Chaitra’s Comments (group member since Apr 29, 2012)

Chaitra’s comments from the Crazy Challenge Connection group.

Meg wrote: "Scientist ==> Eryn Scott - Tabby or Not Tabby 08/21

Fall (from ledge) ==> Death in Wine Country, Gemma Halliday 08/23

Mon..."

The murder was not at Monsters University.

Congrats, Robin! I just need a read date for Iron Hand of Mars and I'll mark you as completed.

Great job, Connie!

Awesome job, Connie!

Congrats, Robin!

Stagnant Series

Duration: Sep 01, 2025 - Aug 31, 2026
Completed: 0/24

1.
Series:
Last Read:
Will Continue?

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Congrats, Lori!

2025 Color Challenge

Duration: Sep 01, 2025 - Aug 31, 2026
Completed: 0/24

September

1. Blue
2. Green

October

1. Blue-Green
2. Blue-Violet

November

1. Green
2. Red-Orange

December

1. Yellow-Green
2. Yellow-Green

January

1. Yellow
2. Red

February

1. Yellow-Orange
2. Blue

March

1. Orange
2. Yellow-Orange

April

1. Red-Orange
2. Orange

May

1. Red
2. Blue-Green

June

1. Red-Violet
2. Red-Violet

July

1. Violet
2. Violet

August

1. Blue-Violet
2. Yellow

September 2025 Spell

Duration: Sep 01, 2025 - Sep 30, 2025
Completed: 0/12

R
E
Q
U
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Welcome to the challenge, Frankie!

NEW CHALLENGE ALERT!!!

We have another mega spelling challenge for you! Here's Trees!

Note that this challenge is quite large and so, like the flowers and gemstones challenge, you'll be given your own thread once you sign up in the main challenge. :)

NEW CHALLENGE ALERT!!!

This month we’re going to South America again, this time to a landlocked country in Central South America. Join us in Paraguay.

NEW CHALLENGE ALERT!!!

Please join us in a challenge in honor of the 60th anniversary of the musical The Sound of Music!

For Chaitra.

Reserved for PARTICIPANTS
The link below will take you directly to your post.

♦♦♦♦

Amanda
Amy
Carolyn
Catsalive
Chaitra
Connie
Elle
Joann
Kathy
Lynn
Mary
Olivermagnus
Rachel
Ruth
Sandy
Tari

Trees Crazy Spell
Start Date: Sep 01, 2025. No Deadline
Sign ups close on Aug 31, 2026.

Since this is a large spelling challenge, and we’ve not run into problems with the format, we’ll do this again. What you'd do to sign up is post in this topic that you'd like to participate in the challenge and one of us will open a thread for you. The link to the thread will be in the participants list here. You'd then post your challenge, updates and so on in your own allocated thread. If you'd like for us to check your updates, mention it here and we will do so on your thread. Same when you finish your challenge. Thank you for understanding!


The Challenge

Spell out the words in the list below using the first letter of the title (ignore A, An, The or equivalent if using a language other than English), author's first OR last initial (do not use middle initial) or the first letter of the series name (ignore A, An, The or equivalent in a language other than English). If using the series name for a letter, please let us know the series and your book's position.

If you choose to do the challenge in full, you will spell out a total of 2,089 letters for this challenge. However, you can instead spell out a partial list, with at least 400 letters. Please choose your words when you sign up.

