Mango Tango's November challenge

[Monsieur Mango]

Since our team seems to read more when we have a goal to work toward, we've decided to have our own personal challenge to keep us reading in November. This challenge will begin at midnight your local time on Friday, November 1, and will end at midnight your time on Saturday, November 23. That gives us 23 days to concentrate on holding our 4th place spot - and maybe move up to 3rd place before our Thanksgiving here in the USA!

Since this is just for our team, we decided to make it easy, but fun at the same time, and we'll have three separate challenges going on at the same time. Here's the plan:


SERIES NUMBER CHALLENGE:
As a team, we will see how long a string of consecutively numbered series books we can read. The books can be from the same series or from different series, it doesn't matter. We're also going to count multiple books with the same series number. If Jane reads book #2 in a series and Sallie reads another book #2, we're going to record both of them - and any other book #2 read by anyone else on the team. It will be fun to see which number is read the most during the three weeks of our challenge!

A-Z BOOK TITLES
Using the first letter of the first word of a book's title -- NOT counting A, An or The -- let's see how many letters we can fill in during our challenge! Again, duplicate letters will be allowed, but we're also trying to fill in as many letters as we can.

A-Z AUTHORS
Just like the A-Z titles section, but using an author's first OR last name. How many can we fill in as a team in three weeks?

[Monsieur Mango]

To help Monsieur Mango keep track of the three sections of our challenge, there are a few simple rules:

✏ All books must qualify for the Tower challenge!

✏ You can only use each book once – for the series number section, the title section OR the author section. Please make this decision yourself rather than asking Monsieur Mango to choose. With the Tower challenge coming down to the end, M. Mango is busier than usual trying to make sure we get as many points as possible while still abiding by the rules of the challenge.

✏ When you finish a book, please post the following information IN THIS THREAD: the title of the book, the author, the date you finished the book, the number of pages, and which section of our challenge the book fits. Be sure to post the info for the edition that you’ve read!

✏ If you’ve read an ebook that’s been approved by Countess Paige or one of the other mods, please also post a link to the thread giving approval for said book.

✏ Last of all, but most important, HAVE FUN!!

[Monsieur Mango]

MANGO TANGO NOVEMBER SERIES NUMBER CHALLENGE:
How long a string of consecutively numbered series books can we read in three weeks?

PROGRESS: chain of 12

#1 - The Next Always, by Nora Roberts - read by Barb, finished 11/8
Magic Bites, by Ilona Andrews - read by Jane, finished 11/15
The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins - read by Evana, finished 11/14
Thistle and Twigg, by Mary Saums - read by Barb, finished 11/22
Murder with Peacocks, by Donna Andrews - read by Barb, finished 11/24
Till the Cows Come Home, by Judy Clemens - read by Barb, finished 11/27
#2 - Hatshepsut's Collar, by A.W. Exley - read by Steven, finished 11/3
The Moon of Gomrath, by Alan Garner - read by Jane, finished 11/13
Sleepover Stakeout, by Kim Harrington - read by Karla, finished 11/10
Truth, by Julia Karr - read by Karla, finished 11/22
Thunder Point, by Jack Higgins - read by Barb, finished 11/27
#3 - Allegiant, by Veronica Roth - read by Steven, finished 11/8
Magic Strikes, by Ilona Andrews - read by Steven, finished 11/13
An Ice Cold Grave, by Charlaine Harris - read by Steven, finished 11/27
#4 - Wicked Beat, by Olivia Cunning - read by Lisa, finished 11/14
The House of Hades, by Rick Riordan - read by Jane, finished 11/21
A Chesapeake Shore Christmas, by Sherryl Woods - read by Sallie, finished 11/25]
#5 - How (Not) to Kiss a Gargoyle, by Elizabeth A. Reeves - read by Jane, finished 11/8
#6 - Archangel's Legion, by Nalini Singh - read by Lisa, finished 11/9
Blood Rites, by Jim Butcher - read by Steven, finished 11/24
#7 - The Book of the Dead, by Douglas Preston - read by Evana, finished 11/14
#8 - Guardian Demon, by Meljean Brook - read by Lisa, finished 11/12
#9 - Catching Fireflies, by Sherryl Woods - read by Sallie, finished 11/9
Forbidden Falls, by Robyn Carr - read by Sallie, finished 12/3
#10 - Dead in the Family, by Charlaine Harris - read by Steven, finished 11/8
#11 - Judgment in Death, by J.D. Robb - read by Lisa, finished 11/16
Dead Reckoning, by Charlaine Harris - read by Steven, finished 12/2
#12 - Betrayal in Death, by J.D. Robb - read by Lisa, finished 11/23
Deadlocked, by Charlaine Harris - read by Steven, finished 12/4
#13 -
#14 - The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon, by Alexander McCall Smith - read by Barb, finished 11/27
#15 -
#16 -
#17 -
#18 -
#19 -
#20 -

