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 #71: Two-Buck Chuck





Two-Buck Chuck once won a top wine award.


Trader Joe's 2002 Charles Shaw Shiraz beat out 2,300 other wines to win a prestigious double gold medal at the 28th Annual International Eastern Wine Competition, so don't feel bad stocking up on the bargain brand.


Complete ONE of the following tasks:

🤑 1. Read a book with rhyming words in the title.
🤑 2. Read a book published in 2002.
🤑 3. Read a book where a store of any type is mentioned.
🤑 4. Read a book with a 2 and an 8 in the publication date.

Alyana wrote: "Hi again Michelle, for the retelling task, my book In the Dark is loosely based on Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None. It's not MPG Retelling but it has 3 tags...."


Yes, I'll take it based on the tags.

Ridiculously Random Prompt #70: Tunnel of Love





You can ride a train through the "Tunnel of Love."


The Ukrainian rails actually service an industrial train, but couples can still hitch a ride (or take one of these affordable family train trips) and make a wish, according to a new tourist legend.


Complete ONE of the following tasks:

🛤 1. Read a book with a train on the cover.
🛤 2. Read a book with the word TUNNEL found in the text.
🛤 3. Read a book where a character makes or is granted a wish.
🛤 4. Read a book where the publisher's name starts with a letter in UKRAINIAN.

Ridiculously Random Prompt #70: Tunnel of Love





You can ride a train through the "Tunnel of Love."


The Ukrainian rails actually service an industrial train, but couples can still hitch a ride (or take one of these affordable family train trips) and make a wish, according to a new tourist legend.


Complete ONE of the following tasks:

🛤 1. Read a book with a train on the cover.
🛤 2. Read a book with the word TUNNEL found in the text.
🛤 3. Read a book where a character makes or is granted a wish.
🛤 4. Read a book where the publisher's name starts with a letter in UKRAINIAN.

Prompt Name / #: Thrillers #40





The Warning
Published: August 2019


Two roads lead to Mount Hope. None leads out. There’s no place to run in a community that’s been taken – and is being intentionally kept – off the grid.

A small southern town was evacuated after a freak power-plant accident. As the first anniversary of the mishap approaches, some residents are allowed to return past the national guard roadblocks.

Mount Hope natives Maggie and Jordan quickly discover that their hometown is not as it was before. Downed cellular networks fail to resume service. Animals savagely attack humans. And the damaged power plant, where Jordan’s father is an engineer, is under military lockdown.

As friends and family morph into terrifying strangers, Maggie and Jordan increasingly turn to each other. Their determination to discover who – or what – has taken control of Mount Hope soon has them in the cross-hairs of a presence more sinister than any they could have imagined.


Complete ONE of the following:

1. Read a book set in a small town.
2. Read a book with an -ING word in the title.
3. Read a book with an MPG of MYSTERY.
4. Read any James Patterson novel.

Ridiculously Random Prompt #35: Pumpkins, Squash, and Gourds...Oh My!





Pumpkins, squash, and gourds are all technically the same species.


That's right, your zucchini and Jack o' lanterns are one and the same: Cucurbita pepo, a species that originated in Mexico more than 10,000 years ago. Farmers have since developed the many cultivars we know and use today.


Complete ONE of the following tasks:

👩🏽‍🌾 1. Read a book with some type of vegetable on the cover.
👩🏽‍🌾 2. Read a book with at least 10,000 ratings.
👩🏽‍🌾 3. Read a book set in Mexico.
👩🏽‍🌾 4. Read a book where the author's first AND last initials are found in CUCURBITA PEPO.

Ridiculously Random Prompt #35: Pumpkins, Squash, and Gourds...Oh My!





Pumpkins, squash, and gourds are all technically the same species.


That's right, your zucchini and Jack o' lanterns are one and the same: Cucurbita pepo, a species that originated in Mexico more than 10,000 years ago. Farmers have since developed the many cultivars we know and use today.


