Finish Line - 2024

[Debra Diggs]

Update to message #6: 26/30

[Shelley]

Update to Message 25: 41/45.

III - Closing Lines, 10 - There was the hum of bees, and the musky odor of…The Cruel Prince
IV - Songs, 5 - Find light in the beautiful…Place Called Home

[Julie]

updated message 13
15/30

[TerryJane, Challenges]

Participant list updated to here!

[Beth]

Update to post 63: 30/15 Complete! Idioms and song lyrics

Thanks for running this fun challenge.

[TerryJane, Challenges]

Beth wrote: "Update to post 63: 30/15 Complete! Idioms and song lyrics

Thanks for running this fun challenge."

You're welcome, Beth! Congratulations on crossing your own Finish Line! 👏👏👏

[Ursula]

update to message 16: 21/30 books read

[Julie]

Updated message13
16/30

[Amy]

Updated message 12-- 19/35
6. Daphne du Maurier, Rebecca
Last night I dreamt I went to… The Forgotten Garden

[Greg]

Update to message 24:

6. Jung Chang, Wild Swans
I was eager to embrace Terms of Enlistment

7/50

[Shelley]

Update to Message 25: 46/45 - DONE!

I - Themes, 1 - They come and go like seasons, the winter that gives…The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness
I - Themes, 3 - Every summer since I was little, I’ve gone to garage sales and bought…Legends & Lattes
II - Opening Lines, 2 - It was a pleasure to…See No Stranger
III - Closing Lines, 11 - She opened the door wide and let him into her…Winterland
III - Closing Lines, 14 - But this is how Paris was in the early days when we were very…Killers of a Certain Age

[TerryJane, Challenges]

Updated to here!

Congratulations to Beth and Shelley for reaching their goals! 👏

[Greg]

Update to message 24:

14. Angie Thomas, The Hate U Give
What's the point of having a voice if you're gonna be Under Occupation

8/50

[Amy]

Updated message 12-- 20/35
2. Sylvia Plath, The Bell Jar
The eyes and faces all turned themselves towards…The Housemaid

[Ursula]

update to message 16: 23/30 books read

[Greg]

Update to message 24:

III. Closing Lines - Complete these book endings.
5. Ernest Hemingway, The Old Man and the Sea
The old man was dreaming about the River of Stars

9. L. Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
I'm so glad to be at Pandora's Star

10/50

[Greg]

Update to message 24:

I. Themes -

3. John Green, Looking for Alaska
Every summer since I was little, I’ve gone to garage sales and bought a Heart-Shaped Box

11/50

[Ciara]

Update to message #52: challenge completed! 75 of 75 prompts fulfilled! The entire list is under the spoiler tag. Some of them really make me laugh.

(view spoiler)[1. Naomi Novik, Uprooted
They come and go like seasons, the winter that gives…Grief Is for People - Sloane Crosley
2. Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows
Spring was moving in the air above and in…The Reformatory - Tananarive Due
3. John Green, Looking for Alaska
Every summer since I was little, I’ve gone to garage sales and bought…A Tale for the Time Being - Ruth Ozeki
4. Delia Owens, Where the Crawdads Sing
Autumn leaves don't fall, they…Come and Get It - Kiley Reid
5. Haruki Murakami, Kafka on the Shore
Sometimes fate is like a small sandstorm that keeps...Piercing - Ryu Murakami
6. Ursula K. Le Guin, The Wave in the Mind
People who deny the existence of dragons are often…Strangers to Ourselves: Unsettled Minds and the Stories That Make Us - Rachel Aviv
7. Jim Butcher, Vignette
I have nightmares about hell, where all I do is add up numbers and try to…Headshot - Rita Bullwinkel
8. Aldous Huxley, Brave New World Revisited
An unexciting truth may be eclipsed by…The Bee Sting - Paul Murray
9. Tomi Adeyemi, Children of Blood and Bone
Their lies and lily-scented perfumes taint...The New Naturals - Gabriel Bump
10. Gillian Flynn, Gone Girl
But he turned our family life into an endless road trip with…White Cat, Black Dog: Stories - Kelly Link
11. Anne Rice, The Vampire Lestat
I'm Gentleman Death in silk and lace, come to put out…The Book of Love - Kelly Link
12. J.R.R Tolkien, The Hobbit
The mountain smoked beneath the moon; the dwarves, they heard…You Dreamed of Empires - Álvaro Enrigue
13. Rick Riordan, The Last Olympian
She wore her orange camp t-shirt and…Eyeliner: A Cultural History - Zahra Hankir
14. Angie Thomas, The Hate U Give
What's the point of having a voice if you're gonna be…The Fraud - Zadie Smith
15. Kathryn Stockett, The Help
All I’m saying is, kindness don’t have…Layers: A Memoir - Pénélope Bagieu

