Tag: George T. Cat

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 1-28-24

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | The Sunday Post> Virtual Nightstand

This week’s cat picture is George, curled up into the tightest kitty-ball his long-legged self can manage. Which is surprisingly small for the size of the cat.

George squeezes himself into this position when the world gets overwhelming and he’s doing his best to cut off the ‘whelm’. It works for him. I wish I could join him but at the moment I can’t bend that way because of last week’s epic fall. My leg is the same color as my hair – which is PURPLE. It’s a great color for hair, not so good for human skin. It is getting better but it’s not been the best week, all things considered. I think my brain finally rebooted around Wednesday, so things are looking up!

This week’s reviews are going to be interesting – for select values of that word as well. I’ve been in a bit of a murder-y mystery mood this year so far, but this week’s reviews have turned out to be nearly all romances – going with the theme of Thursday’s Giveaway Hop and Valentine’s Day later in the month. Although I’m wondering if that will hold – because I’m really enjoying that story about the body at the seance so far. We’ll see as the week goes on.

One other thing to see, or I’m seeing, or however best to put that. I have a question for you all. I’ve started putting the review rating in the title of the post, which is great for Instagram as I work my way through that den of complexity. But I’m struck by how awkward it looks when a book gets a plain ‘A’, no pluses or minuses. Just typing ‘A #BookReview: Title by Author’ tho’ also looks weird because whatever grade it gets its always ‘a book review’ as that’s the whole point.

Anyone have any better ideas? Thanks for following and keeping up with the cat pictures!

Current Giveaways:

$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Winter Wishes Giveaway Hop
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Winter 2024 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop

Blog Recap:

Grade A #BookReview: The Missing Witness by Allison Brennan
A- #BookReview: Port in a Storm by Rhys Ford
Grade A #BookReview: Gryphon by M.L. Buchman
A- #BookReview: The Hero She Wants by Anna Hackett
A+ #AudioBookReview: The Bell in the Fog by Lev AC Rosen
Stacking the Shelves (585)

Coming This Week:

A Quantum Love Story by Mike Chen (spotlight + excerpt)
A Body at the Seance by Marty Wingate (review)
Remember Me by Mary Balogh (review)
Heart 2 Heart Giveaway Hop
That Time I Got Drunk and Yeeted a Love Potion at a Werewolf by Kimberly Lemming (review)

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 9-10-23

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | The Sunday Post> Virtual Nightstand

I’m sure about every day this week except Wednesday. I’ve already read or listened to all the books, but I didn’t write up Mammoths at the Gates for Reading Reality back when I reviewed it for Library Journal, so I need to do at least a re-skim for this week. It was lovely and adorable and so much fun – like every book in the Singing Hills Cycle so far – but my round tuit just wasn’t fully polished that weekend.

Turning to something  – or someone – else that is rather round, take a look at this recent picture of Luna, Tuna and George. Luna and George are out on the screened-in catio, while Tuna is looking on mournfully from the inside side of the cat door. George and Luna spend a LOT of time out on the catio, especially George, but Tuna doesn’t go out there. We don’t think he actually CAN – or at least that the width of his whiskers is telling him that he won’t fit through the door. Lucifer doesn’t go out because he doesn’t wanna, Hecate doesn’t go out because she’s a grumpy little girl who would much rather be an only child, but it’s pretty clear from Tuna’s face that he wants to REAL BAD but thinks he can’t.

So his sister and her buddy tease him unmercifully about it!

