Suggestions for Future Categories/Challenges Showing 451-500 of 1,360

[Lotte_ladybird]

One of the things I like about challenges is that they sometime "force" me to read something I wouldn't normally read. Sometimes it's a challenge in itself to get through them, other times I discover something new to like. So, thanks for all the wonderful challenges!

[Yz the Whyz, Moderator]

It took me a while to put my thoughts together here, but I would like to address Kate's and Kelley's concern about the Of Lists and Shelves criteria in our monthly challenges.

First and foremost, I'm glad that everybody in this group feels comfortable enough to express dissenting opinions with no problem, and I appreciate honest feedback.

Just to give everybody an insight to how I put together the categories each month might be helpful here. Most of you probably noticed that there are semi-permanent parts in the challenge, and then there are open ones.

You all know there will be Beginning letter of the month, geography, birthday, etc. I also allot between 3-5 categories to be pulled from suggestions of group members or inspired by monthly events.

Some section I've already planned in advance like the Romance Genre (I have 12 to cover the whole year) and Of Lists and Shelves (I have around 10 sources).

I have to admit I try to mix-up the categories each month, with easy ones and I would always threw in 2-3 hard ones. And yes, I do that on purpose. : ) After all, why call it a challenge if it's all going to be a walk-in-the-park.

So, yes, I'm sticking to my guns, so to speak. : ) I will continue to have my List and Shelves category for 2010. However, I promise that whatever list or shelf I choose it will have at minimum no less than 100 book titles to choose from.

Same with the romance genre category, no matter how loud Photojim complained he didn't want to read a historical romance. : )

Again, I appreciate everyone's input. Keep it coming. And thank you for all the support you guys are giving us with our group.

[Lotte_ladybird]

Yz, you'll never be able to please everyone no matter what you do, so just keep up the good work :) If I come across any categories I REALLY don't want to read (I'm with Jim on historical romance) I just skip it, but as I said earlier, it's sometimes fun to try something from out of my comfort zone!

[Desperado]

I know my input on this subject doesn't really matter since I'm a fairly new member, but I just wanted to say that I love the way you do the monthly challenges Yz. This is my first time participating in one but I looked back at the archives & I can easily see me putting books I want to read in most of the categories. So keep up the good work!

[SandyC]

Yz, you rock!

[Yz the Whyz, Moderator]

Lotte_ladybird wrote: "Yz, you'll never be able to please everyone no matter what you do, so just keep up the good work :) If I come across any categories I REALLY don't want to read (I'm with Jim on historical romance) ..."

That's the first major lesson I learned when I started this group. : )

I learned that we can disagree on certain things, if handled right, without offending. I value everybody's input and always will.

[Sandra]

I love the challenges. Sometimes I need forcing to read stuff I've already bought.

Having said that, a suggestion for consideration - reading authors with first & last names starting with the same letter eg:

Amanda Ashley, Susan Squires, Lora Leigh, Tawny Taylor, Beverly Barton, I'm sure there are many more, they just happen to be the ones looking at me right now.

[Charlotte (Buried in Books)]

I have a couple of suggestions:

Summer Blockbuster - a book that has been made into a movie/mini series.

Name that tune - a book with a title that is also a song title.

[Ѽ Cher Ѽ]

I like your suggestions Charlotee! Good job!

[D.G.]

I have 3 suggestions:
1st 50 books in TBR - Sort your TBR by date ascending and read one book from the first 50.
Male Authors - I know most romance authors are women since a lot of us read other stuff, this could be a good one too for diversity.
Read a book that was originally published in another language

[Jim son of Jim (formerly PhotoJim)]

DG, Let's hear it for the men! I want something written by a guy with a pair.

[Sandra]

Photojim, a pair of what?

[Mel W]

Ummm, Sandra, think about it for a minute :)

[Sandra]

I thought he might mean manboobs! LOL.

Photojim usually isn't obvious, he's devious in his thinking.

[Charlotte (Buried in Books)]

Better dig out my Nicholas Sparks books just in case then....

[Mel W]

Sandra wrote: "I thought he might mean manboobs! LOL.

Photojim usually isn't obvious, he's devious in his thinking."

