The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 9-1-24

Posted on September 1, 2024September 1, 2024 by Marlene Harris | Author : Marlene Harris | The Sunday Post> Virtual Nightstand> Winner announcement

Today is the first day of September, tomorrow is Labor Day in the U.S., and this feels like the REAL start of the season. Except it doesn’t around here this weekend, as they’re predicting 92°F on Saturday, 90°F on Sunday and 88°F on Monday. Which is too damn hot but climate’s what you expect and weather is what you get and so it goes. (That’s 33°C, 32°C and 31°C for the places we were this time last month!)

I hadn’t realized how symmetrical this week’s reviews are until just now. B books on the outside, Grade A books inside those, and one A- in the middle. Interesting…but also weird.

This picture isn’t exactly symmetrical, but it is certainly adorable. Luna here is squeezed into the middle between Galen and I, looking like the cat who got into the cream or something very much like that. She has the cutest upside-down kitty face, and this time it’s even complete with teefies!

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 8-18-24

Posted on August 18, 2024August 18, 2024 by Marlene Harris | Author : Marlene Harris | The Sunday Post> Virtual Nightstand> Winner announcement

We’re back, but I’ve got to admit that my brain is still in another time zone – or on another continent. Maybe both.

However, we had an absolutely GRAND time. Except for the cold we both caught – that bit was less than stellar. But still, a good time was had by all. Except the cats. The picture is actually pretty typical of the first few hours we were home. Tuna looks confused and Luna is clearly pretending NOT to see me.

It’s been difficult to get back into the swing of things. Three weeks is the longest we’ve EVER been away, and I’m still a bit disbelieving that I managed to get nearly everything for the blog done ahead of time. But the long period off is making it hard to dive back in. Also still tired. And jet-lagged. Definitely jet-lagged. Not sorry we skipped that part on the way over by cruising instead of flying.

But it’s still great to be home. Home is where the kitties are!

Current Giveaways:

$10 Gift Card or $10 in Books in the Old School Giveaway Hop
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book PLUS EVENT-WIDE AMAZON/PAYPAL PRIZE in the Late Summer Giveaway Event
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the SUMMER 2024 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop

Winner Announcements:

The winner of the Apple a Day Giveaway Hop is Polly

Blog Recap:

A- #BookReview: Time’s Agent by Brenda Peynado
#BookReview: She Who Knows: Firespitter by Nnedi Okorafor
Grade A #BookReview: New Adventures in Space Opera edited by Jonathan Strahan
A+ #BookReview: Anatomy of Evil by Will Thomas
Old School Giveaway Hop
Stacking the Shelves (614)

Coming This Week:

The Hermit Next Door by Kevin Hearne (#AudioBookReview)
The Naturalist’s Daughter by Tea Cooper (#BookReview #BlogTour)
Memories of the Lost by Barbara O’Neal (#BookReview #BlogTour)
The Full Moon Coffee Shop by Mai Mochizuki, translated by Jesse Kirkwood (#BookReview)
Hell Bay by Will Thomas (#BookReview)

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 7-28-24

Posted on July 28, 2024July 27, 2024 by Marlene Harris | Author : Marlene Harris | The Sunday Post> Virtual Nightstand> Winner announcement

George probably has exactly the expression below on his face as you are reading this. We’re away on vacation for a bit, and I’m sure George and company are NOT HAPPY about their people being away. Not that George doesn’t look like this at least for a bit every day, as he likes to camp out on the stairs and mourn that his people aren’t paying attention to him on a regular basis. We know they’re getting well taken care of by our regular cat sitters – as we get daily pictures of them all! Which we coo over because we miss them as much as they miss us.

So don’t worry about George, Hecate, Luna and Tuna too much, they’re fine if likely a bit disgruntled. And don’t worry about getting your daily post from yours truly! There are plenty of reviews and other posts queued up for your reading pleasure while we’re away. Just wait and see!

