Tag: virtual nightstand

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 10-10-21

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

Since I know there are people who are just here for the cat pictures, let’s start with this picture of Lucifer.

It’s not just that he’s giving me his best “Pouty McPout” face, although he certainly is. But the reason for his expression is even funnier. That ratty thing behind him is a catnip stuffed kicker toy. He’s protecting it with his best death glare. He won’t admit that he plays with it, although I’ve seen him do it, usually very late at night from very far away. He actually doesn’t seem to know how to play – or at least he’s a bit unclear on the concept. But he’s VERY protective of the toy. It’s adorable, it’s wonderful to see a 10-year-old cat still play, and it’s awesome to see him get more settled and feel safe enough to do it. While I wonder a lot about his history and how he ended up outside, I’m really grateful that he’s given us his love and especially his trust. Even if he doesn’t look very trusting in this picture.

I’m not really sure about this week’s schedule. The beginning of the week, yes. The end of the week, much less so. I had a terrible time figuring out what I actually wanted to read, and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if I change my mind by the end. We’ll see…

Current Giveaways:

$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Scaredy Cat Giveaway Hop (ENDS FRIDAY!)
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Howloween Giveaway Hop

Winner Announcements:

The winner of the Falling Into Leaves Giveaway Hop is Crystal

Blog Recap:

A Review:  Pets in Space 6 edited by Carol Van Natta
Howloween Giveaway Hop
A Review: Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune
B Review: Fixing to Die by Miranda James
A- Review: An Elderly Lady Must Not Be Crossed by Helene Tursten
Stacking the Shelves (465)

Coming This Week:

Nothing But Blackened Teeth by Cassandra Khaw (review)
Along the Saltwise Sea by A. Deborah Baker (review)
The Hacker by Anna Hackett (review)
Scandal in Babylon by Barbara Hambly (review)
Grave Reservations by Cherie Priest (review)

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 10-3-21

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

Fall is very definitely fell. The falling leaves in the yard make the BEST kitty television and everyone is taking turns watching.

Speaking of fall, please save the date for the annual Thanksgiving Week Hop, cohosted by Caffeinated Reviewer and Reading Reality, starting 11/24/21. We hope to see you there!

Speaking of giveaways, my current giveaway is the Scaredy Cat Giveaway Hop, for which the hop graphic is a black cat. Much like my Lucifer. Therefore, this week’s kitty picture MUST be Lucifer, in this particular case showing off why black cats are referred to as “void cats”. Curled into a circle like this, Lucifer is doing his very best impression of a black hole in the shape of a cat!

Current Giveaways:

$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Scaredy Cat Giveaway Hop

Winner Announcements:

The winner of the Falling Into Leaves Giveaway Hop is UNKNOWN at the moment. Rafflecopter seems to be having a hissy-fit.

Blog Recap:

B Review: The Dishonored Viscount by Sophie Barnes
B+ Review: The Collector’s Daughter by Gill Paul
A- Review: Gutter Mage by J.S. Kelley
A+ Review: A Spindle Splintered by Alix E. Harrow
Scaredy Cat Giveaway Hop
Stacking the Shelves (464)

Coming This Week:

Pets in Space 6 by S.E. Smith, Veronica Scott, Honey Phillips, Carol Van Natta, Cassandra Chandler, J.C. Hay, S.J. Pajonas, Greta van der Rol, Deborah A. Bailey, Melisse Aires , Kyndra Hatch (review)
Howloween Giveaway Hop
The Apollo Murders by Chris Hadfield (review)
An Elderly Lady Must Not Be Crossed by Helene Tursten (review)
Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune (review)

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 9-26-21

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

First of all, today marks the start of Banned Books Week. Books get banned and challenged for a surprisingly more vast array of reasons than people usually think about. Not that topics of sex, race, religion, profanity and politics don’t usually top the list of such books every year. Requests to ban or restrict access to books comes from all sides and all perspectives. Every single year.

But speaking of things that happen on a regular basis, the annual Black Friday Hop hosted by Reading Reality and Caffeinated Reviewer, is expanding this year to a Thanksgiving Week Hop that will start BEFORE Turkey Day and last for a WHOLE WEEK. We hope you’ll join us!

And of course, I have a cat picture. Lucifer doesn’t exactly ban books, but there are plenty of times when he wants to stop me reading no matter what I’m into by getting between me and my book. But this picture is of George learning that if he wants to cuddle with his “older brother” he’ll just have to worm his way into where Lucifer is already fast asleep.