LOL, Sandra, that he is :)

[Jim son of Jim (formerly PhotoJim)]

Last night I wasn't devious. Just drunk. I really should put a breathalyzer on my computer. Of course I'm not 100% sure that I could pass the test now and this is the morning after. :-O

It would be even better if I could put one on the phone. Drunk dialing friends at 2:00 AM is only OK if they were still up when you call. Fortunately I picked wisely last night.

[Dee]

lol I definately picked unwisely one night...my friend was soo mad...and it was only 11pm (but me and Jose had been spending some quality time...)...

how about, since we had to read a book with over 1000 reviews, you read the one on your TBR list that has the least number of reviews...I know I have a lot for my ebay challenge that no one has ever reviewed on goodreads

[Debbie]

that would really bring out the obscure and unknown wouldn't it. great idea DD

[Dee]

i thought about it while I was finally inputing my ebay buys into goodreads - a lot of them are books from the 70's and 80's that while they are in good reads, only have 1 review (if any...)

Debbie wrote: "that would really bring out the obscure and unknown wouldn't it. great idea DD"

[Debbie]

I find myself reading things like that also. I really seem to like being the one of the first to read and review a book, like it is my own personal find or something - haha :)

[Mel W]

Photojim wrote: "Last night I wasn't devious. Just drunk. I really should put a breathalyzer on my computer. Of course I'm not 100% sure that I could pass the test now and this is the morning after. :-O

It woul..."

Deviously drunk then? :)

[Yz the Whyz, Moderator]

Open for July suggestions.

[Lenore]

What about a covers challenge for July?

Read a blue cover
Read a red cover
Read a white or silver cover
Read a book with a flag on it
Read a book with a historical scene on it
and so on....

[Sandra]

I like that Lenore, you could really read anything you fancied then.

[Lenore]

Sure could. I like those better than list challenges because I can read things I already own. I am not the type to go buy a book for a challenge.

[Jim son of Jim (formerly PhotoJim)]

I lie, Ju-ly, we all lie! (said with a Mexican accent helps.) I know, bad pun but a book with Lie in it would be different for Ju-Lie.

[Rossy]

Maybe something to do with the 4th of July?

Hmmm, how about stories about men in uniform? Firefighters, cops, etc...I haven't been reading those in a while.

[Jim son of Jim (formerly PhotoJim)]

Rossy ~*~ Ehrotic ~*~ wrote: "Maybe something to do with the 4th of July?

Hmmm, how about stories about men in uniform? Firefighters, cops, etc...I haven't been reading those in a while."

Or while we're at it, why not WOMEN in uniform?

Or since July is one of the hot summer months (at least here in the Northern Hemisphere), why don't we have a 'Summer Break' category? Maybe must have Summer in the title or Beach in the title as this is the number one vacation month.

[Mojca]

July 4th is also National Country Music Day so we could have a "read a western book", "read a book set in one of the states of the frontier" or "read a book with a cowboy/cowgirl character"...That would also fit with July 18th when some celebrate Cow Appreciation Day.

Also on July 28 the first fingerprint was taken so we could have a murder mystery category.

[SandyC]

In honor of Bastille Day, read a book set during the French Revolution (or set in France, for that matter).

For Independence Day, Read a book set during the American Revolution.

Read a book whose author or main character's last name is the same as one of the Founding Fathers.

Read a book with red, white or blue in the title.

The USA turns 234 in 2010, so choose a book with 234 or more pages. (I hope my math is right, if not I KNOW someone on here will correct me! :-) )

Canada Day - read a book set in Canada, or whose author is from Canada.

Just some thoughts!

[Rossy]

Photojim wrote: "Rossy ~*~ Ehrotic ~*~ wrote: "Maybe something to do with the 4th of July?

Hmmm, how about stories about men in uniform? Firefighters, cops, etc...I haven't been reading those in a while."

Or whi..."

As long as there is some hot men in uniform, i don't care if the book is about a man or woman in uniform!LOL

I like the beach idea a lot, already i can think of a few books in my mountain TBR that would qualify.

[Rossy]

Alathea wrote: "July 4th is also National Country Music Day so we could have a "read a western book", "read a book set in one of the states of the frontier" or "read a book with a cowboy/cowgirl character"...That ..."

