Michelle’s Comments (group member since Sep 19, 2013)

Michelle’s comments from the Nothing But Reading Challenges group.

If you aren't able to use the spreadsheet, please post a full completion post here and someone can help move your books over.

It's similar to Wheel in some ways, and a planning spreadsheet works well to give us flexibility for the mini tasks.
This planning sheet is basically a duplicate of the official sheet, with a few additonal columns on the books tab.

And since there is a penalty for reading over the amount you said when you signed up, feel free to add any extra books on the overflow tab and we will move things around to maximize points.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...

Christene, looking forward to getting some psychological thriller recs from you!

Ilsen, Amari and the Night Brothers looks great. Adding it to my shelf.

Glad to be back for another round of Tower Teams!

I live in the forests of Southern Oregon, outside of Crater Lake National Park on a small homestead. When I'm not reading, I'm playing outside with my animals, hiking, running, camping, or watching the Chicago Cubs play baseball (unfortunately, not very well this season, but I still love them).

Books! I will read basically anything. All genres, but my favorites are mysteries, historicals, romance (mainly historical, but I do read a few contemporaries here and there), non-fiction, dystopian, and fantasy. Occasionally horror or sci fi, but not as my usual go-to. I like books that make me cry, and books that have that Happily Ever After.

My best book in 2022? Not sure I've had one that has blown me away yet. My 4 and 5 stars are given very sparingly. Maybe I'll read a 5 star during this challenge!

Team Gods is open for chatting!
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Welcome, everyone! It's so great that the mods figured out a fun way for everyone to participate who somehow missed the deadline (raises hand!). Some of you will start here, and then move into other teams, but we will all get a chance to join the fun on Team Gods.

I have enjoyed many years of TT fun, and I'm sure this round will be no different.

To get started, introduce yourself! Is this your first Tower Teams, or are you a veteran? What are your favorite genres and authors? Where in the world do we all live? What is the best book you've read in 2022?

Share as much as you'd like to kick things off.

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May Mini Challenge
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
(view spoiler)[
Meet The Muses May Mini

Our hosts on Mount Olympus (or TBR) would like to introduce themselves in preparation for the forthcoming festivities. To that end, they have inspired a mini-challenge to get your creativity started.

For this challenge, each muse has a selection of tasks to be completed. These are under the spoiler below.
(view spoiler)[
Thalia (“The Cheerful One”) was the Muse of Comedy and was often portrayed holding a comic mask or a shepherd’s crook
• Spell out Thalia - T
• Spell out Thalia - H
• Spell out Thalia - A
• Spell out Thalia - L
• Spell out Thalia - I
• Spell out Thalia - A
• MPG Humour
• Mask on cover

Urania (“The Heavenly One”) was the Muse of Astronomy, and you can often see her holding a globe
• Spell out Urania - U
• Spell out Urania - R
• Spell out Urania - A
• Spell out Urania - N
• Spell out Urania - I
• Spell out Urania - A
• Stars on the cover
• Map at the front of the book

Melpomene (“She Who Sings”) was the Muse of Tragedy, and she is either holding a tragic mask or some other symbol of tragedy (sword, club, buskins)
• Spell out Melpomene - M
• Spell out Melpomene - E
• Spell out Melpomene - L
• Spell out Melpomene - P
• Spell out Melpomene - O
• Spell out Melpomene - M
• Spell out Melpomene - E
• Spell out Melpomene - N
• Spell out Melpomene - E
• Sword on cover
• Tagged Tragedy

Polyhymnia (“She of the Many Hymns”) was the Muse of Hymns and sacred poetry, often depicted with a pensive look hidden behind a veil
• Spell out Polyhymnia - P
• Spell out Polyhymnia - O
• Spell out Polyhymnia - L
• Spell out Polyhymnia - Y
• Spell out Polyhymnia - H
• Spell out Polyhymnia - Y
• Spell out Polyhymnia - M
• Spell out Polyhymnia - N
• Spell out Polyhymnia - I
• Spell out Polyhymnia - A
• Letters of HYMN in title
• Author initials in SACRED

Erato (“The Lovely One”) was the Muse of Lyric Poetry; naturally, she’s usually represented with a lyre;
• Spell out Erato - E
• Spell out Erato - R
• Spell out Erato - A
• Spell out Erato - T
• Spell out Erato - O
• Poetry quote in the text
• MC is a writer

Calliope (“The One with a Beautiful Voice”) was the Muse of Epic Poetry; Hesiod claims that she was the foremost among the nine, since “she attends on worshipful princes”; Calliope can often be seen holding a writing tablet;
• Spell out Calliope - C
• Spell out Calliope - A
• Spell out Calliope - L
• Spell out Calliope - L
• Spell out Calliope - I
• Spell out Calliope - O
• Spell out Calliope - P
• Spell out Calliope - E
• Royal title in book title
• 1st in series

