Romance Readers Reading Challenges discussion
Archive - Pass The Parcel
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Pass The Parcel : Round 3 - WE'RE OFF & RUNNING
This is a team challenge to encourage members to meet new friends and find new books.PLEASE READ EVERY LINE OF THESE INSTRUCTIONS - there are a few minor adjustments for this round.
I will be referring members back to this post if you ask me something already outlined here!
For this challenge we will have teams of 6 or 7 players. The group will nominate a team captain who will track the completion of books for the group and ensure compliance to the rules. Groups will be allocated out before the reading starts. This will be done randomly by me :)
Members signing up need to be prepared TO READ ROUGHLY ONE BOOK EACH WEEK.
Each week a theme will be randomly selected from the list posted in msg 4. This theme will be posted in the Discussion/Q&A thread between 6pm and 9pm US EST each Friday.
Each member in the group has the following options:
1. Read a book that matches the theme (the parcel)
OR
2. Select a book from the 'READ' list of a team-mate that they read in the last 6 months AND that the team-mate rated at least 3 stars. (This essentially passing on a recommendation ;)
If the book is in a series but does not match where you are up to, you may read another book from that same series.
If this option is selected, there is a new format for the selection post that needs to be followed.
OR
3. 'Pass' on reading a book that week.
BUT each team member can only select #3 once each 5 (five) weeks. AND each team may only have ONE person 'passing' for the round each week. It is up to the team as to how they manage a 'pass'. (Yes - this means that one or two team-mates per group can't claim a pass in a 5 week block.)
Each team member must post their selection (option 1, 2 or 3) in the week that the theme is announced. You can only change you book selection in this initial week. So choose carefully :)
Each team member must return to their team thread and post a short review of the book that they read. This review should be enough to indicate that the member DID read the book. A couple of sentences is sufficient. "I liked it" is not.
Key information is required in both the selection and completion posts. This key information will be posted in each team thread's opening posts to help compliance :) You and your Captain cannot claim to have completed your book until the post holds all the required information.
This challenge will run for 11 weeks. The winning team is the one that completes the challenge first; they win bragging rights :) No-one can use the 'pass' option in the last week of the challenge.
Rules:
* Each team member MUST post their selected book into their team thread each week or risk being removed from the challenge. It isn't fair on your team-mates if you are not committed to participant each week.
* You MUST post your selected book in the week of the announced category. If you miss selecting your book (or pass) in that week, you risk removal from the challenge. I will need a good reason to NOT REMOVE YOU. You can only change your nominated theme book in the week that the theme is announced. You CANNOT change your book once a new theme is announced.
* '5 weeks' will be counted in blocks of five, with a new count starting in week 6.
* No-one can use the 'pass' option in the last week of the challenge.
* To qualify for a theme, the book's eligibility must be apparent in the title or the goodreads summary (anywhere on the book's goodreads page will count), or must appear on another GR member's shelves appropriately and transparently entitled. The source of the eligibility must be specified at the time of the book selection. Refer to the Q&A thread for more clarification on this rule.
* You can change your nominated book only during the week that it's theme is called.
* Books must be at least 100 pages in length.
* Anthologies and bundled books are fine, but you must read the full set.
* You must quote the page numbers for your selected book each week. Please quote the goodreads page numbers (any edition of the book is fine).
Important!!! If a team member falls behind by more than 2 books then they WILL be removed from the challenge. The team who loses that member will continue with the lower number of team-mates. This rule is to ensure that ALL participants are committed to their team and the challenge.
NEW:
In the last week of the challenge, Option 2 will be altered. Book selections under option 2 will have to be taken from a different team's members' bookshelves. I will allocate the teams out on posting the final theme (week 11).
For example (and this allocation will be randomly done on the day of the last theme call)
Option 2 for Team 1 must come from the bookshelves of Team 4.
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For those of you who didn't play this growing up, a 'parcel' is passed from one person to another. ...When setting this game up, a prize (or 'gift') is wrapped in a large number of layers of wrapping paper. Smaller prizes may be placed between some or all other layers of wrapping.
During the game, music is played as the parcel is passed around. Whoever is holding the parcel when the music stops removes one layer of wrapping and claims any prize found under that layer. The music is then restarted and the game continues until every layer is removed and the main prize claimed.
