Shut Up & Read discussion

This reading challenge is based on the 12 days of Christmas song/poem.

You can see that we did this last year as well:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
but we will be doing different criteria this time around.

As a fun option, if you hate this year's challenge, you can always turn back to Sheri's from last year for some of your challenge.


1. A Partridge in a Pear Tree: Read a book with a bird in the title. This can be a type of bird:Flaubert's Parrot or the word bird:I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings or even both: To Kill a Mockingbird.

2. Two Turtle Doves: Turtle doves are extremely colorful birds. Read a book with a cover that shares color with a turtle dove (brown, blue, grey, red, white).

3. Three French Hens: Read a book that is set in France, written by a French author, or features a French character.

4. Four Calling Birds: This is the most diverse line of the song, with many different versions and altered words. Read a book that has gone by a different title. ie: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's/ Sorcerer's Stone.

5. Five Golden Rings: Read a book that has 500+ pages. Alternately, read a book with the word "five" or "ring" in the title.

6. Six Geese a Laying: Read a book where someone becomes pregnant or has a child.

7. Seven Swans a Swimming: Swans are powerful symbols of many things, two of which are longevity and loyalty. Read a book by an author that has been writing for at least ten years, or by a "favorite" author.

8. Eight Maids a Milking: Milkmaids make me think of cowpox and smallpox. Read a book with a character who is a doctor, or a book which features a plague or sickness (zombie outbreaks definitely count).

9. Nine Ladies Dancing: "Dance" is an oft-used metaphor for courtship. Read a book with a period of courtship, the longer the characters "dance around", the better.

10. Ten Lords a Leaping: "Lord" is not an actual title, but was used to refer to any man who held power over others, or as a sign of respect. It was also used for religious purposes. Read a book with the genre: historical fiction, religion, fantasy or mythology.

11. Eleven Pipers Piping: Even though I know it's not the same, this line makes me think of the Pied piper - jump on a bandwagon. Read a book with over 10,000 ratings.

12. Twelve Drummers Drumming: And, to pair with the one before it, march to the beat of your own drum! Read a book with less than 100 ratings.

Easy - 4
Medium - 6
Hard - 9
Book vacation - 12 :)

Have fun!

December - 12 Days
Goal: Hard
Completed 9/9

☐ 1. A Partridge in a Pear Tree: The Raven Boys
☑ 2. Two Turtle Doves: Dangerous (12/05/13-3 Stars)
☑ 3. Three French Hens: I Heart Paris (12/17/13-3.5 Stars)
☐ 4. Four Calling Birds: Blackbringer (Dreamdark, #1)/Faeries of Dreamdark: Blackbringer
☑ 5. Five Golden Rings: The Book Thief (12/16/13-5 Stars)
☐ 6. Six Geese a Laying: Fifty Shades Freed
☑ 7. Seven Swans a Swimming: Night of Cake & Puppets (12/01/13-5 Stars)
☑ 8. Eight Maids a Milking: Before I Go To Sleep (12/12/13-4 Stars)
☑ 9. Nine Ladies Dancing: Pride and Prejudice (12/11/13-5 Stars)
☑ 10. Ten Lords a Leaping: The False Prince (12/04/13-4 Stars)
☑ 11. Eleven Pipers Piping: Gone Girl (12/03/13-5 Stars)
☑ 12. Twelve Drummers Drumming: Hunger Revealed (12/19/13-4 Stars)

-1- -4- -6-

12 Days of Christmas

▢ 1. A Partridge in a Pear Tree: Read a book with a bird in the title. This can be a type of bird:Flaubert's Parrot or the word bird:I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings or even both: To Kill a Mockingbird.

✔ 2. Two Turtle Doves: Turtle doves are extremely colorful birds. Read a book with a cover that shares color with a turtle dove (brown, blue, grey, red, white).
Untamed (Grey)
✔ 3. Three French Hens: Read a book that is set in France, written by a French author, or features a French character.
Curtsies & Conspiracies (Vieve/Genevieve Lefoux)
✔ 4. Four Calling Birds: This is the most diverse line of the song, with many different versions and altered words. Read a book that has gone by a different title. ie: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's/ Sorcerer's Stone.
Smaragdgrün & Emerald Green
✔ 5. Five Golden Rings: Read a book that has 500+ pages. Alternately, read a book with the word "five" or "ring" in the title.
Forgiveness and Permission (pgs. 534)
✔ 6. Six Geese a Laying: Read a book where someone becomes pregnant or has a child.
Guided Loyalty
✔ 7. Seven Swans a Swimming: Swans are powerful symbols of many things, two of which are longevity and loyalty. Read a book by an author that has been writing for at least ten years, or by a "favorite" author.
Wish with the Candles, Betty Neels
✔ 8. Eight Maids a Milking: Milkmaids make me think of cowpox and smallpox. Read a book with a character who is a doctor, or a book which features a plague or sickness (zombie outbreaks definitely count).
Timeless (God-Breaker Plague)
✔ 9. Nine Ladies Dancing: "Dance" is an oft-used metaphor for courtship. Read a book with a period of courtship, the longer the characters "dance around", the better.
The Clockwork Scarab
✔ 10. Ten Lords a Leaping: "Lord" is not an actual title, but was used to refer to any man who held power over others, or as a sign of respect. It was also used for religious purposes. Read a book with the genre: historical fiction, religion, fantasy or mythology.
The False Prince
✔ 11. Eleven Pipers Piping: Even though I know it's not the same, this line makes me think of the Pied piper - jump on a bandwagon. Read a book with over 10,000 ratings.
Sapphire Blue ( 12,693 ratings)
✔ 12. Twelve Drummers Drumming: And, to pair with the one before it, march to the beat of your own drum! Read a book with less than 100 ratings.
Not My Shifter/ Sinfully Cursed (Shifter Paradise) Volume 1 (3 Ratings)

