Audrey Jane’s Comments (group member since May 27, 2014)

Audrey Jane’s comments from the Nothing But Reading Challenges group.

With my book we can cover the following letters:
B - Bran (character)
L - Liadan (character)
G - Gull (character)
I - Iubdan (character)
So we can use it for I, but I give more letters so we can shuffle around if needed.

Congrats Sophie! It's a great feeling to have a place you can really call your own :)

Meanwhile I've finished Day Shift - 17/04 - works for letter B.

I'm going to read for our third stop.

I'm reading for this stop. We can use it for B (two characters: Bernardo, Manfred or Bobo Winthrop). I haven't encountered an A yet, will keep you posted if I do!

Thank you everyone!

Sophie wrote: "Congrats Aubrey Jane! Starting a new job this week and just feeling nervous rather than excited."

Congrats Sophie! I understand, I admit I'm still nervous too however I'm liking the new challenge and I'm learning a lot. I will think of you this week when you start.

Katie wrote: "Kate Daniels is AWESOME...can't wait until September for the new book."

Yes, me too! No other UF beats KD in my opinion.

@Mary: I'm very sorry to read that, Mary. Lots of strength to your family.

I've finished - april 9th

Hope you are liking the Kate Daniels series, Sophie! The third book in the series Magic Strikes is still my favourite.

Btw I started at my new job last week so I'm pretty excited now, and I'm trying to fit lots of reading time through the week :)

For the Batumi detour I'm going to read The Visitor, need to think about what to read for the other detours.

Congratulations Daphne! And to all the participants!
I gathered 6 Emerald Coins :)

Fire Touched is on my priority shelf too. I hope we get to read more about secondary characters like Sam, Warren, Ben and most of all Bran :)

Katie, I saw you're planning to read Soulless, really enjoyed that one, especially the author's writing style and humour. Also Lord Akeldama of course.
Btw for the 'teacup on cover' detour I'm going to read if the white cup and saucer fits the requirement.

I Want To Be Friends With...: Juliet Marillier

Option 1: I'm going to try to read everything by Juliet Marillier
Level: Gang (16 - 20 books)
Duration: You set the pace
Progress: 17/20 books

Already Read:

1. Daughter of the Forest - ★★★
2. Wildwood Dancing - ★★★
3. Heart's Blood - 04/04 - ★★★★
4. Dreamer's Pool - 09/04 - ★★★
5. Son of the Shadows - 29/04 - ★★★★
6. Child of the Prophecy - 19/05 - ★★★★
7. Heir to Sevenwaters - 22/06 - ★★★★
8. Shadowfell - 16/08 - ★★★★
9. Raven Flight - 21/08 - ★★★★
10. The Caller - 26/08 - ★★★
11. Cybele's Secret - 24/09 - ★★★★
12. Tower of Thorns - 11/10 - ★★★★
13. Seer of Sevenwaters - 01/10/2018 - ★★★
14. Flame of Sevenwaters - 05/08/2019 - ★★★★
15. Wolfskin (The Light Isles, #1) - 17/08/2021 - ★★★★
16. Foxmask: Saga of the Light Isles 2 - 04/11/2021 - ★★★★★
17. The Well of Shades - 04/12/2021 - ★★★★



To Read:



I Want To Be Friends With...: Dana Stabenow

Option 2: Spell out ALASKA - birthplace of author Dana Stabenow + setting of her Kate Shugak series
Level: Comrades
Progress: 4/6 books

Amy Harmon - From Sand and Ash - ★★★1/2
Loretta Nyhan - All the Good Parts - ★★★
Arden, Katherine - The Bear and the Nightingale - ★★★★★
S
K
Andrews, Ilona - One Fell Sweep - ★★★★

*Depositing 10 Coins for Read-a-Thon Wrap Up questions (tracking post)
*Depositing 8 Coins for The Road to St. Patrick's (tracking post)