II. Opening Lines - Complete the book beginnings.
1. Margaret Atwood, The Handmaid’s Tale
We slept in what had once been…The Ministry of Time - Kaliane Bradley
2. Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451
It was a pleasure to…Worry - Alexandra Tanner
3. Alice Walker, The Color Purple
You better not never tell…The Violin Conspiracy - Brendan Slocumb
4. Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina
All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is…Extremely Online: The Untold Story of Fame, Influence, and Power on the Internet - Taylor Lorenz
5. Min Jin Lee, Pachinko
History has failed us, but…I Cannot Control Everything Forever: A Memoir of Motherhood, Science, and Art - Emily C. Bloom
6. Daphne du Maurier, Rebecca
Last night I dreamt I went to…The Fetishist - Katherine Min
7. Kazuo Ishiguro, Klara and the Sun
When we were new, Rosa and I were… youthjuice - E.K. Sathue
8. Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God
Ships at a distance have every man’s…Biography of X - Catherine Lacey
9. Marcel Proust, Swann’s Way
For a long time, I went to bed… Beyond the Door of No Return - David Diop
10. S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders
When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the movie house, I…Thirst - Marina Yuszczuk
11. Gabriel García Márquez, One Hundred Years of Solitude
Many years later, as he faced the firing squad, Colonel Aureliano Buendía was…One of Our Kind - Nicola Yoon
12. Cormac McCarthy, The Road
When he woke in the woods in the dark and cold of the night he’d…Wish You Were Here - Rita Mae Brown
13. Ashley Audrain, The Push
Your house glows at night like everything inside is…Wandering Stars - Tommy Orange
14. George Orwell, 1984
It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were...The Future - Naomi Alderman
15. Shirley Jackson, The Haunting of Hill House
No live organism can continue for long to… Airplane Mode: An Irreverent History of Travel - Shahnaz Habib

III. Closing Lines - Complete these book endings.
1. Margaret Mitchell, Gone with the Wind
After all, tomorrow is…The Night of the Storm - Nishita Parekh
2. Sylvia Plath, The Bell Jar
The eyes and faces all turned themselves towards…The Vaster Wilds - Lauren Groff
3. George Orwell, Animal Farm
The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and…All Things Are Too Small: Essays in Praise of Excess - Becca Rothfeld
4. Yann Martel,Life of Pi
Very few castaways can claim to have survived so long at…Boys Weekend - Mattie Lubchansky
5. Ernest Hemingway, The Old Man and the Sea
The old man was dreaming about…Mobility - Lydia Kiesling
6. Jung Chang, Wild Swans
I was eager to embrace…The Other Black Girl - Zakiya Dalila Harris
7. Annie Proulx, Brokeback Mountain
There was some open space between what he knew and what he tried to…Memory Piece - Lisa Ko
8. Louisa May Alcott, Little Women
Oh, my girls, however long you may live, I never can wish you…Real Americans - Rachel Khong
9. L. Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
I'm so glad to be at…This Other Eden - Paul Harding
10. Kate Chopin, The Awakening
There was the hum of bees, and the musky odor of…Fruit of the Dead - Rachel Lyon
11. Stieg Larsson, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest
She opened the door wide and let him into her…North Woods - Daniel Mason
12. Lauren Weisberger, The Devil Wears Prada
And then, while the pretty brunette girl finished singing her verse, he…Scorched Grace - Margot Douaihy
13. Asne Seierstad, A Hundred and One Days
It floats through the balcony doors and makes the curtains…Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI - David Grann
14. Ernest Hemingway, A Moveable Feast
But this is how Paris was in the early days when we were very…Cold People - Tom Rob Smith
15. Pearl S. Buck, The Good Earth
But over the old man's head they looked at each other and…The Wide Wide Sea: Imperial Ambition, First Contact and the Fateful Final Voyage of Captain James Cook - Hampton Sides

