The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion
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SUMMER CHALLENGE 2025
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Completed Tasks: PLEASE DO NOT DELETE ANY POST IN THIS THREAD!

15.8 Shipwrecked and Stranded
Read a book where a shipwreck or someone who stranded in the ocean or on an island is essential to the story.
Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy
This book is approved in the help thread
TOTAL POINTS: 420

20.1 - Most Improved – Erica H’s Task: Organized Procrastinator
Option 2: Read a book with a word of 5 or more letters in the title spelled from PROJECT FINISH RESISTANCE. Letters may be used only as often as they appear.
The Reason I Jump: the Inner Voice of a Thirteen-Year-Old Boy with Autism by Naoki Higashida
REASON in pROjEctfiNiShresistAnce
TOTAL POINTS: 440

Option 5- JANE AUSTEN - Read a book with an MPG Romance
The Friend Zone by Abby Jimenez
Points this Post: 20
Total Points: 260

15.3 Quantity or Size?
Option 1: Two Book Task
Book 1- Read a book set at least 75% in Australia.
The Castlemaine Murders, Kerry Greenwood
Read the kindle edition. Top PB: here (263pg)
100% set in Australia - specified in the book metadata
And Book 2- read a book with title with 6+ words excluding subtitles
The Practice, the Horizon, and the Chain, Sofia Samatar (seven words)
Read the kindle edition. Top PB: here (128pg)
Points this Task: 15
Books Read: 2
Total Points: 395
Tasks Completed: 23
Golden Oldie Tickets: 1

Option 1- Read more new releases and ARCs. For this task read any book first published in March 2025 or later.
Daughter of Egypt by Marie Benedict
ARC - expected publication March 2026
Points this post: 20
Total points: 210
IAF: 2
BB: 1
GO: 1

20.3 Review Raffle: Kelly L's Task - Celebrating Pride
Option 4 Read a book set at least 50%in any of the following past, current, or future host countries of World Pride: Australia, Canada, Denmark, Israel, Italy, Netherlands, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States.
Every Summer After
SETTING: CANADA
Points this task: 20
Total points: 365
Books read: 25

20.6 It's a Fact: Kristen IA's Task - Let’s Go to the Park!
Option 1: Read a book that was first published in one of these years - 2008, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025.
Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar was first published in 2024.
Points this post: 20
Total points: 120
Total BB: 2
Total IAF: 1

5.7 Summer Vacations
A book with at least one adult and two or more children on the book cover

Points this post: 5
Total points: 870

20.3 Review Raffle: Kelly L's Task - Celebrating Pride
Option 2: a title or subtitle that contains a 4+ letter word made from either STONEWALL UPRISING or PRIDE PARADE
A Line to Kill - LINE in stoNEwaLl uprIsing
Points this post: 20
Total points: 890

20.4 Golden Oldies: Kai's Task - London Adventure
Option 4: a book with all of the letters KEW in the author's name
Tamarack County by William Kent Krueger - KEW in William KEnt
Points this post: 20
Total points: 910

30.5 Delicious Dee 's Task: Classic Science-Fiction: HG Wells
Option 2: single author where ALL the authors initials can be found in H.G. Wells
Finding Dorothy by Elizabeth Letts - EL in wELls
Option 4: a book that can be found on the first 5 pages of either the Technology Books or Futuristic Books shelves
Survivor In Death - page 1 of Futuristic Books shelf
I linked to the audio versions I completed, but the combined print pages are >700 (task requires 500+)
Points this post: 30
Total points: 940

30.10 Amy FL’s task: Return of a Favorite
Option 2: a book set at least 75% in Minnesota.
Trickster's Point - set in Minnesota (metadata)
Option 3: a book written using a pseudonym
Origin in Death by J.D. Robb (pseudonym of Nora Roberts)
Points this post: 30
Total points: 970

Read a book with an author who shares a first name initial with any letter in your Readerboard name.
The Spoon River Anthology The Spoon River Anthology: Foreward by Alex Taylor by Edgar lee masters. The e in Gangee and the E in Edgar.
Points 5 Total points 80