Acacia
Acerola
Alaska Cedar
Alder
Almond
American Beech
American Elm
American Hornbeam
American Linden
Apple
Apricot
Arborvitae
Arizona Cypress
Ash
Aspen
Australian Cherry
Avocado
Banana
Baobab
Bald Cypress
Balsam Fir
Banyan Tree
Basswood
Birch
Black Gum
Black Locust
Black Poplar
Black Willow
Blue Spruce
Bottle Tree
Boxwood
Bradford Pear
Breadfruit
Buckeye
Cacao
Camellia
Camphor Tree
Carolina Silverbell
Catalpa
Cherimoya
Cherry
Cherry Blossom
Cherry Laurel
Chestnut
Chilean Wine Palm
Cinnamon Tree
Clementine
Coast Redwood
Coconut Palm
Coffee
Coral Tree
Corkscrew Willow
Cottonwood
Crabapple
Crape Myrtle
Cucumber Tree
Cypress
Dawn Redwood
Dogwood
Douglas Fir
Dragon Tree
Dragon's Blood Tree
Durian
Dwarf Alberta Spruce
Eastern Cottonwood
Eastern Hemlock
Eastern Red Cedar
Elderberry
Eucalyptus
European Beech
False Cypress
Feijoa
Fig
Flowering Peach
Flowering Plum
Fraser Fir
Giant Sequoia
Ginkgo
Goji Berry
Golden Chain Tree
Grapefruit
Green Ash
Guava
Hackberry
Handkerchief Tree
Harry Lauder's Walking Stick
Hawthorn
Hazelnut
Hemlock
Hickory
Hinoki Cypress
Holly
Hophornbeam
Horse Chestnut
Italian Alder
Jabuticaba
Jacaranda
Jackfruit
Japanese Black Pine
Japanese Cedar
Japanese Maple
Japanese Pagoda Tree
Japanese Snowbell
Japanese Stewartia
Juniper
Juniper Berry
Kapok Tree
Kousa Dogwood
Kumquat
Lacebark Pine
Laurel
Lemon
Lime
Little Leaf Linden
Live Oak
Longan
Loquat
Lychee
Magnolia
Mango
Mangosteen
Maple
Medlar
Mimosa
Monkey Puzzle Tree
Monterey Cypress
Mountain Ash
Mulberry
Nectarine
Noble Fir
Northern White Cedar
Norway Spruce
Oak
Oleander
Orange
Papaya
Paper Birch
Paperbark Maple
Passion Fruit
Peach
Pear
Pecan
Pencil Cactus
Persimmon
Pignut Hickory
Pin Oak
Pine
Pine Nut
Plane Tree
Plum
Pomegranate
Pomelo
Ponderosa Pine
Poplar
Port Orford Cedar
Privet
Purple Leaf Plum
Quaking Aspen
Quince
Rainbow Eucalyptus
Rambutan
Red Maple
Red Mulberry
Red Oak
Redbud
Rhododendron
River Birch
Rocky Mountain Juniper
Rowan
Salak
Sassafras
Saucer Magnolia
Sausage Tree
Scarlet Oak
Sea Buckthorn
Serviceberry
Sequoia
Shagbark Hickory
Silk Floss Tree
Silk Tree
Silver Maple
Slippery Elm
Smoke Tree
Soursop
Speckled Alder
Spruce
Starfruit
Strawberry Tree
Sugar Maple
Sweetgum
Sycamore
Tangerine
Traveler's Palm
Trident Maple
Tulip Poplar
Tulip Tree
Tupelo
Venus Flytrap
Walnut
Weeping Fig
Weeping Willow
Western Hemlock
Western Red Cedar
White Ash
White Mulberry
White Oak
White Pine
White Spruce
Willow
Yellow Birch
Yellow Poplar

CHALLENGE RULES - PLEASE READ!
See this thread for more detailed rules for CCC challenges.

❖ If you want to participate in this challenge, sign up by posting in this thread that you want me to create a thread for you. I will create one for you, and link it in the participants list for you. You can then maintain that thread any way you like!

❖ Books must be at least 150 pages long (unless they are graphic novels, see below) and may only be used for one task in this challenge, but cross-challenge posting is encouraged.

❖ Graphic novels must be at least 300 pages long, but two books can be combined to make up the page count as long as they both meet the same criteria.

❖ For author's initials,
-In the case of a hyphenated first or last name (i.e. Sarah-Kate Lynch, Kate Dyer-Seeley), the first letter of the hyphenated name may be used (not the second initial directly following the hyphen).
-If an author uses what appears to be "two last names" (usually a female author using her maiden name and then her married last name; i.e. Kathy Hogan Trocheck), the last initial of the two names counts since the maiden name is now serving in the place of a "middle" name.

❖ For each book you read, please post a link to the title and mention the author and the date you finished reading it.*

❖ If you want the challenge moderator to verify those books as you post them, post that you have an update in this thread, and one of us will head over to your thread to check it out!

❖ When you complete the challenge, please post here that you're finished and we will head over to your thread to verify and mark you as finished.

❖ Rereads are allowed, as long as you read the entire book and not just skim the best portions! :)

* If you don’t know how to post a link to the book title, cover or author, see the instructions HERE.

Countries of the World #14: Paraguay

Duration: Sep 01, 2025 – Sep 30, 2025
Completed: 0/6+

To finish, you will have to complete a total of six tasks, choosing at least four of the tasks from the Trivia section of the challenge. You do not have to choose the tasks beforehand; you can fill in as you go. You may choose to do all 10 tasks if you wish also. Happy reading!

PARAGUAY
A landlocked country in South America bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest.
🚩Read a book whose title starts with a letter in PARAGUAY (ignore A, An and The or equivalent if not English).

