Now I know my Blogo-Birthday is really past – all the Rafflecopters have finished for the week of giveaways. But next year’s Blogo-Birthday is only 350-ish days away! LOL

I really wanted to include a review of Cave of Bones by Anne Hillerman this past week, but…My Dear Hamilton, which was absolutely marvelous, weighed in at 670 pages. By the time I finished, I was kind of out of reading juice and had a terrible book hangover. I finished Cave of Bones over the weekend and it is just as absorbing as every book in the series has been.

Don’t forget, the April Book of Choice Giveaway Hop ends TONIGHT!!!!!

Current Giveaways:

$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the April Book of Choice Giveaway Hop (ENDS TONIGHT!)
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Rain Rain Go Away! Giveaway Hop

Winner Announcements:

The winners of my Blogo-Birthday Giveaway are Shirley and Jen.
The winners of books in the Gateways to Alissia Trilogy by Dan Koboldt are Anne, Anita and L Lam.
The winner of the Anna Hackett Prize Pack is Rachelle.
The winner of their choice of any book by John Scalzi is Adik.

Blog Recap:

B Review: Claws for Concern by Miranda James
Rain Rain Go Away Giveaway Hop
B Review: Farewell My Cuckoo by Marty Wingate
A Review: My Dear Hamilton by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie
A Review: Hammered by Kevin Hearne
Stacking the Shelves (283)

Coming Next Week:

The Family Gathering by Robyn Carr (blog tour review)
Full Bloom Giveaway Hop
Hot Response by Shannon Stacey (blog tour review)
Unmasked by the Marquess by Cat Sebastian (blog tour review)
Cave of Bones by Anne Hillerman (review)

This week marked my first A+ Review for the year, for Blood of the Four by Christopher Golden and Tim Lebbon. If you like epic fantasy at all, this one is not only awesome, but also complete in a single not-quite-a-doorstop volume. I picked this one because The Map of Moments by these same two gentlemen is one of my absolute favorite books about post-Katrina New Orleans. That one is urban fantasy rather than epic, but equally awesome.

I also have three blog hops going on, and these will last until the end of the month. When not only will the April Book of Choice Giveaway Hop begin, but my Seventh Annual Blogo-Birthday week will commence. I’ll be giving stuff away all week to commemorate the OMG seventh anniversary of the start of Reading Reality as well as my own birthday. There should be something to appeal to everyone!

Current Giveaways:

$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the All About Diversity Blog Hop
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Lucky Leprechaun Giveaway Hop
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the March into Madness Giveaway Hop

Winner Announcements:

The winner of the $10 Gift Card or $10 book in the March Book of Choice Giveaway Hop is Valentina.
The winner of the ebook copy of Surrender My Heart by L.G. O’Connor is Alli.
The winner of the print copy of Rainbirds by Clarissa Goenawan is Dianna.

Blog Recap:

B Review: A Dangerous Game by Heather Graham
A+ Review: Blood of the Four by Christopher Golden and Tim Lebbon
B+ Review: Good Guys by Steven Brust
Lucky Leprechaun Giveaway Hop
March into Madness Giveaway Hop
Stacking the Shelves (279)

Coming Next Week:

Fast Burn by Lori Foster (blog tour review)
Fools and Mortals by Bernard Cornwell (review)
The Darkest Promise by Gena Showalter (blog tour review)
Court of Lions by Jane Johnson (review)
The River House by Carla Neggers (blog tour review)

We saw Black Panther last weekend after I wrote my Sunday Post. The movie was marvelous, and it prompted me to bring The Night Masquerade out of the virtual TBR pile. I was looking for more Afrofuturism (still am) and remembered how much I loved Binti, even though the second book in the trilogy didn’t wow me. The third book was almost as good as the first, and that’s high prize. Binti swept the SF awards the year it came out.

I’m posting my review of Lake Silence this week, because this is its book birthday, but I read it a while ago, practically as soon as I received the eARC. If you are hooked on The Others series, Lake Silence is a terrific further exploration of that world. I hope we get to go back again and again (and again).

And I’m always happy to get a new book from Anna Hackett. I know I’m going to have a great time. And I did!

