Category: Winner announcement

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 5-28-23

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

Happy 3-day Memorial Day Holiday Weekend to everyone lucky enough to have it!

Last week’s reading plan went a bit pear-shaped, just like the week before. It happens but it is so damn frustrating when it does! This week’s just doesn’t have all that many places it CAN go, between the holiday and the blog hop. A chance for a bit of a reset, I hope.

Speaking of hope, here’s a picture of Luna in the process of her own exploration of the catio. She’s posing on the breakfast nook window, hoping to induce her daddy-person to come out and join her. Possibly with his own breakfast!

Current Giveaways:

$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Moms Rock Giveaway Hop (ENDS WEDNESDAY!!!)

Winner Announcements:

The winner of the Life’s a Beach Giveaway Hop is Elaine G

Blog Recap:

A- Review: Watching the Clock by Christopher L. Bennett
B+ Review: Dear Chrysanthemums by Fiona Sze-Lorrain
A+ Review: Red Team Blues by Cory Doctorow
B Review: Light Chaser by Peter F. Hamilton and Gareth L. Powell
A- Review: The Nameless Restaurant by Tao Wong
Stacking the Shelves (550)

Coming This Week:

Memorial Day 2023 (Guest post by Galen)
The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies by Alison Goodman (blog tour review)
A Thousand Recipes for Revenge by Beth Cato (review)
Berry Good Giveaway Hop
Marion Lane and the Raven’s Revenge by T.A. Willberg (review)

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 5-21-23

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

It’s kind of been one of those weeks, and not just reading wise. Twitter no longer accepts tweets directly from Jetpack, so I have to remember to tweet my posts first thing in the morning. I am NOT a morning person, so it’s going to take a while to make that part of my normal routine as I’m ingesting my caffeine for the day. C’est la vie.

The end of last week’s schedule fell completely apart, hence my desperation move of combining two books I did not like into one relatively short review explaining why they did not work. Then the audiobook I was listening to was turning out to be a bit of a rage listen, so I bailed on that and switched to print. In the end, that worked better, more of a case of it wasn’t a book for me as opposed to please decide who your book’s first person voice is and stick to it. Your reading mileage may definitely vary. (Yes, that’s a Star Trek book coming up tomorrow. I got really frustrated this week.)

(The Bandit Queens is excellent so far, it’s just a bit longer than I was anticipating.)

But someone is having an excellent week. Here’s George, sunning himself on his catio. Although we’ve seen both Luna and Tuna go through the cat flap, it’s clearly become George’s territory and he’s very proud of himself about it!

Current Giveaways:

$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Life’s a Beach Giveaway Hop (ENDS THURSDAY!)
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Moms Rock Giveaway Hop

Winner Announcements:

The winner of the Come What May Giveaway Hop is Bea

Blog Recap:

A- Review: Big Trouble on Sullivan’s Island by Susan M. Boyer
Moms Rock Giveaway Hop
A Review: The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder by David Grann
C/D+ Reviews: Short and Unsatisfactory: Books and Reviews 
B- Review: You Are Here by Karin Lin-Greenberg
Stacking the Shelves (549)

Coming This Week:

Watching the Clock (Star Trek: Department of Temporal Investigations #1) by Christopher L. Bennett (review)
Red Team Blues by Cory Doctorow (review)
Dioramas by Blair Austin (review)
Dear Chrysanthemums by Fiona Sze-Lorrain (review)
The Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff (review)

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 4-30-23

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

Another Month Ends:

All Targets Met
All Systems Working
All Customers Satisfied
All Staff Eager and Enthusiastic
All Pigs Fed and Ready to Fly

Remember that with enough thrust, pigs CAN fly. So the above is ALL entirely possible. Not terribly likely – at least not all at once – but possible.

I have a poster on my office wall from Graeme Base’s marvelous Animalia. It will not surprise anyone that the poster is “Lazy Lions Lounging in the Local Library”. As a bit of an  homage, here’s a “Lazy Luna Lounging in the Lap of Luxury”

Winner Announcements:

The winner of the Just Because Giveaway Hop is Heather
The winner of the Dancing in the Rain Giveaway Hop is Angela

Blog Recap:

A- Review: The Way of the Bear by Anne Hillerman
B+ Review: Happy Place by Emily Henry
A- Review: The Comeback Cowboy by Jackie Ashenden, Caitlin Crews, Nicole Helm, Maisey Yates
B Review: The Beach Reads Bookshop by Lee Tobin McClain
A- Review: The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw
Stacking the Shelves (546)

Coming This Week:

Come What May Giveaway Hop
The Bride Wore White by Amanda Quick (blog tour review)
Tsalmoth by Steven Brust (review)
Life’s a Beach Giveaway Hop
For Love of Magic by Simon R. Green (review)

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 4-16-23

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

I ended up throwing last week’s planned schedule into a blender. I was just having a bad case of being unable to settle on a book, not getting anywhere and not getting anything done. So I went looking for short reads and comfort reads to get me over that hump, which is how Who Cries for the Lost ended up kicking off this coming week.

