SBTB Goodreads Group discussion
Challenges
>
Word Search Quarterly Challenge: October - December 2018
date
newest »
newest »
Woooo! All right, thanks Amanda!❇❇❇❇❇
A new type of challenge - cool! Time to start planning. On second thought, I think I will see if I just stumble upon the words, at least until December.
15/15 Finished!
OCTOBER
Witch The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
"The witch woman buried fetishes in secret places, took her payment, and departed in her mule cart."
Darkness Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell
”I owned that my pet apprehension was eyes—eyes looking at me, and watching me, glittering out from some dull, flat, wooden surface; and that if I dared to go up to my looking-glass when I was panic-stricken, I should certainly turn it round, with its back towards me, for fear of seeing eyes behind me looking out of the darkness.”
Moon Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews
"The outside had turned dark, and the bright light of the moon enameled the grass on my lawn with silver."
Pumpkin Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi
"It looked like a year-round Halloween store, with a few stray ghost decorations on the window and a rotting pumpkin by the entrance."
Ghost People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks
"A piece had landed on his cassock, and as he raised a hand to brush it away, he noticed that the words were still legible, pale ghost letters against the charred ground."
NOVEMBER
Turkey The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale
“Drag me. Carry me. Make a scene. I will not walk like a hooded turkey to the chopping block.”
Leaves Tom's Midnight Garden by Philippa Pearce
"Underfoot the earth was soft with the humus of last year’s rotted leaves.”
Feast Champion by Marie Lu
”We touch down in Denver on the morning of the emergency banquet. Even the words themselves make me want to laugh: emergency banquet? To me, a banquet still means a feast, and I don’t see how any emergency should be cause for a goddy mountain of food, even if it is for Independence Day. ”
Pie The War I Finally Won by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
“Maggie said if there wasn’t a war on we would be eating steak and kidney pie, but instead we had a variation on Lord Wolton pie, a particularly awful wartime dish made of baked vegetables thickened with oatmeal.”
Family Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese
”I knew now why Gods Lake belonged to our family: because part of our family had died there, and their spirits still spoke from the trees.”
DECEMBER
Snow Someone to Trust by Mary Balogh
”You ought to be very thankful for the snow.”
Kiss Drama by Raina Telgemeier
“That’s the part where they kiss.”
Stars Signal Boost by Alyssa Cole
"The Milky Way seared across the sky, unimaginable numbers of stars and planets reflecting their light toward me. Without light pollution dimming their brilliance, the stars dominated the night."
Fire The Power by Naomi Alderman
”There's a girl on the beach at high tide, lighting up the sea with her hands. The girls from the convent watch her from the clifftop. She's waded into the ocean up to her waist, higher. She's not even wearing a bathing suit - just jeans and a black cardigan. And she's setting the sea on fire.”
Scarf Storm of Locusts by Rebecca Roanhorse
”She takes a moment to straighten her scarf and smooth her hands over her clothes before she says, “Can you not smell the blood moving through his veins?”
Ohh-what a fun take on the quarterly challenge!15/15
October Search
Witch: The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare (11/24/18)
"She has been insisting to my father that you are a witch." pg. 17
Darkness: The Good Luck Charm by Helena Hunting (12/8/18)
"And I fall right into that offered solace, because I feel as though I'm a ball of wool, unraveling into a darkness that doesn't seem to end." Kindle loc. 139 of 3575
Moon: Bedmates by Nichole Chase (11/17/18)
"He was completely over the moon." Kindle loc. 1433
Pumpkin Her Halloween Treat by Tiffany Reisz (12/5/18)
"Were you always this good at painting and flooring and advanced pumpkin carving and you just kept it a secret?" Chapter 2 (I listened to this on audio, so I'm unsure of the exact pg. number...searching Google books didn't give me a real accurate hit)
Ghost: The Changeling by Victor LaValle (11/5/18)
"I turned into a ghost to her, and maybe she was a ghost to me." Kindle pg. 199
November Search
Turkey: A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro (12/15/18)
"...who stuffed a plastic gem into that little prize turkey?" Kindle pg. 308
Leaves: My American Duchess by Eloisa James (11/12/18)