Stats

- Capital: Asuncion
🚩Read a book whose author's first and last initials are in the word ASUNCION (letters can only be used as many times as they appear in the word).

- Population: 6,109,903 (2022 census)
🚩Read a book whose total number of pages contain at least 2 of the numbers in the population (tell us the page count).

- Area: 157,048 sq mi
🚩Read a book whose year it was first published has at least 2 of the numbers in the area (tell us the year published).

Trivia

1. The Paraguayan bottle dance is a traditional folk dance from Paraguay in which performers dance with glass bottles balanced on their heads. Bottle dances performances feature female dancers wearing nineteenth century rural costumes that includes an ankle-length skirt. Bottle dance performances tend to be largely improvised with basic moves consisting of dancers with outstretched arms holding the ruffles of their skirts while maintaining the impression that there aren't any bottles.
🚩Read a book in which someone pretends that something that is happening is not happening (tell us how your book works; use spoiler if needed) -or- read a book whose cover shows several similar objects placed one on top of the other (post the cover).

2. Guarani is one of the official languages of Paraguay, the other being Spanish. It is spoken by most of the population; half of the rural population are monolingual speakers of the language. This is unique among Native American languages, as language shift towards European colonial languages has otherwise been the norm. Guarani is an onomatopoeic language – several of its words sound like the thing they are describing. It is also a tonal language – the pitch of spoken words can change the meaning of the sentence. Some English words have been adopted from Guarani, mostly the names of animals and plants – jaguar, piranha, agouti, tapir, acai etc.
🚩Read a book in which language is important (tell us how your book works) -or- listen to an audiobook by your favorite narrator (tell us the narrator).

3. The Itaipu Dam is a hydroelectric dam on the Parana River located on the border between Brazil and Paraguay. It is the third largest hydroelectric dam in the world and is the second largest producer of electricity in the world, surpassed only by the Three Gorges Dam in China. Completed in 1984, it is a binational undertaking run by Brazil and Paraguay at the border between the two countries.
🚩Read a book that is set on both sides of an international border (tell us the countries involved; the book needn’t be evenly divided, just one important scene set across the border is fine) -or- read one of the largest books in your TBR (tell us the number of pages).

4. The bare-throated bellbird is found in moist subtropical and tropical forests in Paraguay and Brazil. he male has white plumage and bristly bluish-black bare skin around its eye, beak and throat. The female is drabber, being olive-brown above with streaked yellow underparts. The male has one of the loudest known bird calls, producing a metallic sound like a hammer striking an anvil. It takes a long time for young males to learn the call, as one such male living in captivity next to an adult male bellbird that frequently called could not perfect it within 10 months of practice.
🚩Read a book in which an important character is learning something that takes a lot of practice (a student attending school or college works; tell us what they are learning) -or- read a book with something on the cover that could make a loud noise when struck (be creative; post the cover).

5. Mate is the national beverage of Paraguay. It is a caffeine rich infused herbal drink made by soaking dried yerba-mate (a plant of the holly genus) leaves in hot water. It is traditionally served with a metal straw (called bombilla) in a container typically made from calabash gourd or cattle horn.
🚩Read a book in which tea or coffee is extensively discussed for whatever reason (tell us how your book fits) -or- read a book with a cup or container of a hot beverage is shown on the cover (post the cover).

6. Doors rarely have doorbells in Paraguayan houses. To announce your arrival, you would have to clap your hands in front of the door.
🚩Read a book that makes you clap your hands (because you liked it, or maybe you’re just happy it’s done; tell us why) -or- read a book with a door prominently shown on the cover (post the cover).

Reserved for PARTICIPANTS
The link below will take you directly to your post.

♦♦ Finishers! ♦♦

Lali & Michelle🚩(09/09/25)

♦♦♦♦

Amanda
August
Angel
Chaitra
Frankie
Joann
Marie-Anne
Mary
Mary!
Meg
Olivermagnus
Patrizia
Robin P
Ruth

Countries of the World #14 – Paraguay
Duration: September 01, 2025 – September 30, 2025

To finish, you will have to complete a total of six tasks, choosing at least four of the tasks from the Trivia section of the challenge. You do not have to choose the tasks beforehand; you can fill in as you go. You may choose to do all 10 tasks if you wish also. Happy reading!

PARAGUAY
A landlocked country in South America bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest.
🚩Read a book whose title starts with a letter in PARAGUAY (ignore A, An and The or equivalent if not English).

