The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion
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SUMMER CHALLENGE 2018
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Completed Tasks: PLEASE DO NOT DELETE ANY POST IN THIS THREAD

Rainbow Valley
Rainbow has 7 letters
IL: MG - BL: 7.6 - AR Pts: 14.0
*** One Golden Oldie ticket claimed - published in 1919
Total points: 200

Henry VI, Part 1 by William Shakespeare
*** One Golden Oldie ticket claimed - published in 1590
Total Golden Oldie tickets: 4
Total points: 210

30.2 - Booklover's Task
Option 2. I read The Immortalists (written in English, from the Indo-European family) and The Travelling Cat Chronicles (originally written in Japanese, from the Japonic family).
Points: 30
Big Book: No
Golden Oldie: No
==================
Total points and stats for the Summer Challenge
Books: 21
Points: 310
Big Book: 5
Golden Oldie: 0

The Assassin of Verona (William Shakespeare Thriller #2) by Benet Brandreth
25.1 Andy P’s Task: Remembering Sue Grafton
Book 1. Read a book in which the author’s initials can be found in SUEGRAFTON.
Who Fears Death (Who Fears Death #1) by Nnedi Okorafor
author's initials, NO, found in suegraftON
420 pages
Book 2. Read a book whose title does NOT contain any of the letters in the phrase ONLY NO Z (LNOYZ).
Save the Date by Morgan Matson
417 pages
Total pages read: 837
50.1 - Julia103's Task: Do Re Mi
Book 1: Read a book where the first word of the title starts with one of the solfege syllables: RE
Real Crime Island Time: The Dark Side of Rarotonga's Cook Islands Paradise by Rod Henderson
236 pages
Book 2: Read a book whose title/subtitle includes one of following words used in the song: ME
Me and You by Niccolò Ammaniti
192 pages
Book 3: Read a book where the author's first name matches one of the Von Trapp children or the English equivalent given in parentheses: Liesl (Lisa)
Go-Between by Lisa Brackmann
384 pages
Total pages read: 812
Total this Post: 90
Golden Oldies:
Bigger is Better: 9
Season Total: 645

10.4 Wonder woman
Book by a female author whose first and last initials can be found in woNder womaN
Tongues of Serpents by Naomi Novik
50.1 Do-Re-Me
Book 1 – book with title beginning FA
Falling Man I read a kindle edition.
The MMPB edition Falling Man has 336 pages.
Book 2 – Book with the word ME in the title
You & Me 208 pages
Book 3 – Book by an author whose first name is Martha
The Cloud Roads by Martha Wells 278 pages
Total pages 822
This post 60 points
Total to date 605 points

20.2 - Rookie at the Top - Ashlea's Task: A Few of my Favorite Things
Help Thread
Since this is my first challenge I decided to give you guys a little something about myself, so you can get to know me. So here are some of my favorite things that I enjoy in my life. More like my obsessions.
Please pick a favorite from below and read a book that fits one of the option’s requirements. Your book must have at least 200 pages. REQUIRED: Include in your post the option that you chose.
Books with the MPGs "Sequential Art", "Comics", "Comic Book", and "Manga" are allowed for this task.
1. Video Games. I love to play video games. Console games, PC games. It doesn't matter. I love gaming.
B.) Read a book by a single author, where the author's initials can be found in the words VIDEO GAMES. Letters can only be used as many times as they appear. Middle initials can be ignored. Space determines names.

20.3 - Best Review - TrishhartUK's Task: Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of The War of the Worlds
Help Thread
Okay, so a slight stretch for this season’s theme, but I have seen it on stage, and it does have “musical” in the title! This classic prog rock concept album is one of my all-time favourites. The original recording was released forty years ago, in June 1978, and is one of the top-50 best-selling UK albums of all time. Read one book from one of the following options. REQUIRED: State the option you chose.
Option 3: In 2006, Jeff Wayne took “The War of the Worlds” on tour for the first time, with a projection of Richard Burton as the Journalist. I was lucky enough to see it at Wembley Arena, and it was quite a sight, especially the 35ft tall Martian tripod. Its mix of rock and classical music is played live by, respectively, the Black Smoke Band and the ULLAdubULLA orchestra.
Read a book where the initial letters of all the words in the title (but not the subtitle, and including articles, but ignoring numbers written as numbers) can be found in EITHER BLACK SMOKE BAND or ULLADUBULLA ORCHESTRA (but not a combination of both). The title must have at least 3 words.