"The only sound was that of hooves squelching in the puddles that dotted the paths, & occasional plops as drops found their way from leaves above to the ground." pg. 94
Feast: Silent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn (12/24/18)
"Widows were skeletons at the feast, dampening everyone else's pleasure, so they had not asked me." Kindle pg. 190
Pie: Sleepover by Serena Bell (12/22/18)
"The adults hang back a bit, jumping in only when it's clear there's plenty of piel left for everyone." Kindle pg. 153
Family: Heartland: A Memoir of Working Hard and Being Broke in the Richest Country on Earth by Sarah Smarsh (11/12/18)
"Their whole family, which consisted mostly of single moms and their daughters, was hard to pin down." pg. 7
December Search
Snow: The Last of August by Brittany Cavallaro (12/16/18)
"The city was bare of snow and warmer than London, and I realized I didn't really know a lot about where we were." Kindle pg. 76
Kiss: The Sisters of the Winter Wood by Rena Rossner (11/3/18)
"You cannot be healed by a kiss, and you cannot live on love or infatuation or whatever this thing is--a sick obsession." pg. 270
Stars: Gmorning, Gnight!: Little Pep Talks for Me & You by Lin-Manuel Miranda (11/8/18)
"The stars are out, the night is warm." pg. 5
Fire: Dr. Strange Beard by Penny Reid (10/24/18)
"My heart gave a sluggish, aching lurch as my chest filled with fire." Kindle location 833
Scarf: Mating the Huntress by Talia Hibbert (11/29/18)
"If she were in her right mind, she'd go home and get a scarf and gloves first." Kindle location 683
Iiiiinteresting :)(I am planning ahead, because planning soothes me, and because I will never, ever remember to be on the lookout for words as I read!)
Status: 15/15
October Search
"So you're to be the new witch in our forest, are you?". Finished 12/15 ★★
"I pretended that darkness was a burn mark, spreading slowly across the hawthorn like a Twisted Thing's footprints."
"'Why in the hells would you do that?' Karen asked. 'You might as well go live on the moon.'"
"I'm sorry, pumpkin," said my dad, sounding tired.
"... once or twice a year, maybe, the Catchkeep-priest would barter a bottled ghost for Chooser knew what, and one time Wasp had seen her predecessor catch a particularly nasty specimen and tether it in the town gardens to keep the scav kids off the perimeter fence."
November Search
"So are we having a turkey for Thanksgiving or not?" Cari asked. Finished 11/12 ★
"The former gentle breeze was now steadily rising, swirling leaves around her in twirls of air."
"There's so much to plan now that you're returned safe and sound to us. A coronation feast, the ceremonies--"
December Search
"There was even a light shimmer of snow falling outside."
"He gathered her hair to one side and brushed a fleeting kiss behind her ear." Finished 12/7 ★★★★★
"Usually, before a jump, one would catch glimpses of the other side, freckles of stars or belts of faraway white gasses staining the dark blank canvas that linked the universe together."
"They kicked him out by sixteen, and he set fire to their house in revenge." Finished 12/9 ★★★★★
"She raised her arms and let the ashy, blackened tatters of the scarf flutter to the floor."
15/15 Completed!!October Search
Witch Heir of Fire ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️(11/9)
“Wrong kind of witch“
Darkness Mating the Huntress ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (10/31)
He understood the impulse - he was, after all, a slavering beast of the darkness and denizen of evil - but he couldn’t condone the random slaughtering of any species, as a matter of principle.
Moon Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (10/21)
“P.S. I love the way you smile like you don’t realize you’re doing it. I love your perpetual bed head. I love the way you hold eye contact a moment longer than you need to. And I love your moon grey eyes.”
Pumpkin WRAPPED: A FIT Adjacent Christmas Novella⭐️⭐️⭐️ (11/25)
“I’m free most nights, but I go into work early so I turn into a pumpkin by 10 pm.”
Ghost A Reason To Believe ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (10/30)
“Do you really expect me to believe that the ghost of a six-year-old girl led you to her body?”
November Search
Turkey The Understatement of the Year (12/17) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“The chefs in the kitchen were busy putting snooty touches on plate after plate of turkey with self-consciously fancy side dishes.”
Leaves On the Edge (10/3) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“The branches bent, dark triangular leaves parted and a creature stepped onto the road”
Feast Goodbye Paradise (12/28) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Maggie prepared such a feast for Christmas that I’m wondering if the pastor was right about the gluttony.”
