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November Challenge
READ: 10/10
✔1. 'N' is for November - No Ghouls Allowed - Victoria Laurie 11/13
✔2. Happy Anniversary - The Fire Kimono - Laura Joh Rowland (pub Nov 2008) 11/14
✔3. Feature Author Challenge - Thirteen - Kelley Armstrong (author is Canadian) 11/10
✔4. Young Readers Day - North Pole Reform School - Jaimie Admans 11/23
✔5. Caregiver Appreciation Day - The Keeper of Lost Causes - Jussi Adler-Olsen (m.c./victim takes care of her handicapped brother) 11/19
✔6. Take A Hike Day - Floating Staircase - Ronald Malfi 11/3
✔7. Absurdity Day - The Ghoul Next Door - Victoria Laurie 11/1
✔8. All Our Uncles are Monkeys Day - Wolf with Benefits - Shelly Laurenston 11/7
✔9. Red Planet Day - Rogue with a Brogue - Suzanne Enoch (red dress on cover) 11/17
✔10. Reader's Choice - Rainshadow Road - Lisa Kleypas 11/20
CHALLENGE COMPLETE
Read the Month - November (Norwegian) READ: 8/8
✔N: North Pole Reform School - Jaimie Admans 11/23
✔O: One Snowy Knight - Deborah MacGillivray 11/25
✔V: The Ghoul Next Door - Victoria Laurie 11/1
✔E: Rogue with a Brogue - Suzanne Enoch 11/17
✔M: Rogues - George R.R. Martin et al 11/13
✔B: Beauty and the Werewolf - Mercedes Lackey 11/18
✔E: Deadly Lies - Cynthia Eden 11/27
✔R: The Fire Kimono - Laura Joh Rowland 11/14
CHALLENGE COMPLETE
November Word Hunt 12/15 FOUND
✔cream - The Dreaming: A Novel of Australia - Barbara Wood 11/5
(lemonade and cream puffs), p251
✔film - Ultimate Weapon - Shannon McKenna 11/19
(and seduce her on film), p76
✔helpless - The Dreaming: A Novel of Australia - Barbara Wood 11/5
(she would be helpless to prevent it), p72
✔regret - The Down Home Zombie Blues - Linnea Sinclair 11/5
(she nods knowingly. Regrets.), p59
✔repair - Town in a Lobster Stew - B.B. Haywood 11/6
(ask the carpenter who made the repairs), p98
✔rinse - Rainshadow Road - Lisa Kleypas 11/20
(to soap and rinse herself), p172
✔substance - Crash - Nicole Williams 11/11
(a green gelatin substance), p53
✔surround - The Fire Kimono - Laura Joh Rowland 11/14
(surround him, the Shogun ordered), p195
✔three - The Lazarus Gate - Mark A. Latham 11/9
(three harsh trills of a police whistle), p6
✔throat - The Ghoul Next Door - Victoria Laurie 11/1
(leave out the part about the throat slashing), p197
Bonus
ad hoc -
(), p
belligerent -
(), p
obsolete -
(), p
✔pedal - Sweet Revenge - Rebecca Zanetti 11/20
(he pressed harder on the gas pedal), loc 1301
✔squalid - The Lazarus Gate - Mark A. Latham 11/9
(kept in that squalid cell), p9
December Challenge
READ: 10/10
✔1. 'D' is for December: The Witch Is Dead - Shirley Damsgaard 12/16
✔2. Happy Anniversary!: Jason - Laurell K. Hamilton (Dec 2014) 12/29
✔3. Featured Author Challenge: Night and Day - Iris Johansen (yellow cover) 12/4
✔4. December 21- Winter Solstice- Bethany's Heart - C.L. Scholey (135 pages) 12/18
✔5. December 21- Crossword Puzzle Day- Cold Cold Heart - Tami Hoag (mystery) 12/3
✔6. December 19 -Look for an Evergreen Day- Alien in the Family - Gini Koch (green cover) 12/14
✔7. December 17- National Maple Syrup Day- The Rocky Road to Romance - Janet Evanovich (sweet romance) 12/25
✔8. December 10-Human Rights Day - Mad, Bad, and Dangerous in Plaid - Suzanne Enoch (2 people on cover) 12/2
✔9.December 31- Make Up Your Mind Day- Someone to Watch Over Me - Lisa Kleypas 12/11
