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

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

It's time to starting thinking about the bonus themes for the next year of challenges. The moderators and task creators base some of the challenge's tasks on the bonus themes. Other tasks will be based on seasonal motifs and some will be added just for fun.

Bonus themes we've used so far include:

2010-2011 — Asia, Australia, Europe, and Africa
2011-2012 — Earth, Fire, Wind/Air, and Water
2012-2013 — The Chinese Four Symbols
2013-2014 — A Year of Board Games: Clue, Monopoly, Trivial Pursuit, Risk
2014-2015 — Mythologies of the World - Classical, Asia, Nordic, Americas
2015-2016 — A Year of Art: Impressionist, Pop, Abstract, Folk
2016-2017 — Wonders of the World: Ancient, Modern, Medieval, Natural
2017-2018 — That's Entertainment!: Animals, Museums, Theatre, Recreation
2018-2019 — Characters: Heroes, Villains, Rogues, Damsels
2019-2020 — Awards: Books, Music, Movies, Theatre
2020-2021 — Decades: 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s
2021-2022 — Wizard of Oz: Dorothy, Scarecrow, Lion, Tinman
2022-20233 — Decades: 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s

These themes have brought extra inspiration to the SRC and have given us some really fun tasks. Ideally, the overall theme would be composed of 4 related components, but feel free to get creative and submit your ideas here! This thread will be open for ideas until the end of the day on September 30. A poll will then be created from the popular, workable ideas in order to select our next bonus themes. We're looking forward to seeing what you come up with!

25.10 - RedSycamore's Task: It's My Party!
Task created on behalf of JP

My birthday falls right before Halloween, and while some people don't like having a birthday that coincides with a major holiday, I've always loved it. I had a childhood full of birthday parties with fun, spooky themes and droves of very excited friends and classmates. My love of all things macabre has stuck with me, including the Addams family. One of my favorite books of the original comics, Dear Dead Days, was published in 1959.

Since I'm referencing the amazing Charles Addams, books with MPG comics/manga/etc are okay for this task, but no books with MPG kids/middle grade/etc.

This is a two book task. Choose 2 books to read from the options below, the same option may be repeated.
Required: State the options.

Option 1: In honor of Dear Dead Days, read a book with a title that contains at least two words of four or more letters. All of the 4+ letter words must begin with the same first letter. Subtitles are excluded from the requirement.

Some Examples:
Gone Girl
Love's Labour's Lost
Darkly Dreaming Dexter
The Black Book

Option 2: It's my party! Read a book by the author of a book I've rated 5 stars (the full list of allowed authors is posted in the task help thread). Books with multiple authors, including anthologies, are fine as long as one of the authors listed in the authors section on the book's Goodreads page is an author of a book I've rated 5 stars. Any other contributors listed in the authors section (narrators, editors, translators, etc) don't count.

Option 3: One of my favorite things about my Halloween birthday was that everyone was always so happy and excited because of the impending holiday. It almost felt like a celebration for everyone, so for this option it can be your party, too.

Read a book that was first published in your birth year or in mine, 1984.
Required: State your birth year (or that you used mine).

Option 4: Keep in the Halloween spirit by reading a book with MPG Paranormal, Horror, Suspense, or Thriller (exact genres only, i.e. the MPG 'Gothic Horror' wouldn't count towards this option).

Option 5: Read one book that of 500 pages or more that meets the requirements of two different options.

Required: State which two options' criteria your single book meets.

20.6 - It's A Fact - EmilyGraceR's Task: In Pursuit of Trivia

My family have always loved anything trivia, whether it be TV show questionnaire based games, local quiz nights or our beloved favourite- trivia based board games, and Trivial Pursuit always reigned king in our household.

Choose one option, and read one book for that option. Sequential art/manga/graphic novels are not allowed, children and middle grade books are allowed given they follow the SRC guidelines.

Required: State the option

Option 1: The circle counter with coloured pie shape pieces is the iconic eye catcher of this game, consisting of six different colours. Read a book with six distinct different colours (i.e. not merely different shades of the same colour) on the cover according to Tineye. A guide to using Tineye can be found here: How do I use Tineye?
OR
Read a book with a rainbow on the front cover. The rainbow must be a typical arc rainbow.

