Nothing But Reading Challenges discussion

• Judith (Captain)
• Jessica (Co-Captain)
• Silje (Co-Captain)
• Jenny Stephenson
• Megan
• Katherine Hayward
• Annika
• Cheryl Phipps
• Lexi
• Sailor Dowden
• Joy Putney
• Emily
Inês
Shannon


• Amanda

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Team Member Tower Team Shelves

• Judith (Captain): ttvi
• Jessica (Co-Captain):nbrc
• Silje (Co-Captain): towerteam
• Jenny Stephenson: 2018-tower
• Megan: towers-teams-2018
• Katherine Hayward: tower-teams-vi
• Annika: tower-teams
• Cheryl Phipps: tower-2018
• Lexi: tt2018
• Sailor Dowden: lupin-tower-team
• Joy Putney: nbrc-tower-vi
• Emily: tower teams
• Shannon: ttvi 1
• Ines: tower teams vi


Former Members:
• Amanda: tower teams 2018

Important Links

Countdown:
End of Harry Potter Tower Teams

BOOKS READ

Spreadsheets
Team Spreadsheet
Tracking Spreadsheet
Current Status

General Game Rules
-Point System
-Rules
-Spells
-Classes

Quidditch
*Note these are played by House so will need to coordinate with other house teams. Also a person does not have to be on the Quidditch team permanently. Therefore a commitment to being a player does not last more than one match.
-Seeker
-Chaser
-Keeper
-Beater

Tri-Wizard Tournament
-General Information
-Tasks
-Countdown to Quidditch Match 3
-Maze Rules
-Maze Planning

Resources
-Cover Color
-Word Count Check (must be at least 25,000 words for middle school grade level books)

Progress Summary

Classes COMPLETED

Spells COMPLETED

Characters
3 Letters Remaining
A: 1
C: 1
S: 1

Tri-Wizard Tasks COMPLETED

*Last updated Aug 28th

Reserve

A little more out going . . .

Gryffindor Teams
Hermione Granger
Minerva McGonagall
Ginny Weasley

Books Read Thread - COMPLETED BOOKS ONLY
BOOKS READ

SPREADSHEET
CURRENT STATUS


POINT SYSTEM

◈ For reading books
Books between 100 and 160 pages (100 pages or 25,000 words is the minimum) = 5 points
Books between 161 pages and 350 pages = 20 points
Books between 351 and 500 pages = 40 points
Books between 501 and 650 pages = 60 points
Books between 651 and 800 pages = 80 points
Books between 801 and 900 pages = 100 points
Books over 901 pages = 130 points

◈ For current BOM (Book of the Month) discussions
BOM Folder
Writing a day's worth of discussion questions = 40 points
Participating in a current BOM (participating in discussion) = 20 points
NOTE: We will accept one team member per book per team for writing a days DQs. If, by three days prior to the BOM starting, we don't have enough volunteers to write all DQs, then we will let more than one team member per team write questions. If we have more people than days sign up (prior to 3 days before start date) we will randomise the volunteers to determine those who can write DQs

◈ For NBRC Buddy Reads
Buddy Reads
Participating in a buddy read with a member from a different team, or with a member of NBRC who isn't on a Tower Team = 30 points
Participating in a Harry Potter buddy read with a member from a different team, or with a member of NBRC who isn't on a Tower Team = 40 points

◈ Classes and Spells
We're going to attend classes. That means maybe you'll have to transform cups into mouses, transplant baby mandragoras or brew potions, among other things.
More info will come.


◈ Quidditch Tournament
Quidditch Thread
Teams within same house will need to work together to select 7 players for the game. (3 chasers, 1 keeper, 2 beaters and 1 seeker). Each position will have specific rules and tasks to emulate a quidditch game. Is a speed challenge and it needs some planning and talking, and is quite dynamic.

Since we have 4 houses, there will be played 3 matches, that will last for a max of 2 weeks, or till the snitch is caught - whatever happens first.
Rules and points and game dates will have their designated folder. They will be posted soon. Stay Tuned.

◈ Tri-Wizard Tournament
Three daunting quest to be done in order.
Based on the real Tri-Wizard (both book and movie). For each quest each team can chose which champion path to choose, or not, it all depends on the quest at hand. Tournament will start on May 30th, and be open till the end of the challenge.

GENERAL RULES

◈ Books must be started after the start date of the challenge to count towards the challenge

◈ Books must be />100 pages. NOTE: This number is lower than our other team challenges!
For page number questions, please check with your captain who can ask in the Captains group for verification.

◈ Audio books are allowed. (For page numbers, use the "default" GR book page numbers. If the "default" is a Large Print version, use the next most popular edition for page numbers)

◈ No graphic novels, cookbooks or poetry. (Sorry.)