Completed 11/9

1* * * * * * * * * * *

1. Master of Crows
2. Dead Beat
3.
4.
5.
6. ✗Tilt
7. Legacies
8.
9. ✗ True
10.
11.
12.

2/12

I make no promises that I'll do this, but I will certainly try. I think it would be nice to do over Christmas break.

1.
2. Paper Towns
3. Anna and the French Kiss
4. Looking for Alaska
5. The Immortal Rules
6.
7. You Are Here
8. Dearly, Departed
9.
10. Dark Kiss
11. Eleanor & Park
12.

This sounds cool :) Not sure how many I'll be able to get done but I'll give it a try!

12 Days of Christmas

8/8 Done :)

✔2. 12/3 ★★★★
✔4. - Georgina Kincaid 12/23 ★★★★
✔6. 12/2 ★★★★★
✔7. 12/13 ★★★★★
✔8. 12/5 ★★★★
✔10. 12/18 ★★★★.5
✔11. 12/19 ★★★★
✔12. 12/11 ★★★★

I'll give this a go. Will add as I go along.

1)Lone Eagle by Danielle Steel - Read 09/12/13
2)The Man in the Brown Suit by Agatha Christie - Read 10/12/13
3)I Heart Paris by Lindsey Kelk
4)Three Blind Mice/The Mousetrap by Agatha Christie
5)The Ring by Danielle Steel
6)Accidentally Pregnant by Lucy Gordon
7)Dangerous Days of Daniel X by James Patterson
8)The City: Autumn #2 by David Moody
9)Dating Game by Danielle Steel
10)Sea of Monsters: Percy Jackson #2 by Rick Riordan
11)Where are the Children by Mary Higgins Clark
12) Amnesia by Beverly Barton

Read 2/12

I'm going to try for Medium:

Completed 6/6 Completed: 12/18/2014

2. Two Turtle Doves: Turtle doves are extremely colorful birds. Read a book with a cover that shares color with a turtle dove (brown, blue, grey, red, white).: colors brown & white: Barely Breathing 12/7

3. Three French Hens: Read a book that is set in France, written by a French character: Soulless: The Manga, Vol. 2 12/11

6. Six Geese a Laying: Read a book where someone becomes pregnant or has a child.: becomes pregnant: Soulless: The Manga, Vol. 3 12/11

9. Nine Ladies Dancing: "Dance" is an oft-used metaphor for courtship. Read a book with a period of courtship, the longer the characters "dance around", the better.:
Courtship starts here get's serious in next 2 books: Just Breathe 12/4

11. Eleven Pipers Piping: Even though I know it's not the same, this line makes me think of the Pied piper - jump on a bandwagon. Read a book with over 10,000 ratings. 190,072 ratings: Shiver 12/18

12. Twelve Drummers Drumming: And, to pair with the one before it, march to the beat of your own drum! Read a book with less than 100 ratings.: 53 ratings: Forever Breathing 12/10

Original Goal: Medium - Finished 12/20/2013
New Goal: Hard

Progress: 8/9

1.
2. The Many Lives of Samuel Beauchamp by Michael Siemsen Blue/White/Grey cover (Finished 12/14/2013)
3. Death is a Cabaret by Deborah Morgan has several historical French characters (Currently reading)
4. The Feng Shui Detective by Nury Vittachi Originally titled The Feng Shui Detective Goes South (Finished 12/20/13)
5.The House of Hades by Rick Riordan 597 pages (Finished 12/12/13)
6. Silent Echo: A Siren's Tale by Elisa Freilich story begins with the birth of a child (Finished 12/10/13)
7.Uniform Justice by Donna Leon Leon has been published since 1992 (Finished 12/17/13)
8.
9. With This Puzzle, I Thee Kill by Parnell Hall revolves around two courtships and the planning of a double wedding (Finished 12/28/2013)
10. Requiem Mass by Elizabeth Corley a mystery with many religious and justice references (Finished 12/28/2013)
11.
12.Doctor Lovebeads by Gary Reilly has five ratings (Finished 12/7/13)

I finished medium, 6 books, December 18, 2013.

I finished in message 2 (goal: hard).

I'm done for this month. Updated post 6. Read 8 for this month's challenge. Have a great Christmas holiday everyone :)

I finished up on post #3 too. I settled for hard and completed "11 Days." I just don't have the time or energy to scour "bird" titles and I know if I read Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, I will get sucked in and have to read the whole series or at least until the end. *sigh* I am just weak that way. I hope this doesn't offend anyone, because I really had a lot of fun with this challenge too. Ya'll come up with the best challenges!

Happy Holidays to everyone on here!

I agree, love the challenges in this group! I've found some great books while completing these challenges that I most likely would never have searched for.

Fun challenge :) I finished medium and am so close to nine books that I'm going for hard. I had much more reading time than expected this month.