Current Giveaways:

$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Sip Sip Hooray Giveaway Hop
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book PLUS EVENT-WIDE AMAZON/PAYPAL PRIZE in the Late Summer Giveaway Event
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the SUMMER 2024 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop

Winner Announcements:

The winner of the Christmas in July Giveaway Hop is Anne

Blog Recap:

B #BookReview: Chaos at the Lazy Bones Bookshop by Emmeline Duncan
A- #BookReview: Summers End by Juneau Black
B #BookReview: Lost to Eternity by Greg Cox
A- #AudioBookReview: More Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa, translated by Eric Ozawa
B #BookReview: In the Shadow of the Fall by Tobi Ogundiran
Stacking the Shelves (611)

Coming This Week:

Sentinel Security: Stone by Anna Hackett (#BookReview)
Memories of the Lost by Barbara O’Neal (#BlogTour #BookReview)
Navigational Entanglements by Aliette de Bodard (#BookReview)
Apple A Day Giveaway Hop
The Dead Cat Tail Assassins by P. Djèlí Clark (#BookReview)

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 7-21-24

Posted on July 21, 2024July 20, 2024 by Marlene Harris | Author : Marlene Harris | The Sunday Post> Virtual Nightstand> Winner announcement

Last week’s cat pic was of Tuna and George on the stairs, so it seems fitting that this week’s picture be Luna, just being Luna – although she’s kind of wearing George’s concerned, serious face. (Luna contains multitudes)

Recent Stacking the Shelves posts have been rather short, but it sure looks like GIVEAWAY SEASON is in full swing. It’s sort of an Xmas in July thing all over the place! More encouragement – not that I need any – to stay inside out of the heat and READ!

Current Giveaways:

$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Christmas in July Giveaway Hop
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Sip Sip Hooray Giveaway Hop
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book PLUS EVENT-WIDE AMAZON/PAYPAL PRIZE in the Late Summer Giveaway Event
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the SUMMER 2024 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop

Winner Announcements:

The winner of Reading Reality’s Early Summer Giveaway Hop is Elizabeth H.
The winner of the Sparkle Time Giveaway Hop is Shelly P.

Blog Recap:

A- #AudioBookReview: Earthlight by J. Michael Straczynski
Sip Sip Hooray Giveaway Hop
Late Summer Amazon/Paypal Giveaway Event!
A- #AudioBookReview: The Dallergut Dream Department Store by Miye Lee, translated by Sandy Joosun Lee
A+ #BookReview: Murder at the White Palace by Allison Montclair
Stacking the Shelves (610)

Coming This Week:

Chaos at the Lazy Bones Bookshop by Emmeline Duncan (#BookReview)
Summers End by Juneau Black (#BookReview)
Star Trek: The Original Series: Lost to Eternity by Greg Cox (#BookReview)
More Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa, translated by Eric Ozawa (#AudioBookReview)
In the Shadow of the Fall by Tobi Ogundiran (#BookReview)

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 6-23-24

Posted on June 23, 2024June 22, 2024 by Marlene Harris | Author : Marlene Harris | The Sunday Post> Virtual Nightstand> Winner announcement

This week’s books turned out to be good to excellent! And Galen did one of his guest posts and a blog hop started this week so it was a bit of an easy week – also good!

Speaking of good, I’ve been going through this year’s Hugo nominations and picking one nominee per week that I hadn’t already read to read and review. Between Library Journal and Reading Reality it turned out that I’d read a fair number of the novels and novellas during the year, but I don’t read a lot of short fiction unless it’s in a collection – and that usually happens well after the fact. So far, the short stories and novelettes have ranged from OK to great, so I’m just making my final selections more difficult even if they will be better informed!

The above picture is a combination of “if I fits I sits” – writ rather large – and “possession is 9/10ths of the cat”. There are three cat beds on top of my dresser – as shown above. Lucifer has firm possession of the heated bed on the right as he glares at anyone who even thinks about ousting him from it. The middle cushion is only used when Lucifer doesn’t have possession of HIS bed, so he has a comfy place from which to glare at the interloper. That’s Tuna on the left, the biggest cat in the house in the smallest bed. Because he wants to be Lucifer’s buddy and Lucifer is barely tolerant of that fact. And because Tuna seems to enjoy overflowing his sleeping spots – as his other favorite bed is equally under proportioned to his generous purrson.

Current Giveaways:

$10 Gift Card or $10 Book PLUS EVENT-WIDE AMAZON/PAYPAL PRIZE in the Early Summer Giveaway Event
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the SUMMER 2024 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop

Winner Announcements:

The winner of the Spring 2024 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop is Lisa

Blog Recap:

Grade A #BookReview: The Year Without Sunshine by Naomi Kritzer
A- #BookReview: The Comfort of Ghosts by Jacqueline Winspear
Guest Post by Galen: Juneteenth 2024: Ron’s Piece
Summer 2024 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop
B #AudioBookReview: The Most Human by Adam Nimoy
Stacking the Shelves (606)

Coming This Week:

A Ruse of Shadows by Sherry Thomas (#BookReview)
Unexploded Remnants by Elaine Gallagher (#BookReview)
Pets and the City by Amy Attas (#BookReview)
Ivy, Angelica, Bay by C.L. Polk (#BookReview, #HugoReview)
Requiem for a Mouse by Miranda James (#BookReview)

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 6-1-24

Posted on June 2, 2024June 2, 2024 by Marlene Harris | Author : Marlene Harris | The Sunday Post> Virtual Nightstand> Winner announcement

The attached picture isn’t exactly “Lazy Lions Lounging in the Local Library”, but it’s close. It’s clearly lazy kitties lounging on a willing human – and not that Chez Reading Reality doesn’t resemble a library!

