Fourteenth Annual Blogo-Birthday Celebration Week and Giveaway!

Posted on March 31, 2025March 29, 2025 by Marlene Harris | Author : Marlene Harris | Blogo-Birthday> Blogoversary> Giveaways

This year’s OMG Fourteenth Blogo-Birthday Week Celebration technically began with yesterday’s Sunday Post. The actual, technical blogoversary is this Friday, April 4, with my own birthday the following day, April 5, which is when the final giveaway will be posted.

Reading Reality began on April 4, 2011, under the name “Escape Reality, Read Fiction”, which is also the reason the ratings are “Escape Ratings” and “Reality Ratings”. This blog, and all of the other reading/writing/reviewing activities that have grown up around it over the past fourteen years have turned into both my longest and my absolute favorite job. At least in part because I created it out of things that I wanted to do, and can do the work at whatever time feels right to me.

Meaning that I do a lot of my reading late at night – although not generally as late as I used to. More often 1:00AM and less likely 3:00AM – not that I don’t see that time on the clock when the book is so excellent that I can’t make myself stop reading!

This week, this Blogo-Birthday Celebration, is a Hobbit Birthday. In The Lord of the Rings, at the very beginning of The Fellowship of the Ring, we learn that when hobbits celebrate their birthdays, its an occasion for giving presents to others – not receiving presents for oneself. In that spirit, there will be giveaways every day this week, whether gift cards or books or the winner’s choice between the two.

It’s my way of saying thanks to each and every single one of you who read my reviews, comment on my posts, participate in the giveaways – and admire the pictures of the cats. I’m grateful to you all for being a part of my journey!

Therefore, in thanks and appreciation to YOU, on this second day of my Blogo-Birthday Celebration Week I have a giveaway, just as I did yesterday and will every day the rest of the week. Today’s giveaway is for a $25 (US) Gift Card for Amazon or to a bookstore of your choice if you have a local that sells gift cards over the interwebs. (If you live outside the US and have a local Amazon, the gift card will be the equivalent of $25 US from your country’s Amazon.)

I also have one $25 Barnes and Noble Gift Card to give away as well. This is a physical card that I’ll mail to the lucky recipient. It’s a lucky find from one of my desk drawers, but it’s unused and doesn’t expire so someone will get the benefit of it this year.

As always, from the bottom of my bookish and cat-loving heart, my heartfelt thanks to each and every one of you who has been part of this adventure. There’s more to come!

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The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 3-30-25 + Giveaway!

Posted on March 30, 2025March 28, 2025 by Marlene Harris | Author : Marlene Harris | Blogo-Birthday> Blogoversary> Giveaways> The Sunday Post> Virtual Nightstand

Today marks the start of Reading Reality’s FOURTEENTH! Annual Blogo-Birthday Celebration Week. Which means that today starts an entire week of giveaways. YAY! I’ll get more into the whole Hobbit Birthday thing of this week’s celebration in tomorrow’s post, which will include one of the big giveaways, but today is just a bit of a kickoff to start the festivities. Please come back every day this week to get in on ALL the prizes!

In the meantime, this week just finished was still a regular week of blogging and reading and reviewing – and it was a good one. First, I get to give one more shoutout to the marvelous historical mystery, The Railway Conspiracy by John Shen Yen Nee and SJ Rozan. It just so happens that this was the title I highlighted for this week in last Sunday’s Post, and now it’s the Book of the Week because it got this week’s highest rating. It was an absolutely excellent read/listen and I can’t recommend this one highly enough – although I do certainly keep trying!

It’s not a Sunday Post without a cat picture so here’s today’s poster cat. Hecate is dozing in the sun on one of her favorite perches, making the world go away as only a napping kitty can.

GIVEAWAY

Welcome to the very first giveaway of this year’s Blogo-Birthday Celebration! As I write this on Friday, the weather this weekend in the ATL is expected to be a glorious spring day on Saturday and a nasty thunderstorm on Sunday. Which sounds like a perfect spring weekend to me – a day to go out in the sun AND a day to stay in and read. Spring might not even have sprung yet where you are, but it will eventually, so what’s your favorite thing to do on a beautiful spring day? Answer in the rafflecopter for your chance at one of Reading Reality’s usual prizes, the winner’s choice of a $10 Amazon Gift Card or $10 in Books.