Examples:
,

OR
Read a book from the following list: Dazzling Multicoloured Covers

Required: Post the cover. If using the list option, state which page of the list the book is found on.

Option 2:
Read a book whose authors first and last initials can be found in the word TRIVIAL PURSUIT
Example: The Fine Print by Lauren Asher
Both A and L can be found in the two words.

Option 3:
The game features six different categories.
Read a NON-FICTION book with one of the following MPGs: History, Geography, Entertainment, Art, Science or Sports.

20.5 - Bigger is Better - Insiyah's Task: Pre-Loved

So far this year, I've managed to pick up 35 pre-loved books because I keep popping into charity shops where they are so cheap that it's almost impossible to resist picking them up. Most of them are new to me.

Read a book that has 3 and 5 in the page count. The book must be new to you.

Required: State the book is new to you.

20.2 - Rookie at the Top - MaryPDX’s Task: Open to Interpretation

The word "fall" can have several meanings other than my favorite season. One could fall in love, empires could fall, or soldiers can fall in battle. Choose 1 book from either option below:

Required: State the option.

Option 1: Read a book with a MPG tag of Romance, History, Business or War.

Option 2: Read a book with the word FALL or FALLS is included in the title or series name. The series name must appear in greyscale on the GR book page. Subtitles are excluded, and the word must match exactly.

In effect this season:

Posting Requirements

Golden Oldies, It's A Fact and Big Book Tickets

Rules of the Challenge

Default Rules and FAQs

Rewards of the Challenge

COMPLETION POSTS:

Content list:

EXAMPLES: updated Fall 2025
POSTING REQUIREMENTS : updated Fall 2025
UNCLAIMING REQUIREMENTS : updated Fall 2025
REPOSTING REQUIREMENTS: updated Fall 2025

20.3 - Best Review - Michelle in Alaska’s Task: Toto, I have a feeling we’re not in Alaska anymore.

The last time I designed a Best Review task was in Spring 2018. As I reflect on then versus now, I’m realizing a lot has changed about miss “Michelle in Alaska”! I’m a military spouse, so change is just part of the package. Mostly, this has been a gift, though it’s not without its challenges. New jobs, new friends, buying and selling houses… but in this task, I’d like to share about the new and exciting things going on in my life.

This is a ONE book task. Your book must have a minimum of 250 pages.
Choose ONE of the choices below.

Required: State which option you choose when you post.

OPTION 1: NEW OBSESSION. Spicy alert. Since last year, I have been absolutely devouring all things “Romantasy” (romance + fantasy) and, especially, works by Sarah J. Maas. I am obsessed with her series “A Court of Thorns and Roses” and have read it three times this past year. Don’t worry; I won’t make you read Romantasy with me for this task. Rather, for this task, read a book by a single author whose first and last initials match 2 of the 3 initials of my new favorite author: “SJM”. Initials can occur in any order; however, you may only use letters as often as they appear (e.g., MS, JM, MJ, but not MM).

OPTION 2: NEW STATE. When I wrote my last 20.3 task, I lived in Alaska (hence my Readerboard name). The military had its way with us: first, we got to live in the beautiful and spectacular San Francisco Bay Area for four years. Now we live in southern Virginia. To celebrate my new state and its rich history, read a book set at least 50% in Virginia. Nonfiction books about the state of Virginia will also be acceptable.

Required: If the setting is not clear from the GR metadata or description, provide a reference.

OPTION 3: NEW CAREER. The last time I wrote a challenge, my profession was high school French teacher. Because work in that field was impossible to come by while we were in Alaska, I decided to start coursework for a new career path in Speech-Language Pathology, which has led me to working in a hospital. It’s challenging and rewarding, but to honor my true passion and first love of foreign language teaching, read a book whose original language is French.

Required: If the original language is not clear from the GR metadata, include a reference.

