Tag: Sunday Post

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 8-20-23

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

I almost wrapped up this post for the “Coming This Week” bit with “two players to be named later” or just TBD (to be determined) because this has just been one of those months where things fall apart at the end of the week. C’est la vie.

This week specifically went to bits because one of the ‘mystery’ Kindle Achievements was revealed to be ‘Series Summer’ that required reading a book in a popular series. Clearly Amazon’s definition of ‘popular series’ was different from mine, because I hoped that the Sebastian St. Cyr book would cover it – but it didn’t. This week’s Thursday Murder Club book, on the other hand, absolutely did! But the next Wrexford & Sloane book in my catching up read has been calling my name, so I’m just admitting up front that I’ll be reading it this week.

Current Giveaways:

$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Back to School Giveaway Hop
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Old School Giveaway Hop
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Summer 2023 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop

Winner Announcements:

The winner of the Apple A Day Giveaway Hop is Daniel M.

Blog Recap:

A Review: Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher
B Review: Wild Spaces by S.L. Coney
Old School Giveaway Hop
C Review: Kinauvit?: What’s Your Name? by Norma Dunning
A- Review: Where the Dead Lie by C.S. Harris
Stacking the Shelves (562)

Coming This Week:

The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman (review)
Cursed at Dawn by Heather Graham (blog tour review)
Sir Hereward and Mister Fitz by Garth Nix (review)
Murder at Kensington Palace by Andrea Penrose (review)
Wolfsong by TJ Klune (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 8-6-23

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

I’ve been having a kind of epic book flail for several weeks now. It’s not that I don’t want to read, or even that I don’t want to read the particular books I thought I was going to read. More that I’m having a hard time getting stuck into each book and then flailing around to find one I can get stuck into. (That Galen has found some really fascinating games to play and I can’t seem to resist watching is NOT HELPING!)

If Jade Shards had been three or four – or possibly more – times as long I’d probably still be there because I get hooked into Janloon every time and DO NOT WANT TO LEAVE. Although that’s not the real problem. Life is just in entirely too much limbo right now and that’s not my best thing.

So here’s what I think I’m doing this week. The only two days I’m certain of are Monday and Tuesday. The rest may still be in the lap of the gods.

Speaking of gods, or rather in this case, goddesses, here’s a picture of Luna in one of her favorite positions, smooshed in next to her favorite human.

Current Giveaways:

$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Apple A Day Giveaway Hop
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Summer 2023 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop

Blog Recap:

A+ Review: Jade Shards by Fonda Lee
Apple a Day Giveaway Hop
A- Review: A Pirate’s Life for Tea by Rebecca Thorne
B Review: Sherlock Holmes and the Silver Cord by M.K. Wiseman
B+ Review: Secrets in the Dark by Heather Graham
Stacking the Shelves (560)

Coming This Week:

The Archive Undying by Emma Mieko Candon (audio review)
Back to School Giveaway Hop
Blind Fear by Brandon Webb and John David Mann (review)
Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle (review)
North of Nowhere by Allison Brennan (review)

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 7-30-23

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

This week has been weird. Last week was weird as well. Next week will probably be weird too. But at least the books have been good! AND an excellent way to get away from the weird into the bargain. And I have two books I’m super excited about, Jade Shards and A Pirate’s Life for Tea. I really, really need the cozy fantasy vibes of A Pirate’s Life for Tea this week, and well, I’m still so much in mourning over the end of Fonda Lee’s fabulous Green Bone Saga that even the slightest sliver of that world makes my whole month. Which really truly needs some making.

It’s also been egg-frying on the sidewalk hot here in Atlanta, although still not as bad as some places. Here’s a picture of Luna and Tuna who look like they’re melting although I promise they are not.

Current Giveaways:

Summer 2023 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop

Winner Announcements:

The winner of the Christmas in July Giveaway Hop is Megan

Blog Recap:

A- Review: The Book of Gems by Fran Wilde
A- Review: Murder at Half Moon Gate by Andrea Penrose
A Review: The Lady from Burma by Allison Montclair
B- Review: The Horoscope Writer by Ash Bishop
A- Review: Knighthunter by Anna Hackett
Stacking the Shelves (559)

Coming This Week:

Jade Shards by Fonda Lee (review)
Apple a Day Giveaway Hop
Lord of a Shattered Land by Howard Andrew Jones (review)
A Pirate’s Life for Tea by Rebecca Thorne (review)
Sherlock Holmes and the Silver Cord by M.K. Wiseman (review)

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

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

This has been one of THOSE weeks. You know the kind, the weeks where your personal spoon supply runs out on Monday and there’s still entirely too many days to go – every single one of which does its damndest to demand yet more spoons.

So I ended last week flailing for a comfort read, and got so sucked in that I almost picked up the next book in the same series, but that doesn’t usually work for me because as much as I love the world it’s set in, too much too close together usually doesn’t keep me as enthralled as I hope. We’ll see all the way around.

But to keep all of us on our toes, so to speak, here are Luna and Tuna recharging their solar batteries. At least someone is enjoying the overabundance of the stuff, as the humans are mostly just exhausted!

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: Montego by Brian McClellan
A++ Review: Emergent Properties by Aimee Ogden
A+ Review: Ebony Gate by Julia Vee and Ken Bebelle
B+ Review: Women of the Post by Joshunda Sanders
A- Review: Why Kings Confess by C.S. Harris
Stacking the Shelves (558)

Coming This Week:

The Book of Gems by Fran Wilde (review)
Murder at Half Moon Gate by Andrea Penrose (review)
The Lady from Burma by Allison Montclair (review)
The Horoscope Writer by Ash Bishop (review)
Knighthunter by Anna Hackett (review)

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 7-16-23

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

It was clearly a VERY good reading week here at Chez Reading Reality. I do so love it when a plan comes together! Not that I planned the ratings at all, just that I was really in the mood for a spot of murder at the beginning of the week and everything just fell into place!