◈ Anything with the word" boxed set" in the title on Goodreads can not be used as "one book". They need to be shelved as separate books to count for this challenge.

◈ No children's books less than 25,000 words.ArBookFind is a great site to double check. If in doubt, ask your captain. Another rule of thumb is the audiobook version should be over 3 hours.

◈ Any book in any language will count, as long as it meets the criteria.

◈ "Re-reads" will be allowed, if it has been six months since you have read the book. This includes listening to the audio version, if you've already read the book.

But most importantly, HAVE FUN!

SPELLS

From the simple Nox and Lumos, to the legendary Wingardium Leviosa, and the more complex Expetrum Pattronum. Since spelling plays such an important part “It's leviOsa, not levioSA!" this will be a spell-it-out challenge. Perfect for using those quiet member books, and ensure that even slower readers can win points for the team.

IMPORTANT NOTE: These will be open for the entire challenge and can be done in no particular order. It will grant extra points for completion BUT it will also give negative points for lack of.
Example: Spelling LUMOS. Each letter is worth 5 points. Completion gives 10 points. Incomplete word, -1 point per missing letter.

Example 1: Incomplete Word:
L - Laini Taylor, Strange the Dreamer
U
M - Magic bites, Ilona Andrews
O
S - Stardust, Neil Gaiman

3 letters spelled: 3X5 = 15 points
2 letters missing: 2X (-1) = -2 points
Spell Total: 13 Points

Example 2: Complete Word:
L - Laini Taylor, Strange the Dreamer
U - Unwind, Neal Shusterman
M - Magic bites, Ilona Andrews
O - Oliver, Lauren - Delirium
S - Stardust, Neil Gaiman
5 letters spelled: 5X5 = 25 points
Completion bonus = 10 points
Spell Total: 35 Points
Check the team's spreadsheet for final point system

RULES

For each letter read books with titles, series names, authors (first or last names) that begin with letters that correspond to the word you choose. You also can use main or secondary characters (first or last names, and also nicknames). You may ignore the indefinite and definite articles (a, an, the, etc.)

POINTS & SPELLS

Spells
2 Points per letter
5 Points per completed word
-1 Point per missing letter

(view spoiler)[Accio
Alohomora
Confundo
Expecto Patronum
Expelliarmus
Lumos
Nox
Obliviate
Petrificus Totalus
Priori Incantatem
Protego
Riddikulus
Stupefy
Wingardium Leviosa (hide spoiler)]


Obscure Spells
5 Points per letter
10 Points per completed word
-2 Point per missing letter

(view spoiler)[Sectumsempra
Morsmordre (hide spoiler)]


Unforgivable Curses
10 Points per letter
20 Points per completed word
-5 Points per missing letter

(view spoiler)[Avada Kedavra
Cruciatus
Imperius (hide spoiler)]

*Note*
We have a sheet with the number of letters etc. that are required here

(view spoiler)[Unforgivable Curses
Letters
A 6
C 2
D 2
E 2
I 3
K 1
M 1
P 1
R 3
S 2
T 1
U 3
V 2
Grand Total 29

Obscure Spell
Letters
A 1
C 1
D 1
E 3
M 4
O 2
P 1
R 4
S 3
T 1
U 1
Grand Total 22

Spell
Letters
A 11
B 1
C 6
D 4
E 10
F 3
G 2
H 1
I 14
K 1
L 8
M 6
N 7
O 16
P 7
R 9
S 6
S 1
T 10
U 10
V 2
W 1
X 3
Y 1
Grand Total 140 (hide spoiler)]

PROCLAMATION: Spells

For the letters X, Y and V, you can also use translators names and or audion narrator names, providing the edition you are reading allows for it.

Meaning, you'll have to read the translated version to use translator's name or listening to the audio version to use the narrator's name.

Spell Update
(view spoiler)[Accio
Alohomora
Confundo
Expecto Patronum
Expelliarmus
Lumos
Nox
Obliviate
Petrificus Totalus
Priori Incantatem
Protego
Riddikulus
Stupefy
Wingardium Leviosa

Sectumsempra
Morsmordre

Avada Kedavra
Cruciatus
Imperius (hide spoiler)]

Characters:
A - 2
C - 1
D - 2
L - 3
S - 3

Total: 11

Reserved

Reserved

Hello everyone!

I’m Judith, your captain for Tower Teams, Harry Potter style! Do we have anyone new to team challenges or TT specifically? This is one of my favorite challenges because you can get the longer books on your to read list instead of just reading short books to complete tasks.

