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WINTER CHALLENGE 2012
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Winter Challenge 2012-2013: Completed Tasks - DO NOT DELETE ANY POSTS IN THIS TOPIC

5.3 Plain Brown Wrapper
Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen
I've never read any of her books before now, and I'm not sure I'll read anymore. I am probably the only person amongst my friends that didn't like the book.
20.10 Group Reads
comment in post #15
The Lost Receipe for Happiness by Barbara O'Neal
***Barbara O'Neal is a GR author
TOTAL: 25

Task 5.10 A Claus for Celebration
Divided in Death by JD Robb
This book in the Eve Dallas series is set around the week of Christmas 2059. Eve buys and gives out Christmas gifts, they have a holiday party, and their house is decorated for Christmas.
Total: 30

25.14 - Kate S's Task - New Year, New Authors
Both of the following are new-to-me others described as similar to Michael Connelly.


Points this Post: 25
Total Points: 980

20.4 - Author!Author! - Janice CA's Task: Renaissance Authors
Forever Odd by Dean Koontz
Dean Koontz gives to and supports Canines for Independence, an admirable cause. (Approved in Help Thread)
Total points this post: 20
Grand Total: 620
Goodreads authors: John Grisham, Carol Rifka Brunt, Siobhan Fallon, Beth Harbison, Jenny Milchman, Francesca Segal, Chris Bohjalian, Jeffrey Stepakoff, Christopher S. Stewart, Libba Bray, Michael Grant, Laurie Halse Anderson, Dustin Thomason
Big Books: 500+ (2); 750+ (1); 1000+ (0)

30.4 - Jackpot Spin
I rolled a 6
How to Dance with a Duke by Manda Collins
***Manda Collins is a GoodReads author***
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
Points This Post: 30
Total Points: 200
GoodReads Authors: 7
Big Books: 500+(1), 750+(0), 1000+(0)
Tasks Completed: 7
Books Read: 12

10.3 They All Look Good to Me For Task 20.10, Group Read, I read Maisie Dobbs by Jaqueline Winspear, the “1st book in a female-author mystery series” selection. For this task I read a nominee in the “Books about Books” category, The Polysyllabic Spree: A Hilarious and True Account of One Man's Struggle With the Monthly Tide of the Books He's Bought and the Books He's Been Meaning to Read by Nick Hornby. 143 pages
30.1 Ms Anderson’s Manga I rolled a 5 and a 6.
Roll of 5. Read a book with “Priestess” in the Title. I read A New Orleans Voudou Priestess: The Legend and Reality of Marie Laveau by Carolyn Morrow Long. 336 pages
Roll of 6. Read a book with “Fantasy” as a genre on its GR homepage. I read The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley. 256 pages
Points This Post: 40
Total Points: 1000
Pages read: 23,341
Big Books: 500+ (6)

4. Strike the Harp:
The Story of the Trapp Family Singers by Maria von Trapp

There is a guitar on the cover.
Points this post: 20
Total points: 115

Task 5.10 - A Claus for Celebration
I read:
Ex Machina, Vol. 9: Ring Out the Old by Brian K. Vaughan
Well over half of the book takes place in the days between Christmas and New Year's Eve.
Points this task: 5
Total points: 1025
Tasks completed: 57
Books read: 167
Pages read: 21750
Goodreads authors: 24
Big books: 500+ (3); 750+ (0); 1000+ (0)

More girls in my family
I chose a book with the genre "humor"
This Is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper
25.3 Let's Be Different
Two Book Option
Book A: Ivanhoe by Walter Scott
***At 544 pages, this is a big book***
Book B: A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
Letter Count: 1, 4, 2, 3, 6
***At 544 pages, this is a big book***
25.12 I ♥ the Goodreads on SRC
From Winter 2009 post 1
The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
***At 531 pages, this is a big book***
From Fall 2012 post 12
Winter of the World by Ken Follett
***At 940 pages, this is a big book***
***Ken Follett is a GR Author***
Post Total: 70
Season Total: 805

