Nothing But Reading Challenges discussion
Tower Teams 9 - The Muses
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Team Cassandra
Sophie wrote: "Amy the book-bat wrote: "Sophie wrote: "I can't remember if any of you were children's librarians, or if I need to widen my gr net. My 4 1/2 has outgrown preschooler picture books and we are trying..."yeah, I checked because of "mermaid" in the text... but sadly, it's too short. I absolutely loved it.
Master and Margarita has "fig" in it, in case we need another one. I am working my way through the book, but I think someone else has already finished it.
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I've got a book that I'm 50% through that works for the remaining Empusa tasks, then we'll see what new monster attacks.
If anyone has a book over 800 pages or between 500-650 on their pile of upcoming reads please shout.
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Stymphalian Birds have been seen filling your orchards and causing delays in harvesting. They are hard to defeat because of their numbers. Music can soothe the savage beasts, may want to try metal bands.
To vanquish this monster you must:
1.) Read a book between 350 and 450 pages (inclusive).
2.) Read a book that is #6 in a series.
3.) Read a book with a musical instrument mentioned in the text.
4.) Read a book with something metal on the cover.
5.) Read a book that features a bird (bird shifter accepted).
Hi! Do we post a completion or do we go straight to the sheet and log our finished books and claim tasks for it at the same time?
Sophie wrote: "Are you finding my monster updates helpful or are there tweaks to it that would help more?I've got a book that I'm 50% through that works for the remaining Empusa tasks, then we'll see what new m..."
I find them really helpful Sophie thanks. It would be good if post update there was some way to know if people were reading for the outstanding tasks and keep it live somehow. Could we maybe have one post at the top of the thread or a sheet on the spreadsheet that only has the current monsters and who's reading for the tasks, or which ones are outstanding, that we could keep live? I know books can work for multiple monsters and tasks but I'm not sure whether to look for a book for a specific task or if someone else has already found something.
In terms of the tracking sheet, do you need us to add the reason why a book works for every possible task? I've just finished a library ebook that's going to return itself tomorrow that has some of the "word in text" tasks. Do I keep a note of them just in case?
Sophie wrote: "Are you finding my monster updates helpful or are there tweaks to it that would help more?I've got a book that I'm 50% through that works for the remaining Empusa tasks, then we'll see what new m..."
Hi Sophie, personally I think your monster updates are useful. Thank you for making things somewhat easier :)
I'm just a bit lost with which task I need to prioritize. As I'm a slower reader I don't want to commit to too much books at the same time but if I can tackle them one by one that's fine.
After I've done with my book I was thinking of reading a book between 500-650 pages. Also my current read also works for F5 - Read a book where the characters take a boat trip (of any type). Since I saw this on one of your updates.
just kat wrote: "Hi! Do we post a completion or do we go straight to the sheet and log our finished books and claim tasks for it at the same time?"Hi Kat ! Both are fine. If you're not comfortable with spreadsheets, you may either post a completion post here and one of the captains will transfer your book to our spreadsheet OR you may log in your books (with the tasks it works for) on our tracking spreadsheet here : https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...
Hope this helps :)
Audrey Jane wrote: "I'm just a bit lost with which task I need to prioritize. As I'm a slower reader I don't want to commit to too much books at the same time but if I can tackle them one by one that's fine...."It's perfectly fine if you're not committing to a task ahead of time. This mini allows for books to be banked, aka, if you finish a book before a monster it is eligible for is revealed, we can still use it as long as it is within the mini's time frame.
I've been posting books as I complete them as well. As I post them, I go through the entire Monsters list (it's on the SS) and note down all the tasks it is eligible for.
just kat wrote: "Hi! Do we post a completion or do we go straight to the sheet and log our finished books and claim tasks for it at the same time?"The entire team works on the SS, but that is purely a matter of comfort level. You can upload a completion post here if that's what suits you better, and someone from the team will add it to the SS.
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I've got a book that I'm 50% through that works for the remaining Empusa tasks, then we'll..."
If you could keep a note for the word in text and event in text. If it is on the cover or to do with the title or something on the book main page we can check that info easily.
I'll see if I can set up a current monsters page so that it is easier for everyone to see what is happening. A post here would rely on someone being able to edit it all the time.
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I've got a book that I'm 50% through that works for the remaining Empusa tasks, then we'll..."
