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Ridiculously Random Reading Challenge: Heli
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Ridiculously Random Prompt #33: Outhouse Racing

In Outhouse Racing, an outhouse (outdoor toilet) is kitted with wheels, brakes, and a steering system, and is raced down hills with competitors sitting on the toilet seat inside.
Competitors decorate their outhouses with clever names like “Royal Flush” and the first outhouse to make it across the finish line wins.
Complete ONE of the following tasks:
🚽 1. Read a book where a character decorates something.
🚽 2. Read a book with all the letters of OUTHOUSE in the title and/or subtitle.
🚽 3. Read a book with something with a steering system on the cover.
🚽 4. Read a book where a character sits down.

In Outhouse Racing, an outhouse (outdoor toilet) is kitted with wheels, brakes, and a steering system, and is raced down hills with competitors sitting on the toilet seat inside.
Competitors decorate their outhouses with clever names like “Royal Flush” and the first outhouse to make it across the finish line wins.
Complete ONE of the following tasks:
🚽 1. Read a book where a character decorates something.
🚽 2. Read a book with all the letters of OUTHOUSE in the title and/or subtitle.
🚽 3. Read a book with something with a steering system on the cover.
🚽 4. Read a book where a character sits down.

Book: Forget Me Not
Author: Julie Soto
Date Read: 6/24/26
Pages: 353
Task: Read a book where a character decorates something.
How it Fits: As a florist Elliot decorates wedding venues with flowers.
Ridiculously Random Prompt #22: The Oscars

The Oscars used to give out an award to child performers.
The award show discontinued the Academy Juvenile Award in 1960 after famous names like Shirley Temple and Judy Garland nabbed the honor. Also no longer on the ballot? Best Dance Direction and Best Title Writing.
Complete ONE of the following tasks:
🏆 1. Read a book with something gold on the cover.
🏆 2. Read a book that has won an award.
🏆 3. Read a book where the title starts with a letter in OSCARS.
🏆 4. Read a book where a character acts, dances, or writes.

The Oscars used to give out an award to child performers.
The award show discontinued the Academy Juvenile Award in 1960 after famous names like Shirley Temple and Judy Garland nabbed the honor. Also no longer on the ballot? Best Dance Direction and Best Title Writing.
Complete ONE of the following tasks:
🏆 1. Read a book with something gold on the cover.
🏆 2. Read a book that has won an award.
🏆 3. Read a book where the title starts with a letter in OSCARS.
🏆 4. Read a book where a character acts, dances, or writes.

Book: Disappoint Me
Author: Nicola Dinan
Date Read: 6/28/25
Pages: 320
Task: Read a book where a character acts, dances, or writes.
How it Fits: MC Max writes poems.
Ridiculously Random Prompt #26: Baby Puffins

A baby puffin is called a "puffling."
To feed its chick, a puffin parent will carry around 10 fish in its beak at one time, but the biggest recorded haul is a whopping 62 fish, according to Audubon Project Puffin.
Complete ONE of the following tasks:
🐠 1. Read a book with a bird on the cover.
🐠 2. Read a book where the MC is a parent.
🐠 3. Read a book with a 6 and a 2 in the page count.
🐠 4. Read a book with all the letters of PUFFIN found in the title/subtitle.

A baby puffin is called a "puffling."
To feed its chick, a puffin parent will carry around 10 fish in its beak at one time, but the biggest recorded haul is a whopping 62 fish, according to Audubon Project Puffin.
Complete ONE of the following tasks:
🐠 1. Read a book with a bird on the cover.
🐠 2. Read a book where the MC is a parent.
🐠 3. Read a book with a 6 and a 2 in the page count.
🐠 4. Read a book with all the letters of PUFFIN found in the title/subtitle.