20.5 - Bigger is Better - Perletwo's Task: If Not For Bad Luck...
Help Thread
July 2018 includes one of the unluckiest days on the calendar: Friday the 13th. Fridays have been considered unlucky since ancient times, and the number 13's bad-luck rep supposedly dates back to the Last Supper, which had 13 at the table - 12 of them faithful, and one a traitor.
This is a one-book task. Choose a book to fit one of these options. REQUIRED: state which option you choose when you post the task.
1. In honor of the unlucky number, read a book that is number 1, 3, or 13 in a series. Its series placement should be listed on the book's Goodreads main page.

20.6 Seasoned Reader – Balletbookworm’s task: Ballet Slippers and Books
Help Thread
This is my first time designing an SRC task and I’m so excited that it happened during this season! If you haven’t already guessed from my SRC board name, I love dance and I love books. I read far more than I dance these days (my knees and back are decades older than the rest of me at this point) but I still give myself a little ballet barre in the kitchen to scratch that dancing itch.
Choose one of the following options and read one book that fits the parameters. Required: State the option you chose. Books with the genres "Sequential Art", "Comics", "Comic Book", and "Manga," etc. are allowed for this task.
Option 1: Cherie’s Dance Studio
My parents enrolled me in my first dance class at age 3 – a little stomping around in tap shoes, flitting around in soft ballet slippers…I was hooked! My very first teacher was Cherie, the studio owner, and I took lessons from her until I was in college. Cherie not only gave me a solid dance foundation, she gave me my first job.
In honor of Cherie’s 75th birthday – she’s still teaching and her studio is in its 47th year of operation – read a book written by a single author whose initials are found in CHERIE CHITTENDEN. ALL initials count. Letters may be used only as often as they occur.

30.8 - Sandy's Task: June is a Busy Month!
Help Thread
Two of my children and my grandson have June birthdays - and my new granddaughter is expected in June as well! So, I decided to build this task around them.
Read two books, from different options below. No books with the main page genre Children or Kids may be used. Your two books must have a total of at least 600 pages.
A. My oldest daughter will be a first time mother in June. Read a book from one of the following lists: Novels About Motherhood or Most Influential Parenting Books.
REQUIRED: Include in your post the name of the list used and the page on which your book is found.
Novels about Motherhood Page 1

C. My grandson will be 2 in June. Read a book by a male author that has a 2 in the series number - 2, 12, 21, 22, etc. in a series.

Points 90
points this post 110
total points 200

Option 1: For this option choose a book from this list.
Karen Memory (Karen Memory #1) by Elizabeth Bear
JennRenee's Shelf
Option 2: a) Cozy Mystery: Read a book with a single author whose initials can be found in COZY MYSTERY.
The Ghost Bride by Yangsze Choo
author's initials, YC, found in CozY
Total this Post: 30
Golden Oldies:
Bigger is Better: 9
Season Total: 675

Option 4: Read a book whose title begins with any of the letters H, O, M, E or S.
Book read: Embracing the Knight
How it fits: Title starts with E.
Pages: 242
Option 5: Read a book set entirely (“Pure”-ly) in the state of Michigan.
Book read: Weil ich Will liebe
How it fits: Set entirely in Michigan
Pages: 287
Total Pages: 529
**************************
Total points: 885
Books read: 69
Tasks completed: 52
BB Tickets: 6
GO Tickets: 8

