Michelle's Empty Nest’s Comments (group member since Oct 31, 2021)

Michelle's Empty Nest’s comments from the Hooked on Books group.

Ridiculously Random Prompt #34: Mouse Speed





The speed of a computer mouse is measured in "Mickeys."


A British scientist first invented the roller-ball device in 1946 while working for the Royal Navy, but the word "mouse" didn't get coined until 1965.


Complete ONE of the following tasks:

🖱 1. Read a book published or set between 1946 and 1965.
🖱 2. Read a book with a scientist character.
🖱 3. Read a book with the word MOUSE found in the text.
🖱 4. Read a book that seemed to speed by.

Ridiculously Random Prompt #21: Extreme Ironing





Extreme Ironing is considered a ‘danger sport’ in which people take ironing boards to various, often remote, locations to iron clothes and take a picture.


Some of the locations have included cliff tops, underwater, in the middle of a motorway, and also while skiing and parachuting.


Complete ONE of the following tasks:

🧺 1. Read a book where the MC has a dangerous career/hobby.
🧺 2. Read a book where the title starts with a letter in EXTREME.
🧺 3. Read a book set at least partially in a remote location.
🧺 4. Read a book where a character irons or does other household chores.

Ridiculously Random Prompt #20: Blue Whale





You can hear a blue whale's heartbeat from more than 2 miles away.


The world's largest animal's heart weighs about 400 pounds — approximately the size of a small piano.


Complete ONE of the following tasks:

🐳 1. Read a book with a blue cover.
🐳 2. Read a book where someone plays a piano.
🐳 3. Read a book with all the letters of HEART found in the title.
🐳 4. Read a book with a 2 in the page count.

Excellent!

Ridiculously Random Prompt #32: Coca-Cola





Coca-Cola consumers will pay more to drink less ounces.


Coca-Cola consumers prefer smaller packaging of their beverage and are willing to pay more per ounce. While soda consumption is declining in the U.S., Coca-Cola had a net revenue of $33 billion worldwide last year. Talk about vanity sizing!


Complete ONE of the following tasks:

🥤 1. Read a book with a dashed word in the title.
🥤 2. Read a book where someone drinks a cola, soda, pop, whatever you call it where you're from.
🥤 3. Read a book with two 3s in the publication date.
🥤 4. Read a book you were willing to pay for.

Ridiculously Random Prompt #32: Coca-Cola





Coca-Cola consumers will pay more to drink less ounces.


Coca-Cola consumers prefer smaller packaging of their beverage and are willing to pay more per ounce. While soda consumption is declining in the U.S., Coca-Cola had a net revenue of $33 billion worldwide last year. Talk about vanity sizing!


Complete ONE of the following tasks:

🥤 1. Read a book with a dashed word in the title.
🥤 2. Read a book where someone drinks a cola, soda, pop, whatever you call it where you're from.
🥤 3. Read a book with two 3s in the publication date.
🥤 4. Read a book you were willing to pay for.

Superb!

Ridiculously Random Prompt #56: Largest Sand Castle





The largest sand castle in the world measured 54 feet high.


It took 168 trucks over a week to deliver enough sand for this carefully sculpted masterpiece.


Complete ONE of the following tasks:

🏝 1. Read a book with sand visible on the cover.
🏝 2. Read a book with a 5 OR a 4 in the page count.
🏝 3. Read a book with a 1, 6, AND 8 in the publication date.
🏝 4. Read a book that took place over more than a week's time.

Ridiculously Random Prompt #54: Ultimate Taser Ball





Ultimate Taser Ball is a kind of extreme and crazy sport that not many would have heard of or believe that it is true. It involves players carrying a real taser gun and using it on opponents to gain possession of the ball. If you are thinking, who would have come up with such an idea, the honors go to three California natives: Leif Kellenberger, Eric Prum, and Erik Wunsch.


The game is played on a 200 x 85 feet field. The ball used is a large 24 inch diameter inflated ball. The objective of the sport is to successfully carry the ball onto the opponents goalpost without getting tased en-route.


Rather than allowing players to go wild with their stun guns, the game fortunately has a rule that only players that have possession of the ball can be tased. The stun guns used emit a maximum of five milliamps, enough to cause muscle spasms to give up the ball, but well under the 1 amp lethal dose, and hence causes no permanent damage.


It's not hard to imagine that the sport was not well received. People would rather play than get tased and fall on their face. The founders, however, seem to be working towards getting a minor league going for the sport.


Complete ONE of the following tasks:

🔫 1. Read a book with a character who is in law enforcement.
🔫 2. Read a book where the title ENDS with a letter in EXTREME.
🔫 3. Read a book with a plot that seems too crazy to be true.
🔫 4. Read a book where the MC's first name ENDS with a letter in LETHAL.

Great job!

Prompt Name / #: Non-Fiction #3





Against Medical Advice
Published: October 2008


This is the heart-rending drama of one family's courage, heartbreak, sacrifice, and triumph in confronting an agonizing medical condition, written by two master storytellers.