Book: A Trick of the Light
Author: Louise Penny
Date Read: 6/30/25
Pages: 345
Task: Read a book where the MC is a parent.
How it Fits: MC Armand Gamache has two children.
Ridiculously Random Prompt #3: Axe Throwing

Popular at lumberjack competitions, Axe Throwing is a sport in which players throw an axe at a target, attempting to reach the bulls-eye.
On the target, the outside ring is worth 1 point, the second ring is worth 2 points, and so on with the bulls-eye worth 5 points. In a game, each player is allowed 5 throws with a maximum of 25 points possible.
Complete ONE of the following tasks:
🪓 1. Read a book with all the letters of AXE in the title.
🪓 2. Read a book with a 25 intact in the page count or publication date.
🪓 3. Read a book a round object, like a target, on the cover.
🪓 4. Read a book where the MC's first initial is found in LUMBERJACK.

Popular at lumberjack competitions, Axe Throwing is a sport in which players throw an axe at a target, attempting to reach the bulls-eye.
On the target, the outside ring is worth 1 point, the second ring is worth 2 points, and so on with the bulls-eye worth 5 points. In a game, each player is allowed 5 throws with a maximum of 25 points possible.
Complete ONE of the following tasks:
🪓 1. Read a book with all the letters of AXE in the title.
🪓 2. Read a book with a 25 intact in the page count or publication date.
🪓 3. Read a book a round object, like a target, on the cover.
🪓 4. Read a book where the MC's first initial is found in LUMBERJACK.

Book: Dead Man’s Grave
Author: Neil Lancaster
Date Read: 7/4/25
Pages: 400
Task: Read a book where the MC's first initial is found in LUMBERJACK.
How it Fits: MC Max
Ridiculously Random Prompt #66: Wood Chopping

In a Wood Chopping competition, the aim of the game is to be the first “axeman” to chop or saw through a log or block of wood.
These sorts of competitions are often found at places such as state fairs and agricultural shows and have been around since 1870.
Complete ONE of the following tasks:
🪚 1. Read a book where the MC goes to a state fair or a similar place.
🪚 2. Read a book with at least two of these numbers in the page count: 1870.
🪚 3. Read a book with the word CHOP or SAW found in the text.
🪚 4. Read a book where the MC's first initial is found in AXEMAN.

In a Wood Chopping competition, the aim of the game is to be the first “axeman” to chop or saw through a log or block of wood.
These sorts of competitions are often found at places such as state fairs and agricultural shows and have been around since 1870.
Complete ONE of the following tasks:
🪚 1. Read a book where the MC goes to a state fair or a similar place.
🪚 2. Read a book with at least two of these numbers in the page count: 1870.
🪚 3. Read a book with the word CHOP or SAW found in the text.
🪚 4. Read a book where the MC's first initial is found in AXEMAN.

Book: Kivipuiston tyttö
Author: Nilla Kjellsdotter
Date Read: 7/6/25
Pages: 351
Task: Read a book where the MC's first initial is found in AXEMAN.
How it Fits: MC Mija
Ridiculously Random Prompt #60: Unicycle Basketball

Unicycle Basketball is a variation of the traditional game but where all of the players are mounted on unicycles during play.
The same rules apply, such as dribbling the ball while riding, and trying to score in the other team’s net. The game is played on a regulation basketball court and players tend to use 24” unicycles.
Complete ONE of the following tasks:
🏀 1. Read a book that takes place within a 24-hour period of time.
🏀 2. Read a book where a sport is watched or played.
🏀 3. Read a book with the word COURT found in the text.
🏀 4. Read a book where the author's first AND last initials are NOT found in UNICYCLE.

Unicycle Basketball is a variation of the traditional game but where all of the players are mounted on unicycles during play.
The same rules apply, such as dribbling the ball while riding, and trying to score in the other team’s net. The game is played on a regulation basketball court and players tend to use 24” unicycles.
Complete ONE of the following tasks:
🏀 1. Read a book that takes place within a 24-hour period of time.
🏀 2. Read a book where a sport is watched or played.
🏀 3. Read a book with the word COURT found in the text.
🏀 4. Read a book where the author's first AND last initials are NOT found in UNICYCLE.