And don’t forgot to come back tomorrow for another giveaway!

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Spring 2025 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop

Posted on March 20, 2025March 19, 2025 by Marlene Harris | Author : Marlene Harris | Blog Hops> Giveaways> Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop

Welcome to the Spring 2025 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop, hosted by It Starts At Midnight and Versatileer!

Once upon a time, this was the Month of Books Giveaway Hop, now it’s the Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop, with the hops starting on the days the seasons change. Today, March 20, is the first official day of SPRING for the 2025 season, meaning that the hop starts TODAY! YAY!

Spring is VERY definitely sprung here in the Atlanta area. Which means that the weather is a bit capricious. Yesterday, while I was prepping this post, it was a balmy 79°F and the sun was shining so brightly that the cats had their choice of sunbeam. Today’s weather is expected to top out at 58° with a marked dearth of any sunbeams at all. From there on out, it’s up, then it’s down, it’s wet, then it’s dry, it’s bright, then it’s gloomy – and sometimes all in the same day!

Looking at the books in the graphic for this season’s hop, it’s yet another season where not a one of them are on my personal TBR pile for the season – not that I’m not always looking forward to more than a few books EVERY season. Here are a few that have risen to the top of my list for this spring of 2025:

fashionably french murder by colleen cambridge

railway conspiracy by john shen yen nee and sj rozan

drop of corruption by robert jackson bennett

shadow of the solstice by anne hillerman

Direct Descendant by Tanya Huff
Down in the Sea of Angels by Khan Wong
A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett
A Fashionably French Murder by Colleen Cambridge
Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry
It Takes a Psychic by Jayne Castle
Knave of Diamonds by Laurie R. King
The Page Turner by Viola Shipman
The Railway Conspiracy by John Shen Yen Nee and SJ Rozan
Shadow of the Solstice by Anne Hillerman
Six Wild Crowns by Holly Race
Who Will Remember by C.S. Harris

What about you? What books are you most looking forward to this season? Answer in the rafflecopter for your choice of either a $10 Amazon Gift Card or $10 in books so you can get one or two of the books on your list!

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

Spring, March Madness, Earth Month & Mother’s Day Giveaway Event!

Posted on March 13, 2025March 12, 2025 by Marlene Harris | Author : Marlene Harris | Blog Hops> Earth Month & Mother's Day Giveaway Event> Giveaways> March Madness> Spring Event

Spring, March Madness, Earth Month & Mother’s Day '25 Event___883x883px.jpg

Welcome To The $100 Amazon eGift Card or PayPal Cash Giveaway!

Giveaway: 1 lucky winner a $100 Amazon eGift Card or PayPal Cash. The event is running from March 13^th to May 11^th. Giveaway open Worldwide everywhere PayPal is negotiable & age 18+.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS

Prize:

$100 Amazon eGift Card or PayPal Cash

One Lucky Winner Will Receive choice of: $100 Amazon eGift Card or PayPal Cash

Hosted/Sponsored By:

WEBSITE ~ FACEBOOK ~ TWITTER/”X” ~ PINTEREST ~ INSTAGRAM ~ YOUTUBE

Check out Versatileer’s other giveaways!

Co-Hosted By:

DELICIOUSLY SAVVY ~ OTTAWA MOMMY CLUB ~ BABUSHKA’S BAILE ~ THE FRUGAL GRANDMOM ~ SAVING K ~ THE CRAZY PET LADY ~ DAIRY FREE GLUTEN FREE LIFE ~ COTTAGECORE LIFESTYLE ~ JESTER AND THE QUEEN

Spr MarM EarthM & MomD '25 – Co-Hosts- Thank You!!.jpg 🎍 ☘️ 🦋🌹 💮 ⚘ 🌼 🌸 🥀 💠 🌺 🪷 🌷 💐 🏡 ⚜️ 🪻 🏵️

Rules: Use The Rafflecopter Form To Enter Daily. The giveaway ends 05/11/25 at 11:59 PM (PST), and is open Worldwide. Entrants must be 18 years old to enter. The winner will be notified via email.

