Category: Virtual Nightstand

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 5-3-26

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

It’s been a whole “gloomy Gus” of a week here in the ATL. Chilly and rainy every day, and I’m not expecting much better for today in spite of whatever the weather forecast might say. We’re mostly having a quiet weekend and the cats are all happy to have laps available to snuggle in.

Which leads to today’s cat picture of the lovely Miss Luna. She’s clearly claimed Galen as HER territory – and mattress – for as long as she can get him to stay still for her. She’s also striking the perfect mood for this weekend, sleepy, snuggly, cuddly and very, very cozy.

Current Giveaways:

$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Come What May Giveaway Hop
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book PLUS EVENT-WIDE AMAZON/PAYPAL PRIZE in The Spring Giveaway Event!
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Spring 2026 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop

Winner Announcements:

The winner of the Rain Drops on Roses Hop is Regina

Blog Recap:

A- #BookReview: Darksight Dare by Lois McMaster Bujold
A- #BookReview: I Choose the Bear by Shiloh Walker
Grade A #BookReview: The Silver Fish by Connor Martin
A+ #AudioBookReview: Japanese Gothic by Kylie Lee Baker
Come What May Giveaway Hop
Stacking the Shelves (703)

Coming This Week:

The Vampyre Client by Jeri Westerson (#BookReview)
For Better or Murder by Simon R. Green (#BookReview)
L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future, Volume 42 edited by Jody Lynn Nye (#BookReview)
Platform Decay by Martha Wells (#BookReview)
Ode to the Half-Broken by Suzanne Palmer (#BookReview)

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 4-26-26

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

Last week’s schedule managed to hold – at least if you don’t count the change up in the order – and I’m not. I do however, feel a much larger sense of accomplishment than the thing actually deserves. I guess it’s just been one of  THOSE months. This week’s schedule is looking pretty good – as well as, hopefully at least, pretty interesting – as well. Maybe the beginning of a roll?

Speaking of rolls, Tuna is this week’s ‘poster cat’ rolling over one of the new rugs and showing off the stripey Tuna-belly. Of which there is more than a bit to love. Then again, we love them all a lot. Unless we’re hearing something disgusting happen off in the distance, which happens more often than we like to think about. As we are well aware, “dogs have owners, cats have staff” and we’ve been informed, many, many times, of precisely where we fit in that equation!

Current Giveaways:

$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Rain Drops on Roses Giveaway Hop
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book PLUS EVENT-WIDE AMAZON/PAYPAL PRIZE in The Spring Giveaway Event!
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Spring 2026 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop

Blog Recap:

Grade A #BookReview: Fierce Poison by Will Thomas
A- #BookReview: Trouble’s Turn to Lose by Susan M. Boyer
Grade A #BookReview: A Long and Speaking Silence by Nghi Vo
A- #BookReview: On a Rogue Planet by Anna Hackett
A+ #BookReview: In the Spirit of French Murder by Colleen Cambridge
Stacking the Shelves (702)

Coming This Week:

Darksight Dare by Lois McMaster Bujold (#BookReview)
The Silver Fish by Connor Martin (#BookReview)
Japanese Gothic by Kylie Lee Baker (#AudioBookReview)
I Choose the Bear by Shiloh Walker (#BookReview)
Come What May Giveaway Hop

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 4-19-26

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

This week – and last week – both felt like Hecate looks in today’s picture. Like my eyes are crossed trying to cope with the thing heading towards me. On her, the incoming nose boop just looks adorable. For me, it meant that last week ended in a ‘flail and bail’ and I re-worked this week’s schedule more times than I care to count. I’m still not 100% certain, but I’m finally close, at least.

It’s not that the book I intended to close out this past week wasn’t good – because it was as far as I’ve read so far. It was just, as I said in the Friday review that actually got done, that too  much of a good thing isn’t always wonderful. I was really looking forward to that book, and I still am. BUT, it was the third book, much too close together, about the terrible reign of the monstrous Henry VIII, and as much as I love Tudor history, it was just too close to the other two – which were also good. The review will still happen but I need a bit of air – and either light and fluffy or good triumphing and evil getting its just desserts (meaning whodunnits) in between.

Very much c’est la reading vie.

