One Team to Read Them All

[Donna]

Team Members
Lexi
Donna
Teddie
Michelle Empty Nest
Ashley


Team SS: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...

[Donna]

For Reference

◈ There will be no page/genre limits for this challenge. Any book is fair game. Also non-fiction books are accepted.
◈ Only books you start reading after creating your own thread and not earlier than 1 January 2025 can count towards the challenge.
◈ the following options can be used for spell-outs
- author's/narrator's/editor's/translator's first or last name
- characters' first or last name
- title, a/an/the may be used or ignored
- series title

[Donna]

Tasks

Task set 1 - Private life
1. a book featuring multiple letters written (no email!)
2. Author's initials in PHILOLOGIST
3. An author or character named Christopher, Michael, Priscilla or John
4. MC has multiple children
5. all letters in EDITH in title
6. MPG Family
7. Character moves to a different country
8. a book set in South Africa
9. a book with a Christmas scene on the cover
10. a book tagged German or Germany at least 5x
11. an author who uses their initials for author name
12. a character who smokes
13. MPG Non-fiction
14. a book published in January
15. "dictionary" in text

(view spoiler)[
Task set 2 - Professor Tolkien
1. Set in Leeds or Oxford
2. Takes place at a University
3. MC teaches
4. MPG English Literature
5. a book that has been translated
6. MPG Classics
7. the word "fellow" or "fellowship" in text
8. A book from this list: SAGA https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
9. letters NORSE in title and/or author's name
Spell out MERTON
10. M
11. E
12. R
13. T
14. O
15. N
(hide spoiler)]
(view spoiler)[
Task set 3 - Middle Earth
1. A book from the Great first lines list: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/2... OR Best Opening sentence list https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/7...
2. MPG Epic Fantasy
3. Read a book with the letters EDDA in the title
4. book that features a journey
5. a book with jewellery on the cover
6. Tree on the cover
7. Sword or shield or piece of armour on cover
8. MPG Adventure
9. book in which a burglary is committed
10. a book with plenty of food on the cover
11. a book with a slow burn romance (your interpretation)
12. a book where the publication date or the page number contains at least three from these numbers: 1,3,7,9
13. A book that includes some verse/poem/song lyrics
14. Mountain on the cover
15. the word "fireworks" in text
(hide spoiler)]
(view spoiler)[
Task set 4 - Middle Earth on screen
1. An author or character named Peter or Robert or Jackson
2. A book containing illustrations
3. A book that has been adapted into a visual medium (movie, tv show, etc.)
4. A book that has won a major award
5. A biography/memoir of a famous person in the movie industry
6. MPG Music
7. A book tagged 'New Zealand' at least 5x
8. A book published between 2001-2003 or 2012-2014
9. letters WETA in title
10. Book part of a trilogy
11. A book tagged movie(s) or film or cinema min 5x
12. A book with more than 1 million ratings on GR
13. A book with a beautiful cover
14. a book with both 'potato' and 'rabbit' (or 'conies') in the text
15. A book that has an audio version between 11 and 12 hours long
(hide spoiler)]
(view spoiler)[
Task set 5 - Posthumous works
1. MPG Mythology
2. A collection of short stories
3. All letters in BEOWULF in title
4. A book first published after the author's death
5. A book with a gemstone on the cover
6. Author initials in BEREN
Spell out Chris
7. C
8. H
9. R
10. I
11. S
12. a book that was published in 1924 or before
13. a book that has an editor listed on GR (alone or next to the author)
14. A character who is or was in the military
15. Author's or narrator's initials in AVIATION
(hide spoiler)]
(view spoiler)[
Task set 6 - The Inklings
1. A book first published between 1930-1949
2. A book that features a pub/inn
3. A book tagged "friend(s)" or "friendship" min 5x
4. Book by an author with at least 2 Christian names
5. MPG War
6. A book that features three MCs
7. MPG History or Historical Fiction
8. Character has an older brother
9. "Thursday" in text
10. a character drinks beer
Spell out EAGLE
11. E
12. A
13. G
14. L
15. E
(hide spoiler)]
(view spoiler)[
Optional Bonus Set 1 - Tolkien's Creatures

Find the following denizens of Middle Earth in your books. You don't need to find them as a character (though of course you can), a simple mention in the text is fine. (i.e. If someone refers to their boss as a troll, consider the task covered.)
Singular and plural both accepted.

