The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 7-2-23

We’re back! YAY! The fur-children were VERY happy to see us Friday night, and we were equally happy to see them. The cat-sitter from Reigning Cats & Dogs always sends us pictures, but it is just NOT THE SAME! We missed them terribly by the end.

Howsomever, it looks like some trauma bonding happened while we were away. Here are Lucifer and Luna, firmly ensconced on top of Galen, as Lucifer gives Luna a bit of grooming and she just looks blissed out. And who can blame her? Except possibly her brother Tuna who seems to be a bit left out of the proceedings.

It was terrific to have a bit of a break, as all the posts were queued up before we left. (Sincerest thanks to both Galen and the lovely Amy Daltry for helping to make that happen!) But it is fantastic to be back home. Dorothy was right, “There’s no place like home, there’s no place like home, there’s no place like HOME!”

Current Giveaways:

$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Summer 2023 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop

Winner Announcements:

The winner of the Dad-O-Mite Giveaway Hop is Chris S.
The winner of the Come Out & Play Giveaway Hop is Marisela
The winner of the Hello Summer Giveaway Hop is Elizabeth H.

Blog Recap:

B Review: War Cry by Brian McClellan
A+ Guest Review (by Amy) Chef’s Choice by TJ Alexander
B Review: A Rogue at Stonecliffe by Candace Camp
C Review: Cassandra in Reverse by Holly Smale
B+ Review: Whispers at Dusk by Heather Graham
Stacking the Shelves (555)

Coming This Week:

The Third to Die by Allison Brennan (review)
Independence Day! (Guest Post by Galen)
The Housekeepers by Alex Hay (blog tour review)
A Disappearance in Fiji by Nilima Rao (review)
Christmas in July Giveaway Hop

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

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 4-30-23

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 4-9-23

Today is Easter Sunday. It’s also just about the middle of Passover AND the middle of Ramadan.

Today also marks the end of my TWELFTH Annual Blogo-Birthday Celebration Week – although the giveaways will continue to be open this week so please take this opportunity to get in on a lot of fabulous celebratory prizes!

And neither this week nor any other week here at Chez Reading Reality would be complete without a cat picture. Or, in this case, a picture of two cats. As most people who are owned by cats will tell you, it is IMPOSSIBLE to do ANYTHING alone when you have cats. Or cats have you, as the case may be. Here are Luna and Tuna making sure that their human doesn’t fall in or otherwise disappear while on the “throne”.

Current Giveaways:

Any book by Barbara Hambly
Blogoversary $25 Gift Card Giveaway
Favorite books of 2023 (so far) $25 in Books Giveaway
The Cleaving by Juliet E. McKenna
$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

Blog Recap:

A Review: One Extra Corpse by Barbara Hambly + Giveaway
TWELFTH Annual Blogo-Birthday Celebration and Giveaway!
Blogo-Birthday Birthday Book Celebration and Giveaway!
Dancing in the Rain Giveaway Hop
Just Because Giveaway Hop
A+ Review: The Cleaving by Juliet E. McKenna + Giveaway
Stacking the Shelves (543)

Coming This Week:

The Stars Undying by Emery Robin (audio review)
The Way Home by Peter S. Beagle (review)
Midnight, Water City by Chris McKinney (review)
The Winter Knight by Jes Battis (review)
Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh (review)

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

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 3-5-23

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 2-12-23

I’m not quite sure whether to refer to Luna as “Sinkable Luna” or “Unsinkable Luna” in this picture. She’s in the sink but she’s not sinking. She’s still cute as a button no matter what we call her!

Speaking of sinking, however, I kind of sank my intended reading plan for this week. I shifted The Scarlet Circus because as soon as I started it I realized it was just a much better book for Valentine’s Day than I had originally planned. While just writing the review of Babel made me go running for a comfort read, leading me straight to The Cliff’s Edge. I’m still planning to read Firebreak, probably Presidents’ Day week.