Book: The Berry Pickers
Author: Amanda Peters
Date Read: 7/7/25
Pages: 320
Task: Read a book where the author's first AND last initials are NOT found in UNICYCLE.
How it Fits: Author's initials are A.P.
Ridiculously Random Prompt #20: Blue Whale

You can hear a blue whale's heartbeat from more than 2 miles away.
The world's largest animal's heart weighs about 400 pounds — approximately the size of a small piano.
Complete ONE of the following tasks:
🐳 1. Read a book with a blue cover.
🐳 2. Read a book where someone plays a piano.
🐳 3. Read a book with all the letters of HEART found in the title.
🐳 4. Read a book with a 2 in the page count.

You can hear a blue whale's heartbeat from more than 2 miles away.
The world's largest animal's heart weighs about 400 pounds — approximately the size of a small piano.
Complete ONE of the following tasks:
🐳 1. Read a book with a blue cover.
🐳 2. Read a book where someone plays a piano.
🐳 3. Read a book with all the letters of HEART found in the title.
🐳 4. Read a book with a 2 in the page count.

Book: Murder in the Family
Author: Cara Hunter
Date Read: 7/9/25
Pages: 470
Task: Read a book with all the letters of HEART found in the title.
How it Fits: All the letters of HEART in the title: muRdEr in THe fAmily
Ridiculously Random Prompt #12: Cheese Rolling

The Cooper’s Hill Cheese-Rolling & Wake is an annual event that takes place each spring near Gloucester, England and involves a 9 pound round of cheese, which is rolled from the top of a hill.
Competitors race after the cheese and the first person to reach the finish line at the bottom wins the cheese.
Complete ONE of the following tasks:
🧀 1. Read a book where a character eats cheese, or does something foolish.
🧀 2. Read a book set at least partially in England.
🧀 3. Read a book with all the letters of SPRING in the title.
🧀 4. Read a book with a 9 in the page count or publication date.

The Cooper’s Hill Cheese-Rolling & Wake is an annual event that takes place each spring near Gloucester, England and involves a 9 pound round of cheese, which is rolled from the top of a hill.
Competitors race after the cheese and the first person to reach the finish line at the bottom wins the cheese.
Complete ONE of the following tasks:
🧀 1. Read a book where a character eats cheese, or does something foolish.
🧀 2. Read a book set at least partially in England.
🧀 3. Read a book with all the letters of SPRING in the title.
🧀 4. Read a book with a 9 in the page count or publication date.

Book: My Friends
Author: Fredrik Backman
Date Read: 7/9/25
Pages: 435
Task: Read a book where a character eats cheese, or does something foolish.
How it Fits: The kids steal a shopping cart and ride down the steepest hill in town.
Ridiculously Random Prompt #17: Facebook

Facebook has more users than many major populations.
At 2.89 billion monthly users, Facebook overshadows China's (1.4 billion) and India's (1.3 billion) populations.
Complete ONE of the following tasks:
ƒ 1. Read a book where social media is used/mentioned.
ƒ 2. Read a book set in China.
ƒ 3. Read a book with all the letters of FACEBOOK found in the title.
ƒ 4. Read a book where at least two of these digits are found in the publication date: 2, 8, 9.

Facebook has more users than many major populations.
At 2.89 billion monthly users, Facebook overshadows China's (1.4 billion) and India's (1.3 billion) populations.
Complete ONE of the following tasks:
ƒ 1. Read a book where social media is used/mentioned.
ƒ 2. Read a book set in China.
ƒ 3. Read a book with all the letters of FACEBOOK found in the title.
ƒ 4. Read a book where at least two of these digits are found in the publication date: 2, 8, 9.

Book: Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six
Author: Lisa Unger
Date Read: 7/23/25
Pages: 406
Task: Read a book where social media is used/mentioned.
How it Fits: Loc. 402: "Lou was not on Facebook."
Ridiculously Random Prompt #53: Stardust

We're all stars.
Okay, technically we're all made of stardust, but that's still pretty cool. Recent research found that humans and the galaxy share 97% of the same kind of atoms.
Complete ONE of the following tasks:
🌌 1. Read a book with a nighttime scene on the cover.
🌌 2. Read a book where the word STAR is found in the text.
🌌 3. Read a book with a 9 OR a 7 found in the page count.
🌌 4. Read a book with an MPG of NON-FICTION.