Something else fell into place – Miss Hecate. Here she is posing on her favorite window perch, showing all off the interesting colors on her underside. Unfortunately, this picture also displays just how much damage George and Tuna have done to the very same window seat. It IS made to be damaged but the big divots have developed holes big enough to show daylight, so its replacement is already on hand. Not that it isn’t a hilarious scene when one of the big guys jumps on the seat and it collapses underneath them!

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: A Disappearance in Fiji by Nilima Rao
A- Review: Murder on Black Swan Lane by Andrea Penrose
A- Review: The Wayward Prince by Leonard Goldberg
A- Review: Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa
A- Review: The Only Purple House in Town by Ann Aguirre
Stacking the Shelves (557)

Coming This Week:

Montego by Brian McClellan (review)
Ebony Gate by Julia Vee and Ken Bebelle (audio review)
Emergent Properties by Aimee Ogden (review)
Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle (review)
Women of the Post by Joshunda Sanders (blog tour 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 7-2-23

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

We’re back! YAY! The fur-children were VERY happy to see us Friday night, and we were equally happy to see them. The cat-sitter from Reigning Cats & Dogs always sends us pictures, but it is just NOT THE SAME! We missed them terribly by the end.

Howsomever, it looks like some trauma bonding happened while we were away. Here are Lucifer and Luna, firmly ensconced on top of Galen, as Lucifer gives Luna a bit of grooming and she just looks blissed out. And who can blame her? Except possibly her brother Tuna who seems to be a bit left out of the proceedings.

It was terrific to have a bit of a break, as all the posts were queued up before we left. (Sincerest thanks to both Galen and the lovely Amy Daltry for helping to make that happen!) But it is fantastic to be back home. Dorothy was right, “There’s no place like home, there’s no place like home, there’s no place like HOME!”

Current Giveaways:

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

Winner Announcements:

The winner of the Dad-O-Mite Giveaway Hop is Chris S.
The winner of the Come Out & Play Giveaway Hop is Marisela
The winner of the Hello Summer Giveaway Hop is Elizabeth H.

Blog Recap:

B Review: War Cry by Brian McClellan
A+ Guest Review (by Amy) Chef’s Choice by TJ Alexander
B Review: A Rogue at Stonecliffe by Candace Camp
C Review: Cassandra in Reverse by Holly Smale
B+ Review: Whispers at Dusk by Heather Graham
Stacking the Shelves (555)

Coming This Week:

The Third to Die by Allison Brennan (review)
Independence Day! (Guest Post by Galen)
The Housekeepers by Alex Hay (blog tour review)
A Disappearance in Fiji by Nilima Rao (review)
Christmas in July Giveaway Hop

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 6-25-23

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

Here I am, attempting to predict the future. We’re actually away at the American Library Association Annual Conference in Chicago, where the books are hot and the weather is supposed to be gorgeous. I’m working more than a bit ahead on this, so it could all fall apart by the time this week comes to pass – but I hope not.

Speaking of hopes, this weekend’s cat picture is Lucifer giving me his best grumpy face, which is probably exactly what he is doing and will most definitely be doing when we get back!

 

Current Giveaways:

$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Hello Summer Giveaway Hop
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Come Out & Play Giveaway Hop
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Dad-O-Mite Giveaway Hop
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Summer 2023 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop

Blog Recap:

Juneteenth 2023: Cooperatives (Guest Post by Galen)
A- Review: Hex by Anna Hackett
Summer 2023 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop
B Review: Hiss Me Deadly by Miranda James
A- Review: Beach Read by Emily Henry
Stacking the Shelves (554)

Coming This Week:

War Cry by Brian McClellan (review)
Chef’s Choice by TJ Alexander (Guest Review by Amy)
A Rogue at Stonecliffe by Candace Camp (blog tour review)
Cassandra in Reverse by Holly Smale (audiobook review)
Whispers at Dusk by Heather Graham (blog tour review)

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 6-18-23

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

Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there!

For Mother’s Day last month I posted a picture of LaZorra, the one and only momcat we’ve ever had – at least so far. So it seems only fitting that for Father’s Day I post a picture of the only dadcat that we’ve ever had, at least so far and so far as we know. (Who knows what Lucifer got up to while he was living rough!)

It’s also totally appropriate that Erasmus follow his sister LaZorra, because that’s pretty much what he did for his entire life. She had ALL the brains, and he had all the sweet. (Yes, they were a bit like the Egyptian pharaohs, as momcat and dadcat were also brother and sister from the same litter, so we know they shared at least one parentcat themselves.)

Current Giveaways:

$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Hello Summer Giveaway Hop
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Come Out & Play Giveaway Hop
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Dad-O-Mite Giveaway Hop

Winner Announcements:

The winner of the Berry Good Giveaway Hop is Sherry

Blog Recap:

B- Review: Rose/House by Arkady Martine
A+ Guest Review: Chef’s Kiss by TJ Alexander
Spotlight + Excerpt: Cassandra in Reverse by Holly Smale
A Review: Famous in a Small Town by Viola Shipman
Dad-O-Mite Giveaway Hop
Stacking the Shelves (553)

Coming This Week:

Juneteenth 2023 (Guest Post by Galen)
Hiss Me Deadly by Miranda James (review)
Summer Seasons of Books 2023 Giveaway Hop
Beach Read by Emily Henry (review)
Hex by Anna Hackett (review)