1. Men/humans
2. Wizards
3. Elves
4. Dwarves
5. Dragons
6. Halflings/Hobbits
7. Orcs
8. Goblins
9. Trolls
10. Eagles
11. Spirits
12. Pirates
13. Oliphaunt/elephants
14. Demons
15. Spiders
(hide spoiler)]
(view spoiler)[
Optional Bonus Set 2 - Word Pairs Hunt
Find the following words in your books. Singular and plural both accepted.

1. merry & weed
2. stride & king
3. horse & rider
4. daughter & twilight
5. oak & shield OR shield & maid(en)
6. simply & walk
7. harp & gold
8. uncomfortable & adventure
9. secret & fire
10. speak & riddle
11. ring & power
12. first & age
13. capture & light
14. respectable & company
15. living & woman (hide spoiler)]

[Donna]

We will need a team name...

My ideas:
The Middle-earth Inklings
The Shire Inklings
Inklings of the Fellowship

[Ashley]

Donna wrote: "We will need a team name...

My ideas:
The Middle-earth Inklings
The Shire Inklings
Inklings of the Fellowship"

These are all cute... here's my submissions, only because I like making up names. PS - I'm fine with anything that's we pick


The Prancing Ponies
The One Team to Read Them All
Secondses Breakfast Book Club I see this variation has already been done

[Michelle's Empty Nest]

Hey, team! Checking in.

[Teddie]

Greetings all! Happy to be playing with such a fun team :)

Some team name ideas:

- The Underhill Gang
- Mellon Cor (elvish for Friend Circle or circle of friends)

I also like One Team to Read Them All

[Teddie]

Inspired to use my Middle Earth coffee mug this morning :)

[Ashley]

Teddie, drinker of the bitter invention of Satan wrote: "Inspired to use my Middle Earth coffee mug this morning :)

"

VERY cute!

[Lexi]

That is a lovely mug. Hi all

I like One Team to Read Them All or there should be something we can do with "One Does Not Simply Walk Into Mordor" meme

[Donna]

Seems to me that a majority like

One Team to Read Them All

Is that our team name?

[Ashley]

Lexi wrote: "That is a lovely mug. Hi all

I like One Team to Read Them All or there should be something we can do with "One Does Not Simply Walk Into Mordor" meme"

Haha! Love it!

...

Donna, I'm happy with One Team to Read Them All if you are! :)

[Ashley]

Looks like the SS is up, so I made a copy for us: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...

Donna, do you want to add this link up with the task comment you made?

[Ashley]

Since there are 5 of us, do we want to do 3 tasks per set? Or just go with the flow?

[Judith]

Nice team name ladies!

[Melindam]

Hello,

love the name and Teddie's cup. :) ♡

[Teddie]

Ashley wrote: "Since there are 5 of us, do we want to do 3 tasks per set? Or just go with the flow?"

Maybe we all pick one task from the sheet to start and then pick a new one when our first book is done? That way when life occasionally gets in the way of reading, no one feels pressured or anything - maybe she just reads more for the next set. (I'm also cool with each picking 3 tasks if that's what is preferred.)

FYI: I tweaked the sheet (just the first set tab to start) to show when a reader claims a task and then when a task is read.

[Donna]

Teddie, drinker of the bitter invention of Satan wrote: "Ashley wrote: "Since there are 5 of us, do we want to do 3 tasks per set? Or just go with the flow?"

Maybe we all pick one task from the sheet to start and then pick a new one when our first book ...FYI: I tweaked the sheet (just the first set tab to start) to show when a reader claims a task and then when a task is read"

I expected nothing less from you, Teddie. In fact, I kind of expected to see color coded names in a dropdown. You usually get creative with my spreadsheets. LOL!

[Ashley]

Donna wrote: "Teddie, drinker of the bitter invention of Satan wrote: "Ashley wrote: "Since there are 5 of us, do we want to do 3 tasks per set? Or just go with the flow?"

Maybe we all pick one task from the sh..."

I definitely RESTRAINED MYSELF from making edits. I SAT ON MY HANDS... lol lol

[Ashley]

Melindam wrote: "Hello,

love the name and Teddie's cup. :) ♡"

Judith wrote: "Nice team name ladies!"

Hello!!! Thank you! :)

[Teddie]

Ashley wrote: "I definitely RESTRAINED MYSELF from making edits. I SAT ON MY HANDS... lol lol.."

Oh, I restrained myself too - lol. I love your sheets - I left lots of stuff you can do too :D

I do love the JRRT tidbits on the planning sheet - love learning things while doing reading challenges! Hey, that's how my GR name got appended - doing Michelle's coffee challenge :)

[Donna]

LOL! You two are too much! I only do the bare minimum. Mainly because spreadsheets give me a migraine. I can only handle so much before I have to walk away. I have a love/hate relationship with them. They are a necessary evil. I can do everything that I need to with them but you two go overboard.