Working on a longer book is fabulous. Even if someone else finishes one that length that I use first, it will probably be needed for another monsters as well. If not, the pages points are good!
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I don't have a huge amount to add to what Audrey Jane and Insiyah have said! It's easier for us as captains if you can add it to the tracking SS, but I know that isn't always possible and sometimes completion posts are much easier.
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I have a bit of a think about making tracking more interactive and up to date! The all monsters sheet now has check boxes after each column of tasks. If we are working on the monster the letter in column 1 is highlighted in blue. If the tasks are claimed then the box is ticked. If you want to claim one of the tasks, please tick the box and put the letter from column one and number 1-5 in the mini code column.
I hope that makes sense... I'll try to update here every day or so as well.
Mare of Diomedes (M) 3/5
2.) Read a book with fire on the cover.
5.) Read a book with a Goodreads rating between 3 and 3.5 (inclusive).
Cerberus (N)
1.) Read a book between 500 and 650 pages (inclusive). (Sophie)
2.) Read a book where a funerary celebration/service takes place. (Sophie)
3.) Read a book with MPG Music. (Alison)
4.) Read a book with a musical instrument on the cover. (Alison)
5.) Read a book that is #3 in a series. (Alison)
Charybdis (F)
5.) Read a book where the characters take a boat trip (of any type).
Typhon (A)
1.) Read a book between 500 and 650 pages (inclusive).
2.) Read a book that mentions a volcano
3.) Read a book with lightning on the cover
4.) Read a book where the title contains all the letters in ZEUS
5.) Read a book where a MC is a father
S birds (P)
2.) Read a book that is #6 in a series.
3.) Read a book with a musical instrument mentioned in the text.
4.) Read a book with something metal on the cover.
I'm sort of hoping one of the next minis will bring the return of the Bingo sheet. It was so much easier to say "I'll read the book with the pink cover" or "I've got a book with a hedgehog." I'm trying to keep up with looking up all the tasks, but it is time consuming. I feel bad when it takes me so long to get them updated/entered. I've actually got two other books finished, but haven't marked them as read because I haven't had a chance to compare to the monster tasks. Hopefully this weekend!
Audrey Jane wrote: "Sophie wrote: "Are you finding my monster updates helpful or are there tweaks to it that would help more?I've got a book that I'm 50% through that works for the remaining Empusa tasks, then we'll..."
I think I'm feeling this as well. I don't read a book a day and since we don't get a new monster until the current one is finished, I hate to claim anything.
But you could still use my books for the general challenge if they don't get used for the mini, right?
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We can use everything read for the main challenge so please don't feel you have to deal with the mini-challenge. If you can check what you are reading against the current monsters I'll be happy.
Sophie wrote: "Alison - I've just realised I've been completely scatterbrained and put Nicole as completing tasks rather than you for one of the monsters. No idea what my brain was thinking..."No worries, I probably should have realised given there isn't actually a Nicole on the team. I'd parked the book I had in mind but I can pick it up as soon as I finish the one I started this morning.
I finished It Happened One Summer late last night so have marked it as read. It could work for the Charybdis boat trip task or given Audrey Jane is also reading one that fits we could keep it for another monster. It has "mermaid" in the text which is possibly more difficult?
Currently reading
Broken Bonds (The Bonds That Tie #1). Does just the first part of the title count only or does the second part in parentheses also count?
JL wrote: "Currently reading Broken Bonds (The Bonds That Tie #1). Does just the first part of the title count only or does the second part in parentheses also count?"I would say just the first part since the part in parentheses is the series name.
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Alison - can you mark it for both please with a mermaid quote. We can use it for either as we may end up repeating monsters again.
Master and Margarita had mermaid in the text as well. (One translation has mermaid while another has naiad. The audio version I listened to was a different translation than the print copy I was using to read along and that was one of the small differences.)
Reading Cackle right now. Do we think witch is different from sorceress? I'm not sure she's ever officially labeled. She casts a lot of spells and has powerful magic.
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Options! I like options!
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I'm not sure. I'm happy with the witch's heart as having a sorceress as I think Angrebodr (appalling spelling sorry) was referred to as one.
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Lightning? Doing a search to fill in some of the blanks.
Sophie wrote: "Lightning? Doing a search to fill in some of the blanks."
It is definitely electric. The one streak looks clearly like lightning to me.