✔10. Reader's Choice: The Current Between Us - Kindle Alexander 12/26
CHALLENGE COMPLETE
Read the Month - December (Norwegian) READ: 8/8
✔D: The Witch Is Dead - Shirley Damsgaard 12/16
✔E: Mad, Bad, and Dangerous in Plaid - Suzanne Enoch 12/2
✔S: Skin Game - Jim Butcher 12/8
✔E: The Rocky Road to Romance - Janet Evanovich 12/25
✔M: Magic Binds - Ilona Andrews 12/28
✔B: Bite Me - Shelly Laurenston 12/24
✔E: Web of Lies - Jennifer Estep 12/21
✔R: Restless Heart - Emma Lang 12/5
CHALLENGE COMPLETE
December Word Hunt 14/15 FOUND
✔add - Apprentice in Death - J.D. Robb 12/17
(I'll get a list of collectors to add to that), p28
✔bounce - Maximum Ride Forever - James Patterson 12/4
(and then I have to bounce), p216
✔deliver - One Moonlit Night - Samantha James 12/6
(lest he choose to deliver another disparaging remark), p61
✔horse - Mad, Bad, and Dangerous in Plaid - Suzanne Enoch 12/2
(the sounds of Lachlan and his horse faded), p85
✔kneel - Hangman - Michael Slade 12/9
(to kneel in prayer for Hadden), p4
✔needle - Night and Day - Iris Johansen 12/4
(I've been on pins and needles), p148
✔reduce - Crooked Kingdom - Leigh Bardugo 12/17
(reduce the swelling on his eye), p319
✔sip - Bethany's Heart - C.L. Scholey 12/18
(Finn sniffed at his then took a small sip), p24
✔thunder - One Moonlit Night - Samantha James 12/6
(the thunder was so fierce), p39
✔water - Hangman - Michael Slade 12/9
(sharks can smell blood in the water), p150
Bonus
✔dolls - Cold, Cold Heart - Tami Hoag 12/3
(her real life Ken and Barbie dolls), p317
phobic -
(), p
✔rot - Mad, Bad, and Dangerous in Plaid - Suzanne Enoch 12/2
(and left her there to rot), p307
✔steadfast - Skin Game - Jim Butcher 12/8
(faced a dangerous foe with steadfast courage), p17
✔vague - Mad, Bad, and Dangerous in Plaid - Suzanne Enoch 12/2
(that seemed vague enough), p78
Gotta check out romance book Give Me Love by Paige P. Horne. The Perfect Love series.
2016 Where Are You Reading 
READ: 50/50
✔Alabama ~ A Potion to Die For - Heather Blake 1/21
✔Alaska ~ Drowning Mermaids - Nadia Scrieva 3/12
✔Arizona ~ Nightwalker - Allyson James 6/26
✔Arkansas ~ Thirty and a Half Excuses - Denise Grover Swank 8/6
✔California ~ Saint Odd - Dean Koontz 1/17
✔Colorado ~ Cold Snap - Allison Brennan 7/30
✔Connecticut ~ The Penalty Box - Deidre Martin 2/21
✔Delaware ~ She'll Never Know - Hunter Morgan 11/23
✔District of Columbia ~ Love Me to Death - Allison Brennan 1/25
✔Florida ~ King - T.M. Frazier 6/21
✔Georgia ~ Pies and Prejudice - Ellery Adams 5/20
✔Hawaii ~ Night Marchers - Rebecca Gober 4/25
✔Idaho ~ All I Want - Jill Shalvis 1/12
✔Illinois ~ White Night - Jim Butcher 5/4
✔Indiana ~ Got Your Number - Stephanie Bond 4/5
✔Iowa ~ The Witch Is Dead - Shirley Damsgaard 12/16
✔Kansas ~ Edge of Midnight - Charlene Weir 10/19
✔Kentucky ~ The Care and Feeding of Stray Vampires - Molly Harper 1/26
✔Louisiana ~ Shadow Rites - Faith Hunter 5/10
✔Maine ~ Mother's Day Murder - Leslie Meier 4/30
✔Maryland ~ Floating Staircase - Ronald Malfi 11/3
✔Massachusetts ~ The Family Trade - Charles Stross 2/25
✔Michigan ~ A Vision of Murder - Victoria Laurie 6/26
✔Minnesota ~ The Bitter Season - Tami Hoag 4/4
✔Mississippi ~ Third Degree - Greg Iles 11/26
✔Missouri ~ All Wound Up - Jaci Burton 7/10
✔Montana ~ The Highway - C.J. Box 3/16
✔Nebraska ~ Revived - Cat Patrick 3/13
