Reading Reality, LLC

10/22/2025

A- : The Ex-Boyfriend's Favorite Recipe Funeral Committee by Saki Kawashiro translated by Yuka Maeno

My Review: There are no actual funerals in this book, only metaphorical ones. Considering the state of most of the clients of the Ex-Boyfriend’s Favorite Recipe Funeral Committee, if there actually WERE funerals, there would be a LOT of them, the recently deceased would probably have died in some ...

10/21/2025

Slayers of Old by Jim C. Hines

This was awesome. Really truly. I think it was actually a better book because it's not quite as cozy as the blurbs all make it out to be. Because the question of who Buffy Summers would be 30 years after her slaying days were over does not necessarily have cozy answers. It might, but the whole slayer gig, considering that she began in high school, when she wouldn't have been half so grown up as she might have thought she was, has the potential to lead to some pretty dark places...because that was a hell of a lot of trauma. And then there's all the wear and tear catching up to her.

Which is kind of what this story is, about three former 'Chosen Ones' who have made a found family, found a bit of peace, and have mostly gotten on with their lives even if none of them want to do much looking back.

So their past - or at least Jenny Winter's past - comes looking for her. With a vengeance that will sweep away her peace - and might just take her town and all her loved ones along with it. Unless those three former Chosen Ones still have what it takes to save the world - just one more time.

I think this is a terrific story all the way around, but I believe it's going to have extra resonance for those of us who remember 'old skool' urban fantasy fondly and well. It certainly did for this very happy reader!

10/21/2025

Grade A : Slayers of Old by Jim C. Hines .com .bsky.social

https://www.readingreality.net/2025/10/grade-a-bookreview-slayers-of-old-by-jim-c-hines/

My Review: An ex-slayer, a half-succubus, and a has-been wizard share a magical house and a barely scraping by bookstore in Salem Massachusetts. You’d think they’d fit right in. You also might think that it’s the start of a joke - or at least the start of a cozy fantasy. They do fit right in, ...

10/20/2025

The Healing Hippo of Hinode Park by Michiko Aoyama, translated by Takami Nieda

If you enjoyed , you're going to love , especially if you're looking for that mix of sweet and occasionally just a bit sad stories about people living their lives who just need a bit of help figuring things out.

That 'healing hippo', Kabahiko, doesn't exactly heal people. He isn't really magic. But he isn't really not, either. The individuals in each of the interconnected stories just need a non-judgmental listening ear in order to hear themselves and not all the voices both around and inside them that are telling them that their authentic self is not enough or not right or just not.

Kabahiko can't judge. He can't even talk. He certainly can't do magic. But he can listen. And in that listening, they are finally able to hear the quiet voice inside their own heads that allows them to work things out for themselves.

Which is, after all, more than a bit magical. And so are these stories.

10/20/2025

: The Healing Hippo of Hinode Park by Michiko Aoyama, translated by Takami Nieda
.bsky.social .bsky.social

My Review: I picked this up because I LOVED the author’s first book, What You Are Looking For Is in the Library and was hoping for more just like it. That particular book is one of my favorites among the current trend of mostly light, slightly bittersweet, loosely linked stories that are more abou...

10/19/2025

The Sunday Post/Virtual Nightstand for October 19, 2025

George is looking at me very seriously this morning - and so is everyone else. Mr. Reading Reality is off on a business trip, and they're all just certain that it's all my fault. Again. Particularly since I was warned that they all DID get breakfast before he left and that all their starving, pitiful faces were just bids for the feline Oscar Awards. Not that they aren't all excellent furry actors when they want to be.

I do, as always, have plenty of reading to tide me over. That my reading provides a comfy lap for someone - most likely Luna - means that I'm likely to be forgiven...eventually. At least as long as their food dishes remain reasonably full. If I'm not performing up to their standards, I'm CERTAIN that they will ALL let me know!

Here are this week's highlights:
Featured Giveaway: Silly Pumpkins Giveaway Hop
Book of the Week: The Keeper of Magical Things by Julie Leong
Feature for the Coming Week: The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow

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10/19/2025

The Sunday Post AKA What’s on my (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 10-19-25

George is on overwatch in this picture, as he often is. He likes to have a view of the front door, OR, he likes to be in a position where he can keep an eye on both of us. Or both. This is both, as Galen will have to go around him if he wants [...]

10/18/2025

Stacking the Shelves for October 18, 2025

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual.



This meme is hosted every Saturday by yours truly, - The covers shown here are merely a TEASER! Link to full post in bio to see the pretty covers of ALL the books in this week's stack!

10/18/2025

Stacking the Shelves (675)

The pretty covers in this week's stack are also pretty interesting, and in a couple of cases downright creepy. OTOH next week is Halloween so THAT'S not exactly out-of-season. Speaking of seasons it is starting to feel like fall around here, at least on alternate days. The nights are down in the hig...

10/17/2025

Saving Mr. Norcross by Anna Hackett

This terrific short story in the series is a bit of a companion piece to the previous short, . Because in that story THE Mr. Norcross (there's more than one in the series), Vander, saved HIS Mrs. Norcross (because there's more than one of those too) from a kidnapping.

Since they're each as badass as the other, it's only fair that Brynn Norcross get her turn. That Vander is already breaking out while she's breaking in is pretty much par for both of their courses - which is the thing that Vander is having a whole lot of trouble dealing with when the story begins. It's not that he didn't know that when they got together, it's just that the stakes on everything have changed now that Brynn is pregnant, even though it's early days yet.

So the romantic part of the story is Vander wanting to wrap Brynn up and keep her safe, all while knowing that safe is the last thing that Brynn was ever built for. The action/adventure thrill-a-minute part of the story is an epic rescue. The combination is, as always with this series, awesome!

10/17/2025

: Saving Mr. Norcross by Anna Hackett

My Review: “A ship in harbor is safe, but that’s not what ships are built for.” And neither is Brynn Norcross. Considering that Vander Norcross first met his future wife, then-SFPD Detective Brynn Sullivan, when she was undercover in a motorcycle gang (their story is The Powerbroker), it’s n...

10/16/2025

Silly Pumpkins Giveaway Hop

There's not a silly pumpkin in sight on the hop image, but at https://wp.me/p3gHJx-eso with the giveaway instructions certainly has one! You'll just have to visit Reading Reality at https://www.readingreality.net to see those silly orange faces in all their glory.

We tried to get George to make a silly face, as he's our only pumpkin colored cat, but let's just say there's a reason why his hashtag is . He's all serious all the time, no matter the provocation.

What's your favorite fall flavor? Visit Reading reality in the link up in the full bio - or at https://wp.me/p3gHJx-eso - for a chance at an Amazon GC that will get you some of that flavor in something delicious - or maybe a book on pumpkin carving!