Total coins depositing: + 18 LC

1: What did you think of the read-a-thon? Did you have fun? Although a bit overwhelming, I enjoyed it. The daily questions and recommendations gave a nice/creative spin to the readathon. However as a slow reader (I read 1 or 2 books per week), the daily tasks and questions combined with the other challenges were a bit difficult to track but that's because I'm currently obsessed with coins :p I really love the puzzles though, those are keepers, I enjoyed them during the Jack Sparrow Take Over as well.
2: How many books did you start and/or finish?
I finished 3 books -->
Started one -->
3: How did you like the interaction of the read-a-thon?
I actually like to read what other readers answered. I agree with Lauri.
4: How did you like the Recommendations of the read-a-thon? The recommendations were too specific imo. I prefer when it's per genre or maybe if we could identify readers with similar tastes, to give recommendations to each other during the readathon. Or maybe give a limited number of recommendations and telling others why she/he liked it and why he/she would suggests it.
5: Did you have any goals? If so, did you meet them?
Not really, I missed a couple of days in the beginning of the readathon but I really wanted to read at least 50 pages each day. I've noticed that my reading is slowly picking up compared to last year.
6: Would you participate in other read-a-thons in the future? Yes, if they last more than a couple of days.
7: Can you suggest anything to make a read-a-thon even better? Simplify it a little. And about the recommendations an such, I will pick quality over quantity any time. Also not daily tasks, but spread them out.
8: List your final book/page stats.
Books started: 4
Books finished: 3
Total pages: 837

For the first detour I'm going to read by Juliet Marillier (it's listed on page 13 - #1189 on the list). Either Namibia or Windhoek is fine for me.

My least favourite ones for the detours are 'paperback on the top shelves' and 'character with a Y'. The teacup detour will be tough too I think but should be able to work it out. The rest are okay, I have enough choices for the '2014' on top shelves. Thanks for the tips, Mary, it made it easier to look for particular top shelves :)

In an individual challenge I would have chosen to spell out Plovdiv, just to get rid of that pesky 'U' but if we can easily find it as a team, I'm good with either.

I will be back with my book for our first detour.

*Depositing 10 Coins for Dress Like A Leprechaun (tracking post)
*Depositing 19 Coins for Leprechaun RPG (tracking post)

Total coins depositing: + 19 LC

Hi Megan! Welcome!
Looking forward to start our business itinerary as well.

☘ Dress Like A Leprechaun ☘

*Books read: 4
*LC earned: 10 LC

Hat: Read a book with a Leprechaun hat. It can be on the cover, on the text, just mentioned or worn. It has to be a Leprechaun hat.

✔ Beard: Read a March BOM: Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine - March 19 - 2 stars

✔ Vest: Participate in a March BOM discussion: Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine: some of my posts here

✔ Bow-tie: Read a book with a bow tie on the cover or title, or where someone wears a bow tie: Murder of Crows by Anne Bishop - March 25 - 3 stars --> "He wore an off-the-rack suit [...] little tight over his rounded belly and one of the bow ties that were his trademark." (28%)

Coat: Join one of the March Buddy Reads.

✔ Pants: Read a book that has pants on the cover, in the title, or where a character is looking for some pants: Written in Red by Anne Bishop - March 13 - 4 stars --> "Then she helped Meg into the loose fleece pants she found in the storage bins." (81%)

✔Boots: Read a book with a black cover: A Dissection of Murder by Felicity Young - March 5 - 2 stars



Prizes:
- For each item completed: 2 Leprechaun Coins.
- When the Leprechaun is all dressed up: An additional 3 Leprechaun Coins.

♦ Adventure Log ♦

January

- 22 Jan: killed Sewer Rat = + 1 exp
- 24 Jan: reached level 3 sword (5 attack)
- 25 Jan: killed Goblin = + 1 exp and Goblin Bone
- 27 Jan: Rare Gems quest = +1 exp

February

- 8 Feb: Gather Berries = +1 exp / Valentines Day Feast (Prime Cut of Meat) = +2 exp / Finished Gather Berries Quest: 1 + 2 = 3 exp
- 22 Feb: Time For The Death quest = +1 exp ==> Level up! Hero level 3 (full HP)
killed Goblin = + 1 exp and Goblin Bone

March 2015

- 4 March: The Academy quest, reached associate professor = +3 exp and 1 Heal Potion
- 6 March: killed Goblin = + 1 exp and Goblin Bone / Gather More Bones quest: Gave 3 Goblin Bones to the necromancer = +5 exp

March 2016

- Leprechaun Take Over of NBRC: earned +10 exp. --> proof here
* 1 Experience, 1 Red Shard
* 6 experience, 1 Yellow shard
* 3 experience, 1 Green shard
==> Level up! Hero level 4 (full HP)
- 29 March: killed Goblin = + 1 exp and Goblin Bone