✔Nevada ~ Fired Up - Jayne Ann Krentz 4/13
✔New Hampshire ~ Sentenced to Death - Lorna Barrett 10/22
✔New Jersey ~ Under the Boardwalk - Carly Phillips 1/8
✔New Mexico ~ Eighth Grave After Dark - Darynda Jones 1/18
✔New York ~ Likely To Die - Linda Fairstein 3/23
✔North Carolina ~ An Ice Cold Grave - Charlaine Harris 2/10
✔North Dakota ~ Priceless - Shannon Mayer 12/27
✔Ohio ~ Hallowed Circle - Linda Robertson 3/26
✔Oklahoma ~ The Closer You Come - Gena Showalter 2/9
✔Oregon ~ Known - Kendra Elliot 8/6
✔Pennsylvania ~ Stamped Out - Terri Thayer 7/4
✔Rhode Island ~ A Confidential Source - Jan Brogan 11/24
✔South Carolina ~ Agnes and the Hitman - Jennifer Crusie 3/6
✔South Dakota ~ Go Big or Go Home - Will Hobbs 2/2
✔Tennessee ~ The Liar - Nora Roberts 1/13
✔Texas ~ Sweep in Peace - Ilona Andrews 3/13
✔Utah ~ Tutu Deadly - Natalie Roberts 12/12
✔Vermont ~ The Night Sister - Jennifer McMahon 1/13
✔Virginia ~ Big Stone Gap - Adriana Trigiani 2/16
✔Washington ~ Rainshadow Road - Lisa Kleypas 11/20
✔West Virginia ~ You Can Run... - Carlene Thompson 1/9
✔Wisconsin ~ Tall, Dark & Dead - Tate Hallaway 10/18
✔Wyoming ~ Restless Heart - Emma Lang 12/5
CHALLENGE COMPLETE
A Love Letter to Libraries Quarterly Challenge Duration: December 15, 2015 - March 14, 2016
READ: 35/37
✔1-The largest library in the world is The Library of Congress, with more than 158 million items on approximately 838 miles of bookshelves. The collections include more than 36 million books and other print materials, 3.5 million recordings, 13.7 million photographs, 5.5 million maps, 6.7 million pieces of sheet music and 69 million manuscripts.
-Read a large book (over 350 pages) or a book with book(s)s or any other reading material on the cover.
A Potion to Die For - Heather Blake 1/21
✔2- The smallest library in the world has appeared on the streets of New York City – and it has space for just one reader at a time.The bright yellow plastic structure houses 40 books and aims to help city-dwellers take a break from the pace of life in the metropolis by chilling out with a good story. The Little Free Library was designed by a pair of innovative architects using recycled materials to protect the books inside from the elements.
-Read a short book (under 150 pages) or a book with a yellow cover
Brighter Than the Sun - Darynda Jones (112 pages) 1/30
✔3-The highest library according to Guinness World Records is the library on the 60th floor of the JW Marriott Hotel at Tomorrow Square in Shanghai, China, is situated at 230.9 m (757 ft 6 in) above street level. Membership is available to members of the public and the 103 shelves in the library contains an ever-expanding collection of Chinese and English books. The library measures 57 m² (614 ft²). To walk to the library from the lobby would entail climbing around 1,435 steps.
-Read a book set in Asia or a book with stairs or a building on the cover.
Full Throttle - Julie Ann Walker 1/31
✔4- The world´s largest fine for an overdue library book is $345.14 (£203.29), the amount owed at two cents a day for the poetry book Days and Deeds checked out of Kewanee Public Library, Illinois, USA in April 1955 by Emily Canellos-Simms. Although the book was due back 19 April 1955, Emily found it in her mother´s house 47 years later and presented the library with a check for overdue fines.