Stats

- Capital: Asuncion
🚩Read a book whose author's first and last initials are in the word ASUNCION (letters can only be used as many times as they appear in the word).

- Population: 6,109,903 (2022 census)
🚩Read a book whose total number of pages contain at least 2 of the numbers in the population (tell us the page count).

- Area: 157,048 sq mi
🚩Read a book whose year it was first published has at least 2 of the numbers in the area (tell us the year published).

Trivia

1. The Paraguayan bottle dance is a traditional folk dance from Paraguay in which performers dance with glass bottles balanced on their heads. Bottle dances performances feature female dancers wearing nineteenth century rural costumes that includes an ankle-length skirt. Bottle dance performances tend to be largely improvised with basic moves consisting of dancers with outstretched arms holding the ruffles of their skirts while maintaining the impression that there aren't any bottles.
🚩Read a book in which someone pretends that something that is happening is not happening (tell us how your book works; use spoiler if needed) -or- read a book whose cover shows several similar objects placed one on top of the other (post the cover).

2. Guarani is one of the official languages of Paraguay, the other being Spanish. It is spoken by most of the population; half of the rural population are monolingual speakers of the language. This is unique among Native American languages, as language shift towards European colonial languages has otherwise been the norm. Guarani is an onomatopoeic language – several of its words sound like the thing they are describing. It is also a tonal language – the pitch of spoken words can change the meaning of the sentence. Some English words have been adopted from Guarani, mostly the names of animals and plants – jaguar, piranha, agouti, tapir, acai etc.
🚩Read a book in which language is important (tell us how your book works) -or- listen to an audiobook by your favorite narrator (tell us the narrator).

3. The Itaipu Dam is a hydroelectric dam on the Parana River located on the border between Brazil and Paraguay. It is the third largest hydroelectric dam in the world and is the second largest producer of electricity in the world, surpassed only by the Three Gorges Dam in China. Completed in 1984, it is a binational undertaking run by Brazil and Paraguay at the border between the two countries.
🚩Read a book that is set on both sides of an international border (tell us the countries involved; the book needn’t be evenly divided, just one important scene set across the border is fine) -or- read one of the largest books in your TBR (tell us the number of pages).

4. The bare-throated bellbird is found in moist subtropical and tropical forests in Paraguay and Brazil. he male has white plumage and bristly bluish-black bare skin around its eye, beak and throat. The female is drabber, being olive-brown above with streaked yellow underparts. The male has one of the loudest known bird calls, producing a metallic sound like a hammer striking an anvil. It takes a long time for young males to learn the call, as one such male living in captivity next to an adult male bellbird that frequently called could not perfect it within 10 months of practice.
🚩Read a book in which an important character is learning something that takes a lot of practice (a student attending school or college works; tell us what they are learning) -or- read a book with something on the cover that could make a loud noise when struck (be creative; post the cover).

5. Mate is the national beverage of Paraguay. It is a caffeine rich infused herbal drink made by soaking dried yerba-mate (a plant of the holly genus) leaves in hot water. It is traditionally served with a metal straw (called bombilla) in a container typically made from calabash gourd or cattle horn.
🚩Read a book in which tea or coffee is extensively discussed for whatever reason (tell us how your book fits) -or- read a book with a cup or container of a hot beverage is shown on the cover (post the cover).

6. Doors rarely have doorbells in Paraguayan houses. To announce your arrival, you would have to clap your hands in front of the door.
🚩Read a book that makes you clap your hands (because you liked it, or maybe you’re just happy it’s done; tell us why) -or- read a book with a door prominently shown on the cover (post the cover).

CHALLENGE RULES - PLEASE READ!
See this thread for more detailed rules for CCC challenges.

❖ If you want to participate in a challenge, sign up by posting at least a partial list of the challenge requirements. This gives us a post to link you to, which you can use to update your books as the challenge progresses.

❖ Books must be at least 150 pages long (unless they are graphic novels, see below) and may only be used for one task in this challenge, but cross-challenge posting is encouraged.

❖ Graphic novels must be at least 300 pages long, but two books can be combined to make up the page count as long as they both meet the same criteria.

❖ For each book you read, please post a link to the title and mention the author and the date you finished reading it. If a challenge task gives several options, make it clear which option you’ve chosen. If the task calls for an item/color on the cover, include a link to the book cover.* If it’s not obvious from the book title or cover, be sure to explain how your book fits the task. If you don’t, you won’t get credit for completing that task.

