The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 4-20-25

Posted on April 20, 2025April 18, 2025 by Marlene Harris | Author : Marlene Harris | The Sunday Post> Virtual Nightstand> Winner announcement

Today is Easter Sunday, so Happy Easter to all who celebrate. If you’re still chasing Easter Eggs, then a Hoppy Easter to you as well.

Reading-wise, this was certainly a good week, with A++ rated A Drop of Corruption edging out the merely A+ rated Who Will Remember for book of the week. The one and only negative thing about either book is that there is not any currently available word on the next book in either series. Inquiring minds desperately need to know!

I think I’m sure about what’s coming this week, even though that statement feels a bit like, “I think I can, I think I can.” I’ve faffed around with two of the slots, and re-faffed, and fluffed a bit, and I think this is it. The order is absolutely subject to change, however.

Turning to other orders, or at least to someone looking like they are giving orders, today’s cat picture had to be split in two to fit, but I promise that this began its life as one single picture. We call this one, “Three cats working, one cat supervising.” Somebody found a bug. Everyone had to watch the bug and stare at the bug and poke at the poor, frightened, tiny little bug. Except Hecate. Her job is not to catch the bug. Her job is clearly to supervise the other cats because they might be doing it wrong.

Coming This Week:

Shadow of the Solstice by Anne Hillerman (#BookReview)
Murder at Gulls Nest by Jess Kidd (#BookReview)
A Gentleman’s Murder by Christopher Huang (#BookReview)
Single Player by Tara Tai (#BookReview)
Down in the Sea of Angels by Khan Wong (#AudioBookReview)

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 3-23-25

Posted on March 23, 2025March 22, 2025 by Marlene Harris | Author : Marlene Harris | The Sunday Post> Virtual Nightstand> Winner announcement

I started out this week thinking that the reading would go according to plan. (It happens. It doesn’t happen as often as I would like, but it does happen.) Howsomever, I neglected to take into account that Galen would be away on a work trip for a couple of nights, which shouldn’t be that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things, because that is also a thing that happens. But it’s been a while.

The house feels empty with one of its humans away. The cats are all a bit disgruntled, to the point where they all stare at me as if to ask what I did wrong to mess up THEIR routine. Things just aren’t quite right in their world – or mine. I do read – well, I always read, but when I’m by myself I tend to look for comfort reads and have a really difficult time getting myself stuck into something new, which set the end of this week’s readings into a bit of a tailspin.

And also led to this picture of Tuna, snuggling against my legs, trying to sleep away the upset amongst the tallest, cushiest pile of binkies he can find!

Current Giveaways:

$10 Gift Card or $10 Book PLUS EVENT-WIDE AMAZON/PAYPAL PRIZE in the Spring, March Madness, Earth Month and Mother’s Day Giveaway Event!
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Spring 2025 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop

Winner Announcements:

The winner of the Winter 2024-2025 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop is Steph

Blog Recap:

Grade A #AudioBookReview: The Knight and the Butcherbird by Alix E. Harrow
A- #BookReview: The Library Game by Gigi Pandian
B #BookReview: When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi
Spring 2025 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop
A+ #BookReview: Twice as Dead by Harry Turtledove
Stacking the Shelves (645)

Coming This Week:

The Cat Who Saved the Library by Sōsuke Natsukawa, translated by Louise Heal Kawai (#BookReview)
Luminous by Silvia Park (#BlogTour #BookReview)
Space Brooms! by A.G. Rodriguez
The Undermining of Twyla and Frank by Megan Bannen
The Railway Conspiracy by John Shen Yen Nee and SJ Rozan (#AudioBookReview)

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 3-16-25

Posted on March 16, 2025March 15, 2025 by Marlene Harris | Author : Marlene Harris | The Sunday Post> Virtual Nightstand> Winner announcement

Whew! We have new giveaways again! It’s just the way the calendar fell out, but it was still a bit weird not to change the “Current Giveaways” tab for nearly two months. Hopefully, that won’t happen again for a few years.

Wednesday, March 12 was a day to celebrate here at Chez Reading Reality, as it was our BIG 20th wedding anniversary. My mom said it wouldn’t last – no joke. While I probably enjoyed proving my mom wrong a bit more than I should have, this is one of those times when I am really, truly happy that her crystal ball was WAY out of focus.

