Varla Fiona’s Comments (group member since Mar 26, 2012)

Varla Fiona’s comments from the SA Book & Challenge Lovers group.

Titles Tell Stories: (25/25) FINISHED
Bookclub Monthlies: (25/25) FINISHED
Discover Bookshelves: +0 (24/25) Busy with last one
Know Author: +3 (25/25) FINISHED
Location: +0 (24/25) Busy with last one
Rebellion: +25 (25/25) FINISHED

TOTAL: 148/150

Finished Task 1 & 23 and therefore FINISHED the challenge.

(I love when you look back over what you read and realise it lines up with the task with no planning at all!)

Lu, not sure if this counts. I nominated Wee Free Men and then Marlese nominated Discworld. I don't want to take Discworld off the list, but checking against the rules, I'm unsure.

Level 1
Give a series a second chance. Read the second book in a series you were not sure of when you read the first book.

Level 5
Read 5 books that are part of series that were released during this challenge.

Level 5: Read 5 books that form part of the same series. There can be more than 5 books in the series.
Level 2: Read 2 books that are currently the second last books in the series. Based on what has been published by 1 November 2014.

Animals
Ships or boats

Walking is great. I try and get a few beachfront walks or take my dog to the beach every week! Don't be discouraged because that is all you do, it is still loads better than not doing anything!

Thanks for the support.

Well done on the running!

Decided to sign up for our local Ocean Racing Series (1 km swim) to get increased motivation. Today was the first race, strong winds meant a slight change in route, but I finished it with a time of 35 minutes! Next race is in 2 weeks and my goal is to beat today's time.

Carolien wrote: "You're cruel! I have started making a list and have more than 30 series on the go at the moment. Starting 6 new ones would be insanity... "

Easy solution, choose a different task for that level!

Carolien wrote: "Dreaming the Eagle"

Looks brilliant! I want to read it anyway...

Thanks, now to find some blogs...

1. Dragons
2. Pirates

Level 3

Read three different books that complete a series. (This means the series must be finished, and no more books are planned by the author).

Level 1

Read a book that is part of the official series of books, but written by a different author

I don't actually follow any book blogs. I have not found a convenient method of following blogs. There are a couple who I follow that email you the latest post when it goes out. Any suggestions on how to follow blogs?

✔1/25

Books:
Perdido Street Station
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Retribution Falls by Chris Wooding
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke

Authors:
Kathy Reichs
✔Gail Carriger Waistcoats & Weaponry
Maria V. Snyder
Margaret Atwood
India Drummond
Jodi Picoult
Catherynne M. Valente
Robin Hobb
Cinda Williams Chima
Matthew Reilly

Series:
O'Malley Series by Dee Henderson
Bridget Jones series by Helen Fielding
Burton & Swinburne by Mark Hodder
The Inheritance Trilogy by N.K. Jemisin
Earth Girl by Janet Edwards

Titles:
Jinx by Sage Blackwood
Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor
We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
Cinnamon and Gunpowderby Eli Brown

Covers:
Crown of Embers
Natural History of Dragons
Apocalypse Now Now by Charlie Human
Heir of Fire
Space Race by Alex Latimer
Switched
Look Who's back

✔2/25

I will choose which of these blogs I end up using once I have more posts listed.

1. http://meanwhoyouare.blogspot.com
My Name is Bryan
Love Letters to the Dead
Rift
Beyond the Night
The Rest Falls Away

2. http://crushingcinders.com
The Great Unexpected
Banished
Silevethiel
Magicless
Me Since You
My Life With The Walter Boys

3. http://davebrendon.wordpress.com
The Raven Boys The Dream Thieves Blue Lily, Lily Blue
Unwrapped Sky
My Chemical Mountain
The Last Ancient

4. http://www.myshelfconfessions.com
✔Broken Monsters
The Good Girl

5. http://sugarandsnark.co.za
Will Grayson, Will Grayson
Banished
The Pegasus Project

6. http://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com
Gunpowder Alchemy
The Incredible Charlotte Sycamore and the Secret Traps
Magic Bites

7. http://blogofabookaholic.blogspot.com
The Infinite Sea
✔The Blood of Olympus

8. http://rickriordan.blogspot.com
Throne of Glass
The Book of Strange New Things

9. http://worldsinink.blogspot.com
The Stone Canal

10. http://violininavoid.wordpress.com
Betrayal's Shadow

5/25
*** means book has been listed more than once. Will be removed from additional tasks once a task is complete and I decide which one I am using it for.

Level 1
1. Read a book that is part of the official series of books, but written by a different author
2. Read the final book to complete a series. It doesn't have to be the last book in the series, just the only one you haven't read in the series
***✔The Blood of Olympus
3. Read the first book of a different series by an author you already read.
***✔Pathfinder
4. Read any 1 book in a series that already has more than 8 books in the series.
***✔Last Stand of Dead Men
5. Give a series a second chance. Read the second book in a series you were not sure of when you read the first book.

Level 2
1. Read a book from two series/ sub-series that interconnects.
***✔Pathfinder
***✔Waistcoats & Weaponry
2. Read a duology.
3. Read 2 books that are currently the second last books in the series. Based on what has been published by 1 November 2014.
***✔Last Stand of Dead Men
***✔Waistcoats & Weaponry
4. Read 1 book from two different series that were started before the new millennium, 2000.
5. Read two books told from two or more different perspectives.