#21 - Death of a Bore, by M.C. Beaton - read by Evana, finished 11/15

higher numbers to be added as needed

[Monsieur Mango]

A-Z BOOK TITLES
Using the first letter of the first word of a book's title -- NOT counting A, An or The -- let's see how many letters we can fill in during our challenge!

PROGRESS: 21/26

A - After Dead: What Came Next in the World of Sookie Stackhouse, by Charlaine Harris - read by Lisa, finished 11/6
B - Beautiful Redemption, by Kami Garcia - read by Sallie, finished 11/6
Blessed Is The Busybody, by Emilie Richards - read by Barb, finished 11/15
Breathe: A Ghost Story, by Cliff McNish - read by Jane, finished 11/25
The Bride Wore Size 12, by Meg Cabot - read by Karla, finished 11/26
C - Coming Home: A Story of Undying Hope, by Karen Kingsbury - read by Evana, finished 11/3
D - Design for Murder, by Carolyn Hart - read by Sallie, finished 11/4
E - Elidor, by Alan Garner - read by Jane, finished 11/15
The Eyre Affair, by Jasper Fforde - read by Sallie, finished 11/15
Effected Intent, by Alan Ross - read by Barb, finished 11/22
F - The Fatal Funnel Cake, by Livia J. Washburn - read by Barb, finished 11/14
Fire And Ice, by Anne Stuart - read by Lisa, finished 11/18
G - The Glass Wives, by Amy Sue Nathan - read by Barb, finished 11/9
H - The Hanged Man: The Short Fiction of Orson Scott Card Vol 1, by Orson Scott Card - read by Evana, finished 11/9
I - I Am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced, by Nujood Ali - read by Karla, finished 11/14
If Fried Chicken Could Fly, by Paige Shelton - read by Barb, finished 11/17
J -
K - Kinked, by Thea Harrison - read by Lisa, finished 12/2
L - Leopard Moon, by Jeanette Battista - read by Lisa, finished 11/12
Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong, by James W. Loewen - read by Barb, finished 11/16
M - The Moonstone and Miss Jones, by Jillian Stone - read by Lisa, finished 11/3
Magic Burns, by Ilona Andrews - read by Jane, finished 11/16
N - Navigating Early, by Clare Vanderpool - read by Evana, finished 11/5
Notes from the Midnight Driver, by Jordan Sonnenblick - read by Karla, finished 11/8
New York to Dallas, by J.D. Robb - read by Sallie, finished 11/15
O -
P - Playing for Time, by Barbara Bretton - read by Jane, finished 11/17
Pattern Recognition, by William Gibson - read by Barb, finished 11/30
Q - Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking, by Susan Cain - read by Evana, finished 11/10
R - Ravenous, by Sharon Ashwood - read by Lisa, finished 11/29
S - School Spirits, by Rachel Hawkins - read by Karla, finished 11/7
Shift, by Zack Mason - read by Barb, finished 11/29
T - Titus Groan, by Mervyn Peake - read by Jane, finished 11/16
U - Unlucky, by Jana DeLeon - read by Barb, finished 11/4
Under Construction, by Summer Ellis - read by Barb, finished 11/19
V - Vampires: The Recent Undead, by Paula Guran - read by Jane, finished 11/8
The Vile Village, by Lemony Snicket - read by Steven, finished 11/14
The Vintage Caper, by Peter Mayle - read by Barb, finished 11/19
Vineyard Deceit, by Philip R. Craig - read by Barb, finished 11/29
W - Walking in Fire, by Cathryn Cade - read by Sallie, finished 11/17
X -
Y - Yule Be Mine by Charlene Teglia - read by Jane, finished 11/22
Z - The Zero Game, by Brad Meltzer - read by Barb, finished 11/20