♦ Archives - Classified Quests ♦



✓ 1. Hello, my name is...: post 402 + 3 exp

✓ 2. Gather Berries: + 6 exp
(view spoiler)[ Roosevelt, Theodore (ch) - The Alienist by Caleb Car - 02/01/2015 - ★★★
Alvean TreMellyn (ch) - Mistress of Mellyn by Victoria Holt - 4/02/2015 - ★★★
SSeraphina by Rachel Hartman - 15/01/2015 - ★★★
Pirie, Jessica (ch) - Witch's Business by Diana Wynne Jones - 7/01/2015 - ★★★
(+1 Exp per letter, +2 Exp for completing a word) (hide spoiler)]

3. Gather Bones --> Gather More Bones! +5 exp
(view spoiler)[ Provide at least 3 goblin bones to the necromancer. +5 experience for the first 3 goblin bones. Turn in up to 3 more for an additional +1 experience each: Gave 3 Goblin Bones to the necromancer on the 6 of March. (hide spoiler)]

4. Rare Gems
(view spoiler)[ (Rare story books: less than 500 ratings/ Greater Rare story books: less than 10 ratings) (1/5): +1 exp
- Wickedly Magical by Deborah Blake (202 ratings)
- Claimed by Lindsay Buroker (204 ratings at 27/01) - 27/01/2015 - ★★★

* One Greater Rare Story book may be read that has less than 10 ratings which can count for +2 Experience. (hide spoiler)]

6. Timewalker:
(view spoiler)[2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014 (hide spoiler)]

Queen Skye's new tasks

7. Valentines Day Feast
(view spoiler)[Read a book with a prime number of pages. List of Primes. +2 exp
- Fifth Grave Past the Light by Darynda Jones - 353 pages - 03/01/2015 - ★★★

* +2 Experience for each Prime Cut of Meat. (Max 3 Cuts of Meat) (hide spoiler)]

8. The Academy
(view spoiler)[Ranks
Associate Professor - Complete 3 Requirements
Professor - Complete 6 Requirements
Distinguished Professor - Complete all Requirements

Requirements +3 exp
✓ 1) Nominate a book for BOM in any category - March Anything Goes
2) Read and Participate in a BOM Discussion
✓ 3) Volunteer to write DQ for a BOM
4) Start and Finish one of the Monthly/Seasonal Challenges - Fifty Shades of Grey (January)
5) Start a Spell-It-Out challenge in Reading Challenges and finish at least one word.
✓ 6) Participate in a Buddy Read: The Alienist Buddy Read OR The Fellowship of the Ring Buddy Read
7) Write and post a scene for The Theatre
8) Request a recommendation or choose one already recommended and read it
9) Create a draft of a new reading challenge and send to mod account.
10) Welcome 5 new members to the group

Rewards (received at each level gained)
Associate Professor - +3 Exp, 1 Heal Potion
Professor - Complete 6 Requirements - + 4 Exp, 1 Major Heal Potion
Distinguished Professor - Complete all Requirements - +6 Exp, 1 Health Gem (grants +1 Max HP and Current HP) (hide spoiler)]

9. Time for the Death: +1 exp
(view spoiler)[
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November - Holy Smokes by Katie MacAlister - 22/02/2015 - ★★★
December

Read 12 books, each one initially published in a different month. +1 Exp for each book read. +1 Damage Potion for completing the clock and unleashing the necromancer on your town. (Bonus +2 Exp if all the books are from the same year.) (hide spoiler)]

@Sophie: Good to know, I'm really looking forward to it.
I thought Ink&Bone was okay, one of the YA I enjoyed the most up till now. I'm glad I joined the BOM discussion for it. However I don't think I will continue the series since I didn't feel invested enough in the story and characters. I will see.

*Read-a-thon daily recommendations day 8: Recommend a book with the word RED in title. Post here.
--> Leprechaun bonus: 2 coins
*Read-a-thon daily questions: Post here.
--> Leprechaun bonus: 4 coins
*Read-a-thon daily questions day 14: Post here
--> Leprechaun bonus: 7 coins

Total coins to add (read-a-thon): 13 LC

What is...

1: ..... your favorite food? Flemish stew
2: ..... your favorite drink? Moscato d'Asti (most delicious white wine)
3: ..... your favorite color? Green
4: ..... your favorite restaurant? Happy Buddha
5: ..... your favorite season? Autumn (colours are beautiful)
6: ..... your favorite ice cream? Nocciola (Hazelnut)
7: ..... your favorite candy? Popcorn
8: ..... your favorite musician? Pat Benatar
9: ..... your favorite book quote? “All for one and one for all.”
- The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas