Category: Blog Hops

Welcome Winter Giveaway Hop

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | Blog Hops> Giveaways> Welcome Winter Giveaway Hop

Welcome to the Welcome Winter Giveaway Hop, hosted by Review Wire Media and Chatty Patty’s Place!

I firmly object to the theme for this hop. I DO NOT welcome winter. At all. One of the reasons we live here is that winter is aware that it is not welcome here and doesn’t commit to much of a visit. That Arctic blast over the holidays was all the reminder I needed about why true winter just isn’t all that much fun.

At least for yours truly. Your wintry mileage may vary. So let us know in the comments whether you ‘welcome winter’ or not, for a chance at the usual Reading Reality prize, the winner’s choice of a $10 Amazon Gift Card or $10 in books.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For more lovely wintry prizes, be sure to visit the other stops on this hop!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter


Winter 2022-23 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | Blog Hops> Giveaways> Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop

Welcome to the Winter 2022-23 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop, hosted by It Starts At Midnight and Shooting Stars Mag!

It’s beginning to look – and feel – a lot like the holidays. Or at least a lot like winter, even if the season doesn’t officially start until today – at least in the meteorological sense. My friends in Anchorage have FOUR AND A HALF FEET of snow on the ground. It’s been winter up there for a while now.

I miss them but I don’t miss the weather AT ALL.

But even if all the winter you get is the “glancing blow” we get here, it’s still chilly, damp and dark too damn early. Which means it’s the perfect season for reading! Not that every season isn’t perfect for that in its own way.

So, the question for this season of books – and every season – is what book or books are you most looking forward to this season?

I’m never looking forward to just one thing when it comes to books. Here are a few at the top of my list for this winter of 2022-23:

Sleep No More by Jayne Ann Krentz
Courting Dragons by Jeri Westerson
Lost in the Moment and Found by Seanan McGuire
The City Under One Roof by Iris Yamashita
Vampire Weekend by Mike Chen
Never Too Old to Save the World edited by Addie J. King and Alana Joli Abbott

What about you? What books are you most looking forward to this winter? Answer in the rafflecopter for you choice of either a $10 Amazon Gift Card or $10 in books so you can get one or two of the books on your list!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For more terrific – and bookish – prizes, be sure to visit the other stops on this hop!

Dashing December Giveaway Hop

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | Blog Hops> Dashing December Giveaway Hop> Giveaways

Welcome to the Dashing December Giveaway Hop, hosted by Mama the Fox!

It’s not just that December is dashing by, but that the whole year leading up to it feels like it flashed by in a minute. I know that the older we get, the smaller a percentage of our total life so far is represented by a single year, but WOW! They’re starting to go by at warp speed – even if occasionally an individual day may seem to take eons.

It doesn’t help that I’m ALWAYS surprised when the winter holidays show up. Most of my life – and it’s still most by a wide percentage – and certainly my formative years were lived in places where the holidays that happened in the winter were presaged by actual winter weather. Which just doesn’t happen here.

It’s supposed to be in the high 40s or low 50s today and all next week. That doesn’t really feel like winter – or look like it. We’ll get rain but no snow, not even with that huge storm blowing across the country. (Although Anchorage sure got hammered.)

What I’m saying is that Thanksgiving, Xmas and New Year’s pretty much all manage to sneak up on me – and they did this year as well.

But speaking of the holidays, this is the final giveaway hop for the year, so before this opportunity dashes away I want to take a minute to wish you and yours a safe, happy and healthy holiday season.

Happy Holidays!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For more terrific holiday prizes, be sure to visit the other stops on this hop!

MamatheFox and all participating blogs are not held responsible for sponsors who fail to fulfill their prize obligations.

Holiday Ho-Ho-Ho Giveaway Hop

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | Blog Hops> Giveaways> Holiday HOHOHO Giveaway Hop

Welcome to the Holiday Ho-Ho-Ho Giveaway Hop, hosted by Review Wire Media and Chatty Patty’s Place!

I see the words “Ho Ho Ho” and in my head there’s a deep voice and a jolly old man in a Santa suit booming “Merry Christmas” even though I don’t personally celebrate the holiday.

