HF Challenge #10 (June 1, 2012 - July 31, 2012) - Task List & Q&A

[Becky, Moddess]

Jayme(the ghost reader) wrote: "For 15.1, does all the letters from the author's last name need to be from the words Summer Challenge?"

Yes

[Becky, Moddess]

Victoria_Grossack wrote: "What about The Steel Wave: A Novel of World War II by Jeff Shaara? That seems to be about D-Day."

This would be fine. :)

[Nell]

I'm new to this group and there seem to be some basic rules for the challenges that I can't find or overlooked. So I have some basic questions -
Are you defining historical fiction as events 50 or more years ago?
If a book starts more than 50 years in the past and follows generations of a family into present day will it count as historical fiction?
Is there an archive list of featured authors? I only found the 2012 list but you refer to having done this before.
If you're new to the group I guess the intention to complete an earlier challenge doesn't apply.
Do we post points as we go along or at the end of the challenge?
Does the different countries and continents challenge include islands in Southeast Asia?

[Diane S ☔]

Leslie wrote: "Would Untamedwork for task 50.1?"

I think that one is fine Leslie.

[Becky, Moddess]

I'm new to this group and there seem to be some basic rules for the challenges that I can't find or overlooked. So I have some basic questions -
Are you defining historical fiction as events 50 or more years ago?
-- We define HF to be a book setting that is at least 50 years in the past from when it was written. So if written in 2000, the book would need to take place 1950 or earlier.

If a book starts more than 50 years in the past and follows generations of a family into present day will it count as historical fiction?
-- As long as half or more of the book meets the HF criteria, yes. The same works with time travel fiction.

Is there an archive list of featured authors? I only found the 2012 list but you refer to having done this before.
-- There's a shelf on the group bookshelves with the previously chosen Featured Authors, however the only sign-up list is the 2012 one. The other times we used different methods to choose.

If you're new to the group I guess the intention to complete an earlier challenge doesn't apply.
--I'm flexible. :) If you're new, you can still complete that task, just choose a book you would have liked to have read and list a task you'd have used it for from a previous challenge.

Do we post points as we go along or at the end of the challenge?
-- Either way is fine. Up to you. Just make sure you post all points by the deadline. I AM a stickler on that.

Does the different countries and continents challenge include islands in Southeast Asia?
-- Yes

[Nell]

Two more newbie questions:
One post for the May challenge strikes out a book because it was "already claimed". What does that mean?
If the same book fits more than one challenge criteria does it count only once or can it be used in 2 categories? Ex: male author & 500+ pages

Thanks for answering my questions. I had fun picking books from my massive TBR that fit the challenge criteria though I think it will take me at least 3 months to read them.

[Jayme(theghostreader)]

One book per task can be claimed so if you claim a book for male author, you can't claim the same book for 500+ pps.

[JC]

How are we scoring reviews for 2+ book tasks? Do we get 10pts for a 2 book task if we write 2 reviews?

[Becky, Moddess]

JenC. wrote: "How are we scoring reviews for 2+ book tasks? Do we get 10pts for a 2 book task if we write 2 reviews?"

Yes. For tasks that require multiple books, you'll get the bonus points (page points, HF and Review) for each book, but the task points only one time, all points being awarded when all parts of the task are complete.

[Ellen]

Need help classifying genre for The Snow Child. Set in early 20th century (1910). HF or HFantasy?

[LemonLinda]

I just finished The Snow Child. Using it for task 10.4 as I had thought it had more fantasy in it but after reading it - it is only the hint of a possibility of fantasy but everything thought to be fantasy can be explained as real so I am thinking it would work for HF even though the task I used it for does not require HF. Other opinions?

[Becky, Moddess]

I'll allow The Snow Child as HF if the "magical" aspects are only magical through interpretation. (I haven't read that one yet.)

So yes, Ellen and Linda, you can claim that as HF.