15.3 -- Out with the Old, In with the New -- Option 2:
Can't Teach an Old Demon New Tricks - Cara Lockwood♥ (old and new in single title) 2/14
Cara Lockwood is a GRA
15.4 -- Naming Names -- option 1, two books
The Trouble with J.J. - Tami Hoag (J. J. Hennessy is main character) title approval 2/20
Calamity Jayne - Kathleen Bacus 2/17
25.12 -- Mstan's Task - I ♥ the Goodreads on SRC --
Book 1: Grendel - John Gardner link to message #2 2/16
Book 2: Shutter Island - Dennis Lehane link to message #33 2/19
30.7 -- Sassafras's Task - It's My Anniversary! --
Option 1: Ashes to Dust - Yrsa Sigurðardóttir (last name has 14 letters) 1/22
Option 3: Sea Hunter - Paul Garrison (set in the Virgin Islands, Caribbean) 2/16
50.1 - Jessica PDX's Task: Triple Threat --
Option A: Highlander's Challenge - Jo Barrett (3-Es in title) 1/21
Option B: Now or Never - Michele Bardsley♥ (3-Es in author) 2/11
Option C: The Cold Room - J.T. Ellison♥ (pub 2010, divided by 3 is 670) 2/20
Michele Bardsley & J.T. Ellison are GRAs.
Points Earned This Post: 135
Points Achieved to Date: 615
Goodreads Authors: 17
Big Book Tickets:
500+ (2)
750+ (0)
1000+ (0)


20.8 - It's My Birthday! - Lahni's Task: Double Trouble
Option #4: Numbers 6 or 7 in total pages

***Total of 256 pages***
Points this Post: 20
Total Points: 185
GR Authors: 6
BIg Ticket Books: 0

25.14 - Kate S's Task - New Year, New Authors!
My chosen author was Gillian Flynn
Her similar authors are : http://www.goodreads.com/author/simil...
Book 1
Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple
Book 2
I'd Know You Anywhere by Laura Lippman a GR Author
Previous points 990
Points this post 25
New total 1015
Total GR Authors 16 + 1 = 17
Total 500+ books 5
Total 750+ books 1

30.5 - Dlmrose/Cindy F's Task - Author Train!
Book 1: Defending Jacob by William Landay *** Goodreads Author ***
Book 2: One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia
Points this post: 30
GRA this post: 1
Big Books this post: 0 - 500+ (), 750+ (), 1000+ ()
Total Points: 140/1170
Tasks Completed: 5
Books Read: 9
Total GRA: 2
Total Big Books: 500+ (), 750+ (), 1000+ ()

20.6 “Punctuation, is?fun!”
apostrophe
Old Man's War
50.1 Triple Threat
Book A – 3 L’s, 3 E’s, 3O’s in title
The Lies of Locke Lamora
big book 719 pages
Book B – 3H’s in author’s name
Wool by Hugh Howey
big book 537 pages
Book C – published in 1995 (3 x 665)
Slow River
Total points 670

Task 20.3 - Deck the Halls
I decided to do option 5 and I read a book published in October of 2012:
How to Tell If Your Cat Is Plotting to Kill You by Matthew Inman
Points this task: 20
Total points: 1045
Tasks completed: 58
Books read: 168
Pages read: 21886
Goodreads authors: 24
Big books: 500+ (3); 750+ (0); 1000+ (0)

3. Orange Prize Longlist 2012 (#7)
The Forgotten Waltz: A Novel by Anne Enright
6. set in Ireland
Dublin 4 by Maeve Binchy
Points this post: 25
Total points: 1000

5.2 Phil's Prediction
Romancing the Roads, Volume II: West of the Mississippi: A Driving Diva's Firsthand Guide by Gerry Hempel Davis
The title contains "Driving Diva's" as consecutive words beginning with D.
20.1 - There's a 1st Time for Everything
The Twelve Tribes of Hattie by Ayana Mathis
As referenced in the book and author listing, this book is Mathis' debut novel.
Ayana Mathis is a Goodreads Author.
20.9 - Screen Sisters
Option 3: Community
Admission by Jean Hanff Korelitz
This book's primary character is an admissions officer at Princeton University.
Jean Hanff Korelitz is a Goodreads Author.
20.10 - Group Reads
Books About Books:
Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan
My review post is #51.
Robin Sloan is a Goodreads Author.
*****************************************
Points this post: 65
Total points: 740/1170
Goodreads Authors: 3/28
Big Books: 500+ (2); 750+ (0); 1000+ (0)

