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2019 Archived Challenges
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2019 The Lost Challenges
January As Easy As 1-2-3 Challenge
READ: 6/6
✔️1 ~ [Fighting 01] ~ Fighting for Flight - JD Salsbury 1/6
✔️2 ~ [Department Q 02] ~ The Absent One - Jussi Adler-Olsen 1/6
✔️3 ~ [Freida Klein 03] ~ Waiting for Wednesday - Nicci French 1/28
✔️1 ~ [Beyond Time 01] ~ Dreamspell - Tamara Leigh 1/26
✔️2 ~ [Castles Ever After 02] ~ Say Yes to the Marquess - Tessa Dare 1/17
✔️3 ~ [Gentleman Rogues 03] ~ Marry the Man Today - Linda Needham 1/26
CHALLENGE COMPLETE
January Scavenger Hunt - Chicago READ: 48/40
Unexpected Rush - Jaci Burton 1/14. Big - how utterly...big, he was, p3
43. Sports - then Drake had gotten into sports, p19
41. Shoulders - put his hands on her shoulders, p29
The Mermaid Trials - Cameron Drake 1/114. Dibs - for first dibs on breakfast, p91
37. Ribbon - billowing dark green ribbons, p109
Special Topics in Calamity Physics - Marisha Pessl 1/31. Bean - like they were fast sprouting pinto beans, p70
16. Fields - who worked in the fields, p5
Power Play - Deidre Martin 1/429. Museum - you go to museums a lot, p36
Crimson Veil - Yasmine Galenorn 1/428. Mother-in-Law - her mother-in-law was harping in her ear, p83
33. Pioneer - remember the ones near pioneer square, p136
36. Props - for that, I give you props, p39
Fighting for Flight - JD Salsbury 1/631. Park - at a park by my house, p41
Immortal Unchained - Lynsay Sands 1/827. Loop - loop the top of the stocking over the hoop, p102
Innocence - Dean Koontz 1/1011. Crown - from the crown of his hat, p94
13. Deep - each of the deep, comfortable arm chairs, p9
18. Fountain - spilling from bowl to bowl like a tiered fountain, p32
46. Tower - befitting a tower meant to keep safe, p164
Tuesday's Gone - Nicci French 1/112. Bears - looked like little bears waddling around, p45
3. Beef - like beef pie or salmon, p74
7. City - both something in the City, p145
30. Navy - navy tracksuit trousers, p35
32. Pier - past a rotting wooden pier, p70
49. Wet - several plastic bags against the wet, p224
50. Windy - emerged into the windy night, p165
Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs - Molly Harper 1/128. Cloud - stared at the maroon cloud, p10
9. Comedy - seemed to think was a comedy, p228
12. Cubs - beside the vampire Cubs fan, p126
24. Jewels - gold, jewels, stocks and bonds, p321
26. Lincoln - to hear two Lincoln biographies, p68
38. Sears - out of the Sears Christmas card photo habit, p190
39. Second - to serve as my second, p310
Marly's Choice - Lora Leigh 1/1215. Dish - for what I'd sih out to you, p53
Married by Monday - Catherine Bybee 1/146. Bulls - leaving a kitten with a dozen pit bulls, p6
20. Gate - won't make it past the gates, p3
25. Lake - spread into a lake of want, p207
35. Pop - ready to pop any day, p76
45. Taste - she complimented the girls' taste, p64
47. Town - led her to the town car, p22
Voices of Dragons - Carrie Vaughn 1/155. Boys - they talked about boys all the time, p30
34. Pizza - she baked a frozen pizza for dinner, p50
Single by Saturday - Catherine Bybee 1/1710. Court - there isn't a court there, p207
17. Food - the caterer's had left boxed-up food, p16
An Easy Death - Charlaine Harris 1/1819. Friendly - it's friendly, p53
Requiem For a Glass Heart - David L. Lindsey 1/1921. Grow - grow chilled in the discomfort, p15
44. Style - in the realist style, p3
Tonight And Always - Linda Lael Miller 1/2140. Shore - as he kept himself within those shores, loc721
Deadly Gamble - Linda Lael Miller 1/2223. Hotdog - fire up the hotdog roaster, p9
Marry the Man Today - Linda Needham 1/2648. Washroom - muttered his way into the washroom, p238
********************************
22. Gym Shoes
42. Slider
CHALLENGE COMPLETE
January Monthly - Trip to Chicago READ: 4/10
✔ Chicago is located on the shores of freshwater Lake Michigan, and is the third most populous city in the United States.