IV. Songs - Complete these opening song lyrics.
1. Ed Sheeran, Bad Habits, 2021
Every time you come around, you know...This Won’t Help: Modest Proposals for a More Enjoyable Apocalypse - Eli Grober
2. BTS, Butter, 2021
Smooth like butter, like a…Big Swiss - Jen Beagin
3. Lady Gaga, Stupid Love, 2020
You’re the one that I’ve…Outlawed - Anna North
4. Pharrell Williams, Happy, 2014
It might seem crazy what I'm 'bout to…Study for Obedience - Sarah Bernstein
5. Rihanna, Diamonds, 2012
Find light in the beautiful…Bad Cree - Jessica Johns
6. Carly Rae Jepsen, Call Me Maybe, 2011
I threw a wish in…The Glow - Jessie Gaynor
7. Black Eyed Peas, I Gotta Feeling, 2009
I gotta feeling that tonight’s gonna be…Witchcraft: A History in Thirteen Trials - Marion Gibson
8. Beyoncé, Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It), 2008
Up in the club, just broke up, I’m doing…The Birthday Party - Laurent Mauvignier
9. Eminem, Lose Yourself, 2002
His palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are…The Knockout Queen - Rufi Thorpe
10. Sinéad O’Connor, Nothing Compares to U, 1990
It's been seven hours and fifteen days since you took…The Hundred-Year House - Rebecca Makkai
11. Prince, Let’s Go Crazy, 1984
Dearly Beloved, we have gathered here today to get…Brainwyrms - Allison Rumfitt
12. The Eagles, Hotel California, 1976
On a dark desert highway, cool wind in…Ascension - Nicholas Binge
13. The Mamas and the Papas, California Dreaming, 1965
All the leaves are brown and the sky is…Time's Mouth - Edan Lepucki
14. Elvis Presley, Heartbreak Hotel, 1956
Well, since my baby left me, well, I found a new…Stone Cold Fox - Rachel Koller Croft
15. Dooley Wilson, As Time Goes By, 1942
You must remember this, a kiss is…Kittentits - Holly Wilson

V. Idioms - Complete these idioms using your book titles.
1. Up a creek without a…Dayswork - Jennifer Habel & Chris Bachelder
2. As snug as a bug in a… Poor Deer - Claire Oshetsky
3. Look before you… People Collide - Isle McElroy
4. Throw caution to…The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store - James McBride
5. Stop beating around the… Death of a Bookseller - Alice Slater
6. It is always darkest before…We Ride Upon Sticks - Quan Barry
7. Don’t kill the goose that lays the…Piglet - Lottie Hazell
8. The pot calling the kettle… Quietly Hostile: Essays - Samantha Irby
9. Like a cat on a hot tin…Rabbit Hole - Kate Brody
10. Your guess is as good as… The Librarianist - Patrick deWitt
11. Too many cooks spoil the…Wolf at the Table - Adam Rapp
12. Two heads are better than…Devil Makes Three - Ben Fountain
13. All that glitters is not… Chain-Gang All-Stars - Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
14. Every dog has his…Blackouts - Justin Torres
15. A rising tide lifts all…Three Rooms - Jo Hamya (hide spoiler)]

[Laurie]

Update #51

27/30

Songs - Complete these opening song lyrics.

1. Ed Sheeran, Bad Habits, 2021
Every time you come around, you know I…Surrender on Demand

🏁 2. BTS, Butter, 2021
Smooth like butter, like…Prize Women

🏁 3. Lady Gaga, Stupid Love, 2020
You’re the one that I’ve…A Sporting Chance: How Ludwig Guttmann Created the Paralympic Games

🏁 4. Pharrell Williams, Happy, 2014
It might seem crazy what I'm 'bout to…Buy a Whisker

🏁 5. Rihanna, Diamonds, 2012
Find light in the beautiful… Dawn

🏁 6. Carly Rae Jepsen, Call Me Maybe, 2011
I threw a wish in… Tom Lake

🏁 7. Black Eyed Peas, I Gotta Feeling, 2009
I gotta feeling that tonight’s gonna be…My Love Story

🏁 8. Beyoncé, Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It), 2008
Up in the club, just broke up, I’m doing… Winter's Mourn

🏁 9. Eminem, Lose Yourself, 2002
His palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are…Half Broke Horses

10. Sinéad O’Connor, Nothing Compares to U, 1990
It's been seven hours and fifteen days since you took…The Feast of the Goat

🏁 11. Prince, Let’s Go Crazy, 1984
Dearly Beloved, we have gathered here today to get… Chain-Gang All-Stars

🏁 12. The Eagles, Hotel California, 1976
On a dark desert highway, cool wind in… Mr. Mercedes

🏁 13. The Mamas and the Papas, California Dreaming, 1965
All the leaves are brown and the sky is… Between Shades of Gray

🏁 14. Elvis Pressley, Heartbreak Hotel, 1956
Well, since my baby left me, well, I found a new…Murder Made to Order

🏁 15. Dooley Wilson, As Time Goes By, 1942
You must remember this, a kiss is…A Cold Dark Place

V. Idioms - Complete these idioms using your book titles.

🏁 1. Up a creek without a…Spare

🏁 2. As snug as a bug in a… Winter Garden

🏁 3. Look before you…Murder at the Piccadilly Playhouse

🏁 4. Throw caution to…The Guest Cat

🏁 5. Stop beating around…The Glass Woman

🏁 6. It is always darkest before… Winter's Rise

🏁 7. Don’t kill the goose that lays the…Mary Jane

🏁 8. The pot calling the kettle… The Snowman Killer

🏁 9. Like a cat on a hot tin…Cold Mountain

🏁 10. Your guess is as good as… The Housemaid's Secret

🏁 11. Too many cooks spoil the…Morality for Beautiful Girls

12. Two heads are better than…Razorblade Tears

🏁 13. All that glitters is not… Only the Beautiful

🏁 14. Every dog has his…Ruthless Vows

🏁 15. A rising tide lifts all… The Thirteen Problems

[Amy]

Updated message 12-- 21/35
10. Kate Chopin, The Awakening
There was the hum of bees, and the musky odor of… The Women

[TerryJane, Challenges]

Update to Message #20 : 69/75

I've now completed the Closing Lines section.