Book A - This book must have exactly three instances of the same letter in the title. Subtitles may be included or excluded; series titles are excluded. Accent marks (such as é) may be ignored.
The Nether World (1889) by George R. Gissing (Paperback, 404 pages)
E: The, Nether
Book B - This book must have exactly three instances of the same letter in the author's name as it appears on Goodreads. Middle initials and middle names are included if the author's name appears that way on Goodreads. As with Book A, accent marks may be ignored.
Our Spoons Came from Woolworths (1950) by Barbara Comyns (Paperback, 223 pages)
A: Barbara
Book C - This book must have been first published in a year evenly divisible by three.
2001 divided by 3 = 667
Silence of the Grave (Reykjavík Murder Mystery #4) (2001) by Arnaldur Indriðason (translated by Bernard Scudder) (Hardcover, 280 pages)
455 + 50 = 505
Tasks Completed: 23
Points for this post: 50
Points thus far: 455 + 50 = 505
Books read: 35
Pages read: 11,118
Read but not claimed: 4
Goodreads Authors: 7
Big Books:
(1) 500+
(1) 750+
(0) 1,000+

5.3 Plain Brown Wrapper
Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen
Pride and Prejudice
I've never read any of her books before now, and I'm not sure I'll read anymore. I am probably the only person amongst my friends that didn't like the book.
20.10 Group Reads
comment in post #15
The Lost Receipe for Happiness by Barbara O'Neal
***Barbara O'Neal is a GR author
The Lost Recipe for Happiness
TOTAL: 25

CHRISTINE US
Task 5.10 A Claus for Celebration
Divided in Death by JD Robb
This book in the Eve Dallas series is set around the week of Christmas 2059. Eve buys and gives out Christmas gifts, they have a holiday party, and their
Divided in Death
house is decorated for Christmas.
Total: 30

OPT. 1. Fraternal - Read a book with a 2 word title
Cinderella Unmasked by Bonnie Dee
Points this post: 20
Total points: 435
Tasks completed: 18
Books read: 27
Goodreads Author: 17
Big Book Tickets: 500 (2); 750 (0); 1000(0)

25.7 - Stesse's Task - Read My Nightstand!
Option C - book I've been meaning to read all of 2012. Its been at the top of my TBR the whole year and i finally finished it (it wasn't worth the wait).
The Human Stain by Philip Roth
Option D - non fiction book about something you want to do 2013.
My book is about uncluttering and getting rid of stuff. This year i plan on really getting the garage and spare room storage under control and this book gave me lots of ideas.
Unstuff Your Life!: Kick the Clutter Habit and Completely Organize Your Life for Good by Andrew J. Mellen a GR Author
Previous points 1015
Points this post 25
New total 1040
Total GR Authors 17 + 1 = 18
Total 500+ books 5
Total 750+ books 1

Book 1: For this task, I read “Darkness Shows the Stars”

Book 2: I rolled a 3 on the virtual die. Then from the book page of “Darkness Shows the Stars” I picked “Crewel” from the Reader’s Also Enjoyed list; from the “Crewel” page, I picked “Time Between Us;” then from the “Time Between Us” page I picked the book that I ended up reading for this task: “Touching the Surface”

(I created this book chain on December 10th. Between then and now, it looks like “The Time Between Us” is no longer on the “Crewel” page, but it was when I picked these books. Everything else is still accurate.)
Also, both Diana Peterfreund and Kimberly Sabatini are Goodreads Authors, so I’m claiming two more tickets.
Here’s the summary:
Points Earned this Challenge: 25
Tasks Completed to Date: 29
Total Points Earned to Date: 635
Pages Read this Challenge: 738
Total Pages Read to Date: 15124
Books Read this Challenge: 2
Total Books Read: 47
Goodreads Authors: 27
Big Book Tickets: 500(2), 750(), 1000()

Option 5. The Old Year Passes – Read a book published in 2012.
Une place à prendre by J.K. Rowling
680 pgs claiming Big Book ticket
This post: 20 points
Total to Date = 170 points

10.8 Short and Sweet
The Housekeeper and the Professor - 180pp.
20.7 Shorter is Sweeter
Option: Girl
The Aviator's Wife - romance
Melanie Benjamin is a GoodReads author
25.1 A Tribute to the Women in my Life
Option 1: Dorothy - book involves baker/bakery
By Bread Alone - Esme learns how to bake "pain au leavan" from a French baker in Venolat and continues to make bread every day years later.
Option 5: Diana - fantasy/science fiction
The Things That Keep Us Here - science fiction
Carla Buckley is a GoodReads Author
25.3 Let's Be Different
Option 1A: Each letter in title is different
Holes
Option 1B: Different number of letters in each word of title
Chosen To Die - 6,2,3
Points this post: 80
Total points: 630
Tasks completed: 29
Books Read: 41
GR Authors: 20
Big books: 500+ (2); 750+ (0); 1000+ (0)

Option 1. Read any book by Leo Tolstoy:
War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
+20 Points
Grand Total: 460

My name has 3 syllables and so does:
Burning Bright by Tracy Chevalier
+15 Points
20.3 – Best Review – Chris MD’s Task: Deck the Halls
5. The Old Year Passes – Read a book published in 2012.
Published: February 2012
Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
+20 Points
Points this post: 35
Grand Total: 495

Task # 10.5 Paint It Red
Read a book with the word "red" found intact in the title Red Gold by Alan Furst

Read a book with one of the following words or its variations in the title/subtitle – Luck, Fortune, Charm, Opportunity, Success.

