Task 6-10 planning and points

[Barbara]

You can use this thread to post your planning and updates and finished books.
The tasks will be posted on 24 December 2012. Until then this discussion is closed.

[Barbara]

Here are tasks 6-10!
Reading starts on 1 January 2013!

6) Read a novel about werewolves.
7) Read a novel that features secret societies/departments.
8) Read a novel about a curse.
9) Read a novel that has a silly accessory either in the story or on the cover. With silly I mean either something you won't expect or something you would expect but is silly in itself because of colour or form.
10) Read a novel in which an important character uses an unusual form of travel, could be one only time in the book.

If you have doubts if a book will count, just ask in this thread.

The books of the series itself will only count for bonuspoints and can not be used for the tasks.

This thread is for planning your challenge and updating your points. Please post your progress in a new message and not just in your planning.

Reading for these 5 tasks will start on 1 january 2013 and the final day of reading will be on 28 February 2013. If you are more than halfway in a book you may finish it. However when this thread is closed you will be too late and the book will not count.
This thread will be closed again on 4 March 2013.

Tasks 11-15 will be announced on 22 February 2013 and that thread will be opened on that day.

Happy reading and good luck!

[Barbara]

6) Read a novel about werewolves.
Derik's Bane by MaryJanice Davidson

7) Read a novel that features secret societies/departments.
Abyss by David Weddle and Jeffrey Lang

8) Read a novel about a curse.
Undead and Uneasy by MaryJanice Davidson

9) Read a novel that has a silly accessory either in the story or on the cover. With silly I mean either something you won't expect or something you would expect but is silly in itself because of colour or form.
Etiquette and Espionage by Gail Carriger

10) Read a novel in which an important character uses an unusual form of travel, could be one only time in the book.
Pandora the Curious by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams

5/5 Done!

[Liezel]

6) Read a novel about werewolves. Wolfsbane

7) Read a novel that features secret societies/departments Altered

8) Read a novel about a curse.Beautiful Creatures

9) Read a novel that has a silly accessory either in the story or on the cover. With silly I mean either something you won't expect or something you would expect but is silly in itself because of colour or form.
Hopeless
10) Read a novel in which an important character uses an unusual form of travel, could be one only time in the book. Battle of the Labyrinth -Pegasus flying

5/5

[Sharle]

6) Read a novel about werewolves.
City of Ashes

7) Read a novel that features secret societies/departments.
Keystone by Misty Provencher

8) Read a novel about a curse.
Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia

9) Read a novel that has a silly accessory either in the story or on the cover. With silly I mean either something you won't expect or something you would expect but is silly in itself because of colour or form.
Hopeless by Colleen Hoover

10) Read a novel in which an important character uses an unusual form of travel, could be one only time in the book.

[Barbara]

Girls, I changed the numbers because I used the wrong ones. so please change them to avoid confusion. :)

[Carolien]

6) Read a novel about werewolves.
Completed The Wolf Gift

7) Read a novel that features secret societies/departments.
Secret Island or Spy's Honour

8) Read a novel about a curse.
Completed The Benevent Treasure

9) Read a novel that has a silly accessory either in the story or on the cover. With silly I mean either something you won't expect or something you would expect but is silly in itself because of colour or form.
Completed

10) Read a novel in which an important character uses an unusual form of travel, could be one only time in the book.
Completed Airman

[Carolien]

I suspect it's a good thing I have to unpack every book in my house (all 16 bookshelves plus random boxes) over the next few days...You're going to be judging a lot of random book covers from us over the next week for task 9!

Some questions for clarification:
You specify novels - so non-fiction excluded or not?
Task 7 - would groups such as the Resistance fighters in WWII count or any of the Secret Service agencies of the old Soviet Union etc?
Task 10 - are dog sleds unusual enough?

[Claudia]

Ooh, these tasks will have me searching for a while. Luckily I only have a couple of planned reads for Jan - Feb right now.

6)
Read a novel about werewolves.

7) Read a novel that features secret societies/departments.
8) Read a novel about a curse.
9) Read a novel that has a silly accessory either in the story or on the cover.
-Dumbledore wears a flowery bonnet at the Christmas dinner
-Professor Quirrel's Turban
10) Read a novel in which an important character uses an unusual form of travel, could be one only time in the book.
-Harry and Ron uses a flying car to get to Hogwarts

5/5

[Barbara]

Oh Carolien, all these questions. * sighs* You do know that today is Christmas Eve, right?
My parents are coming tomorrow and I am decorating the tree and making garlic soup and you want to know about secret societies. Couldn't you have waited untill Christmas was over?