There are some lists: Lightning cover
Thunderbolts and Lightning
It seems like the new game starting July 1st is going to take some strategy!
Yes, really excited about the new super group challenge. I have vague memories of playing Battleship before, possibly as part of WOBBLE(?), and this sounds really similar. Can't say I've totally figured out the rules but I'm sure once I read them a couple more times I'll get there.Carrie, have you joined the Trojans group? There's a link somewhere in this thread (sorry can't post as on my phone). It's where we and the other teams that make up the Trojans (Paris, Hector etc) discuss these challenges.
i am just looking at that rules post like
so i hope some of you are more strategy minded lol
Carrie wrote: "It seems like the new game starting July 1st is going to take some strategy!"The Trojans group Alison mentioned :-) :
https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
Hope everyone had a lovely weekend ! The new supergroup challenge makes me think of a cross between Battleship and War the card game where the highest number wins (except here you can chose the number of books you want to use each round). What helped me the most in understanding is the example :)
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Today my husband went to see his dad who is terminal ill with cancer, while I took the kids to a big family birthday. Then got home and have been packing to go away on holiday tomorrow.
In terms of the challenge, general reading looks like it is going well. The 2 tasks that haven't got an option for the monsters are:
Letters of Zeus in title
Gr rating of 3.0 to 3.5
Any takers for those?
Alison - yeah there was a battleship in wobble. We are hoping with the limit to number of attacks/defense we can keep it under control and everyone can join in.
starting a book rated 3.46... should be done in a few hours
Sophie wrote: "Sorry for the lack of update over the weekend!Today my husband went to see his dad who is terminal ill with cancer, while I took the kids to a big family birthday. Then got home and have been pac..."
I can read The Hot Zone: The Terrifying True Story of the Origins of the Ebola Virus, for the Zeus task.
Andrea wrote: "Sophie wrote: "Sorry for the lack of update over the weekend!Today my husband went to see his dad who is terminal ill with cancer, while I took the kids to a big family birthday. Then got home an..."
I think I read that when it came out in the mid-90's. I remember it being very scary and engrossing.
Amy the book-bat wrote: "starting a book rated 3.46... should be done in a few hours"done and added to the sheet
Amy the book-bat wrote: "Andrea wrote: "Sophie wrote: "Sorry for the lack of update over the weekend!"I read The Hot Zone in the 90s. I was so intrigued. I think it would be interesting to read it post-pandemic.
Devann wrote: "i am just looking at that rules post likeso i hope some of you are more strategy minded lol"
Same!
I just finished The Hot Zone, It was really interesting on the science/history part, however it was a little scary coming out of a pandemic....
Audrey Jane wrote: "Carrie wrote: "It seems like the new game starting July 1st is going to take some strategy!"The Trojans group Alison mentioned :-) :
https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/..."
Hi there!
I have not joined the Trojan group. When I click the link it tells me that I cannot join because the group is private. It does not give me an option to request access either.
Andrea wrote: "I just finished The Hot Zone, It was really interesting on the science/history part, however it was a little scary coming out of a pandemic...."I read The Hot Zone a long time ago. It was really good. It's very scary! Did you watch the limited series that was on television? It was really good as well!
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The Trojans group Alison mentioned :-) :
https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/......"
I've just sent invites to you and Kat so you should be in now.
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Sophie wrote: "Andrea and Amy, thanks for grabbing those 2. Will try to get us some new monsters later this evening."mo problem... I'm trying to read all of the books I need to fill in the gaps of that series.(I have read it completely out of order, like an ipod on shuffle...LOL) Luckily, that one fit the ratings we needed.
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Minotaur
The Minotaur has been seen on your lands, frolicking through fields and enjoying freedom for the first time. If you manage to defeat him, you will spend the rest of your life wondering how you survived. Don't forget some rope!
To vanquish this monster you must:
1.) Read a book 800 pages or longer.
2.) Read a book where the MC gets lost.
3.) Read a book with a map in it.
4.) character described as "bull-headed" or "hard-headed".
5.) Read a book with a Goodreads rating of 4.0 or higher.
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Nothing But Reading Challenges
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But I did just finish Hush Hush by Lucia Franco. It was a long read but a good one. It started off slowly but picked up and turned out to be a 5 star for me. Very steamy romance if you like that kind of thing!