Hanukkah begins in the evening of Sunday, December 18 this year and lasts until Boxing Day, December 26 in case you were wondering. I certainly was and I had to go look it up. We kind of celebrate “December” at Chez Reading Reality, and excuse to give each other a present – if we can think of anything either of us wants. Which means that the actual day isn’t marked as it was when I was a kid.

Back to “Ho-Ho-HO!” If you’re looking for a cute grown-up book about Santa – or at least about people dressed as Santa – take a look at A Wish for Winter by Viola Shipman.

I’m digressing again, aren’t I? But there’s something about the holiday season that makes us all a bit scatterbrained, isn’t there?

Do you feel like you’re pulled in all directions during the holidays? Can’t wait to get back to “normal”? Or are you able to just “let it go” along with “letting it snow”?

Tell us how you feel for a chance at our usual holiday prize – and all year ’round – the winner’s choice of a $10 Amazon Gift Card or $10 in books.

Happy Holidays!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For more holiday prizes, be sure to visit the other stops on this hop!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter


Winter is Coming Giveaway Hop

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | Blog Hops> Giveaways> Winter is Coming Giveaway Hop

Welcome to the Winter is Coming Giveaway Hop, hosted by  The Mommy Island & The Kids Did It!

Officially, winter won’t be here in the Northern hemisphere until the day after this hop closes. The official start of winter this year is December 21, the day of the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year. But depending on where you live, it might feel like winter is already here. It might even feel like winter has been here for quite some time by this point.

Winter usually deals Atlanta a glancing blow, which is fine by me. Today feels a bit like a Seattle winter in that it is gloomy, chilly, wet, rainy and has been for several days. But climate’s what you expect, weather is what you get, and wet and chilly in the mid-40s is a considerable improvement over snow showers in the low-30s as it is in Anchorage right now. Especially considering that that represents a warm-ish front so it can snow.

I don’t miss that at all.

What about you? What represents a perfect winter day – or even just a typical one? Answer below for your chance at Reading Reality’s regular blog hop prize, the winner’s choice of a $10 Amazon Gift Card or $10 in books.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For more frosty winter prizes, be sure to visit the other stops on this hop!

Holly Jolly Giveaway Hop

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | Blog Hops> Giveaways> Holly Jolly Giveaway Hop

Welcome to the Holly Jolly Giveaway Hop, hosted by Mama the Fox!

This hop always gives me an earworm. Maybe it does you as well. Whenever I see the words “Holly Jolly” I hear the perennial holiday song, “A Holly Jolly Christmas”. The version I remember best is the one in the included YouTube video. But this is only the original. It’s such a ‘holly jolly’ song that it’s been covered over and over (and over) and is one of the most-performed holiday songs even into the 21st century.

What’s your favorite holiday song? Answer in the rafflecopter – even if your personal fave is “Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer” – for a chance at Reading Reality’s usual prize, the winner’s choice of a $10 Amazon Gift Card (possibly to get more holiday music!) or up to $10 in books.

Happy Holidays!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For more jolly prizes, be sure to visit the other stops on this hop!

MamatheFox and all participating blogs are not held responsible for sponsors who fail to fulfill their prize obligations.

Thankful for Books Giveaway Hop 2022

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | Black Friday Blog Hop> Black Friday Book Bonanza> Blog Hops> Giveaways> Thankful for Books Giveaway Hop

Welcome to the Thankful for Books Giveaway Hop, hosted by yours truly, Reading Reality, and the Caffeinated Reviewer!

I am, always, thankful for books. There’s a quote from Anne Herbert that’s not nearly famous enough that goes:

Most of us can’t afford to buy all the books we want to read. Certainly as a child and young adult I couldn’t even begin to buy all the books I wanted to read. That’s what libraries are FOR, and that’s why so many people’s fond memories of them involve stacks of books and many pleasurable hours reading them.

The corollary to the quote is that the books you get through the library, while they may not exactly get you through times of no money at all they do get you through times that are missing something, or a whole lot of somethings, that you need or want or miss dreadfully. Or at least that’s always been true for me – and it has certainly been true these last few years of pandemics and upheavals and everything else that has upset chunks of the world and everyone in it.