✴️ Read a book whose author's last name begins with a letter in CHICAGO.
The Absent One - Jussi Adler-Olsen 1/6
Millennium Park
✔ Millennium Park is the top tourist attraction in Chicago. It's the site of one of the city's most famous pieces of public art and best-loved selfie darlings, Cloud Gate (aka "The Bean"). The reflective surface has drawn people to the park since 2006.
✴️ Read a book published in 2006.
Special Topics in Calamity Physics - Marisha Pessl (pub August 2006) 1/3
✔ Splash around in the virtual reality world of Crown Fountain, which features the faces of more than 1,000 Chicagoans spouting at you. Rock climb and skate the ribbon in Maggie Daley Park. Take a photo with the lions in front of the Art Institute of Chicago, where you can easily spend the rest of the day browsing one of the most impressive art collections in the world. Wander south to Grant Park, where Buckingham Fountain's dramatic water shows sync light, music and action every 20 minutes. And don't forget to stroll Chicago's nearby lakefront.
✴️ Read a book with a large face on the cover.
The Mermaid Trials - Cameron Drake 1/1
Waterway Cruises
Some of the best views of Chicago are from the water — the Chicago River and Lake Michigan. Whether you want to learn more about the city's history, get the inside scoop on Chicago's rich architectural legacy, watch the fireworks display at Navy Pier, or simply kick back and take in the sights. You can also kayak down the Chicago River.
✴️ Read a book where a character takes a river cruise.
✴️ Read a book where fireworks are watched.
✴️ Read a book where a character rides in a kayak.
The Theater Scene
Chicago is bursting at the seams with theatrical talent. Broadway in Chicago and a slew of Tony Award winning companies bring in big names and blockbuster shows, while more than 200 storefront, experimental and neighborhood theaters bring you the cutting-edge of contemporary performances.
Chicago is also a city that loves to laugh — after all, Chicago invented improvisation comedy. See where Tina Fey, Stephen Colbert and Steve Carell performed at world-famous The Second City, and take in improv genius at iO and ComedySportz. if stand-up comedy is your thing, grab your tickets for The Laugh Factory or Zanies.
✴️ Read a book where a character sees a play or goes to a comedy club.
✴️ Read a book with a character that is a comedian.
Chicago-style Eats
Come on, you know you want to try it! Deep dish pizza, Italian beef sandwiches and Chicago-style hot dogs are recognized around the world. Immerse yourself in a little iconic Chicago food culture. From Portillo's to Lou Malnati's, forget all about your calorie count for a while.
✴️ Read a book where someone eats pizza, a hotdog or a beef sandwich.
✔Skyscraper Experiences
Are you a daredevil? Then go up to the 104th floor and step out onto The Ledge at SkyDeck, a glass box that extends four feet from the Willis Tower facade. For more stunning views, go north to 360CHICAGO at 875 N Michigan (formerly the John Hancock Building). Try out TILT, a glass pane that tilts you out over the city from 96 floors up.
✴️ Read a book with a skyscraper on the cover. Please post the cover.
Tuesday's Gone - Nicci French 1/11
Museums
The Art Institute of Chicago houses the largest collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art outside the Louvre. Chicago's Museum of Science & Industry is the largest science museum in the Western Hemisphere (stand in the midst of a tornado, climb into a U-boat, explore a mine — and that's just for starters). The Field Museum is home to Titanosaur, the largest dinosaur to roam the Earth. Feed sharks, encounter penguins and be a Trainer for a Day at The Shedd Aquarium, as you overlook the waters of Lake Michigan. View the stars (and even sleep under them) at the lakefront Adler Planetarium. And that's just the beginning.