Complete ONE of the following tasks:

👩🏽‍🌾 1. Read a book with some type of vegetable on the cover.
👩🏽‍🌾 2. Read a book with at least 10,000 ratings.
👩🏽‍🌾 3. Read a book set in Mexico.
👩🏽‍🌾 4. Read a book where the author's first AND last initials are found in CUCURBITA PEPO.

Way to go!

Prompt Name / #: Thrillers #63





The House of Wolves
Published: January 2023


Joe Wolf applies a cutthroat determination to his life’s work, from to building a California business empire to parenting three sons and a daughter. Kill or be killed. So when the patriarch takes a deadly cruise on San Francisco Bay, Joe Wolf’s bloodline becomes SFPD’s lifeline.

Detective Ben Cantor trails the “pack of wolves” as the siblings vie for control of their legacy of power and assets. All four have the means and the motive to commit murder, but only one of them is most like Joe Wolf. Only one of them earned their father’s love.

Lurking in the shadows is the real alpha wolf. That creature survives on instinct. And desire. To kill all the wolves dead.


Complete ONE of the following:

1. Read a book with a plural word in the title.
2. Read a book with a group of at least four siblings.
3. Read a book where the word HOUSE is found in the text.
4. Read any James Patterson novel.

Prompt Name / #: Thrillers #62





Blowback
Published: September 2022


From the New York Times bestselling author of The President Is Missing, America has elected its most brilliant president ever, but he’s also a psychopath—and about to start a world war with our most dangerous enemy.

US President Keegan Barrett has swept into office on his success as Director of the CIA. Six months into his first term, he devises a clandestine power grab with deadly consequences.

Barrett personally orders CIA agents Liam Grey and Noa Himel to execute his plan, but their loyalties are divided. The CIA serves at the pleasure of the president, yet they’ve sworn to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.

When the threat comes directly from the Oval Office, that’s where the blowback begins.


Complete ONE of the following:

1. Read a book with a famous building/landmark on the cover.
2. Read a book where the MC has an unusual first name.
3. Read a book with at least two Bs in the title.
4. Read any James Patterson novel.

Ridiculously Random Prompt #25: Detroit





If you drive south from Detroit, you'll hit Canada.


Head north from Windsor, Ontario, crossing the Detroit River, and you'll reach the good ol' US of A.


Complete ONE of the following tasks:

🇨🇦 1. Read a book set in Michigan.
🇨🇦 2. Read a book with a cityscape on the cover.
🇨🇦 3. Read a book with a directional word in the title.
🇨🇦 4. Read a book where the MC's first initial is NOT found in WINDSOR.

Ridiculously Random Prompt #25: Detroit





If you drive south from Detroit, you'll hit Canada.


Head north from Windsor, Ontario, crossing the Detroit River, and you'll reach the good ol' US of A.


Complete ONE of the following tasks:

🇨🇦 1. Read a book set in Michigan.
🇨🇦 2. Read a book with a cityscape on the cover.
🇨🇦 3. Read a book with a directional word in the title.
🇨🇦 4. Read a book where the MC's first initial is NOT found in WINDSOR.

Ridiculously Random Prompt #27: Greasy Pole Climbing





Surprisingly, the sporting event of climbing a greased-up slippery pole is quite common around the world.


These traditional events are essentially the same - there is a long pole covered in grease, lard, or some other lubricant, and participants attempt to climb or walk along the pole to get to the other end, where there may be a prize or flag to recover.


Complete ONE of the following tasks:

🎁 1. Read a book where a character climbs something.
🎁 2. Read a book where the title does NOT start with a letter in GREASY POLE.
🎁 3. Read a book where the MC wins a prize of any type.
🎁 4. Read a book with the word FLAG found in the text.

Outstanding!





Erin, please check in after all 3 books for your image are complete. 😊

Ridiculously Random Prompt #27: Greasy Pole Climbing





Surprisingly, the sporting event of climbing a greased-up slippery pole is quite common around the world.


These traditional events are essentially the same - there is a long pole covered in grease, lard, or some other lubricant, and participants attempt to climb or walk along the pole to get to the other end, where there may be a prize or flag to recover.


