Fiona’s Comments (group member since Apr 01, 2023)

Fiona’s comments from the Bookish Challenges group.

A Secret Hideaway/Nook

1. Read a book with "secret" or "hidden" in the title 🤫
2. Read a book with a quiet or introspective character 🤍
3. Read a book that feels like a comforting escape 🛋️

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Investigation - Sarah Donovan

Daniel: (Looking at her steadily) “Sarah, I understand you and James argued the night before his death. Can you tell me what it was about?”

Sarah: (Huffs, shifting uncomfortably) “It was nothing, really. Just… a difference of opinion. We’re—were—siblings. Arguments happen.”

Daniel: “A difference of opinion that had you both raising your voices? The staff heard shouting from down the hall.”

Sarah: (Rolling her eyes) “Fine. He was being his usual controlling self. He thought he could dictate my life choices, tell me who I should avoid, as if he knew everything.”

Daniel: (Leaning in) “Who did he warn you about, Sarah? Maxwell Carter, perhaps?”

Sarah: (Pauses, her eyes flickering) “Maybe. Maxwell and James had their own issues. I mean, they argued that night too. Did you know that? I wasn’t the only one who found him insufferable.”

Daniel: “I’ll get to Maxwell. For now, let’s stay with you and James. Did he mention why he was so concerned about your choices?”

Sarah: (Nervously) “He just… he thought I was naïve, that I didn’t see what people were really like. James always had this need to control everything—my life included. He never let me live anything down, you know?”

Daniel: “But it was more than that this time, wasn’t it? Something specific triggered him.”

Sarah: (Tightens her arms around herself, lowering her gaze) “Yes, all right? It was about a decision I made with Maxwell. James kept saying Maxwell couldn’t be trusted, that he was out to take advantage of me or something. But maybe he was wrong. Maybe James wasn’t always right, and Maxwell actually understood me better.”

Daniel: (Raises an eyebrow) “So you defended Maxwell. But tell me, Sarah, did James say anything about his business dealings with Maxwell?”

Sarah: (Flinching slightly, her voice quieter) “He… he said Maxwell was becoming a liability. That he couldn’t trust him anymore. I told him he was being paranoid, that he needed to loosen his grip a little.”

Daniel: “Interesting. And how did James take that?”

Sarah: (Shrugs, forcing a bitter smile) “How do you think? He was furious, of course. James didn’t like being told he was wrong. But I didn’t kill him, Mr. Hunt. If you’re looking for someone with more than hurt feelings, maybe you should dig into James’s business relationships.”

Daniel: (Watching her closely) “Don’t worry, Sarah. I’ll speak to Maxwell soon enough.”

Sarah: (Glancing away, her voice barely a whisper) “Good. Maybe he’ll have answers I don’t.”


Read a book that meets the general guidelines.

Victoria Donovan



Victoria greets the guests with grace, but there is an underlying sadness in her eyes. She leads everyone into the grand hall where a portrait of her late husband, Richard Donovan, hangs above the fireplace. Richard’s death ten years ago is a wound that the family still bears. As the evening unfolds, Victoria’s calm demeanor hides a woman who has fought to keep her family’s legacy intact.

Task 1: Read a book where the matriarch holds a family together.
Task 2: Read a book where the past heavily influences the present.
Task 3: Read a book with a tragic backstory.

Reader's Road


- Read a book with a title that starts with the letter "R."
- Read a book that features a book club or reading group.
- Read a book that has been adapted into a stage play.

Midnights



Note: I will not include songs that are on the track list twice (with the addition of “Pop Version” etc.)

Track list:
Lavender Haze
Maroon
Anti-Hero
Snow On The Beach
You’re On Your Own Kid
Midnight Rain
Question…?
Vigilante Shit
Bejeweled
Labyrinth
Karma
Sweet Nothing
Mastermind
The Great War
Bigger Than The Whole Sky
Paris
High Infidelity
Glitch
Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve
Dear Reader
Hits Different
You’re Losing Me

Bigger Than The Whole Sky


Tasks:
1: Read a book with "big" or "sky" in the title.
2: Read a book in which the MC says goodbye to someone.
3: Read a book about the loss of a person.