[Monsieur Mango]

A-Z AUTHOR NAMES
Using an author's first OR last initial, how many can we fill in as a team in three weeks?

PROGRESS: 24/26

A - Jennifer Ashley - Lady Isabella's Scandalous Marriage - read by Lisa, finished 11/1
Audrey Niffenegger - Her Fearful Symmetry - read by Barb, finished 11/13
Anna J. McIntyre - While Snowbound - read by Jane, 12/3
B - Elizabeth Black - The Drowning House - read by Evana, finished 11/7
Robert Bucchianeri - Acapella Blues - read by Barb, finished 11/15
C - Charlaine Harris - The Sookie Stackhouse Companion - read by Steven, finished 11/12
D - Debbie Macomber - Starry Night - read by Barb, finished 11/9
E - Erica Bauermeister - The Lost Art of Mixing - read by Evana, finished 11/1
Pamela Ehrenberg - Tillmon County Fire - read by Karla, finished 11/20
F - Shelby Foote - The Civil War, Vol. 1: Fort Sumter to Perryville - read by Barb, finished 11/10
G - G.A. McKevett - Cooked Goose - read by Sallie, finished 11/3
H - Elizabeth Hoyt - To Seduce a Sinner - read by Lisa, finished 11/5
I - Ian Rankin - The Naming of the Dead - read by Evana, finished 11/2
J - Jim Butcher - Death Masks - read by Steven, finished 11/10
John Green - The Fault in Our Stars - read by Barb, finished 12/2
K - Kevin Baker - Dreamland - read by Barb, finished 11/3
Mary Lou Kirwin - Death Overdue - read by Barb, finished 12/3
L - Laura Childs - Gilt Trip - read by Barb, finished 11/2
M - G.A. McKevett - Sugar and Spite - read by Sallie, finished 11/10
Michelle Moran - Cleopatra's Daughter - read by Barb, finished 11/24
N - Nageeba Davis - Artful Dodger - read by Barb, finished 11/7
O - Olivia Cunning - Hot Ticket - read by Lisa, finished 11/10
P - Marlene Perez - Dead Is the New Black - read by Karla, finished 11/13
Eddie Thomas Petersen - Ønskebarnet - read by Jane, finished 11/24
Q - Julia Quinn - The Duke and I - read y Lisa, finished 11/20
R - Ron Irwin - Flat Water Tuesday: A Novel - read by Barb, finished 11/5
S - Jillian Stone - The Miss Education of Dr. Exeter - read by Lisa, finished 11/3
Cindy Spencer Pape - Steam Sorcery - read by Jane, finished 11/29
Nicholas Sparks - The Lucky One - read by Jane, finished 12/2
T - Nancy Thayer - A Nantucket Christmas - read by Barb, finished 11/12
Trisha Ashley - Wish Upon a Star - read by Jane, finished 12/5
U -
V - Stephanie Void - Halfway, read by Barb, finished 11/10
W - William Landay - Defending Jacob - read by Barb, finished 11/1
William Gibson - Burning Chrome - read by Jane, finished 11/17
X -
Y - Jane Yolen - Cards Of Grief - read by Evana, finished 11/8
Rick Yancey - The Highly Effective Detective - read by Barb, finished 11/11
Z - Zoe Archer - Skies of Fire - read by Lisa, finished 11/18

[Monsieur Mango]

NINJA BAP TASKS SUBMITTED:

✔ Task #1 - (1 BAP)
After Dead: What Came Next in the World of Sookie Stackhouse, by Charlaine Harris - read by Lisa, 11/5
Dead in the Family, by Charlaine Harris - read by Steven, 11/7