We're all stars.
Okay, technically we're all made of stardust, but that's still pretty cool. Recent research found that humans and the galaxy share 97% of the same kind of atoms.
Complete ONE of the following tasks:
🌌 1. Read a book with a nighttime scene on the cover.
🌌 2. Read a book where the word STAR is found in the text.
🌌 3. Read a book with a 9 OR a 7 found in the page count.
🌌 4. Read a book with an MPG of NON-FICTION.

Book: Crooked Plow
Author: Itamar Vieira Junior
Date Read: 7/27/25
Pages: 288
Task: Read a book where the word STAR is found in the text.
How it Fits: Page 116: "for a lost star to show up like an old friend"
Ridiculously Random Prompt #28: Speaking English

Four times more people speak English as a second language than as a native one.
While more people speak English as a second language, nearly three times more people speak Mandarin Chinese natively.
English has nearly two billion people learning it as a second language and only 350 million people speaking it natively.
Complete ONE of the following tasks:
🗣 1. Read a book where the MC could be speaking English as a second language.
🗣 2. Read a book with all the letters of MANDARIN found in the title.
🗣 3. Read a book with more than 350 pages.
🗣 4. Read a book with the word NATIVE found in the text.

Four times more people speak English as a second language than as a native one.
While more people speak English as a second language, nearly three times more people speak Mandarin Chinese natively.
English has nearly two billion people learning it as a second language and only 350 million people speaking it natively.
Complete ONE of the following tasks:
🗣 1. Read a book where the MC could be speaking English as a second language.
🗣 2. Read a book with all the letters of MANDARIN found in the title.
🗣 3. Read a book with more than 350 pages.
🗣 4. Read a book with the word NATIVE found in the text.

Book: First Lie Wins
Author: Ashley Elston
Date Read: 7/28/25
Pages: 384
Task: Read a book with more than 350 pages.
How it Fits: 384 pages.
Ridiculously Random Prompt #37: Fleur-de-Lis

Only one NFL team has a plant for a logo.
The New Orleans Saints' fleur-de-lis is actually a stylized lily historically associated with the French monarchy. It's also the state symbol of Louisiana and appears on the Quebec flag.
Complete ONE of the following tasks:
⚜️ 1. Read a book where a character plays or watches football.
⚜️ 2. Read a book set in Louisiana, France, or Canada.
⚜️ 3. Read a book with a logo or a flag on the cover.
⚜️ 4. Read a book with all the letters of MONARCHY in the title.

Only one NFL team has a plant for a logo.
The New Orleans Saints' fleur-de-lis is actually a stylized lily historically associated with the French monarchy. It's also the state symbol of Louisiana and appears on the Quebec flag.
Complete ONE of the following tasks:
⚜️ 1. Read a book where a character plays or watches football.
⚜️ 2. Read a book set in Louisiana, France, or Canada.
⚜️ 3. Read a book with a logo or a flag on the cover.
⚜️ 4. Read a book with all the letters of MONARCHY in the title.

Book: Fairy Tale
Author: Stephen King
Date Read: 8/5/25
Pages: 607
Task: Read a book where a character plays or watches football.
How it Fits: MC Charlie plays football in high school.
Ridiculously Random Prompt #43: Lincoln Logs

Frank Lloyd Wright's son invented Lincoln Logs.
The famous architect's design for the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo inspired John Lloyd Wright to produce the interlocking log beams on a much smaller scale for kids.
Complete ONE of the following tasks:
🪵 1. Read a book where the author goes by 3 names.
🪵 2. Read a book with at least 3 Ls in the title.
🪵 3. Read a book with a log/tree on the cover.
🪵 4. Read a book set in Japan.