Now To The……

Good Luck! Enter Below

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This giveaway/sweepstakes is in no way endorsed, affiliated, or associated with Facebook, Twitter or any other Social Media Networking Site. This event is not sponsored or endorsed by Amazon or PayPal Company. The winner will have 48 hours to email their information back to Versatileer at gmail dot com or a new winner will be drawn, you may want to put this email address as safe as it could go to spam. The giveaway is not valid where prohibited! Once a winner is drawn and confirmed, the name will be announced on the Rafflecopter form. Versatileer will be responsible for sending the winners their prizes. By entering you are authorizing us to collect the information on the form below, this information is used only to contact the winner! No purchase necessary, Void where prohibited by law, and the number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Winners are chosen randomly by Rafflecopter through the use of Random-dot-org. Twitter and Facebook dummy/fake accounts are ineligible for entry and will be blocked. Authentic accounts only are eligible to win. Next seasonal giveaway starts 3 hours before this giveaway ends, and the two giveaways will overlap for the three hour period. More giveaway terms and conditions are listed: HERE. No blog associated with this contest are responsible for prize fulfillment. If you would like to become a sponsor in a giveaway like this please email Jerry Marquardt at versatileer at gmail dot com or you can use the Contact Form. If you take an entry you must stay following for the entire contest or you will be disqualified.

Are You A Blogger? See the latest Blogger Opps HERE. Use the Contact Form to get a FREE Link added to One Of Our Giveaways. Just post and report!

If you are a brand/company or author and would like to work with Versatileer, or have any questions please use the Contact Form HERE or email Jerry at versatileer at gmail dot com.

Thank You For Visiting Today…Come Back Daily!

That’s a LOT to celebrate in one giveaway event, even one as big as this one! And here’s one more giveaway JUST at Reading Reality!

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January Wellness, Super Bowl & Valentine’s Day Giveaway Event!

Posted on January 17, 2025January 16, 2025 by Marlene Harris | Author : Marlene Harris | Blog Hops> Giveaways> January Wellness> Late Winter Giveaway Event> Super Bowl & Valentine's Day Giveaway Event> Valentine's Day

Welcome To The $100 Amazon eGift Card or PayPal Cash Giveaway!

Giveaway: 1 lucky winner a $100 Amazon eGift Card or PayPal Cash. The event is running from January 16^th to March 12^th. Giveaway open Worldwide everywhere PayPal is negotiable & age 18+.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS

Prize:

$100 Amazon eGift Card or PayPal Cash

One Lucky Winner Will Receive choice of: $100 Amazon eGift Card or PayPal Cash

Hosted/Sponsored By:

WEBSITE ~ FACEBOOK ~ TWITTER/”X” ~ PINTEREST ~ INSTAGRAM ~ YOUTUBE

Check out Versatileer’s other giveaways!

Co-Hosted By:

DELICIOUSLY SAVVY ~ OTTAWA MOMMY CLUB ~ BABUSHKA’S BAILE ~ THE FRUGAL GRANDMOM ~ SAVING K ~ THE CRAZY PET LADY ~ JESTER AND THE QUEEN

Co-Hosts- Thank You!! ❄️ ⛅ 🎿 🏈 🌁 ⛄ ✨ 💜 🏈 💘 💝 💖 🏈 💗 🤍 💞 💟

Rules: Use The Rafflecopter Form To Enter Daily. The giveaway ends 03/12/25 at 11:59 PM (PST), and is open Worldwide. Entrants must be 18 years old to enter. The winner will be notified via email.

Now To The……

Good Luck! Enter Below

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Are You A Blogger? See the latest Blogger Opps HERE. Use the Contact Form to get a FREE Link added to One Of Our Giveaways. Just post and report!

If you are a brand/company or author and would like to work with Versatileer, or have any questions please use the Contact Form HERE or email Jerry at versatileer at gmail dot com.

Thank You For Visiting Today…Come Back Daily!

That’s a LOT to celebrate in one giveaway event, even on as big as this one, so there’s also a giveaway here at Reading Reality:
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Winter Wishes Giveaway Hop

Posted on January 16, 2025January 15, 2025 by Marlene Harris | Author : Marlene Harris | Blog Hops> Giveaways> Winter Wishes Giveaway Hop

Welcome to the Winter Wishes Giveaway Hop, hosted by Mama the Fox and Mom Does Reviews!