Oh nice, i love me some cowboys! The mystery sounds good too.

[Rossy]

Sandy wrote: "In honor of Bastille Day, read a book set during the French Revolution (or set in France, for that matter).

For Independence Day, Read a book set during the American Revolution.

Read a book w..."

Impressive ideas, Sandy!

[Judithe]

I'm a newbie and have just skimmed the suggestions so far, so if this is a repeat, my apologies.

I love reading, but am mostly reading in one genre now...how about a multi-genre theme with the connecting thread being something like romance (about a couple), military, made into a movie, etc. Novels have to be selected from a variety of genres (romance, PNR, historical, biographical, YA, etc. or periods) The idea needs more refining, but could be workable and expand reading horizons...lol...

[Judithe]

Oh...and that isn't so much for a month challenge (July) as a general one...

[Judithe]

Noticed some travel/location ideas and spin off of that is 2010 World Cup, which continues into July. Read x number of books related to participating countries. The author, story setting/or one scene, hero or heroine has to be from that country.
Examples:
Pleasure of a Dark Prince by Kresley Cole (scenes in Brazil)
Losing Kei by Suzanne Kamata (set in Japan and several major Japanese characters)
Archangel's Kiss by Nalini Singh (New Zealand writer)

(and maybe open genre...two are PNR, one is not a romance, though it has the fall in love part--but also fall out of it!)

[Dee]

ohh, i like the world cup one...

[Debbie]

I read somewhere that the Dog days of summer begins on July 3, we could have a category that includes animals (specifically dogs but not necessarily limited to them) in the story or on the cover of the book.

On July 20, 1969 Armstrong and Aldrin landed on the moon, we could read a space adventure or read where no man has gone before - something that not many people have read (less than say 20 ratings) talk about great diversity, we could get some of those lesser known books read (I know I have a few of those)

[Dee]

how about a category where there is a type of food in the title...i.e.

Glazed Murder: A Donut Shop Mystery...when I was surfing on amazon tonight, i saw lots of titles like that, especially mysteries

[Diane ~Firefly~]

Delicious Dee the book slut wrote: "how about a category where there is a type of food in the title...i.e.

Glazed Murder: A Donut Shop Mystery...when I was surfing on amazon tonight, i saw lots of titles like that, ..."

Yeah, a lot of cozy mysteries are hazardous to your waistline, especially when they have recipes.

It is a good idea and there are romances with food in the title as well, such as The Devil Served Tortellini

[Dee]

ohh, i didn't know they had recipies...darn it...there goes my waistline...I just found out about them, and am stalking a couple of lots on ebay right now...

I really like Judithe's World Cup idea, maybe as a separate monthly challenge - using the countries that made the world up - there are lots of European countries) - pick 32/16/8/4 books to read (working with the number of teams in each round - although I think 32 might be a bit too much)

[Rossy]

Ohhh, i like the idea of food titles or stories. I have a few of those on my TBR!

[Valorie]

I know! I love those food mysteries too! I've actually tried a few recipes from them and they turned out really good!

[Mel W]

Joanne Fluke has a food-related mystery series, starting with Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder. The main character owns and runs a bakery.

[Dee]

i'm actually going to read that one and The Devil Serves Tortellini (apparently my link thingy just went funky) for challenges on another board...mmm, yum!

[D.G.]

Photojim wrote: "DG, Let's hear it for the men! I want something written by a guy with a pair.

Last night I wasn't devious. Just drunk. I really should put a breathalyzer on my computer. "

LOL! I missed all these good conversations...you can drunk reply to our comments anytime Photojim! What are friends for! :p

[D.G.]

Oh and I found that July 1st is 'International Joke Day' so we could read a funny book. :)

[Diane ~Firefly~]

Delicious Dee the book slut wrote: "i'm actually going to read that one and The Devil Serves Tortellini (apparently my link thingy just went funky) for challenges on another board...mmm, yum!"

I love the recipe for Chocolate Chip Crunch cookies in Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder. It is the only way I make Chocolate Chip cookies now.

[Mel W]

Love chocolate chip cookies - think I might have to check out the recipe :)