This week’s schedule had Three Debts Paid inserted into it when I learned of the death of its author, Anne Perry, this past week.

Tuna volunteered for this week’s cat picture. The new comforter he’s posed on was a birthday present from one of my oldest and dearest friends, and he just looked so adorable – and adorably confused – laying on it that I couldn’t resist!

Current Giveaways:

$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Just Because Giveaway Hop
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Dancing in the Rain Giveaway Hop

Winner Announcements:

The winner of ANY book by Barbara Hambly is Anita
The winner of the $25 Amazon Gift Card is Cali
The winner of one of my or the winner’s favorite books so far is Carl
The winner of The Cleaving by Juliet E. McKenna is Nadine

Blog Recap:

A++ Review: The Stars Undying by Emery Robin
A+/D Review: The Way Home by Peter S. Beagle
A Review: Midnight, Water City by Chris McKinney
A- Review: Untethered Sky by Fonda Lee
A- Review: The Scourge Between Stars by Ness Brown
Stacking the Shelves (544)

Coming This Week:

Who Cries for the Lost by C.S. Harris (review)
Our Lady of Mysterious Ailments by T.L. Huchu (audio review)
Wings Once Cursed and Bound by Piper J. Drake (review)
How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix (review)
Three Debts Paid by Anne Perry (review)

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 4-2-23

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

Come one, come all and WELCOME to Reading Reality’s annual Blogo-Birthday Celebration Week. This week, on Tuesday in fact, Reading Reality will celebrate its TWELFTH Blogoversary. As Wednesday, April 5 is my own birthday, I like to celebrate this doubly happy occasion with giveaways all week long. So be sure to come back each an every day to see what’s on tap.

The party is starting tomorrow, but in the meantime here’s a picture of Tuna, already all tuckered out from the preparations.

We’ll let him recover for a bit, so the party can get started bright and early in the morning!

Winner Announcements:

The winner of the Chasing Rainbows Giveaway Hop is Viki 

Blog Recap:

B+ Review: And Put Away Childish Things by Adrian Tchaikovsky
B Review: Her Lost Words by Stephanie Marie Thornton
C+ Review: Sea Change by Gina Chung
A Review: The Echo of Old Books by Barbara Davis
B Review: White Cat, Black Dog by Kelly Link
Stacking the Shelves (542)

Coming This Week:

One Extra Corpse by Barbara Hambly (review + giveaway)
Blogo-Birthday Celebration (feature + giveaway)
Favorites of the Year (So Far) Birthday Giveaway (feature + giveaway)
Dancing in the Rain Giveaway Hop
Just Because Giveaway Hop
The Cleaving by Juliet E. McKenna (blog tour review + giveaway)

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 3-26-23

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

Luna was sitting on the hearth, looking all bright-eyed and bushy-faced so Galen decided to snap a picture. Tuna just had to find out what was going on, so instead of Luna looking pretty, she’s looking rather confused as she gets photobombed by her brother!

I switched around this past week’s schedule a bit. I had been intending to read One Extra Corpse by Barbara Hambly, and I’m still very much looking forward to it. But my TWELFTH Annual Blogo-Birthday Celebration is just a week away. I give stuff away every day during the Celebration, so I always look for books or authors I really, really, really want to share with people to review that week. I’ve been reading and loving Barbara Hambly’s work since The Time of the Dark back in the longer ago than either she or I probably want to admit. Which made her latest book a perfect book to include during the celebration! So expect One Extra Corpse in just one week from tomorrow!

Current Giveaways:

$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Chasing Rainbows Giveaway Hop

Winner Announcements:

The winner of the Winter 2022-2023 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop is Carl
The winner of the Leaping Leprechauns Giveaway Hop is Soozle
The winner of the For the Love of Reading Giveaway Hop is Heather

Blog Recap:

A+ Review: The Lies of the Ajungo by Moses Ose Utomi
A+ Review: The New Guys by Meredith Bagby
B- Review: The Raven Thief by Gigi Pandian
A- Review: A House with Good Bones by T. Kingfisher
B Review: The White Lady by Jacqueline Winspear
Stacking the Shelves (541)

Coming This Week:

And Put Away Childish Things by Adrian Tchaikovsky (review)
Her Lost Words by Stephanie Marie Thornton (blog tour review)
Sea Change by Gina Chung (review)
White Cat, Black Dog by Kelly Link (review)
The Echo of Old Books by Barbara Davis (review)

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 3-19-23

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

The following picture is both adorable and apropos today. This is a rare shot of Hecate and Luna sharing the same space, and it’s perfect for today because we’ll be on our way home from a visit with one of my oldest and dearest friends, someone I’ve known since kindergarten but have not shared the same space with in almost 20 years. We’ve always kept in touch but haven’t been in the same geographic area in literally aeons. I don’t even care if the weather is good while we’re there – although I certainly hope it is. The opportunity to just sit and talk together is, as they say, priceless.

Current Giveaways:

$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Winter 2022-23 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop (ENDS TONIGHT!!!)
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Leaping Leprechauns Giveaway Hop (ENDS TOMORROW!!)
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the For the Love of Reading Giveaway Hop (ENDS THURSDAY!)