Clio (“The Celebrator,” “The Proclaimer”) was the Muse of History, and, quite fittingly, she usually holds a scroll;
• Spell out Clio - C
• Spell out Clio - L
• Spell out Clio - I
• Spell out Clio - O
• MPG History/Historical Fiction
• A celebration in the book

Euterpe (“She Who Pleases”), was the Muse of Flute-playing, which is why she is time and again portrayed with an aulos;
• Spell out Euterpe - E
• Spell out Euterpe - U
• Spell out Euterpe - T
• Spell out Euterpe - E
• Spell out Euterpe - R
• Spell out Euterpe - P
• Spell out Euterpe - E
• Musical instrument on cover
• Characters attend a musical performance

Terpsichore (“The One Delighting in the Dance”), was the Muse of Choral Lyric and Dancing; as expected, she is usually shown dancing and sometimes holding a lyre.
• Spell out Terpsichore - T
• Spell out Terpsichore - E
• Spell out Terpsichore - R
• Spell out Terpsichore - P
• Spell out Terpsichore - S
• Spell out Terpsichore - I
• Spell out Terpsichore - C
• Spell out Terpsichore - H
• Spell out Terpsichore - O
• Spell out Terpsichore - R
• Spell out Terpsichore - E
• Dancing in the book
• Letters CLD in title of book
(hide spoiler)]

◈ Only books read and finished from the start of the challenge until 9pm GMT+1 on 31st May will count for the Meet the Muses mini challenge.
◈ You will gain 5 points for each task you complete.
◈ For each Muse you complete all the tasks for, you get an additional 10 points.
◈ You may only complete each task once.

How a "spell it out" works
Spell out the word(s) using the first letter in the book's title, the first letter in the author's first or last name, or the first letter of a character's first, last, or nick-name, or the first letter of the series name. As always, if the first letter of a title starts with an indefinite or definite article ('A', 'An', 'The', etc.), you may use the first letter of the second word in the title to spell out your chosen word. If you are listening to an audiobook, the first letter in the narrator's first or last name also can be used. We're also allowing for Translators names, as long as the edition you are reading is a translation version.
(hide spoiler)]

Team Planning Sheet (use this one to post your books)
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...

Points and Rules
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Countdown to the Start
https://www.timeanddate.com/countdown...
You can only count books started after this time!

Yes, add any final books to the spreadsheet! Just be sure it's on your TT shelf and you have a page count and we can get the points.

Way to go, team! Nice work.

Oh my gosh. That's amazing! Great story. I love how you were able to work in all of the elements of the books. Even the silly quilt show!

This was fun, everyone. Let's wrap up those final reads for points and see where we land.

No, that’s perfect, Lorna. If there is anything interesting or unique, you can list that for Jackanory but otherwise just list for points.

I love that cameo idea, Deanna!
In Quilt or Innocence, she moves to a small town and joins a quilting group. Cassian could go to a quilting club meeting or the quilt show. lol

In If Fried Chicken Could Fly, Gram runs a cooking school. That's kind of unique. Maybe you could use that for 16 as the food to eat?

Echo Park - Harry Bosch interviews many people as part of the investigation.

In Della Bride of Texas, she takes the train to Texas to get married as a mail order bride. Could the fed leave on the train? There is also a blind character if you work that in. And they have a town festival with a big potluck and everyone brings food in baskets, like lemonade and friend chicken. Also there is a brothel, in case Cassian is a bad boy after he talks with detectives.

In Hannah Bride of Iowa, one character impersonates another one, and there is a tornado. There is also a big Thanksgiving celebration with turkey and dressing.

Lorna had claimed it, but I haven't seen a completion post yet.

Yes, let's try to add anything interesting on the sheet for Jackanory. I know it's hard to keep the momentum up for the final days. It's getting quiet around here.

We are in the home stretch, team!

One task left to go (mini skirt) and the Jackanory story to finish up. Keep on reading, and let's finish strong. Read what you want and log it on the sheet.

Lorna, let me know if you need help adding your books to the sheet. Your mini skirt book is the final task!

The others just need added with no tasks, just book info for points.

Updating the sheet. Laura, I don't see The Heir on your TT shelf. Can you add for me?

Deanna, I left a few of yours as well to have you double-check the shelf.

Chales, I don't see One More Thing on your shelf.

Laura, you have Dr Harper Therapy #1 shelved, but I don't think you added it to the team sheet.

I know GRs has been buggy on showing books actually shelved throughout the challenge, so apologies if it's there and not showing.