Please let me or one of the co-captains know if you have any questions. There are some new things to all of us for this round of TT (like the quidditch games), so don’t be shy about asking questions!!

Looking forward to meeting everyone as you check in and through out the game!

Hi, I'm Silje, from Norway, one of your co-captains and also one of the MODs.

I am so excited about this challenge, I can't wait to get started. This will be my second TT-challenge I think.

I agree with Judith, TT is perfect for reading those longer books that you might have postponed in earlier challenges. I usually prefer reading fantasy or romance, but I have been given some ARCs lately, so the genres are varying more than usual=)

Shelf: Towerteam

Hey guys! My name is Sailor and I'm super excited to be on team Lupin with all of you.

I'm a college student in the U.S. studying to be a pharmaceutical sales rep, and I'm totally new to TT. I've always wanted to join in, but this one begins just 2 days after I finish my semester out so I felt like it was perfect timing!

Fantasy and YA tend to be my most preferred genres but I might branch out more than usual for this (:

And here's my shelf lupin-tower-team for the challenge!

Hey everyone, I'm Annika and I'm from Sweden - so neighbour (of a sorts) to Silje. I'm a challenge addict from way back when and can't live without books. My go to genre is romance in any and all forms, but right now I mostly read mm and don't mind if there is a crime to solve. ;)
I'm also on my way out for a couple of days so don't have much time for a longer introduction, just wanted to stop by and let you know I'm here :)

Hi everyone! I'm Jessica one of your co-captains and I'm from Indiana. I have always loved finding challenges to encourage me to read, and this one looked fun. This is my first Tower Team challenge, but it looks easy. I'm so excited to be on a team with you all and can't wait to get started.

Hi all! My name is Jenny, i own and run a picture frame shop in Phoenix, where it is supposed to be 102 degrees today. Gah.

Any way, this is my first TT challenge. I just finished my first ever challenge-Uno, and loved it. I may have a bunch of questions at the start, so I can get my bearings.

I read a lot of different genres, but mainly interesting fiction, sci-fi, suspense, science (mostly physics), and YA. I am a book buying addict, so my tbr shelves are actually bookcases. The pile of books never seems to get smaller, but I am totally prepared for the zombie apocalypse. Except for, you know, stocking up on food or water, or any other life saving necessities.

Very happy to start a new challenge with you all.

First question-
I have set up my shelf, 2018-tower, which I can link to when I am on my computer and not my Kindle, but are we to list books we are finished reading on it, or ones we are reading or plan to read?

Hi everyone!

I'm Megan from the UK. My first team challenge was Wobble so it was right in at the deep end but since then I've been totally hooked! I mostly tend to read fantasy, horror or sci-fi but dabble in most genres.

GO GO GRYFFINDOR!

Jenny wrote: "First question-
I have set up my shelf, 2018-tower, which I can link to when I am on my computer and not my Kindle, but are we to list books we are finished reading on it, or ones we are reading or..."

I think that you are supposed to list book you have finished reading on it.

Yes Jenny, we usually do it like Jessica says; put the finished books on the shelf =) but feel free to mention here in the thread which book you are reading or plan to read, if you want.

Great idea Silje.

Hi all! I'm Joy. Very excited to be on Team Lupin and Gryffindor! This is my second tower teams; I really enjoy it because it coincides with summer and I see it as my annual summer reading challenge.

I'm a PhD student in the US, and when I'm not reading, I love going hiking, watching movies, and playing video games.

Joy, if you don't mind my asking, what are you pursuing your PhD in?
I didn't go for a doctorate and I always wish I had. I couldn't make up my mind between Greek archaeology and cosmology, so my school days were a bit chaotic, and the working world won out in the end.

I like your thoughts joy.

Glad we have TT vets Judith and Silje here to help us through the run of things (;

Oh Megan, what are some of your favorite horror novels? I'm always tempted to try the genre out but can't seem to break my fantasy habits lol

Hi all,
Another graduate student here, finishing MPH now and moving to PhD next. This is my second TT. I read a bit of everything but will fall back on sci-fi/fantasy as my favorites. I finish finals on Friday so this is just in time for summer. Now, back to biostatistics studying.
My shelf is tt2018

Sailor wrote: "Oh Megan, what are some of your favorite horror novels? I'm always tempted to try the genre out but can't seem to break my fantasy habits lol"

ooh good question! by Stephen King is one of my favourites but it's quite a tome! I would suggest to start with King, it's more along the lines of dystopia like Hunger Games etc. or one of his earlier short story collections like or
I also recommend by Josh Malerman, by M.R. Carey, by Joe Hill

or are good fantasy/horror crossovers!

