Romance Readers Reading Challenges discussion
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Suggestions for Future Categories/Challenges
Open for suggestions for the month of May.
Sorry I've been absent from the boards pretty much this week. It's been a LONG week at the studio and tomorrow makes the 11th day in the last 13 that I've had a shoot there. Just over 70 hours this week!So let's see where we are...
1. More people are completing the challenges than ever before. February saw 20 people complete all ten of the monthly challenge categories. That's more than any other month. The argument could be made that the challenges are getting easier.
2. Some people choose to skip categories for whatever reason. I don't know if it is because they don't have access to a library or have run out of money for books as has been implied. I haven't asked around. I don't really care that much why someone chooses not to participate in a challenge against themselves with no prizes and no winners. It's as if I were to say, "I'm going to walk on the treadmill for 20 minutes." and someone else says, "I'm going to walk on the treadmill for 18 minutes." It's not a competition. It doesn't matter how long they walk nor how fast. I don't even care if they really have a treadmill.
3. The moderators do a wonderful job here. Everyone thinks that is true. Nobody is saying or even implying otherwise. Just because someone doesn't agree with everything they do doesn't mean it is a complaint about what they are doing. (You want to hear me bitch about the historical categories again? I didn't think so.) It is a wonderful thing to have such active and involved moderators. It is even better to have more active and involved participants.
4. I keep on thinking that I'll take a month off from the monthly challenges and read a few books that I really want to read. Then I find myself looking for a book that takes place in (fill in the random geography location here) or has to do with (fill in the random event or genre that does not interest me in the least but I end up reading anyway to complete the challenge). Nobody is making me read the categories instead of something I bought and just haven't had the time to read. My choice. I understand that.
5. By reading things that we would not otherwise read, we become better and more rounded readers. Have I read a book for a challenge that I would not otherwise have read? You bet! And those changes help keep the whole interesting. The featured author challenge has yet to name an author I've tried before. And I've really liked three out of the four. So don't be afraid to try new things.
Well, I could go on, but this has rambled more than long enough. So to recap the salient points:
1. participation and completion are up.
2. true. not everybody finishes.
3. Our mods kick ass.
4. participation is optional
5. embrace the chance to try new things.
In other words, keep up the great work. Don't change a thing.
May suggestion:"Mayday! Mayday! Mayday!" - a book about being stranded, a plane crash, or boating accident. or at least some form of life threatening situation.
A book with a May-December romance.
"No you MAY not read that book" - a book that was banned somewhere.
I love banned book idea :)) Sounds fun!
Ideas...- obscure book - book rated by less than ... (insert number) users
- overused character type - book from one of these categories:
The hero is a duke or CEO of a corporation
The heroine is a secretary or a governess
The hero, heroine or both are spies or detectives
(other)
- underused character type - book from one of these categories:
Heroine is a CEO of a corporation
Neither Hero or Heroine is from the nobility in an historical
Hero works for heroine
(other)
- overused plots - book from one of these categories:
Marriage of Convenience
Secret Baby
(other)
- May the best win - book that was at least nominated for award (not necessarily winner)
- May never read - book that you have put down and can't pick up again (high risk of not enjoying it, though, heh...)
Oh my, you guys, just took my thunder. I'm currently putting together a challenge that involves 'banned' books. Obviously some of us are on the same wavelength. : )Btw, great post, Photojim! Thanks for the praise. : )
I love this thread. Love all the creative ideas yall come up with (and the word 'yall' lately for some reason). Kate, Jennefer, hugs. You both have valid points, I'm glad you spoke your minds, getting feedback on challenges is important. And we just got a lot of feedback from different POVs, it's great. Did I say I love yall? Because I do.
Kasia wrote: "I love this thread. Love all the creative ideas yall come up with (and the word 'yall' lately for some reason). Kate, Jennefer, hugs. You both have valid points, I'm glad you spoke your minds, gett..."Thanks Kasia :)
xoxo
Love you too!
