Play Book Tag discussion
2025 Activities and Challenges
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Play Harder General Discussion
Theresa wrote: "Not really - I also thought JoAnne - it was the NF option..."..."
I was being facetious. Note that it is worded in such a way to allow either fiction or non-fiction, though.
I am hoping to finish my list in time to request another before the swap date. I'd like to join in the fun.
Just a remind to submit your entries for the swap (starting August 11). Here's the link just in case anyone is having a hard time finding it:
https://forms.gle/L9FatPHKGHZaBc1s5
In a record on several levels for me, I just managed to fill 3 prompts on my new third list in the very few days since I got the new list! I am definitely not that fast at filling prompts! AND, it was a trilogy which I read all 3 books without break, it so pulled me in (rare - very very rare occurrence). Each book individually fit a different prompt. Bonus: each fit Family Drama - so I already have 3 books for this months tag.
Plus, the third one fit one of the 3 remaining prompts I have for ATY 2025.
Hopefully I don't now stall out. LOL.
It might be time to buy a lottery ticket.
Theresa wrote: "In a record on several levels for me, I just managed to fill 3 prompts on my new third list in the very few days since I got the new list! I am definitely not that fast at filling prompts! AND, it ..."Woo hoo!
Olivermagnus wrote: "It might be time to buy a lottery ticket."I think you are right!
Yay, Theresa! I'm hoping to get through this list faster. I thought I was doing well knocking off two already.
Booknblues wrote: "Yay, Theresa! I'm hoping to get through this list faster. I thought I was doing well knocking off two already."You are! Well done!
This is the last day to submit your prompts for the swap. Swapping will begin tomorrow.
I just wrote you seconds ago about the swap! Was hoping to switch it out and get one prompt back.... I really really love my list..... Except one that seemed to be too hard to make work.... But someone will love it...
I just finished my list Anita!!! It is posted can a get a new one PLEASE!! so sorry!
@Anita - you should have a submission from me!Everyone - if you have a prompt on your list that you keep ignoring or skimming over even though you have something to read for it, submit it and join the fun. That's a sign you don't really want to read for that prompt.
Besides, you can always steal it back if it has been opened by the time your turn comes.
One of the prompts on my 3rd list is:3. Read a middle grade or young adult book written by an author first known for adult fiction or non-fiction books.
I already had a couple of authors in mind - there's a recent Carl Hiaasen - love his - and Alice Hoffman has a couple - mostly series - that I've eyed in the past. But I discovered when reading My Brother Michael by Mary Stewart that she too wrote 3 or 4 YA/Middle Grade books, and I think all were adapted into movies. Of course these were back in the 60s before there were such genre designations, but it provides me with a couple more easy options.
Anyone else getting that prompt, those are 3 authors to keep in mind. Personally, I love Hiaassen's - my favorite is Chomp but they are all good and all have strong themes not just of difficulties faced by children in dysfunctional families, but also environment, wildlife, science.
Another author who has written both adult and middle grade/children's books is Louise Erdrich.ETA - I actually read one of her middle grade books, which has expanded into a series, and is helpful for kids in exploring indigenous culture and environmentalism: The Birchbark House
Joy D wrote: "Another author who has written both adult and middle grade/children's books is Louise Erdrich.ETA - I actually read one of her middle grade books, which has expanded into a series, ..."
The trick is that the Middle grade or YA books have to have been published AFTER the author was already a published adult writer. I'll check on Erdrich!
Another who fits as I recall - just remembered - is Frances Hodgson Burnett. I will also double check her.
I think she qualifies. Her Love Medicine series was started in the 1980s, and the first Birchbark wasn't published until 1999.
Great! Just need one adult book published first, LOL.
Theresa wrote: "Great! Just need one adult book published first, LOL."What about A.A. Milne? He wrote The Red House Mystery before the famous bear books.
Good reminder. That's a very good mystery BTW. I've read the Winnie the Pooh books more times than I can count. It's an option but I want to read something I haven't read.
Where can I find the most recent swap? I forgot to write down what I ended up with!
Joanne wrote: "Where can I find the most recent swap? I forgot to write down what I ended up with!"Joanne, you had mine,:
12. Read a book where one of the main characters is in the military
The final list:https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Here's where things ended!