30.5 Delicious Dee 's Task: Classic Science-Fiction: HG Wells
Choose two different options and read one book for each option
The combined page count of the books must be at least 501 pgs.
Option 2: Read a book by a single author where ALL the authors initials can be found in H.G. Wells.
The Cottingley Secret by Hazel Gaynor
Initials HG found in HG Wells
Option 5: Read a book that is set at least 75% in Great Britain (England, Scotland, Wales) or in New Jersey, USA.
The English Masterpiece
From Goodreads summary: "Set in the art world of 1970s London, The English Masterpiece..."
383 + 302 pages = 685 pages total
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This post: 30 points
Tickets: ---
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Season total: 255 points
Season Tickets: 4 IAF, 1 BB

Option 3, title word from CREEPERS HAVE NO RESPECT: In the Presence of the Enemy by Elizabeth George
The word is Presence.
Option 4, page number consists of at least two of the numbers 0 1 3 or 5: Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid, 352 pages
Points this post: 25
Total points: 415

Task: 25.5 - Fly's Task - Celebrating Summertime, using July Option 1 and August Option 2
Book 1: Read a book with a cover containing all the colors red, white, and blue according to Tineye.
Book/Author: The Fox Wife/Yangsze Choo
How it fits: 34.8% white, 41.5% blue, .4% red

Book 2: Read a book by an author whose initials (first and last) are in one of the following words: BEER or SMORES or WAFFLE.
Book/Author: Cinderella's Dress / Shonna Slayton
How it fits: using word SMORES, author's initials are SS
Points for this task: 25
Total points: 600
Big Book tickets for this task: 0
Big Book tickets total: 3
Golden Oldies tickets for this task: 0
Golden Oldies tickets total: 4
It's a Fact tickets for this task: 0
It's a Fact tickets total: 1

**Claiming 1 (one) Golden Oldies ticket** for Book 2. 1st published: 1926
30.7 Cat's Task: Books of Europe
Option 1:
Book 1: Read a book that is set (at least 70%) in one or more countries in Europe, or is about one or more countries in Europe (if Non-Fiction), but is NOT United Kingdom (i.e. England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland).
Old Bones by Aaron Elkins
Set in: France (from one of the GR reviews: "Forensic anthropologist Gideon Oliver is attending a conference in France with his friend FBI agent John Lau. ")
I listened to an audiobook; mmpb-272 p.
Book 2: Read a book that is written by an author born in a country in Europe, excluding UK.
Inspector French and the Cheyne Mystery by Freeman Wills Crofts
Author born in Dublin, Ireland (see GR)
I read as an ebook; mmpb-252 p.
******
Points for this task: 30
Total points : 465
Tasks completed: 21/56
Big Book tickets for this task: 0
Big Book tickets total: 0
Golden Oldies tickets for this task: 1
Golden Oldies tickets total: 3
It's a Fact tickets for this task: 0
It's a Fact tickets total: 5

5.9 Sand Time!
Read a book with a stand alone word of at least four letters in the title (subtitles excluded), that can be made from the phrase GREAT SAND DUNES.
Letters can only be used as often as they appear.
Required: State the word.
Listened to CD
The Forgotten Garden
The word is Garden
The first Mass Market Paperback is Le Jardin des secrets which has 698 pages.
Claiming 1 Big Book Ticket
TOTALS
Points: 120
BB: 1
GO: 0
NF: 8
Total books: 15
Total tasks: 14

10.8 Summer Lovin'
Read a book set in, first published or about the 1960's
The House on the Strand

First published in 1969
TOTALS
Points: 130
BB: 1
GO: 0
NF: 8
Total books: 16
Total tasks: 15

25.1 - Ash's Task: Boss Level
Option 3-Minecraft
For this option read a book with a 4 or more letter word in the title that can be made up of letters in "creepers have no respect".
Using ACROSS
Across the Great Barrier
Option 4-Sims 4
For this task read a book where the page number consists of at least two of the numbers 0,1,3, or 5
What Feasts at Night 151 pages
Points this post: 25
Total Points: 340
Books Read: 25
Tasks Done: 18

10.3: 500 Reads of Summer
A book from the Summer Books List
Hook, Line, and Sinker by Tessa Dare
Page 1
Points this challenge: 65

10.6 Theater Camp
Read a book first published either in July of any year or any month for the year 2022.
This Woven Kingdom by Tahereh Mafi
Edition published December 27, 2022
***claiming ONE BB ticket - 528pgs
COMPLETED TASKS:
Points This Post: 10
Total Points: 215 / 975
Total Books Read: 15 / 74
Total Tasks Completed: 11 / 56
BB Total: 1+1=2
GO:
IAF:

30.1 JennRenee's Task: The Great Yellowstone
Required: state which book is a debut book.
Choose two options and read 1 book for each.
Required state the options
Book 1:-
Option 2: Read a book with MPG Romance, may be standalone or embedded
Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez
Book 2:-
Option 3: Read a book with a cover featuring at least 5 different colors according to Tineye.