III. Closing Lines - Complete these book endings.
🏁 1. Margaret Mitchell, Gone with the Wind
After all, tomorrow is… the 12th of Never
🏁 2. Sylvia Plath, The Bell Jar
The eyes and faces all turned themselves towards… The It Girl
🏁 3. George Orwell, Animal Farm
The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and… They Called Us Enemy
🏁 4. Yann Martel,Life of Pi
Very few castaways can claim to have survived so long at… The Club
🏁 5. Ernest Hemingway, The Old Man and the Sea
The old man was dreaming about… What the Lady's Maid Knew
🏁 6. Jung Chang, Wild Swans
I was eager to embrace… Emily of New Moon
🏁 7. Annie Proulx, Brokeback Mountain
There was some open space between what he knew and what he tried to… Murder at the Serpentine Bridge
🏁 8. Louisa May Alcott, Little Women
Oh, my girls, however long you may live, I never can wish you… I'm Glad My Mom Died
🏁 9. L. Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
I'm so glad to be a… Mexican WhiteBoy
🏁 10. Kate Chopin, The Awakening
There was the hum of bees, and the musky odor of… Marigolds for Malice
🏁 11. Stieg Larsson, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest
She opened the door wide and let him into her… The Cabin in the Woods
🏁 12. Lauren Weisberger, The Devil Wears Prada
And then, while the pretty brunette girl finished singing her verse, he… had A Grief Observed
🏁 13. Asne Seierstad, A Hundred and One Days
It floats through the balcony doors and makes the curtains… Dance With The Devil
🏁 14. Ernest Hemingway, A Moveable Feast
But this is how Paris was in the early days when we were very… Top Secret
🏁 15. Pearl S. Buck, The Good Earth
But over the old man's head they looked at each other and… Amelia & Me

[TerryJane, Challenges]

Updated to here!

Huge congrats to Ciara, who is the first to complete all the prompts to reach the Ultramarathon level! I hope you found some great books along the way. 🏁🙌🏁

As for the rest of us, let's keep on keepin' on. 😁

[Anna]

Update to message #54

29/40

I. Themes - Complete quotes related to our 2024 themes.
1. Naomi Novik, Uprooted
They come and go like seasons, the winter that gives… - A Time to Kill
2. Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows
Spring was moving in the air above and in… The Lovely Bones
3. John Green, Looking for Alaska
Every summer since I was little, I’ve gone to garage sales and bought… Amazing Gems: An Illustrated Guide to the World's Most Dazzling Costume Jewelry
4. Delia Owens, Where the Crawdads Sing
Autumn leaves don't fall, they…
5. Haruki Murakami, Kafka on the Shore
Sometimes fate is like a small sandstorm that keeps…
6. Ursula K. Le Guin, The Wave in the Mind
People who deny the existence of dragons are often… Profiles in Courage
7. Jim Butcher, Vignette
I have nightmares about hell, where all I do is add up numbers and try to… To Kill a Mockingbird
8. Aldous Huxley, Brave New World Revisited
An unexciting truth may be eclipsed by… The Lessons of History
9. Tomi Adeyemi, Children of Blood and Bone
Their lies and lily-scented perfumes taint the… The Woman in Me
10. Gillian Flynn, Gone Girl
But he turned our family life into an endless road trip with… The Archer
11. Anne Rice, The Vampire Lestat
I'm Gentleman Death in silk and lace, come to put out the…
12. J.R.R Tolkien, The Hobbit
The mountain smoked beneath the moon; the dwarves, they heard… The Heartbeat of Trees: Embracing Our Ancient Bond with Forests and Nature
13. Rick Riordan, The Last Olympian
She wore her orange camp t-shirt and…
14. Angie Thomas, The Hate U Give
What's the point of having a voice if you're gonna be… Working Stiff: Two Years, 262 Bodies, and the Making of a Medical Examiner
15. Kathryn Stockett, The Help
All I’m saying is, kindness don’t have…

