Category: Blog Hops

Winter is Coming Giveaway Hop

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | Blog Hops> Giveaways> Winter is Coming Giveaway Hop

Welcome to the Winter is Coming Giveaway Hop, hosted by The Kids Did It! &  The Mommy Island

The temperatures are getting colder, the days have gotten ridiculously short. Winter must be coming. Or, as the meme-makers have it this year:

I like the sound of “Minter” – but it’s making me think of Girl Scout Cookies. Come to think of it, once the holidays are over, it’s only a couple of months until Thin Mints miraculously appear!

But whether you prefer Pumpkin Spice everything or Peppermint in all things (along with Wintergreen and Spearmint!) the holidays are full of wonderful sights, sounds, flavors and especially family.

It’s also the midpoint of Hanukah right now – no matter which way that holiday’s name might be transliterated from Hebrew to English. Because there are so many variations, here’s a “helpful” – and hilarious alignment chart a la Dungeons and Dragons.

No matter what kind of winter you get where you live, or which holidays you celebrate, they’re coming. I hope yours are bright and happy, and that Jack Frost doesn’t nip too sharply at your nose.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For more sparkling winter prizes, be sure to visit the other stops on this hop!

Thankful for Books Giveaway Hop

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | Black Friday Blog Hop> Black Friday Book Bonanza> Blog Hops> Giveaways> Thanksgiving Giveaway Hop

Welcome to the Thankful for Books Giveaway Hop, hosted by yours truly, Reading Reality, and the Caffeinated Reviewer!

I hope you’re all ready for tomorrow’s Turkey Day! We’re doing something a bit different and having friends over on Black Friday instead of on Thanksgiving. It solves their problem of trying to be two places at once – which no one has really figured out a solution for yet – and doing our cooking on a day when we CAN go to the grocery store if we forgot something important.

So on the actual Turkey Day we’re having actual turkey – really just a turkey boob for two. On Friday we’re getting a Honey Baked Ham – something that would be a bear to pick up on Wednesday but should be easy-peasy on Friday. We’re also making potato pancakes and a broccoli casserole because OMG that meal will need something green in it. It’s all kind of an experiment as we’re cooking things we’ve never made before and hoping it all works out. No matter what, the ham is guaranteed to be good. And the pie. Did I mention the pie? We’re picking up a Chocolate Chess Pie, which I don’t think either of us has ever had, from a place that specializes in pies.

That’ll definitely be just fine!

What about you? What’s your favorite Thanksgiving treat? Answer in the Rafflecopter for a chance at the winner’s choice of a $15(US) gift card to either Amazon or the local bookstore of your choice, or the same amount in books, again from either Amazon, the Book Depository, or the local bookstore of your choice. In order to do this there are just a couple of restrictions. For US entrants, the bookstore you choose needs to have an easy method for me to purchase your gift certificate  or books online and get them sent to you. If you are outside the US, you need to be in a location that the Book Depository ships to (they don’t do Gift Certificates – maybe someday.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For more terrific prizes, be sure to visit the other stops on this hop!



In All Things Give Thanks Giveaway Hop

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | Blog Hops> Giveaways> In All Things Give Thanks Giveaway Hop

Welcome to the In All Things Give Thanks Giveaway Hop, hosted by Mama the Fox!

Hopefully, we all have things to be thankful for this holiday season! In our house, we’re thankful that everybody’s healthy, we have all the things we need and just enough of the things we want to make life run more-or-less smoothly. Or at least as smoothly as four cats in the house allow it to be.

We’re also thankful this season, this actual week in fact, that the bathroom remodeling project that has been on hold for six months has finally begun. We haven’t been able to use the shower in our bathroom for that entire time so we are really looking forward to everything being finished – hopefully before Thanksgiving because we have company coming.  Which is also something we’re thankful for this year.

I am also thankful for each and every one of you who drop in on Reading Reality from time to time, and especially those who follow and comment. Thank you every one!

What about you? Is there anything special in progress or coming up that you are particularly thankful for? Answer in the rafflecopter for a chance at the usual Reading Reality prize, the winner’s choice of a $10 Amazon Gift Card or $10 in books.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For more great prizes be sure to visit the other stops on this hop!

MamatheFox and all participating blogs are not held responsible for sponsors who fail to fulfill their prize obligations.