✔ Task #2 - (2 BAPs)
F - Flat Water Tuesday, by Ron Irwin - read by Barb, 11/5
A - A.W. Exley, Hatshepsut's Collar - read by Steven, 11/3
L - Lady Isabella's Scandalous Marriage, by Jennifer Ashley - read by Lisa, 11/1
L - character Lillian, The Lost Art of Mixing, by Erica Bauermeister - read by Evana, finished 11/1

✔ Task #3 - (1 BAP)
Random Genre: Historical Fiction
Navigating Early, by Clare Vanderpool - read by Evana, 11/5
historical fiction is the first shelf listed on the book's main page

✔ Task #4 - (2 BAPs)
Random Cover: Radical Red cover/item
The Moonstone and Miss Jones by Jillian Stone - read by Lisa, 11/2

[Monsieur Mango]

RESERVED

[Steven]

I'm interested in seeing how many of each number we end up reading :D

[Barb]

I've got several #1-in-a-series to read before the end of November, which will probably skew the results in that direction.

[Lisa - (Aussie Girl)]

Thanks MM and associates.... What a great challenges, easy but lots of fun.

[Diane L]

If no one else wants it, I'll claim the Q for title. I've been meaning to read Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking.

[Steven]

No claiming needed! :D But yay for adding a Q!!!

[Diane L]

Completed The Lost Art of Mixing by Erica Bauermeister, 288 pages.

Please count this book for 'E' author.

[Steven]

And we're on the board! Way to go Evana! :D

[Barb]

I expect to finish my audiobook on the way to my book group meeting this afternoon, so I'll have another to add to the list :)

[Steven]

Barb wrote: "I expect to finish my audiobook on the way to my book group meeting this afternoon, so I'll have another to add to the list :)"

YAY!

[Lisa - (Aussie Girl)]

Finished Lady Isabella's Scandalous Marriage. 11/2. 336 pages.

AUTHOR'S NAME: A. Ashley, Jennifer.

[Diane L]

Completed The Naming of the Dead by Ian Rankin, 420 pages.

Not sure we'll need a series number 16, so this one can go on Author Name - I.

[Barb]

I forgot to post that I did finish my audiobook last night: Defending Jacob, by William Landay, finished 11/1, 432 pages.

I think it will be easier to find another author L name and a D title, so this can go in the W author name spot :)

[Monsieur Mango]

Four authors covered already in a day and a half! WTG team!

[Lisa - (Aussie Girl)]

Home alone this weekend so I've been having a reading marathon. It helps that the books are easy to read and amusing.

The Moonstone and Miss Jones. Finished 11/3. 320 pages. ***.
Author's Name: J Jillian Stone.

The Miss Education of Dr. Exeter. Finished 11/3. 320 pages. ***
Authors's name: S Stone: Jillian

[Barb]

I finished Gilt Trip last night (11/2), 320 pages.

Since we're making progress with the author name list, I'll say it can be used for the L ... although it can be moved to series #11 spot if we need it for the series book chain later :)

[Sallie(GeorgiaGirl)]

I finished Cooked Goose, g.a. mckevett...313 pgs...11.03...I will claim the "G" in the author's name...but please move if it needs to be someplace else....

[Barb]

I just finished slogging through Dreamland, by Kevin Baker (11/3), 672 l--o--n--g pages (and approved as a chunkster by CP in post #983 in the Page Numbers thread). It's a very confusing story set in NYC during the Tammany Hall days. Too many characters, too much detail about things that were, imo, irrelevant to the book -- and at least twice as long as it needed to be to tell the story!

Since I have had trouble finding K authors in other challenges, I'll designate this for the K spot :)

[Steven]

I just finished Hapshetsut's Collar by AW Exley, 280 pages, on 11/3! I give it five starts!

And I think I'll put it in the #2 slot, as it's second in a series (of which I hope there are more)!

[Barb]

There will be, I just haven't gotten to them yet :) I have several #1s to read before the end of November, and a few others on my list are also series books!