[JoLene, Mistress of the Challenge]

Suggestions needed: I thought I was good to go on the same title, different author task, but 1/2 through the second book I realized one was The Weird Sisters and the other was Wryd Sisters --- no the!!!!!

Anyone have any suggestions, I just read Stardust for the April challenge. Becky, for the record, this one is pretty tough when you need an exact match -- any chance you will allow leading article (the, a, an) differences?

[Becky, Moddess]

Well... I think they really should be the same. That's why it's a challenge after all. ;) I'll allow for one variation (like in your case with the spelling - weird vs wyrd) but more than that wouldn't be allowed. Sorry.

[Margaret]

JoLene, Since this one is for any genre, I picked The List and The List (it was free on KIndle and I had it already). Another option was The Sixth Wife, which are both on my shelf, but they are the same topic and one didn't get great reviews, so decided not to do that one.

[JoLene, Mistress of the Challenge]

I do appreciate the challenge part, I'm just irritated with myself since I read something that I didn't really like thinking I'd get points ;-)
Thanks for the suggestion Margaret, I'll check those out. I also noticed that there are two books called Katherine.

Next question -- does 11/22/63 count as HF. It has a time travel element.

[Becky, Moddess]

JoLene wrote: "Next question -- does 11/22/63 count as HF. It has a time travel element."

No, this is definitely alternate history, not HF.

[Victoria_Grossack]

I have been having a hard time finding books set in NYC. First, they have to be available electronically. Second, I would prefer if they are neither overly long - or too short for the challenge, as this seems to be the case with books by Wharton and James. (Or I have already read them - Bonfire of the Vanities.) Suggestions appreciated!

[Becky, Moddess]

Here's a Listopia "Tales of New York City": http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/18...
And "I Love New York City": http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/47...

Personally, the most recent NYC book that I really enjoyed was The Alienist by Caleb Carr.

[JoLene, Mistress of the Challenge]

There are two tasks this challenge that are related to settings (25.4 & 100).
How much of the story needs to set in the country?

Since many HF books refer to countries that no longer exist -- do they count? As an example, if I read Four Sisters, All Queens could I count Sicily as a country that I haven't been to, even though I have been to modern day Italy (but not the island of sicily).

Can we use Four Sisters as our FA read task?

I sure do ask a lot of questions for someone who has no points on the scoreboard ;-)

[Becky, Moddess]

At least half.

Yes... if it was a country in the book, and really existed at one point, it counts.

Yes.

[Cheryl A]

Victoria_Grossack wrote: "I have been having a hard time finding books set in NYC. First, they have to be available electronically. Second, I would prefer if they are neither overly long - or too short for the challenge, ..."

Victoria Thompson writes the Gaslight Mystery series set in NYC in the late 1800's and Rhys Bowen has the Molly Murphy series set in the early 1900's. Also, Stefanie Pintoff has a series set at the same time. All are mysteries, but relatively quick reads.

[Victoria_Grossack]

Thanks, Cheryl! I'm still working on the one I'm reading in French but afterwards will be happy to treat myself to a whodunit.

[Nell]

Cheryl wrote: "Victoria_Grossack wrote: "I have been having a hard time finding books set in NYC. First, they have to be available electronically. Second, I would prefer if they are neither overly long - or too..."

Brooklyn by Colm Toibin, Triangle by Katherine Weber and Snow in August by Pete Hamill are set in NY. This pick does not have to be a historical fiction so there's The Family Man by Elinor Lipman and The Emperor's Children by Claire Messud. I haven't checked but some of these will be available electronically. Are you looking for a particular e-book format?

[Kristine]

Question about pages...I'm reading a book on my nook, it says it is 890 pages, goodreads lists it around 350....is that common to have such a big difference? I've had differences by a few pages, but not by 500

[Becky, Moddess]

Kristine wrote: "Question about pages...I'm reading a book on my nook, it says it is 890 pages, goodreads lists it around 350....is that common to have such a big difference? I've had differences by a few pages, b..."