OPTION 4: NEW HOBBY. My husband likes to tell the story of how I hosted my family for Thanksgiving in 2015 and left a pan of carrots on the stove before leaving the house (insert grimacing emoji here). Obviously, I have not always been terribly adept in the kitchen. Subscribing to a meal delivery kit in 2018 ignited a new-found love of cooking in me. I’m proud to say I now cook a variety of foods and rarely make the same recipe twice. For this task, read a book with PLATED food on the cover. To count, food must be on a plate or in a bowl. For example, Love & Saffron counts. Love & Gelato does not.

Required: Post the cover.

OPTION 5: NEW PREFERENCES. In 2018, I read pretty much exclusively physical books - no Kindle or audiobooks for me. However, long Bay Area commutes 100% changed the name of my reading game by presenting me with a big opportunity to delve into audiobooks. Lately, I have really come to enjoy listening to a book while playing Happy Color on my phone. It’s supremely relaxing. For this task, LISTEN to a book from this list of “Best Audio Narrations”: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/4... For non-English titles on the list, the English version may be used.

Required: State the page where your book can be found.
Required: State that you listened to the audiobook version.

Bonus: Try coloring while listening, whether in a physical coloring book or with an app like Happy Color.

OPTION 6: NEW BEVVIES. I’ll admit it. I’ve had a tumultuous love affair with Starbucks’ chai latte since 2010. I’m talking every single day. A couple years ago, when ordering my Winter usual “hot chai latte”, the barista misheard me and made me a “matcha latte”. Oops. Turns out I love matcha, and now it’s my go-to order. Something about that beautiful, vibrant green color makes me happy. For this task, read a book that is at least 75% (i.e., 75%+) green according to TinEye. https://labs.tineye.com/color/
Complete directions for using Tineye can be found here: "How Do I Use Tineye?"
Required: Post the cover.

20.1 - Most Improved: Rockynook's Task: Earning a Ph.D.

I am so excited to be Most Improved this season! The big reason I was able to participate so much more this summer challenge was that I finished my doctorate program in December and was finally able to spend a summer how I wanted: reading! So, for this task, I used my doctorate degree as my inspiration. I earned a Doctorate of Philosophy in Teaching and Learning with an emphasis in Mathematics Education.

For this task, read a book that satisfies one of the following options.

Required: State which option you chose when posting.

A) Read a book with a title word of 3+ letters (excluding the word "the") that can be formed from the letters in DOCTORATE OF PHILOSOPHY. Letters can only be used as many times as they appear in the phrase.

Required: State the word.

B) Read a book by a single author whose first and last initials are found in TEACHING AND LEARNING. Letters can only be used as many times as they appear in the phrase.

C) Read a book where the main character is a teacher, a professor, or a student.

Required: If the character's occupation is not evident from the GR blurb, provide a reference.

20.9 - Moderator's Pet - Terri FL's Task - ChatGPT

I have lately been experimenting with ChatGPT, one of the new AI tools, both for work as well as personal things (it comes up with great book club discussion questions!). For this challenge, I tried to see what ChatGPT would come up with as a prompt. I had a couple weird duds at first that didn’t make sense like Genre Hop Challenge – to read only 100 pages of a book before changing to another genre, etc. After a couple attempts at explaining, I got a few interesting prompts.

No children's books. Your book must be at least 250 pages.

Choose one of the following options.
Required: state the option.

Option A: This was the first challenge that made sense and ChatGPT gave me a helpful follow-up list. Read a book that has won an obscure literary award or was a finalist in a lesser-known book prize. For this option, we will use the prizes provided, The Goldsmiths Prize, Dylan Thomas Prize, Walther Scott Prize for Historical Fiction or Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction. Your book may be either a winner or a nominee.

Below are the GR links:

https://www.goodreads.com/award/show/...
https://www.goodreads.com/award/show/...
https://www.goodreads.com/award/show/...
https://www.goodreads.com/award/show/...

Required: State which of the prizes your book won/was nominated for.

Option B: I live in Florida so am in the middle of hurricane season. I told this to ChatGPT, and this was its prompt – Read a book with cover art that includes any of these weather phenomena, storms, or natural disasters: rain, tidal wave, tornado, snow, or stormy skies (lightning or dark clouds).