Just kidding! :P Well not about the tree and soup but about the complaining.

I am sure I am will be very busy judging covers. I am actually hoping, because I have no idea what to read for this one myself and I hope you guys give me some ideas. It is the reason I put it in this series of tasks. I didn't want to first series to be too hard and I think this is a hard one and wanted people to have a lot of time to think about it. If they don't find something immediately they have a lot of time to think about it so they can read it in the catch-up months.

Yeah I said novels so non-fiction is excluded. I sometimes have a mean streak and then I want to avoid loopholes. :)
Don't worry, Lauren, I have left some in there.

Task 7: no they wouldn't count, because too many people knew about them and what they did. The Secret Service of the Old Soviet Union was known by every citizen in the country and probably the world. They knew they existed and what they did. There are two societies/departments in Gail Carriger's books that this is based on: The Shadow Council and the Order of the Brass Octopus with the Hippocras club as a subdivision. The first is a sort of department of the government that only the Queen, the council itself and the werewolves and vampires know about. The general public has no idea it exists. Even the people who know about it don't always know the full scope of what they do. The OBO is known only by its members and the Shadow Council and a few people that are connected to the Shadow Council. So think in those terms.

Task 10: I am leaning towards no. It might be unusual for you and me, but there are people on the earth who only travel by dog sleds. What is the book? Maybe if I know more I can give a more definite answer.

[Carolien]

I have some sympathy, but since I am moving house on Friday, not too much.

Ok, your answer on non-fiction eliminated the option for task 10 (it also eliminated the shelf of baseball books that I wanted to check for curses).

I will now diligently start packing my fiction shelves to try and find something else.

Thanks for clarifying the secret societies. There's a Jane Aiken Hodge that's tugging at my mind, but I'll have to go and check my shelf.

Great tasks - it is going to send us searching in some strange corners!

[Barbara]

It was just that I wasn't expecting too many comments yet, since I expected everyone to be busy with getting ready for Christmas. You know last minute cleaning and already starting the meals and maybe travelling to family and friends.
And he, you wanted to move house. Should have planned it better. :P I can't think of a worse time to move house than around Christmas. I hope everything goes ok. At least this way you get to see all your books and maybe it will give you some inspiration for the tasks.

If you need help with the Jane Aiken Hodge let me know and I will look into it.

Thanks! I just based the tasks on the books and these tasks were pretty self evident once you start thinking about the books.

[Lu]

✔6) Read a novel about werewolves. - City of Ashes
✔7) Read a novel that features secret societies/departments. - Lover Avenged
✔8) Read a novel about a curse. - Beautiful Creatures
✔9) Read a novel that has a silly accessory either in the story or on the cover. With silly I mean either something you won't expect or something you would expect but is silly in itself because of colour or form. - Uses for Boys
✔10) Read a novel in which an important character uses an unusual form of travel, could be one only time in the book. - The Battle of the Labyrinth

✔5/5

[Carolien]

Barbara wrote: "It was just that I wasn't expecting too many comments yet, since I expected everyone to be busy with getting ready for Christmas. You know last minute cleaning and already starting the meals and ma..."

It's a long story about the house move...The garlic soup sounds interesting, though not something I want to eat right now since it is 30 degrees Celcius in Joburg today.

I think its Secret Island by Jane Aiken Hodge that may be the one I'm thinking of. Now to find a copy...

In the meantime I found this The Love of Stones: A Novel while packing which sound like it may work for task 8.

Have a happy Christmas!

[Barbara]

Moving house usually is a long story. It is never an easy clear cut situation. At least not in my experience.

The soup is actually delicious. Might be good at those temperatures since it does make you thirsty and so it makes sure you drink enough. I made it for my mum since she won't be eating the same as the rest and since I need the oven tomorrow for so many other things, I made it today. I am not a big soup fan, but when I tasted it I had to watch myself because I kept tasting it and I had to be sure to leave enough for tomorrow. :)
If you want I can mail you the recipe. It is fairly easy. It does take some time, but that is because you have to roast the garlic in the oven, but it is very easy to make.

I can't find much information about the Secret Island, but what I can find doesn't say anything about secret societies. That doesn't mean there not in there, but for now I have no opinion.

Some information about The love of stones indicates that some of the jeqwels are unlucky or indeed cursed and if that is the case than that would work.

Have a very happy Christmas or as we say in the Netherlands: Gelukkig Kerstfeest!

