Ashley’s Comments (group member since Apr 27, 2022)

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

Was doing some updating and I THINK DQ volunteering is still open for our first BOM:

🎉 October Theme BOM
DQ Start Date: 16 October
Answer By Date: 16 November
Title: The Road Trip
Discussion Thread: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...



Don't forget, we get extra points for participating in the BOM discussions:
• 📝 Writing a day's worth of discussion questions = 40 points
• 💬 Participating in a current BOM discussion (3 sets min.) = 20 points

I was informed that Judith was having fun with spinners / randomisers, so perhaps later today or tomorrow? I can't wait!

I promise to update the sheet as soon as I'm able, and here of course! You can check here to for the update: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Cathy M. wrote: "Wow Ashley, that tracking SS is awesome!

For the orange columns, is that where we put in the letters it would work for? And what is the x1, x2, x3?"

Yes! Columns O:U (this will most likely extend based on the words assigned) will be for letter reasoning. At the top, the darker of the oranges will be the letters and the (x1), etc. will be how many we need for each complete spell out.

I added the word "LETTERS" to the Round 1 Tab so you can visualize. Under E is (x2) because we need that letter twice, and so on.

I put an example book in and added the possibilities too.

Does that help?

Carrie wrote: "Hobbies besides reading: Speed Puzzling, traveling and watching football!

Icebreaker: Dusting - where does all the dust come from????? I swear I can wipe something off and 10 minutes later the dust has magically reappeared!!!"

Speed Puzzling! What an exciting concept! I really enjoy puzzles too, but I must admit, I'm more of an obsessive puzzler than a speedy one—just ask my friends!

As for dusting, I can relate. It's such a hassle, especially since I'm allergic to dust and end up breaking out in hives. Not a pleasant experience at all!

🚨 Attention Team Long Overdue Bill! 🚨

Hey Team Long Overdue Bill!

It’s time to gather ‘round like a bunch of curious kittens! 🐱✨ We’ve got a thread just waiting for your fabulous introductions and delightful banter.

Here’s the plan:
• Find our team thread (it’s not hiding, I promise!) ---> It's HERE
• Introduce yourselves like you’re on a game show—bonus points for creativity! 🎤

Let’s make this thread as lively as a squirrel on espresso! Can’t wait to see all your wonderful faces (well, virtually) and hear your hilarious stories!

So don’t be shy—jump in and let the fun begin! 🎉

P.S. If you find any overdue bills lying around, just give them a stern talking-to. They need it! 😜

🌟 Icebreaker Question Response 🌟

If I could magically eliminate one boring chore from my life forever, it would definitely be laundry! Ugh, I absolutely hate it. It’s just the worst! There are way too many steps involved—sorting (like I’m some kind of laundry wizard), washing (which always feels like a mini science experiment), drying (where I pray my socks don’t mysteriously vanish), folding (a task that somehow turns into an Olympic sport), and then putting everything away (only to find out I’ve created a new mountain of clothes on my chair).

It feels like a never-ending cycle that I can never quite finish! I mean, who actually enjoys spending their time doing laundry? If I could wave a magic wand and make it disappear from my to-do list forever, I would be over the moon! Just imagine having all that extra time to do something fun instead. So, laundry, consider yourself banished! 🧙‍♀️✨

🌟 Hello Team! I’m Ashley, Your Captain! 🌟

I’m thrilled to be your captain for this exciting journey through The Boring Wheel of Life! 🎡 Here’s a little about me:

• Age: 39
• Location: Alabama, USA
• Birthday: May 29th 🎂
• Pronouns: She/Her

📚 A Bit About Me:
I’m a passionate reader who loves diving into all kinds of books! My favorites include:
• Fantasy: I’ll read anything from epic sagas to whimsical tales. 🧙‍♀️✨
• Romance: Because who doesn’t love a good love story? 💖
• Memoirs & Historical Fiction: I enjoy learning about real lives and times gone by. 📜

When I’m not reading, you can find me enjoying life with my furry companions 🐶, sipping on some delicious coffee ☕, or unwinding with a glass of wine 🍷.

🎉 Fun Fact:
I run a family-centric enterprise devoted to furry companions! While my boots may be firmly planted in Alabama, I like to think I defy the typical 'Southern belle' stereotype. 🌻

🤗 Let’s Make This Fun!
As we tackle our chores and read our way through this challenge, let’s keep the energy high and have fun! Remember, we’re here to support each other and find joy in the little things amidst the multitasking chaos of life.