Points this post: 10
Total points: 655
Tasks completed: 30
Books Read: 52
GR Authors: 37
Big books: 500+ (1); 750+ (1); 1000+ (0)

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
* Rebecca Skloot is a goodreads author
25.6
Fire on the cover
Mao's Last Dancer by Li Cunxin

Snow/ice on the cover
Sing You Home by Jodi Picoult

25.7
Op 2: Book with a happy ending
The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith
This is a typical YA feel-good romance and the title says it all :)
* Jennifer E. Smith is a goodreads author
Op 3: Book I have been meaning to read
Savor the Moment by Nora Roberts
I have had this book since it came out!
50.1
- Exactly 3 Rs in title
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
- Exactly 3 As in author's name
Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver
- Published in a year divisible by 3
Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson
First published in 2007
* Laurie Halse Anderson is a goodreads author
Total Points: 555
Tasks Completed: 25
Tasks in Progress: 1
Books Read: 40
Pages Read: 13,857

Angel Eyes by Shannon Dittemore
According to the author's page, this is the only novel currently published, although there are more coming.
*** Shannon Dittemore is a Goodreads Author***
Goodreads authors: 1
Points this post: 20
Total points: 135

15.2 - Two Plus Two
The word I made is CADS.


Points this Post: 15
Total Points: 995

30.4 - Cindy AL's Task: Jackpot Spin
I rolled a 5.
Book 1 (5 word title)
The Dead and the Gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer
Book 2 (title between 1 & 6 words)
Pym by Mat Johnson
Points this post: 30
Total points: 690
Total Goodreads authors: 17
Total Big books: 500+ (1)

20.2 - Rookie It’s Snow Joke, “Winter’s Cool”!
The Writing Life by Annie Dillard
Option 3, book by Annie Dillard
20.10 - Group Reads
Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan
***Robin Sloan is a GoodReads author***
discussion post
Points This Post: 40
Total Points: 240
GoodReads Authors: 8
Big Books: 500+(1), 750+(0), 1000+(0)
Tasks Completed: 9
Books Read: 14

25.13 - Sandy/Kristi's Task - Author Influences
Read TWO books:
Book A: Find an author that lists his or her influences on their GRs home page, website, blog, or in an interview and read one of their books.
http://www.dm.net/~julialatham/bio.html
Julia Latham Taken and Seduced
AND
Book B: Read a book by one of the Book A author's influences.
Susan Elizabeth Phillips Just Imagine
Goodreads Author
Points this post: 25
Total points: 850
Tasks completed: 42
Books read: 57
Goodreads Authors: 32
Big Books: 500= 0,750=0, 1000=0

20.6 Punctuation Is Fun
Abby: Mail Order Bride by Verna Clay
(colon)
ebook approved for length post #1872
Verna Clay is a GRA
This task: 20
# tasks completed: 18
Total: 390
GRA: 16
Big Book: 2/500+, 1/750+

30.8 Delicious Dee/Christine US's Task - A Reading Tribute to Those We Love
Book 1:
I chose my mom & picked this book because Lisa Gardner is an author my mom likes, and is one of the first authors she shared with me when I started reading thriller novels.
Touch & Go by Lisa Gardner
Book 2:
Reached by Ally Condie
Received 5 Stars from our very own Ms Anderson
Points this post: 30
Total points: 720
Total Goodreads authors: 17
Total Big books: 500+ (1)

The Lost Prince - Julie Kagawa, GR Author
30.5 - Dlmrose/Cindy F's Task - Author Train!
The Rift Walker - Clay Griffith, GR Author
The Unidentified Redhead - Alice Clayton, GR Author
Points this post: 35
Total points: 950
GR Authors: 53
Big books: 500+ (3)