-Read a book with 'poetry' on its main page or a book with the number 4 or 7 in the page count.
Heart of Iron - Bec McMasters (437 pages) 2/6
✔5-The most stolen library book is probably the Bible, followed by the Guinness World Records book.
-Read a book where religion plays a part in the story or a book with a character that does something special or unique or a book with a thief or where a robbery plays a part in the story
Eighth Grave After Dark - Darynda Jones 1/18
✔6-Academic librarians will answer 56.1 million reference questions each year- reaching almost 10 million more than attend college football games
-Read a book with a '?' in the title or a sports romance or a book with a librarian character
Melting the Ice - Jaci Burton 2/13
✔7-There are more public libraries than McDonald's in the U.S.- a total of 16,604 including branches
-Read a book with a chef,or someone who works in the food industry or a book with food on the cover
The Dirt on Ninth Grave - Darynda Jones (waitress) 2/12
✔8- Ben Franklin founded The Library Company of Philadelphia in 1731, the nation's first lending library
-Read a book you have borrowed (from a friend, library, Amazon Prime, etc.) or a book set in Pennsylvania
Dragon Justice - Laura Ann Gilman 2/21
✔9-1 in 3 public libraries across the U.S.A. have Facebook accounts
-Read a book with a face on the cover or a book that is #1 or #3 in a series
Love Me to Death - Allison Brennan 1/25
✔10-In ancient Egypt, all ships visiting the city were obliged to surrender their books to the library of Alexandria and be copied. The original would be kept in the library and the copy given back to the owner.
-Read a book set in Egypt, or a book set on a boat or a book with a boat on the cover
Dark Sapphire - Lisa Jackson 3/9
✔11-A high-ranking FBI agent filed a sensitive internal manual detailing the bureau’s secret interrogation procedures with the Library of Congress, where anyone with a library card can read it.
-Read a Romantic Suspense book or a book with a character who has a secret or a book with 'secret' or 'spy' in the title
You Can Run... - Carlene Thompson 1/9
✔12-There are libraries around the world where you can check-out humans as a living book and listen to their stories. There are 150 such libraries around the world.
-Listen to an audiobook or read a book with a lips or a mouth on the cover
The Care and Feeding of Stray Vampires - Molly Harper 1/26
✔13-Some German cities have public “art libraries” where you pay up to five Euros to borrow paintings and sculptures from local artists to put into your own home for several months.
-Read a book with a character who is artistic, or read a book with a colorful cover or a book with a house on the cover
Stud - Cheryl Brooks 3/2
✔14-When you get a book published in Norway, the Norwegian Government will buy 1000 copies of your book and distributes them throughout the libraries of the country.
-Read a book set in Norway or a book set in the publishing world or a book that has more than 1000 reviews on Goodreads
Big Stone Gap - Adriana Trigiani (2,222 reviews) 2/16
✔15- Haskell Free Library is built on the US/Canadian border. Exiting the library through the opposite entrance requires one to report to the country’s customs thereafter.
-Read a book set in Canada,or a book where a character travels or a book with a door on the cover
The Reluctant Vampire - Lynsay Sands 1/24
✔16- Some libraries allow you to check out seeds with the intention that you will replace the seeds when your crop is harvested.
-Read a book set on a farm or ranch, or a book with a farmer or rancher character, or a book with flowers on the cover
Dark Emerald - Lisa Jackson 2/27
✔17- The Harvard University library houses a collection of books bound in human skin.
-Read a pnr,or sci-fi,or horror,or a creepy book or a book with the word 'bound' or 'skin' in the title
The Night Sister - Jennifer McMahon 1/13
✔18-A 124,500 square foot abandoned Walmart in McAllen, Texas, has been turned into the largest single-floor public library in the United States.
-Read a book set in Texas, or a book with a character from Texas, or a book with a character that is single, or a book that is a stand-alone.
Push - Sapphire 1/8
✔19-Authors get paid every time UK or Irish libraries lend their books.
-Read a book set in the UK or Ireland or a book written by an author from the UK or Ireland or a book with a wealthy character.
Child of the Prophecy - Juliet Marillier (Ireland) 1/30
✔20-The Oakland Library in California maintains a “tool lending library” of 3500 tools to lend out to the community.
