The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 4-10-22

Posted on April 10, 2022April 9, 2022 by Marlene Harris | Author : Marlene Harris | The Sunday Post> Virtual Nightstand

First and foremost, I want to thank each and every one of you who participated in my Blogo-Birthday Giveaway Celebration this week. I wish I had prizes for all of you. Your readership, comments and support mean the world to me.

But it is done for another year, except for the giveaways which will be awarded at the end of this week. As always, it’s been a blast for me and I hope for you, too.

And now, for our regularly scheduled cat picture. Here’s George, looking down from above – as he often does – auditioning for the part of “Ceiling Cat” in a LOLCAT movie. George may not exactly be a “divine kitteh” but he certainly does look down and judge all of OUR actions.

Current Giveaways:

$25 Amazon Gift Card in my Blogo-Birthday Celebration Giveaway
$25 in Books in my Blogo-Birthday Celebration Giveaway
The Detective OR The Medic by Anna Hackett
Any Book by T. Kingfisher
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Honey Bunny Giveaway Hop
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the (first) April Showers Giveaway Hop
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the (second) April Showers Giveaway Hop

Blog Recap:

Blogo-Birthday Celebration and Giveaway!
April Showers Giveaway Hop (#1)
A Review: The Medic by Anna Hackett + Giveaway
A+ Review: Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher + Giveaway
April Showers Giveaway Hop (#2)
Stacking the Shelves (491)

Coming This Week:

Age of Ash by Daniel Abraham (audio review)
Summer at the Cape by RaeAnne Thayne (blog tour review)
Sand Dollar Lane by Sheila Roberts (blog tour review)
Two Storm Wood by Philip Gray (review)
The Sacred Bridge by Anne Hillerman (review)

Stacking the Shelves (491)

Posted on April 9, 2022April 8, 2022 by Marlene Harris | Author : Marlene Harris | Stacking the Shelves

And so ends the Blogo-Birthday Celebration Week for another year. I did not end up with jury duty this week, but we did have a monsoon on my birthday Tuesday. And I picked up some absolutely fabulous books!

delilah green doesn't care by ashley herring blake

intergalactic exterminators inc by ash bishop

dachshund wears prada by stefanie london

you've made a fool of death with your beauty by akwaeke emezi

how high we go in the dark by sequoia nagamatsu

For Review:
The Broken Room by Peter Clines
A Brush with Love by Mazey Eddings
The Change by Kirsten Miller
The Dachshund Wears Prada (Paws in the City #1) by Stefanie London
Death by Bubble Tea (LA Night Market #1) by Jennifer J. Chow
Delilah Green Doesn’t Care (Bright Falls #1) by Ashley Herring Blake
Drowning Practice by Mike Meginnis
A Far Wilder Magic by Allison Saft
Gallant by V. E. Schwab
The Girl and the Moon (Book of the Ice #3) by Mark Lawrence
The High House by Jessie Greengrass
Hook, Line and Sinker (It Happened One Summer #2) by Tessa Bailey
How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu
Intergalactic Exterminators, Inc by Ash Bishop
Just Like Mother by Anne Heltzel
A Magic Steeped in Poison (Book of Tea #1) by Judy I. Lin
Mr. Wrong Number by Lynn Painter
People Person by Candice Carty-Williams
The Prince by Dinitia Smith
The Suite Spot by Trish Doller
Tell Me an Ending by Jo Harkin
The Tobacco Wives by Adele Myers
The Tsarina’s Daughter by Ellen Alpsten
Wahala by Nikki May
Where I Can’t Follow by Ashley Blooms
You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi
You’re Invited by Amanda Jayatissa

If you want to find out more about Stacking The Shelves, please visit the official launch page

Please link your STS post in the linky below:

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 4-3-22

Posted on April 3, 2022April 2, 2022 by Marlene Harris | Author : Marlene Harris | The Sunday Post> Virtual Nightstand> Winner announcement

This week marks the OMG 11th Anniversary of the start of Reading Reality. My birthday is also this week. Hence the term “Blogo-Birthday” as both the blog and I have a celebration this week. YAY!