Current Giveaways:

$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Rain Drops on Roses Giveaway Hop
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book PLUS EVENT-WIDE AMAZON/PAYPAL PRIZE in The Spring Giveaway Event!
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Spring 2026 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop

Winner Announcements:

The winner of the Blogo-Birthday Amazon gift card is Pauline
The winner of the Blogo-Birthday B&N gift card is Annette
The winner of the Honey Bunny Giveaway Hop is Nancy

Blog Recap:

A- #BookReview: Death Meets Cute by J. Penner
A+ #BookReview: Stay for a Spell by Amy Coombe
B #AudioBookReview: Lightning Runes by Harry Turtledove
Rain Drops on Roses Giveaway Hop
A- #AudioBookReview: Time Will Tell by Hannah Bonam-Young
Stacking the Shelves (701)

Coming This Week:

Fierce Poison by Will Thomas (#BookReview)
Trouble’s Turn to Lose by Susan M Boyer (#BookReview)
In the Spirit of French Murder by Colleen Cambridge (#BookReview)
On a Rogue Planet by Anna Hackett (#BookReview)
A Long and Speaking Silence by Nghi Vo (#BookReview)

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 4-12-26

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

This year’s Blogo-Birthday Celebration is definitely in the wind-down phase. The book giveaways ended yesterday, while the big Gift Card giveaway ends this coming Friday. So there’s still a chance there!

Speaking of chances, today’s cat picture is of the trio, Hecate, Tuna and George, all hoping for a glimpse of the little bird that keeps trolling them. The kickplate on our front door is brass, so it’s a reflective surface. There’s a small bird that pecks at the kickplate every day. At first, I thought the bird just saw its own reflection and was attacking the ‘interloper’. But it’s been going on for months now. The bird HAS to be trolling the cats at this point. Cats who dutifully line up and chitter at it whenever it pecks. EVERY SINGLE DAY. (Sometimes that damn bird gets me, too.)

Current Giveaways:

$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Honey Bunny Giveaway Hop
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book PLUS EVENT-WIDE AMAZON/PAYPAL PRIZE in The Spring Giveaway Event!
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Spring 2026 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop

Winner Announcements:

The winner of ANY 1 of Anna Hackett’s books is Leela
The winner of ANY 1 of Charles Todd’s books is Anita
The winner of ANY 1 of Tim Sullivan’s books in the DS Cross series is Nancy
The winner of ANY 1 book in Stacking the Shelves #699 is Carla
The winner of ANY 1 of my best books of 2026 (so far) or a book of the winner’s choice is Lysette

Blog Recap:

A+ #BookReview: When the Wolves Are Silent by C.S. Harris
B #BookReview: The Museum of Unusual Occurrence by Erica Wright
C- #BookReview: No One Would Do What the Lamberts Have Done by Sophie Hannah
A- #AudioBookReview: Seasons of Glass and Iron by Amal El-Mohtar
Grade A #BookReview: Double Shadow by Andrew Ludington
Stacking the Shelves (700)

Coming This Week:

Death Meets Cute by J. Penner (#BookReview)
Stay for a Spell by Amy Coombe (#BookReview)
Lightning Runes by Harry Turtledove (#AudioBookReview)
Rain Drops on Roses Giveaway Hop
Fool by Mary Lawrence (#BookReview)

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand BIRTHDAY EDITION 4-5-26 + #Giveaway

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | Blogo-Birthday> Blogoversary> Giveaways> The Sunday Post> Virtual Nightstand> Winner announcement

Sadly, today marks the end of this year’s Blogo-Birthday Celebration. Weirdly, today is Easter Sunday, it’s the middle of Passover (which began on April 1st) AND it’s my birthday. So if you celebrate either Passover or Easter, I hope this is a good holiday for you! If you’re here for my birthday, or just for the Sunday Post, thanks for stopping by to celebrate with me!

There’s one final giveaway to make today a true ‘Hobbit Birthday’ where I give presents instead of getting them. Today’s giveaway is a book giveaway. Specifically, I’m giving one lucky winner a copy of one of my favorite books of this year (so far, not including books from this week’s previous giveaways BUT including one that’s coming soon that I’ve already finished), or, if my tastes and yours don’t coincide, a copy of the book of YOUR choice instead of one of mine, (up to $30 US).

Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett
The Architect of New York by Javier Moro
Blindside by Michael Mammay
The Daughter Who Remains by Nnedi Okorafor
Eleanore of Avignon by Elizabeth DeLozier
Fire Must Burn by Allison Montclair
Inside Man by John McMahon
Junkyard Riders by Faith Hunter
A Lion’s Ransom by Candace Robb
Nine Goblins by T. Kingfisher
Ode to the Half-Broken by Suzanne Palmer
A Pretender’s Murder by Christopher Huang
Propaganda Girls by Lisa Rogak
Sentient by Michael Nayak
The Shadow Carver by Nadine Matheson
Trailbreaker by Ruthie Knox and Annie Mare

Just let me know in the giveaway widget at the end of the post what book you’d most like to have your very own copy of, from my list or yours, in whatever format suits you best. Someone is going to get very lucky – at least when it comes to a good book to read.