-Read a book with a blue collar worker (i.e. construction worker, house painter, delivery guy) or a book with a character that is a real 'tool' (i.e. obnoxious, arrogant, a liar).
The Liar - Nora Roberts 1/13
Bonus-
L ~ Library of Souls - Ransom Riggs 1/3
I ~ Into Thin Air - Cindy Miles 2/7
T ~ Tithe - Holly Black 1/7
T ~ The Thackery T. Lambshead Cabinet of Curiosities - Ann & Jeff Vandermeer 1/22
L ~ Lost Highlander - Cassidy Cayman 1/16
E ~
F ~ Forsaken - Jacquelyn Frank 2/14
R ~ The Great Zoo of China - Matthew Reilly 1/2
E ~ Ecstasy Bound - Ruth Kerce 2/27
E ~
L ~ Terminal City - Linda Fairstein 2/16
I ~ Iron & Velvet - Alexis Hall 2/5
B ~ Backlash - D.L. Thomas 1/15
R ~ Beauty's Kingdom - A.N. Roquelaure 1/4
A ~ All I Want - Jill Shalvis 1/12
R ~ Rapture - J.R. Ward 2/28
Y ~ The Young Elites - Marie Lu 1/11
A Tribute Challenge Quarterly Challenge READ: 10/10
✔1. Read a debut book by an author or a book where a character begins something new (i.e. a new job, a new marriage, a geographical move)
Night Marchers - Rebecca Gober (m.c. moves to Hawaii) 4/25✔2. Read a book with flower(s) on the cover or a book with a flower name in the title or character name (i.e. rose, daisy)
England's Perfect Hero - Suzanne Enoch 3/18✔3. Read a book with something that flies or has wings on the cover or a book with a character who is a singer or pilot
The Wild Ways - Tanya Huff (heroine is a singer in a band) 4/7✔4. Read a book with a dress, or lips or has several colors on the cover
How to Capture a Countess - Karen Hawkins 3/20✔5. Read a book set in Italy or has an Italian/Italian descent character or author or a book with the author's first or last name beginning with 'E' or 'U'.
Pies and Prejudice - Ellery Adams 5/20✔6. Read a bookset in the U.K. or has a British character or author or a book with red, blue and/or white on the cover.
My Lady Quicksilver - Bec McMaster (London) 3/17✔7. Read a book set in the U.S.A. or has an American character or author or a book with star(s) on the cover.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms - George R.R. Martin 3/19✔8. Read a book by an author who has a best-seller or popular title or read a new release you feel may become a best-seller/popular or read a book with 10,000 or more Goodreads reviews.
Depraved Heart - Patricia Cornwell 3/21✔9. Read a book that has won an award (of any kind) or a book with the one of the following words in the title- 'prize', 'award', 'trophy', 'win' , 'gold', 'silver'
The Ocean at the End of the Lane - Neil Gaiman ( Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel (2014),) 4/7✔10. Read a book with the genre Mystery, Historical, Romance or YA listed for it
Invisible Sun - David Macinnis Gill 3/28CHALLENGE COMPLETE
Let’s go to the Olympics! Challenge Duration: June 15 - September 14 , 2016
READ: 25/25
The Games (5 books)
✔Summer: Stalked - Allison Brennan (during summer) 6/30
✔Winter: Cold Snap - Allison Brennan (during winter/blizzard) 7/30
✔Paralympics: Read a book with a character who suffers from some sort of illness or disability (physical or mental), or other physical defect (scars, injury, etc.)
