Tag: Black Friday

Thankful for Books Giveaway Hop

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

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

I hope you’re all ready for tomorrow’s Turkey Day! We’re doing something a bit different and having friends over on Black Friday instead of on Thanksgiving. It solves their problem of trying to be two places at once – which no one has really figured out a solution for yet – and doing our cooking on a day when we CAN go to the grocery store if we forgot something important.

So on the actual Turkey Day we’re having actual turkey – really just a turkey boob for two. On Friday we’re getting a Honey Baked Ham – something that would be a bear to pick up on Wednesday but should be easy-peasy on Friday. We’re also making potato pancakes and a broccoli casserole because OMG that meal will need something green in it. It’s all kind of an experiment as we’re cooking things we’ve never made before and hoping it all works out. No matter what, the ham is guaranteed to be good. And the pie. Did I mention the pie? We’re picking up a Chocolate Chess Pie, which I don’t think either of us has ever had, from a place that specializes in pies.

That’ll definitely be just fine!

What about you? What’s your favorite Thanksgiving treat? Answer in the Rafflecopter for a chance at the winner’s choice of a $15(US) gift card to either Amazon or the local bookstore of your choice, or the same amount in books, again from either Amazon, the Book Depository, or the local bookstore of your choice. In order to do this there are just a couple of restrictions. For US entrants, the bookstore you choose needs to have an easy method for me to purchase your gift certificate  or books online and get them sent to you. If you are outside the US, you need to be in a location that the Book Depository ships to (they don’t do Gift Certificates – maybe someday.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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



Black Friday Giveaway Hop

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | Black Friday Blog Hop> Blog Hops> Giveaways

Welcome to the Black Friday Giveaway Hop, hosted by yours truly, Reading Reality, and the Caffeinated Reviewer!

This may not be the usual Black Friday – and it certainly may not have it’s usual salutary effect on retail business and its profit margins. Once upon a time – last year – the day after Thanksgiving marked the traditional opening of the holiday shopping season. As such, it was usually the day when retail stores tipped from the red – owing more money over the year than they made – to black – finally operating at a profit for the year.

While Black Friday this year won’t be what it normally is – or was – Cyber Monday is a thing that got really big very quickly but whose impact has faded more than a bit.

Once upon a time, most folks didn’t have high-speed internet in their homes but a LOT more people had it where they worked. Also, a fair number of people either had Black Friday off, or were working retail or were too busy over the holiday weekend whether visiting family or putting up decorations or whatever that they weren’t at work on Black Friday. But everybody who went back to the office on Monday spent at least some time sharing stories about how their Turkey Day went AND taking a bit of personal time at work – officially or otherwise – to shop for online bargains over their place of work’s high-speed internet.

So Cyber Monday got to be a thing. It’s not as big of a thing as it used to be.

Black Friday is also a bit of an odd day for blogging or pretty much anything normal – particularly for those still in a turkey coma or trying to figure out how to deal with all the leftovers from the day before. And so this hop was born.

We’re also going to do just a bit to help some retail businesses – here at Reading Reality at least some of the bookish ones. I’m giving away the winner’s choice of a $15(US) gift card to either Amazon or the local bookstore of your choice, or $15(US) in books from the Book Depository. In order to do this there are just a couple of restrictions. For US entrants, the bookstore you choose needs to have an easy method for me to purchase your gift certificate online and get it sent to you. If you are outside the US, you need to be in a location that the Book Depository ships to (they don’t do Gift Certificates – maybe someday.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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



Black Friday Giveaway Hop

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

Welcome to the Black Friday Book Bonanza Giveaway Hop, hosted by yours truly, Reading Reality, and the Caffeinated Reviewer!

Today is Black Friday, so named because in times past, the day after Thanksgiving marked the day that retail stores finances tipped from red ink (receipts not matching expenses) to black ink. It’s also the unofficial start of the Holiday season – and the equally unofficial start of the Xmas shopping season – hence that red ink to black switch. Even though stores don’t exactly use paper ledgers and ink to do their accounting, the principle is still true. Today is the day when retail starts to turn a profit.

That this year Thanksgiving is relatively late in the calendar has more than a few of them hoping that there’s enough time to get enough people in their stores – whether physically or virtually – to make the magic happen again this year. (Next year it’s a tinge earlier. C’est la vie)

This is not a day when a lot of blogging happens. People are either out shopping or still recovering from yesterday’s turkey coma. Still, I’m going to do my little bit to help you with your holiday shopping, even if it’s just a present for yourself.