Super Stocking Stuffer Giveaway Hop

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | Blog Hops> Giveaways> Super Stocking Stuffer Giveaway Hop

Welcome to the Super Stocking Stuffer Giveaway Hop, hosted by The Kids Did It! &  The Mommy Island

If we risked putting up holiday stockings, they’d probably end up looking a bit like this picture:

Unless they ended up in a heap on the floor, which is even more likely!

I almost said I wouldn’t mind finding a bunch of kittens “hung up by the chimney with care”, but four is honestly enough. Still, they make for an adorable picture.

What would you like to see in your holiday stocking? Answer in the rafflecopter for your chance at the usual Reading Reality prize, the winner’s choice of a $10 Amazon Gift Card or $10 in books.

Seasons Greetings and Happy Holidays!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For more sparkly holiday prizes, be sure to visit the other stops on this hop!

Thanks a Latte Giveaway Hop

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | Blog Hops> Giveaways> Thanks a Latte Giveaway Hop

Welcome to the Thanks a Latte Giveaway Hop, hosted by Mama the Fox!

There are multiple ways to interpret the theme of this hop. The picture of the caffeine emporium cup in the image is a dead giveaway for one of those ways. Also come to think of it, yet another pun, as I don’t know about you, but I’m at least brain dead in the morning until I get my first dose of caffeine. In other words…

“Uisce beatha”, which translates from the Gaelic as “water of life” may be whisky in a lot of places, but in this household it’s tea, at least for me. Galen is a heathen and drinks coffee, but I’m not truly alive until I get at least one mug of tea inside me.

There’s a second meaning for this hop’s name. And that’s to say “Thanks a LOT” to every single person who drops by Reading Reality to read my reviews, check out the weekly cat pictures (I have an especially cute one for next Sunday, BTW) or even just to participate in a hop like this one. Thank you SO MUCH for being a part of my reading journey!

Now, without further ado, there’s a giveaway because this is a giveaway hop. Answer the question in the rafflecopter about your latte of choice – if you have one (mine is chai latte) – for a chance at the usual Reading Reality prize, the winner’s choice of a $10 Amazon Gift Card or up to $10 in books.

And THANKS!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For more great prizes, be sure to visit the other stops on this hop!

MamatheFox and all participating blogs are not held responsible for sponsors who fail to fulfill their prize obligations.

Howloween Giveaway Hop

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | Blog Hops> Giveaways> Howloween Giveaway Hop

Welcome to the Howloween Giveaway Hop, hosted by The Kids Did It! &  The Mommy Island

Are Halloween decorations starting to go up in your neighborhood? Or are they already here? One of our neighbors seems to have hired a service to set theirs up. Which was an interesting thing to watch.

As we have discovered during the two normal years we’ve been in this house – last year was certainly nothing like normal! – we don’t get many trick-or-treaters because we live on a cul-de-sac. We’ll still have candy but don’t expect many takers. Although we’ve heard that the through streets in the subdivision get deluged.

We do have our own living Halloween decoration in Lucifer, but he doesn’t pose in the windows to make the house look seasonally appropriate. But he’s always lurking!

But speaking of Halloween decorations, and waiting for trick-or-treaters, here’s your chance to get a little something to put up, to give out, or to read to put yourself among the holiday spirits.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For more fabulously spooky prizes, be sure to visit the other stops on this hop!

Scaredy Cat Giveaway Hop

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | Blog Hops> Giveaways> Scaredy Cat Giveaway Hop

Welcome to the Scaredy Cat Giveaway Hop, hosted by Mama the Fox!

This is my favorite hop of the year! Why? Because I have a black cat just like the one in the hop logo of my very own. Lucifer is my handsome “void” kitty, and he’s the sweetest demon in the whole wide world.

He’s learned not to be a scaredy cat in the four years since we adopted him, but he was about 6 years old when he came to us, had been living outside and had clearly had some adventures as well as having passed through a TNR (Trap-Neuter-Release) program at some point. He still won’t go near any of the doors of the house and has only recently decided that it’s safe to look through windows on the first floor. But he gets braver – and sweeter – every day.

Lucifer is also the perfect cat for Halloween, as he’s pure black from his shiny nose to the very tip of his fwapping tail. He likes to tease George by fwapping that tail in the younger cat’s face until George can’t resist pouncing on it!

But, as much as I love to talk about my best kitty, this is a blog hop and it’s time for me to give away something as a reward to everyone who just read through my squeeing. Fill out the rafflecopter for a chance at the usual Reading Reality prize, the winner’s choice of a $10 Amazon Gift Card or $10 worth of books. This giveaway is open to all!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For more fabulous prizes, be sure to visit the other stops on this hop!

