Sophie’s Comments (group member since Apr 28, 2013)

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

Sorry for the lack of update over the weekend!

Today my husband went to see his dad who is terminal ill with cancer, while I took the kids to a big family birthday. Then got home and have been packing to go away on holiday tomorrow.

In terms of the challenge, general reading looks like it is going well. The 2 tasks that haven't got an option for the monsters are:
Letters of Zeus in title
Gr rating of 3.0 to 3.5

Any takers for those?

Alison - yeah there was a battleship in wobble. We are hoping with the limit to number of attacks/defense we can keep it under control and everyone can join in.

Lightning? Doing a search to fill in some of the blanks.

Denise wrote: "Reading Cackle right now. Do we think witch is different from sorceress? I'm not sure she's ever officially labeled. She casts a lot of spells and has powerful magic."

I'm not sure. I'm happy with the witch's heart as having a sorceress as I think Angrebodr (appalling spelling sorry) was referred to as one.

Amy the book-bat wrote: "Master and Margarita had mermaid in the text as well. (One translation has mermaid while another has naiad. The audio version I listened to was a different translation than the print copy I was usi..."

Options! I like options!

I'd say the title is Broken Bonds too.

Alison - can you mark it for both please with a mermaid quote. We can use it for either as we may end up repeating monsters again.

We've got some slower paced stuff coming up. The last 2 have been more fast and furious than expected.

We can use everything read for the main challenge so please don't feel you have to deal with the mini-challenge. If you can check what you are reading against the current monsters I'll be happy.

Alison - I've just realised I've been completely scatterbrained and put Nicole as completing tasks rather than you for one of the monsters. No idea what my brain was thinking...

I have a bit of a think about making tracking more interactive and up to date! The all monsters sheet now has check boxes after each column of tasks. If we are working on the monster the letter in column 1 is highlighted in blue. If the tasks are claimed then the box is ticked. If you want to claim one of the tasks, please tick the box and put the letter from column one and number 1-5 in the mini code column.

I hope that makes sense... I'll try to update here every day or so as well.

Mare of Diomedes (M) 3/5
2.) Read a book with fire on the cover.
5.) Read a book with a Goodreads rating between 3 and 3.5 (inclusive).

Cerberus (N)
1.) Read a book between 500 and 650 pages (inclusive). (Sophie)
2.) Read a book where a funerary celebration/service takes place. (Sophie)
3.) Read a book with MPG Music. (Alison)
4.) Read a book with a musical instrument on the cover. (Alison)
5.) Read a book that is #3 in a series. (Alison)

Charybdis (F)
5.) Read a book where the characters take a boat trip (of any type).

Typhon (A)
1.) Read a book between 500 and 650 pages (inclusive).
2.) Read a book that mentions a volcano
3.) Read a book with lightning on the cover
4.) Read a book where the title contains all the letters in ZEUS
5.) Read a book where a MC is a father


S birds (P)
2.) Read a book that is #6 in a series.
3.) Read a book with a musical instrument mentioned in the text.
4.) Read a book with something metal on the cover.

just kat wrote: "Hi! Do we post a completion or do we go straight to the sheet and log our finished books and claim tasks for it at the same time?"

I don't have a huge amount to add to what Audrey Jane and Insiyah have said! It's easier for us as captains if you can add it to the tracking SS, but I know that isn't always possible and sometimes completion posts are much easier.

Audrey Jane wrote: "Sophie wrote: "Are you finding my monster updates helpful or are there tweaks to it that would help more?

I've got a book that I'm 50% through that works for the remaining Empusa tasks, then we'll..."

Working on a longer book is fabulous. Even if someone else finishes one that length that I use first, it will probably be needed for another monsters as well. If not, the pages points are good!

Alison wrote: "Sophie wrote: "Are you finding my monster updates helpful or are there tweaks to it that would help more?

I've got a book that I'm 50% through that works for the remaining Empusa tasks, then we'll..."

If you could keep a note for the word in text and event in text. If it is on the cover or to do with the title or something on the book main page we can check that info easily.