As is usual here at Reading Reality, this is a Hobbit birthday, meaning that I give presents. There will be a giveaway every day this week. Normally I review books by some of my favorite authors and give away their books, but this year is a bit different. I have two reviews with giveaways, two bloghops with giveaways (they have the same name which is weird), and my usual big giveaway post to start the week.

I also have jury duty this week, which makes scheduling a bit dicey as I won’t know until each night before whether or not I’ll be spending the day at the County Courthouse. Which is not exactly where I planned to spend my birthday on Tuesday but that’s the way the cookie crumbles.

But speaking of cookies crumbling, or at least paper rattling, here’s Hecate as the picture of innocence, in the middle of her field of destruction, saying “I didn’t do it.”

Coming This Week:

Blogo-Birthday Celebration and Giveaway!!!!!
April Showers Giveaway Hop (the first hop with the same name as the second hop)
The Medic by Anna Hackett (review + giveaway)
Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher (review + giveaway)
April Showers Giveaway Hop (the second hop with the same name as the first hop)

Stacking the Shelves (490)

Posted on April 2, 2022March 31, 2022 by Marlene Harris | Author : Marlene Harris | Stacking the Shelves

There are a couple of books that I really want to highlight this time around. The first is Adamant Spirits, a charity anthology to benefit Ukraine. The cause is marvelous, the cover is gorgeous, and this is a great way to give a bit and get a collection of wonderful stories in return.

Second, Anna Hackett’s latest book in her Norcross Security series came in this week – and it’s terrific. It is also terrific of Anna to sponsor a giveaway of the winner’s choice of The Medic or The Detective in this week’s Blogo-Birthday Giveaway Celebration. Details on Wednesday with the review, but I wanted to take this opportunity to give Anna an extra shout-out. If you’re looking for pulse-pounding romantic suspense her stories can’t be beat.

world cannot give by tara isabella burton

my government means to kill me by rasheed newson

on a night of a thousand stars by andrea yaryura clark

For Review:
Always Be My Duchess (Taming of the Dukes #1) by Amalie Howard
The Appeal by Janice Hallett
As Seen on TV by Meredith Schorr
Blame It on the Brontës by Annie Sereno
Chloe Cates is Missing by Mandy McHugh
Devil House by John Darnielle
Fake by Erica Katz
Find Me by Alafair Burke
Groupies by Sarah Priscus
Hester by Laurie Lico Albanese
The Immortal King Rao by Vauhini Vara
In the Face of the Sun by Denny S. Bryce
Insomnia by Sarah Pinborough
The Lying Club by Annie Ward (REVIEW!)
Maggie Moves On by Lucy Score
The Medic (Norcross Security #8) by Anna Hackett
My Government Means to Kill Me by Rasheed Newson
On a Night of a Thousand Stars by Andrea Yaryura Clark
The Pallbearers Club by Paul Tremblay
The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley
The Quarry Girls by Jess Lourey
Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins
The Stand-In by Lily Chu
Survivor’s Guilt (Erin McCabe #2) by Robyn Gigl
Widowland by C.J. Carey
The Women Could Fly by Megan Giddings
The World Cannot Give by Tara Isabella Burton
Yerba Buena by Nina LaCour

Purchased from Amazon:
Adamant Spirits: A 2022 Charity Anthology of Romantic Urban Fantasy, Science Fiction & Paranormal Romance For Ukraine by Eva Chase, Honey Phillips, Anna Carven, Tana Stone, Michele Mills, G.K. De Rosa, Ella Blake, Hattie Jacks, T.K. Eldridge, May Sage, Veronica Scott, Maggie Alabaster, Elle Beaumont, Katherine Bennet, Alexi Blake, Claudia Blood, Jessica M. Butler, Demelza Carlton, Kel Carpenter, Alora Carter, Debbie Cassidy, Leslie Chase, Sarah M. Cradit, Tameri Etherton, Sara Fields, Grace Goodwin, Miranda Honfleur, Aurelia Jane, Alana Khan, Lea Kirk, Lisa Kumar, K.N. Lee, Jen Lynning, Ashley McLeo, Chloe Parker, Vee R. Paxton, Candace Robinson, Rebecca Rode, Julia Vee, Maria Vermisoglou, Jade Waltz, Jenni Ward, Jessica Wayne, Calla Zae