Frank Lloyd Wright's son invented Lincoln Logs.
The famous architect's design for the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo inspired John Lloyd Wright to produce the interlocking log beams on a much smaller scale for kids.
Complete ONE of the following tasks:
🪵 1. Read a book where the author goes by 3 names.
🪵 2. Read a book with at least 3 Ls in the title.
🪵 3. Read a book with a log/tree on the cover.
🪵 4. Read a book set in Japan.

Book: The Tainted Cup
Author: Robert Jackson Bennett
Date Read: 8/14/25
Pages: 408
Task: Read a book where the author goes by 3 names.
How it Fits: Author goes by 3 names.
Ridiculously Random Prompt #21: Extreme Ironing

Extreme Ironing is considered a ‘danger sport’ in which people take ironing boards to various, often remote, locations to iron clothes and take a picture.
Some of the locations have included cliff tops, underwater, in the middle of a motorway, and also while skiing and parachuting.
Complete ONE of the following tasks:
🧺 1. Read a book where the MC has a dangerous career/hobby.
🧺 2. Read a book where the title starts with a letter in EXTREME.
🧺 3. Read a book set at least partially in a remote location.
🧺 4. Read a book where a character irons or does other household chores.

Extreme Ironing is considered a ‘danger sport’ in which people take ironing boards to various, often remote, locations to iron clothes and take a picture.
Some of the locations have included cliff tops, underwater, in the middle of a motorway, and also while skiing and parachuting.
Complete ONE of the following tasks:
🧺 1. Read a book where the MC has a dangerous career/hobby.
🧺 2. Read a book where the title starts with a letter in EXTREME.
🧺 3. Read a book set at least partially in a remote location.
🧺 4. Read a book where a character irons or does other household chores.

Book: The Murder at the Vicarage
Author: Agatha Christie
Date Read: 8/16/25
Pages: 307
Task: Read a book where the title starts with a letter in EXTREME.
How it Fits: Title starts with letter T.
Ridiculously Random Prompt #2: Chef's Hat

The 100 folds in a chef's hat represent 100 ways to cook an egg.
Yes, that tall, pleated white hat that chefs wear — technically called a toque — has 100 folds for a reason! According to Reluctant Gourmet, the pleats used to signify a chef's level of experience, like the number of ways he or she knew how to prepare eggs.
Complete ONE of the following tasks:
👩🏼🍳 1. Read a book with a mostly white cover. {Your discretion.}
👩🏼🍳 2. Read a book where the MC is described as being tall.
👩🏼🍳 3. Read a book with a 1 and 2 0s found in the publication date.
👩🏼🍳 4. Read a book where the author's first AND last initials are found in RELUCTANT GOURMET.

The 100 folds in a chef's hat represent 100 ways to cook an egg.
Yes, that tall, pleated white hat that chefs wear — technically called a toque — has 100 folds for a reason! According to Reluctant Gourmet, the pleats used to signify a chef's level of experience, like the number of ways he or she knew how to prepare eggs.
Complete ONE of the following tasks:
👩🏼🍳 1. Read a book with a mostly white cover. {Your discretion.}
👩🏼🍳 2. Read a book where the MC is described as being tall.
👩🏼🍳 3. Read a book with a 1 and 2 0s found in the publication date.
👩🏼🍳 4. Read a book where the author's first AND last initials are found in RELUCTANT GOURMET.

Book: Waiting for Wednesday
Author: Nicci French
Date Read: 8/24/25
Pages: 512
Task: Read a book where the author's first AND last initials are found in RELUCTANT GOURMET.
How it Fits: Aurhor's initials are N.F.
Ridiculously Random Prompt #11: Crown Jewels

The Crown Jewels contain the two biggest cut diamonds on Earth.
They both came from the Cullinan Diamond, a 3,106-carat gem found in South Africa in 1905. The largest stone, called the Great Star of Africa, is in the Sovereign's Sceptre, while the second largest is mounted in the Imperial State Crown (pictured).
Complete ONE of the following tasks:
👑 1. Read a book with a crown on the cover.
👑 2. Read a book set at least partially in Africa.
👑 3. Read a book with a royal character.
👑 4. Read a book with at least two of these numbers in the page count: 3, 1, 0, 6.

