SRC Moderator’s Comments (group member since Aug 19, 2016)

SRC Moderator’s comments from the The Seasonal Reading Challenge group.

5.1 Spring Colours

Holi, the Hindu festival of Spring, colours and love, is usually observed in March. The celebrations include lots of dancing and music, as well as people joyfully throwing coloured powder and water at each other.

Read a book whose cover contains a minimum of three distinct colours according to TinEye. A guide to using TinEye can be found here.

Required: Post the cover.

The poll for the Best Review Contest is now open. Click on the link or navigate to Polls on the group's homepage. Voting will remain open until the end of the Goodreads day on Feb. 29th.

Read the reviews here.

Many thanks to Lucy-Bookworm for providing the group logo and banner for the Spring season!

Lys Message 1543

The paperback version for Lord of the Butterflies only has 96 pages.
Books must have at least 100 pages with the exception of one book between 80 -99 pages may be used for ONE 5 point task.

MaryPDX Message 1523



15.3 is a 2 book task and only one book is posted.

please repost with 2 books for this task.

50.1 - Trishhartuk’s Task: The Spirits of the Past, the Present and the Future

Read three books totalling at least 750 pages.
No books with the genres children’s or kids (or variants such as middle grade) on the main book page may be used.
Books whose main page lists any of these genres: Sequential Art, Comics, Comic Book, or Manga may not be used.

Like various other people in the SRC, I always try to read Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol during December, as it’s one of my favourite stories. His descriptions are so vivid that I find myself visualising the scenes, and I see something new in it every time I read it.

This task is not specifically a Christmas task, but it is based on a quote from the beginning of Stave 5. “I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future!” Scrooge repeated, as he scrambled out of bed. “The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me.”

Book 1: The Past

Read a book that is set in, or is about a period, before 1950, AND has one of the MPGs “History” or “Historical”, stand alone or embedded (e.g. “Historical Fiction”). It doesn’t need to have been published before that date, but it does need to be set before/about that period.
Required: if it isn’t clear from the GR description, indicate how the book fits the task.

Book 2: The Present

Read a book first published in 2021, 2022, 2023 or 2024, which is set in the present day or (for non-fiction) discusses current affairs.

Book 3: The Future

A Christmas Carol can be considered to be in the Fantasy genre, as well as a Classic.
Read a novel by an author who has published one or more novels which have the Science Fiction or Fantasy MPGs; and has also published one or more novels with a "present day" setting relative to its publishing date. For the "present day" book, there should be nothing in the GR description or setting metadata to indicate that it is set other than around the date at which it was published, and it should not have either Science Fiction nor Fantasy among its MPGs.

Examples of possible authors include: George Orwell, Emily St. John Mandel, Nora Roberts/J.D. Robb, Iain Banks/Iain M. Banks.

You can use either a “present day” book, or a SF/fantasy one, and both can be written either under the author’s name, or a pseudonym, as long as a link is included to establish that they are writing in both genres.

Required: as well as the book you choose to read, include a link to a book written in the other genre(s), and state the MPGs used for both.

The poll to determine the Winter 2023 50-point task is open. Click poll or navigate to the polls link on the group homepage.
You may vote until the end of the day on January 12.

Michelle in Alaska Message 498

The 5.5 task has requirement: State the author is new to you.
Please repost with requirements.

Winter 2023 Calendar

1 DEC 12:01am EST = WINTER 2023 Challenge starts
1 DEC = 20/25 Point Task Creators identified
2 – 7 DEC = 20/25 Point Tasks posted
UPDATED 24 DEC = All Tasks proofread and FINAL

15 Dec - 5 JAN = 50 Point Task Idea Submission Thread Open
6 JAN - 12 JAN = 50 Point Task Idea Poll
13 JAN - 15 JAN = 50 Point Task Idea Poll Runoff if needed

14 JAN Midnight EST = Midpoint Cutoff
15 JAN – 20 JAN = 50.1 Midpoint Task posted
15– 31 JAN= Group Reads Books nominated for next challenge