It depends on how the ebook was formatted. I have a copy of The Lost Hero which has 1015 pages on my Nook, but 551 on Goodreads. *shrug*

[Kristine]

I finally figured it out...you are right, it's the format for some reason when i turn a page on my nook it counts as one page, ...usually I have to turn three times for one page....does that make sense?

[Becky, Moddess]

Kristine wrote: "I finally figured it out...you are right, it's the format for some reason when i turn a page on my nook it counts as one page, ...usually I have to turn three times for one page....does that make s..."

Yup!

[Christina]

I am currently working on the 100pt task and preparing to read my third book. One of the books I chose was The Book Thief which takes place in Germany/Europe. For my third book I would like to read Inés of My Soul which takes place in Peru, but from the synopsis, it looks like it starts in Spain (Europe). I have not read this before and I am not sure what percent of the book takes place in Spain and what takes place in Peru. May I use this for the 100 pt task, or should I use this for another task? Thank you.

[Becky, Moddess]

The bulk of the book takes place in Peru, so I would say that would be fine, but there is a bit set in Spain at the beginning.

[Jayme(theghostreader)]

I have two questions
1) Can I use Roam: A Novel with Music for 10.3 because it starts off in Albany, New York.

2) I am reading Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children and it sats it is HF in the genre section and I wanted to make sure before I claimed it for anything.

[Becky, Moddess]

If Roam is set in NYC at least half of the book, then it's fine.

Miss Peregrine is too much fantasy for HF, sorry.

[LemonLinda]

I was thinking of using Russian Winter for one of the 3 books to satisfy the 100 point task. I know part is present day Boston and part is post WWII Russia. if anyone has read it, is half set in the past so that it would qualify as HF?

[Holly]

I read it 2 years ago, so not absolutely sure. Much of the story told in flashbacks to WWII Russia, so I would say, yes, 50%.

[LemonLinda]

Thanks, Holly.

[LemonLinda]

Thanks, Holly.

[Kristine]

Do you count The Help as HF? It is set in 1962 so it barely makes the 50 year
cut off....just a wondering...thanks

[Becky, Moddess]

Yes, that would count.

[Sue]

Would Sense and Sensibility work for the alliterative title (10.2), or does the presence of the word 'and' disqualify it?

Thanks!

[Becky, Moddess]

That would be fine.

[Sue]

Becky wrote: "That would be fine."

Wow! That was an amazingly fast answer :) Thanks.

[Becky, Moddess]

Just happened to be online...


...as usual. :P

[JC]

Is One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcí­a Márquez HF? I see it is shelved both as HF and Magical Realism and looks to be a family saga.

[Becky, Moddess]

I'm 99% sure I said no to another Magical Realism book for the HF point, so I don't think so. Sorry!

[Miss Melly]

JoLene wrote: "I don't really use the friends feature much ---- does anyone want to be friends with me :-D"

I will too - that means I'll have a total of TWO friends. Yay.

[Holly]

May I use The King's General for 20.2? Du Maurier's books are usually classics, but this one is set in 17th century England.

[Becky, Moddess]

Holly wrote: "May I use The King's General for 20.2? Du Maurier's books are usually classics, but this one is set in 17th century England."

Yes, that's fine. I didn't mean to imply that strictly HF authors were allowed for that task, just that the book should be.

[Christina]

15.2 Read a book written by more than one author.

Would The Tainted Relic: An Historical Mystery by The Medieval Murderers work for this task? The book is written by a group of British mystery writers and centers around a relic that has been cursed. It jumps through time and each author takes a turn at telling a story related to the cursed relic.

[Becky, Moddess]

Yup, that'd be fine, Christina.

[Miss Melly]

Becky,
You'll have to delete my entry - I counted books from June 2011 (not June 2012). I'll resubmit. Sorry.