❖ If you want the challenge moderator to verify those books as you post them, please copy/paste your update into a new message. If you do this while you still have the Edit window open, it will copy all of your formatting, etc. too. It will make it easier on the moderators if we won't have to scroll back through the entire thread looking for "message #15," or to follow links back to an original post.

❖ When you complete the challenge, please post your entire list as a new message to make it easier for everyone to see what you’ve read :) If you don’t repost your list, your name will not be added to the list of those who have completed the challenge.

❖ Rereads are allowed, as long as you read the entire book and not just skim the best portions! :)

* If you don’t know how to post a link to the book title, cover or author, see the instructions HERE.

The Sound of Music

Duration: Sep 01, 2025 – Feb 28, 2026
Completed: 0/21

1. The Sound of Music
🏔️Read a book that has been made into a movie, a tv show, or a musical stage show (tell us which) -or- read a memoir.

2. Box Office
🏔️Read a book that was first published in the month of March of any year (tell us the publication date) -or- read a book that hasn't received great reviews but is a bestseller (think Twilight).

3. Awards
🏔️Read a book which has received an award (tell us which) -or- read a book that is considered a classic.

4. Maria von Trapp
🏔️Read a book main character is a Maria (reasonable variations like Mary or Marie are fine) -or- read a book in which a speaking character is a governess or a nun (tell the character and their profession).

5. Captain von Trapp
🏔️Read a book whose main character is either currently serving in a branch of the military or has retired (tell us which branch) -or- read a book marked "humor" on the main page.

6. Christopher Plummer, singing voice
🏔️Read a book in which a speaking character takes lessons to improve something (outside of school, tell us the character and what they learn) -or- read a book with at least two credited authors (all their names must appear on the cover).

7. Julie Andrews, singing voice
🏔️Generate a random number between 1 and 7 and read a book for the number you rolled:
1. Read a book with a deer on the cover or mentioned in the plot (post the cover if choosing that option).
2. Read a book with the sun on the cover (post the cover).
3. Read a book with a first person POV.
4. Read a book >450 pages (tell us the number of pages).
5. Read a book in which a speaking character works with clothes in some fashion (tell us who).
6. Read a series book that's not the first book (tell us the series and the place of your book).
7. Read a book with tea things on the cover (post the cover).

8. Hair Dye Problems
🏔️Read a book in which the main character is a blonde -or- read a book in which someone loses their hair for whatever reason (tell us who and why).

9. Rain
🏔️Read a book with rain shown on the cover (post the cover) -or- read a book that's on this list: Books to Read on a Rainy Day (tell us your book's place on the list).

10. Mr. Rainstorm
🏔️Read a book with a honorific in the title (like Mr., Mrs., St., Dr., and so on) -or- read a book whose author has an alliterative name (same first and last initials. Middle initials count if used!)

11. Helicopter Downdraft
🏔️Read a book with a man-made flying machine on the cover (post the cover, bonus for a helicopter) -or- read a book that shows a meadow or similar large expanse of grass on the cover (post the cover).

12. No Hay, No Brook
🏔️Read a book set predominantly on a farm -or- read a book in which trees are prominently seen on the cover (post the cover).

13. Anschluss
🏔️Read a book set during and is directly about World War II -or- read a book in which something that is believed to be true is proven false (tell us how your book fits).

14. Raspberry Arc Lights
🏔️Read a book that you consider a romantic comedy (or a comedy with romance, whatever makes you laugh) -or- read a book with a moonlit night scene on the cover (post the cover).

15. Kym Karath
🏔️Read a book with a boat or ship ride as part of the plot -or- read a book in which a character rescues another from drowning.

16. Synchronized Bicycles
🏔️Read a book whose cover shows a bicycle (post the cover) -or- read a book in which timing something is an important part of the plot (a heist, a misdirection or a daring rescue for example; tell us how your book fits; use spoilers if needed)

17. Growing Pains
🏔️Read two books for this task:
- Read a book marked Middle Grade or a book with something on the cover that could belong to a child (a toy, a doll etc.)
- Read a book marked Young Adult or an adult book with an important character who is a teen (tell us who if choosing the second option).

18. Puppet Choreography
🏔️Read a book in which the main character is a performing artist of some sort (tell us what they are) -or- read a book with a story within a story.

19. Charmian Carr
🏔️Read a book with a glass window prominently shown on the cover (post the cover) -or- read a book in which the main character is injured in some way.

20. The Real Maria von Trapp
🏔️Read a fictional book in which a real person makes an appearance -or- read a book that left you exhausted after reading for whatever reason.