Current Giveaways:

$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Glam and Glits Giveaway Hop
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Summer 2023 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Hello Autumn Giveaway Hop
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Holiday Kickoff Giveaway Hop

Blog Recap:

Labor Day 2023
B Review: Payback in Death by J.D. Robb
Hello Autumn Giveaway Hop
Holiday Kickoff Giveaway Hop
B Review: Forgotten History by Christopher L. Bennett
Stacking the Shelves (565)

Coming This Week:

9/11 (Guest Post by Galen)
Fury by Anna Hackett (review)
Mammoths at the Gates by Nghi Vo (review)
An Unsuitable Heiress by Jane Dunn (blog tour review)
Prophet by Sin Blaché and Helen MacDonald (audiobook review)

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 8-13-23

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | The Sunday Post> Virtual Nightstand

If you take a look at last Sunday’s Sunday Post, you can see that I intended to finish out this week with three thrillers in a row. Which was not terribly good planning on my part, as, while I like the occasional thriller, particularly by authors I’m already familiar with, that’s well, a bit much in one week for me. Some genres I can read all week long, but horror or thrillers, and this would have been both, one at a time is enough. Hence the week ending flail.

This week may be the same, although for different reasons. I’m sure about the first three days, because they’re already done. Thursday and Friday – not so much. We’ll see.

And on a lighter note that began as a heavier note, I call this picture ‘Return of the Monster Vacuum’, in tribute to Purina’s Dear Kitten videos – which have been rebooted – so if you love cats and haven’t seen them, they’re awesome and they’re back. In the Dear Kitten series, an older cat is passing on his words of wisdom to a kitten he’s not too sure is worth the trouble but he thinks so highly of himself (as they do) and enjoys expounding so much that he can’t resist the impulse. In those videos the older cat teaches the kitten about, among many other things, the dreaded ‘MONSTER VACUUM’. This picture was taken during the monthly houseclean, as Lucifer, Hecate and George instinctually ‘treed’ themselves in the cats’ room while the Monster Vacuum did it’s terrible work.

Current Giveaways:

$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Apple A Day Giveaway Hop (ENDS TUESDAY!!!)
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Back to School Giveaway Hop
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Summer 2023 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop

Blog Recap:

B Review: The Archive Undying by Emma Mieko Candon
Back to School Giveaway Hop
A- Review: Blind Fear by Brandon Webb and John David Mann
A- Review: Who Buries the Dead by C.S. Harris
B- Review: Shark Heart by Emily Habeck
Stacking the Shelves (561)

Coming This Week:

Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher (audio review)
Wild Spaces by S.L. Coney (audio review)
Old School Giveaway Hop
A Right Worthy Woman by Ruth P. Watson (review)
Witness by Jamel Brinkley (review)

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 7-9-23

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | The Sunday Post> Virtual Nightstand

When last we left our heroes – or at least when we left the cats for our trip – Tuna and George were getting along a bit better but not all the way towards peace in our time. There must have been more trauma-bonding going on while we were gone, as we’ve seen them playing together since we’ve been back, and this picture seems to show something like peaceable relations. Howsomever, it’s equally possible that Tuna is preparing to dump George on the floor by pulling the support brackets down from the window seat!

Current Giveaways:

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

Blog Recap:

A Review: The Third to Die by Allison Brennan
Independence Day! (Guest Post by Galen)
B Review: The Housekeepers by Alex Hay
B Review: The Last Drop of Hemlock by Katharine Schellman
Christmas in July Giveaway Hop
Stacking the Shelves (556)

Coming This Week:

A Disappearance in Fiji by Nilima Rao (review)
Murder on Black Swan Lane by Andrea Penrose (review)
The Wayward Prince by Leonard Goldberg (review)
Montego by Brian McClellan (review)
The Only Purple House in Town by Ann Aguirre (review)

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 5-21-23

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

It’s kind of been one of those weeks, and not just reading wise. Twitter no longer accepts tweets directly from Jetpack, so I have to remember to tweet my posts first thing in the morning. I am NOT a morning person, so it’s going to take a while to make that part of my normal routine as I’m ingesting my caffeine for the day. C’est la vie.