Pie Bayou Moon (12/3) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Unfortunately, this time Aunt Petunia wasn’t making a pie”
Family Shacking Up (11/19) ⭐️⭐️⭐️
“The way people look at me differently the moment they know who my family is and that I come from money.”
December Search
Snow Merry Inkmas (12/27) ⭐️⭐️⭐️
“The windows were covered in Christmas decals—snow, baubles, a few reindeer—and it was already dark outside.”
Kiss Kill Game (12/27) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Before Dominic understood what was happening, Levi slid his hand up to grasp the nape of Dominic’s neck and pull him into a kiss.”
Stars The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue (10/7) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
"A small shift in the gravity between us and suddenly all my stars are out of alignment, planets knocked from their orbits, and I'm left stumbling, without map or heading, through the bewildering territory of being in love with your best friend."
Fire Rogue Protocol ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (12/1)
“A camera view from a surviving drone told me the bot behind me had lunged for my retreating back but crashed to its knees; drones had been concentrating fire on its ankle joints while others distracted it.”
Scarf Eliza and Her Monsters (10/19) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
"Beneath the scarf he wears a ratty button-down shirt and a pair of pants that have been striped vertically, dark blue and green, with fabric paint"
Yay! October Search
Witch - "I take and deep Breath but there's no way to say it without sounding insane, so I just come out with it. 'I'm a Witch'" (the Witch of Willow Hall by Hester Fox)
Darkness -Dangerous Lover by Lisa Marie Rice
Moon -
Pumpkin- Second Grave on the Left by Darynda Jones
Ghost - "Whoever said dead men don't tell lies had never met Barnaby Wiggam's ghost" (The Medium by C J Archer)
November Search
Turkey
Leaves- "The grave had recently been tended. Someone had cleared away dead leaves and planted purple pansies in the bed of the crib. Someone remembered this child." (The Awakening by Amanda Stevens)
Feast- "I should offer you something to eat, despite the fact that your father served a feast" (Beneath a Blood Red Moon by Shannon Drake)
Pie- Dead Ever After by Charlaine Harris
Family - London's Perfect Scoundrel by Suzanne Enoch
December Search
Snow - The new snow fall was a white blanket as far as the eye could see. One Snowy Night by Jill Shalvis
Kiss- "Another blinding, fiery kiss that melted her stomach and had her kissing him back with everything she was." (Judgement Road by Christine Feehan)
Stars - Beast of Aros Castle by Heather McCollum
Fire - Gift of Desire by Kate Pearce and Samantha Kane
Scarf- She needed to buy herself a scarf for something (Chosen by the Vampire Kings by Charlene Hartnady)
Mod
❇❇❇❇❇
A new type of challenge - cool! Time to start planning. On second thought, I think I will see if I just stumble upon the words, at least until December.
O..."
I did a similar challenge in another group and I loved just stumbling upon them organically. But then again, I would often zone out and forget I was supposed to be looking for words, haha!
Update: 26 November - 15/15This was a fun challenge!
October Search
Witch The Unyielding by Shelly Laurenston - 4.5 stars
Darkness Band Sinister by K.J. Charles - 4 stars
Moon Run to You by Charlotte Stein - 3.5 stars
Pumpkin Always and Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han - 5 stars
Ghost Never Sweeter by Charlotte Stein - 4.5 stars
November Search
Turkey Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green David Levithan - 4 stars
Leaves - Riven by Roan Parrish - 5 stars
Feast - Breathless by Beverly Jenkins - 5 stars
Pie Hot and Badgered by Shelly Laurenston - 4 stars
Family Falling Star by Terri Osburn - 3.5 stars
December Search
Snow Long Shot by Kennedy Ryan - 5 stars
Kiss - Briarley by Aster Glenn Gray - 5 stars
Stars Rising Star by Terri Osburn - 4 stars
Fire Lady in Lace: Regency Timeslip by Joanna Maitland - 2.5 stars
Scarf The Seafarer's Kiss by Julia Ember - 4 stars
Thanks for the new type of challenge, it sounds really cool! :)
11/15October Search
Witch - Spirit Witch by Helen Harper
“...I knew that virtually every witch in the country would recognise my face.”
Darkness - Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhouse
"Moments later the flames die too, leaving me with only darkness and ash."