Winner Announcements:

The winner of the Lady Luck Giveaway Hop is Debbi

Blog Recap:

C Review: The Atlas Paradox by Olivie Blake
A+ Review: The Mimicking of Known Successes by Malka Older
B Review: Illuminations by T. Kingfisher
Chasing Rainbows Giveaway Hop
A- Review: Knightmaster by Anna Hackett
Stacking the Shelves (540)

Coming This Week:

The Lies of the Ajungo by Moses Ose Utomi
The New Guys by Meredith Bagby
The Raven Thief by Gigi Pandian
The White Lady by Jacqueline Winspear
One Extra Corpse by Barbara Hambly

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 3-5-23

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

The week that was was a week for getting lucky. Not one, not two, but three giveaway hops! Think of it as a warm-up for next month’s annual Blogo-Birthday Celebration Week. Reading Reality is turning TWELVE!

Speaking of lucky, here’s a picture of Luna in all her glory celebrating just how lucky she is to be between her people in the big people bed. It’s a rare shot of her underside with all its tabby spots, so we were lucky to get the shot as well.

Current Giveaways:

$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Lady Luck Giveaway Hop
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the For the Love of Reading Giveaway Hop
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Leaping Leprechauns Giveaway Hop
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Winter 2022-23 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop

Winner Announcements:

The winner of the Wish Big Giveaway Hop is Wanda

Blog Recap:

A Review: The London Séance Society by Sarah Penner
A+ Review: Nightwatch by M.L. Buchman
Lady Luck Giveaway Hop
For the Love of Reading Giveaway Hop
Leaping Leprechauns Giveaway Hop
Stacking the Shelves (538)

Coming This Week:

Dead Country by Max Gladstone (review)
The Sister Effect by Susan Mallery (blog tour review)
The Crane Husband by Kelly Barnhill (review)
Firebreak by Nicole Kornher-Stace (review)
A Tempest at Sea by Sherry Thomas (review)

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 2-26-23

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

This week was just a damn good reading week. Next week should be fun for everyone as I’m giving stuff away more than I’m reviewing – which is rare. But it gives me a break to sink my reading teeth into something long and meaty which can be a bit difficult for me to pull off at times.

Speaking of something long and meaty – also large and round and meaty – here’s Tuna. This isn’t so much a case of ‘if I fits, I sits’ as it is ‘if I doesn’t fit, I sprawls’. The biggest cat in the house in the tiniest cat bed, looking just a bit bewildered because it works fine for everyone else!

Current Giveaways:

$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Wish Big Giveaway Hop (ENDS TUESDAY!!!)
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Winter 2022-23 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop

Winner Announcements:

The winner of the February Favorites Giveaway Hop is Rajee

Blog Recap:

Presidents’ Day 2023 (Guest post by Galen)
A+ Review: The Magician’s Daughter by H.G. Parry
A Review: The Weight of Command by Michael Mammay
B+ Review: Full Exposure by Thien-Kim Lam
A+ Review: Where Shadows Dance by C.S. Harris
Stacking the Shelves (537)

Coming This Week:

The London Seance Society by Sarah Penner (blog tour review)
Nightwatch by M.L. Buchman
Lady Luck Giveaway Hop
For the Love of Reading Giveaway Hop
Leaping Leprechauns Giveaway Hop

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 2-19-23

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

Lucifer gave us a bit of a scare this week, so we took him to the vet yesterday to see what was up. Or down in this particular case, as he wasn’t quite his usual grumpy but bouncy self. He’s going on 12 so he’s getting up there, and he has arthritis and is slowing down a bit. Still, he worried us this week and that meant a trip to the V-E-T. Today’s picture of is of his rather disgruntled self while waiting for his exam.

He seems to have had an arthritis flare-up, as we do, and was just uncomfortable for a couple of days. We have meds for him now if it happens again. Of course, he’s still peeved about the whole experience – but that’s just normal catitude.

This turned out to be a damn good reading week. Never Too Old To Save the World turned out to be an especial favorite, and I’ve been referring to it – as appropriate – in quite a few reviews, so I’m glad to finally get its own review out into the world!

Current Giveaways:

$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the February Favorites Giveaway Hop
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Wish Big Giveaway Hop
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Winter 2022-23 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop

Winner Announcements:

The winner of the Heart 2 Heart Giveaway Hop is L Lam

Blog Recap:

A+ Review: Never too Old to Save the World edited by Addie J. King and Alana Joli Abbott
A- Review: The Scarlet Circus by Jane Yolen
A+ Review: Junkyard War by Faith Hunter
Wish Big Giveaway Hop
A Review: World Running Down by Al Hess
Stacking the Shelves (536)

Coming This Week:

Presidents’ Day 2023 (Guest Post by Galen)
The Weight of Command by Michael Mammay (review)
Full Exposure by Thien-Kim Lam (review)
Where Shadows Dance by C.S. Harris (review)
The Magician’s Daughter by H.G. Parry (review)