If you want to find out more about Stacking The Shelves, please visit the official launch page

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 3-27-22

Posted on March 27, 2022March 26, 2022 by Marlene Harris | Author : Marlene Harris | The Sunday Post> Virtual Nightstand> Winner announcement

Suspicious George is still VERY suspicious. It’s not that we haven’t been forgiven, it’s more like he’s just petrified that we’re going to leave him again. Which is true in the long term, as now that it seems safe-ish to travel, we’ll probably do it a bit more. But we’ll always come back, which he hasn’t had a chance to learn yet. We miss them all terribly while we’re away!

But in the short term, there is plenty coming up on Reading Reality. This Friday is April 1, which means that next week is my annual Blogo-Birthday Celebration. As usual, there will be giveaways EVERY DAY, so stay tuned.

In the into each life a little rain must fall category, I’m also on call for jury duty that week. I might get called, I might not, and I won’t know until the night before. I’d prefer not to be spending my birthday at the County Courthouse, but c’est la vie!

Current Giveaways:

$!0 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Chasing Rainbows Giveaway Hop

Winner Announcements:

The winner of the Let’s Get Lucky Giveaway Hop is Wendy

Blog Recap:

A- Review: Comeuppance Served Cold by Marion Deeds
A Review: Gouda Friends by Cathy Yardley
B Review: Savvy Sheldon Feels Good as Hell by Taj McCoy
A- Review: Ogres by Adrian Tchaikovsky
B Review: The Lying Club by Annie Ward
Stacking the Shelves (489)

Coming This Week:

Wild and Wicked Things by Francesca May (review)
Sweet Home Cowboy by Maisey Yates, Nicole, Helm, Jackie Ashenden, Caitlin Crews (blog tour review)
Under Lock and Skeleton Key by Gigi Pandian (review)
Tough Justice by Tee O’Fallon (blog tour review)
Honey Bunny Giveaway Hop

Stacking the Shelves (489)

Posted on March 26, 2022March 18, 2022 by Marlene Harris | Author : Marlene Harris | Stacking the Shelves

In amongst a LOT of fascinating looking books there’s one in here that I never expected to see. I enjoyed Amanda Bouchet’s Kingmaker Chronicles after a bit of a rocky start in A Promise of Fire, but it sure seemed like the series wrapped up to satisfying conclusion in Heart on Fire. So I was surprised to see a FOURTH book in the series (A Curse of Queens) pop up after a four year hiatus. My curiosity bump itches, so I’m going to have to check this one out!

caribbean heiress in paris by adriana herrera

renovated to death by frank anthony polito

love lists and fancy ships by sarah grunder ruiz

patron saint of second chances by christine simon

unsinkable greta james by jennifer e smith

duke the spy an artist and a lie by vanessa riley

ramon and julieta by alana quintana albertson

For Review:
The Art of Prophecy (War Arts #1) by Wesley Chu
Azura Ghost (Graven #2) by Essa Hansen
Breathless by Amy McCulloch
A Caribbean Heiress in Paris (Las Léonas #1) by Adriana Herrera
Cherish Farrah by Bethany C. Morrow
A Curse of Queens (Kingmaker Chronicles #4) by Amanda Bouchet
Dirt Creek by Hayley Scrivenor
Don’t Know Tough by Eli Cranor
A Duke, the Spy, an Artist, and a Lie (Rogues and Remarkable Women #3) by Vanessa Riley
First Time for Everything by Henry Fry
Friend of the Devil by Stephen Lloyd
The Foundling by Ann Leary
Hide by Kersten White
The Holiday Trap by Roan Parrish
Like a Sister by Kellye Garrett
Love, Lists and Fancy Ships by Sarah Grunder Ruiz
Mercury Rising by R.W.W. Greene
The Patron Saint of Second Chances by Christine Simon
Portrait of a Thief by Grace D. Li
Ramón and Julieta (Love & Tacos #1) by Alana Quintana Albertson
The Ravaged by Norman Reedus with Frank Bill
Renovated to Death (Domestic Partners in Crime #1) by Frank Anthony Polito
Sadie on a Plate by Amanda Elliot
Something Fabulous by Alexis Hall
Two Nights in Lisbon by Chris Pavone
The Unsinkable Greta James by Jennifer E. Smith
Wildcat by Amelia Morris

