D.L.’s Comments (group member since Oct 23, 2021)

D.L.’s comments from the Around the Year in 52 Books group.

I voted up on both of these so I am glad they got in.

+100 points
1d. A book by a new to you author: Trip the Light Phantasmic by Judith Sterling
How It Fits: New to Me author
Completed: 8/6/25

Current Total: 2,900

+200 points
2a. FRESH-SQUEEZED LEMONADE: Don't Forget Me! by R.L. Stine
How It Fits: R.L. Stine
Completed: 8/3/25

Current Total: 2,800

+500 points
5d. Deviled eggs - A book with challenging subject matter: Dawn by V.C. Andrews
How It Fits: Challenging subject matter, including (view spoiler)[rape & incest (hide spoiler)]
Completed: 8/2/25

Current Total: 2,600

+200 points
2e. SPARKLING WATER: Summer of Secrets by Paul Langan
How It Fits: Paul Langan
Completed: 7/28/25

Current Total: 2,100

I was really hoping for the sports team one. I hope it gets resubmitted. That's all I'm going to say. lol

+300 points
3a. Ketchup: A book with red on the cover: The Christmas Clock by Kat Martin
How It Fits:

Completed: 7/27/25

Current Total: 1,900

+100 points
1b. A book with water on the cover:
How It Fits: Water on cover-

Completed: 7/26/25

Current Total: 1,600

+200 points
2d. FRUIT PUNCH: April Fools by Richie Tankersley Cusick
How It Fits: Richie Tankersley Cusick
Completed: 7/21/25

Current Total: 1,500

+200 points
2c. ROOT BEER SODA: When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
How It Fits: Rebecca Stead
Completed: 7/20/25

+100 points
1e. A humorous book: Sabrina the Teenage Witch by Bobbi J.G. Weiss
How It Fits: It's a humorous book that made me laugh.
Completed: 7/20/25

Kat wrote: "I love the lion, witch, wardrobe prompt. I initially couldn't think of anything for lion but then remembered that MGM had the lion logo so you could read a book that was made into an MGM film. I di..."

Hmm, okay that's an interesting way to interpret it. I like that idea.

1. 3 Weeks: A book related to yesterday, a book related to today, and a book related to tomorrow - no, because the 'future' is probably going to require a sci-fi book, and I am just really not into those.

2. 2 Weeks: Two books where the last name of one author is the first name of the other - this is a maybe. I like the creativity of it.

3. 2 Weeks: One book related to hot and one book related to cold-neutral.

4. 2 Weeks: A book written by a male author that includes a love story, and a book written by a female author that DOES NOT include a love story - This feels limiting to me, so I don't think I will vote 'up' for this one.

5. 3 Weeks: One book related to a sharp musical note, one book related to a flat musical note, and one book related to a natural musical note - Not sure how I feel about this one, honestly. It's creative but I don't know.

6. 2 Weeks: Two books where the first word of the second title is the same as the last word of the first title - like it. It feels challenging but doable based on my TBR.

7. 3 Weeks: One book related to planes, one book related to trains, and one book related to automobiles - Haven't we done some version of this before?

8. 2 Weeks: Two books, where the second book's title provides a response to or continuation of the first book's title - A bit confusing. Not sure how I feel about it.

9. 3 Weeks: One book related to the lion, one book related to the witch, and one book related to the wardrobe - I like the witch and the wardrobe part, but I don't think I would have anything on my TBR for lions??

10, 2 Weeks: Two books where the second book's title contains a sequential number from the first book's title - Fun! I like it a lot. It's probably my favorite prompt.

11. 2 Weeks: A book related to water, and a book related to earth-neutral. Feels like one we've done a number of times.

12. 2 Weeks: The most recently published book by an author and a book from that same author's backlist - like it.

13. 3 weeks: A book related to rock, a book related to paper, and a book related to scissors - interesting.

14 2 Weeks: A book connected to RIGHT, and a book connected to WRONG - neutral

15. Three books: one in each quadrant of the world excluding North America - I have books that will fit but we've done lots of versions of this so I'm not sure I'd vote for it.

I have at least 4 up votes this time.

+400 points
4a. A book with a child main character: Best Friends and Drama Queens by Meg Cabot
How It Fits: The MC is a fourth grader.
Completed: 7/18/25

+500 points
5b. Mac n' cheese - A book by an author with 10 or more books: Beware the Shopping Mall by Betsy Haynes
How It Fits: Betsy Hayes has written more than 70 books.
Completed: 7/16/25

+100 points
1a. A book in a series: Blood Is Thicker by Paul Langan
How It Fits: Bluford High Series #8
Completed: 7/13/25

I don't care for the embossed text prompt. We have a text prompt already, and that's good enough for me.

I love mysteries, but many do include death in some way. Even some children's mysteries like The Boxcar Children mention death, so I'm not sure I would vote for this.

I am not a fan of the publishing logo prompt. It seems limiting.

I do like the prompts for a symbol of death on the cover & a book with alliteration in author's name or title. I have a lot of those types of books on my TBR shelf.

2025 Summer Reading Challenge Prompts

4,600

Chips and Dip - 100 points
1a. A book in a series: Blood Is Thicker
1b. A book with water on the cover: The Shore Road Mystery
1c. A book released in 2024 or 2025
1d. A book by a new to you author: Trip the Light Phantasmic
1e. A humorous book: Sabrina the Teenage Witch

Drinks Station - 200 points
Author's initials are in:
2a. FRESH-SQUEEZED LEMONADE: Don't Forget Me!
2b. UNSWEETENED ICED TEA: The Sheriff of Willow Creek
2c. ROOT BEER SODA: When You Reach Me
2d. FRUIT PUNCH: April Fools
2e. SPARKLING WATER: Summer of Secrets

Burger and Hotdog Toppings - 300 points
3a. Ketchup: A book with red on the cover: The Christmas Clock
3b. Relish: A book by a favorite author: Killer Blonde
3c. Mustard: A book with a military character (serving, retired, or adjacent): No Way Out
3d. Pickles: A book title that includes a word starting with the letter P
3e. Cheese: A sentimental book

Desserts - 400 points
4a. A book with a child main character: Best Friends and Drama Queens
4b. A book with a wedding: A New Fear
4c. A book that has been nominated for an award: The Case of the Missing Marquess
4d. A book with a cafe, bakery, or restaurant as an important setting
4e. A book originally written in a language other than English

The Sides - 500 points
5a. Potato salad - A book with more than one point of view: The Secret of Terror Castle
5b. Mac n' cheese - A book by an author with 10 or more books: Beware the Shopping Mall
5c. Corn bread - A book originally published before 1900
5d. Deviled eggs - A book with challenging subject matter: Dawn
5e. Watermelon - A book over 500 pages

So happy with the results this round!!

There was a lot of meh for me here. I truly love the punctuation one and hope it gets in, as well as the school one.