✴️ Read a book with a character that is a painter.
✴️ Read a book where a character can stand in the midst of tornado, climb into a U-boat, or explore a mine.
✴️ Read a book where a character visits or works at an aquarium.
✴️ Read a book with a dinosaur in the story.
✴️ Read a book where a character visits a museum or a planetarium.
✴️ Read a book where a character is a star gazer or sleeps under the stars.
February As Easy As 1-2-3 Challenge
READ: 6/6
✔️1 ~ [Solsti Prophecy 01] ~ Wicked Wind - Sharon Kay 2/12
✔️2 ~ [Chronicles of the One 02] ~ Of Blood and Bone - Nora Roberts 2/7
✔️3 ~ [Department Q 03] ~ A Conspiracy of Faith - Jussi Adler-Olsen 2/1
✔️1 ~ [A Beautiful Dark 01] ~ A Beautiful Dark - Jocelyn Davies 2/10
✔️2 ~ [Demontrappers 02] ~ Forbidden - Jana Oliver 2/13
✔️3 ~ [Nina Borg 03] ~ Death of a Nightingale - Lene Kaaberbøl 2/28
CHALLENGE COMPLETE
February Scavenger Hunt - An Affair to RememberREAD: 50/40
Bitter Bite - Jennifer Estep 2/142. Shawl - her scarlet shawl, p79
Better Off Wed - Laura Durham 2/226. Hospital - in the hospital cafeteria, p150
48. Wedding - stick to wedding planning, p89
The Impossible Girl - Lydia Kang 2/419. Europe - that lady went to Europe, p116
Summoned to Thirteenth Grave - Darynda Jones 2/525. Heaven - and heaven shone down on us, p19
Of Blood and Bone - Nora Roberts 2/77. Bells - the tinkle of the flower bells, p204
11. Christmas - you made that for her last Christmas, p46
15. Deck - decks, they called them, p388
21. Feelings - feelings make me stronger, p294
32. Midnight - black as moonless midnight, p3
33. New York - out of New York with Arlys, p6
35. Ocean - maybe I want to see the ocean, p224
40. Rejected - and ultimately rejected it, p362
The Blue Edge of Midnight - Jonathon King 2/83. Address - I had no address for them to find, p87
6. Bedroom - had been a sleep in her bedroom, p29
12. Coast - pushed towards the coast, p30
13. Couch - from the back of the couch, p121
16. Disability - a large lump sum disability payment, p22
28. Live - the millions of live sounds, p19
43. State - told not to leave the state, p18
Neurotica - Eliza Gordon 2/94. Bachelor - remarkably clean for a bachelor, loc1421
5. Ballet - is like watching a ballet, loc3947
18. Empire - I'll save you a bowl, on the empire, loc172
24. Grandmother - with his grandmother, loc1989
31. Meet - for the end Alec and Miranda meet, loc1262
Mind Over Murder - Allison Kingsley 2/98. Boyfriend - Clara had mentioned a boyfriend, p29
20. Explain - and explain, if you like, p125
49. Wheelchair - in front of the wheelchair, p106
A Bicycle Built for Murder - Kate Kingsbury 2/937. Paintings - linger to examine a few paintings, p22
44. Street - at Liverpool Street Station, p192
A Beautiful Dark - Jocelyn Davies 2/1039. Player - he's a player, p74
Revolutionary Magic - Thomas K. Carpenter 2/1150. Woman - this woman risked everything, p55
Wicked Wind - Sharon Kay 2/121. Accident - they were killed in a car accident, p31
2. Action - who missed most of the action, p80
9. Building - stumbled out of the rundown building, p16
10. Car - and exited the car, p15
14. Cross - I can cross off my bucket list, p12
17. Embrace - wrapped in his warm embrace p203
23. Friends - was she going to meet up with friends, p21
29. Man - as if the man he had been, p158
41. Share - I share a condo, p33
45. Time - time for a bath, p145
46. Visit - or visit Earth, p231
47. Walk - they watched her walk across the street, p26
Archangel's Prophecy - Nalini Singh 2/1338. Place - she slammed by his hiding place, p329
Forbidden - Jana Oliver 2/1322. Fiancée - he and his fiancee were looking for an apartment, p35
30. Mediterranean - with a Mediterranean complexion, p163
The Boy - Tami Hoag 2/1527. Injure - managed to injure him, p145
Leverage in Death - J.D. Robb 2/1734. Observation - Mira came out of observation, p339
Fighting to Forgive - JD Salsbury 2/18 36. Page - before turning to another page, p88
CHALLENGE COMPLETE
March Monthly - Corn Dogs
READ: 9/6+
TASKS :
✔ 🔶 1. Read a book whose author's last name begins with a letter in CORN DOGS.