Moon - First Year by Rachel E. Carter
“It was dark, but the moon was full.”
Pumpkin -The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon
“Only an hour? What happens then? Do you turn into a pumpkin?”
Ghost - Untouchable by Talia Hibbert
"She didn't know why exactly, but Hannah had woken up that morning conviced that she was being haunted by the ghost of her old crush."
November Search
Turkey - Sparkle Witch by Helen Harper
"I want you and me alone on the sofa watching 'It's a Wonderful Life' and eating turkey and chocolate."
Leaves - Fall by Kristen Callihan
"Leaves are burnished orange and gold but the expansive lawns carpeting Central Park are still emerald green."
Feast
Pie - Dr. Strange Beard by Penny Reid
"Clearing my throat, I squeezed Roscoe's torso, and doing my best to sound completely free of ulterior motives, I asked, 'Maybe y'all could come in and have some pie?'"
Family - Alex, Approximately by Jenn Bennett
”He knows I’m only teasing, that I would never take that kind of risk, not after what happened to our family four years ago.”
December Search
Snow
Kiss - Rookie Move by Sarina Bowen
"He was her first date. Her first kiss. Her first love."
Stars
Fire
Scarf - Wanna Bet? by Talia Hibbert
“He was just holding her, his face buried against the silk scarf covering her hair, his thumb sliding back and forth over her hip.”
Oooooh, I like this challenge. Especially because I started a new book today and "darkness" was literally in the first sentence of the book...October Search
Witch: Miss Jacobson's Journey - Carola Dunn
"We'll put on some of Hannah’s witch hazel,” she said
Darkness: Topaz - Beverly Jenkins
Under the cover of darkness, Katherine Love stood with her back pressed closely against the outside wall of the warehouse, hoping she couldn’t be seen.
Moon: Murder at the Flamingo - Rachel McMillan
The moon rose and life began, as it would soon underneath the garish pink and green flash of the flamingo, cocky beak in the air, one leg raised saucily.
Pumpkin: Heroine's Journey - Sarah Kuhn
Pumpkin spice all up in this bitch.
Ghost: The Wedding Journey - Carla Kelly
“Hippocrates would be honored,” Jess said with the ghost of a smile.
November Search
Turkey: Taking Him Down - Meg Maguire
"Yeah, please - loaded turkey sub, if you don’t mind. Can I pay you later?”
Leaves: A Witch's Handbook of Kisses and Curses - Molly Harper
He grunted, hacking his way through a clump of banana leaves.
Feast: First to Burn - Anna Richland
Totally the opposite — she’d had a massive feast — but she needed a plausible excuse to ask for help.
Pie: Well Hung - Lauren Blakely
She’s the perfect, all-American girl, like an apple pie, and I just want to eat her up.
Family: Before Daylight - Andie J. Christopher
The video had gone viral, and he’d embarrassed his family.
December Search
Snow: Big Boy - Ruthie Knox
Giant engines beached on their sides like whales, or crumpled up in the snow.
Kiss: Mister O - Lauren Blakely
I decide she’d love it because I’d kiss her so damn well, she’d melt into me.
Stars: The Governess Game - Tessa Dare
In her daydreams, the afternoon tea led to walks in the park, deep conversations, kisses under the stars…
Fire: Turn Me Loose - Anne Calhoun
A grease fire roared on the stove, spattering everyone in the vicinity with burning oil.
Scarf: The Bones of You - Laura Stone
A bit of a blush was creeping up from under Seth’s scarf.
Ooer, LB, that's my fav Jenkins!! Enjoy!
Cool! Any minimum book lengths this time?