Option 1-B: Captivated by You by Sylvia Day

repost
20.6 Seasoned Reader – Balletbookworm’s task: Ballet Slippers and Books
Option 1: Ghost of a Chance by Cate Dean
Approved for length in eBook Verification thread post #6972
This post: 20 points
Total points: 685
BB: 10
GO: 1
Tasks completed: 33
Books read; 47

10.5 - The Globe- Read a book with SHAKESPEARE found intact in the author's name or in the book's title/subtile or series title.
Shakespeare's Landlord by Charlaine Harris
task=10
total=370
tasks completed=17
books completed=24
GO=5
BB=0

OPTION 1: Read a book written by a single author whose initials are found in CHERIE CHITTENDEN.
Washington Black by Esi Edugyan
Points this post: 20
TOTAL POINTS: 270
Golden Oldies: 3
Big Book Tickets: 1 (500+); - (750+)
Total tasks completed: 14
Total books read: 16

30.2 Booklover's Task: Contrasts
Option 1 - Now and Then. Read two books published one hundred years apart.
His Last Bow, Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle
Golden Oldie: First published in 1917
The Way The Rhubarb Crumbles, John Bayer
Read the kindle edition. PB reference link (now with page count!) here
First published in 2017
Points this Task: 30
Books Read: 2
Golden Oldie: 1 – His Last Bow was first published in 1917
Big Book: No
Total Points: 370
Tasks Completed: 20
Golden Oldies: 1
Big Book tickets: 0

25.4 2018 FIFA World Cup
Option 1: Read a book with a main page genre of sports. Genre may be standalone or embedded.
The Other Side of the Medal by Andreea Răducan
* Main genre shows here: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
It's about a Romanian gymnast and her participation in 2000 Olympics.
Option 4: I've been watching World Cups since 2002 and last time (in 2014) my favourite team (Germany) has finally won. Some of the major persons in the German team were:
Joachim Löw - head coach
Philipp Lahm - team captain
Manuel Neuer - Golden Glove award winner for being the best goalkeeper in the tournament
Miroslav Klose - top goalscorer in the history of the FIFA World Cup
Mario Götze - scored the winning goal in the final game against Argentina.
Read a book by a single author who shares his/her first and last initials with one of these persons. Middle initials should be ignored.
The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton
* Initials KM, like Miroslav Klose
* 500+ big book ticket, my book has 552 pages: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6...
Points this post: 25
Books claimed this post: 2
Total Points: 150
Tasks completed: 7
Tasks in progress: 3
Books read: 15
Big Book tickets: (500+) 1
Golden Oldies tickets: 0
Total pages read: 5,407

10.8 - The World's Oldest
The Teatro Olimpico was built on March 3, 1585 and is now the oldest surviving enclosed theatre in the world. Read a book that was first published in March of any year or in any month of a year that contains at least 2 of the following numbers: 1, 3, 5, 8.
The Bonfire of the Vanities by Tom Wolfe
The Bonfire of the Vanities was first published in 1987.
I read the Kindle edition. The MMPB here has 690 pages.
**The Bonfire of the Vanities is a Big Book (690 pages). Claiming 1 BB ticket.**
Points this post: 10
Total points: 705

15.9 - O Canada
Read a book that was a finalist for the Canada Reads award in any year.
The Break
Book was a Canada Reads finalist in 2017
20.2 - Rookie at the Top - Ashlea's Task: A Few of my Favorite Things
Read a book by a single author, where the author's initials can be found in the words VIDEO GAMES.
The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
VIDEO GAMES
Points this post: 35
Total Points: 115

Option 3: Paris by the Book by Liam Callanan
Mystery is a main page genre
Total Points = 170

10.9 - A Look Back
Most Popular Books Published In June 2017: Page 1)
The Alice Network by Kate Quinn
Total Points = 180

20.6 Seasoned Reader – Balletbookworm’s task: Ballet Slippers and Books
Option 3
“A Case of the Knee-zles”
In his memory, read a book FIRST published between 1940 and 2005 (years inclusive) AND set at least 50% in England. REQUIRED: if the setting is not obvious from the Goodreads description or metadata, please provide a reference.
Under Orders

How it fits: first published 2005 and set completely in England (as the complete series is). The description of the book on GR tells us the start is a murder on the Cheltenham Gold Cup day, set in England.
For more extensive info https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_...
POints in this post:20 points
Total points: 655 points
1 GO ticket
2 BB ticket

20.1 Most Improved Player - Witchygal’s task: Around the world with theatre
Option 4: Travelling through literature
For this task choose a letter from your readerboard name and read a book set at least 50% in a country that begins with that letter.