Complete ONE of the following tasks:

🎁 1. Read a book where a character climbs something.
🎁 2. Read a book where the title does NOT start with a letter in GREASY POLE.
🎁 3. Read a book where the MC wins a prize of any type.
🎁 4. Read a book with the word FLAG found in the text.

Ridiculously Random Prompt #27: Greasy Pole Climbing





Surprisingly, the sporting event of climbing a greased-up slippery pole is quite common around the world.


These traditional events are essentially the same - there is a long pole covered in grease, lard, or some other lubricant, and participants attempt to climb or walk along the pole to get to the other end, where there may be a prize or flag to recover.


Complete ONE of the following tasks:

🎁 1. Read a book where a character climbs something.
🎁 2. Read a book where the title does NOT start with a letter in GREASY POLE.
🎁 3. Read a book where the MC wins a prize of any type.
🎁 4. Read a book with the word FLAG found in the text.

Ridiculously Random Prompt #16: M&Ms





M&M stands for Mars and Murrie.


Forrest Mars (son of the Mars Company founder) first spotted the British confection Smarties during the Spanish Civil War and noticed the candy shell prevented the chocolate from melting. He teamed up with Bruce Murrie (son of Hershey Chocolate's president) and the company later trademarked the "Melts in Your Mouth, Not in Your Hand" slogan.


Complete ONE of the following tasks:

🔴 1. Read a book with an alliterative title.
🔴 2. Read a book with at least two men on the cover.
🔴 3. Read a book tagged SPACE any number of times.
🔴 4. Read a book where the MC's first initial is found in HERSHEY.

Ridiculously Random Prompt #10: National Animal of Scotland





The unicorn is the national animal of Scotland.


Yes, although it's a fabled creature, the national animal of Scotland is actually the mythical unicorn — chosen because of its association with dominance and chivalry as well as purity and innocence in Celtic mythology. BRB, moving to Scotland real quick.


Complete ONE of the following tasks:

🦄 1. Read a book set in Scotland.
🦄 2. Read a book with all the letters of UNICORN found in the title.
🦄 3. Read a book tagged MYTHOLOGY any number of times.
🦄 4. Read a book where the author's first initial is NOT found in CELTIC.

Prompt Name / #: Thrillers #39





The 13-Minute Murder
Published: April 2019


Sometimes it only takes a few minutes for the perfect murder to take place. Here are two fast-paced thrillers that will have you reading for just a minute longer.

13-MINUTE MURDER: He can kill anybody in just minutes – from the first approach to the clean escape. His skills have served him well, and he has a grand plan: to get out alive and spend his earnings with his beloved wife, Maria.

An anonymous client offers Ryan a rich payout to assassinate a target in Harvard Yard. It’s exactly the last big job he needs to complete his plan. The precision strike starts perfectly, then somehow explodes into a horrifying spectacle. Ryan has to run and Maria goes missing. Now the world’s fastest hit man sets out for one last score: Revenge. And every minute counts.

113 MINUTES: Molly Rourke’s son has been murdered – and she knows who’s responsible. Now she’s taking the law into her own hands. Never underestimate a mother’s love.


Complete ONE of the following:

1. Read a book with the number 13 intact in the page count or publication date.
2. Read a book with a clock or watch on the cover.
3. Read a book that you also used for one of Ashley's challenges.
4. Read any James Patterson novel.

Ridiculously Random Prompt #22: The Oscars





The Oscars used to give out an award to child performers.


The award show discontinued the Academy Juvenile Award in 1960 after famous names like Shirley Temple and Judy Garland nabbed the honor. Also no longer on the ballot? Best Dance Direction and Best Title Writing.


Complete ONE of the following tasks:

🏆 1. Read a book with something gold on the cover.
🏆 2. Read a book that has won an award.
🏆 3. Read a book where the title starts with a letter in OSCARS.
🏆 4. Read a book where a character acts, dances, or writes.