Required: Post the cover.

Option C: I then let ChatGPT know that in my town of Sarasota, the fall means Amish/Mennonite pies for Thanksgiving! My resulting prompt was to read a book with a pie on the cover or a book set in a rural or Amish community.

Required: If using the cover option, post the cover.
Required: If using the setting option, if the setting is not obvious from the GR metadata or book description, provide a reference.

Option D: As fun as ChatGPT is, we certainly hope AI is not taking over the world, so for this option, read a book where AI is a key theme. This is a good starting place, but need not be from one of these lists - https://www.goodreads.com/genres/arti...

Required: If the AI theme is not obvious from the GR metadata or book description, provide a reference.

20.7 - Shorter is Sweeter - KSMary's Task: Season of Change

Fall brings both the birthday of my husband and daughter. This year will also be the retirement of my husband who retired from the National Guard after 34 years of service a few years ago and now his civilian job which is also military related while my daughter is completing her first year as a practicing attorney. To celebrate, we will be going to a NFL game to see our favorite team, the Kansas City Chiefs and our favorite college team throughout the season.

The genres of children, sequential art and graphic novels/comics are not allowed for this task.

Choose one of the following options.
Required: State the option.

Option 1 – Read a book with a main character who is a military service member, a veteran or who is an attorney (or equivalent legal role such as a barrister, advocate etc.) - the character may be actively practicing or retired. Books may be either fiction or non-fiction.

Required: If the character's occupation is not clear from the GR book description, provide a reference.

Option 2 – The official colors of the Kansas City Chiefs are red and gold while the official colors of his college team are purple, gray, white and black with silver as an accent.

Read a book with red, gold, purple, gray, white, black or silver in the title, subtitle, series name or author’s name.

Words must be standalone and spelled exactly as listed (Ex: grey for gray is not allowed). Plurals and possessives are not allowed. If using the series name, the series name must appear in greyscale on the GR book page.

20.4 - Golden Oldies - Paula S's Task: Autumn in Sweden

When I was a child we didn't have any days off school during the autumn, just a long row of dark and rainy days. Nowadays we have imported the Halloween festivities from US, and the kids get a week off from school around that time. The teachers try to call it a reading holiday, and some older people are upset that a fun holiday focused on getting candy is competing with the old tradition of remembering the dead by putting lit candles on their graves. I'm just pleased that there finally is something to break up the monotony of rain and darkness. This task is based around these old and new traditions.

Required: State the options chosen.

Option 1: Read a book with one of the words RAIN, RAINY, RAINS, RAINING or RAINED in the title or subtitle. Only these words work, no variations.
E.g. Henderson the Rain King, The Art of Racing in the Rain

Option 2: Read a book with a lit candle on the cover.
E.g.
Required: Post the cover.

Option 3: Read a book with MPG Halloween
E.g. Hallowe'en Party, A Night in the Lonesome October

Option 4: Since this is the golden oldies task, read a book from this list of Great Children's Books Written Prior to the 1950s: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
Required: State in your post the PAGE of the list on which your book is found.
NOTE: All SRC rules such as page length and the Childrens book rules apply, even if a book appears on the list.

25.9 - Mary P's Task: My Favorite Fall Genres
Task created on behalf of Amy FL

Read two books, from two different options. Combined page count must total 500 pages or more. No book that has Children's, Sequential Arts, Comics or Manga as MPG may be used.

Required: State the options.

Option 1: Horror
Read a book with the MPG Horror.

Option 2: Urban Fantasy
Read a book by a single author where the author's first and last initials can be found in URBAN FANTASY. Letters may be used only as often as they appear.

Option 3: Psychological Thriller
Read a book from the first 25 pages of this shelf: Psychological Thrillers

Required: State the page of the list where your book is found.

Dee wrote: "ok so i think i have it

my hungry word is SING - Why Birds Sing: A Novel

my hungry word ate WEAR to make SWEARING - What the F: What Swearing Reveals About Our Language, Our Brains, and Ourselves"


Andy wrote: "Yes. That Works"

Joanne wrote: "Andy, first I want to say, how creative! I love it.