15/15OCTOBER SEARCH
Witch: BLOODY ROSE by Nicholas Eames (finished 10/4)
Darkness: A DOM AND HIS ARTIST by Xenia Melzer (finished 11/10)
Moon: CATACLYSMIC SHIFT by Tara Lain (finished 10/27)
Pumpkin: HOW TO FALL IN LOVE WITH ANYONE by Mandy Len Catron (finished 10/5)
Ghost: SUNBURN by Laura Lippman (finished 10/3)
NOVEMBER SEARCH
Turkey: THE ARGONAUTS by Maggie Nelson (finished 10/5)
Leaves: FASHION CLIMBING by Bill Cunningham (finished 10/10)
Feast: DRIVEN SNOW by Tara Lain (finished 11/6)
Pie: ASTOUNDING! by Kim Fielding (finished 11/5)
Family: AUTOBOYOGRAPHY by Christina Lauren (finished 11/26)
DECEMBER SEARCH
Snow: NOT SO TINY TIM by Robin L. Rotham (finished 12/2)
Kiss: MORALITY FOR BEAUTIFUL GIRLS by Alexander McCall Smith (finished 10/13)
Stars: THE LONE RANCHER by Andrew Grey (finished 10/31)
Fire: THE LADY'S GUIDE TO PETTICOATS AND PIRACY by Mackenzi Lee (finished 10/6)
Scarf: P.S. I SPOOK YOU by S.E. Harmon (finished 11/11)
Also (and here's a weird one): does intent matter? For instance, is "leaves" acceptable if it's a verb form and not foliage (the way it's implied in the list)? Is Turkey equally okay to use as a bird or a country?
!!Good question!!I did not even think of that, I just went with the meaning that I felt matched the time of year!
Mod
Intent doesn't matter! :P
As long as the word is the same form as written above.
As for book length, preferably 100 pages or more.
Hooray, new challenges!15/15 Finished December 12
October Search
Witch
The Sleeping Fire by Daphne Clair
"I love you, you infuriating, provocative little witch."
Darkness
Shadow of an Eagle by Sue Peters
"For some reason, she shivered as she watched the moving patch of darkness claw its way across the ground towards them--and realized, suddenly, that it was the shadow, and not the noise, that had frightened the hare."
Moon
Summer at Willow Lake by Susan Wiggs
"They stayed at the island long enough to watch the moon rise and set again."
Pumpkin
Riven by Roan Parrish
"You have a pumpkin patch? That's so... well, either so Cinderella or so haunted hay ride."
Ghost
Rising Star by Susannah Nix
"Boone quirked an eyebrow in amusement, causing the ghost of Alice's younger self to quiver in embarrassed excitement."
November Search
Turkey
Written in Red by Anne Bishop
"She put the turkey sandwich and soup in the fridge, too unsettled to consider food."
Leaves
Almost Heaven by Judith McNaught
"She glanced up at him then, and Ian found himself gazing into a pair of green eyes the amazing color of wet leaves."
Feast
Personal Geographyby Tamsen Parker
"I try to stifle the bittersweet memory in my mind while chewing yet another mouthful of my feast."
Pie
Valentine's Night by Penny Jordan
"I've got a home-made shepherd's pie I could heat up."
Family
Hello Foreverby Sarina Bowen
"You're a good brother and an asset to the family."
December Search
Snow
Snow Angel by Mary Balogh
"The snow was still whirling thickly down and had settled at an alarming speed."
Kiss
A World Apart by Emma Darcy
"Tuffy made it impossible for Ruth to kiss her mother hello, squirming delightedly between the two of them as the greeting was attempted."
Stars
Wanderlust
"She tipped her head back, staring at the stars."
Fire
Catch Me If You Can
"It was as if he'd set her on fire."
Scarf
Us by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy
"Then I find my coat, adding a hat and scarf just so Wes won't get mad if he sees me out in the cold."
This looks like fun!15/15
October Search
Witch: A Witch's Handbook of Kisses and Curses by Molly Harper
And so I was moving to Half-Moon Hollow, Kentucky, indefinitely, so I could locate four magical objects that would prevent a giant witch-clan war and maintain peace in my little corner of northwestern Ireland.
Darkness: Breaking the Rules by Suzanne Brockman
As Izzy went into the club, he stopped just inside the door, letting his eyes adjust to the cool darkness.
Moon: Runaway Girl by Tessa Bailey
“I got sick of watching you guys moon over each other across the room.”
Pumpkin: Under Control by Shannon Stacey
“What’s the matter, pumpkin?”
Ghost: The Good Luck Charm by Helena Hunting
My stomach fills with concrete as I take in not a ghost but the ghost from my past.
November Search
Turkey: His Road Home by Anna Richland
First, my mother makes turkey bibimbop after Thanksgiving.
Leaves: You Say It First by Susan Mallery
“A Dickens’ Christmas wedding or a beautiful fall wedding with changing leaves and lots of apples.”