This is the RRRC version of the game with a few more options and rules than we may remember from our childhood ;)
Key selection and completion post information. You must have ALL elements in your book posts.For the initial selection post Option 1 I need:
Week #
Bookcover/link
Page numbers
How the book qualifies - please insert a link to the qualifying bookshelf/list.
If the theme is based off the bookcover or a letter in the title etc, please just repeat the theme.
For the initial selection post Option 2 I need:
Week #
Bookcover/link
Page numbers
Name of the team-member, their star rating, the date they read the book.
For the completion post I need:
Week #
Bookcover/link
Rating (1-5)
Review
Please DO NOT CHAT in these selction/completion posts. It needs to be super clear.
If you 'waffle' about your decided book - please REPOST your selection once you decide. DO NOT go back and edit your waffling post.
THEMES
Please note that further clarity on how books will qualify have been added to these themes below.With some themes, if lists have been posted for the theme, you must select your book from the posted lists.
Royalty in Romance
Royalty bookshelf
King Queen
Gay Romance Featuring Royalty Nobility
2. Friends to lovers - from the following lists:
When friends Fall In Love
Friends to Lovers bookshelf
Best Gay Friends Become Lovers
Childhood Friends Bcome Gay Lovers
Childhood Friends Become Gay Lovers Part 2
3. Book starting with the letter 'G'
4. Book cover predominantly black (at least 50%).
You MUST post the bookcover in your selection posts.
5. Select a book for one of your team-mates from their TBR - they may specify the shelf.
Made Me Cry
Cry Tear Jerker Romances
Tear Jerker Romance Novels that Jerked the Tears Right Out of Ya
Best Gay Tear Jerker with an HEA
Heartbreaking Gay Romance
7. MC works in law enforcement.
The word 'police', 'sheriff', 'detective', 'FBI', 'cop', 'law enforcement' MUST be in the shelf/list name OR clearly outlined in the precis. (Expansions/contractions of these words are acceptable)
8. MC is away from home (Eg at college, on holiday, working in a new city/town, business trip) or returns home after a long period away.
For a book to qualify for this theme, it will need to show multiple locations on the GR summary next to 'setting' OR be clearly stated in the precis.
9. Book on your TBR shelf for more than 12 months. If you don't have a book as old as that on your TBR, select a book from one of the moderators TBR shelves (older than 12 months).
10. Book from the RRRC's random book list shelves:
1-50-random-book-list
51-100-random-book-list
101-150-random-book-list
151-200-random-book-list
This cannot come from any other location. You cannot add books to these shelves. Yz and the other randomizers would not be happy!
11. Book with a tattoo on the cover.
You MUST post the bookcover in your selection posts.
Books With Nerdy, Geeky or Genius Heroes and Heroines
Brainy Genius Romantic Heroes
Nerdgasms
Best Gay Romance with Bookish Nerdy Geeky Characters
To qualify for this theme, the fact that an MC is a single must be clear in the precis OR must come from a bookshelf or list that has 'single parent/mother/father/daddy/mummy' in it's name. (Only one of the parent equivalent words are required in the shelf/list name. Eg 'Single father')
Unrequited Love
Unrequited Love bookshelf (MM books included)
Long Term Unrequited Love
The Paranormal Unrequited Love List
Hero in love with the heroine before she is with him
15. Author or MC lives in, or is from, California.
16. Bookcover does not show the head of a character (ie decapitated figure). Eg
works.
does NOT work. Rule: You must not see any part of the nose upwards.You MUST show the bookcover in your selection post.
18. Love Triangle - from the following lists:
Love Triangle
Non-Paranormal Love Triangle
Love Triangle bookshelf
Best menage fiction
Best Gay Polyamorous Romance
Favorite MM MMF MFM Menage books
Scars are sexy
scarred bookshelf
Gay Romance Featuring a Scarred MC
20. Book from the RRRC's romantic-suspense shelf. This cannot come from any other location.
*hint* If you have a book that should be on the RRRC's romantic-suspense shelf and isn't, go ahead and add it to the shelf BEFORE that theme is chosen. It cannot be added after the theme is announced. And go ahead and add any of your books to appropriate shelves. Please select ALL the key themes in the book.
Further clarity on the rules and themes has been (or will be) provided in the Q&A/Announcement thread.