I see we just rolled over 1000 members in the last couple of days! Whoo hoo! Maybe we should have a little mini challenge in honor of this momentous occasion. Maybe a challenge to read 1000 pages in a month? Or maybe a category next month to read something off of the 1000th members bookshelf (dont't even know if there is a way to know who exactly that was).
How about a book with over a thousand ratings?
My Look at all these minds at work. I want to say THANK YOU for coming up with such great ideas! I'm honestly impressed by how thorough you are when pitching your ideas. Keep it up!
Rossy ~*~ Ehrotic ~*~ wrote: "My Look at all these minds at work. I want to say THANK YOU for coming up with such great ideas! I'm honestly impressed by how thorough you are when pitching your ideas. Keep it up!"And here you thought I came up with all the challenge ideas all by myself....hehehe! : )
I like the book with over a thousand ratings idea. I also like the pages idea.
Yz the Whyz wrote: "And here you thought I came up with all the challenge ideas all by myself....hehehe! : ) With your capabilities, how could i think otherwise? I'm was not too far off the mark though, as my post includes your precious brain!LOL
Open for ideas for June!
Hmmm, like a book centered in a couple's marriage? I would like that. Perhaps a book where the main characters are forced to marry as well.
June is Father's Day.First day of Summer.
June 12th is Magic Day, so how about magic either in the title or involved in the story somehow.
It's Zoo and Acquarium Month so maybe a book with a prominent animal in it or on the cover.
It's Great Outdoors Month, so perhaps a book with some scenes outdoors (they go camping, talk a walk in a wooded area, or a character with a job that works predominately outdoors). Or you could yourself read a book in the great outdoors. I love reading out on my porch swing. :)
I have an idea for maybe the next quarterly challenge or if you can use it in a monthly challenge.... I saw a challenge in another reading group that was based on the game of Clue. It was a really cute and fun idea. Maybe we could do a quarterly challenge based on games...Clue - read a book with a weapon somewhere in the title or on the cover(poison, gun, knife, etc).
Candyland - a book set in a candy store, bakery, or has a character that is a baker or candy maker, or their name is Candy.
Chutes & Ladders: A character in a story that would use ladders (Fireman, construction worker, etc)
Twister - Read a book with a green, blue, yellow or red cover.
Chess - character is a Knight, King, Queen, etc.
Life - story about a family, marriage, etc.
Risk - military character
Monopoly - character is land developer, banker, real estate agent, millionaire, etc)
Operation - character is a Dr. or nurse, or in medical profession.
Scrabble - Be able to take the letters of the book title and make a different word or phrase out of all or some of those letters.
Anyway, just an idea. Feel free to tweak it or use how you see fit!
ohhh, i like that!!Valorie wrote: "I have an idea for maybe the next quarterly challenge or if you can use it in a monthly challenge.... I saw a challenge in another reading group that was based on the game of Clue. It was a really ..."
Thanks Dee & Renee! June 1st is also the beginning of hurricane season. Maybe read an author whose name is on the 2010 Hurricane name list.
Another great idea! I can never think of clever ones like that.
Well anytime I think of June, I think of June Cleaver. June was the ideal 50's housewife. She had two sons, kept an immaculate house, was a good cook, was a beautiful woman, and still managed to say the dirtiest phrase uttered on broadcast television ('Gee Ward, don't you think you were a little hard on the beaver last night?'). So maybe something to do with homemakers?
Valorie wrote: "I have an idea for maybe the next quarterly challenge or if you can use it in a monthly challenge.... I saw a challenge in another reading group that was based on the game of Clue. It was a really ..."Really good idea Valorie. I'm a huge fan of board games, so what's not to like :)
Kenjii ~*~Black Kat~**~ wrote: "March-Book with a Highlander theme (I dunno if St. Paddy's is Irish or Scottish but I know Highlander is Scottish. I don't know if that will be much help. Will edit later.)
Since it is Spring
Bo..."