But first I need to show you this week’s feline poster child! Because it’s just not the Sunday Post around here without a cat.

Rounding out the week – AND the saga of our home remodeling – today’s cat picture is of George, the Destroyer of Worlds. Or at least, the destroyer of carpets AND carpet samples. That’s the new hardwood living room floor under George and the carpet sample he wrecked. At first, this was just an adorable sight, while the carpet was a perfect match for our color scheme AND did a great job of meeting Galen’s and my differing tastes in the middle. BUT, the next morning, there were blue tufts EVERYWHERE and the sample looked like it had taken a serious beating – along with a whole lot of pulling, clawing and outright mauling. So we’re still looking, and now we know that every rug we even THINK about has to pass the ‘George Test’ to be even a possible contender.

Current Giveaways:

$25 Gift Card or $25 Book in Reading Reality’s Fifteenth Annual Blogo-Birthday Celebration Week and Giveaway!
Any (1) of Anna Hackett‘s books
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Honey Bunny Giveaway Hop
Any (1) of Charles Todd‘s books
Any (1) of Tim Sullivan‘s books in the DS Cross series
Any (1) book in Stacking the Shelves #699 on April 4, 2026
Any book from my best books or 2026 (so far) or a book of your choice
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book PLUS EVENT-WIDE AMAZON/PAYPAL PRIZE in The Spring Giveaway Event!
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Spring 2026 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop

Winner Announcements:

The winner of the Chasing Rainbows Giveaway Hop is Heather

Blog Recap:

Fifteenth Annual Blogo-Birthday Celebration Week and GIVEAWAY!
Grade A #BookReview: In the Devil’s Nebula by Anna Hackett + #Giveaway
Honey Bunny Giveaway Hop
A+ #BookReview: Legacy of the Dead by Charles Todd + #Giveaway
A+ #BookReview: The Politician by Tim Sullivan + Giveaway
Stacking the Shelves (699) Blogo-Birthday Edition + #Giveaway

Coming This Week:

When the Wolves are Silent by C.S. Harris (#BookReview)
The Museum of Unusual Occurrence by Erica Wright  (#BookReview)
No One Would Do What the Lamberts Have Done by Sophie Hannah (#BookReview)
Seasons of Glass and Iron by Amal El-Mohtar (#AudioBookReview)
Double Shadow by Andrew Luddington (#BookReview)

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 3-29-26

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | Blogo-Birthday> Blogoversary> The Sunday Post> Virtual Nightstand

This is the first “normal” weekend we’ve had in a while. The floors are finished, the handymen have come and gone after fixing several years of minor stuff that accumulated into a fairly big list, and the cats are finally settling down into some slightly different behavior patterns. (The night that the cats decided to test the new acoustics AT 2AM will live in infamy). Today’s cat picture is of Hecate, cuddled up to Galen, proclaiming that he belongs entirely to her with every single glare.

But the change in feline dynamics means that Luna is cuddled up on Galen’s other side – closer than Hecate has ever let her without hissing if not a bit of ‘pawsticuffs’. Galen has become the feline version of the Berlin Wall, and he’s not unhappy about it at all!

This coming week is going to be different from the usual, but this time in an excellent way. Tomorrow marks the beginning of Reading Reality’s 15th Blogo-Birthday Celebration Week. For those who are new to the celebration, it’s a “blogo-birthday” because Reading Reality’s blogoversary is April 4, and my own birthday is April 5.

As always, it’s a ‘Hobbit Birthday’ meaning that I’ll be giving presents all week as part of the celebration. Mostly books, because of course, books. I’ve chosen three books to review and giveaway this year, an old favorite re-released and newly re-available in Anna Hackett’s In the Devil’s Nebula, a new favorite series by a long-time favorite author in Charles Todd’s Legacy of the Dead, and a new favorite series newly available in the U.S. after a best-selling run in the U.K.: Tim Sullivan’s The Politician.

Come one, come all and join in ALL the fun!