II. Opening Lines - Complete the book beginnings.
1. Margaret Atwood, The Handmaid’s Tale
We slept in what had once been…
2. Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451
It was a pleasure to…
3. Alice Walker, The Color Purple
You better not never tell…
4. Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina
All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is… Eastbound
5. Min Jin Lee, Pachinko
History has failed us, but…
6. Daphne du Maurier, Rebecca
Last night I dreamt I went to… The World Without Us
7. Kazuo Ishiguro, Klara and the Sun
When we were new, Rosa and I were… Finessing the King: A Short Story
8. Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God
Ships at a distance have every man’s…
9. Marcel Proust, Swann’s Way
For a long time, I went to bed…
10. S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders
When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the movie house, I…
11. Gabriel García Márquez, One Hundred Years of Solitude
Many years later, as he faced the firing squad, Colonel Aureliano Buendía was…
12. Cormac McCarthy, The Road
When he woke in the woods in the dark and cold of the night he’d…
13. Ashley Audrain, The Push
Your house glows at night like everything inside is… The Color Purple
14. George Orwell, 1984
It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were...
15. Shirley Jackson, The Haunting of Hill House
No live organism can continue for long to…

III. Closing Lines - Complete these book endings.
1. Margaret Mitchell, Gone with the Wind
After all, tomorrow is… The Mystery of the Blue Train
2. Sylvia Plath, The Bell Jar
The eyes and faces all turned themselves towards… The Bitter Side of Sweet
3. George Orwell, Animal Farm
The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and…
4. Yann Martel,Life of Pi
Very few castaways can claim to have survived so long at…
5. Ernest Hemingway, The Old Man and the Sea
The old man was dreaming about… The Ice Dragon
6. Jung Chang, Wild Swans
I was eager to embrace… The Power of Trees
7. Annie Proulx, Brokeback Mountain
There was some open space between what he knew and what he tried to…
8. Louisa May Alcott, Little Women
Oh, my girls, however long you may live, I never can wish you…
9. L. Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
I'm so glad to be at…
10. Kate Chopin, The Awakening
There was the hum of bees, and the musky odor of… The Unexpected Guest
11. Stieg Larsson, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest
She opened the door wide and let him into her…
12. Lauren Weisberger, The Devil Wears Prada
And then, while the pretty brunette girl finished singing her verse, he…
13. Asne Seierstad, A Hundred and One Days
It floats through the balcony doors and makes the curtains…
14. Ernest Hemingway, A Moveable Feast
But this is how Paris was in the early days when we were very…
15. Pearl S. Buck, The Good Earth
But over the old man's head they looked at each other and…

IV. Songs - Complete these opening song lyrics.
1. Ed Sheeran, Bad Habits, 2021
Every time you come around, you know I…
2. BTS, Butter, 2021
Smooth like butter, like a…
3. Lady Gaga, Stupid Love, 2020
You’re the one that I’ve…
4. Pharrell Williams, Happy, 2014
It might seem crazy what I'm 'bout to…
5. Rihanna, Diamonds, 2012
Find light in the beautiful… Miracle of Mindfulnes
6. Carly Rae Jepsen, Call Me Maybe, 2011
I threw a wish in…
7. Black Eyed Peas, I Gotta Feeling, 2009
I gotta feeling that tonight’s gonna be…
8. Beyoncé, Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It), 2008
Up in the club, just broke up, I’m doing…
9. Eminem, Lose Yourself, 2002
His palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are…
10. Sinéad O’Connor, Nothing Compares to U, 1990
It's been seven hours and fifteen days since you took…
11. Prince, Let’s Go Crazy, 1984
Dearly Beloved, we have gathered here today to get… Just Mercy
12. The Eagles, Hotel California, 1976
On a dark desert highway, cool wind in… My Favorite Universe
13. The Mamas and the Papas, California Dreaming, 1965
All the leaves are brown and the sky is…
14. Elvis Pressley, Heartbreak Hotel, 1956
Well, since my baby left me, well, I found a new… Interpreter of Maladies
15. Dooley Wilson, As Time Goes By, 1942
You must remember this, a kiss is… Death on the Nile

V. Idioms - Complete these idioms using your book titles.
1. Up a creek without a… Paper: Paging Through History
2. As snug as a bug in a… Lady Tan’s Circle of Women
3. Look before you… Open
4. Throw caution to… The Red Badge of Courage
5. Stop beating around the…
6. It is always darkest before…
7. Don’t kill the goose that lays the…
8. The pot calling the kettle…
9. Like a cat on a hot tin…
10. Your guess is as good as…
11. Too many cooks spoil the…
12. Two heads are better than…
13. All that glitters is not…
14. Every dog has his…
15. A rising tide lifts all… Five Little Pigs

[Julie]

update message 13
18/30

[Jannene]

Updated message 47, 34/75.

[Julie]

updated message 13
19/30

[TerryJane, Challenges]

Month-end update posted!

[Ursula]

update to message 16: 24/30 books read

[Theresa, Readathons]

Updated message 7. Progress: 9/12

[Lina]

Update for message #9:
🏁 Progress: 51/35 🏁
Thanks!