1 – 14 FEB = Group Reads poll for next challenge
1 – 14 FEB = Task Ideas brainstorming for next challenge
14 FEB Midnight EST = Cutoff for 30 Point Early Finishers
15 FEB = 30 Point Task Creators Identified
15 FEB = 5/10/15 Point Tasks posted for next challenge
15 FEB Midnight EST = Best Review Contest Cutoff
15 FEB Midnight EST = Logo Contest Cutoff
16 – 29 FEB = Best Review poll for next challenge
16 – 29 FEB = Logo poll for next challenge
29 FEB Midnight EST = WINTER Challenge Ends
1 MAR = 20/25 Point Task Creators identified for next challenge

15 FEB – 7 MAR = 20/25/30 Point Tasks posted for next challenge when available

This is the thread where you can submit reviews for the Best Review contest. The thread is open for submissions and will close at Midnight EST on February 15, 2024. Voting will start the next day and run until the end of the GR day on February 29th. The person whose review gets the most votes will have the opportunity to design a 20 point task for the Fall Challenge.

To be eligible for this task opportunity you must have achieved at least 100 points on the Winter 2023 Challenge Readerboard by midnight Eastern Time on February 14, 2024. Only one task per person per challenge.

Just a reminder that each person can only submit one review - but you can make edits to your review up until the end. The review does not have to be any particular length and doesn't have to be a positive one (i.e. you can choose to review a book you didn't like).
Please include your Readerboard Name.

PLEASE DO NOT comment on people's reviews in this thread - this is for submissions only. You will be able to comment when voting begins.

SPOILER ALERT! These reviews may include spoilers.

This is the thread for the logo design contest. Each season, group members will have the opportunity to design a new logo that will represent the group during the duration of the following challenge. You may submit a masthead banner design to accompany your logo.

Pictures and anything used to create the logo should be original material (i.e. no copyrighted images, including AI generated art).

Images must be between 1KB and 6MB and of type: jpg/jpeg/gif/png/tiff/tif
Logos are best in square or slightly rectangular (either vertical or horizontal) shapes. Some images may be cropped by GR.
A working size would be approximately 340px X 340px.
Mastheads are 3:1 or 970px wide by 245px high
On the group's homepage the logo overlaps the masthead at the lower left.

You can post a picture directly in this thread, provide a link to the image or send one of the moderators a message for help. The logo should reflect in some way the season, bonus theme or purpose of the group.

The Spring 2024 bonus theme is: TV Game Shows

This thread is open for submissions and it will close at Midnight EST on February 15, 2024 - voting will start the next day and run until the end of the GR day on February 29th. The winning submission will replace the current logo on March 1st. Good luck to everyone!

50 Point Tasks


50.1 - Trishhartuk’s Task: The Spirits of the Past, the Present and the Future
Help Thread

Read three books totalling at least 750 pages.
No books with the genres children’s or kids (or variants such as middle grade) on the main book page may be used.
Books whose main page lists any of these genres: Sequential Art, Comics, Comic Book, or Manga may not be used.

Like various other people in the SRC, I always try to read Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol during December, as it’s one of my favourite stories. His descriptions are so vivid that I find myself visualising the scenes, and I see something new in it every time I read it.

This task is not specifically a Christmas task, but it is based on a quote from the beginning of Stave 5. “I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future!” Scrooge repeated, as he scrambled out of bed. “The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me.”

Book 1: The Past

Read a book that is set in, or is about a period, before 1950, AND has one of the MPGs “History” or “Historical”, stand alone or embedded (e.g. “Historical Fiction”). It doesn’t need to have been published before that date, but it does need to be set before/about that period.
Required: if it isn’t clear from the GR description, indicate how the book fits the task.

Book 2: The Present

Read a book first published in 2021, 2022, 2023 or 2024, which is set in the present day or (for non-fiction) discusses current affairs.

Book 3: The Future

A Christmas Carol can be considered to be in the Fantasy genre, as well as a Classic.
Read a novel by an author who has published one or more novels which have the Science Fiction or Fantasy MPGs; and has also published one or more novels with a "present day" setting relative to its publishing date. For the "present day" book, there should be nothing in the GR description or setting metadata to indicate that it is set other than around the date at which it was published, and it should not have either Science Fiction nor Fantasy among its MPGs.

Examples of possible authors include: George Orwell, Emily St. John Mandel, Nora Roberts/J.D. Robb, Iain Banks/Iain M. Banks.

You can use either a “present day” book, or a SF/fantasy one, and both can be written either under the author’s name, or a pseudonym, as long as a link is included to establish that they are writing in both genres.

Required: as well as the book you choose to read, include a link to a book written in the other genre(s), and state the MPGs used for both.