Current Giveaways:

$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Chasing Rainbows Giveaway Hop (ENDS TUESDAY!!!)
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book PLUS EVENT-WIDE AMAZON/PAYPAL PRIZE in The Spring Giveaway Event!
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Spring 2026 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop

Blog Recap:

A- #BookReview: The Legend of the Nine-Tailed Fox by Katrina Kwan
A- #AudioBookReview: Tiny House, Big Love by Olivia Dade
B #BookReview: Trace Elements by Jo Walton and Ada Palmer
A- #BookReview: Hunter Squad: Marc by Anna Hackett
B- #BookReview: Magic and Mischief at the Wayside Hotel by Elizabeth Everett
Stacking the Shelves (698)

Coming This Week:

Blogo-Birthday Celebration Week (#Feature, #Essay, #GIVEAWAY)
In the Devil’s Nebula by Anna Hackett (#BookReview, #Giveaway)
Honey Bunny Giveaway Hop (#BlogHop, #Giveaway)
Legacy of the Dead by Charles Todd (#BookReview, #Giveaway)
The Politician by Tim Sullivan (#BookReview, #Giveaway)
Stacking the Shelves BLOGOVERSARY EDITION (#Giveaway)
Sunday Post / Virtual Nightstand  BIRTHDAY EDITION (#Giveaway)

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 3-22-26

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

No one at Chez Reading Reality had the best week this week, and the reviews definitely reflect that. I only had ONE book work for me, and there was even more flailing and bailing than seems evident from here. We were finally able to sleep in our own bed again Thursday night – and things are slowly getting back to normal although there’s a lot of clean up to do AND a whole lot of area rugs to decide on. But with the cats, hardwood is definitely a better option than carpet.

The humans were definitely NOT the only people in the house who were not best pleased with the work being done. The cats stayed in the basement while we decamped to a hotel. It took several hours on Thursday evening for most of them to emerge from what had clearly become their new ‘safe place’.

But if a picture is worth a thousand words, Tuna is just saying ‘DADDY I’M SCARED!’ over and over again. Even between the knees of a ‘security human’, Tuna was obviously petrified of all the changes. This was taken Friday morning just below the top of the stairs because he was just not coming up. He did finally join the rest of the fam late Friday evening. Everyone seems to be okay now, even Tuna, but they’re all still a bit clingy. And so are their humans!

Current Giveaways:

$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Chasing Rainbows Giveaway Hop
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book PLUS EVENT-WIDE AMAZON/PAYPAL PRIZE in The Spring Giveaway Event!
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book in the Spring 2026 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop

Winner Announcements:

The winner of the Winter 2025-2026 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop is Sherry

Blog Recap:

Chasing Rainbows Giveaway Hop
B- #AudioBookReview: Desire and the Deep Blue Sea by Olivia Dade
Grade A #BookReview: A Pretender’s Murder by Christopher Huang
C+ #AudioBookReview: And Now Back to You by B.K. Borison
Spring 2026 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop
Stacking the Shelves (697)

Coming This Week:

The Legend of the Nine-Tailed Fox by Katrina Kwan (#BookReview)
Tiny House, Big Love by Olivia Dade (#AudioBookReview)
Trace Elements by Jo Walton and Ada Palmer (#BookReview)
Magic and Mischief at the Wayside Hotel by Elizabeth Everett (#BookReview)
Hunter Squad: Marc by Anna Hackett (#BookReview)

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 3-15-26

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

This is Luna, telling Galen all about just how unhappy she is and (probably) how much the other cats have misbehaved.

You might be asking yourself “Why is Luna so unhappy?” If you knew her better, you might also be wondering how we can tell, as this is a fairly typical Luna pose, with her mouth open mid-conversation. She always has a LOT to say.

She, and the other cats, are unhappy because the “great carpet tear-out” is still ongoing. Things should return to their new normal at the end of THIS week. But in the meantime, the cats are stuck in the basement room – which is heated and carpeted and full of places to play and hide – because the last thing that ANY of us need is little kitty pawprints preserved in the new hardwood floor finish. And we want them as far away from the smell of the varnish as they can be. So they’re in the basement.

Don’t worry, their humans visit FREQUENTLY! But never enough to suit them and of course it’s not the same. Then again, at the moment, neither is anything else around here!

Current Giveaways:

$10 Gift Card or $10 in Books in the Winter 2025-2026 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book PLUS EVENT-WIDE AMAZON/PAYPAL PRIZE in The Spring Giveaway Event!