Speaking of things and creatures that view the world just a bit off-kilter, this week’s cat picture is of Tuna looking extra, extra large, which he most definitely is. He always looks like he’s either not exactly the sharpest cat in the clowder or viewing the world with more than a bit of confusion because his eyes are set just a bit too closely together. He’s adorably cute, and he works it well, he just doesn’t look all bright. In this particular pic, he looks either manic or demonic, I’m not quite sure which. Or Galen woke him up from a nap to take the picture, and poor Tuna’s brain cells haven’t all caught back up with him yet. If they ever do!

Current Giveaways:

$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Winter 2024-2025 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop (ENDS WEDNESDAY!!!)
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book PLUS EVENT-WIDE AMAZON/PAYPAL PRIZE in the Spring, March Madness, Earth Month and Mother’s Day Giveaway Event!

Winner Announcements:

The winner of the January Wellness Giveaway Hop is Nina L.

Blog Recap:

B+ #BookReview: Chaos by Constance Fay
A+ #BookReview: The Tomb of Dragons by Katherine Addison
A- #BookReview: Murder by Memory by Olivia Waite
Spring, March Madness, Earth Month & Mother’s Day Giveaway Event!
A- #AudioBookReview: Kills Well with Others by Deanna Raybourn
Stacking the Shelves (644)

Coming This Week:

The Undermining of Twyla and Frank by Megan Bannen (#BookReview)
The Library Game by Gigi Pandian (#BookReview)
The Knight and the Butcherbird by Alix E. Harrow (#AudioBookReview)
Spring 2025 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop
Twice as Dead by Harry Turtledove (#BookReview)

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 3-2-25

Posted on March 2, 2025March 1, 2025 by Marlene Harris | Author : Marlene Harris | The Sunday Post> Virtual Nightstand

This was an excellent reading week. Having TWO A+ books certainly helped! If you haven’t had a chance to get into Kingfisher, I can’t recommend her work highly enough. She’s just plain awesome, and she’s fun! And Molly O’Neill’s Greenteeth was just lovely and magical and lyrical and OMG it’s her debut. So if you’re looking for excellent reads, there are two right there! The Girl from Greenwich Street was marvelously compelling – which is hard to do when it’s easy to look up how the story ends. Even the two that weren’t quite up to the others were still fun for this reader because they were part of series(es) that I’m faithfully following.

It’s fortunate for me that the books were good, because that cold is STILL lingering and I haven’t stopped coughing even yet. On that front it’s been a DAMN long week but the books have certainly helped. The cats are starting to give me the evil eye because I’m incapable of sitting still and being QUIET for them to take care of me.

Today’s cat picture is of a combo we haven’t seen a lot of since Tuna and George started buddying up. That’s Tuna in the top ‘bunk’, but it’s Luna in the bottom bunk. The top is usually for checking out the ‘kitty television’ in the backyard but this time it seems as if the humans were more interesting than whatever was going on outside!

Current Giveaways:

$10 Gift Card or $10 Book PLUS EVENT-WIDE AMAZON/PAYPAL PRIZE in the January Wellness, Super Bowl & Valentine’s Day Giveaway Event!
$10 Gift Card or $10 Books in the Winter 2024-2025 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop

Blog Recap:

A+ #BookReview: Swordheart by T. Kingfisher
A+ #BookReview: Greenteeth by Molly O’Neill
B #BookReview: Stone Certainty by Simon R. Green
B #BookReview: A Scandalous Affair by Leonard Goldberg
A- #BookReview: The Girl from Greenwich Street by Lauren Willig
Stacking the Shelves (642)

Coming This Week:

An Excellent Thing in a Woman by Allison Montclair (#BookReview)
Idolfire by Grace Curtis (#BookReview)
The Blanket Cats by Kiyoshi Shigematsu, translated by Jesse Kirkwood (#BookReview)
Kills Well with Others by Deanna Raybourn (#BookReview)
Hunter Squad: Jameson by Anna Hackett (#BookReview)

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 2-16-25

Posted on February 16, 2025February 16, 2025 by Marlene Harris | Author : Marlene Harris | The Sunday Post> Virtual Nightstand

The kittibois have continued to reign in cuteness for another week. This picture is utterly adorable, even though it’s a back view. You can just see the love in that snuggle. (Reminder: objects in photo are proportioned different than they appear. George is actually bigger than Tuna, but all George’s size is in his length, and all of Tuna’s is in his width.)

This week’s books were all good or better. Returning to issues of relative size, especially in comparison to earlier in the year, this week’s Stacking the Shelves is positively ginormous. Check it out and see for yourself!