Debut book- You've Reached Sam by Dustin Thao
Tineye:
24.2 %#2b3a66Blue
14.5 %#8b769aViolet
14.1 %#eb9891Pink
7.8 %#ede6e7Grey
5.8 %#8f5153Brown
4.7 %#d15f58Red
COMPLETED TASKS:
Points This Post: 30
Total Points: 245 / 975
Total Books Read: 16 / 74
Total Tasks Completed: 12 / 56
BB Total: 1+1=2
GO:
IAF:

option 2: one book option - 500+ pages, meeting both requirements
book by a European author (Spain) and set in a European country (also Spain)
Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra
1023pages - well over the 500 required!
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750 points

5.10 Picnic Time
Book of your choice that meets SRC rules
Windigo Island
Points this post: 5
Total points: 975
Done! Thanks, Mods, for another great challenge. Your hard work is much appreciated :-)

One book must be published in 2025.
Three Days in June
Total combined pages must equal 750 or greater.
329 + 165 + 334 = 828 pages > 750 pages
Book 1: Greg’s June Wedding
Option A: Pittsburgh has a tradition called the “Pittsburgh Wedding Cookie Table.”
Read a book with a word of 3 or more letters made from the letters of “Pittsburgh Wedding Cookie Table” or “Smith Island Cake.” The words “and” and “the” may not be used.
Required: State the word and which phrase you used.
Phrase: “Pittsburgh Wedding Cookie Table”
Word: Books
pittSBurgh wedding cOOKie table
Trouble on the Books (Castle Bookshop Mystery #1) (2019) by Essie Lang (Hardback 329 pages)
Book 2: Eric’s August Wedding
Option B: Guests will be traveling to the wedding from: Colorado, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Florida, California, North Carolina, New Jersey, Montana, and Germany.
Read a book set approximately 50% in one or combination of the places listed above.
Required: If not obvious from the GR description, then provide a reference.
Set entirely in Baltimore, Maryland
Three Days in June (2025) by Anne Tyler (Goodreads Author) (Hardback 165 pages)
Book 3: Mother of the Grooms
Option B: Since I am the mother of two boys with not one, but two weddings over the summer, read a book whose title contains a plural word.
Plural Word: DRAGONS
A Natural History of Dragons (The Memoirs of Lady Trent #1) (2013) by Marie Brennan (Goodreads Author) (Hardback 334 pages)
105 + 50 = 155
Tasks Completed: 06
Points for this post: 50
Points thus far: 105 + 50 = 155
Books read: 10
Pages read: 2,892
Read but not claimed: 03
Goodreads Authors: 05
Golden Oldies: 01
It’s a Fact (Non-Fiction): 01
Big Books:
(0) 500+
(0) 750+
(0) 1,000+
XBM
10.3 500 Reads of Summer
Read a popular summer book from the first 25 pages of this list.
Summer Books List
page =1
The Perfect Couple. Elin Hilderbrand
Points this post: 10
Total Points: 325 /1000
Tasks Completed 23/57
10.3 500 Reads of Summer
Read a popular summer book from the first 25 pages of this list.
Summer Books List
page =1
The Perfect Couple. Elin Hilderbrand
Points this post: 10
Total Points: 325 /1000
Tasks Completed 23/57
XBM
15.4 Beauty in Words
For this task, use the website https://www.readpoetry.com/poems-that...
Choose an option.
Option 2: One Book Task
Read a single book that satisfies both criteria for option 1
Book 1: Read a book whose title contains a 4 or more letter word from one of the poems on the website.
Required State the word [LIFE - from “remember” by joy harjo]
AND
Book 2: Read a book with an author that shares either a name [Emily Dickinson]
Great Big Beautiful Life. Emily Henry
Has LIFE and Emily
Points this post: 15
Total Points: 340 /1000
Tasks Completed 24/57
15.4 Beauty in Words
For this task, use the website https://www.readpoetry.com/poems-that...
Choose an option.
Option 2: One Book Task
Read a single book that satisfies both criteria for option 1
Book 1: Read a book whose title contains a 4 or more letter word from one of the poems on the website.
Required State the word [LIFE - from “remember” by joy harjo]
AND
Book 2: Read a book with an author that shares either a name [Emily Dickinson]
Great Big Beautiful Life. Emily Henry
Has LIFE and Emily
Points this post: 15
Total Points: 340 /1000
Tasks Completed 24/57
XBM
15.2 Here or There?
Book 1: Using the North American parks, read a book whose title (subtitles are excluded) contains a word from the name one of the parks. Death Valley - USA
A Death in Diamonds. S.J. Bennett
Book 2: Using the Europe parks read a book whose title (subtitles are excluded) contains all the letters of the complete name of one parks. Taï (National Park) in Côte d’Ivoire
Pony Confidential. Christina Lynch (Tai in Confidential)
Points this post: 15
Total Points: 355 /1000
Tasks Completed 25/57
15.2 Here or There?
Book 1: Using the North American parks, read a book whose title (subtitles are excluded) contains a word from the name one of the parks. Death Valley - USA
A Death in Diamonds. S.J. Bennett
Book 2: Using the Europe parks read a book whose title (subtitles are excluded) contains all the letters of the complete name of one parks. Taï (National Park) in Côte d’Ivoire
Pony Confidential. Christina Lynch (Tai in Confidential)
Points this post: 15
Total Points: 355 /1000
Tasks Completed 25/57