[Carolien]

Please mail me the recipe - I like soup and it sounds interesting.

And in Afrikaans: Gelukkige Kersfees!

[Claudia]

For the Werewolf book, will this one work or would the Weres need to be the lead characters?
Fool Moon

[Lauren]

6) Read a novel about werewolves. - Barking by Tom Holt

7) Read a novel that features secret societies/departments. -

8) Read a novel about a curse. - The Assassin's Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke

9) Read a novel that has a silly accessory either in the story or on the cover. With silly I mean either something you won't expect or something you would expect but is silly in itself because of colour or form. - Expecting Someone Taller by Tom Holt A chain-mail helmet, which in an earlier incarnation looked like a scrap of wire worn on a badger's nose

10) Read a novel in which an important character uses an unusual form of travel, could be one only time in the book. - Six-Gun Tarot by R.S. Belcher Equina - a heavenly horse with a parsec-long stride, on which earthly horses are based, in the same way that humans are made in the image of god/angels.

Progress: 3/5

[Lu]

Would this count for number 9?

[Barbara]

@ Carolien: I'll mail it to you after Christmas.

@ Claudia: The werewolves need to play a big part but definitely don't have to be the lead character. They need to be a fully integrated part of society in the book and feature several times. Harry Potter for example wouldn't work (sorry Lu) because they play very minor parts and the only one that does isn't acting as a werewolf until the end of the book. From what I read what the book is about I would say yes, but I don't know if there are a lot of werewolves in it, but several people listed the book on a werewolves shelf so I guess there are.

@ Lu: If you mean the Christmas lights, they are more romantic than silly. But since the normal way to have light in the dark is a lamp, candle or flashlight that would make the Christmas lights silly. So you can use the book. :)

[Lu]

Yay thank you :)

[Carolien]

similar argument as Lu. Would the tinsel work for 9? Alternatively earring?

[Emma]

6) Read a novel about werewolves. READ



7) Read a novel that features secret societies/departments.

READ

8) Read a novel about a curse.READ



9) Read a novel that has a silly accessory either in the story or on the cover. With silly I mean either something you won't expect or something you would expect but is silly in itself because of colour or form.
READ

10) Read a novel in which an important character uses an unusual form of travel, could be one only time in the book.
They travel in an airship READ

5/5

[Barbara]

The earring is in. The tinsel is questionable. I mean was he murdered with the tinsel or bound with it or did he just fell and in his fall got wrapped up in it? I can't really tell from the cover or the info. If it is the latter it is out if it is the former two than it is in.

[Carolien]

Barbara wrote: "The earring is in. The tinsel is questionable. I mean was he murdered with the tinsel or bound with it or did he just fell and in his fall got wrapped up in it? I can't really tell from the cover ..."

Earring is perfect, the second book has a Campbell's soup tin as an earring if anybody else can use it.

[Varla Fiona]

5/5 (10/25 + 3/5)

✔6. The Werewolf of Fever Swamp
✔7. Phoenix Rising
✔8. Gregor and the Curse of the Warmbloods
✔9. Three to Get Deadly
✔10. Agatha H and the Airship City

[Claudia]

@Varla Fiona
I'm just going to steal most of your list, because I have no clue what to read :P

[Varla Fiona]

Claudia wrote: "@Varla Fiona
I'm just going to steal your list, because I have no clue what to read :P"

Ha Ha. Go for it. This round seems easier to me than last time, although I found books for each of those.

[Barbara]

@Varla Fiona: why is a girl holding a broom silly?

[Varla Fiona]

She isn't holding it. She has it slung across her back like a sword. It seems silly to me...

[Carolien]

Varla Fiona wrote: "Claudia wrote: "@Varla Fiona
I'm just going to steal your list, because I have no clue what to read :P"

Ha Ha. Go for it. This round seems easier to me than last time, although I found books for e..."

Varla, you've read Airman. Does it qualify for the flying challenge?

[Varla Fiona]

Carolien wrote: "Varla Fiona wrote: "Claudia wrote: "@Varla Fiona
I'm just going to steal your list, because I have no clue what to read :P"

Ha Ha. Go for it. This round seems easier to me than last time, although..."

Yes, definitely

[Liezel]

will this work for task 9

[Varla Fiona]

Liezel wrote: "will this work for task 9

"

I know the entire book is very silly, (which I love) but I can't remember an accessory that would work for this. I might have missed it as I don't always remember things that I generally have no interest in such as accessories!