Now I need to ask: Is this the idea? Do I have it right

The Last Dive: A Father and Son's Fatal Descent into the Ocean's Depths -Hungry Book

Eats Dive to become

The Libyan Diversion"


Andy wrote: "Which one is the hungry word? It has to encompass the eaten word which you are telling me is dive. I don't think we are looking at the task the same way. One word has to surround the eaten word which remains intact."

Fiona (Titch) wrote: "I am just making sure I understand the task. I've chosen The Swing - Krista G Johnston - SWING & Oblivion's Swallowing Sea: A Sefton Ponds Mystery - Richard Canterbury - ALLOW = SWALLOWING

Many thanks"


Andy wrote: "Yes that works."

Robin P wrote: "Just wanted to be sure I understand - for example, in the example of Relic - Pub - Republic. Book 1 title would include the word Relic and Book 2 title would include the word Republic. The word Pub will be listed in our post, but will not be in the title of a book, it just has to be a legitimate word. Is that correct?

And can 2-letter words be used, for instance, Be in It Had to Be You swallows On to make Bone in The Bone Ships?"


Andy wrote: "Sorry for late post. In the midst of a move from Michigan to Arizona and no access to my computer for several days. Yes that is correct"

20.8 - Nickels and Dimes - Julia103's Task - Loose Change

Since this is the Nickels & Dimes task, read a book in which a denomination of coin is found in the title (subtitles excluded).
The coin can be in current circulation or one that is no longer used, and slang terms may be used. The word may have a meaning in the title other than the coin. If a coin name has more than one word the entire name must be intact in the title. A partial name, such as "golden" or "half" will not work for this task unless it is common usage.
Plurals and possessives allowed but no other variations.


Required: Specify the name of the coin you are using, and the country in which it is/was used. If you are using a slang term, provide a reference to establish common usage.

Examples: Chasing the Dime (Dime, USA)
The Moon and Sixpence (Sixpence, England)
Quarter Share (Quarter, USA)
A Life of Loonies (Loonie, Canada)

30 Point Tasks

30.1 - JennRenee's Task: Board Gaming in the Fall!
Help Thread

One of my favorite things to start my Fall season is our yearly board game retreat. My husband and I head off to Miami to play board games among about 225 other board game enthusiast. The gaming library is about 2600 games and we play for a week only stopping to eat and sleep. This task is created around the modern board game hobby and where to start.... if you should like to join this wonderful hobby.

This is a two book task read one from each option
Required: State the options

1. If you like Monopoly try Cape May: In Cape May, players traverse the city streets as entrepreneurs, developing property while building wealth over four seasons to earn prestige. Build cottages, develop them into Victorian homes, and upgrade them into historic landmarks. Establish shops and grow them into profitable businesses.

Read a book set at least 50% in New Jersey
Required: if the setting is not obvious from the GR description, provide a reference.

2. If you like Scrabble try Paperback: You are a paperback author trying to finish novels for your editor. Complete Westerns, Science Fiction, Romance or even the rare Best-Seller. Live the dream — and maybe pay the bills. Players start with a deck of letter cards and wild cards. Each hand they form words, and purchase more powerful letters based on how well their word scored.

Read a book off this list Books About Books
Required: State the Page

3. If you like Uno try Scout: You have suddenly been appointed as the leader of a circus. Using the members of your circus you must put together a show that will beat out your rivals. Align cards with the same, or consecutive, numbers in your hand to create a more spectacular combination than your rivals' and put on a show

Read a book that is part of series.
The series name and number must be indicated in the GR title listing in grayscale parentheses following the title or grayscale italics above the title.


4. If you like Clue try Awkward Guests: WHO killed Mr. Walton? HOW did the murderer end his life? WHY did the murderer kill him?
Was there an ACCOMPLICE? Awkward Guests, is a one-of-a-kind deduction game with infinite re-playability. You can recreate Mr. Walton's murder in so many different ways that you won't ever play two similar games!