The rafflecopter below is your chance at either a $10 Amazon Gift Card or a $10 Book from the Book Depository to treat yourself – or someone else.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

Black Friday Giveaway Hop Participants

1. Reading Reality (INT)
2. Caffeinated Reviewer (INT)
3. Angel’s Guilty Pleasures (INT)
4. Read Your Writes Book Reviews (US)
5. Samantha The Book Disciple
6. Nicci @ Sunny Buzzy Books (INT)
7. Tanya @ Girl Plus Books
8. Gretl@ Goldilox and the Three Weres (US)
9. Ilovebooksandstuffblog
10. Beauty Info Zone (US/Can)		 11. The Mommy Island
12. Dashing Bling Read
13. The Attic Girl
14. Maureen @ Maureen’s Books
15. For What It’s Worth
16. Suzie Olsen (US)
17. Tabatha @Broken Soul Reviews
18. Carol’s Notebook (Int)
19. Readeropolis (US)

Learn more about Black Friday Giveaway Hop here.
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Black Friday Book Bonanza Giveaway Hop

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | Black Friday Book Bonanza> Blog Hops> Giveaways

Welcome to the Black Friday Book Bonanza Giveaway Hop, hosted by yours truly, Reading Reality, and the Caffeinated Reviewer!

On the one hand, Black Friday isn’t quite what it used to be. It used to be THE semi-official start to the holiday shopping season – not that some frighteningly organized people didn’t get their shopping done well ahead of the season. With online shopping so convenient ALL THE TIME, one can hope that the madding crowds are a bit reduced. Certainly there are options that allow anyone so inclined (like moi) to avoid the proverbial Christmas rush altogether.

On that other hand, Black Friday got it’s name because that was the day when most retail stores began making a profit for the year, flipping their ledgers from red ink to black. I wonder if that part of the name still holds true?

One year we were in Vancouver, BC for Thanksgiving and the weekend after. It was very, very strange to see all the Black Friday sale signs in a place that did not have a Thanksgiving Thursday, as Canadians sensibly have their Thanksgiving holiday in October!

But here’s your chance to do a little shopping for yourself this Black Friday. Just answer the question in the rafflecopter for your chance at either a $10 Amazon Gift Card or a $10 Book from the Book Depository to treat yourself or someone else.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For more fabulous bookish prizes, be sure to visit the other stops on the hop!

The Sunday Post AKA What’s On My (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 12-1-13

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

Sunday Post

For those of us in the U.S. it is the end of the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. For everyone not in the U.S., you’re probably wondering what the fuss was about. Except that we were in Vancouver, Canada on Thursday and Friday and saw Black Friday Sale signs going up all over the place. It seemed strange to have Black Friday Sales without having had a Thanksgiving Thursday first. And Canada doesn’t. Thanksgiving in Canada was way back on October 14.

We asked people what the deal was, and it turned out that yes, it was becoming a deal. Vancouver, at least, is way too close to the U.S. border for economic comfort. Too many Christmas shoppers were driving to Seattle, or at least the outlet mall along the way, to grab the Black Friday shopping madness in the U.S.

So the Canadian stores were trying to keep those shoppers at home by giving them their very own Black Friday sales. Turkey and stuffing optional.

Buying In by Laura HemphillCurrent Giveaways:

Buying In by Laura Hemphill — hardcover copy of the book
Poisoned Web by Crista McHugh — $100 Amazon Gift Card
Bittersweet Magic by Nina Croft — $25 Amazon Gift Card
Seductive Powers by Rebecca Royce — $50 Amazon Gift Card
Bewitching Book Tours Hot Holiday Giveaway

Winner Announcements:

The winner of the paperback copy of In Love with a Wicked Man by Liz Carlyle is Erin F.
The winner of the $10 Amazon or B&N Gift card in the Gratitude Giveaway Hop is Ellie.

poisoned web by crista mchughBlog Recap:

B Review: Buying In by Laura Hemphill + Giveaway
B+ Review: In Love With a Wicked Man by Liz Carlyle + Giveaway
C+ Review: Matzoh and Mistletoe by Jodie Griffin
Happy Thanksgivukkah
A- Review: Poisoned Web by Crista McHugh + Giveaway
Stacking the Shelves (68)

The Blooding of Jack Absolute by C.C. HumphreysComing Next Week:

Parts & Wreck by Mark Henry (review + guest post + giveaway)
The Blooding of Jack Absolute by C.C. Humphreys (review)
Codex Born by Jim C. Hines (review)
When It’s Right by Jeanette Grey (review)
Alien Adoration by Jessica E. Subject (review)
Alien Admirer by Jessica E. Subject (review)