[Ashley]

Donna wrote: "LOL! You two are too much! I only do the bare minimum. Mainly because spreadsheets give me a migraine. I can only handle so much before I have to walk away. I have a love/hate relationship with the..."

It's kind of an obsession, honestly. I just love the organization of it, and I always joke that I should have been a graphic designer, because I will fuss with how something "looks" for the longest time.

[Teddie]

What she said :)

[Lexi]

Teddie, drinker of the bitter invention of Satan wrote: "Ashley wrote: "Since there are 5 of us, do we want to do 3 tasks per set? Or just go with the flow?"

Maybe we all pick one task from the sheet to start and then pick a new one when our first book ..."

Maybe let everyone pick two each but then fill in as reading speed and life happens. I think two each would be nice so everyone even slower reader gets some time to read multiple tasks.

[Ashley]

I think we all read at about the same rate, so 2 sounds fine to me. Or, we could pick one at a time until we reach 3 tasks each? I'm fine with taking our time, unless we feel the need to rush through... Lol

Honestly, I don't even care... We could random wheel spin them 😂

[Teddie]

I'm good with the pick 2 and then fill in the last 5 based on where people are with reading / rl :) Whatever is going to keep it fun and low stress for everybody.

(I picked one because of a book I'm reading for something else, but I can take that off if we decide on a different approach.)

[Donna]

I'm not sure this challenge has officially started yet...

◈ Only books you start reading after creating your own thread and not earlier than 1 January 2025 can count towards the challenge.

That is why I haven't chosen anything for it. Been kind of doing other challenges and not worrying about this one yet.

[Lexi]

I won’t be choosing a book until closer to Jan 1 as I’m still trying to finish out this year. However I know some people like to plan so I wanted to see if we agreed on a method.

[Donna]

I figured that but Teddie was reading a book. I didn't want it not to count.

[Teddie]

Thanks Donna - it's a book I'm planning to start in January.

How about we each claim 2 tasks and we'll figure out the last 5 once we're like mid-way through the month (Jan in this case)?

[Lexi]

I’m impressed by your pre planning.

[Donna]

You are actually planning for challenges in January? That's impressive. The only planning ahead I am doing is for my RL book clubs and that is because I need to get those in time. I will probably buy those. For challenges, I can usually find a book that works within one of my memberships or get a book from the library.

[Teddie]

Only a bit, but that book hits a bunch of challenges plus a translation bonus, so I know I'm going to read it in Jan :)

[Donna]

These tasks are not lining up well with the other challenges that I signed up for... at all. Guess I will just have to read more books in January. LOL

[Ashley]

Hah! I hate when that happens!

I've been setting my reading goals for next year and one of them is to be more selective of books I choose... so I anticipate slower reading (I'd also like to work on reviewing more)... so I'm ok with us not running through the tasks just for the sake of finishing quickly!

[Ashley]

I forgot to share this! My lovely mother bought me a new (stunning) LOTR set for Christmas. Thinking of reading it for this challenge!

[Teddie]

ooooo - I am so envious Ashley! Those are gorgeous! I love the height difference on the set.

[Ashley]

Me tooooo!

[Teddie]

Happy New Year ladies!

I just picked a second task that uses the book my daughter got me for christmas :)

[Lexi]

I just got a book with a Christmas scene in on the cover from the library, so I can get to that one this weekend. I requested it before Christmas but so apparently did everyone else.

[Ashley]

I've finished 2 books for this challenge. I have 1 more claimed, I'm using my IRL book club book, which I plan to start Monday probably (maybe this weekend if I can get it together.....).

[Michelle's Empty Nest]

I have finished my 3 books.

[Lexi]

Donna, how are you doing on your books?

My Christmas one also has a charecter named Christopher if you would prefer that task and my book can be moved.

The other task left is South Africa.

[Donna]

I am getting there. I just have a lot of books to get through. I am ok with the tasks leftover. I enjoy the hunt for a book to fit.

[Donna]

My Lev Grossman book won't be finished until around January 25th, though. It is for one of my RL book clubs. If I read it now it won't be fresh in my mind.

[Donna]

I will find books for these other two later this week and fit them in (unless something I read in the meantime fits).

[Ashley]

I finished my last book, and it was a doozy - I am UNWELL.

[Donna]

I finished my last book. It was sooooo good!!

[Lexi]

Wonderful. We can work on the second set now.