St paddy's is Irish
i do't really have specific suggestions for some challenges to do. I have more of a "what i do NOT like" comment. LOl I personally can't stand challenges expecting us to work off of a specific list of books to choose from (pick something with more than 1000 ratings, pick a 4 star average, pick a banned book, etc) and it seems we've had lots of those lately. I prefer more freedom/variety in what we can choose from, like setting a theme (a book with a mom or kids in it, a book with flowers on the cover, pick a book with a cover that is such-and-such color) that we find something to fit. Picking from lists is too restrictive, IMO, especially when we have specific genres we like to read and don't read anything else. And for folks like me who have commitments that limit the types of books we read so we are limited on what we can choose from... for me I am almost always reading a review book or listening to an audio book I already own or that interested me at the library. So that REALLY limits what I have to choose from to fit challenges.So I'd like to see us get away from the list thing and stick to themes.
Read an author from the same place that you lived/live or anything like that
Valorie, i like your game challenge idea! I also like Jim's idea of June Cleaver or homemaker. I have not read any books that featured a homemaker as the heroine in a while.
I love the games idea as I love board games. One addendum I would create to the game challenge, is that any book related to the game in question, could also be read. I have a How to Win at Monopoly book, and a mystery book based on the board game Clue The Clue in the Shadows. I also have on my shelf, Monopoly: The Story Behind the World's Best-Selling Game. Perhaps you can make a bonus where to get the bonus, you have to play one of the board games listed. :)And I agree with Kelley, I don't care for the pick a book off a list of 100, since I usually don't like anything that's on the list, or can't find what's on the list. I'd rather have a category I can find a book to fit.
Thats a good idea Briansgirl, hopefully Yz can use the game idea somewhere.
Briansgirl "And I agree with Kelley, I don't care for the pick a book off a list of 100, since I usually don't like anything that's on the list, or can't find what's on the list. I'd rather have a category I can find a book to fit. "I actually tried the list challenges this month. EVERY single book I tried for the 4 star thing was less than 4 stars. I've close to 20 books this month and every one of them I tried on the rating thing. None of them worked. I tried the 1000 ratings thing too but that was just too much of a pain in the rear to find something even remotely appealing that I actually had time to read and/or hadn't already read so I quit trying. Since I read mostly review books, that means they are NEW books, some not even out yet so kinda hard to find one that 10 people read, let alone 1000, when it's not available to buy yet.
And I've noticed I tend to shy awaay fromt eh hugely popular books. I prefer lots of times the lesser known stuff that is not insansely popular. Mainly because i'm afraid I'll hate the book since my tastes don't necessarily run with the horde, and the I'll be hated by every person who reads my review saying I hated the book! LOL
something I do for the 4 star ranking books, or the reviews, is take my TBR list and order by that specific item - it makes it easy for me to find a book that is on my list that might meet the requirements. The same with picking a book off a person's who's birthday is in that month list - you can compare your books with theirs and I find a book that they have read that is on my list quite often...the banned books one was interesting, but at the same time, there wasn't just that list - there are multiple lists out there that could haev been used, the one provided was just an idea, but that's just my opinion
something I was thinking about as i'm reading through my stack of ebay purchased books - how about a book that was contemporary when it was released but now when you read it is dated...for example some of the older Linda Howard or LaVyrle Spencer comtemps that were released in the 1980's and 1990's...there are lots out there, those are just two authors that came to mind because i've read them recently
Delicious Dee wrote: "the banned books one was interesting, but at the same time, there wasn't just that list - there are multiple lists out there that could haev been used, the one provided was just an idea, but that's just my opinion That's not the way I understood it Dee. I'd have preferred to find any book from a list of banned books, even if we had to post which list we used. My understanding was the way it was presented was that we specifically had to pick a book off the list she provided. That limited your options to 1 of 100 on her list.
Delicious Dee wrote: "something I was thinking about as i'm reading through my stack of ebay purchased books - how about a book that was contemporary when it was released but now when you read it is dated...for example ..."I got tons of 1960's and 1970's Harlequins that would fit this. :)
Oh - I read it as any banned book - although the one I chose was on that list...(might have helped if I had read it probably) - I think a better way to do it would have been pick a book that has been listed on a banned book list (as long as you specify which list it came from)...there were lots of books on that list that I was amazed to see, because I can't see anything controversial about themBriansgirl "Master Book Sale Huntress" wrote: "Delicious Dee wrote: "the banned books one was interesting, but at the same time, there wasn't just that list - there are multiple lists out there that could haev been used, the one provided was ju..."