[Liezel]

Varla Fiona wrote:
I know the entire book is very silly, (which I love) but I can't remember an accessory that would work for this. I might have missed it as I don't always remember things that I generally have no interest in such as accessories!

I missed the accessory bit, guess I'll have to keep looking :(

[Jennifer]

6) Read a novel about werewolves.

7) Read a novel that features secret societies/departments.

8) Read a novel about a curse.

9) Read a novel that has a silly accessory either in the story or on the cover. With silly I mean either something you won't expect or something you would expect but is silly in itself because of colour or form.

10) Read a novel in which an important character uses an unusual form of travel, could be one only time in the book.

[Jennifer]

Would The Rowan work for Task 10?

The characters use mind power to transport goods and people across space.

[Lauren (Sugar & Snark)]

Holy Sh!t with the festive season and all I almost missed this!

I did see some chatter about silly accessories but I just thought you guys were being your usual goof ball selves. I should have known!

[Lauren (Sugar & Snark)]

6) Read a novel about werewolves.

7) Read a novel that features secret societies/departments.

8) Read a novel about a curse.

9) Read a novel that has a silly accessory either in the story or on the cover. With silly I mean either something you won't expect or something you would expect but is silly in itself because of colour or form.

10) Read a novel in which an important character uses an unusual form of travel, could be one only time in the book.
The main character races NASCARs professionally

5/5

[Lu]

lolol

[Lauren (Sugar & Snark)]

Would wearing glasses without prescriptions be considered silly? I would say yes but they are for a disguise so hmm... What do you think?
Tell me quick because I have stopped reading my book in case you agree!

[Lauren]

Given that it's for a disguise, I would say it's practical rather than silly I'm afraid.

Edit: Unless they're really goofy glasses that are simply silly either way.

[Barbara]

Sorry I haven't responded to all your comments but I have had a bad case of the stomach flu and wasn't able to work on my computer for more than 2 minutes at a time. But I am back and I will try to answer all your questions. If I miss one I am so very sorry but please remind me. :)

@ Varla Fiona: just holding the broom silly isn't enough. It has to be a silly form or be used in a silly way.

@ Carolien: from what I see on the cover of Airman, I would say definitely yes it would count.

@ Liezel: I am sorry I can't remember any silly accesory in Life, The Universe and Everything. I know the story is silly, but that is all. I do remember there being something silly about towels in the series, but I don't know if it features in this book.

@ Jennifer: No mind power would not count. It has become so universal (in fiction) it is almost weird that we are not able to do it. Broom travel is also to common to use.

@ Lauren: LOL! The first time you were glued to your computer for the announcement and now you almost missed it. No wearing glasses without prescriptions isn't silly. It is done a lot as a disguise and even sometimes as fashion. I know several people who have worn glasses when they didn't needed them because it was fashionable to do so.

[Varla Fiona]

@ Barbara: glad you are better. Don't worry, I already found something else. Hotdog as an earring definitely counts!

[Barbara]

Thanks! Oh yeah. That definitely counts!

[Lauren (Sugar & Snark)]

Hey for the silly accessory thing, I'm not certain but from the way it is worded it sounds like we can read a book and wait for the heroine to wear something funny or inappropriate.
For example I have been reading a series where the heroines are constantly wearing 6 inch sparkly heals while being kidnapped or solving crimes. Would something like this work?

[Barbara]

The accessories the task is based on are: a parasol that is taken everywhere everytime night or day because it has special gadgets in it and very big and loud hats decorated with fruit and stuff. Maybe that helps.
Yes just reading a book hoping an accessory comes along is indeed a way.
From what you're telling me high heels wouldn't really count. What series are you reading? Maybe I can investigate a bit and who knows change my mind.

[Lauren (Sugar & Snark)]

Barbara wrote: "The accessories the task is based on are: a parasol that is taken everywhere everytime night or day because it has special gadgets in it and very big and loud hats decorated with fruit and stuff. M..."

That's OK I have finished that series. I was just bring it up as an example because I would consider it silly to wear crazy high heals when I knew I was going to have to run for my life etc. and I wondered if you agreed. Oh well back to the drawing board :)

[Barbara]

Well it depends. If she put them on because she knew she was going to run for her life it is silly. But you mentioned her being kidnapped in high heels. Being kidnapped is not something you can dress for since it is a bit unexpected (at least for the person being kidnapped) and so no outfit would be silly.

[Lauren (Sugar & Snark)]

Yeah so basically if you wear something inappropriate for a planned event it is OK. But if you are caught off guard wearing something inappropriate it is not?