1. Read a fiction bestseller from the year you were born. If already read it, read the fiction bestseller from the year and immediate family member was born. (Robin)
2. Read a collection of any year's best short fiction or stories edited by a favorite author (Theresa)
3. Read a book by Stephen King (Rachel N)
4. Read a book with a title where all the words begin with the same letter (3 word minimum) (Amy)
5. Read a book whose title includes a cardinal number (must be expressed in digital format, i.e. 2 not two). (Lyn)
6. A book with less than 1,000 ratings on Goodreads (Nancy)
7. Read a book about the closest sports franchise to where you live. Sport of your choice. (Joy)
8. A book whose title is a pun, i.e. Assault and Pepper. (BooknBlues)
9. Read a book with a tag that starts with "social" (Sociology, society, social psychology, social sciences, social, social- justice, sociable, sociopath, social engineering, social commentary, etc.) (Pam)
10. Read a book where one of the main characters is in the military (Joanne)
Has anyone else had this prompt? Book with one of the classic Monopoly tokens on the cover (cannon, battleship, iron, race car, thimble, top hat, dog) What did you read?I would like suggestions. I had a prompt that was dog on the cover with this list, and I would like to read something different if possible. Any help is appreciated :)
I put that prompt in, figuring all the choices would make it easy to find a book with one on the cover. It does not have to be the actual token image, just representative. For example, there's a good mystery series featuring a female race car driver, Kate Reilly -
has a yellow race car on cover. Historical Wrexford and Sloane mystery series by Andrea Penrose and one by C.S. Harris along with other 19th century historical mysteries or romances have top hats. Marie Bostwick Cobble Court Quilts have thimbles as do a number of HF and cozy mysteries with a needlework theme. I have seem WWI and WWII history boks with battleships on cover. Cannon should pop up on covers for US Civil War, Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic War HF or history. Iron - I'd start with cozy mysteries with a sewing or domestic service or setting a laindry but there are others easier to find.Hope that helps.
There are lots of non-fiction WWII books with battleships on the cover. One I gave 5 stars is:
And another 5-star is:
Lyn wrote: "Has anyone else had this prompt? Book with one of the classic Monopoly tokens on the cover (cannon, battleship, iron, race car, thimble, top hat, dog) What did you read?I would like suggestions. ..."
This was a prompt in ATY a few years ago. I hated it because I have a hard time seeing small things on the covers online. I don’t really care for cover prompts anyway. Don’t try to get a perfect match. Any dog, car, hat will do. You can google books with a hat in the cover, etc, it might bring you to a GR or other list.
There is a listopia for it. I’ll try to find it.
I recently read The Unbearable Lightness of Being. I remember it from the challenge, it’s a strange book but not bad on audio.
Lyn wrote: "Has anyone else had this prompt? Book with one of the classic Monopoly tokens on the cover (cannon, battleship, iron, race car, thimble, top hat, dog) What did you read?I would like suggestions. ..."
Here you go Lyn. I hope it helps.
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
Here's another with a top hat but I haven't read it so I don't know if it's any good. It's on my TBR:
A Friend of Mr. Lincoln
I imagine there are quite a few books about Lincoln that show his iconic top hat on the cover.
Thanks everyone. That is great information, very helpful. I was feeling a wee bit overwhelmed with the task, but now it feels like I can do it. :) Thanks!
NancyJ wrote: "Lyn wrote: "Has anyone else had this prompt? Book with one of the classic Monopoly tokens on the cover (cannon, battleship, iron, race car, thimble, top hat, dog) What did you read?I would like s..."
This list was very helpful. I found a few possibilities on it. Thanks.
NancyJ wrote: "Any dog, car, hat will do. ..."Actually, NOT any car or hat ... it's specific to a race car and a top hat.
Top hat -
(or alternate cover:
Book Concierge wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "Any dog, car, hat will do. ..."Actually, NOT any car or hat ... it's specific to a race car and a top hat.
Top hat -
(or alternate cover: [bo..."That is correct. Both [book:The Unbearable Lightness of Being|9717] and others on that listopia are bowlers, not top hats, for example. If it is rounded at the top, no sharp edges, it's a bowler.
and
have men in top hats on the cover.
I'm going to set up a final swap for October 28th! So there's some time . . .Just a reminder to submit your swaps here by 8 am EST on October 27th:
https://forms.gle/1fuFzVNiqNLUd5Nd6
Thanks, Anita! That inspires me to finish list 3 and get a list 4! I'm half way there ... and am working on the 7th read.
Theresa wrote: "Thanks, Anita! That inspires me to finish list 3 and get a list 4! I'm half way there ... and am working on the 7th read."Go, Theresa, Go!!!
Year End for Play HarderThere have been a few behind the scenes inquiries about how we will wrap up Play Harder.