Current Giveaways:

$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Heart 2 Heart Giveaway Hop
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the February Favorites Giveaway Hop
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Winter 2022-23 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop

Blog Recap:

D Review: Babel by R.F. Kuang
B Review: Encore in Death by J.D. Robb
A- Review: The Fire Opal Mechanism by Fran Wilde
A Review: The Unbalancing by R.B. Lemberg
B- Review: The Cliff’s Edge by Charles Todd
Stacking the Shelves (535)

Coming This Week:

Never Too Old to Save the World edited by Addie J. King and Alana Joli Abbott (review)
The Scarlet Circus by Jane Yolen (review)
Junkyard War by Faith Hunter (audio review)
Wish Big Giveaway Hop
World Running Down by Al Hess (blog tour review)

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 1-29-23

The results of the Zoom marathon two weeks ago will become available late this afternoon as part of the RUSA Book & Media Awards at LibLearnX in New Orleans. (The conference formerly known as ALA Midwinter.) Which means that tomorrow I’ll be able to clear out all of my request queues at NetGalley and Edelweiss and get ready to start all over again with a different committee. It’s a bit of a shock every year to see just how many books I received just for whatever committee I happen to have been on and how much those queues get cut down when they’re all gone.

Now that this committee is over, I’ve been looking at some of my other queues and slotting reviews in for books that I always intended to read but never found the round tuit. So some old stuff will be getting mixed into the new to start cleaning up some of that – like my Highly Anticipated Shelf at Edelweiss and a few other places.

And there’s a cat picture. There’s always a cat picture. This is Luna cuddled up to Galen’s hand giving her very best “upside-down kitty face” – a pose she is particularly adorable at. And she certainly does know it! Just look at that sweet but slightly conniving little face!

 

Current Giveaways:

$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Winter Wishes 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 Welcome Winter Giveaway Hop is Brigette

Blog Recap:

B Review: Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel
A Review: Don’t Open the Door by Allison Brennan
A- Review: Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett
A- Review: Sentinel Security: Steel by Anna Hackett
A- Review: The Cat Who Saved Books by Sōsuke Natsukawa
Stacking the Shelves (533)

Coming This Week:

The Terraformers by Annalee Newitz (review)
Vampire Weekend by Mike Chen (blog tour review)
Heart 2 Heart Giveaway Hop
February Favorites Giveaway Hop
The Skeleton Key by Erin Kelly (review)

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 1-8-23

I’m not terribly sure what I’m reading this week – at least towards the end. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday are all set for one reason or another but the end of the week, not so much.

I’m equally unsure of exactly what George and Luna are looking at out the window. They’re clearly watching something on “Kitty Television” in the backyard, but we can’t see what. That one of their preferred perches for this activity is behind the human TV makes it all that much more inscrutable. But then again, they ARE cats.

Current Giveaways:

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

Blog Recap:

New Year’s Day 2023 (observed) You are the New Day (Guest Post by Galen)
23 for 2023: My Most Anticipated Reads for 2023
A- Review: Sleep No More by Jayne Ann Krentz
A- Review: Courting Dragons by Jeri Westerson
A- Review: Breaking the Circle by M.J. Trow
Stacking the Shelves (530)

Coming This Week:

Lost in the Moment and Found by Seanan McGuire (review)
Welcome Winter Giveaway Hop
City Under One Roof by Iris Yamashita (blog tour review)
Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan (review)
Book Lovers by Emily Henry (review)

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 12-18-22

Considering that the holidays are NEXT WEEKEND, I’m not quite sure whether my plans for this week are going to turn into my reality for this week when all is said and done. Although, as the saying goes, there’s usually a lot more said than done. As I just heard something crash in the distance as I type this, I’m reminded, forever and always, that the cats really run this house and the humans are just here to provide kibble and laps.

The picture below is Luna of course, looking EXTREMELY proud of her little self that she’s claimed my ENTIRE half of a queen-sized bed. Definitely a case of it you don’t snooze – or at least secure a location for snoozing – you lose!

Current Giveaways:

$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Winter is Coming Giveaway Hop (ENDS TUESDAY!!!)
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Fall 2022 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop (ENDS TUESDAY!!!)
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Holiday Ho-Ho-Ho Giveaway Hop

Winner Announcements:

The winner of the Holly Jolly Giveaway Hop is Cali W.

Blog Recap:

B Review: Into the West by Mercedes Lackey
A- Review: The Ballad of Perilous Graves by Alex Jennings
A- Review: Secrets Typed in Blood by Stephen Spotswood
A Review: Sweep of the Heart by Ilona Andrews
Dashing December Giveaway Hop
Stacking the Shelves (527)

Coming This Week:

Shenanigans by Mercedes Lackey (review)
Look Closer by David Ellis (review)
Winter 2022-23 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop
Sentinel Security: Striker by Anna Hackett (review)
Eversion by Alastair Reynolds (review)