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

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

Joanne Message 275

Please repost with your Readboard Name. :)

Tien Message 253


Per posting requirements, task claims must include a short description of the task.

Joanne MI Message 206

Please repost with a link to the book.

Molly Message 231

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Lora Message 230

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The original website seems to be back up, It has a few more parks on it. You can use either park.

30 Points

30. 9 Nick KY’s Task: Uluru – National Parks of Australia.
Help Thread

This is S’s suggestion for a task from the task suggestion thread:
Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, Australia

One of the natural wonders of the world, Uluru is a massive dome of red sandstone that seems to rise directly from the desert landscape. Uluru is a deeply spiritual site for the Anangu people. The caves here are filled with remarkable rock art in vivid shades of red, yellow, and brown that date back at least 10,000 years.

This is a two book task. Choose two different options and read one book for each option.
REQUIRED:State the Options.

Opt. 1. Read a book with at least 3 U's in the title/subtitle.

Opt. 2. Read a book with a word of at least four letters in the title/subtitle/author’s name from the phrase ULURU KATA TJUTA NICK KY. Letters may be used only as often as they appear in the target phrase.
Required: State the word

Opt. 3. Uluru is an outcrop – a geological term meaning the part of a rock that juts out of the surface of the earth. Read a book from the following Geology listopia: Best Geology Books
Required: State the page

Opt. 4. Read a book that takes place at least 50% in Australia or is by an author born in or currently living in Australia.
Required: If the setting or the author birth place is not evident from Goodreads, provide a reference.


30.10 Amy FL’s task: Return of a Favorite
Help Thread

I’m a mystery reader who loves a good series. This summer I’m looking forward to reading the newest entry in one of my absolute favorites. Let’s pay tribute to that series.

This is a two book task. Choose two different options and read one book for each option.
Required: State the option

I was hooked on The Prey series by John Sandford from the very first book, Rules of Prey. The main character, Lucas Davenport, is a police officer who is tough, brilliant and surrounded by some memorable characters.

Option 1: The Titles
The newest entry is #35 in the main series. There are two spinoff series, but for this task we will focus on the Lucas Davenport books which all have “Prey” in the title. Read a book with one of these words from the series in the title (subtitle excluded). Words must be exact. No variations.
Rules, Shadow, Eyes, Silent, Winter, Night, Mind, Sudden, Secret, Certain, Easy, Chosen, Mortal, Naked, Hidden, Broken, Invisible, Phantom, Wicked, Storm, Buried, Stolen, Silken, Field, Gathering, Extreme, Golden, Twisted, Neon, Masked, Ocean, Righteous, Judgment, Toxic, Lethal

Option 2: The Setting
This series takes place in Minnesota so for this task, read a book set at least 75% in Minnesota.
Required: If the setting is not obvious from the Goodreads Main Page, provide a reference.

Option 3: The Author
John Sandford is a pseudonym for the author who was born John Roswell Camp. Read a book written using a pseudonym. The pseudonym must be a single author, so no writing teams. J. D. Robb (pseudonym for Nora Roberts) works; Nicci French (pseudonym for Nicci Gerrard and Sean French) does not.
Required: If the pseudonym is not listed on on the Goodreads author page, provide a reference.

Option 4: The Characters
Read a book by an author who shares a first or last name with one of the recurring characters in the Prey series. The name must match exactly but can appear in any position.
Lucas Davenport, Jennifer Carey, Weather Karkinnen, Virgil Flowers, Del Capslock, Harrison Sloan, Letty Davenport, Rose Marie Roux (Rose or Marie work), Marcy Sherrill, Elle Kruger
Required: State the character’s name

Fly wrote: "I never know what's clear and what isn't :D"

Yes, sometimes it's hard to figure out what needs emphasis and what doesn't.

Fly wrote: "Robin P wrote: "Just to clarify, you wrote

BEER OR SMORES OR WAFFLE all in caps

To me that makes it seem like the whole phrase is what we would use. Or was your intention that we use only one - ..."

Updated to say 'in one of the following words: BEER or SMORES or WAFFLE. Hopefully that makes it clearer along with your examples.

20.7 Shorter is Sweeter: Karen Michele's Task - I Wonder

We live near a forest and in our back area there is a protected small forest where we often have Great Horned Owls. A few days ago, I looked out the window at dawn and saw one staring back at me from the ground. I wondered if it was hurt as it kept hopping on the ground and hopping short distances, but then it was gone, so it must have flown. When I told my husband about it, he said he saw three of them out there the night before (I wondered why he didn’t wake me?) We still wonder what was going on, but now we think it was probably parents guiding their young one as it learned to fly. I have wondered about the natural world all my life and I’ve never lost my sense of wonder. In the midst of this busy world, I hope you will wonder with me by choosing one of these three things I wonder about and choosing a book to fit the task.

This is a one book task. Read a book that fits one of the options below.
Graphic Novels may be used for this task.
Required: State the option

Option 1
I wonder if our natural world will thrive?