SIGN UPSLisa - President
Bethany
Katie
Roger
Logan
Nicole
Angel
Calila
Jennifer - penguin
Becky
Sassafrass
Shannon (wckdktty)
Elaine (Medavis66)
Shan
Mrs.soule
MountainKat
Breann
Vi
beppy
Arshiya
Elizabeth
Ramneek
Melissa
Melissa RA
Fran
Carla
Mariana
Lauren
Leslie
Danielle
Grace
Poongothai
Ella
Mary
Anna (bamaace83)
theguiltiespleasure
julia
Jojo
Araceli
Skandia
Sunshine
Team allocation :)1 Mary
1 Fran
1 Ty
1 Carla
1 Mariana
1 Mrs.soule
2 Arshiya
2 Grace
2 Lisa - President
2 Sassafrass
2 Ramneek
2 Logan
3 theguiltiespleasure
3 MountainKat
3 Melissa
3 Angel - Claire
3 Danielle
3 julia
4 beppy
4 Becky
4 Sunshine
4 Anna (bamaace83)
4 Breann
4 Calila
5 Jojo
5 Araceli
5 Elizabeth
5 Leslie
5 Vi
5 Elaine (Medavis66)
6 Jennifer - penguin
6 Skandia
6 Lauren
6 Ella
6 Shannon (wckdktty)
6 Nicole
7 Shan
7 Poongothai
7 Roger
7 Melissa RA
7 Bethany
7 Katie
Now you'll just have to wait while I set up all the team threads (in Modbot mode - which takes a little longer ;)
I'm in! Lol! I love that you're describing it as a waffling post.
I will try this! is there a reason some of the themes are blank?
Katie wrote: "I'm in! Lol! I love that you're describing it as a waffling post.";) ...Couldn't think how else to describe it succinctly. Do you use that term over there (US)?
Yeah, I've used the term waffle before. I just love the reference back to the waffling post. It makes me think of a pillar of waffles...
Please sign me up. I loved the last one.
Roger - president of NBR United - wrote: "I will try this! is there a reason some of the themes are blank?"I'm still working on them Roger. I want to check out lists/shelving for selection etc and make sure they are broad enough for our members before they go on as a theme. And that the final list is diverse - eg not too many based off bookcovers etc.
I'm back for more fun! Thanks, Jane!
I am in again. After all I have to uphold my last win.
Definitely IN...loved this challenge!:-) Elaine
I'm in!! I love this challenge, Jane!
Oh god, am I really doing this again...? I think I am! Sign me up. =)
Really excited to try this, I'm in please :)
Could be a quiet round this time ;) we have 4 groups so far.
I am thinking of trying it this time around....OK, I'm in!
Lol!!! You'll love it Fran ;)
Lol Carla! These dates catch you unaware sometimes ;)
In the last week of the challenge, Option 2 will be altered. Book selections under option 2 will have to be taken from a different team's members' bookshelves. I will allocate the teams out on posting the final theme (week 11).So... you're saying I CAN'T choose a book ahead of time and have it ready to go before you even call the theme? Darn. You caught on to me.
Breann, you weren't the only one. I had my alternate book chosen too..lol
huh. i've got all my books picked out, if i go with option 1 for each category, that is. it will depend how i'm feeling that particular week. i could start right now...if i didn't have so many other challenges to finished before the end of the month. *mutters to self* "why do i do this to myself EVERY time?"
Lisa - How can you choose an opt2 book when I haven't allocated teams yet ??? Are you taking about last round? (Lol - you're confusing me! ;)
Yep, last time round. But I think I ended up with the theme book anyway.
Romance Readers Reading Challenges
Books mentioned in this topic
Quicksilver (other topics)A Demon and His Witch (other topics)
Start date - 12 September
Sign up - now through to 3 Sep 9pm US EST
Teams assigned by 4 September
Last theme call - 21 November
If you sign up for this challenge, you must be prepared to:
* Read roughly one book each week
* Post your selected book BEFORE the next theme is called, or you will be eliminated
* Technically be able to put links to other threads/bookshelves/lists, and insert book links or book covers in your posts. (These are not difficult but you MUST be able to do these links; they don't have to look pretty, but they do need to go to the intended location)
* Follow the format for the selection and completion posts.
PLEASE READ THE RULES OF THE CHALLENGE CAREFULLY.
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Progress spreadsheet - prior to the Week 11 Theme announcement
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2vF...