[Diane L]

I finished Coming Home: A Story of Undying Hope by Karen Kingsbury, 304 pages.

Let's start on titles with this one filling C.

[Steven]

Already up to 11 books! Awesome work, team!

Monsieur Mango will update the tracking posts as soon as possible :D

[Sallie(GeorgiaGirl)]

I finished Design for Murder, carolyn hart...11.04 4*s...I had read this book many years ago probably pretty close to when it was first released (1987) but enjoyed re-reading...
Monsieur Mango please place where needed....Title D or Author, C or H it would also fit in the series list as this is #2.

[Steven]

Sallie, you tell me where you want it to go!

[Barb]

Unlucky, by Jana Deleon, finished 11/4, 308 pages.

I'm going to add to the titles list and fill in the dreaded U :)

[Lisa - (Aussie Girl)]

Finished To Seduce a Sinner. 359 pages. Finished 11/5.

AUTHOR NAME: H. Hoyt, Elizabeth.

[Barb]

Flat Water Tuesday, by Ron Irwin, finished 11/5, 368 pages.

Author name: R

[Monsieur Mango]

We have already finished almost half of the author names, good for us!


Sallie, we need to know where you want us to put the Carolyn Hart book you read on November 4.

Everything else is posted in the tracking posts at the top of this thread.

[Lisa - (Aussie Girl)]

Finished After Dead: What Came Next in the World of Sookie Stackhouse. 208 pages. Finished 11/6. 2.5 stars.

If you're like me and had to have the book to complete the series it's okay, but if you've just mildly curious or totally over Sookie and friends, don't bother.

SERIES TITLE: A

[Diane L]

Finished Navigating Early by Clare Vanderpool, 320 pages, 5 Nov.

Title: N

[Sallie(GeorgiaGirl)]

Steven wrote: "Sallie, you tell me where you want it to go!"

Hi....please place design for murder in the title D spot Thank you

[Sallie(GeorgiaGirl)]

Hi I finished Beautiful Redemption, kami garcia...11.06 451 pgs...3* to be honest I loved this series up until this book - I hated the way the book ended & thought that it was just thrown together almost to the point that the writers were tired of the whole thing & just wanted to be done with it all rather than to take the time to make this truly a great book as the others were. still love the others i read just not this one as much.

Title: B

[Steven]

That was my least favorite one too, Sallie. Book two was my favorite I think.

[Karla]

Finished School Spirits by Rachel Hawkins. I hope the author writes a sequel! There were a lot of loose ends that need to be tied up, but it was good.

Please put it in the title S spot, thanks.

[Barb]

11/7 - finished Artful Dodger, by Nageeba Davis, 212 pages on the Kindle
approved for the TT challenge by LK    Message #979

Since we already have an A title, and I've got several other series #1 books on my list for November, I'm going to plunk this in the N slot in the Author list :)

[Barb]

Note to M. Mango: I took the liberty of posting the new Ninja 'challenge' for our team ==> Ninja #2

Too bad they don't give bonus points for having books read by four different people :)

[Diane L]

Finished The Drowning House by Elizabeth Black, 268 pages, 7 Nov.

Author: B

[Barb]

11/8 - finished The Next Always, by Nora Roberts, 324 pages

Series #1

[Jane]

Finished How (Not) to Kiss a Gargoyle by Elizabeth A. Reeves 197 pages.

Series # 5

# Steven. Does all ebooks / Kindle editions have to be approved??

[Steven]

Only when you're unsure of the page count, Jane! :)

[Barb]

Jane wrote: "Does all ebooks / Kindle editions have to be approved??"

If there's no print version of a book listed on GR, I have the ebook approved, just to be sure :)

[Steven]

I finished Dead in the Family on 11/7 by Charlaine Harris and will put it in the C slot for authors.

I also finished Allegiant on 11/5 for the V slot for authors.

[Steven]

We can move my Hatshepsut's Collar to the book title post and get rid of the number series. Everyone seems to be liking the Authors better :D

[Jane]

I should be okay with the last one as Lisa Kay actually added the Kindle edition for me as there was only an ebook edition on GR.