Edge of Sight - Roxanne St. Claire (hero is missing an eye) 9/9
✔Youth Games: Ink and Bone - Rachel Caine (YA) 7/25
✔Ancient Games: Last to Die - Tess Gerritsen (m.c.'s are in their 40s) 6/24
Countries (10 books)
✔Greece (GRE): The Darkest Torment - Gena Showalter (GRE in author) 6/17
✔Brazil (BRA): All Wound Up - Jaci Burton (BRA in author) 7/10
✔Switzerland (SUI): A Vision of Murder - Victoria Laurie (SUI in title) 6/26
✔United States (USA) - 7 Brides for 7 Bodies - Stephanie Bond (Georgia) 6/25
✔France (FRA) - Born of Defiance - Sherrilyn Kenyon (FRA in title) 7/28
✔Japan (JPN) - Tempt Me If You Can - Janet Chapman (JPN in author) 7/4
✔Great Britain (GBR) - Stiletto - Daniel O'Malley (England) 7/14
✔Canada (CAN) - The Immortal Who Loved Me - Lynsay Sands 7/11
✔Italy (ITA) - The Pirate Bride - Sandra Hill (ITA in title) 7/23
✔Germany (GER) - League of Dragons - Naomi Novik (set in Berlin, Germany) 6/20
Colors and Symbols (10 books)
The colors on the Olympic Flag:
✔Blue: The Prince Who Loved Me - Karin Hawkins 6/25
✔Black: Time Salvager - Wesley Chu 7/15
✔Red: Seduction's Shift - A.C. Arthur 7/28
✔Yellow: Stolen - Allison Brennan 7/20
✔Green: Holiday on Ice - Jaci Burton 8/31
✔White: Frostbitten - Kelley Armstrong 7/8
✔Olympic Rings: Ghouls Gone Wild - Victoria Laurie (circle on cover) 7/7
✔Torch/Flame: Stamped Out - Terri Thayer (fire on cover) 7/4
✔Medals: Coraline - Neil Gaiman (Bram Stoker Award 2002) 7/6
✔Olympic Motto "Faster, Higher, Stronger": Born of Fury - Sherrilyn Kenyon (704 pages) 7/15
✔Bonus:
The following sports are currently included in either the Summer or Winter Olympic Games:
Alpine Skiing, Aquatics, Archery, Athletics (Track & Field), Badminton, Basketball, Biathlon, Bobsleigh, Boxing, Canoeing, Cross-Country Skiing, Curling, Cycling, Equestrian, Fencing, Field Hockey, Figure Skating, Football (Soccer), Freestyle Skiing, Golf, Gymnastics, Handball, Ice Hockey, Judo, Luge, Modern Pentathlon, Nordic Combined, Rowing, Rugby, Sailing, Shooting, Short Track Speed Skating, Skeleton, Ski Jumping, Snowboarding, Speed Skating, Table Tennis, Triathlon, Volleyball, Weightlifting, Wrestling
Read one (or more) book in which a MC participates in one of the Olympic sports.
Poison Princess - Kresley Cole (archery) 7/31
CHALLENGE COMPLETE
Romance Readers Reading Challenges
Books mentioned in this topic
One Moonlit Night (other topics)Maximum Ride Forever (other topics)
Apprentice in Death (other topics)
Mad, Bad, and Dangerous in Plaid (other topics)
Hangman (other topics)
More...
14/15 FOUND
✔alert - Mister X - John Lutz 10/3
(his eyes were fogged but alert), 384
✔degree - The Aeronaut's Windlass - Jim Butcher 10/1
(to a degree Benedict allowed), p66
✔embarrass - Bear Meets Girl - Shelly Laurenston 10/5
(find another way to publicly embarass me), p57
✔frighten - A Dance With Dragons - George R.R. Martin 10/10
(you think you can frighten Ironborn with words), p261
melodic -
(), p
✔question - Mister X - John Lutz 10/3
(she didn't bother answering his inane question), p253
✔royal - A Dance With Dragons - George R.R. Martin 10/10
(begging your royal pardon), p404
✔sail - The Aeronaut's Windlass - Jim Butcher 10/1
(wind powered sails are efficient), p565
✔tremendous - What a Ghoul Wants - Victoria Laurie 10/8
(heard another tremendous crash), p20
✔visit - Mister X - John Lutz 10/3
(come from an earlier visit), p240
Bonus Words ~ EXACT
✔earsplitting - The Aeronaut's Windlass - Jim Butcher 10/1
(the warrior let out an earsplitting yowl), p432
✔elastic - Fighting to Forget - J.D. Salisbury 10/12
(my attention snaps to the elastic band), p58
✔quirky - Rocked by Love - Christine Warren 10/16
(the merchandise may be quirky), p62
✔steadfast - Spider's Bite - Jennifer Estep 10/25
(steadfast black stare), p164
✔twist - Hearts in Darkness - Laura Kaye 10/2
(need led him to twist his fingers in her hair), p70