Current Giveaways:

$10 Gift Card or Book in the Falling Into Leaves Giveaway Hop

Winner Announcements:

The winner of the September to Remember Giveaway Hop is Megan

Blog Recap:

A Review: The Scholars of Night by John M. Ford
A- Review: Sisters of the Vast Black by Lina Rather
B- Review: Witch, Please by Ann Aguirre
Thankful for Books Giveaway Hop Sign Up
C+ Review: An Impossible Promise by Jude Deveraux and Tara Sheets
A- Review: Beneath the Sugar Sky by Seanan McGuire
Stacking the Shelves (463)

Coming This Week:

The Dishonored Viscount by Sophie Barnes (review)
Gutter Mage by J.S. Kelley (review)
The Collector’s Daughter by Gill Paul (review)
The Matzah Ball by Jean Meltzer (review)
Scaredy Cat Giveaway Hop

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 9-19-21

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

First things first. This is a save the date announcement about saving the date to save the date. This Thursday, both Caffeinated Reviewer and Reading Reality will be posting the sign up for our Thanksgiving Week Hop. We’re going to expand out a little bit from our traditional Black Friday Hop to start before Turkey Day, so no one has to worry about prepping a post ON Turkey Day, and let it run for a week so there’s more time to enter.

Speaking of things to be thankful for, here’s a picture of Freddie, literally sleeping as snug as a bug in a rug. Or actually a blanket surrounded by his favorite person’s legs and feet. He’s just too cute for words sometimes!

Current Giveaways:

Deadly Summer Nights by Vicki Delany (paperback)
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the September to Remember Giveaway Hop (ENDS TUESDAY!!!)
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Falling into Leaves Giveaway Hop

Winner Announcements:

The winner of the Glam and Glitz Giveaway Hop is Francine

Blog Recap:

A- Review: Deadly Summer Nights by Vicki Delany + Giveaway
A- Review: Digging Up the Dirt by Miranda James
C Review: Chance of a Lifetime by Jude Devereaux and Tara Sheets
Falling into Leaves Giveaway Hop
B Review: No Gods, No Monsters by Cadwell Turnbull
Stacking the Shelves (462)

Coming This Week:

The Scholars of Night by John M. Ford (review)
Sisters of the Vast Black by Lina Rather (review)
The Dishonored Viscount by Sophie Barnes (review)
Thankful for Books Giveaway Hop Sign Up
An Impossible Promise by Jude Deveraux and Tara Sheets (blog tour review)
Beneath the Sugar Sky by Seanan McGuire (review)

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 9-12-21

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

Because one of this week’s books was a real disappointment, here’s a picture of George living his best, if slightly confused life. If you’re wondering what he’s doing, he’s doing his damndest to nurse from one of Galen’s shirt buttons. It looked hilarious while it was going on as it was obvious from his face that the whole thing was not quite working out the way he expected to. I was torn between laughing hysterically, worrying about the button breaking off and reflexively cringing just thinking about him trying to nurse from his mother with quite that level of toothy aggression!

Current Giveaways:

$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Glam and Glitz Giveaway Hop (ENDS WEDNESDAY!!!)
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the September to Remember Giveaway Hop

Winner Announcements:

The winner of Write My Name Across the Sky is Les

Blog Recap:

Labor Day 2021
September to Remember Giveaway Hop
B+ Review: King of Eon by Anna Hackett
C Review: Jekyll & Hyde Inc. by Simon R. Green
B Review: Forgotten in Death by J.D. Robb
Stacking the Shelves (461)

Coming This Week:

Deadly Summer Nights by Vicki Delany (blog tour review)
Digging Up the Dirt by Miranda James (review)
An Impossible Promise by Jude Deveraux (blog tour review)
Falling into Leaves Giveaway Hop
Beneath the Sugar Sky by Seanan McGuire (review)

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 9-5-21

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

I just discovered that, while I certainly prepped yesterday’s Stacking the Shelves post, I neglected to actually post it. My bad. Apologies. I knew I was a bit dain-bramaged that afternoon, but I didn’t know it was quite THAT bad.

I may have been a bit out of it, but here’s a picture of George just being a cute little man. He  was obviously much more “with-it” than I was that day!

Current Giveaways:

Write My Name across the Sky by Barbara O’Neal
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Glam and Glitz Giveaway Hop

Winner Announcements:

The winner of the Old School Giveaway Hop is Carl

Blog Recap:

A- Review: Write My Name Across the Sky by Barbara O’Neal + Giveaway
B Review: The Inheritance by JoAnn Ross
Glam and Glitz Giveaway Hop
A- Review: Unnatural Habits by Kerry Greenwood
B+ Review: Never Saw Me Coming by Vera Kurian
Stacking the Shelves (460)

Coming This Week:

September to Remember Giveaway Hop
Forgotten in Death by J.D. Robb (review)
King of Eon by Anna Hackett
Jekyll & Hyde Inc. by Simon R. Green

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 8-29-21

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

This was, actually, kind of an A- week, and not just in the book reviews. This weekend is kind of the calm between multiple storms, or rather between multiple assignments with hard deadlines. It’s good to have a bit of time to take a breather.

Today’s picture of feline adorableness is not exactly taking a breather. Here’s Hecate peeking through the bars of, not a prison, but a chairback. That window seat has the best view in the house for backyard kitty television and she likes to nap there. At the moment this picture was taken, however, she was clearly fascinated with something her humans are doing. I’ve also noticed just how round a kittyball she makes. She looks like a large tribble with eyes. It’s hard to believe that when she first came to us she weighed less than half a pound!