If you want to find out more about Stacking The Shelves, please visit the official launch page

Please link your STS post in the linky below:

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 3-20-22

Posted on March 20, 2022March 19, 2022 by Marlene Harris | Author : Marlene Harris | The Sunday Post> Virtual Nightstand> Winner announcement

We did get home from the cruise last Saturday night around midnight. We spent 12 hours in the Fort Lauderdale airport on Saturday, so by the time we got home my brain was completely fried, our house was freezing as there had been a cold snap that day, and the cats were clinging to us like little kitty glue pots. Very suspicious glue pots, but extremely clingy. Here’s a picture of George’s VERY serious and suspicious face, which is pretty much the way he looked at us ALL WEEK!

The cruise was wonderful. Not just because the weather was gorgeous the entire time, but because it was just such a good time. The author guests I was following from panel to reading to discussion – hopefully not in a stalkerish way at all – were John Scalzi, Ryka Aoki and Ursula Vernon AKA T. Kingfisher. So of course I read at least one book by each of them on the trip! Along with several other books, because relaxing. And then the all-day airport extravaganza.

But a good time was absolutely had by all! We’ll probably do it again sometime, although not next year. We’ll probably be saving our pennies for the 2024 WorldCon which has an excellent chance of being in Glasgow, Scotland as they are the only bid at this point in the process. This year is Chicago, and we’re planning to go. Next year is in Chengdu, China so we’ll probably to go the NASFiC whether that turns out to be Orlando or Winnipeg – although talk about a contrast!

I have to say that it feels good to be talking about traveling again. We are both fully vaccinated and boosted, and everyone on the cruise wore masks unless we were outdoors, eating or in our cabins. So it felt very safe and made us both feel better about traveling again. I don’t think either of us realized quite how much we needed the break!

Speaking of plans, if you haven’t already entered the Let’s Get Lucky Giveaway Hop today is your absolute last chance! The hop ends tonight at midnight!

Current Giveaways:

$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Let’s Get Lucky Giveaway Hop (ENDS TONIGHT!!!!!!!!)
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Chasing Rainbows Giveaway Hop

Winner Announcements:

The winner of the Lady Luck Giveaway Hop is Janie

Blog Recap:

B Review: Engines of Empire by R.S. Ford
B+ Review: The Summer Getaway by Susan Mallery
Chasing Rainbows Giveaway Hop
A- Review: The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi
B Review: Cold Clay by Juneau Black
Stacking the Shelves (488)

Coming This Week:

Comeuppance Served Cold by Marion Deeds (review)
Gouda Friends by Cathy Yardley (blog tour review)
Savvy Sheldon Feels Good as Hell by Taj McCoy (blog tour review)
The Lying Club by Annie Ward (blog tour review)
Ogres by Adrian Tchaikovsky (review)

Stacking the Shelves (488)

Posted on March 19, 2022March 18, 2022 by Marlene Harris | Author : Marlene Harris | Stacking the Shelves

This is what happens when you go away for a bit and come back to a whole bunch of available new books. Combined with what you come back to when you’re a member of the “Overachievers’ Book Club.” The good thing about being on a cruise is that internet access is at best slow and at worst completely unavailable. Of course, that’s also the bad thing.