The Crown Jewels contain the two biggest cut diamonds on Earth.
They both came from the Cullinan Diamond, a 3,106-carat gem found in South Africa in 1905. The largest stone, called the Great Star of Africa, is in the Sovereign's Sceptre, while the second largest is mounted in the Imperial State Crown (pictured).
Complete ONE of the following tasks:
👑 1. Read a book with a crown on the cover.
👑 2. Read a book set at least partially in Africa.
👑 3. Read a book with a royal character.
👑 4. Read a book with at least two of these numbers in the page count: 3, 1, 0, 6.

Book: A Passage to India
Author: E.M. Forster
Date Read: 9/4/25
Pages: 376
Task: Read a book with at least two of these numbers in the page count: 3, 1, 0, 6.
How it Fits: 376 pages.
Ridiculously Random Prompt #15: Chess Boxing

Unsurprisingly, Chess Boxing involves both the classic game of chess and the popular sport of boxing.
The competitors alternate between 5 rounds of boxing and 6 rounds of chess for a total of 11 rounds, each lasting 3-minutes. The game was inspired by a French comic and invented by Dutch artist Lepe Rubingh.
Complete ONE of the following tasks:
🥊 1. Read a book where a character plays chess or another board game.
🥊 2. Read a book that has a French or a Dutch translation.
🥊 3. Read a book with an MPG of HUMOR or COMEDY.
🥊 4. Read a book with the word boxing {can also be box, boxes, boxed, etc.} found in the text.

Unsurprisingly, Chess Boxing involves both the classic game of chess and the popular sport of boxing.
The competitors alternate between 5 rounds of boxing and 6 rounds of chess for a total of 11 rounds, each lasting 3-minutes. The game was inspired by a French comic and invented by Dutch artist Lepe Rubingh.
Complete ONE of the following tasks:
🥊 1. Read a book where a character plays chess or another board game.
🥊 2. Read a book that has a French or a Dutch translation.
🥊 3. Read a book with an MPG of HUMOR or COMEDY.
🥊 4. Read a book with the word boxing {can also be box, boxes, boxed, etc.} found in the text.

Book: Just Another Missing Person
Author: Gillian McAllister
Date Read: 9/5/25
Pages: 368
Task: Read a book that has a French or a Dutch translation.
How it Fits: Book has a Dutch translation: Just Another Missing Person
Ridiculously Random Prompt #71: Two-Buck Chuck

Two-Buck Chuck once won a top wine award.
Trader Joe's 2002 Charles Shaw Shiraz beat out 2,300 other wines to win a prestigious double gold medal at the 28th Annual International Eastern Wine Competition, so don't feel bad stocking up on the bargain brand.
Complete ONE of the following tasks:
🤑 1. Read a book with rhyming words in the title.
🤑 2. Read a book published in 2002.
🤑 3. Read a book where a store of any type is mentioned.
🤑 4. Read a book with a 2 and an 8 in the publication date.

Two-Buck Chuck once won a top wine award.
Trader Joe's 2002 Charles Shaw Shiraz beat out 2,300 other wines to win a prestigious double gold medal at the 28th Annual International Eastern Wine Competition, so don't feel bad stocking up on the bargain brand.
Complete ONE of the following tasks:
🤑 1. Read a book with rhyming words in the title.
🤑 2. Read a book published in 2002.
🤑 3. Read a book where a store of any type is mentioned.
🤑 4. Read a book with a 2 and an 8 in the publication date.
Books mentioned in this topic
Just Another Missing Person (other topics)Just Another Missing Person (other topics)
A Passage to India (other topics)
Waiting for Wednesday (other topics)
The Murder at the Vicarage (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Gillian McAllister (other topics)E.M. Forster (other topics)
Nicci French (other topics)
Agatha Christie (other topics)
Robert Jackson Bennett (other topics)
More...
Book: My Favorite Scar
Author: Nicolás Ferraro
Date Read: 6/5/25
Pages: 253
Task: Read a book where the MC's first initial is NOT found in WINDSOR.
How it Fits: MC Ámbar