Read a book with one of these words in the title/subtitle: Animal, Wildebeest, Zebra, Gazelle, Hyena, Lion, or Cheetah.
Lion in the Valley by Elizabeth Peters
Points this Post: 15
Total Points: 275

Option 1 - Read a book that is set (at least 50%) in any combination of Japan and/or of the territories in Asia that Japan invaded between 1st September 1939 and 15th August 1945.
Cigarette Girl by Ratih Kumala
Set 100% in Indonesia
Option 3 - The rationing of essential food and commodities began in the UK with petrol on 22nd September, 1939. It finally ended with the announcement on 23rd June, 1958 that restrictions on coal would be abolished. Read a book that was first published between these dates
A Murder Is Announced by Agatha Christie
Task Total: 25
Season Total: 485
Total BB: 1
Total IAF: 8
5.1; 5.2; ...; 5.4; 5.5; 5.6; ...; 5.8; 5.9;
10.2; ...; 10.4; ...; 10.6; 10.7
15.5; 15.6; 15.7; ...; 15.9; 15.10
20.1; 20.2; 20.3; 20.4; 20.5; 20.6
25.1; 25.2; 25.3; 25.4; 25.5
30.6; 30.7; ...; ...; 30.10

Book 1A, set in Alaska: Enjoy the View by Sarah Morgenthaler
Book 2A, debut by an author new to you: The Age of Light by Whitney Scharer
paperback edition The Age of Light
This author is new to me.
Points this post: 25
Total points: 440

30.7 Cat's Task: Books of Europe
Book 1: Read a book that is set (at least 70%) in one or more countries in Europe but is NOT United Kingdom
The Orphanage by Serhiy Zhadan
Book 2: Read a book that is written by an author born in a country in Europe, excluding UK
Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk
Points this post: 30
Total points: 670

15.10 I'm Not Scared
Book with MPG Horror
Better the Devil You Know by Bey Deckard
Points this post: 15
Total points: 685

10.10 Radioactive, Radioactive
Book with MPG Post-Apocalyptic
Bind Me in Steel by Beast .
Points this post: 10
Total points: 695

20.2 Rookie at the Top: Coffeegirl's Task - Favorite things about Books
Option 2 - Celebrate
-Read a book with a word of at least four letters in the title/subtitle spelled from the phrase BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS. Letters may be used only as often as they appear in the phrase.
Required: State the word.
Green Bay Packers: Trials, Triumphs, and Tradition
Word is TRIALS
***Claiming an NF ticket for this book***
Points: 20
Total points: 310
BB: 1
GO: 1
NF: 2

Task #20.8 Nickels and Dimes: MEGSCL's Task - 2025 Goals
task: Option 2- book has been longlisted, shortlisted, or won any of these prizes
book: The God of Small Things
(my version is large print, first MMPB here)
how it fits: Booker Prize winner 1997
Points this post: 20
Total points: 770
Tasks completed: 43/56
BB: 10 / GO: 7 / IAF: 3