Read a book with MPG Mystery or any MPG with Mystery included (cozy mystery, Mystery Thriller, Murder Mystery)

5. If you like Yahtzee try King of Tokyo: In King of Tokyo, you play mutant monsters, gigantic robots, and strange aliens—all of whom are destroying Tokyo and whacking each other in order to become the one and only King of Tokyo. At the start of each turn, you roll six dice, . Over three successive throws, choose whether to keep or discard each die in order to win victory points, gain energy, restore health, or attack other players into understanding that Tokyo is YOUR territory.

Read a book with a City name in the title/subtitle. City must be real not fictional.
Required: State the City


30.2 - Cat's Task: Books of the Autumn Months
Help Thread

Choose an option.
Required: Indicate the option and month you are using.

Note that for both options you are using the same month to meet your task requirements, not different months.

Option 1: TWO book task
Pick one of the months within this season (i.e. September, October, November) and read one book for each of the tasks below. There is no page minimum for the two book option.

Book 1: ALL the letters of your chosen month can be found in the title of your book (ignore subtitles).
Book 2: The author of your book has first and last initials found in your chosen month. Letters may only be used as often as they appear

Example: Month chosen is October
Book 1: Broomsticks and Board Games
book 2: The Family on Smith Street by Elisabeth Carpenter -


Option 2: ONE book task
Pick one of the months within this season (i.e. September, October, November) and read a book that meets BOTH of Option 1's requirements AND is 500+ pages.

Task 1: All the letters of your chosen month can be found in the title of your book (ignore subtitles).
Task 2: The author of your book has first and last initials found in your chosen month. Letters may only be used as often as they appear.


30.3 - Mazza1's Task: Going Stateside
Help Thread

For this task you will be reading 2 books based on the postal abbreviations for US states listed here: https://www.50states.com

Choose either Option 1 or Option 2 and read both books for that option.

Required: State the option.
Required: Identify the STATE and Abbreviation when posting.

OPTION 1

BOTH books require single authors only and use FIRST and LAST initials only (ignore any other names).

Choose one state's abbreviation and read:
a) A book whose author initials are also the state's abbreviation
and
b) A book whose author's initials reverse the state's abbreviation

e.g. CA - is the abbreviation for California
Cecelia Ahern works for CA, Andrew Caldecott for the reversed AC.

LA - the abbreviation for Louisiana:
Louisa May Alcott and Amanda Lindhout

NC - for North Carolina: Nicola Cornick and Celeste Ng

OPTION 2

You are using TITLE ONLY (Subtitles can be ignored)

Choose one state's abbreviation and read:
a) Read a book with a two word title whose title words begin with the letters of the state abbreviation going forwards e.g. For California C then A
and
b) Read a book with a two word title whose title words begin with the letters of the state abbreviation going backwards e,g, A then C

e.g. CT - Connecticut: Closing Time and The Chase

LA - Louisiana: Look Again and Autumn Leaves

IA - Iowa: Island Affair goes forward and An Island reverses it.


30.4 - Katrisa's Task: Going Home
Help Thread

This summer I had a chance to visit my hometown of San Diego for the first time since the pandemic. For this trip I went with my sister who had been adopted and found us 5 years ago thanks to a DNA company. For this 2 book task choose two different options (for options with an A or B you must choose only one sub-option). For this task you may use 1 book with a children’s genre listed as long as it fits SRC criteria - no graphic novels/comics. Total page count of the two books must be at least 500 pages. Where a book appearing on a list is part of a series, you may use another book from that series. However, you MUST specify the original book from the list and the series MUST appear in greyscale on the GR book page.

Option 1 - First I flew to Oregon and the two of us drove down the coast. Our first stop was the redwoods. As a So Cal native I had never been to the northern part of my home state. The redwoods were absolutely breathtaking! As we were wandering through the massive trees I couldn’t help but feel like I was in a fairy land. Read a new-to-you book from the first 20 pages of the Fae Book Shelf https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/fae
Required: State the page of the list the book is on and that the book is new-to-you.