Current Giveaways:

$10 Book or $10 Gift Card in the March Book of Choice Giveaway Hop
3 copies of Highland Dragon Warrior by Isabel Cooper

Winner Announcements:

The winner of a $10 Amazon Gift Card in the Romance is in the Air Giveaway Hop is Nikki.

Blog Recap:

B+ Review: Messenger of Truth by Jacqueline Winspear
B+ Review: Fatal Chaos by Marie Force
A Review: The Night Masquerade by Nnedi Okorafor
March Book of Choice Giveaway Hop
B+ Review: Highland Dragon Master by Isabel Cooper + Giveaway
Stacking the Shelves (277)

Coming Next Week:

Surrender My Heart by L.G. O’Connor (blog tour review)
Rainbirds by Clarissa Goenawan (blog tour review)
Lake Silence by Anne Bishop (review)
Guardian by Anna Hackett (review)
Heat Exchange by Shannon Stacey (review)

I appear to have the flu. Again. And yes, I did get a flu shot. This winter has just not been kind.

On that other hand, the SFR Galaxy Awards were announced this week. I’m proud to say that I’ve been one of the judges from the very beginning, and it’s one of my favorite events. Please check out all the winners at the SFR Galaxy Awards site, and see if there are one (or more) books that are just begging to be added to your TBR pile!

Current Giveaways:

$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the February Book of Choice Giveaway Hop

Winner Announcements:

The winner of the $10 gift card or $10 book in the Best of 2017 Giveaway Hop is Amber T.

Blog Recap:

A Review: The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory
B+ Review: Hell Squad: Levi by Anna Hackett
Valentine’s Day Blog Tour – Guest Post from Kristan Higgins
SFR Galaxy Awards
February Book of Choice Giveaway Hop
A- Review: Off the Leash by M.L. Buchman
Stacking the Shelves (273)

Coming Next Week:

Midsummer Delights by Eloisa James + Giveaway (blog tour review)
Into the Fire by Elizabeth Moon (review)
Books Can Be Deceiving by Jenn McKinlay (review)
A Study in Sable by Mercedes Lackey (review)
The Silence of the Library by Miranda James (review)

Life feels like it is finally back to normal after the unfortunate events over the holidays.  There was a little while there where I had absolutely no interest in reading romance (something like a Norovirus does not leave one inclined towards romance) nor did I feel like facing a family drama story, having much too much left unresolved in my own. But I’m feeling better and life is adjusting, so reading-wise things feel back to normal.

And it’s warming up a bit here in Atlanta. I moved South to get away from the frigid winters in some of the other places that I’ve lived, and did not enjoy the re-hash. Especially as it turns out that the house we’re renting seems to have no insulation on the first floor whatsoever, leaving the kitchen and living room at least 10 degrees colder than the bedrooms and offices. I got a lot of reading done!

Current Giveaways:

$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Best of 2017 Giveaway Hop

Winner Announcements:

The winner of the $10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the January Book of Choice Giveaway Hop is Cali M.
The winner of the $10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Jeepers! It’s January Giveaway Hop is Buddy G.

Blog Recap:

Best of 2017 Giveaway Hop
A- Review: The Castlemaine Murders by Kerry Greenwood
A- Guest Review by Amy: Her Sweetest Fortune by Stella Bagwell
B+ Review: Season of Blood by Jeri Westerson
A Review: We Were Eight Years in Power by Ta-Nehisi Coates
Stacking the Shelves (271)

Coming Next Week:

Sisters Like Us by Susan Mallery (blog tour review)
Deborah Rising by Avraham Azrieli (blog tour review)
Cast in Deception by Michelle Sagara (review)
Fools and Mortals by Bernard Cornwell (review)
Markswoman by Rati Mahrotra (review)

Welcome to the first Sunday Post of 2018!

Things are starting to settle down here at Casa Reading Reality after the last two weeks of unfortunate events. I’m just hoping that they stay settled for a little while. The last couple of weeks have been more exciting, and more negative excitement, than anyone would want to cope with.

But as life has gone back to normal, so has what we refer to around here as “bloggy stuff”. A new Goodreads challenge, a new 50 Book Pledge, more reviews and more of everything you’ve come to enjoy at Reading Reality.