Current Giveaways:

Blog Recap:

A- #BookReview: The Serpent Under by Bonnie MacBird
A- #BookReview: The Fourth Consort by Edward Ashton
Grade A #BookReview: Picks and Shovels by Cory Doctorow
B #AudioBookReview: Do Me a Favor by Cathy Yardley
B #AudioBookReview: I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I’m Trapped in a Rom-Com by Kimberly Lemming + #Excerpt
Stacking the Shelves (640)

Coming This Week:

Presidents’ Day 2025 (#GuestPost by Galen)
The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar (#AudioBookReview)
The Desert Talon by Karin Lowachee (#BookReview)
One Message Remains by Premee Mohamed (#BookReview)
Thaumaturgic Tapas by Tao Wong (#AudioBookReview)

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 2-9-25

Posted on February 9, 2025February 8, 2025 by Marlene Harris | Author : Marlene Harris | The Sunday Post> Virtual Nightstand

This was certainly an excellent reading week, with A+ books to kick off and close out the week. I adored The Silverblood Promise, and it’s the first thing that gave me real readalike feels for In the Shadow of Lightning. Now I’m stuck waiting for book two in BOTH series. That’s ARRGGGHHHH but it’s a good ARRGGGHHHH. Symbiote just plain gave me the chills, not just for the setting but for the whole entire story. I think I’m glad the author left the door open for a second book, because I want to read what happens next while at the same time I don’t want to know what happens next because I expect it to make the Alien movies look like the proverbial ‘Sunday School picnic’ in comparison.

I needed a cuddle after Symbiote – and you might too so consider that a warning – so this week’s (not just) cats picture is of ALL my boys cuddled close, with a blissful Tuna head-washing a rather sleepy George in the shelter of Galen’s slippered feet.

Current Giveaways:

Blog Recap:

A+ #AudioBookReview: The Silverblood Promise by James Logan
B #BookReview: The Curious Kitten at the Chibineko Kitchen by Yuta Takahashi, translated by Cat Anderson
Grade A #BookReview: Dead in the Frame by Stephen Spotswood
B #BookReview: At the Fount of Creation by Tobi Ogundiran
A+ #BookReview: Symbiote by Michael Nayak
Stacking the Shelves (639)

Coming This Week:

The Serpent Under by Bonnie MacBird (#BookReview)
The Fourth Consort by Edward Ashton (#BookReview)
Picks and Shovels by Cory Doctorow (#BookReview)
Do Me A Favor by Cathy Yardley (#AudioBookReview)
I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I’m Trapped in a Rom-Com by Kimberly Lemming (#BlogTour #BookReview)

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 1-26-25

Posted on January 26, 2025January 25, 2025 by Marlene Harris | Author : Marlene Harris | The Sunday Post> Virtual Nightstand

This week was weird. We got iced in for Tuesday and Wednesday, trapped by “bridge may freeze before roadway” on all sides. Atlanta kind of shut down Tuesday afternoon and stayed that way until Thursday morning. It didn’t snow, much, but it stayed below freezing, and what we got melted just enough to create black ice conditions. Those are fun. NOT. And it made for a strange week.

Things being what they were/are, and not just about the weather, I realized I needed some comfort reads – and probably will for quite some time. But I’ve been looking for some new comfort reads and that search hasn’t gone so well either. It might be me. It’s probably me. But it tasks me quite a bit because I’m really looking for stories to take me far, far away for a bit and that’s not going nearly as well as I’d hoped.

I’d say that this picture represents Tuna and George not worrying about much of anything – but strictly speaking that’s not true as they both get very concerned about things, and it was so cold here that none of the cats were using the catio for a couple of days even though they have their own fur coats to keep them warm.

So the above picture shows them cuddling together for warmth or comfort or a bit of both. What makes it so very much them is that they are both vying for the positions of “big spoon, little spoon” but they are each as big as the other and that part isn’t quite working for either of them!