I'll see if I can set up a current monsters page so that it is easier for everyone to see what is happening. A post here would rely on someone being able to edit it all the time.

Stymphalian Birds



Stymphalian Birds have been seen filling your orchards and causing delays in harvesting. They are hard to defeat because of their numbers. Music can soothe the savage beasts, may want to try metal bands.

To vanquish this monster you must:
1.) Read a book between 350 and 450 pages (inclusive).
2.) Read a book that is #6 in a series.
3.) Read a book with a musical instrument mentioned in the text.
4.) Read a book with something metal on the cover.
5.) Read a book that features a bird (bird shifter accepted).

Are you finding my monster updates helpful or are there tweaks to it that would help more?

I've got a book that I'm 50% through that works for the remaining Empusa tasks, then we'll see what new monster attacks.

If anyone has a book over 800 pages or between 500-650 on their pile of upcoming reads please shout.

Amy the book-bat wrote: "Sophie wrote: "I can't remember if any of you were children's librarians, or if I need to widen my gr net. My 4 1/2 has outgrown preschooler picture books and we are trying to find new things to re..."

It's great fun! The catnary got manic giggles.

ETA - just a shame it's too short to use for this with only 9000 words.

2 of 3 Charybdis gone. Now the Typhon has come back. If anyone has KU and fancies a reasonable MM smut then Zeus covers everything but page number. It's got more plot than I expected.


Typhon



Typhon aka the Father of Monsters has been spotted on your lands. Very hard to kill and not known for showing mercy.

To vanquish this monster you must:
1.) Read a book between 500 and 650 pages (inclusive).
2.) Read a book that mentions a volcano
3.) Read a book with lightning on the cover
4.) Read a book where the title contains all the letters in ZEUS
5.) Read a book where a MC is a father

Wonderful, thank you!

We send the Typhon packing and another (our 3rd ) Charybdis comes to call... Seem to have real problem with them atm.

Please don't enter anything into the mini-code column for this one; if you put the options into the alternatives column at the end I can them shuffle them so that we use as few books as possible to cover the 5 tasks and get our new monster.

Hope everyone has had a wonderful weekend! Thanks for marking which tasks your books work for, it makes shuffling and killing off the monsters loads easier (i.e. actually doable).

Mare of Diomedes (M) 3/5
2.) Read a book with fire on the cover.
5.) Read a book with a Goodreads rating between 3 and 3.5 (inclusive).

Cerberus (N)
1.) Read a book between 500 and 650 pages (inclusive). (Sophie)
2.) Read a book where a funerary celebration/service takes place. (Sophie)
3.) Read a book with MPG Music. (Nicole)
4.) Read a book with a musical instrument on the cover. (Nicole)
5.) Read a book that is #3 in a series. (Nicole)

Charybdis (F) 2nd attempt to banish!
4.) Read a book with "fig" in the title or text. - Andrea - do you know what the quote from the Thief is?

Empusa (G)
1.) Read a book between 100 and 125 pages (inclusive).
4.) Read a book with sandals on the cover (flip-flops/thongs accepted).

Charybdis (F)
1.) Read a book 800 pages or longer.
2.) Author's name (first or last) starts with one of the letters in POOL.
3.) Read a book where the MC is forced to make a hard choice (your interpretation).
4.) Read a book with "fig" in the title or text.
5.) Read a book where the characters take a boat trip (of any type).

Mia wrote: "Hi everybody! I’m sorry I haven’t been really active lately here in the group and updating the spreadsheet with what I read. It has been a rough week as We just learned my mom has fallen very ill w..."

Oh no Mia, that's really hard. I hope you and your family are finding a way through and will be thinking of you. Do what you can, and if you can manage to read and pop in once a week to say hi that's fantastic. If you are able to do more, great, but whatever works for you.

Will also understand if you want to drop your book total for the next 2 months and step back a bit.

JL wrote: "For T40 Read a book where the MC owns a cow or dog, my charcters own 2 wolves as pets. Does that count?"

I wouldn't count wolves where the task is specifying particular animals. Think this would need to be a dog or a cow so may well use Denise's instead. Thanks for searching and doublechecking though.