[Carmen]

Update to message #14

PROGRESS: 71/75 🏁📚

[Amy]

Updated message 12-- 22/35
5. Rihanna, Diamonds, 2012
Find light in the beautiful…Tears of Amber

[TerryJane, Challenges]

Update to Message #20 : 72/75

I finished the Themes section.

I. Themes - Complete quotes related to our 2024 themes.
🏁 1. Naomi Novik, Uprooted
They come and go like seasons, the winter that gives… The Children's Blizzard
🏁 2. Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows
Spring was moving in the air above and in… Wolf Hollow
🏁 3. John Green, Looking for Alaska
Every summer since I was little, I’ve gone to garage sales and bought… Delicates
🏁 4. Delia Owens, Where the Crawdads Sing
Autumn leaves don't fall, they… Burn Baby Burn
🏁 5. Haruki Murakami, Kafka on the Shore
Sometimes fate is like a small sandstorm that keeps… A Little History of the World
🏁 6. Ursula K. Le Guin, The Wave in the Mind
People who deny the existence of dragons are often… The Kind Worth Killing
🏁 7. Jim Butcher, Vignette
I have nightmares about hell, where all I do is add up numbers and try to… Go Ask Alice
🏁 8. Aldous Huxley, Brave New World Revisited
An unexciting truth may be eclipsed by… The Unwinding of the Miracle
🏁 9. Tomi Adeyemi, Children of Blood and Bone
Their lies and lily-scented perfumes taint the… The Way Home
🏁 10. Gillian Flynn, Gone Girl
But he turned our family life into an endless road trip through… America the Beautiful
🏁 11. Anne Rice, The Vampire Lestat
I'm Gentleman Death in silk and lace, come to put out the… Milk and Honey
🏁 12. J.R.R Tolkien, The Hobbit
The mountain smoked beneath the moon; the dwarves, they heard… a Hurricane Song
🏁 13. Rick Riordan, The Last Olympian
She wore her orange camp t-shirt and… a Red Hood
🏁 14. Angie Thomas, The Hate U Give
What's the point of having a voice if you're gonna be… an American Psycho
🏁 15. Kathryn Stockett, The Help
All I’m saying is, kindness don’t have… a Hungry Heart

[Lynette]

I have reached my goal and will see if I can get to Marathon status before the year's over. :)

50 as of Sep 13 for Message #31

[Amy]

Updated message 12-- 23/35
7. Kazuo Ishiguro, Klara and the Sun
When we were new, Rosa and I were… Good Company

[Julie]

updated message 13
20/30

[TerryJane, Challenges]

Lynette wrote: "I have reached my goal and will see if I can get to Marathon status before the year's over. :)

50 as of Sep 13 for Message #31"

Congratulations, Lynette, and good luck as you keep running toward Marathon status! 👏

[TerryJane, Challenges]

Mid-month update posted!

[Ursula]

update to message 16: 25/30 books read

[Anna]

Update to message #54

36/40

I. Themes - Complete quotes related to our 2024 themes.
1. Naomi Novik, Uprooted
They come and go like seasons, the winter that gives… - A Time to Kill
2. Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows
Spring was moving in the air above and in… The Lovely Bones
3. John Green, Looking for Alaska
Every summer since I was little, I’ve gone to garage sales and bought… Amazing Gems: An Illustrated Guide to the World's Most Dazzling Costume Jewelry
4. Delia Owens, Where the Crawdads Sing
Autumn leaves don't fall, they…
5. Haruki Murakami, Kafka on the Shore
Sometimes fate is like a small sandstorm that keeps…
6. Ursula K. Le Guin, The Wave in the Mind
People who deny the existence of dragons are often… Profiles in Courage
7. Jim Butcher, Vignette
I have nightmares about hell, where all I do is add up numbers and try to… To Kill a Mockingbird
8. Aldous Huxley, Brave New World Revisited
An unexciting truth may be eclipsed by… The Lessons of History
9. Tomi Adeyemi, Children of Blood and Bone
Their lies and lily-scented perfumes taint the… The Woman in Me
10. Gillian Flynn, Gone Girl
But he turned our family life into an endless road trip with… The Archer
11. Anne Rice, The Vampire Lestat
I'm Gentleman Death in silk and lace, come to put out the… The Inner Life of Animals: Love, Grief, and Compassion -- Surprising Observations of a Hidden World
12. J.R.R Tolkien, The Hobbit
The mountain smoked beneath the moon; the dwarves, they heard… The Heartbeat of Trees: Embracing Our Ancient Bond with Forests and Nature
13. Rick Riordan, The Last Olympian
She wore her orange camp t-shirt and…
14. Angie Thomas, The Hate U Give
What's the point of having a voice if you're gonna be… Working Stiff: Two Years, 262 Bodies, and the Making of a Medical Examiner
15. Kathryn Stockett, The Help
All I’m saying is, kindness don’t have…

