Welcome to the Lady Luck Giveaway Hop, hosted by Mama the Fox!
Sometimes books give me earworms. Sometimes it’s because of the book’s title. I’ve been having an earworm of Frank Sinatra’s version of the song “Luck Be a Lady” and wondering what that was about. So, naturally I looked it up.
Some of it is clearly inspired by the name of this hop. The rest, quite possibly as a result of reading Mastering the Art of French Murder last weekend as I was setting up the Sunday Post. “Luck Be a Lady”, although not Frank’s rendition, was one of the songs that came out of the then-popular hit musical, Guys and Dolls. In 1950. Exactly the year that Mastering the Art of French Murder is set.
So there was a reason. At least sorta/kinda. And we are lucky, at least here in Atlanta, to be experiencing spring – at least off and on – as March seems to be coming in this year like a rather wet lion. Your local mileage may definitely vary on that part.
What song is stuck in your head this early March? Answer through the rafflecopter for you chance at winning the usual Reading Reality hop prize of the winner’s choice of a $10 Amazon Gift Card or $10 in books.
Welcome to the Wish Big Giveaway Hop, hosted by Mama the Fox!
At this moment, I’m wishing for wellness – an excellent thing to wish for no matter what the season. I pulled my right hamstring about a month ago, and I’m finally at the point where it mostly doesn’t both me – although I’m still annoyed at the things I can’t quite get back to doing. I’m also just getting over the truly nasty cold that’s been going around. If there’s anything more annoying than being snotty all the time, I haven’t found it. Not that it’s life-threatening or anything terrible, but it’s one’s nose, and one just can’t away from one’s own nose no matter how much one might want to.
Also, whenever either of us sneezes, it scares ALL the cats half to death themselves. It’s like all them suddenly have 16 legs each, all madly scrambling in opposing directions, all at the same time!
So, what’s at the top of your wish list right now? Share in the rafflecopter for your chance at Reading Reality’s usual giveaway hop prize, the winner’s choice of a $10 Amazon Gift Card or $10 in Books.
Welcome to the Love is in the Air Giveaway Hop, hosted by Review Wire Media!
There are holidays, and then there are ‘Hallmark Holidays’. You know the ones I mean, the ones that seem like they exist solely for the purpose of selling greeting cards. Groundhog Day is actually on the list of Hallmark Holidays, and I’m suddenly wondering what those cards look like and who one sends them to? The people who take care of Punxsutawney Phil?
It seems as if Valentine’s Day may be falling into the ‘Hallmark Holiday’ zone – along with Sweetest Day, which I remember my parents making a big deal of back in the day, but not a holiday you hear much about anymore. Except in the greeting card aisle of the grocery store, of course.
What do you think? Is Valentine’s Day in danger of falling into the ‘Hallmark Holiday’ zone – or is is still a big deal for you and yours? Answer in the rafflecopter for your chance at a bit of love and/or cheer from Amazon, courtesy of Reading Reality.
Welcome to the Heart 2 Heart Giveaway Hop, hosted by Mama the Fox!
This name of this hop is a bit of an earworm, isn’t it? The song “Heart to Heart” by Kenny Loggins was everywhere back in the day. Now it’s stuck in my head and I can’t get it out. I’m hoping that by sharing the earworm it will migrate to someone else’s head and leave mine alone, because it’s been running through my brain for days at this point.
But this month is Valentine’s Day, so there are going to hearts and flowers everywhere – and not just musically. What’s the romantic or Valentine’s Day song that is stuck in your head? Answer in the rafflecopter for your chance at Reading Reality’s usual giveaway hop prize, the winner’s choice of a $10 Amazon Gift Card or $10 in Books.
Welcome to the Winter Wishes Giveaway Hop, hosted by Mama the Fox!
Anyone actually wishing FOR winter this year has probably already had all they can stand. And if they haven’t, there are plenty of places available where they can get all of it they could possibly want for the season, all in one weekend! With encores!
Personally, I have never wished FOR winter – at least not since I was no longer in a position to be hoping for snow days off from school.
Because BRRRRR! I say again. BRRRRRRRRRRRRR!
Mostly, I wish for winter to be over. And for there to be oodles of lovely books to read while I’m inside my cozy house drinking blissfully hot tea or cocoa with as many cats as possible crammed into my lap. Because they don’t like the cold any more than I do.