Blog Recap:

A- #BookReview: The Somewhat Wicked Witch of Brigandale by C.M. Waggoner
#BookReview: The Girl Who Made a Mouse From Her Grandfather’s Whiskers by Kenneth Hunter Gordon
Grade A #BookReview: Blindside by Michael Mammay
A+ #AudioBookReview: Propaganda Girls by Lisa Rogak
Grade A #BookReview: The Shadow Carver by Nadine Matheson
Stacking the Shelves (696)

Coming This Week:

Chasing Rainbows Giveaway Hop
No One Would Do What the Lamberts Have Done by Sophie Hannah (#BlogTour #BookReview)
The Legend of the Nine-Tailed Fox by Katrina Kwan (#BookReview)
A Pretender’s Murder by Christopher Huang (#BookReview)
Spring 2026 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 3-8-26

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

Today’s cat picture is of George, trying his rather large best to look like a very tiny baby. He does sort of succeed. He’s the same size Tuna is but Tuna always looks HUGE and George just looks long. Also, as in this picture, looks rather longingly at something-or-other.

He’s also looking a bit sad, but unfortunately for George and all of our cats, not nearly as sad as he’ll look tomorrow morning. That carpet underneath him, well, let’s just say that none of the cats have treated it very kindly. It has hills. And BALD SPOTS. It wasn’t new when we moved in and it DEFINITELY isn’t in the greatest of shape now. So starting tomorrow we’ll be replacing the carpet with hardwood, including the section that is right under George’s fuzzy orange butt in this picture. I wouldn’t be surprised if they don’t all hang out in my office for the entire week, as most of the first floor, thankfully including my office, is hardwood. I have questions about whether they can manage to all hide together without Hecate going “GROWLTIGGER” on everyone, but we’ll see. And probably hear as well.

Wish us LUCK!

Current Giveaways:

$10 Gift Card or $10 in Books in the Winter 2025-2026 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book PLUS EVENT-WIDE AMAZON/PAYPAL PRIZE in The Spring Giveaway Event!

Winner Announcements:

The winner of the Wish Big Giveaway Hop is Wendy

Blog Recap:

B #AudioBookReview: Hot Chocolate on Thursday by Michiko Aoyama, translated by E. Madison Shimoda
A+ #BookReview: The Patient by Tim Sullivan
A+ #BookReview: Sentient by Michael Nayak
A- #BookReview: Cabaret in Flames by Hache Pueyo
A- #BookReview: Nobody’s Baby by Olivia Waite
Stacking the Shelves (695)

Coming This Week:

The Somewhat Wicked Witch of Brigandale by C.M. Waggoner (#BookReview)
Blindside by Michael Mammay (#BookReview)
The Girl Who Made a Mouse From Her Grandfather’s Whiskers by Kenneth Hunter Gordon (#BookReview)
Propaganda Girls by Lisa Rogak (#AudioBookReview)
The Shadow Carver by Nadine Matheson (#BookReview)

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 3-1-26

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

How’s the first day of March where you are? Do temps in the mid-70s constitute lion-like or lamb-like behavior? That’s what we’re supposed to get in the ATL and inquiring minds probably need to know. Personally, I think it’s just that spring has sprung here, whether the calendar says so or not, but we’ll see.

While this picture isn’t a creepy cover, it did kind of creep both Galen and I out when we saw it in real life.

It’s their faces, especially Luna’s. It’s so very clear that they are ALL accusing us of something. At the same time, their faces are very individual. George is concerned, while Tuna looks is a bit lost AND he’s hiding behind his sister, who is smaller than he is. Luna, on the other hand, looks seriously pissed and very clearly like she expects her humans to DO SOMETHING about whatever has pissed her off.

Which turned out to be a bug, flying around in the lofted part of our bathroom ceiling. They could SEE it, they could probably hear it, but it wouldn’t come down for them to play with and we were supposed to FIX THAT for them. (We fixed it by getting the pest control people in, but I don’t think – honestly I hope – their collective ability to link cause with effect isn’t quite that good. Because Luna, at least, is VERY capable of holding a grudge.

Current Giveaways:

$10 Gift Card or $10 in Books in the Winter 2025-2026 Seasons of Books Giveaway Hop
$10 Gift Card or $10 Book PLUS EVENT-WIDE AMAZON/PAYPAL PRIZE in The Spring Giveaway Event!

Blog Recap:

A+ #AudioBookReview: Inside Man by John McMahon
Spring Giveaway Event!
B #BookReview: Snake-Eater by T. Kingfisher
A- #BookReview: At Star’s End by Anna Hackett
B #BookReview: Monster in the Moonlight by Annelise Ryan
Stacking the Shelves (694)

Coming This Week:

The Patient by Tim Sullivan (#BookReview)
Hot Chocolate on Thursday by Michiko Aoyama, translated by E. Madison Shimoda (#AudioBookReview)
Sentient by Michael Nayak (#BookReview)
Cabaret in Flames by Hache Pueyo (#BookReview)
Nobody’s Baby by Olivia Waite (#BookReview)