II. Opening Lines - Complete the book beginnings.
1. Margaret Atwood, The Handmaid’s Tale
We slept in what had once been… Jeweled Garden: A Colorful History of Gems, Jewels, and Nature
2. Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451
It was a pleasure to…
3. Alice Walker, The Color Purple
You better not never tell… How to Wear Jewelry: 55 Styles
4. Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina
All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is… Eastbound
5. Min Jin Lee, Pachinko
History has failed us, but… We Have Always Been Who We Are
6. Daphne du Maurier, Rebecca
Last night I dreamt I went to… The World Without Us
7. Kazuo Ishiguro, Klara and the Sun
When we were new, Rosa and I were… Finessing the King: A Short Story
8. Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God
Ships at a distance have every man’s…
9. Marcel Proust, Swann’s Way
For a long time, I went to bed…
10. S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders
When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the movie house, I…
11. Gabriel García Márquez, One Hundred Years of Solitude
Many years later, as he faced the firing squad, Colonel Aureliano Buendía was… Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions
12. Cormac McCarthy, The Road
When he woke in the woods in the dark and cold of the night he’d…
13. Ashley Audrain, The Push
Your house glows at night like everything inside is… The Color Purple
14. George Orwell, 1984
It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were...
15. Shirley Jackson, The Haunting of Hill House
No live organism can continue for long to…

III. Closing Lines - Complete these book endings.
1. Margaret Mitchell, Gone with the Wind
After all, tomorrow is… The Mystery of the Blue Train
2. Sylvia Plath, The Bell Jar
The eyes and faces all turned themselves towards… The Bitter Side of Sweet
3. George Orwell, Animal Farm
The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and…
4. Yann Martel,Life of Pi
Very few castaways can claim to have survived so long at…
5. Ernest Hemingway, The Old Man and the Sea
The old man was dreaming about… The Ice Dragon
6. Jung Chang, Wild Swans
I was eager to embrace… The Power of Trees
7. Annie Proulx, Brokeback Mountain
There was some open space between what he knew and what he tried to…
8. Louisa May Alcott, Little Women
Oh, my girls, however long you may live, I never can wish you…
9. L. Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
I'm so glad to be at…
10. Kate Chopin, The Awakening
There was the hum of bees, and the musky odor of… The Unexpected Guest
11. Stieg Larsson, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest
She opened the door wide and let him into her… The Jeweled Menagerie: The World of Animals in Gems
12. Lauren Weisberger, The Devil Wears Prada
And then, while the pretty brunette girl finished singing her verse, he…
13. Asne Seierstad, A Hundred and One Days
It floats through the balcony doors and makes the curtains…
14. Ernest Hemingway, A Moveable Feast
But this is how Paris was in the early days when we were very…
15. Pearl S. Buck, The Good Earth
But over the old man's head they looked at each other and…

IV. Songs - Complete these opening song lyrics.
1. Ed Sheeran, Bad Habits, 2021
Every time you come around, you know I…
2. BTS, Butter, 2021
Smooth like butter, like a…
3. Lady Gaga, Stupid Love, 2020
You’re the one that I’ve…
4. Pharrell Williams, Happy, 2014
It might seem crazy what I'm 'bout to…
5. Rihanna, Diamonds, 2012
Find light in the beautiful… Miracle of Mindfulnes
6. Carly Rae Jepsen, Call Me Maybe, 2011
I threw a wish in…
7. Black Eyed Peas, I Gotta Feeling, 2009
I gotta feeling that tonight’s gonna be…
8. Beyoncé, Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It), 2008
Up in the club, just broke up, I’m doing… The A.B.C. Murders
9. Eminem, Lose Yourself, 2002
His palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are…
10. Sinéad O’Connor, Nothing Compares to U, 1990
It's been seven hours and fifteen days since you took…
11. Prince, Let’s Go Crazy, 1984
Dearly Beloved, we have gathered here today to get… Just Mercy
12. The Eagles, Hotel California, 1976
On a dark desert highway, cool wind in… My Favorite Universe
13. The Mamas and the Papas, California Dreaming, 1965
All the leaves are brown and the sky is…
14. Elvis Pressley, Heartbreak Hotel, 1956
Well, since my baby left me, well, I found a new… Interpreter of Maladies
15. Dooley Wilson, As Time Goes By, 1942
You must remember this, a kiss is… Death on the Nile