As you may recall, there are some prizes:
Everyone who completes their list will receive an entry into a raffle to win a prize. Complete multiple lists to receive multiple entries. There will be a maximum of 4 entries into the raffle. There will also be a participation points prize of 20 points awarded for each list completed. There is no limit on the number of participation points you may earn. All books must be read and reviewed on PBT in order to receive the raffle entry or participation points.
I see no reason why you cannot work on your list right up until the end of the year, but lists must be complete in order to be prize eligible.
In December, I will post a special thread for reporting the number of lists completed and asking you to point me to your records/tracking. Participation points will be awarded in a special column on the spreadsheet once you post in the special thread.
The raffle will take place in early January.
This is great, Anita! I can definitely finish a 4th list by year end! My goal was 4 lists, a number of books read similar to Popsugar and Around the Year prompt based challenges that I easily finish each year.
Book Concierge wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "Any dog, car, hat will do. ..."Actually, NOT any car or hat ... it's specific to a race car and a "
Sorry I was going by the rule in the game where this prompt was actually created and used. I was a part of the planning process. It was much more flexible.
I only need one more to finish my 3rd list, so I will aim to do 4 also. I have been lucky so far and only swapped one book all year. (I was in the first swap and ended up picking my own back because it randomly showed up in a book I was about to read.) But I have seen lots in other people's list that would stump me.
I have finished two books that I have not yet reviewed and I’m slowly working in audio on a third…. And that means three books left for me to complete list three. And I can surely do that in time to enter the swap with my new list Four. One of them is a chunker. But I’ll just make sure it happens early in the month. Sounds really fun than new ideas you have for the wrap up. I haven’t been submitting them in the same way as other others. But they’re all on my tracker. So when it comes time, I’ll just have to figure out how and where to post them.
Theresa wrote: "Book Concierge wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "Any dog, car, hat will do. ..."Actually, NOT any car or hat ... it's specific to a race car and a top hat.
Top hat -
(..."I was reading it as written, that's why I asked for suggestions. I could find cars, hats, ships, but was having difficulty finding top hats, race cars and battle ships!
I am on track now, and with several suggestions, I think I am good to go!
Lyn wrote: "Theresa wrote: "Book Concierge wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "Any dog, car, hat will do. ..."Actually, NOT any car or hat ... it's specific to a race car and a top hat.
Top hat - [bookcover:Be Frank Wit..."
Great, Lyn! Just let us know if we can be further help.
BTW if anyone gets a similar prompt based on the game Clue, that was also one I submitted --- I think that showed up on someone's list a while ago.
When I put prompts in - and I have submitted A LOT! - I 'test' them by seeing how easily I can find options to read usually just from my TBR. Some of the prompts are very broad, but some are narrow -- because I think it's good to be pushed to read something a bit out of my comfort zone. There have been prompts in Pop Sugar and ATY that I have struggled with, for sure, that seem to have a very very narrow list of books that fit. I try very hard to avoid that!
Because I was curious and Nancy's listopia link mentioned what year it was, I went and looked up what I read. That was the PBT Favorite Author challenge year and one of the books I read for that had top hats on the cover -
. As usual, a book I was reading for some other reason fit the prompt.
Theresa wrote: "Lyn wrote: "Theresa wrote: "Book Concierge wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "Any dog, car, hat will do. ..."Actually, NOT any car or hat ... it's specific to a race car and a top hat.
Top hat - [bookcover:..."
Theresa you’re killing me. LOL
If you’re going to keep copying ATY, please keep to their spirit. You don’t need to be so picky in how you interpret them. They are flexible just like we are. If we think a book fits a monthly tag, it counts. Like us, they might be pickier (esp about page length) during a special challenge (with a chance for an award).
When someone wants to challenge themselves with a very strict interpretation of a prompt, we call it BIO - Bring it on! If they use a far more flexible interpretation, we call it KIS - Keep it simple. (I don’t label mine, but one way I BIO prompts is by requiring mpg or page 1 tags for genre topics.
When you test your prompts for difficulty, keep in mind that your TBR might be very different from other’s. I was really glad you got the one I submitted for the swap. It’s too bad we couldn’t trade again informally. (The short story anthology prompt was difficult for me because it was so very specific. The only one my library had was edited by an author I disliked, while the prompt said favorite.)
Joy D wrote: "There are lots of non-fiction WWII books with battleships on the cover. One I gave 5 stars is:
looks very intriguing to me. I will add it to my TBR.
Play Book Tag
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Theresa, I read Iron Lake and gave it 4 stars, I think you would like it. My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...