Feast: Irresistible by Mary Balogh
“Let us enjoy the feast.”
Pie: Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren
It smelled like baking pie crust, melted butter, and turkey all day—even in our house.
Family: Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren
“You are going to love your new family.”
December Search
Snow: Fall by Kristen Callahan
I can’t see anything but a white blur and the snow mounding against the bottom pane.
Kiss: Not Another Family Wedding by Jackie Lau
He gave her a kiss on the cheek before heading out the door.
Stars: Muffin Top by Avery Flynn
“That’s what I thought, too,” he said, keeping his face turned up towards the stars, but he wasn’t seeing them anymore.
Fire: Counterpoint by Anna Zabo
Fire and control, so unexpected, so welcome.
Scarf: Once Upon a Sure Thing by Lauren Blakley
Wrapping my scarf tightly around my neck to brace against the chill, I let the door to the building fall shut behind me and walk straight into Chloe.
October SearchWitch Flight of Magpies, by K.J. Charles ★★★★ 10/14
"What I want is to bring you to your knees, my beautiful witch."
Darkness Something Human, by A.J. Demas ★★★★★ 10/23
"Sounds in the world above the collapsed cart had long ago ceased, and the darkness of Adares' shallow grave was beginning to deepen."
Moon One Night in Boukos, by A.J. Demas ★★★★ 10/25
"The moon had risen now, and the goats were, as Chereia had pointed out, long gone, but they were still sitting on the steps."
Pumpkin Once Upon a Sure Thing, by Lauren Blakely ★★★ 10/7
"Actually, can you get that pumpkin curry dish from Avatar's Burritos?"
Ghost Fall, by Kristen Callihan ★★★★ 10/24
"Give up the ghost and grab the Neapolitan over there."
November Search
Turkey Once Upon a Wild Fling, by Lauren Blakely ★★★ 10/20
"And we do, heading off to grab some mid-day grub, and when the turkey sandwich with a pickle on the side arrives, it gives me an idea."
Leaves Undue Influence: A Persuasion Retelling, by Jenny Holiday ★★★★ 10/10
"By mid-October the property would be edged with sugar maples that had turned a brilliant red, and the smell of decaying leaves would swirl together with the ever-present pine scent of the surrounding forests to fill his head with the smell of home."
Feast Must Love Otters, by Eliza Gordon ★★★★ 10/29
"I scoop and dump the remaining Mexican feast onto it."
Pie Island Love: A Romantic Comedy Set on Ireland's Aran Islands, by Eva Birrane ★★★1/2 10/19
"I found a rhubarb pie in the press and cut three generous slices, which I topped with a mountain of custard from the fridge."
Family Bewitching Benedict, by C.E. Murphy ★★★★ 10/15
"Claire's diminutive size was something of a family trait, although Dalton considered his friends tall, rather than thinking of himself as short."
December Search
Snow Rocky Mountain Cowboy Christmas, by Katie Ruggle ★★★★ 10/4
"Although the snow wasn't too treacherous yet, a strong north wind had picked up, tossing the inch of powder around and messing with visibility."
Kiss Band Sinister, by K.J. Charles ★★★★★ 10/16
"Depravity, his mind supplied, and that must be the word, except for that kiss."
Stars If the Shoe Fits, by Rachel Lacey ★★ 1/2 10/27
The night around them was cool and still with a full blanket of stars twinkling overhead."
Fire A Case of Possession, by K.J. Charles ★★★★ 10/4
"They looked like the usual vermin, grey-brown, matted, pink-clawed, but they were fighting their way out of a crack in the skirting, not with the desperation he'd seen in rats fleeing a fire, but with a mad aggression that brought the word rabid to mind."
Scarf Jane Doe, by Victoria Helen Stone ★★★★ 10/28
"Here she is dressed up in snowboarding gear and beaming past her scarf".
Finished - had definite reading goals as November is all about NaNoWriMo, and I wanted to do most of the challenges before my reading time disappears.I loved this word search challenge! My favorites from this bunch are People of the Book and The Power.
.
I finished, too - and thank goodness for the kindle's search feature, because finding some of those words in a paper book would have been difficult and a lot more time consuming. My favorite was K.J. Charles' Band Sinister - which was just what I needed. Charles' also reviews books and Something Human by A.J. Demas was one of her recommendations that I absolutely loved. Reminded me of both Lois McMaster Bujold and Megan Whalen Turner (two of my favorite authors).