Book/Author: The Birthday List by Devney Perry
Date Read: August 14
Picks: A1 : [ Wild : Wild ] & B1: [ MPG : Romance ]
How it Fits: Wild & MPG Romance

Book/Author: The Birthday List by Devney Perry
Date Read: August 14
Task: Three or four-word title
How it fits: 3 word title

🟠 Gold Blocks – Award Winners (Critically Acclaimed Books)
3. A book from a “Best of the Year” list
Book/Author: The Birthday List by Devney Perry
Date Read: August 14
How it Fits: #115 on Best Books of 2018 list
Position: 2

Book/Author: King of Nothing by Mona Black
Date Read: August 12
Picks: A1 : [ Wild : Wild ] & A4: [ Color : Black ]
How it fits: Wild and 62.2% black cover


I'd like to continue with Round 2

Book/Author: King of Nothing by Mona Black
Date Read: August 12
Task: 8. Read a retelling or a modern adaptation of a classic story
How it Fits: Retelling of Peter Pan

📸 Investigation: Priya Kapoor


Priya was never supposed to be on this cruise.
She’s still not listed in the ship’s manifest, and her story about winning a ticket doesn’t quite add up.
She’s calm—but too calm.
When asked about Javier, her answers are short.
And her questions? Way too specific.

🗣️ Interrogation Snippet:
“I didn’t know him,” she says. “Not really.”

But then she frowns. “He recognized me, though. I saw it in his eyes—like he’d seen me before. I didn’t say anything. I didn’t want to cause a scene.”

A long pause. “I didn’t kill him. But I think… maybe he knew something he shouldn’t have. And maybe he wasn’t the only one.”

📚Tasks:
1. Read a book featuring a secret identity or false persona
2. Read a book with a quiet, observant main character
3. Read a book where someone is recognized from the past

DAY 3
📸Theo Zhang


Theo Zhang is the headline act for the cruise’s entertainment lineup—a magician with a talent for making things disappear, including the truth.
His show is sold out every night, filled with mind games, illusions, and just the right amount of discomfort.
Some guests are amazed. Others… unnerved.
And when asked how he reads people so well, he only smiles and says, “Everyone leaves clues.”

📚Tasks:
1. Read a book featuring a performer or artist
2. Read a book that includes illusions, secrets, or mind games
3. Read a book where a character knows something before everyone else

📸Captain Elias Monroe


Captain Elias Monroe has captained Euphoria of the Seas for over a decade. Calm under pressure and always in control, he’s respected by his crew and trusted by the guests.
But no one really knows him beyond his polished professionalism.
He’s rarely seen off duty, and when he is, he’s usually alone—staring at the sea like it’s holding a secret.
Maybe it is.

📚Tasks:
1. Read a book featuring a leader or authority figure
2. Read a book where the setting plays an important role
3. Read a book with a blue or white cover

ROUND 1

25.Read a book set in a city known for its color or aesthetic (e.g. Jaipur, Venice, Chefchaouen). - Cats
26.Read a book where color is important to worldbuilding (e.g. color-based magic, society, or factions). - Natasha
29.Read a book with color-themed chapter titles or sections - Anastasia
44.Read a book where the cover contrasts with the actual tone of the story. - Patti
49.Read a book where color is linked to magic, power, or abilities. - Cats
56.Read a book that filled you with hope - Patti
60.Read a book that was dark and moody - Denise
63.Read a book that gave you anxiety - Fiona
65.Read a book that felt like a rollercoaster - Fiona
76.Read a book that gave you peace - Fiona
94.Read a book that left you speechless - Fiona