Current Giveaways:

$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Old School Giveaway Hop (ENDS TUESDAY!!!)

Blog Recap:

A- Review: Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire
A Review: For the Love of April French by Penny Aimes + Excerpt
A Review: The Scavenger Door by Suzanne Palmer
A- Review: The Madness of Crowds by Louise Penny
A- Review: The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang
Stacking the Shelves (459)

Coming This Week:

Write My Name Across the Sky by Barbara O’Neal (blog tour review)
The Inheritance by JoAnn Ross (blog tour review)
Glam and Gifts Giveaway Hop
Unnatural Habits by Kerry Greenwood (review)
Never Saw Me Coming by Vera Kurian (blog tour review)

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 8-22-21

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

Have you ever had the whim-whams? Or are you wondering what the “whim-whams” might be? The whim-whams are when something is vaguely wrong but you’re not sure exactly what. Yesterday I had the whim-whams. I wasn’t exactly sick in any particular direction, but wasn’t exactly well, either. Sometimes the whim-whams develop into something definable, and sometimes they just go away. This time they went away, which is terrific. And I got a LOT of reading done yesterday when I wasn’t feeling much else, and that’s even better!

And here’s a picture of Freddie zoombombing one of Galen’s meetings this week. All of the cats were excellent nurse-kitties yesterday, settling in next to me or on top of me to make sure I was on the mend.

Current Giveaways:

$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Old School Giveaway Hop

Blog Recap:

Old School Giveaway Hop
A Review: A Terrible Fall of Angels by Laurell K. Hamilton
C+ Review: Star Eater by Kerstin Hall
A Review: The Gurkha and the Lord of Tuesday by Saad Z. Hossain
B+ Review: Murder in the Dark by Simon R. Green
Stacking the Shelves (458)

Coming This Week:

Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire (review)
For the Love of April French by Penny Aimes (blog tour review)
Black Water Sister by Zen Cho (review)
The Scavenger Door by Suzanne Palmer (review)
The Madness of Crowds by Louise Penny (review)

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 8-15-21

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

First, here’s a picture of George in his very serious pose. It’s been that kind of week.

Second, this week kind of threw itself into a blender at one point. During a workout I managed to hit myself in the face with an exercise ball, cut up the inside of my mouth, and gave myself a couple of days of a terrible headache. Thankfully I didn’t chip any teeth! It’s amazing how much of a pain it is to mess up your mouth that way even if you don’t do any permanent damage. The entire experience also makes me seriously wonder why anyone plumps their lips, because wow everything hurt for a while. It’s mostly healed at this point but it made for a weird kind of week. Lots of good reading though, at least once my head stopped hurting!

And see what’s coming this week! Giveaways are back after the long, hot summer!

Blog Recap:

A- Review: Over the Woodward Wall by A. Deborah Baker
B Review: Wait for It by Jenn McKinlay
B- Review: Dead with the Wind by Miranda James
A- Review: In the Watchful City by S. Qiouyi Lu
A- Review: The Bookseller’s Secret by Michelle Gable
Stacking the Shelves (457)

Coming This Week:

Old School Giveaway Hop
A Terrible Fall of Angels by Laurell K. Hamilton (blog tour review)
Star Eater by Kerstin Hall (review)
Half Sick of Shadows by Laura Sebastian (review)
Velvet Was the Night by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (review)

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 8-8-21

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

At least this week I’m attempting to plan ahead. I’m reading a really long book that I really, really want to read, but it’s not due out for a couple of months so I can’t post the review for a while. So this is a week of mostly short books to make up for all the time I’m spending with this other book. If any of that makes sense. Sometimes books just call my name and I HAVE to read them to stop the little voice shouting “READ ME!!!) from driving me any more bananas than I already am.

Here’s George in his favorite place, the stairs! It’s the perfect position to keep his eye on the front door AND my office door. While he can’t SEE Galen’s office he can certainly hear if Galen leaves his office AND he forms a perfect kitty pediment to ensure that if Galen comes down the stairs he’ll have to acknowledge George’s presence – or trip over him as George takes up an entire stair tread when he wants to – as he usually does.

It is obviously very important to George that he keeps an eye or an ear or both on EVERYTHING!

Blog Recap:

A Review: Paper and Blood by Kevin Hearne
A- Review: What the Cat Dragged In by Miranda James
A- Review: The Godstone by Violette Malan
B Review: Clark and Division by Naomi Hirahara
A Review: Mother of All by Jenna Glass
Stacking the Shelves (456)

Coming This Week:

Over the Woodward Wall by A. Deborah Baker (review)
The Bookseller’s Secret by Michelle Gable (blog tour review)
After Alice Fell by Kim Taylor Blakemore (review)
Wait For It by Jenn McKinlay (review)
In the Watchful City by S. Qiouyi Lu (review)