I had trouble picking a book off that banned list, but I know there are more lists of banned books on the internet and by doing a little sluething, we'd have more than 100 books to choose from. If I run out of time this month, the banned book is probably the first one to go, as I didn't like the choices.
I've been looking for a reason to read the Lovely Bones, so when I saw that, I was all for it - there are some great ones on the list - julie and the wolves of willoby chase - I remember reading that in middle school; the judy blume books...Briansgirl "Master Book Sale Huntress" wrote: "I had trouble picking a book off that banned list, but I know there are more lists of banned books on the internet and by doing a little sluething, we'd have more than 100 books to choose from. If ..."
I've read some and don't care to reread them. I didn't want to have to resort to reading one of my son's Goosebump books. lol
How about a book title that is also a song title, i.e. Rescue Me, Crazy For You, Every Breath You Take: A Novel, Stuck on You, etc.
Delicious Dee wrote: "something I do for the 4 star ranking books, or the reviews, is take my TBR list and order by that specific item - ... and I find a book that they have read that is on my list quite often... "Yeah well that is what I DID do with every single book I read this month (including ones I read not used for my challenge books and NONE of them fit. See part of my comment about the fact I read mostly review books which is why I rearely pick up somethign new for the challenges or from my TBR that isn't a review book for the challenges.
Master Book Sale Huntress wrote: "I've read some and don't care to reread them..."That's where I am at too. I either have absolutely no desire to read what is on the list or I already read them and since I almost never reread (why reread when there are more NEW books every week that I can hope to keep up with that I want to read?). Hence why I really don't care for challenges requiring us to pick from a specific list of books.
Kelley wrote: "Master Book Sale Huntress wrote: "I've read some and don't care to reread them..."That's where I am at too. I either have absolutely no desire to read what is on the list or I already read them..."
I have liked the read from a list challenges so far. Sometimes it's just cool to see what made the list and sometimes its a reminder about books I really enjoyed and takes me down memory lane.
I'm pretty new to the group and I think the challenges have been great. The beauty of it is you don't have to participate in EVERY challenge, just pick and choose what looks interesting to you. Also, I like that you can choose the amount of books to read for a particular challenge. For example, the May challenge lists 10 categories, but it's ok if you only pick a few to tackle since so many of us are busy with jobs, kids, other hobbies, etc. I also love seeing what other people are reading. I am NEVER without a book recommendation! This group encourages, but does not force, stepping out of your comfort zone. This is a fun group and I am totally addicted to challenges! :)
Since some of us don't have advance copies of books sent to us to read/review we just have to suffer through the pain of reading what others have read before us. Finding a book with a 1000 ratings already? Piece of cake. I just read the first book in a series for our featured author challenge - guess what? 1500+ ratings already out there. Would I have read it if it wasn't for a challenge? Nope. *shrugs* I thought reading more and reading something we wouldn't otherwise read was the point of the challenges.As to the picking from a list, I've found that this category is almost always the one that gives me a book the furthest from what I would otherwise pick. Some I've liked more than others. But I'm still better for the experience in either event.
I say the Mods are wonderful and Yz should keep up the great work.
Sandy wrote: "I'm pretty new to the group and I think the challenges have been great. The beauty of it is you don't have to participate in EVERY challenge, just pick and choose what looks interesting to you. Als..."VERY well said, Sandy! There are so many challenges all for different people. What may not work for some, will work for others.
Romance Readers Reading Challenges
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Authors mentioned in this topic
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S.E. Lund (other topics)
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I like the fact that you guys can drop by in this thread and give your opinions and suggestions about the challenges. I don't mind feedback good or bad, but I have also learned that I cannot pleased everybody. So I take note of everything that is mentioned in this thread, but as I have mentioned before, I cannot promise that everything that was raised here will be put in effect. However, any input is greatly appreciated.