How it fits: I choose the E out of Dulcinella and took Egypt as country. The book is set in Egypt.
Points in this post:20 points
Total points: 675 points
1 GO ticket
2 BB ticket

5.4 - Cats
Memory
This post: 5 points
Total points: 690
BB: 10
GO: 1
Tasks completed: 34
Books read; 48

25.6 - Diane Whitney's: Pure Michigan!
Option 4 - I read My Absolute Darling by Gabriel Tallent. It starts with an M, as in HOMES.
Option 5- I read Broken Monsters by Lauren Beukes. This book takes place entirely in the city of Detroit.
Points this post: 25
Total Points; 155

Task 5.10 Beauty and the Beast Read any book
In Our Mad and Furious City by Guy Gunaratne
Points 5
Total points 195

Task # 20.4 - Golden Oldies - Heather's Task: A few of my favorite bookish websites
Option 2. Read a book whose author's initials can be found in either BOOK RIOT or THE MILLIONS
The Nine-Tailed Fox by Martin Limón THE MILLIONS
Points this post: 20
Total points: 970

Task # 20.9 - Moderators' Pet - E Murphy's Task: The Dog Days of Summer
Option 3: Read a book with a main page genre of Mystery.
The Dry by Jane Harper
Mystery on mp (1614 users)
Points this post: 20
Points this post: 20
Total points: 990

Task # 5.10 - Beauty and the Beast
Stick your nose in a book of your choice
Coffee with Shakespeare by Stanley Wells
Points this post: 5
Total points: 995

10.4 Wonder Woman: The Westing Game
Female author Ellen Raskin’s first & last initials in WOND ER WOMAN
Due to “Children’s” MPG, here is AR Data: IL: MG - BL: 5.3 - AR Pts: 8.0
✂- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Message 2472
Current Post: Points: 10
Total: Points: 370 GO: - BB: 2
Tasks: 5.1,5.5, 10.1,10.3,10.4,10.7-10.8, 15.4,15.10, all 20s, 30.2 and 50.1, using 23 books.

20.4- A Few Of My Favorite Bookish Websites
Option 2: Bookish News
Read a book whose author's initials can be found in either BOOK RIOT or THE MILLIONS.
Give a Boy a Gun by Todd Strasser
Points This Post: 20
Total Points: 220

20.4 - Golden Oldies
For option 1, i read Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning. I used Charlaine Harris in the Literature Map to find this author I've never read (or even heard of) before.
Points this post: 20
Total Points: 375
Big Book tickets: 5
Golden Oldies tickets: 3

10.2 - Let's Dance
Dancing at the Edge of the World: Thoughts on Words, Women, Places
Points this post: 10
Books this post: 1
Totals
Points: 200
BB:1
GO:0
Total Task completed: 20
Total Books read: 20

5.3 - The Lion King
The Dog Stars (page 4 - #301)
5.4 - Cats
A Memory of Violets: A Novel of London's Flower Sellers
5.5 - Les Misérables
The Fallen by David Baldacci (David Burt)
5.7 - Wicked
Sea Hearts (page 16 - #1565)
5.9 - Mamma Mia!
Anatomy of a Scandal
Points this post: 25
Total points: 250