Option 2: Read a book with a word of at least four letters in the title/subtitle spelled from the phrase BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS
Telling Tales
Tales is in BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS
Total points: 125

Option 2 A): Read a book from this Coming of Age list:
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
Franny and Zooey is #67 on page 1 of the list
Total points: 145

July - Option 1: red, white & blue on cover (any amount)
A Forty Year Kiss

Per TinEye - .4% red, 7.3% white, 4.4% blue
August - Option 1: Main character is a teacher or student
Yesterday Is History - main character Andre is a high school student
Points this post: 25
Total points: 740
BB:3 GO:2 IAF:6

20.9 - Crater Lake
Option 4: book with MPG fantasy, gothic, or ghosts
A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas
Points this Post: 20
Total Points: 405

Task #20.3 - Celebrating Pride
Option A: Read a book with a cover that has EITHER a rainbow on it (real or illustrated), OR 4+ colors in a stripe pattern. I read Paris Daillencourt Is About to Crumble by Alexis Hall.

Total points so far: 635

5.8 Name Game
Read a book with an author who shares a first name initial with any letter in your Readerboard name.
Shakespeare in a Divided America: What His Plays Tell Us about Our Past and Future by James Shapiro
(author first initial J matches first letter in Julia103)
This book is non-fiction so claiming one It's A Fact ticket.
This post: 5 points, 1 NF
Total points: 720
BB: 3
GO: 4
NF: 3
Tasks completed: 34
Books read: 54

Read a book with a single author with all initials found in Komodo OR Dragon OR Lizard
I, Robot by Isaac Asimov
***Claiming a Golden Oldie Ticket as first published in 1950***
New Points: 15
Total Points: 420
BB: 1
Go: 6
IaF: 3

20.9 Moderator's Pet: Trishhartuk's Task - Crater Lake
Choose one option and read a book for that option. As Crater Lake is the only National Park in Oregon, all books must be by a single author (no writing teams using a single name!).
Option 3
Read a book first published between May and October (inclusive) of any year from 1996-onwards.
Maggie; or, A Man and a Woman Walk Into a Bar
Publication date: July 22, 2025
Single author = Katie Yee
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This post: 20 points
Tickets: ---
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Season total: 275 points
Season Tickets: 4 IAF, 1 BB

20.6 It's a Fact: Kristen IA's Task - Let’s Go to the Park!
This is a one book task.
Option 3
A) Read a book set in one of these 10 states: Arkansas , Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Missouri, South Dakota, Tennessee, or Wyoming
Bed and Breakup is set in Arkansas
From the Goodreads description:
As newlyweds, Molly and Robin made the Hummingbird Inn into a trendy destination for queer travelers in the quirky mountain town of Eureka Springs, Arkansas.
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This post: 20 points
Tickets: ---
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Season total: 295 points
Season Tickets: 4 IAF, 1 BB

15.6 Animals, Animals, Animals!
Read a book with one of these words in the title/subtitle. Animal, Wildebeest, Zebra, Gazelle, Hyena, Lion, or Cheetah.
Little & Lion by Brandy Colbert
TOTAL POINTS: 455

Choose 2 of the MPGs listed and read 1 book for each. The total number of pages read must exceed 500 pages. MPGS must match exactly.
A Highlander Never Surrenders by Paula Quinn
MPG Medieval
MMPB 320 pages
Nettle & Bone: Comment tuer un prince by T. Kingfisher
MPG Adventure
PB 352 pages
Points this Post: 30
Total Points: 380
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Books mentioned in this topic
Happiness for Beginners (other topics)Problematic Summer Romance (other topics)
The Adventures of Sally (other topics)
The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion: Vol. 1 (other topics)
The Queen's Accomplice (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Katherine Center (other topics)Beth Brower (other topics)
Susan Elia MacNeal (other topics)
Mazen Kerbaj (other topics)
Dorothy Gilman (other topics)
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***UNCLAIM***
20.1 - Most Improved – Erica H’s Task: Organized Procrastinator
Option 2: Read a book with a word of 5 or more letters in the title spelled from PROJECT FINISH RESISTANCE. Letters may be used only as often as they appear.
Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy
ADJUSTED TOTAL: 405