Luna looks huge in this picture, but she’s actually the smallest of the three. Not that ANY of these three are actually small.

This past week, reading wise, turned out to be mostly interesting in all the ways that make “interesting” a euphemism. It ended up being a number of books that didn’t work as well as I’d hoped, and then one I turned to as a saving grace because this week required that something really good get read no matter how deep I had to dive into the virtually towering TBR pile!

I have much higher hopes for this coming week, if only because I’ve already finished most of the books!

Current Giveaways:

$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Spring 2024 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop

Winner Announcements:

The winner of the Moms Rock Giveaway Hop is Steph

Blog Recap:

Memorial Day 2024 (Guest Post by Galen)
B #AudioBookReview: The Bodies in the Library by Marty Wingate
B- #BookReview: One Man’s Treasure by Sarah Pinsker
D #AudioBookReview: To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods by Molly X. Chang
A+ #BookReview: Fatal Enquiry by Will Thomas
Stacking the Shelves (603)

Coming This Week:

Early Summer Giveaway Event
On the Fox Roads by Nghi Vo (#BookReview)
The Fireborne Blade by Charlotte Bond (#BookReview)
Fiasco by Constance Fay (#BookReview)
Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky (#BookReview)

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 5-19-24

Posted on May 19, 2024May 18, 2024 by Marlene Harris | Author : Marlene Harris | The Sunday Post> Virtual Nightstand> Winner announcement

I’m in kind of a murder-y mood this week, so a couple of mysteries are definitely on my reading horizon. I have to confess that it might not be the two actually slotted into the schedule – but if it’s not them it will be something similar.

Although, speaking of wanting to murder something – I wish I could figure out what purpose it serves for bogus email addresses to enter one of the giveaways. I do check to make sure that the random entry rafflecopter settles itself on is legit – which takes forever when there are 13,000+ (not a typo, THIRTEEN THOUSAND) entries to let it shuffle through until it hits a real, honest-to-goodness entry by someone who actually did comment. By the end, I was yawning as much as Tuna in this picture below, although Tuna is absolutely, totally, definitely much cuter when he does. As I snapped the picture, he was yawning and stretching SO HARD that he eventually rolled himself off the step. Fortunately for him, he was on the bottom step and just landed on his feet. As they do.

Current Giveaways:

$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Moms Rock Giveaway Hop
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Spring 2024 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop

Winner Announcements:

The winner of the Come What May Giveaway Hop is Brigette

Blog Recap:

A+ #BookReview: How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying by Django Wexler
B #AudioBookReview: Every Time We Say Goodbye by Natalie Jenner
B #BookReview: In Our Stars by Jack Campbell
Moms Rock Giveaway Hop
A+ #AudioBookReview: When Among Crows by Veronica Roth
Stacking the Shelves (601)

Coming This Week:

A Mischief of Rats by Sarah Yarwood-Lovett (#BookReview)
Dear Edna Sloane by Amy Shearn (#BookReview)
The Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood (#BookReview)
Lost Ark Dreaming by Suyi Davies Okungbowa (#BookReview)
I’m Afraid You’ve Got Dragons by Peter S. Beagle (#BookReview)

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 5-5-24

Posted on May 5, 2024May 5, 2024 by Marlene Harris | Author : Marlene Harris | The Sunday Post> Virtual Nightstand> Winner announcement

Yesterday was Star Wars Day (May the Fourth be with You!) Today is Cinco de Mayo. Next Sunday is Mothers’ Day. And it’s SPRING! Really, truly spring, whatever that might mean where you specifically are. Here it also means that summer is literally just around the corner and will be springing out any day now.

Today’s picture may look a bit more like Fall – but we won’t be thinking about THAT season for a while around here. Nevertheless, there’s Hecate, definitely looking her witchy best with all of her Halloween-colored fur on display. She’s also been BEING a witch, but that’s something else altogether!