Help Thread
Relentless policeman Javert pursues escaped convict Jean Valjean over decades through the tumult of revolutionary France.
Read a book written by a single author who shares a name with one of the performers in the original French Or London stage productions Original Casts (first 2 columns only)- the names are listed in post 2.
Names must match exactly, but may appear in any name position.
Ex. Boy Wonder: My Life in Tights by Burt Ward from David Burt
Required: State the performer's name.
I read Born Trump: Inside America’s First Family by Emily Jane Fox. She shares a name with the actress Susan Jane Tanner who was in the Original London cast. (They share the middle name Jane.)
points: 280
books read: 22
tasks completed: 18
tasks in progress: 1
Big Books: 2
pages read: 7611

20.4 - Golden Oldies - Heather's Task: A few of my favorite bookish websites
This is a one book Task.
Choose one of the Options below. REQUIRED: State in your post the option that you chose.
Option 1: Literature-Map
For this option, choose one of your favorite authors.
Go to the Literature Map website and type in the name of the author you have chosen. The Website will display other authors who are similar. The closer the name is to the center, the more similar it will be. Read a book written by one of the similar authors displayed. This author should be new to you.Your book must be solely authored and not co-written or part of an anthology.
REQUIRED: Include in your post the name of your favorite author that you started with and that you have not previously read anything by the new author you found on the literature map.
The Promise of Stardust by Priscille Sibley
I started with Taylor Jenkins Reid and picked Priscille Sibley. Priscille Sibley is a new-to-me author.
I listened to the audiobook and have linked the PB for page count.
50.1 - Julia103's Task: Do Re Mi
This is a 3 book task. The three books must have a combined page total of at least 750 pages. No books with the main page genre childrens or kids may be used.
Book 1: Read a book where the first word of the title starts with one of the solfege syllables: DO, RE, MI, FA, SOL, LA or TI. All words count.
Double Cross by James Patterson - 308 pages
I listened to the audiobook and have linked the MMPB for page count.
Book 2: Read a book whose title/subtitle includes one of following words used in the song:
DOE, RAY, ME, FAR, SEW, LA, or TEA
The word must match exactly, and must stand alone.
Bring Me Back by B.A. Paris - 291 pages
Book 3: Read a book where the author's first name matches one of the Von Trapp children or the English equivalent given in parentheses.
Liesl (Lisa)
Friedrich (Frederick)
Louisa (Louise)
Kurt (Curt)
Brigitta (Bridget)
Marta (Martha)
Gretl (Gretel or Greta)
Mistaken Identity by Lisa Scottoline - 504 pages
I listened to the audiobook and have linked the PB for page count.
******I claim 1 BB ticket for Mistaken Identity - 504 pages******
308 +291 + 504 = 1,103 pages
~~~~~~~~
Points This Post: 70
Total Points: 405/995
Tasks Completed: 23/57
GO: 2
BB: 8

Option 1 The Art of Fielding has Mpg sports
Option 4 Dead Aim by Joe R. Lansdale
Total 25+860= 885
3 GO Ticket
2 BB ( Just recording for personal interest now, not actual tickets)

5.7 - Wicked
Read a book from this list of The Best Fairytales and Retellings
The Vixen and the Vet by Katy Regnery (found on p. 13)
POINTS:
Points This Post: 5
Points Total: 400
Big Books: 500(0) 750(0) 1000()
Golden Oldies: 0
Tasks Completed: 26

5.10 - Beauty and the Beast
Celebrate Belle and stick your nose in a book of your choice.
The Night Wanderer by Drew Hayden Taylor
[POINTS]
This Post: 5
Total Points: 300
Books Read: 20
Completed Tasks: 16

5.8 Oh! Calcutta!
Read a book with an exclamation point or question mark in the title or subtitle.
Is it Still Murder Even if She Was a Bitch?, Robin Leemann Donovan
Read the kindle edition. PB reference link here.
Points this Task: 5
Books Read: 1
Golden Oldie/Big Book: No
Total Points: 375
Tasks Completed: 21
Golden Oldies: 1
Big Book tickets: 0