The end of last week’s schedule fell completely apart, hence my desperation move of combining two books I did not like into one relatively short review explaining why they did not work. Then the audiobook I was listening to was turning out to be a bit of a rage listen, so I bailed on that and switched to print. In the end, that worked better, more of a case of it wasn’t a book for me as opposed to please decide who your book’s first person voice is and stick to it. Your reading mileage may definitely vary. (Yes, that’s a Star Trek book coming up tomorrow. I got really frustrated this week.)

(The Bandit Queens is excellent so far, it’s just a bit longer than I was anticipating.)

But someone is having an excellent week. Here’s George, sunning himself on his catio. Although we’ve seen both Luna and Tuna go through the cat flap, it’s clearly become George’s territory and he’s very proud of himself about it!

Current Giveaways:

$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Life’s a Beach Giveaway Hop (ENDS THURSDAY!)
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Moms Rock Giveaway Hop

Winner Announcements:

The winner of the Come What May Giveaway Hop is Bea

Blog Recap:

A- Review: Big Trouble on Sullivan’s Island by Susan M. Boyer
Moms Rock Giveaway Hop
A Review: The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder by David Grann
C/D+ Reviews: Short and Unsatisfactory: Books and Reviews 
B- Review: You Are Here by Karin Lin-Greenberg
Stacking the Shelves (549)

Coming This Week:

Watching the Clock (Star Trek: Department of Temporal Investigations #1) by Christopher L. Bennett (review)
Red Team Blues by Cory Doctorow (review)
Dioramas by Blair Austin (review)
Dear Chrysanthemums by Fiona Sze-Lorrain (review)
The Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff (review)

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 4-23-23

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | The Sunday Post> Virtual Nightstand

This was a Grade A reading week from beginning to end. Which is kind of fitting, as today is the start of National Library Week, celebrating a place and an experience where so many of us began our lifelong love of reading. I certainly did. Libraries, for me also represent both a sweet memory and a lifelong bad habit. Procrastinating work on research papers in high school guaranteed a trip to the big downtown library with my dad. So I got both a whole afternoon of his attention – which was always hard to get – and a couple of hours in the palace of wonder otherwise known as the Cincinnati Public Library’s Main Library. It was a win-win for me at the time – but I have to confess that the procrastination habit has not served me all that well in the long run. But in that short run the whole thing was pretty damn sweet.

And speaking of sweet, here’s a picture of George, sweetly curled up on our new comforter. It really brings out his orangeness, doesn’t it?

Current Giveaways:

$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Just Because Giveaway Hop (ENDS TONIGHT!!!!!)
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Dancing in the Rain Giveaway Hop (ENDS THURSDAY!)

Blog Recap:

A+ Review: Who Cries for the Lost by C.S. Harris
A Review: Wings Once Cursed and Bound by Piper J. Drake
A Review: Three Debts Paid by Anne Perry
A- Review: Unraveling by Peggy Orenstein
A+ Review: Our Lady of Mysterious Ailments by T.L. Huchu
Stacking the Shelves (545)

Coming This Week:

The Way of the Bear by Anne Hillerman (review)
Happy Place by Emily Henry (review)
The Comeback Cowboy by Jackie Ashenden, Caitlin Crews, Nicole Helm, Maisey Yates (blog tour review)
The Beach Reads Bookshop by Lee Tobin McClain (blog tour review)
The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw (audio review)

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 2-5-23

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

First things first. The Terraformers was just incredibly awesome, so if you like science fiction at all it is so worth taking a look at!

Second thing – but clearly not any less important (because they’d never forgive me) – this week’s cat picture. This is George looking entirely too adorable. He also looks rather kittenish but the picture was taken just last week so he’s three and supposed to be out of the kitten stage. Which he clearly doesn’t think he is. Yet or possibly ever.

Third thing – I finished Babel Friday. I have thoughts. I have lots of thoughts. They are far from pleasant thoughts. You’ll see…

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

Winner Announcements:

The winner of the Winter Wishes Giveaway Hop is Rita W.