Eliza Gordon's romances were also really fun (and free on Kindle Unlimited)! I was disappointed by the Rachel Lacey romance - I've liked her books a lot in the past, but the characters and description were all just bleh for me this time. This was her first self-published book, and I hope it wasn't the lack of an editor that made this one so different from her previous ones.
Congrats, Sandy! Band Sinister looks good, and I have never read anything by A.J. Demas before, will have to check them out.
Wow!! Congrats Critterbee* and Sandy! Good luck with NaNoWriMo :)
ACK! I am not finished - I just noticed that I used pumpkins instead of pumpkin, and NO plurals allowed, so I swapped that book out and now am reading a book to complete the last spot! Sorry!
Finished for reals now, Alyssa Coles's Off the Grid Series is really good!
Finished! This was a fun challenge, and I read such a great batch of books this time that I can’t pick a favorite! List at comment 19.
October SearchWitch- House Rules by Chloe Neill 10/16
p 20 called her friend “the wicked witch of the southwest” 💜💜
Darkness- Lars, Witches of London by Aleksandr Voinov 11/18
p 1 “…the two burning torches stuck in the ground at the far end. They were beacons in the darkness, beckoning him into the presence of the gods.”💜💜💜💜
Moon- Tied Score by Elia Winters 11/6
p98 tells himself he is not distracted by his date plans “it was just because the moon was full” 💜💜💜💜
Pumpkin- The Duchess Deal by Tessa Dare 10/14
p 150 Heroine introduces Hero as such to friends who help her come up with pet names 💜💜💜💜💜
Ghost- Three Nights with a Scoundrel by Tessa Dare 10/31
41.8% prevented by “servants about, full daylight to reveal them, Leo’s ghost, and a judgmental parrot” 💜💜💜
November Search
Turkey- The Understatement of the Year by Sarina Bowen 10/17
28.3% worried about the restaurant where his family was having makeup thanksgiving running out 💜💜💜
Leaves- Finding Master Right by Sparrow Beckett 12/1
p130 “trying not to think of anything but the way the tree line met the sky, the quit elegance of leaves, the cacophony of the city poking up in the distance.” 💜💜💜
Feast- Wriggle & Sparkle by Megan Derr 12/2
48.9% “ …and kissed him, feeding at that delectable mouth like it was the feast laid out for him.”
Pie- Ivy and Intrigue: A Very Selwick Christmas by Lauren Willig 10/22
repeatedly talked about mince pie 💜💜
Family- Connection Error by Annabeth Albert 12/7
multiple references“ The extended family was so huge that no one had a big enough house anymore.” 💜💜💜💜💜
December Search
Snow- Autoboyography by Christina Lauren 12/5
Utah in winter p48 “It began to snow outside, and thankfully, we move over to a couple of armchairs near the window to watch,”💜💜💜💜
Kiss- It's in His Kiss by Bria Quinlan 11/15
premise of book “I hope your looking for more than just first kiss reaserch.” 💜
Stars- Single Player by Elia Winters 11/15
last line p 228 “This family they created out of geeks and gamers and dreamers, all gathered together beneath the endless stars” 💜💜💜
Fire- Diamond Fire by Ilona Andrews 11/10
42% pretended to be worried about fire safety in order to place cameras in smoke alarms 💜💜💜💜
Scarf- The Temptation of the Night Jasmine by Lauren Willig 10/20
86.7% “A ladies favor going into battle, I didn’t have a scarf to give him so a kiss had to do.” 💜💜💜💜
We were a little intimidated when we first saw this challenge, but my mom and I decided to join last minute. Mom decided to get in the holiday spirit by buying a whole bunch of holiday books, most from Harlequin, and we decided they would fit perfectly with the December part of this challenge. We hope no one minds if we join in for the last month, meaning we would only be doing December.Crossed out means we have finished the book. 1/5 done
December Search
Snow: His Mistletoe Marchioness by Georgie Lee
"'You saw how much harder the snow was coming down on our way home.'"
It appears a couple more times, but this is the first.
Kiss: The Billionaire's Christmas Cinderella by Carol Marinelli
"Abe wanted her in bed, yet he made no move to stand because he wanted to kiss her some more."