15.5 We Got the Beat
Read a book whose title has the same number of syllables as your first and last names combined.
My first and last name have 4 syllables (2+2)
The Rose Garden by Susanna Kearsley who is a Goodreads author
30.6 Having the Time of Their Lives
Option B - read a time travel book
Enchantment by Orson Scott Card
Option C - read a book with "Time" or "Life" in the title - plurals allowed
Interesting Times by Terry Pratchett
30.9 Schoolhouse Rock
Option #1 - Multiplication Rock: Three is a Magic Number - read a book that is part of a trilogy.
Book 1 of the Worldweavers trilogy
Gift of the Unmage by Alma Alexander who is a Goodreads author
Option #3 - Grammar Rock: Conjunction Junction
Read a book with a conjunction in the title - and, but, or
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Points this post: 75
Points to date: 805
GR authors this post: 2
GR authors to date: 14
Big book tickets to date: 3

A. The Bungalow by Sarah Jio
Sarah Jio is a Goodreads author.
B. Pears on a Willow Tree by Leslie Pietrzyk
letter count 5, 2, 1, 6, 4
Points this post: 25
Total points: 1025
GR authors: 34

15.4 - Naming Names
Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
Points This Post: 15
Total Points: 255
GoodReads Authors: 8
Big Books: 500+(1), 750+(0), 1000+(0)
Tasks Completed: 10
Books Read: 15

15.10: A Bird in the Hand ...
The Third Secret by Steve Berry. Steve Berry is a GRA.
25.11 Vi's Task: Time to Explore: Rolled a 1.
Book 1: Pink Jinx by Sandra Hill
chain book: Talk of the Town
Book 2: Can't Take My Eyes Off of You by Kasey Michaels
Points this post: 40.
Total Points: 1020.

2. Mrs. White- Read a book where the title is printed in white ink on the cover

Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend (2012) by Matthew Dicks (Goodreads Author) (Hardcover, 311 pages)
**** Goodreads Author ****Matthew Dicks
3. Col. Mustard- Read a book with a man with a mustache on the cover

Dreaming Suburb (The Avenue #1) (1958) by R.F. Delderfield (Mass Market Paperback, 470 pages)
505 + 25 = 530
Tasks Completed: 24
Points for this post: 25
Points thus far: 505 + 25 = 530
Books read: 37
Pages read: 11,899
Read but not claimed: 3
Goodreads Authors: 8
Big Books:
(1) 500+
(1) 750+
(0) 1,000+

--6 syllables in my full name: Dark Desires After Dusk by Kresley Cole
Dark/De/sires/Af/ter/Dusk
25.6 - Nick KY’s Task: Fire and Ice (2 Books)
--Option 1 - Fire in title: Smokeless Fire by Samantha Young
--Option 2 - Fire on cover:

25.7 - Stesse's Task - Read My Nightstand! (2 Books)
--B. Happy Ending: The Jezebel by Saskia Walker (romance genre)
--C. Book I've been meaning to read all year: The Wild Marquis by Miranda Neville (in TBR since Mar 2011.)
*Kresley Cole, Samantha Young, R.J. Scott, Saskia Walker and Miranda Neville are GR authors*
Points for this post: 65
Total points: 710
Tasks completed: 31
Total GR Tickets: 25

We the Animals by Justin Torres. This book has 125 pages.
30.3 Cookie Exchange
2) Italian Spumoni Slices (Set in Italy): I read Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter
4) Jam Thumbprints (Mystery): A Stained White Radiance by James Lee Burke
Justin Torres is a GR Author
Post Total: 40
Grand Total: 415

I read Dead Men's Boots by Mike Carey. THis author was a teacher for 15 years prior to publishing his first book. THis book and author were approved in the help thread.
Points: 290
Tasks completed: 14
books read: 20
GR authors: 5
Big books: 1 (500) 1 (750+)
pages read: 6975
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25.7 - Stesse's Task - Read My Nightstand!
Option A. Read a book written by a blogger. Many authors have blogs, but the essence of this task is to read a book written by someone who started as a blogger and then wrote a book.
I chose Jenny Lawson (The Bloggess) for this. I am a huge fan of her blog and couldn't wait to read the book. Let's Pretend This Never Happened: A Mostly True Memoir
Link to blog: The Bloggess
Option C. Read a book that you’ve been meaning to read all year (2012) but haven’t gotten around to it, or haven’t found a task to fit it.
I chose Go Ask Alice for this. Its been on my to-read list forever. Go Ask Alice
***Good Read Author - Jenny Lawson***
Points this post: 25
Total Points: 105/1170
Total books read: 7/91
Good reads authors: 3
Big books: 500+ (0); 750+ (0); 1000+ (1)