Cory Friedman woke up one morning when he was five years old with the uncontrollable urge to twitch his neck and his life was never the same again. From that day forward his life became a hell of uncontrollable tics, urges, and involuntary utterances. Eventually he is diagnosed with Tourette's Syndrome and Obsessive Compulsive disorder, and Cory embarks on an excruciating journey from specialist to specialist, enduring countless combinations of medications in wildly varying doses. Soon it becomes unclear what tics are symptoms of his disease and what are side effects of the drugs. The only certainty is that it kept getting worse. Despite his lack of control, Cory is aware of every embarrassing movement, and sensitive to every person's reaction to his often aggravating presence. Simply put: Cory Friedman's life is a living hell.

Against Medical Advice is the true story of one family's decades-long battle for survival in the face of extraordinary difficulties and a rigid medical establishment.


Complete ONE of the following:

1. Read a book where a character is dealing with a medical/health issue.
2. Read a book tagged MEMOIR any number of times.
3. Read a book that is between 300 - 400 pages long.
4. Read any James Patterson novel.

Prompt Name / #: Thrillers #65





Lion & Lamb
Published: August 2023


They can catch a killer—if they don’t kill each other first. Veena Lion and Cooper Lamb are rival PIs working the same intense headline-making case. Philadelphia is in a state of shock over the fate of two hometown Eagles starting quarterback Archie Hughes, and his even more famous wife, Grammy-winning singer Francine Hughes.

One spouse is murdered. The other is suspect #1.

Even before the case hits the courtroom, it’s the hottest ticket in town.

For the Cooper Lamb, private investigator to the stars.

For the Veena Lion, a sleuth so bright she’s got to wear shades.

Between them, they know every secret in Philadelphia. Together, they prove how two wrongs can make a right. They are Lion & Lamb.


Complete ONE of the following:

1. Read a book published in 2023.
2. Read a book where one spouse is suspected of killing the other.
3. Read a book with an ampersand in the title.
4. Read any James Patterson novel.

Prompt Name / #: Thrillers #44





The Summer House
Published: June 2020


One historic lake house. Seven murder victims. Four accused Army Rangers. Two versions of the truth.

Only one can survive.

Sullivan County, Georgia, belongs to Sheriff Emma Williams. But not when Army Rangers posted to the local base are implicated in a major crime. To an elite team of investigators led by Major Jeremiah Cook, the physical evidence Williams swears by presents clues to an entirely different story. The small-town sheriff has never worked a multiple homicide, and Cook knows it. Unless he can convince the locals that the recent crimes are part of a larger mystery, this outsider may never unlock the century of secrets hidden inside The Summer House.


Complete ONE of the following:

1. Read a book with any light source on the cover.
2. Read a book set in Georgia in the U.S.
3. Read a book that you also used for one of Angie's challenges.
4. Read any James Patterson novel.

Ridiculously Random Prompt #41: Northern Cardinal





The Northern cardinal is the most popular state bird.


Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia all picked it as their favorite species. The western meadowlark takes second place as the honoree in six other states.


Complete ONE of the following tasks:

♥️ 1. Read a book with a bird on the cover.
♥️ 2. Read a book set in any of the states listed above.
♥️ 3. Read a book where the title does NOT start with a letter in SPECIES.
♥️ 4. Read a book with a 6 in the page count.

Ridiculously Random Prompt #41: Northern Cardinal





The Northern cardinal is the most popular state bird.


Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia all picked it as their favorite species. The western meadowlark takes second place as the honoree in six other states.


Complete ONE of the following tasks:

♥️ 1. Read a book with a bird on the cover.
♥️ 2. Read a book set in any of the states listed above.
♥️ 3. Read a book where the title does NOT start with a letter in SPECIES.
♥️ 4. Read a book with a 6 in the page count.

Ridiculously Random Prompt #34: Mouse Speed





The speed of a computer mouse is measured in "Mickeys."


A British scientist first invented the roller-ball device in 1946 while working for the Royal Navy, but the word "mouse" didn't get coined until 1965.


Complete ONE of the following tasks:

🖱 1. Read a book published or set between 1946 and 1965.
🖱 2. Read a book with a scientist character.
🖱 3. Read a book with the word MOUSE found in the text.
🖱 4. Read a book that seemed to speed by.

Ridiculously Random Prompt #41: Northern Cardinal





The Northern cardinal is the most popular state bird.


Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia all picked it as their favorite species. The western meadowlark takes second place as the honoree in six other states.


Complete ONE of the following tasks:

♥️ 1. Read a book with a bird on the cover.
♥️ 2. Read a book set in any of the states listed above.
♥️ 3. Read a book where the title does NOT start with a letter in SPECIES.
♥️ 4. Read a book with a 6 in the page count.

Ridiculously Random Prompt #40: Wine Major





You can major in wine at Cornell University.


Technically it's a degree in "Viticulture and Enology" (a.k.a. the cultivation of grapes and the science of winemaking), but we're still sending in our applications.


Complete ONE of the following tasks:

🍷 1. Read a book at least partially set on a university campus.
🍷 2. Read a book where a character consumes wine.
🍷 3. Read a book with some type of fruit or alcoholic beverage on the cover.
🍷 4. Read a book where the author's first AND last initials are found in VITICULTURE ENOLOGY.

Yes, please.

Nice tasks from both of you!