Current Giveaways:

$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Come What May Giveaway Hop
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Spring 2024 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop

Winner Announcements:

The winner of the Rain Drops on Roses Giveaway Hop is Viki S.

Blog Recap:

Grade A #BookReview: Lost Birds by Anne Hillerman
A- #BookReview: People in Glass Houses by Jayne Castle
Come What May Giveaway Hop
B+ #BookReview: Knightqueen by Anna Hackett
B #BookReview: My Dearest Mackenzie by Rachel Blaufeld
Stacking the Shelves (599)

Coming This Week:

Funny Story by Emily Henry (#AudioBookReview)
The Summer Swap by Sarah Morgan (#BlogTour #BookReview)
Black Shield Maiden by Willow Smith and Jess Hende (#BookReview)
The Brides of High Hill by Nghi Vo (#BookReview)
In Our Stars by Jack Campbell (#BookReview)

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 3-24-24

Posted on March 24, 2024March 24, 2024 by Marlene Harris | Author : Marlene Harris | The Sunday Post> Virtual Nightstand> Winner announcement

It turned out to be an excellent reading week this week – although I did have a ‘flail and bail’ along the way. I have to admit that the later parts of this coming week are looking a bit shaky as well.

The week after this one, however, is sure and certain and celebratory, because April 1-5 will be Reading Reality’s Lucky 13th Blogo-Birthday Celebration with giveaways every day for the whole week. Come celebrate with me!

I’m celebrating, hopefully you’re celebrating, but George and Tuna are cats so they are much more blasé about the whole thing. Here they are out on the catio with Tuna clearly on overwatch checking out what the neighbors are doing.

Current Giveaways:

$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Spring 2024 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop

Winner Announcements:

The winner of the Winter 2024 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop is Anne P.

Blog Recap:

A- #BookReview: The Graveyard of the Hesperides by Lindsey Davis
Spring 2024 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop
A+ #BookReview: The Hellfire Conspiracy by Will Thomas
A- #BookReview: Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
A- #BookReview: The Citadel of Weeping Pearls by Aliette de Bodard
Stacking the Shelves (593)

Coming This Week:

What You Are Looking For Is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama (#AudioBookReview)
A Cast of Falcons by Sarah Yarwood-Lovett (#BookReview)
Shoestring Theory by Mariana Costa (#Spotlight + #CoverReveal)
The Emperor and the Endless Palace by Justinian Huang (#BookReview)
To Slip the Bonds of Earth by Amanda Flower (#BookReview)

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 3-17-24

Posted on March 17, 2024March 16, 2024 by Marlene Harris | Author : Marlene Harris | The Sunday Post> Virtual Nightstand> Winner announcement

Today is both St. Patrick’s Day AND St. Gertrude of Nivelles’ Day. It’s a pity that St. Patrick gets all the attention, because St. Gertrude of Nivelles is the patron saint of CATS. Also gardeners, poor people and widows, but most especially CATS – at least in the modern interpretations. So, it’s either the dude who drove the snakes out of Ireland, or the woman who protected cats. I’m with the cat lady.

Speaking of which, here’s Tuna, standing at the window outside on the catio, looking into the kitchen instead of the other way around!

As far as the bloggy stuff goes, the Winter 2024 Seasons of Books Hop ends tomorrow, just in time for the SPRING 2024 Seasons of Books Hop to begin the next day. After appearing in the schedule multiple times but not actually getting reviewed, The Graveyard of the Hesperides review will definitely happen this week. I’m in the middle of the book now and being constantly reminded just how much I’ve enjoyed this series over the years. The later part of the week is a bit less certain, but c’est la vie – or at least, c’est la reading vie at Chez Reading Reality!

Current Giveaways:

$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Winter 2024 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop (ENDS TOMORROW!!!!!)

Winner Announcements:

The winner of the Lady Luck Giveaway Hop is Clem

Blog Recap:

B #BookReview: Floating Hotel by Grace Curtis
A/A- Joint #BookReview: These Fragile Graces, This Fugitive Heart by Izzy Wasserstein
B #AudioBookReview: A Midnight Puzzle by Gigi Pandian
B+ #BookReview: Fury Brothers: Burn by Anna Hackett
B- #AudioBookReview: The Mystery Writer by Sulari Gentill
Stacking the Shelves (592)

Coming This Week:

The Graveyard of the Hesperides by Lindsey Davis (#BookReview)
Spring 2024 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop
The Underground Library by Jennifer Ryan (#BookReview)
Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi (#BookReview)
Fathomfolk by Eliza Chan (#BookReview)

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