It appears a couple more times, but this is the first.
Stars: Convenient Christmas Brides by Carla Kelly, Louise Allen, Laurie Benson
"Love was for the fantasies of the young debutantes with their eyes fixed on the stars. "
Fire: How the Duke Stole Christmas by Tessa Dare, Sarah MacLean, Sophie Jordan, Joanna Shupe
"'Help,'I suppose. Or 'Fire' or 'Murder'. In a pinch, 'James' would suffice.'"
It appears a couple more times but this is the first.
Scarf:
"'Your scarf will be better than my belt,'"
Mod
Amanda wrote: "You’re welcome to start at any point, Chanel! Happy reading!"Thank you!
Finished!I really enjoyed just about all of the books I read this challenge! Good luck to those still working toward completion and congrats to all who've finished.
It's hard to believe we've been doing these challenges for a year! Thanks, Amanda for the continuing hard work that you put in month after month to come up with creative challenges, and thanks to the smart, kind, book-loving SBTB community who makes it a joy to read alongside!
I finished my first one! I found some strange usages, but I think I'm most proud of Turkey.October Search
Witch- Toil & Trouble: 15 Tales of Women & Witchcraft (… whom Reverend Alcott denounces as just as devilish as any witch…, …every witch in her family for generations has carried Lady Fate’s mark…)
Darkness- Melmoth by Sarah Perry (“…Look down at the darkness around your feet…”)
Pumpkin- The Girl who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente (She liked anything orange: leaves, some moons… pumpkin, both in pie and out…)
Ghost- The Clockmaker’s Daughter by Kate Morton (“…Edward headed out that night with the intention of raising a ghost…”)
Moon- Caliban’s War by James S.A. Corey (“…Mei’s daycare was deep in the body of the moon…”)
November Search
Turkey- Accessory to War: The Unspoken Alliance Between Astrophysics and the Military by Neil DeGrasse Tyson (“…declared during a workshop at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, ”The International Space Station is an orbital Turkey."...")
Leaves- When we found Home by Susan Mallery (“…Which leaves me with an interesting dilemma…”)
Feast- The Circle by Dave Eggers (…the shark seemed to sense a feast was at hand…)
Pie -The Girl who Soared Over Fairyland and Cut the Moon in Two- by Catherynne M. Valente (“…She wanted to eat pumpkin pie in the Autumn Provinces again…”)
Family- Sustained by Emma Chase (…I don’t know how to be a family man…)
December Search
Snow- Lady Macbeth: A Novel (…once the mountain passes filled with snow and ice…)
Kiss- It Happened One Wedding by Julie James (…redhead whose kiss was way hotter than it should’ve been…)
Fire- Good and Mad: The Revolutionary Power of Women’s Anger- Rebecca Traitor“…that the conversation lit a fire in my belly…”
Scarf- My Oxford Year by Julia Whelan (“…pink-cheeked and red-eyed, her scarf trailing behind her…”)
Stars- The Church of Marvels by Leslie Parry (“…The ether and stars?…)
SBTB Goodreads Group
Books mentioned in this topic
Gift of Desire (other topics)One Snowy Night (other topics)
The Beast of Aros Castle (other topics)
Dangerous Lover (other topics)
Dead Ever After (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Joanna Maitland (other topics)John Green (other topics)
Beverly Jenkins (other topics)
David Levithan (other topics)
Julia Ember (other topics)
More...
Completion Levels:
Level 1: Complete one month.
Level 2: Complete two months.
Level 3: Complete all three months.
Instructions:
Below are three sets of five words with a theme! Your mission (should you choose to accept it) is to find those words in your reading.
One book per word. No doubling up.
If you'd like to list the sentence or context in which a word used, go ahead, but it's not necessary. Honor system here!
The words must be used as written. No plurals, gerunds, etc.
Google Books is your friend! Often, you can search a book for a work beforehand. You can also search for words if you're reading an ebook.
This is a trial run! In the future, I may add a bigger list of words and allow for some doubling (i.e. you can use two words from a single book or whatever).
October Search
Witch
Darkness
Moon
Pumpkin
Ghost
November Search
Turkey
Leaves
Feast
Pie
Family
December Search
Snow
Kiss
Stars
Fire
Scarf