Celebrate Belle and stick your nose in a book of your choice.
The Stolen Ones by Richard Montanari
Points this post: 5
Total points: 290
Big Book Tickets: 3
Golden Oldies Tickets: 0
Tasks Completed: 20
Books Read: 25

Book 1
Read a book from the list The Book Was Better Than the Movie
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Found on page 1!
Book 2
read a book from the list The Movie was Better Than the Book
Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton
Also on page 1!
Points this post: 15
Total points: 305
Big Book Tickets: 3
Golden Oldies Tickets: 0
Tasks Completed: 21
Books Read: 27

I chose option 2.
Option 2: Bookish News
For this option read a book whose author's initials can be found in either BOOK RIOT or THE MILLIONS
Lord Mouse by Mason Thomas
Points this post: 20
Total points: 325
Big Book Tickets: 3
Golden Oldies Tickets: 0
Tasks Completed: 22
Books Read: 28

I chose option B.
Option B: Air Conditioning
Read a book by a single author whose initials can be found in the phrase AIR CONDITIONING.
The Mystery of the Blue Train by Agatha Christie
The Mystery of the Blue Train was first published in 1928 and so qualifies for one Golden Oldie ticket
Points this post: 20
Total points: 345
Big Book Tickets: 3
Golden Oldies Tickets: 1
Tasks Completed: 23
Books Read: 29

I chose option 1
Option 1: Dog Days
Read a book with a title/subtitle that has two words that start with the letter “D”
A Duke by Default by Alyssa Cole
Points this post: 20
Total points: 365
Big Book Tickets: 3
Golden Oldies Tickets: 1
Tasks Completed: 24
Books Read: 30

Book 1
Read a book written by a single author with first and last name initials that match the adenine-thymine pair initials AT or TA or the cytosine-guanine initials CG or GC.
The Scent of Death by Andrew Taylor
Book 2
Read a book with consecutive words in the TITLE that begin with the adenine-thymine pair initials AT or TA or the cytosine-guanine initials CG or GC.
More Than a Duke by Christi Caldwell
Points this post: 30
Total points: 395
Big Book Tickets: 3
Golden Oldies Tickets: 1
Tasks Completed: 25
Books Read: 32

I chose options C and D
c.
Read a book by a male author that has a 2 in the series number - 2, 12, 21, 22, etc. in a series.
A Fever of the Blood by Oscar de Muriel
424 pages.
D.
Read a book by a female author whose initials are found in the word WHIMSICAL.
Pirate Women: The Princesses, Prostitutes, and Privateers Who Ruled the Seven Seas by Laura Sook Duncombe
255 pages
424 + 255 = 679
Points this post: 30
Total points: 425
Big Book Tickets: 3
Golden Oldies Tickets: 1
Tasks Completed: 26
Books Read: 34

I chose options 3 and 4.
Option 3 - The Motor City
Read a book that is #3 in a series.
A Mask of Shadows by Oscar de Muriel
496 pages
Option 4 - The Great Lakes
Read a book whose title begins with any of the letters H, O, M, E or S.
Hell's Heroes by Darren Shan
256 pages
496 + 256 = 752
Points this post: 25
Total points: 450
Big Book Tickets: 3
Golden Oldies Tickets: 1
Tasks Completed: 27
Books Read: 36

10.5 - The Globe
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Shakespeare's Plays
This post: 10 points
Total points: 700
BB: 10
GO: 1
Tasks completed: 35
Books read; 49
This topic has been frozen by the moderator. No new comments can be posted.
Books mentioned in this topic
Dark Matter (other topics)Dark Matter (other topics)
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Shakespeare: The World as Stage (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Blake Crouch (other topics)Harold Schechter (other topics)
Kate Carlisle (other topics)
Charlotte Brontë (other topics)
Rainbow Rowell (other topics)
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10.6 - Radio City Music Hall
Read a book written by an author whose first and last initials can be found sequentially in the word ROCKETTES (i.e., RO, OC, CK, etc.). Initials may also be used in reverse order (i.e., OR, CO, KC, etc.) and can wrap around the end of the word (i.e., SR or RS).
Buying the Farm by Kimberly Conn
Points this Post: 10
Total Points: 525