Blog Recap:

A+ Review: The Terraformers by Annalee Newitz
B+ Review: Vampire Weekend by Mike Chen
Heart 2 Heart Giveaway Hop
February Favorites Giveaway Hop
A Review: The Skeleton Key by Erin Kelly
Stacking the Shelves (534)

Coming This Week:

Encore in Death by J.D. Robb (review)
Babel by R.F. Kuang (audiobook review)
The Unbalancing by R.B. Lemberg (review)
The Scarlet Circus by Jane Yolen (review)
Firebreak by Nicole Kornher-Stace (review)

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

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | The Sunday Post> Virtual Nightstand

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 12-25-22

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

Whether or not you believe that this is “the most wonderful time of the year”, today is Christmas. If this is your holiday, then Merry Christmas. If all you’re celebrating is a day off, like this household, then that can be plenty to celebrate. If you’re celebrating that you have heat and power and in your house after this week’s weather, that’s something pretty big to celebrate!

A tree fell on our house in the middle of the night on Xmas Eve Eve, so we’re definitely celebrating that last bit. The tree hit the back stairs and managed to do nothing more than barely scrape the side of the house and deck. But that sudden impact made for quite the shock at 3 something in the dark of the a.m.

It didn’t wake either the cats or myself, although Galen was up and about trying to see what the damage was in the middle of a rather interrupted night.

Something to celebrate on a very cold and wintry holiday.

p.s. The boys say Happy Holidays!

Current Giveaways:

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

Winner Announcements:

The winner of the Fall 2022 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop is Kelly
The winner of the Winter is Coming Giveaway Hop is Susan S.

Blog Recap:

B Review: Shenanigans by Mercedes Lackey
A+ Review: Look Closer by David Ellis
Winter 2022 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop
A- Review: Sentinel Security: Striker by Anna Hackett
A Review: Eversion by Alastair Reynolds
Stacking the Shelves (528)

Coming This Week:

Boxing Day (guest post by Galen)
The Gingerbread Cat by Stephanie Osborn (review)
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna (review)
In the Shadow of Lightning by Brian McClellan (review)
Best Books of 2022

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 12-4-22

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

It’s a kind of misty, moisty weekend here in the ATL. Here’s a picture of part of the clowder watching the world drip by.

That’s Lucifer on the left and George and Luna on the right. This particular configuration gets along well. George and Luna are buddies and nobody messes with Lucifer. He’s the smallest of the five cats, but he has a tremendous amount of presence. And he was here first so the rest of them defer to his demonic majesty.

Between  The Twist of a Knife and A World of Curiosities this week, I ended up with some mystery television to watch. Magpie Murders was terrific. I won’t say it was better than the book, but it certainly made terrific use of its new medium. Three Pines, on the other hand, was not bad, and certainly better than an earlier attempt, but I have some reservations. They did a good job casting Gamache, but so much of what makes him so fascinating in the books is going on beneath the surface, which is not something that TV does well at all. But I’m curious enough to see how the series turns out.

Current Giveaways:

$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Fall 2022 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Holly Jolly Giveaway Hop

Winner Announcements:

The winner of the Thankful for Books Giveaway Hop is Lyzabeth
The winner of the In All Things Give Thanks Giveaway Hop is Rebecca
The winner of the Super Stocking Stuffer Giveaway Hop is Marisela

Blog Recap:

B Review: The Three Dahlias by Katy Watson
A+ Review: The Twist of a Knife by Anthony Horowitz
B Review: A Wish for Winter by Viola Shipman
Holly Jolly Giveaway Hop
A+ Review: A World of Curiosities by Louise Penny
Stacking the Shelves (525)

Coming This Week:

The Socialite’s Guide to Murder by S.K. Golden (blog tour review)
Winter is Coming Giveaway Hop
Hide by Tracy Clark (blog tour review)
Pets of Park Avenue by Stefanie London (blog tour review)
Holiday Ho-Ho-Ho Giveaway Hop