Current Giveaways:

$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Winter Wishes Giveaway Hop
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book PLUS EVENT-WIDE AMAZON/PAYPAL PRIZE in the January Wellness, Super Bowl & Valentine’s Day Giveaway Event!
$10 Gift Card or $10 Books in the Winter 2024-2025 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop

Blog Recap:

#GuestPost: Martin Luther King Day 2025: Number 21
A- #BookReview: The Hero She Loves by Anna Hackett
B- #BookReview: The Devil’s Due by Bonnie MacBird
B #BookReview: The Baby Dragon Cafe by A.T. Qureshi
Grade A #BookReview: Remember When by Mary Balogh
Stacking the Shelves (637)

Coming This Week:

A Bird in the Hand by Ann Cleeves (#BookReview)
Beast of the North Woods by Annelise Ryan (#BookReview)
The Conjurer’s Wife by Sarah Penner (#AudioBookReview)
The Orb of Cairado by Katherine Addison (#BookReview)
Bonded in Death by J.D. Robb (#BookReview)

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 1-19-25

Posted on January 19, 2025January 19, 2025 by Marlene Harris | Author : Marlene Harris | The Sunday Post> Virtual Nightstand> Winner announcement

This was an excellent reading week! Well, it was from my end of things. However, the end of the week went whack in an unexpected and unfortunate way. I was expecting Friday’s post to be The Serpent Under by Bonnie MacBird for a blog tour from Random Things Tours – and clearly it wasn’t. The tour organizer for Random Things Tours is in hospital and may not be well for a while. I wish her all the best and hope for a speedy recovery. In the meantime, I’m holding onto that review (I really liked the book!) until I hear from her.

Second note, on this coming week’s schedule I have The Baby Dragon Cafe, because I honestly can’t resist the thing. That cover is just adorable and I’m expecting the same from the book inside. I debated whether to review it now or later, because it’s being published both, well, now AND later. The ebook is already out – and it’s only $2.99! The paperback, however, won’t be out until July 1. I have no idea what’s up with that but if, after reading my review you can’t resist, you can get it immediately and dive right in. Or perhaps that should be FLY right in. We’ll see.

Because Hecate has been the featured kitty three out of the past four weeks, I decided it was time to let the boys have their place in the spotlight this week. And so we have this gorgeous picture of Tuna and George, not just together but actually touching and not pretending that the other cat isn’t really the other cat. Although they look a bit disgruntled about it in the picture, they’ve actually become buddies over the last couple of months! Even if they don’t look all that happy about it!

Current Giveaways:

Winner Announcements:

The winner of the New Year, New You Giveaway Hop is Angela C.

Blog Recap:

A- #BookReview: The Way Up is Death by Dan Hanks
Grade A #BookReview: Adrift in Currents Clean and Clear by Seanan McGuire
A+ #BookReview: Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor
Winter Wishes Giveaway Hop
January Wellness, Super Bowl & Valentine’s Day Giveaway Event!
Stacking the Shelves (636)

Coming This Week:

Martin Luther King Day 2025: Number 21 (#GuestPost by Galen)
The Hero She Loves by Anna Hackett (#BookReview)
The Devil’s Due by Bonnie MacBird (#BookReview)
The Baby Dragon Cafe by A.T. Qureshi (#BookReview)
Hammajang Luck by Makana Yamamoto (#BookReview)

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 12-29-24

Posted on December 29, 2024December 28, 2024 by Marlene Harris | Author : Marlene Harris | The Sunday Post> Virtual Nightstand> Winner announcement

The very last Sunday Post of 2024. Wednesday starts a new year, 2025. And OMG what a year it’s been and what a year it’s shaping up to be!

Fittingly, today’s cat picture is of someone peering out from safety, looking a bit scared and very concerned, wondering what this coming year is going to bring. The surprising thing about this picture is that the small, adorable, kittenish face actually hides a whole lotta Tuna behind it. (If you’re wondering, we’ll always know it’s Tuna because of the feets. Luna has little white toe shoes on her front feets and white boots on the back. Tuna has all black feets. It’s Tuna – and he’s clearly terribly worried about something. Just look at how big his eyes are!

But it is time to look ahead, even if those looks contain more than a bit of trepidation. This time last year, I was preparing, also with some trepidation, to start posting on Instagram where I’m @reading_reality. This year, it’s time to switch, at least mostly, from Twitter/X to Bluesky and Threads, and posts have already commenced although that endeavor is likely to be a work in progress as I switch from one set of ‘@’ to another. It helps that Bluesky and Threads will both post automagically – a feature that X, well, x-ed out some time ago.

I’m @readingreality.bsky.social on Bluesky and @reading_reality on Threads. And the widgets in the sidebar will be edited to reflect the additions. I’m honestly not sure what to do about Twitter/X, but then again, that’s true of a LOT of people right now.

I didn’t have many reviews this week, but the two I did have were for books that were among the best of the best this year – so that’s all to the good. I confess that I waited to finalize my Best Books post because I was sure that one or the other of this week’s books – if not both as turned out to be the case! – would make that list. I’ll let you in on which books I’m most looking forward to this year later this week.

