The standard reality checks do not work for every person. I have never succeeded with the hand-based ones myself. I had to develop my own RC that worked for me.

Of course, you just started...it could be the elements entered your dream from the reading but you were never really lucid. Are you highly susceptible to suggestion?

Autosuggestion might work better for you. http://www.dreamviews.com/f12/autosu...thread-131417/

Go through your dream signs. You know, the common elements that show up in your dream that would only happen in a dream, such as being somewhere naked or taking a school test. Use those elements to trigger lucidity, and if they show up often they can become your own reality check.