Challenge Proposals

[Lu]

Let me know if you need a bit of help with the Game of Thrones challenge Barbara :)

[Varla Fiona]

The Winter challenge finishes at the end of the month. Do we have a new challenge for September?

[Lauren]

We can make another Spring challenge, or use the one from last year.

[Varla Fiona]

Either option works for me. Using last years is obviously the easiest option, unless someone wants to come up with new tasks for this year.

[Lu]

I wish I could make a new one, but need to finish packing :(

[Lauren]

I'll see if I can come up with something :)

[Claudia]

Last year's sounds good.

[Carolien]

Barbara might have the Jane Austen one ready for spring - romance and all that being in the air.

[Carolien]

Barbara wrote: "No you didn't. There is still the idea of a Jane Austen challenge since it is the 200 year anniversary of the first publication of Pride and Prejudice. I haven't done anything with it yet, but I co..."

The In memoriam challenge author list is growing. Elmore Leonard and Elizabeth Peters died recently.

[Barbara]

Lu (Sugar & Snark) wrote: "Let me know if you need a bit of help with the Game of Thrones challenge Barbara :)"

I'll contact you on that one once I have my own thoughts sorted out on that one. :)

I will post both a Jane Austen and a In Memoriam challenge later today!

[Lu]

Thank you Barbara!

[Barbara]

You're very welcome. I posted both challenges btw.

[Lauren]

Sorry I haven't been around - connection problems.
Does anyone want to re-do last year's spring challenge? If so I can post it now, and books from September 1 will count. Let me know as soon as possible, because I have no idea if I'll be able to access Goodreads again tomorrow.

[Varla Fiona]

We do have two new challenges, so I'm not bothered if we don't do it.

[Lauren]

I feel the same actually. Also, I just remembered that we need to start the nominations for the next round of Themed challenges! The current group ends in October. Let me go post that.

[Lu]

Yea it may be too much.

Ooooh that is exciting Lauren!

[Carolien]

I actually thought about the Year challenges last night and wondered when we'll start nominations. Whoopee!

[Lauren]

I know all the alphabetical challenges are about to start, but they last all year, so how about a 3-month New Year challenge? I can put together a list of tasks based on theme. Things like start a new series, read a new author, a book where the MC makes a new start, etc.

[Lauren]

Here's what I came up with. Anyone keen? It'll be January-March. We can add a few more tasks if you like, but I don't want to make it too difficult.

1. Start a new series.

2. Read a book by an author you've never read before.

3. Read a book in which the main character tries to make a new start and improve their life (whether or not it works :)

4. From the holiday season back to the real world. Read a book where a major character overindulges (in food, alcohol, drugs, sex, etc.) and then has to deal with the consequences.
Note: this should be a significant feature in the plot, not just a few drinks followed by a hangover or something.

5. New Year's Resolutions: they never last. Read a book in which the main character breaks an oath or promise.
Again, something significant.

6. But hey, it's a new year and it's good to be optimistic. Make a New Year's Resolution, tell us what it is, and read a book related to it.

7. What event are you looking forward to this year? Let us know and read a book that's related to it.
It can be a wedding, a concert, the publication of a book you're looking forward to, etc.

[Carolien]

Nice idea. What about adding 3 tasks and allowing people to choose a mini-challenge of 5 books out of the 10?

[Lu]

I'm always in!

[Lauren]

Do we need a mini challenge? It's not that long.

[Carolien]

Probably not - I'm just feeling lazy!

[Varla Fiona]

I'm going to skip this one. I want to take a different approach to reading for a while so will not sign up for every single challenge. That has been fun but I'm planning on reading more stuff that had been sitting around waiting and doing some research on topics that interest me. I will still be doing the big challenges and and book or author of the month that appeal.
Looks like a fun challenge, enjoy!

[Lu]

Anyone for a new challenge?

[Lauren]

Sure, what did you have in mind?

[Lu]

Wedding themed lol /shifty
Or Winter again?

[Lauren]

Lol, we could do wedding, as long as I don't have to read any romance novels.

Winter would be fine too, although I'd prefer something new.

[Lu]

I think we can think of a non-romance wedding challenge :)

[Carolien]

What about either of the following? Book partners - read 10 books, you have to create 5 pairs e.g books from the same series, same author first name etc. you may only use a pairing reason once.

Alternatively 4 levels like favourite genre, author new to you, more than 500 pages long, used in a book challenge. We need to decide on 4 levels beforehand. You can arrange the levels in any order, but must read 1 book from your first level, 2 from the second, 3 from the third and 4 from the fourth level. 10 books in total.

[Lu]

I actually like the book partner idea!

[Lauren]

I prefer the level one. The book partners is very similar to a themed challenge we did a while back.

[Carolien]

Been watching Bob the Builder with my kids and thought another alternative would be to have a challenge on the Recycle, Re-use, Reduce theme. 3 tasks per action. I can come up with a few, but would need help with others. E.g read a book borrowed from a friend or library under Re-use, read a book from the oldest 20 on your TBR list for Reduce, read a book in which an environmental theme is important for Recycle, etc, etc.

[Lu]

Ooooh I like that!

[Carolien]

Well help me make up the tasks!

[Lu]

How about?

Recycle - Pick up a series you haven't read in at least 6 months, but have been meaning to finish.
Re-Use - Read a book you have read before
Reduce - Read a review books (or a book that you have been meaning to read for a group read)

[Carolien]

I like them. See the list I send you and let me know.

[Lauren]

I like that idea too! Also thought of:

Recycle: read a book in which a main character or key location is transformed (but not destroyed).
Not in the sense of shapeshifters, but like a peasant becoming a queen or a passenger ship becoming a military vessel.

[Lu]

Shall we do this challenge?

[Carolien]

Yes, go get married and we can do it to start 1 July. Mishmash starts 1 June so that will keep everybody occupied while you get married!

[Lu]

Yay sounds like a plan! :)

[Lu]

1 July is soon! :)

[Lu]

For the Bob the Builder challenge:

3. Read a book published in an environmentally responsible manner e.g on paper that carries the FSC logo or an e-book

Will a audiobook count? it is a digital copy :)
Just need a few yays or nays

[Barbara]

My first impulse is to say yay, but then I got to thinking about it. What do you mean by digital copy? Is it an illegal download from a book that was published on cd's or something else or something that only came as a digital copy?

[Lu]

What I mean, it is a digital copy, not a CD copy (which may be seen as bad for the environment in this case?)

[Barbara]

If it is a legal copy I would say yay!

[Lu]

Yip actually got it from here: http://www.audible.com/pd/Mysteries-T...

:) Was awesome btw, you guys should check it out!

[Barbara]

I think I have a paper copy of that book somewhere. I have to dig it up!

[Lu]

Was such fun! I love a good mystery and I actually got this one right, which made me feel a little smug lol

[Barbara]

Always great to predict the killer. I had that same feeling with Angels and Demons.