So I’m very thankful for books to get me through. I’m also very thankful for the friends that have been part of the journey, and to all of you who have followed and commented and participated on Reading Reality over these past OMG 11 years (AND COUNTING!)

Happy Holidays!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For more wonderful prizes, be sure to visit the other stops on this hop!

In All Things Give Thanks Giveaway Hop

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | Blog Hops> Giveaways> In All Things Give Thanks Giveaway Hop

Welcome to the In All Things Give Thanks Giveaway Hop, hosted by Mama the Fox!

Hopefully, we all have things to be thankful for this holiday season! In our house, we’re thankful that everybody’s healthy, we have all the things we need and just enough of the things we want to make life run more-or-less smoothly. Or at least as smoothly as five cats in the house allow it to be.

Looking back at my post this time last year for this same hop I was looking forward to our bathroom remodeling project finally being finished. Which it was. And it was lovely. At least until this morning, when the toilet paper holder fell off the wall for no reason whatsoever. At least the shower hasn’t started leaking again – which was what started the whole project in the first place!

I am also thankful for each and every one of you who drop in on Reading Reality from time to time, and especially those who follow and comment. Thank you everyone!

What about you? Is there anything special in progress or coming up that you are particularly thankful for? Answer in the rafflecopter for a chance at the usual Reading Reality prize, the winner’s choice of a $10 Amazon Gift Card or $10 in books.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For more festive seasonal prizes, be sure to visit the other stops on this hop!

MamatheFox and all participating blogs are not held responsible for sponsors who fail to fulfill their prize obligations.

Super Stocking Stuffer Giveaway Hop

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | Blog Hops> Giveaways> Super Stocking Stuffer Giveaway Hop

Welcome to the Super Stocking Stuffer Giveaway Hop, hosted by  The Mommy Island & The Kids Did It!

Does it feel early to you? I mean, the whole idea of holiday stockings, stuffed or otherwise? I know it’s time to be thinking about what to stuff in said stockings, but it still feels early to me. Or perhaps it’s just that this year feels like it’s gone by very, very fast.

Thanksgiving will be over by the time this hop ends, and the Xmas Carol onslaught will be in full swing. Although it IS a bit apropos that the carols start up much too soon after Halloween. After all, the dead do come back to life, at least on music channels, whenever Xmas carols get played. 😉

But this hop is about the stockings, and the stuffing thereof. What would you like to see in yours this holiday season?

Answer in the rafflecopter for your chance at the usual Reading Reality prize, the winner’s choice of a $10 Amazon Gift Card or $10 in books.

Seasons Greetings and Happy Holidays!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For more super prizes, be sure to visit the other stops on this hop!

Thanks a Latte Giveaway Hop

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | Blog Hops> Giveaways> Thanks a Latte Giveaway Hop

Welcome to the Thanks a Latte Giveaway Hop, hosted by Mama the Fox!

The title of this hop is a bit of a pun, isn’t it?

That graphic of a cup of something most likely hot from one’s favorite purveyor of generally caffeinated beverages leads one to think the hop may be related to thanking whichever deity or whatever being is responsible for the existence of caffeine. Most of us need some to get started in the morning.

Personally I prefer tea or chai latte. But something to wake me up is absolutely required.

Very much on my other hand, it could, or does in this case, give me the opportunity to say “THANKS A LOT” to each and every person who drops by this blog to read reviews, check out the weekly cat picture (George was adorable in Sunday’s picture) or to participate in a hop like this one. (There will be plenty more in the weeks ahead as we wend our way towards the holidays.

So again I say, Thank you SO MUCH for being a part of my reading journey!

Now, back to our regularly scheduled giveaway. Answer the question in the rafflecopter about your morning beverage of choice for a chance at the usual Reading Reality prize, the winner’s choice of a $10 Amazon Gift Card or up to $10 in books!

And THANKS!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For more fabulous – and possibly caffeinated – prizes, be sure to visit the other stops on this hop!

MamatheFox and all participating blogs are not held responsible for sponsors who fail to fulfill their prize obligations.