V. Idioms - Complete these idioms using your book titles.
1. Up a creek without a… Paper: Paging Through History
2. As snug as a bug in a… Lady Tan’s Circle of Women
3. Look before you… Open
4. Throw caution to… The Red Badge of Courage
5. Stop beating around the…
6. It is always darkest before…
7. Don’t kill the goose that lays the…
8. The pot calling the kettle…
9. Like a cat on a hot tin…
10. Your guess is as good as…
11. Too many cooks spoil the…
12. Two heads are better than…
13. All that glitters is not…
14. Every dog has his…
15. A rising tide lifts all… Five Little Pigs

[TEE]

Please update Msg 62

27 / 30

I. Themes
2. Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows
Spring was moving in the air above and in The Captive Kingdom
14. Angie Thomas, The Hate U Give
What's the point of having a voice if you're going to be Mean Baby: A Memoir of Growing Up

II. Opening Lines
13. Ashley Audraine, The Push
Your house glows at night like everything inside is
Fireborne

IV. Songs
13. The Mamas and The Papas, California Dreaming, 1965
All the leaves are brown and the sky is Vicious

V. Idioms
1. Up a creek without a Compass and Blade
2. Throw caution to The Last Devil to Die
12. Two heads are better than (a) Fang and Claw

[Rachael]

Updated message 38: 12/12 challenge completed thanks 👍

[Amy]

Updated message 12-- 24/35
9. L. Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
I'm so glad to be at…The Vintage Club

[TerryJane, Challenges]

Update to Message #20 : 74/75
Almost there, and the last one is on my October reading plan! I completed the Idioms group.

V. Idioms - Complete these idioms using your book titles.
🏁 1. Up a creek without a… Raft of Stars
🏁 2. As snug as a bug in a… Our House
🏁 3. Look before you… Pick Your Poison
🏁 4. Throw caution to… the The Devil in the White City
🏁 5. Stop beating around the… Nightshade for Warning
🏁 6. It is always darkest before… Winter Solstice
🏁 7. Don’t kill the goose that lays the… Once Gone
🏁 8. The pot calling the kettle… Black Cake
🏁 9. Like a cat on a hot tin… Starling House
🏁 10. Your guess is as good as… His & Hers
🏁 11. Too many cooks spoil the… The Boys in the Boat
🏁 12. Two heads are better than… The Double Bind
🏁 13. All that glitters is not… The Golden Couple
🏁 14. Every dog has his… Trust
🏁 15. A rising tide lifts all… Things Not Seen

[Ursula]

update to message 16: 26/30 books read

[TerryJane, Challenges]

Rachael wrote: "Updated message 38: 12/12 challenge completed thanks 👍"

Congratulations, Rachael!

[Amy]

Updated message 12-- 25/35
11. Gabriel García Márquez, One Hundred Years of Solitude
Many years later, as he faced the firing squad, Colonel Aureliano Buendía was…The Fifth Victim

[Amy]

Updated message 12-- 26/35
11. Too many cooks spoil the…Killer Kung Pao

[TerryJane, Challenges]

Update to Message #20 : 75/75

Challenge completed! I finally crossed the Ultramarathon finish line by completing the last of the Songs group. Whew! 😅

IV. Songs - Complete these opening song lyrics.
🏁 1. Ed Sheeran, Bad Habits, 2021
Every time you come around, you know I… I Know Who You Are
🏁 2. BTS, Butter, 2021
Smooth like butter, like a… Dream Girl
🏁 3. Lady Gaga, Stupid Love, 2020
You’re the one that I’ve… Flipped for Murder
🏁 4. Pharrell Williams, Happy, 2014
It might seem crazy what I'm 'bout to… Restart
🏁 5. Rihanna, Diamonds, 2012
Find light in the beautiful… Peach Blossom Spring
🏁 6. Carly Rae Jepsen, Call Me Maybe, 2011
I threw a wish in… the Second Grave on the Left
🏁 7. Black Eyed Peas, I Gotta Feeling, 2009
I gotta feeling that tonight’s gonna be… Big Magic
🏁 8. Beyoncé, Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It), 2008
Up in the club, just broke up, I’m doing… a Winter Stroll
🏁 9. Eminem, Lose Yourself, 2002
His palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are… Speaking from Among the Bones
🏁 10. Sinéad O’Connor, Nothing Compares to U, 1990
It's been seven hours and fifteen days since you took… A Train in Winter
🏁 11. Prince, Let’s Go Crazy, 1984
Dearly Beloved, we have gathered here today to get… Flowers for Algernon
🏁 12. The Eagles, Hotel California, 1976
On a dark desert highway, cool wind in… the Winter Street
🏁 13. The Mamas and the Papas, California Dreaming, 1965
All the leaves are brown and the sky is… Beyond Magenta
🏁 14. Elvis Pressley, Heartbreak Hotel, 1956
Well, since my baby left me, well, I found a new… Bewilderment
🏁 15. Dooley Wilson, As Time Goes By, 1942
You must remember this, a kiss is… How the Penguins Saved Veronica

[Julie]

updated message 13
21/30