This is the thread where you can submit a task idea for the 50 Point Task contest. The thread is now open for submissions and will close at Midnight Eastern time on January 5th. Voting will start the next day, January 6th and will close at the end of the day on January 12th. If the moderators determine that the vote is close, a 3-day runoff poll will be held. The person whose idea gets the most votes will host the 50 point task for the Winter Challenge.

The 50 point task will require:
1. Only 3 options. These options may not include more than 2 "sub options" - 6 total in the task.
2. One book per option.
3. Three books totaling at least 750 pages. Your task idea may require a higher page threshold but this must be disclosed in your entry.
4. No books with the genres children or kids on the main book page may be used.
5. Books whose main page lists any of these genres: Sequential Art, Comics, Comic Book, or Manga may not be used.
6. No “free choice” options will be allowed. This is a challenge, so tasks that have no element of challenge do not fit the purpose.
7. A task must be accessible to the majority of players, i.e. not limited to a specific format, edition, publisher, etc. and reviewable by the moderators.

Anyone eligible* to design a task may submit an idea for a task that follows the general guidelines above. Your idea should be a sketch that may be developed with the moderators.

* To be eligible to create a task, the player’s profile must be set up to accept Goodreads messages, and they must not have a task in the current challenge. Only one task per person per challenge.


The group will vote to determine the 50 point task. All ideas that fit the general guidelines will be included in a poll. The poll winner will develop their idea with the moderators to refine their task. The final task may differ from the original idea submission. The task will be posted as close to the midpoint as reasonably possible. The task creator will monitor and answer questions in the help thread.

Please include your Readerboard name and a title for your task. The entries will be listed by Readerboard name and task title in the poll. Please include only one task idea entry per post.

PLEASE DO NOT comment on people's entries in this thread - this is for submissions only - you will be able to comment when voting begins. Comments in this thread will be deleted.

20.5 - Bigger is Better - Jenny H's Task: The Nobel Prize

Everyone in Sweden knows what happens on the 10th of December: the annual prize award ceremony for the Nobel Prize and the following banquet in Stockholm City Hall, attended by the Swedish royal family and more than 1000 guests. The prize came into being after the extremely wealthy scientist, inventor (for example, of dynamite) and businessman Alfred Nobel bequeathed his entire estate to a fund that was to be set up. The interest on the fund was "to be distributed annually as prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind." The prize is awarded in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature, and Peace. Since 1968, The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel is also awarded. Today, Nobel Prizes are widely regarded as the most prestigious awards available in their respective fields and this year the laureates are awarded 11 million SEK (about $1,050,000 or €975,000).

For this task, choose either option 1 or option 2. Please note you may use a book with the genres "Sequential Art", "Comics", "Comic Book", and/or "Manga" for this task.

Required: State the option

Option 1: Read a book written by a Nobel Prize laureate from this list: https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/lis...

Option 2: All the prizes except one are awarded in Stockholm, Sweden. The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded in Oslo, Norway, possibly because Nobel thought Norwegian politicians were more active in peace issues. It might also be because Sweden and Norway were in a union at the time of Nobel's death. Read a book by an author born in Sweden or Norway.

Required: State in which country the author is born. If the author's location of birth is not evident from the GR author page, provide a reference.

25.5 Dee's Task : I Like A Good Mystery (series) and I Cannot Lie!

When I looked back at the various books I read for the Fall season of SRC – I was struck by how many of them were mysteries that were part of a series.

This is a two book task, choose 2 different options and read 1 book from each option. Both must have a main page genre of either MYSTERY or CRIME, both must be part of a series on Goodreads with AT LEAST 3 books listed on the series page, and the books must be from two different series.


Option 1. Historical Series. Most of my comfort read mysteries are also set in the 1920’s and 1930’s – but really any non-contemporary time will do.
Read a mystery set at least 50 years ago (before 1973). This book may be published during this time as long as its set in or before 1973.

Required: If the setting of time is not obvious on the Goodreads main page, provide a reference

Option 2. Female Protagonists. Many of the series that I am currently reading feature a female protagonist/lead investigator. Read a book where the main character solving the crime is female.
i.e. Maisie Dobbs, Eve Dallas (In Death series)

Option 3. Travel. I love discovering new places with the books that I read. This past season, I visited Scotland, England, Wales, and Italy with the books that I read. Read a book set 80% outside your home country, in a place you have never visited but would like to.
(for the purpose of this task - an airport layover, does not count as visiting)

Required: state you have never visited the location.