ROUND 2

🎨 Colors
1.Read a book with a red cover - Jasmine
2.Read a book with a blue cover
3.Read a book with a green cover
4.Read a book with a yellow cover
5.Read a book with a pink cover
6.Read a book with an orange cover - Jasmine
7.Read a book with a purple cover
8.Read a book with a black cover - KayLynn
9.Read a book with a white cover
10.Read a book with a brown cover - Anastasia
11.Read a book with a gray cover
12.Read a book with gold on the cover
13.Read a book with silver on the cover
14.Read a book with a multicolored cover
15.Read a book with a pastel cover
16.Read a book with a dark-colored cover
17.Read a book with a bright/neon cover
18.Read a book with the title written in red - Cats
19.Read a book with the title written in blue
20.Read a book with the title written in green
21.Read a book with the title written in yellow
22.Read a book with a color in the title - Anastasia
23.Read a book with a scene set during a festival, parade, or celebration.
24.Read a book where art (paintings, photography, etc.) plays a key role.
25.Read a book set in a city known for its color or aesthetic (e.g. Jaipur, Venice, Chefchaouen). - Natasha
26.Read a book where color is important to worldbuilding (e.g. color-based magic, society, or factions).
27.Read a book with a scene so vividly described you could picture the colors.
28.Read a book where color plays a central symbolic role
29.Read a book with color-themed chapter titles or sections
30.Read a book with a colorful map or illustration
31.Read a book set in a vividly colorful world
32.Read a book where the character wears a signature color
33.Read a book with a rainbow on the cover or in the story
34.Read a book that uses color as a metaphor
35.Read a book featuring a painter, designer, or artist
36.Read a book with a shiny, reflective, or metallic-looking cover.
37.Read a book where jewelry, armor, or decoration plays an important role.
38.Read a book with a color in the series title
39.Read a book with a cover that features brushstrokes, splashes, or an artistic texture.
40.Read a book where a character sees the world differently (e.g. synesthesia, color blindness, hallucinations, altered perception).
41.Read a book where characters from different backgrounds or cultures come together.
42.Read a book where the title includes two or more colors
43.Read a book inspired by or featuring fashion
44.Read a book where the cover contrasts with the actual tone of the story.
45.Read a book where the title includes a color-related word (e.g., "shadow," "blush," "glow," "scarlet").
46.Read a book that mentions a color in the first chapter
47.Read a book where the absence of color (grayscale, darkness, blindness, etc.) plays a thematic or literal role.
48.Read a book that explores race, skin color, or identity
49.Read a book where color is linked to magic, power, or abilities. - Anastasia
50.Read a book with a color-based pun in the title

😌 Moods
51.Read a book that made you laugh out loud
52.Read a book that made you cry
53.Read a book that gave you goosebumps
54.Read a book that felt comforting
55.Read a book that made you feel nostalgic
56.Read a book that filled you with hope
57.Read a book that gave you secondhand embarrassment
58.Read a book that was deeply romantic
59.Read a book that felt whimsical or magical
60.Read a book that was dark and moody
61.Read a book that was inspiring or motivational
62.Read a book that made you angry
63.Read a book that gave you anxiety - Patti
64.Read a book that felt cozy
65.Read a book that felt like a rollercoaster - PrinZessBookDragon
66.Read a book that was intense or thrilling
67.Read a book that made you feel empowered
68.Read a book that was unexpectedly calming
69.Read a book that broke your heart
70.Read a book that healed your heart
71.Read a book that made you uncomfortable
72.Read a book that made you feel brave
73.Read a book that made you feel seen
74.Read a book that was purely fun
75.Read a book that confused or challenged you
76.Read a book that gave you peace - Natasha
77.Read a book that made you feel warm and fuzzy
78.Read a book that made you want to scream
79.Read a book that you couldn’t stop thinking about
80.Read a book that gave you chills
81.Read a book that reminded you of childhood
82.Read a book that felt cinematic
83.Read a book that made your heart race
84.Read a book that made you feel reflective
85.Read a book that was utterly chaotic
86.Read a book that felt poetic
87.Read a book that gave you a sense of wanderlust
88.Read a book that made you want to call a friend
89.Read a book that kept you up at night
90.Read a book that helped you escape reality
91.Read a book that felt slow and meditative
92.Read a book that made you want to hug someone
93.Read a book that made you crave something (food, love, etc.)
94.Read a book that left you speechless - Patti
95.Read a book that made you hopeful for the future
96.Read a book that reminded you of a song
97.Read a book that felt surreal or dreamlike
98.Read a book that pushed your boundaries
99.Read a book that soothed your soul
100.Read a book that felt like a punch in the gut

You can claim tasks here (up to 5 unread ones, not more!).
Post your completions in this thread as well.
I will open the thread for you to claim tasks on September 1st.

Ask your questions here