Joy & Lexi - I'm also a PhD student so I know the bittersweet pain of graduate school xD

Hey guys, two things-

Are any of you watching season two of Handmaid's Tale on Hulu? It is killing me, but it is so good.

Also, can one of you walk me through linking my tower shelf- or really, how you all are linking using just your shelf name and not the whole URL? Thanks. (I am not a complete Luddite, but I did not grow up with computers, so I don't automatically know this stuff).

Jenny wrote: "Hey guys, two things-

Are any of you watching season two of Handmaid's Tale on Hulu? It is killing me, but it is so good.

Also, can one of you walk me through linking my tower shelf- or really, h..."

I had to google it: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/....
Which amusingly brought one back to this group.

Seriously, I love my Mac, but, I cannot find an "add hyperlink" direction in safari. Anywhere. Outlook, yes, web browser, no. So, the URL for my tower shelf is

https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...

I cannot make this into a link. I have run out of patience trying to figure it out, I will try again later.

Hello Everyone!

I think I have everyone's tower team shelf linked in my first reserved post, except for Jessica (I wasn't 100% sure which one was your TT shelf, so just let me know which one it is).

Please check the links to make sure I grabbed the right shelf. Also, I was cutting and pasting so there could be errors from that too.

I realized I forgot to tell you anything about myself. Whoops!

This is my third TT game and the third time as a captain. I read almost any genre but read a lot of fantasy, romance, and mysteries. But I'm always adding things to by to-read list like it isn't already bursting.

I live in Maryland and work for the Environmental Protection Agency in Washington, DC as an economist.

I just had a baby in February and am heading back to work in less than two weeks. So while I used to have hobbies, my life is now run by a tiny tyrant who needs most of my attention. But I do still manage to get a fair amount of reading in with audiobooks and having to be up at odd hours.

Awesome! Thank you so much for all the recommendations Megan! I'll definitely have to check them out (: And yeah, Stephen King has seemed intimidating to try because the couple of books I've glanced at were like 1,000 pages haha.

Congratulations on your new bundle of joy, Judith!! I'm sure things are certainly hectic in your life right now lol.

And thanks for linking everything. You got the right shelf for me.

Hi everyone! I am excited to participate on my first TT challenge. I have participated in many other challenges in the past (WOBBLE, etc), but never a TT. So, experienced ones, please do not hesitate to point us in the correct direction on anything like the Quiddich challenge, etc.

My degree is in Political Science and English. I have spent the last 28 years of my life as an unpaid child advocate/lobbyist (PTA). I have held several positions in the Utah PTA. (Oh, I do live in Utah and grew up in Missouri). I am currently a candidate for our county's school board, but am running unopposed, so November looks great! Our school district is the 61st largest in the nation, with 72,000 students and 2,800 teachers. Excited to serve and love working on behalf of children!

My reading centers around award winners, classics, and historical fiction. I am excited that this challenge lets me read some of those longer books that I have put off because quantity of books has been important in other team challenges. I am excited to get to know each of you better!

Countdown to Start of The Challenge

Glad to see all the other PhD students here! Jenny, I'm studying neuroscience. I really enjoy data analysis, but I'm definitely torn between "left brain" and "right brain" since I love the arts (music, theater, literature) as much as science.

Joy wrote: "Glad to see all the other PhD students here! Jenny, I'm studying neuroscience. I really enjoy data analysis, but I'm definitely torn between "left brain" and "right brain" since I love the arts (mu..."

Fun, I'm studying zoonotic diseases and One Health

Joy wrote: "Glad to see all the other PhD students here! Jenny, I'm studying neuroscience. I really enjoy data analysis, but I'm definitely torn between "left brain" and "right brain" since I love the arts (mu..."

That is so cool. I read a lot of the popular science books on the brain and neuroscience- as well as my first love, physics. In your vast amount of free time available to you- tee hee, have you read Robert Sapolsky's new book Behave?

Does it help, now, to know what books we are reading next to be working on the Spells? Along with Harry Potter #1 (320 pg) and Lilac Girls (487 pg), the books I will read by the end of May for the challenge are:

Two By Two by Nicholas Sparks (485 pg)
Juniper Lemon's Happiness Index by Julie Israel (320 pg)
Uprooted by Naomi Novik (435 pg)
When I'm Gone by Emily Bleeker (366 pg)
Behold the Dreamers by Imbolo Mbue (400 pg)
Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard (383 pg)

And just a clarification: Do you want us to add our books to our Tower shelf only when it is completed?

Cheryl wrote: "Does it help, now, to know what books we are reading next to be working on the Spells? Along with Harry Potter #1 (320 pg) and Lilac Girls (487 pg), my next three books for the challenge are:

[boo..."

It might help a bit, at least we can see if we have several books that can work for one spell=)