Option 4. Oh the Puns I often chuck when I see some of the horrible puns that mystery titles have. For this task, read a book with a pun or a play on words in the title.

This list may help - Titlemania I: Puns in Titles

i.e. We'll Always Have Parrots

Required State the original word or phrase that is a pun.

25.4 Robin P’s Task: Children’s Party Games

When I was young, some games were common at kids’ birthday parties. Pick Option 1, 2, or 3 and read a Book A and a Book B from that option.

Option 1: Pin the Tail on the Donkey (Blindfolded children try to attach the tail to a picture on the wall. The person who is closest is the winner.)

Book A: Read a book with a four-legged animal’s tail on the cover (no birds or fish and must be a real world animal, not mythical). There must be enough of the tail to be recognizable.
Required: Post the cover

Book B: Read a book whose author’s first and last initials are found in DONKEY TAIL. Letters may only be used as often as they appear in the phrase.

Option 2: Musical Chairs (Children walk around the chairs while music plays and when it stops, they sit down, but there is always one chair fewer than child, so someone is out. Each time one more chair is taken away and the winner is the last one sitting.)

Book A: Read a book with a chair on the cover. For this task a chair is defined as a seat for one person that has a seat & a back
Required: Post the cover

Book B: Read a book whose author’s first and last initials are found in MUSICAL CHAIRS. Letters may only be used as often as they appear in the phrase.

Option 3. Fruit Basket (One person is “It” and whispers the name of a fruit to each child sitting in a circle. Then “It” says names of 2 or more fruits and those children have to change places, while “It” tries to take one of their seats. Whoever doesn’t get a seat is “It” next. “It” can also say “Fruit Basket Upset”, which means everyone must change places.)

Book A: Read a book with a piece of fruit on the cover.
Required: Post the cover

Book B: Read a book whose author’s first and last initials are found in FRUIT BASKET. Letters may only be used as often as they appear in the phrase.

25.3 Amy FL's task: Best Sister Ever

In August I had an accident that required four surgeries on my left leg with a lengthy recovery ahead. I was on vacation with a friend at the time, so I had no family support nearby. My sister put her life on hold and flew down to be with me. She spent the better part of a month at a hotel near the hospital so that she could visit me daily. I will never be able to thank her for her generosity, support and love.

This is a two-book task. Please select one book from two different options. No children’s books or sequential art may be used.

Option 1: Read a book with SISTER in the title. Plural and possessives work, but no other options (Sister’s is okay; sisterhood is not).

Option 2: My sister’s first name, Mady, is constantly mispronounced. To help people, she says “rhymes with lady.”
Read a book with a title that contains at least two rhyming words of three or more letters each.
This list may help with ideas. https://byjus.com/english/rhyming-words/

Example: Dirty Thirty
The May Day Murders
Towel Dry and a Good Cry

Option 3: I can’t put full weight on my leg yet, but the doctor is allowing me to walk in a swimming pool. Once again, my sister has come to the rescue. She drives 30 minutes each way to take me to the gym so that I can begin to rehab and recover. Pool spelled backwards is loop. For this task, read a book with a title word of four or more letters that makes a different word when spelled backwards.

Required Identify the words in your post

Example: 12 Months to Live Live backwards is Evil

25.2 JennRenee's Task: Oh What Fun!

Christmas time is a real even in our house. We celebrate 12 days of Christmas with presents, activities, food, and just spending time together. This task is about my family's favorite days of the season.

This is a 2 book task pick and option and read two books (Book 1 and Book 2) from that option.
Required: State the option

Option 1: Twelve Days: We started the 12 Days of Christmas so we could slow down and enjoy everything the season could bring. We felt like it was just about getting everything ready for one night and one day of rushing from house to house and never really enjoying the season.

Book 1: Read a book that is 1-12 of a series. The series name must be present in grayscale on the Goodreads main page. For this task only whole numbers are allowed.

Book 2 : Read a book where all authors initials can be found in Tis the Season

Option 2: Christmas Scavenger Hunt: The entire family and couple of friends love to get together to go on a Christmas scavenger hunt. We get the list from online, split into teams, and head around the neighborhood to find the items first.