Read a book where animals or their natural habitats are essential to the story. For example, a book like What an Owl Knows: The New Science of the World's Most Enigmatic Birds works, but the Harry Potter books do not, even though owls are in the story, because the owls are not essential to the book's plot. The book can be nonfiction or fiction as long as the animals or habitats in the book are real. For example, a fiction book from a real animals point of view like Remarkably Bright Creatures would work, but a book about mermaids or selkies or a book with anthropomorphism would not work.
Required: Please provide a reference if it is not evident in the GR book description.

Option 2
I wonder what the future will bring for my grandchildren?

A) Read a book from this Coming of Age list:
Best Coming of Age stories
Required:Include the page number in your post.

B) Read a memoir that includes the childhood of the author.
This list may help, but is not required:
Childhoods

Option 3
I wonder what new inventions will become reality and what new discoveries will be made?
Read a book that has won the Hugo Award for science fiction (just winners in all categories) and perhaps wonder about whether anything in the book could really happen.
Hugo Award Winners
Required: Award must be listed on the GR book page

20.3 Review Raffle: Kelly L's Task - Celebrating Pride

June is known in the US as Pride Month, a celebration of the LGBTQ+ community and a time to recognize the rights that the community has fought for, and continues to fight for. As a lesbian woman who came out in adulthood, celebrating Pride the last few years has been an affirming and joyful experience. I invite you to join me in celebrating with this task!

This is a one book task. Choose from one of the following options
Required: State the option

Option 1
All the colors of the rainbow: The original Pride flag was designed in 1978 and had eight solid stripes of different colors: hot pink, red, orange, yellow, green, turquoise, indigo, and violet. In 1979, it was updated to just six colors that were more easily printed: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet.

Read a book with a cover that has EITHER a rainbow on it (real or illustrated), OR 4+ colors in a stripe pattern. You are not limited to the colors of the Pride flag, and the colors do not need to be in ROYGBIV order.
Required: Include the cover in your post.
Examples:


Option 2
In honor of Stonewall: Pride’s timing, in June, is in commemoration of the June 1969 Stonewall Uprising, when LGBTQ+ activists protested against police raids at a popular gay bar in New York City. This galvanized more widespread activism for gay rights, and the first Pride parade was held the following year.

Read a book with a title or subtitle that contains a 4+ letter word made from one of two phrases: STONEWALL UPRISING or PRIDE PARADE.
Required: State the word and phrase used

Option 3
Embrace diverse stories: My own coming out was inspired by the bravery of other LGBTQ+ folks who wrote and published their stories, including Glennon Doyle, Samantha Irby, Carmen Maria Machado, Megan Rapinoe, and Molly Wizenberg. Their first-person accounts helped me understand myself, embrace my identity, and begin sharing it proudly. In the words of writer Marian Wright Edelman, “You can’t be what you can’t see.”

Read a book with both MPG Memoir or Autobiography, AND MPG LGBT.
The LGBTQ+ Memoirs list may be a helpful starting point, though you should double check to confirm MPGs, and you are not required to choose a book from it.
LGBTQ+ Memoirs

Option 4
World Pride: Since 2000, World Pride has been celebrated in various cities and countries around the world - this year, Washington, D.C. hosts, and next year it is the Netherlands’ turn.

Read a book set at least 50%in any of the following past, current, or future host countries of World Pride: Australia, Canada, Denmark, Israel, Italy, Netherlands, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States.
Required: State the country. Provide a reference if the setting is not obvious on the GR book page

Lora Message 72

Per posting requirements, task claims must include a short description of the task.

Ana Message 61 and Message 64

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20.6 It's a Fact: Kristen IA's Task - Let’s Go to the Park!

For my family some of the best things about summer are baseball, being outside, and going on vacation! We have a goal to visit all 30 of the Major League Baseball (MLB) Stadiums, and would like to see as many of the 63 US National Parks as we can. Since we live in a state with no MLB teams and no National Parks, we have taken many vacations to enjoy both kinds of parks over the years. This task will revisit some of these adventures! Since one part of the joy of going to these parks is seeing the sights, your book may have the MPG Graphic Novels, Comics, or Manga.

This is a one book task.
Required: State the option you chose.

Option 1: Through the Years - Since my husband and I married in 2006, we have visited a national park or MLB ballpark in these years: 2008, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025.

-Read a book that was first published in one of these years.

Option 2: Feeling a “Little” Old - We’ve visited the two oldest MLB ballparks (Fenway and Wrigley) and the smallest national park (Gateway Arch).

-For this option, read a book that has an MPG of History or Historical (standalone or embedded) AND is a smaller book, with 100-250 pages.

Option 3: Where Did You Go? - We’ve been to nine national parks in eight different states and six different ballparks in four different states. Two states are in both categories so there are a total of 10 states visited. For this option, you can choose A or B:

A) Read a book set in one of these 10 states: Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Missouri, South Dakota, Tennessee, or Wyoming

OR

B) Read a book by an author whose FIRST initial matches a letter in one of our visited national park state’s two letter abbreviations: AR, AZ, CO, IN, SD, TN, or WY AND whose LAST initial matches a letter in one of our visited ballpark state’s two letter abbreviations: CO, IL, MA, or MO.
Authors examples that work: Charlotte McConaghy, Sarah Addison Allen, Christina Lauren, Costanza Casati, Steve Cavanagh
These DON’T: Maggie Shipstead, Rebecca Yarros, Chris Whitaker
If more than one author, only one author’s initials need to meet the requirement.