Winter is definitely HERE and PRESENT and ACCOUNTED FOR this year. Probably more than a lot of places want. We had a real winter last weekend with actual accumulated snowfall and everything. I thought it would be, not a once in a lifetime event of course, but let’s call it a once in a school career event for the children in the neighborhood. (Cincinnati is colder than Atlanta but it doesn’t get much snow either. I only experienced ONE snow day between kindergarten and high school graduation and I was expecting the same here.)

But NO, we might get more snow next week! Once was fun, especially since it fell on a Friday and was gone by Sunday. No one wants snow on a Wednesday. But climate is what you expect and weather is what you get, so we’ll see what we get around here next week.

What about where you are? Are your winter wishes for more snow? Are you getting more regardless? And are you already counting down the days until spring is sprung?

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Wishing for more wintery prizes? Be sure to visit the other stops on this hop!

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

New Year, New You Giveaway Hop

Posted on January 1, 2025December 31, 2024 by Marlene Harris | Author : Marlene Harris | Blog Hops> Giveaways> New Year New You Giveaway Hop

Happy New Year and welcome to the New Year, New You Giveaway Hop, hosted by Mama the Fox and Mom Does Reviews!

Like the song says, “Another one bites the dust…” and so it goes with 2024. Hello 2025!

This year at Chez Reading Reality has certainly had its ups and downs. Or at least one really big down as we lost our dear demon Lucifer in early July. Every so often I still think I see the old man out of the corner of my eye. Don’t worry, I’m not seeing ghosts, I’m seeing Hecate, who is not herself a black cat but as a tortie is mostly black especially on top. And not that she doesn’t get some extra scritches when I see her like that.

Looking ahead to 2025, as I certainly will in tomorrow’s Most Anticipated Books post, April 4, 2025 will mark Reading Reality’s FOURTEENTH Blogoversary. This has turned out to be the longest, best and most fulfilling job that I’ve ever had – and I have no intention of stopping.

But each year represents a chance to make some changes, and that’s true this year as well. Last year I started posting on Instagram. I’ve just picked up Bluesky and Threads and am pondering how much or how little I’ll continue on X. Authors are dropping X at a prodigious rate, but publishers are still hanging on and hanging out. So we’ll see how that all goes in the months ahead.

Happy New Year to you and yours!

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

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

Winter 2024-2025 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop

Posted on December 23, 2024December 22, 2024 by Marlene Harris | Author : Marlene Harris | Blog Hops> Giveaways> Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop

Welcome to the Winter 2024-2025 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop, hosted by It Starts At Midnight and Versatileer!

Once upon a time, this was the Month of Books Giveaway Hop, now it’s the Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop, with the hops starting on the days the seasons change. Saturday, December 21, was the first official day of winter for the 2024-2025 season, and this hop did officially start then. But the hop organizers are VERY understanding, so those blogs that participate get a few days grace to post their giveaway post – a grace I am always grateful for when the first day of the season is on a weekend.

The holidays are upon us, the year is winding to a close, the weather outside may or may not be frightful, and the days have thankfully started to get longer again. There will hopefully be plenty of time to read over the chilly if not downright cold months to come. (I just finished a book set in Chicago in February. It reminded me, fondly but frostily, of just how damn cold and nasty Chicago can be in the winter. The ONLY virtue to February in Chicago is that it’s SHORT.)

Looking at the books in the graphic for this season’s hop, I was surprised to discover that not a one of them are on my personal TBR pile for the season – not that I’m not always looking forward to more than a few books EVERY season. Here are a few that have risen to the top of my list for this winter of 2024-2025:

excellent thing in a woman by allison montclair

beast of the north woods by annelise ryan

kills well with others by deanna raybourn

The Baby Dragon Cafe by A.T. Qureshi
Beast of the North Woods by Annelise Ryan
Dead in the Frame by Stephen Spotswood
The Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor
An Excellent Thing in a Woman by Allison Montclair
Kills Well with Others by Deanna Raybourn
The Orb of Cairado by Katherine Addison
Shattering Dawn by Jayne Ann Krentz
Swordheart by T. Kingfisher
Tea You at the Altar by Rebecca Thorne

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

Dashing December Giveaway Hop

Posted on December 16, 2024December 15, 2024 by Marlene Harris | Author : Marlene Harris | Blog Hops> Dashing December Giveaway Hop> Giveaways

Welcome to the Dashing December Giveaway Hop, hosted by Mama the Fox!