What about you? Are you wishing for at least six more weeks of winter – or have you already had more than enough?
Share your thoughts in the comments for your chance at Chez Reading Reality’s usual giveaway hop prize, the winner’s choice of a $10 Amazon Gift Card or $10 in Books.
Welcome to the New Year, New You Giveaway Hop, hosted by Mama the Fox!
2023 kind of just zipped by, didn’t it? Some years seem interminable – I’m trying so damn hard not to think of 2020 because YEESH that was a year I hope we never revisit – while others, like this year just passed – seemingly pass in the blink of an eye.
It’s been a good year here at Chez Reading Reality. There have been good books (as evidenced by last week’s Best Books list). Everyone is well and as happy as we all can be. Even George and Lucifer who had their regular vet checks over the weekend. (They even seem to have forgiven us for the whole capture and car trip thing.)
Looking ahead to this year, April 4, 2024 will be the OMG THIRTEENTH Anniversary of Reading Reality’s first post back in 2011. So, in the hopes that 13 will be lucky instead of unlucky, I’ll be trying something new – or new for Reading Reality, at least – starting with this very post.
I’ve had an Instagram account for a while, but haven’t gotten into it. I’m still more about the words than I am about the pictures. But in the wake of this year’s inanity and insanity at the service formerly known as Twitter, I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see X go to a pay for play option. Not that there aren’t plenty of other reasons to get the hell out of that particular Dodge already.
Once upon a time, this was the Month of Books Giveaway Hop, now it’s the Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop, with the hops starting on the days the seasons change. Today is the first official day of Winter no matter whether or not it’s cold and/or snowy where you are. I’m in Atlanta so the leaves that are going to fall finally have, which gives the cats a much better view of the wildlife that comes up into our backyard from the creek.
But the question this season is the same question it’s always been for one of these particular hops. 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 that are at the top of my list for this winter of 2023/2024:
What about you? What books are you most looking forward to this fall? Answer in the rafflecopter for your 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!
Here we are at the second giveaway hop for the month and we already have another earworm! (There’s one more hop coming this month and I’m VERY happy to say that it won’t be poking me in the ear or brain afterwards, as two songs stuck in my head are definitely enough!)
The song this time around, the holiday favorite “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” was so irresistible that it was recorded by not just one but two members of the Rat Pack back in the day – Frank Sinatra in 1950 and Dean Martin in 1959, as well as Jessica Simpson in 2004, the cast of Gleein 2011 and Michael Bublé in 2021. The song has clearly been around and gotten around.
Which isn’t really a surprise because it’s a light and bubbly little song and has the virtue of being utterly non-denominational while still managing to be totally associated with Christmas at the same time. Which makes a great deal of sense, as it was written in July in 1945 during a heat wave, in an attempt by lyricist Sammy Cahn and composer Jule Styne to imagine being somewhere considerably cooler than they actually were.
It’s what humans do, after all, wish that it were warm when we’re cold, wish that it was cool when we’re warm. It’s kind of why we ended up in Atlanta. We’re just far enough north to experience all four seasons, but the winters usually JUST get cold enough to remind us why we’re happy not to get the full experience of the season that we did in Anchorage and Chicago.
And everyone is usually pretty happy to see the rare snowfall here, because it stays just long enough to look pretty – and then it’s gone!
What about you? Are you happy to “let it snow”? Or would you rather “let it go” and be someplace sunny?
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.
Welcome to the Holly Jolly Giveaway Hop, hosted by Mama the Fox!
The theme of this hop always gives me an EPIC earworm of Burl Ives singing that holiday favorite, “Have a Holly Jolly Christmas”. You probably remember it too, if not that original version, than one of the many covers, including Alan Jackson, Jerrod Niemann, Lady Antebellum and the second most popular version after the original, the one by Michael Bublé.
I wouldn’t say that “Holly Jolly Christmas” is my favorite holiday song – I’m not sure I even have a favorite. What about you? 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.
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 two years ago for this same hop I was looking forward to our then upcoming bathroom remodel. Last year I was lamenting the sudden discombobulation of one minor bit of said remodel. This year I’m just thankful that things are one an even keel and all is well at Chez Reading Reality this holiday season.
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.
