is. She doesn’t know how old she will be. She doesn’t know when it will happen. What she does know is that she is driving on a road, wide enough for only one car, alongside a mountain on her right. On her left os a steep cliff. The ocean is in the distance peeping through pine trees and there’s a whole bunch of orange poppies. Evie sees the oncoming car and they both swerve and crash.
I really enjoyed this book. I loved Evie, her mom , and her aunts as well as the townspeople. I loved how Marcus didn’t give up on Evie and was so patient and kind. This story was a little confusing at times with with the direction that the story was suppose to be taking but it does all come together in the end. I loved how the town accepted Evie’s premonitions and her mothers and aunts add ways. I liked how the author brought in some issues like abuse and injustice. My heart broke for Betsy when Rose was taken from her. I didn’t really like the back and forth between past and present. I choked up at times while reading this and chuckled at other times. I love how evie rescued so many animals and loved them so much. This book has: family, rescues animals, premonitions, family drama, sisters, a DNA test, friendship, cruelty, heartbreak, and so much more. I really liked the characters and the ins and outs of this book and I recommend it.

Evie has premonitions, unbidden they come to her and show her what is going to happen to a person. It drives her crazy because if they are bad she wants to save the person and stop whatever is about to befall them.  Sometimes she saves someone, stops the awful thing happening, other times she experiences powerful guilt that she couldn't stop it.

Evie runs a bookshop, she is passionate about it, look out if you haven't read a book lately! She loves animals, and has quite a variety of them, often she has rescued them from mean circumstances. She loves to eat healthily - like ice cream because it has protein and nutritious milk origins.  She adores her sister Jules and loves her mother and aunts. She is so in love with Marco, the vet, but for some unfathomable reason sees no future with this.

Evie's Mom and two aunts are wacky! They provide much of the comic relief, a bit like the clowns in a Shakespearean play. They love flowers, and the hats they make and wear are outrageous. They drove me a little silly to be honest, but... their hearts are full of love.

And we do need a little comic relief because there is a dark side to this story. We meet Betsy and Johnny, and they are in a very dark horrible place. Prison to be exact. Some of the prison scenes are gut wrenching.

Cathy Lamb in All About Evie explores family, love, friendship, cruelty, heartache and twisted prejudices. It's entertaining and funny with sad depths. However it's ultimately  uplifting redemptive  and a celebration of life - a worthwhile read.

What a gem of a book! Charming, funny and moving with a lovely and quirky cast of characters that had me laughing out loud. I always want Cathy Lamb's characters to be real because I'd certainly want to hang out with them. I like the way CL sneaks in characters from previous books in her new stories, and I just really enjoy her writing style. And she always manages to get a few tears out of me, in this case the tear faucet came on full blast in one part. Oh my!! I absolutely adored this book and it will be going on my 2019 Favorite Books List.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy.

Cathy Lamb, Author of "All About Evie" has written an intriguing, intense, captivating, emotional, memorable and thought-provoking novel. The Genres for this novel are Fiction, Women's Fiction, with some Mystery, Suspense, Humor, and Romance. The story takes place on "San Juan Islands' where everyone seems to know everyone's business. The story is set in the present and goes back to the past when it pertains to the characters or events in the story. The author describes her colorful cast of characters as complex, quirky,  eccentric and complicated.

Evie Lindsay has always had premonitions, and now as an adult, she is often capable of changing some things that might happen. There are other times, where she is forced to make a choice of what to do. Evie is successful in her book business, where she serves, cake, pie, and tea. She also keeps things on hand that her mother and aunts sell in her store. Having these premonitions causes Evie a tremendous amount of stress, and roses and other flowers seem to calm her. Evie is always asked if she can tell the future. Also, it is difficult to have a relationship with anyone, especially if you have premonitions.

Evie often wonders why she is the only one in the family to get these premonitions. Evie's sister Jules is coming home to get married and wants the family to take DNA tests. Evie and Jules do, but their mother and aunts are terribly upset about this. Evie just has this feeling something is off, but no premonitions. The only recurring premonition Evie has is very frightening. 

I appreciate that the author discusses the importance of family, friends, community, loyalty, communication, seeking the truth, love, and hope. I would highly recommend this unique and thought-provoking story.

All About Evie was not what I was expecting....but I loved it! Evie has been blessed/cursed with premonitions her entire life and has struggled with her abilities to predict the future suffering from depression and anxiety, But it is foremost a story about love...love of family, romantic love and love of self. I found myself laughing one moment and crying the next. Cathy Lamb gives us colorful well-drawn characters that we can fall in love with. The setting, the wild and beautiful San Juan Islands of Washington state, is as much a character as Evie and her mother and her crazy aunts! Oh yeah...and I love how much Evie loves books and can't understand people that don't read! Some of the best scenes are when when she is confronted with them in her bookshop.
Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Another fab read from Cathy Lamb
All About Evie tells the story of Evie, Evie has struggled with the premonitions that she often gets, after a breakdown she returns to the Island where her mum and aunts live and opens a bookstore, settles down with her animals and tries to live her life.
Evie is a brilliant character who you grow to love, Cathy draws you in to each and every character in this book from Evie, to her mum, her crazy aunts and then there is Marco (who wouldn’t fall in love with him!)
This book also tells us about Betsy a young woman sentenced to life for murder when she was 18. Again Cathy has written this character and her boyfriend Jonny and his sister Tilly so well you can’t help but fall in love with them too.
I want to go and eat cake and read books in Evie’s bookstore!
Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review