Option 4: Let’s Thrive in ‘25! - There has been a lot of uncertainty in 2025, both in our world and closer to home, but I’m committed to trying to enjoy life even when things are hard. Choose from A or B:

A) We traveled west over Spring Break and visited Grand Canyon National Park for the first time. We took the opportunity to visit it at sunrise and it was spectacular! Aside from the beautiful views, it was wonderful to learn more about the rich history of the indigenous people who call the Grand Canyon and surrounding areas home.

-For this option, read a book with the MPG Native American(s) or Indigenous

OR

B) We don’t plan on another big trip for 2025, but are hoping to make a short weekend trip to Minnesota to go to Target Field and see the Minnesota Twins play baseball.

-For this option, read a book with a two word title where each word has the same, or twin, first initial. This includes repeated words.
Examples: Magpie Murders, There There, Finding Flora, The Thrashers, or Red Rising

20.2 Rookie at the Top: Coffeegirl's Task - Favorite things about Books

As I have gotten older, I have grown to love all things about books: collecting them, reading and/or listening to them. Below are a few of my favorite ways to enjoy all things books.

Choose and option and read 1 book.
Required: state the option.

Option 1 – Book club
I've been an avid reader for many years, and one of the aspects I cherish most is sharing and discussing books with fellow readers. Recently, my friends and I decided to start our own book club. It's been a wonderful way to explore books I might not have chosen on my own, engage in thoughtful conversations, and enjoy each other's company.

-Read a book by a single author where all the author's initials can be found in BOOK CLUB. Letters may be used as often as they appear.

Option 2 - Celebrate
The summer season ushers in a delightful array of celebrations. Between friends and family, I'll be celebrating over 10 birthdays this summer, including mine :) Each gathering offers a unique opportunity to create memories, whether it's through themed parties, outdoor adventures, or intimate get-togethers. I'm looking forward to embracing the warmth of the season and the joy of celebrating with loved ones. One of my favorite ways to celebrate birthdays is by gifting a book. Selecting the perfect title for each person is a rewarding experience, as it allows me to tailor my choice to their unique interests and personalities

-Read a book with a word of at least four letters in the title/subtitle spelled from the phrase BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS. Letters may be used only as often as they appear in the phrase.
Required: State the word.

Option 3 – But can I watch it?
One of my favorite authors is Karin Slaughter, renowned for her gripping mystery novels. She introduced readers to Special Agent Will Trent, a compelling character whose complex background and unique investigative approach captivated audiences. The success of the book series led to its adaptation into a television series, also titled Will Trent.
I have a particular fondness for books that have been adapted into films or series, as it offers a unique opportunity to witness the author's vision come to life on screen. It's fascinating to see how characters and scenes are interpreted visually, and it often adds a new dimension to the story.

-Read a book which has been made into a TV series, movie series or single movie. The film or series must already have been released for viewing. It can be a single book or from a series, if the book is from a series, that specific book does not have to have been released for viewing.
Examples:
Book Dust by Hugh Howey from the book Silo Series; TV Series Silo. (The book is the 3rd in the series, but only 2 seasons of Silo have been released which is only 2/3 of the 1st book)
Book: This Is Why We Lied by Karin Slaughter, book series Will Tent; TV Series Will Trent
Book; Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens standalone Movie: Where the Crawdads sing.
Here is a link to a reference, but not required to be from this list Books Made into Movies or TV Shows

Required: State the Book Series (if applicable), State the TV Series, Movie Series or Standalone Movie.

20.1 - Most Improved – Erica H’s Task: Organized Procrastinator

I am an admitted geek. I’ve always been drawn to organizational things like planning calendars and charts for tasks to mark my progress. So when Index, A History of the: A Bookish Adventure from Medieval Manuscripts to the Digital Age came out I knew I’d have to read it – a history of geeky organization. Perfect! At the same time, I am a horrible procrastinator. My primary hobbies are knitting and cross-stitching. I have well over 25 WIP’s (works in progress). It’s gotten so bad that I’ve declared a new syndrome: Project Finish Resistance - the state when you’re close to finishing a project but rather than do THAT, you start a NEW project!. Logical, right?

Pick an option and read one book for that option.
Required: State which option you choose.

Option 1: Read a book with the word INDEX intact in the title or series name (can be part of a larger word like indexing, indexed).

Option 2: Read a book with a word of 5 or more letters in the title spelled from PROJECT FINISH RESISTANCE. Letters may be used only as often as they appear.

CYNBAXTER Message 40

Per posting requirements, task claims must include an up to date total of points.

CYNBAXTER Message 28

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MEGSCL Messaage 15

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CYNBAXTER Message 6

The Task, requires a book set in the place of one the National Parks listed. Looks like you used a National Historical Park.

The National Park also need to be listed on your post.