I can’t wait to see what we accomplish together! Let’s spin that wheel and make the most of this challenge! 🎉📖💪

Feel free to reach out anytime—I’m here for you all! Let’s do this, Team Lost Overdue Bill! 🚀

P.S. - Post your Wheels Shelf!! Thank you!

🌟 Icebreaker Question: 🌟
If you could magically eliminate one boring chore from your life forever, which one would it be and why? 🧹✨

📅 Round Schedule
Get ready to tackle those chores while having fun! Here’s the schedule for each round:

🌀 Round 1
• Word Assigned: Fixing Appliance
• Start Date: 12 October
• End Date: 26 October

🌀 Round 2
• Word Assigned: Unblocking The U Bend
• Start Date: 26 October
• End Date: 9 November

🌀 Round 3
• Word Assigned: Office Cubicle
• Start Date: 9 November
• End Date: 23 November

🌀 Round 4
• Word Assigned: School Forms
• Start Date: 23 November
• End Date: 7 December

Remember, each round lasts for two weeks, and the team with the highest points at the end wins! 🎉📚

Basic Rules for All Minis:
• Each task = 5 points! 🎯
• Bonus 5 points if our book has 1 of 2 specific words (specific to each mini) in it! 💥
• Books can be started anytime but must be finished after the challenge kicks off! ⏳
• Repeat as many times as we like but remember: no banking books! 📚🚫

1. The Administrative Mini 📋 Full Rules
Find books that fit the criteria - task oriented! 🗂️💼
Bonus Words: Coffee-Table, Quilt

2. The Gardening Mini 🌱 Full Rules
We’ll need to read two sets of 5 consecutive books and then tend to our garden with special words that sprout in the titles!🌿 Don’t forget to include some colorful covers!🌈
Bonus Words: Piano, Violin

3. The Feeding the Family Mini 🍽️ Full Rules
From cooking from scratch with ingredients found in books to exploring international cuisines through reading, this challenge will keep our shelves stocked with delicious reads! 🍕🌍
Bonus Words: Vinegar, Lobster

4. Time to Relax Mini 🍽️ Full Rules
It's all about taking some "you time" after all the hard work we've been doing!
Bonus Words: Pants, Chipmunk

📚 Book of the Month (BOM) Discussions


Earn extra points by participating in our BOM discussions:
• 📝 Writing a day's worth of discussion questions = 40 points
• 💬 Participating in a current BOM discussion (3 sets min.) = 20 points

Upcoming BOM Schedule:
• 📅 October Theme BOM
DQ Start Date: 16 October
Answer By Date: 16 November
Title: The Road Trip, Official Page Count 400
Discussion Thread: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

• 📖 November Main BOM
DQ Start Date: 2 November
Answer By Date: 2 December
Title: The Spellshop, Official Page Count 384
Discussion Thread: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

• 📅 November Theme BOM
DQ Start Date: 16 November
Answer By Date: End of challenge
Title: The Mysterious Affair at Styles, Official Page Count 174
Discussion Thread: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

• 📅 November Bonus BOM
DQ Start Date: 22 November
Answer By Date: End of challenge
Title: The Secret History, Official Page Count 629
Discussion Thread: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

• 📅 December Main BOM
DQ Start Date: 2 December
Answer By Date: End of challenge
Title: The God of the Woods, Official Page Count TBA
Discussion Thread: TBA

Important Notes:
• If you'd like to write a day's DQs, don't forget to sign up in the BOM thread!!
• You can use participation points from previous BOMs (since January 2022) for extra entries in the randomizer (3 participation points = 1 extra entry).

Don't miss out on these bonus points! Happy reading and discussing! 📖✨

🎉 Hello Everyone! 🎉

Get ready to spin your way through the Boring Wheel of Life! 🌀 This fun challenge starts on October 12 and runs for eight exciting weeks, ending on December 7!