December certainly does ‘DASH’ by, doesn’t it? Then there’s “Dashing through the snow…” And let’s not forget Dasher, one of Santa’s reindeer.

Plus there’s all that dashing around to get everything done before the holidays. More than enough dashing in that to make anyone long for a cocoa and lie down once the holidays start winding down. Then again, the countdown for Xmas 2025 starts on Boxing Day, December 26.

Back to that cocoa and lie down, possibly with a good book. Something to dream about in the midst of all the holiday bustle. Answer the question in the rafflecopter 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. That should be enough for a book and a hot cuppa something delicious.

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Dash your way to more winter prizes, by visiting the other stops on this hop!

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

Holiday Amazon/PayPal Giveaway Event!

Posted on December 2, 2024December 1, 2024 by Marlene Harris | Author : Marlene Harris | Blog Hops> Giveaways> Holiday Giveaway Event

Welcome To The $100 Amazon eGift Card or PayPal Cash Giveaway!

Giveaway: 1 lucky winner a $100 Amazon eGift Card or PayPal Cash. The event is running from December 1^st to December 25^th. The giveaway is open Worldwide everywhere PayPal is negotiable-Must be 18+.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS

Prize:

$100 Amazon eGift Card or PayPal Cash

One Lucky Winner Will Receive choice of: $100 Amazon eGift Card or PayPal Cash

Hosted/Sponsored By:

WEBSITE ~ FACEBOOK ~ TWITTER/”X” ~ PINTEREST ~ INSTAGRAM ~ YOUTUBE

Check out Versatileer’s other giveaways!

Co-Hosted By:

BEAUTIFUL TOUCHES ~ DELICIOUSLY SAVVY ~ MIKI’S HOPE ~ SAVING K ~ IT’S FREE AT LAST ~ BABUSHKA’S BAILE ~ OTTAWA MOMMY CLUB ~ CRAZY FOR COUPONING ~ CONTEST CORNER ~ MY DAIRYFREE GLUTENFREE LIFE ~ GIVEAWAY GATOR ~ GOING FIT UNFIT ~ SILVER DAGGER BOOK TOURS

Co-Hosts. . .

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Rules: Use The Rafflecopter Form To Enter Daily. The giveaway ends 12/25/24 at 11:59 PM (PST), and is open Worldwide. Entrants must be 18 years old to enter. The winner will be notified via email.

Now To The……

Good Luck! Enter Below

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Are You A Blogger? See the latest Blogger Opps HERE. Use the Contact Form to get a FREE Link added to One Of Our Giveaways. Just post and report!

If you are a brand/company or author and would like to work with Versatileer, or have any questions please use the Contact Form HERE or email Jerry at versatileer at gmail dot com.

Thank You For Visiting Today…Come Back Daily!

To put a little egg nog, or whatever your holiday tipple of choice might be, into the pot, there’s also a giveaway here at Reading Reality:

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Welcome To The $100 Amazon eGift Card or PayPal Cash Giveaway!

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$100 Amazon eGift Card or PayPal Cash

Hosted/Sponsored By:

Co-Hosted By:

Now To The……

Thank You For Visiting Today…Come Back Daily!

That’s a LOT to celebrate in one giveaway event, even one as big as this one! And here’s one more giveaway JUST at Reading Reality!

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Welcome To The $100 Amazon eGift Card or PayPal Cash Giveaway!

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Prize:

$100 Amazon eGift Card or PayPal Cash

Hosted/Sponsored By:

Co-Hosted By:

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Thank You For Visiting Today…Come Back Daily!

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Welcome To The $100 Amazon eGift Card or PayPal Cash Giveaway!

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Prize:

$100 Amazon eGift Card or PayPal Cash

Hosted/Sponsored By:

Co-Hosted By:

Now To The……

Thank You For Visiting Today…Come Back Daily!

To put a little egg nog, or whatever your holiday tipple of choice might be, into the pot, there’s also a giveaway here at Reading Reality:

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