Book 1: Read a book with one of these common items found on our scavenger hunt list in the title of the book (subtitles not included)
Candle, Tree, Wreath, star, bells, Santa, Angel, Snowman, Elf, Mistletoe, gift, present, Bow, red, green, gold, snowflake, holly, lights, cookie

Words may be singular or plural, and possessive, no other variations allowed

Required: State the word

Book 2: Read a book with a MPG of Christmas or Holiday.

Option 3: Christmas Movies and Hot Cocoa: This is has been a long time traditions. Everyone picks a movie, throw them in a hat, One by one they come out and we spend the day with hot cocoa and movies.

Book 1: Read a book of of one of these lists

Books That Feel Like a Hallmark Movie
Books Adapted into Hallmark Movies and Series
Books that are_or should be Hallmark Christmas Movies

Required: State the list and the page

Book 2: Read a book with a word int he title of at least 3 letters from the lyrics of this hot cocoa song (lyrics posted in help thread)

Words must be stand alone and exact.

https://pyzikmusic.weebly.com/uploads...

Required:State the word

25.1 Susan A's Task: Long, Longer, Longest


Choose an option.
Required: State the option.

Option 1: This is a two book task. Read one book from each option.

Book 1:
Read a book with a title of 3 or more words. Each word in the title must contain more letters than the preceding word. Ignore subtitles.

Example:
The Good Daughter (3, 4, 8)
The Captain's Daughter (3, 8, 9)

- Words with a hyphen will be considered one word. Count all of the letters on both sides of the hyphen. Do not count the hyphen. Example: check-in = 7 letters
- Titles with &(ampersand) do not work for this task.
- Titles with numerals do not work for this task. Numbers written out as words are fine
Example: 1st to Die will not work
The Nine Tailors will work
- Words with a hashtag - ignore the hashtag, count the letters
- Words with an apostrophe - ignore the apostrophe, count the letters on both sides of the apostrophe

Book 2:
Read a book in which every number in the page count is greater than the number preceding it. (Page counts containing the number zero do not work for this task.)
Required: State the page count

Examples:
This works
Wreck the Halls 368 pages
This DOES NOT work
Merry Christmas Cupid 270 pages (0 is less than 7)

OR

Option 2:
Read one book with a minimum of 567 pages that satisfies both requirements.
Required: State the page count

It's A Fact Final

Amanda VA 6
Amy O 3
Angela IL 2
Apple 4
Brigia 3
Cat 2
Chris MD 1
Chris MD 1
Christine V 4
Cindie 3
Deedee 3
Delicious Dee 6
ED 3
EMurphy 3
Erica H. 1
Florence 6
FLY 4
Heather (Gibby) 6
Jammin Jenny 2
Jen B 3
Jen K 1
JenJ IA 4
JENNY H 2
Joanne MI 6
Joop 3
Julia103 9
Kathy KS 11
Kathy P 7
Katy 3
Kristen IA 4
KSMary 2
Lisa MD 7
Lora 9
Lucy-Bookworm 8
Lys 13
Mai 4
MaryPDX 5
MAZZA1 2
MEGSCL 8
Michelle in Alaska 3
Paula S 1
RedSycamore 2
ROBIN P 6
Sarah E 7
Shauna W 2
Trishhartuk 3

If the totals here
don't match your records, first check the folder Completed Tasks with ? or Problems to see if there's a message there about your post(s). If that doesn't resolve the issue, please post a message there and I'll investigate. Thanks!

Golden Oldies- Final

Aimee G 3
Amy O 6
Apple 2
Brigia 2
Cat 7
CelesteR 1
Chris MD 4
Deedee 2
Delicious Dee 1
Ed 4
Erica H 2
Fly 5
Hannelore 2
Heather (Gibby) 1
hoodoomends 1
Jammin Jenny 1
Jayne 5
Joanne Mi 1
Julia103 2
Kathy KS 8
Keli 1
Lora 3
Lucy-Bookworm 1
MaryPDX 3
Mazza1 1
Megs 1
Paula S 1
RedSycamore 11
Robin P 6
Sarah E 4
SHAUNA W 1
Shelby 1
Theresa 1
Tien 1
Trishhartuk 1

If the totals here don't match your records, first check the folder Completed Tasks with ? or Problems to see if there's a message there about your post(s). If that doesn't resolve the issue, please post a message there and I'll investigate. Thanks!