Not that I didn’t read a whole bunch while we were gone. I’m still catching up to THAT, too.

children on the hill by jennifer mcmahon

mercury pictures presents by anthony marra

Bangalore detectives club by harini nagendra

yinka where is your huzband by lizzie damilola blackburn

at least you have your health by madi sinha

iona iversons rules for commuting by clare pooley

For Review:
At Least You Have Your Health by Madi Sinha
The Bangalore Detectives Club (Kaveri and Ramu #1) by Harini Nagendra
Blood Sugar by Sascha Rothchild
Bronze Drum by Phong Nguyen
The Children on the Hill by Jennifer McMahon
The Fervor by Alma Katsu
Find Your Way Home (Small Town Dreams #1) by Jackie Ashenden
Fire Season by Leyna Krow
Going Public (Jade Harbour Capital #2) by Hudson Lin
The Goodbye Coast by Joe Ide
Hideout (Alice Vega #3) by Louisa Luna
I’m So (Not) Over You by Kosoko Jackson
Iona Iverson’s Rules for Commuting by Clare Pooley
A Lady for a Duke by Alexis Hall
Mercury Pictures Presents by Anthony Marra
The No-Show by Beth O’Leary
Nobody’s Princess (Wild Wynchesters #3) by Erica Ridley
Pay Dirt Road by Samantha Jayne Allen
Reputation by Lex Croucher
Scandalized by Ivy Owens
Secret Identity by Alex Segura
Shutter by Ramona Emerson
Stay Awake by Megan Goldin
A Thousand Steps by T. Jefferson Parker
Tough Justice (K-9 Special Ops #1) by Tee O’Fallon
Upgrade by Blake Crouch
Yinka, Where Is Your Huzband? by Lizzie Damilola Blackburn

If you want to find out more about Stacking The Shelves, please visit the official launch page

Please link your STS post in the linky below:

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 3-13-22

Posted on March 13, 2022March 3, 2022 by Marlene Harris | Author : Marlene Harris | The Sunday Post> Virtual Nightstand

Did you remember to ‘Spring Forward’ last night? We just got back from our trip yesterday, so even though I’m writing this post ahead I’m pretty sure that we won’t have found all the clocks that need resetting by the time you read this. I intended to read a LOT on the cruise, but I’m not sure whether that actually happened or not. We were on the JoCo Cruise in the Caribbean, which is basically a weeklong floating science fiction convention. We picked this cruise two years ago because we’d heard good things about it and because the 2021 cruise, which is the one we were originally signed up for, included our anniversary in the middle. As we all know, COVID happened, and everything last year got moved to this year. So here we are. Or rather, were.

The above picture is simply too cute for words. George and Freddie snuggling in a mutual grooming session. Eventually it turned into a rumble, but at this moment in time they were just plain adorable.

Current Giveaways:

$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Lady Luck Giveaway Hop (ENDS TUESDAY!!!)
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Let’s Get Lucky Giveaway Hop

Blog Recap:

B Review: Dirty Work by TA Moore + Excerpt + Giveaway
Let’s Get Lucky Giveaway Hop
A- Review: Crowbones by Anne Bishop
A+ Review: The Circus Infinite by Khan Wong
A Review: Westside Lights by W.M. Akers
Stacking the Shelves (487)

Coming This Week:

Engines of Empire by R.S. Ford (review)
The Summer Getaway by Susan Mallery (blog tour review)
Chasing Rainbows Giveaway Hop
The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi (review)
Cold Clay by Juneau Black (review)

Stacking the Shelves (487)

Posted on March 12, 2022February 25, 2022 by Marlene Harris | Author : Marlene Harris | Stacking the Shelves

Today is Galen’s and my 17th wedding anniversary. We were married on this day in 2005 in Anchorage Alaska. (And my mother said it wouldn’t last!) But seriously, it’s been wonderful, he’s the love of my life, and I am oh so grateful that the project we were working on together went so FUBAR that I needed him to come in on the weekend to help me out. Because that’s what got us to start really talking to each other – including, and this will be no surprise, all of the books we had in common!