MamatheFox and all participating blogs are not held responsible for sponsors who fail to fulfill their prize obligations.

Thankful for Books Giveaway Hop Sign Up

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | Blog Hops> Giveaways> Thankful for Books Giveaway Hop

It’s that time again! Welcome to the sign up for our annual Thanksgiving Week Giveaway Hop. This year, we’ve decided to expand the dates a bit so that you’ll have more time to get folks to enter your giveaway and so you don’t have to worry about having a post to prep for the day after the Thanksgiving Feast.

So come one, come all, to the sign up for the brand new Thankful for Books Giveaway Hop, starting on Wednesday, November 24 and ending on Tuesday, November 30.

The hosts for this Thanksgiving Week event are Reading Reality (yours truly) and the Caffeinated Reviewer.

The giveaway will run from 12:01 am on November 24 through 11:59 pm November 30.

Hop Details

  • Giveaway must be book-related (books, book etailer or retailer (i.e. Amazon, etc) gift cards, pre-orders, bookish crafts, etc.)
  • If you are an author, you can include book swag, but you must also include a book or gift card
  • Please specify if your giveaway is US-only or International in the linky
  • If using Rafflecopter or Giveaway Tools, please limit your entries to no more than 5
  • Your post must be easy to find from your front page
  • Your post must be live by 9am EST on November 24th. Any links not live by this time will be removed from the linky
  • Please announce your winners within 72 hours of giveaway end
  • Sign-up closes November 22nd so link up today 🙂

PLEASE include US or INT on the linky! Pretty please with candy canes on it!

The more blogs to hop, the better! Put our grab button on your blog and help spread the word!



Falling into Leaves Giveaway Hop

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | Blog Hops> Falling into Leaves Giveaway Hop> Giveaways

Welcome to the Falling Into Leaves Giveaway Hop, hosted by Mama the Fox!

It’s that time again. Fall is nearly fell. The leaves are just barely beginning to turn around here, so there’s a bit of time before anyone has to think about raking them. Your seasonal mileage may definitely vary on this point!

One of the things that attracted us to this house is that it is surrounded by fairly mature trees, to the point where the backyard gets absolutely no sun at all so we can’t grow grass back there and don’t have to mow it. The tree coverage is also thick enough that we can’t see the neighbors’ houses on the other side of the creek – and most importantly they can’t see through the picture window in our bathroom. Except in the winter, when all that lovely, leafy coverage falls down.

Although we occasionally lose a tree when it storms, and that’s much less fun.

But still, the changing and falling leaves are always lovely to watch. I’m glad we live somewhere that gets four seasons, especially as winter generally just glances by, just enough to turn the leaves.

So I enjoy the falling leaves, love the cooler but absolutely not too cool weather, and looking forward to the holiday season. What about you? What’s your favorite thing about the fall season and the falling leaves? Answer in the rafflecopter for your chance of the usual Reading Reality prize, the winner’s choice of either a $10 Amazon Gift Card or $10 in books.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For more fabulous fall prizes, be sure to visit the other stops on this hop!

MamatheFox and all participating blogs are not held responsible for sponsors who fail to fulfill their prize obligations.

September to Remember Giveaway Hop

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | Blog Hops> Giveaways> September to Remember Giveaway Hop

Welcome to the September to Remember Giveaway Hop, hosted by The Kids Did It! &  The Mommy Island

Last year this hop was before Labor Day, but this year it’s after the holiday. Looking back at last year’s hop post, it seemed like the strange times we were living in were never going to end. From today’s perspective, it just seems like things are getting stranger and stranger instead of better and better. We’ll see what next year brings.

Meanwhile, it’s 2021, Labor Day was yesterday and summer is unofficially over, even if it doesn’t end in the climatological sense until the equinox on September 22. The weather here is starting to cool down, but some of that is a result of the tail end of the most recent hurricane.

Still, it’s lovely to see autumn coming in. Soon the leaves will be turning, and falling, and needing to be raked up. Why was I looking forward to the change of seasons?

Whether you’re still mowing the lawn, starting to rake the leaves or already worrying about shoveling the driveway, I have a giveaway for you, as do all the other stops on this hop. I’m giving away the usual Reading Reality prize, the winner’s choice of either a $10 Amazon Gift Card or $10 in books. This giveaway is open everywhere the Book Depository ships.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For more terrific prizes, be sure to visit the other stops on this hop!