Option 2 - Growing up in San Diego means I grew up loving the beach! To this day I feel like a piece of me is missing because I am in a landlocked state now. I was excited to share my home beaches with my sister. For this task read a book with a word of at least 4 letters in the title that matches one of the “beaches in the city of San Diego” beaches from this wiki list. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...

Word must match exactly with the exception that you can disregard an ‘s (for example you can use children for Children’s Pool Beach). You may not use the words state, city, beach or surf park - just the names of the beaches. You also can’t use things on the list that are not names of beaches like “access to tidepools” or “fishing pier”.
Required: State the name of the beach.

Option 3 - This was the first time I got to hang out with my sister that I met in my 40s for an extended period by ourselves.

Required: State the sub-option.

A - Read a book from this list of “Must Read Books About Sisters”
https://bookriot.com/100-must-read-bo...
Required: state the number your book was on the list

B - Read a book from this list of books with adopted characters
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
Required: State the page of the list your book was on.

Option 4 - One of the funniest things I found when I was home was how literally everyone apologized for the “bad weather” while we were there (in June) because it was in the high 60s and overcast most of the time. The average high temperature in San Diego only fluctuates 11 degrees all year! I live in Utah now where I have seen a 30 degree difference in temperature happen overnight. My current city’s average high temperature fluctuates by 56 degrees over the year.

A - San Diego: Read a book with a page count that has two of the same digits next to each other (ex. 117 or 266)
B - Salt Lake City: Read a book with a page count that has two consecutive numbers in its digits (ex. 236 or 412)

Required: State the sub-option.



30.5 - Nick KY's Task: True Chills
Help Thread

An Octoberly cool and scary task. Read two books from two different options. The total page count must be 500+ pages.

Required: state the options.

Opt. 1. Read a biography, autobiography, or memoir. The book must be nonfiction (NOT a biographical novel).

Required: If the book does not have an MPG of “Biography” or “Autobiography” or the (auto)biography genre is not obvious from the GR blurb, provide a reference.

Opt. 2. Every October, I have a tradition of re-reading Henry James’ “The Turn of the Screw” in one sitting every October. The first time I did so, the experience was one of the spookiest reads ever, and the chills continue every time I pick it up. Read a book from the first 25 pages of this list:
Psychological Horror Books

Required: State what page of the list your book is found on.

Opt. 3. October 14. In 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue. In today’s world, we view Columbus critically, questioning his motives, the motives of his patrons, and the merits of Western expansion in general. Read a book from the first 25 pages of this “Postcolonialism” list: Postcolonialism Books

OR – because I realize that the world of postcolonial theory may not interest everybody, read a book from the first 25 pages of this “Colonial Romance” list: Colonial Romance Books

Required: State which list you used and on what page of the list your book is found on.

Opt. 4. Truly Cold. Read a book with the word “Cold” or the word “Frozen” in the title/subtitle. The word must be stand-alone and be exact.

25.8 Tien’s Task: Pokémon Go

My kids have got me addicted to this game! The amount of time I spent on it is ridiculous, but it does get me out walking a lot more (healthy, right!?!) and I just want to complete that Pokédex (Pokémon logbook that lists all the Pokémons).

If you play and would like to friend me; my trainer code is 0944 1872 8405.

Choose an option
Required:Indicate the option you are using

Option 1: TWO book task

Book 1: A book where authors first and last initials can be found in “Pokémon Go”. Letters may be used only as often as they appear.

Book 2: Read a book with a type* of Pokémon in the title (no subtitle). The word must match exactly.
*There are 18 types of Pokémon: normal, fire, water, grass, electric, ice, fighting, poison, ground, flying, psychic, bug, rock, ghost, dragon, dark, steel, fairy.
Required: state the word used

Example:
A Magic Steeped in Poison (The Book of Tea #1) - word used: Poison
Ship of Smoke and Steel (The Wells of Sorcery #1) - word used: Steel

Option 2: ONE book task
There are over 1,000 Pokémon in the Pokédex. For this option, read ONE book that fulfills both requirements from option 1 AND is 500+ pages.

Example:
King's Dragon (Crown of Stars #1) by Kate Elliott
636 pages | word used: dragon | author's initials found in poKEmon go