One final note about what’s coming up this week. I don’t normally do Spotlights/Promo posts for tours. But there are always exceptions that prove every rule, and next week’s promo post fits two of those exceptions. One reason that I was happy to participate in the Promo tour for Sisters Like Us by Susan Mallery because I am also participating in the review tour. I’ve enjoyed several of Susan’s previous books and am definitely looking forward to this one. The second reason is that this tour is being organized by TLC Book Tours. I get a lot of my best books and tours through TLC, and I love working with them and am always happy to participate in one of their tours.

Current Giveaways:

$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the January Book of Choice Giveaway Hop
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Jeepers! It’s January Giveaway Hop
Paperback set of the entire Chinooks Hockey Romance series by Rachel Gibson
Sonali Dev Prize Pack including $50 Amazon Gift Card plus paperbacks of A Bollywood Affair and A Change of Heart

Winner Announcements:

The winner of Now That You Mention It by Kristan Higgins is Amber C.
The winner of the $10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Midwinter’s Eve Giveaway Hop is Holly T.

Blog Recap:

January Book of Choice Giveaway Hop
18 for 2018: My Most Anticipated Books for 2018
Jeepers! It’s January Giveaway Hop
A Review: The Art of Running in Heels by Rachel Gibson + Giveaway
B+ Review: A Distant Heart by Sonali Dev + Giveaway
Stacking the Shelves (269)

Coming Next Week:

The Lost Plot by Genevieve Cogman (review)
Out of Circulation by Miranda James (review)
Spotlight/Promo for Sisters Like Us by Susan Mallery
Rebel by Rhys Ford (review)
Sunday Silence by Nicci French (blog tour review)

Happy New Year’s Eve!

Welcome to the hospital edition of The Sunday Post. I thought I had food poisoning. Instead, I picked up a gut bug somewhere and have spent this weekend in the hospital. Hopefully I can go home tomorrow. I really, really miss the kitties.

In spite of the extremely unfortunately end to the year, it was still a regular week with regular things going on. And tomorrow starts what will hopefully be a better and brighter New Year!

Current Giveaways:

$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Midwinter’s Eve Giveaway Hop (ends TONIGHT!)
Three Kingmaker Bundles from Sourcebooks
Now That You Mention It by Kristan Higgins
A Most Unlikely Duke by Sophie Barnes (3 paperbacks)

Winner Announcements:

The winner of the $10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Twelve Days of Christmas Giveaway Hop is Sherry

Blog Recap:

Christmas Day 2017
A Review: Heart on Fire by Amanda Bouchet + Giveaway
17 for 2017 : My Best Books of 2017
A- Review: Now That You Mention It by Kristan Higgins + Giveaway
B+ Review: The Duke of Her Desire by Sophie Barnes + Giveaway
Stacking the Shelves (268)

Coming Next Week:

January Book of Choice Giveaway Hop
Most Anticipated Books of 2018
Jeepers! It’s January Giveaway Hop
The Art of Running in Heels by Rachel Gibson (blog tour review)
A Distant Heart by Sonali Dev (blog tour review)

Welcome to the Christmas Eve edition of the Sunday Post! I hope you’ve got all your holiday shopping done!

Current Giveaways:

$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Twelve Days of Christmas Giveaway Hop (ends TONIGHT!)
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Midwinter’s Eve Giveaway Hop
$50 Amazon Gift Card from Harlequin

Winner Announcements:

The winner of the $10 Gift Card in the Winter is Coming Giveaway Hop is Sarah L.

Blog Recap:

Winter Holiday Traditions Guest Post by Lori Foster + Giveaway
A+ Review: A Plague of Giants by Kevin Hearne
B+ Review: Once Upon a Maiden Lane & Once Upon a Christmas Eve by Elizabeth Hoyt
Midwinter’s Eve Giveaway Hop
A- Review: The Prisoner of Limnos by Lois McMaster Bujold
Stacking the Shelves (267)

Coming Next Week:

Heart on Fire by Amanda Bouchet (blog tour review)
Best Books of 2017
Now That You Mention It by Kristan Higgins (blog tour review)
The Duke of Her Desire by Sophie Barnes (blog tour review)