📅 Key Details:
• Start/End Time: Each round kicks off at 9 PM UK time. Countdowns are shown on the spreadsheets.
• Duration: Each round lasts for 2 weeks.
• Team Spirit: The team with the highest points at the end wins! 🏆

📖 How It Works:
1. Spin the Wheel: Mods will assign a word to your team each round.
2. Read to Spell: Read books to spell out the assigned word, earning points based on book length:
• Books under 100 pages = 0 points
• Books between 100-1000 pages = 0.1 points/page
• Books over 1000 pages = 100 points 🎯
3. Bonus Points Galore: Earn extra points for older books or longer reads! 📖✨
• More than 2 years old (2021 or earlier) = 5 points
• More than 50 years old (1973 or earlier) = 10 points
• More than 100 years old (1923 or earlier) = 20 points
• Over 400 pages = 5 points
• Over 600 pages = 10 points
• Over 800 pages = 20 points

📚 Important Links and Information

Tracking Spreadsheet This is the sheet we ALL use to log our books!
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...
NOTE! Please do not use the first 3 columns (A,B,C) of the Round X Tab, this is for Captain Use Only! Thank you!

General Links
• General Rules
• Water Cooler (Pre-Challenge Chat)

Resources
• Cover Color: https://labs.tineye.com/color/
• Word Count Resources:
- AR Book Find (US) | https://www.arbookfind.com
- AR Book Find (UK) | https://www.arbookfind.co.uk
- AR Book Find (AU) | https://www.arbookfind.com.au

Let's tackle those tedious chores together and find joy in our reading adventures! 🌟📚 Ready to join the fun?

May your overdue bills be forgotten and your reading lists be endless! 🍀

Serious Readers Challenge 2024 - Level Two
September and October, Books 167-

September
167 ‣ A Discovery of Witches Deborah Harkness | 3-Sep-2024
168 ‣ Scarred Emily McIntire | 3-Sep-2024
169 ‣ Crazy Rich Asians Kevin Kwan | 5-Sep-2024
170 ‣ Sharks in the Time of Saviors Kawai Washburn Strong | 6-Sep-2024
171 ‣ Dress Coded Carrie Firestone | 9-Sep-2024
172 ‣ Nineteen Steps Millie Bobbie Brown | 11-Sep-2024
173 ‣ Tiny Beautiful Things Cheryl Strayed | 12-Sep-2024
174 ‣ The Serpent and the Wings of Night Carissa Broadbent | 15-Sep-2024
175 ‣ Wretched Emily McIntire | 17-Sep-2024
176 ‣ All Together Dead Charlaine Harris | 19-Sep-2024
177 ‣ From Dead to Worse Charlaine Harris | 22-Sep-2024
178 ‣ Dead and Gone Charlaine Harris | 22-Sep-2024
179 ‣
180 ‣
181 ‣
182 ‣
183 ‣
184 ‣
185 ‣

hah!

Yay team! I had a lot of fun!

With about 7.5 hours to go, here is what is on the SS and needs to be updated (if and when you finish):

Brittany
A Venom Dark and Sweet (Judy I. Lin)
Bye, Baby (Carola Lovering)
Crave (Jennifer Dawson)

Laura Crumpets
A Ship of Bones and Teeth (Karina Halle)

Nous
Daughters of Magpie Cove (Kennedy Kerr)

Jean
Nuclear War (Annie Jacobsen)

Chava
Undercover (Jacqueline Harvey)

Ashley
The Summer Melt (Emily March)

If anyone has any other books to add, please let us know ASAP :)

Cass I have added your book House of Blood and Ash to the SS

Jean wrote: "I’m currently reading the book Nuclear War: A Scenario. I can finish it tonight if it would help us on the mini. The book is finda fiction, kinda nonfiction as it describes a scena..."

Sounds perfect!
Challenge ends in 10 Hours : 43 Minutes, if that is helpful information!

Wheel Updates

BOMB in title
orange colour cover (50%+)
#13 in series
orange text on cover
item related to district on the cover
author first & last initials in NUCLEAR WEAPONRY
set in United States (50%+)
plot element that can be linked to the district

Claimed Letters, might move if we can complete before end of challenge
U
U
L

Brittany wrote: "Oh dang I started my V book hahaha, it could also work for L with author last name Lin"

We can use it as a back-up too. If we manage to finish another wheel.....

District Wheel
WOOD in title: The Book That Wouldn't Burn (Mark Lawrence) Eldarwen
#7 in series: Seven Up (Janet Evanovich) Karen ⊰✿

Arena Hazards Wheel
V: The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen, 83¼ Years Old (Hendrik Groen) Andy
O:
U: Crave (Jennifer Dawson) Brittany
U:
L: Bye, Baby (Carola Lovering) Brittany

I have finished Season 2 (+Charlottes), but that's it, I'm not at all up to date. I am not a TV person, much to my husband's dismay... I hardly watch anything, and if I do, I binge it till I'm finished and then boycott TV for months!