In the meantime, I hope your holidays have been and continue to be happy ones! Hopefully we’ll be able to put at least Tuna’s worries to rest in the days ahead.

Current Giveaways:

$10 Gift Card or $10 Books in the Dashing December Giveaway Hop
$10 Gift Card or $10 Books in the Winter 2024-2025 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop

Winner Announcements:

The winner of the Holiday Giveaway Hop is Elizabeth H.

Blog Recap:

Winter 2024-2025 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop
A+ #BookReview: Echo by Tracy Clark
Christmas Day 2024: The Cats of Christmas (#GuestPost)
A+ #AudioBookReview: Blood Jade by Julia Vee and Ken Bebelle
Best Books of 2024
Stacking the Shelves (633)

Coming This Week:

Unquiet Spirits by Bonnie MacBird (#BookReview)
Merry Ever After by Tessa Bailey (#AudioBookReview)
New Year, New You Giveaway Hop
Most Anticipated Books of 2025
Shattering Dawn by Jayne Ann Krentz (#BookReview)

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 11-24-24

Posted on November 24, 2024November 23, 2024 by Marlene Harris | Author : Marlene Harris | Ho-Ho-Ho Readation> The Sunday Post> Virtual Nightstand

First things first, this is the first weekend of the 2024 Ho-Ho-Ho Readathon. Have you signed up and started on your holiday reads, yet? I’m one of the Elves this year, and I’m hosting a Holiday Book Bingo Challenge. I also started on my own personal reads for the Readathon with a Christmas romance, but this week I have a couple of Hanukkah romances – and I’m ever so pleased to see more of those available each year. If you’re looking for books and/or audiobooks to peruse for your own participation, the Under the Mistletoe Collection of short stories and audiobooks have each been just the right size for an Xmas reading stocking and they’ve been terrific so far – I’ve finished three and am thinking about a fourth. (They’re a bit like the reading equivalent of potato chips – you can’t read or listen to just one!) They’re free with Amazon Prime, which is an even better excuse to treat yourself to a bit of light and fluffy reading!

Second, it’s the weekend before Thanksgiving. I don’t know about the rest of you, but the holidays totally snuck up on me this year. We’re going to have a pretty low-key Turkey Day – whether we get an actual turkey boob or not. Yes, I said “turkey boob”. There’s just the two of us. Galen doesn’t like the drumsticks. And there’s just the two of us. The amount of leftovers we’d have if we did a whole turkey for just us two humans doesn’t bear thinking about. Also this clowder of cats does not expect to eat ‘people food’ and we have zero desire to encourage such an expectation. So we just get a turkey breast and call that more than enough – which it generally is. Hence, ‘Turkey Boob’ – which we really need to pick up this weekend!

Then again, we might get a little Honey-Baked Ham. Those are yum, too! (And also not for cats.)

But speaking of cats, and also of this time of the year, today’s cat picture is one I’d like to call the ‘Changing of the Guard’. First, it’s utterly adorable that Tuna and George are cuddling now. But in this particular picture it seems as if Tuna has taken on George’s usual slightly suspicious expression so that he can keep watch, suspiciously of everything of course, while his buddy takes a well deserved nap from his general suspiciousness.

Current Giveaways:

$10 Gift Card or $10 Book for Participants in the 2024 Ho-Ho-Ho Readathon Holiday Book Bingo Challenge
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book PLUS EVENT-WIDE AMAZON/PAYPAL PRIZE in the Late Fall Giveaway Event!
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Fall 2024 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop

Blog Recap:

A- #BookReview: Feuds edited by Mercedes Lackey
B- #BookReview: Grimm Curiosities by Sharon Lynn Fisher
B #AudioBookReview: All By My Elf by Olivia Dade
Ho-Ho-Ho Readathon 2024 Holiday Book Bingo Challenge
A- #BookReview: The December Market by RaeAnne Thayne
Stacking the Shelves (628)

Coming This Week:

Love You a Latke by Amanda Elliot (#2024HOHOHORAT #BookReview)
What Child is This? by Bonnie MacBird (#2024HOHOHORAT #BookReview)
Eight Nights to Win Her Heart by Miri White (#2024HOHOHORAT #BookReview)
Thanksgiving 2024 (#GuestPost by Galen)
Only Santas in the Building by Alexis Daria (#2024HOHOHORAT #AudioBookReview)

Current Giveaways:

Winner Announcements:

Blog Recap:

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