Level 3
1. Read three different books that complete a series. (This means the series must be finished, and no more books are planned by the author).
***✔The Blood of Olympus
2. Read three books set in fictional cities (must be part of series, obviously).
***✔Kingdom of the Wicked
***✔Last Stand of Dead Men
3. Read a trilogy
4. Read 3 books, with 3-word titles, that are part of series.
***✔Waistcoats & Weaponry
5. Read three books, from the same or different series, that are sequential uneven numbers in the series (e.g. books 1,3,5 or 7,9,11).
***✔Kingdom of the Wicked - 7
***✔The Blood of Olympus - 5
***✔Waistcoats & Weaponry - 3
***✔Pathfinder - 1

Level 4
1. Read 4 books that have author(s) using pseudonyms that are part of a series. All 4 don't have to be the same author, but they all need to use their pseudonym on the particular books you read. They also don't have to be from the same series, but need to be part of a series.
2. Read 4 second books of series
3. Read 4 first books in a series, of which the second book has not yet been published, but will indeed be published.
***✔Pathfinder
4. Read 4 books whose covers match in some way. Thus they all have very similar blue covers, they all have covers that only has writing on it, the girl on the cover has a sword, etc.
5. Read 4 books from different series where the original publication date of the first book in the series is before 1980. (You can read any book in the series, it doesn't have to be the first one)

Level 5
1. Read five books that form part of a series that has been made into a movie or television series (does not have to be five different series,nor do all five books have to part of the same series)
2. Read five books across five different series. Each book/series should be part of a different genre.
3. Read 5 books that form part of the same series. There can be more than 5 books in the series.
4. Read 5 books that are part of series that were released during this challenge.
5. Read 5 books in which children, animals, aliens or
mythical creatures are protagonists/POV characters.
***✔The Blood of Olympus
***✔Pathfinder
***✔Waistcoats & Weaponry

Level 6
1. Read a stairway of books across 6 series. So first book in one series, second book in another series, third book in a different series. You don't have to start with the first book in the first series, but the books must follow consecutively from the lowest number. It must be 6 different series.
***✔Kingdom of the Wicked - 7
***✔The Blood of Olympus - 5
***✔Waistcoats & Weaponry - 3
***✔Pathfinder - 1
2. Read 6 books that are the 1st books in a series.
***✔Pathfinder
3. Start and complete 2 trilogies
4. Read 6 books that are part of 3 series. Thus 2 books from 1 series, 2 from another and 2 from another.
***✔Last Stand of Dead Men
***✔Kingdom of the Wicked
***✔Waistcoats & Weaponry
5. Read 6 books, from one or more series, where the author is no longer alive

8/25
I'm going to see how many I get in which themes and then choose the ones with most...

1. Dragons
✔The Great Zoo of China
2. Pirates
3. Travel
DEF USE THIS THEME 4. Magic
✔Kingdom of the Wicked
✔Last Stand of Dead Men
✔Pathfinder
The Dying of the Light
Betrayal's Shadow
5. Vampires
Soulless
Blameless
Changeless
Heartless
Timeless
6. Ghosts
7. 1800s
8. Fae/Faerie
9. Mythology
✔The Blood of Olympus
10. Set on the same continent
11. Espionage
12. Cops/FBI/Police/Detectives - thus Law enforcement
✔Broken Monsters
13. Army/knights/generals etc.
14. LGBTQ protagonists
15. Serial killers
16. Non caucasian protagonists
17. Animals
18. Ships or boats
19. Multi-perspective (needs to be more than 1)
20. South African setting
✔Devilskein & Dearlove
21. Gumshoe/Who-dunnit
22. Assassins
23. Children
24. Music
25. Jewellery / gemstones
26. Food/Eating
27. Airships (e.g. Dirigibles, zeppelins.... think steampunk)
✔Waistcoats & Weaponry
Etiquette & Espionage
Curtsies & Conspiracies
28. Legends and Fairytales
29. Books and Libraries
30. Rogues

Total: 8/25

1. Read a book with the word "Moon" in the title or the author's name
✔2 & 3. Sturgeon Moon - book that involves water: water scene on the cover, setting in a boat/ship, character’s job that involves water, or a Viking Romance
The Blood of Olympus
4 & 5. Harvest Moon - book sets in farm/ranch, character is a rancher/farmer, or has a rural scene on the cover or a Western Romance
✔6 & 7. Hunter’s Moon - book that has a number in the title, or a road romance, where somebody is on the run or being hunted
The Great Zoo of China
✔8 & ✔9. Beaver Moon - has an animal on the cover, or has a ‘significant’ animal character in the story
Devilskein & Dearlove
Broken Monsters
✔10 & 11. Cold Moon - Book that has a dark cover, set during the Dark Ages (Medieval Romance)
Last Stand of Dead Men
✔12 & 13. Wolf Moon - Book that has a moon or wolf on the cover, a werewolf/shifter romance
Waistcoats & Weaponry
✔14 & 15. Snow Moon - Book that has a Winter Scene on cover, or set during winter or a cold country/place
Pathfinder
✔16 & 17. Worm Moon - Book that has Spring scene cover, has a rake/rogue hero, or has the word Spring in the title
Kingdom of the Wicked
18 & 19. Pink Moon - Book that has a Pink/Red Cover or has a courtesan, mistress or prostitute character
20 & 21. Flower Moon - Book that has Flowers on the Cover or in the Title or a chick-lit book
22 & 23. Strawberry Moon - Fruit on the Cover or title or an GLBT romance
24 & 25. Buck Moon - Weather scene on the cover or in the title or Read an interracial romance (buck is slang for a young black guy)