Blade Bound - Chloe Neill 3/15
✔ 🔶 3. Read a book where a food is eaten on a stick. Tell us what the food is.
The Invisible Code - Christopher Fowler 3/1
(wouldn't cover a sausage on a stick, p342)
✔ 🔶 4. Read a book set in the United States.
Gone Haunting in Deadwood - Ann Charles (South Dakota) 3/4
✔ 🔶 6. Read a book where a character is from Texas, Minnesota, Illinois, California or Iowa.
Broken - Laura Wright (Texas) 3/2
✔ 🔶 7. Read a book with the letters CORN (in any order) in the title.
The Purity of Vengeance - Jussi Adler-Olsen 3/9
✔ 🔶 10. Read a Series #3 .
Brash - Laura Wright 3/6
✔ 🔶 12. Read a book where a character goes to the supermarket.
When It's Right - Jennifer Ryan 3/6
✔ 🔶 17. Read a book published in March.
Rise of the Fallen - Donya Lynne (March 2012) 3/11
✔ 🔶 18. Read a book whose title begins with C or M .
Chicago Broken - Stewart Matthews 3/13
CHALLENGE COMPLETE
March Scavenger Hunt - State FairREAD: 47/40
Branded - Laura Wright 3/1 50. Win - the match, the win, p73
Broken - Laura Wright 3/21. Amusement - his eyes sparkling with amusement p87
2. Animals - they're animals, p30
8. Celebrate - I want to celebrate my girl here, p197
14. Cow - and pods of grazing cows, p49
33. Lemonade - lemonade and laughs, p87
35. Music - or the music playing, p87
36. Party - dance party every night, p125
40. Popcorn - movies, popcorn, p125
Borderliners - Peter Høeg 3/2 46. Swing - swing out in front of the locomotive, p16
47. Tent - as though in a tent, p78
Gone Haunting in Deadwood - Ann Charles 3/43. Blue (ribbon) - his mamma's blue ribbon coleslaw, p30
5. Bumper Cars - to play bumper cars, p93
13. Cotton Candy - like my brains were made of cotton candy, p98
26. Gate - pausing at the gate, p14
34. Midway - midway between six and seven feet, p309
A Scanner Darkly - Philip Dick 3/438. Pig - I'd rather ride a pig than a hog, p33
Loving Cara - Kristen Proby 3/510. Chicken - his chicken momentarily forgotten, p18
15. Enjoy - enjoy it while you can, p29
Wyoming Tough - Diana Palmer 3/511. Concession - dont' expect concessions, p65
16. Entertainment - after that entertainment representative tried to seduce him, p23
32. Joy - her face radiated joy, p19
Brash - Laura Wright 3/64. Booth - sharing a booth at the Bull's Eye, p138
Echoes in the Bayou - Ursula Dukes 3/722. Fried - how about the fried green tomato chips, p63
29. House - this house is glad you're here, p39
31. Jam/Jelly - an over abundance of canned jams, p95
39. Place - she felt out of place p105
Dirty Martini - J.A. Konrath 3/825. Game - behind a row of carny game booths, p231
28. Hotdog - a hot dog vendor, p97
The Dragon Who Didn't Fly - Connie M. Barr 3/96. Cakes - a tray of tea and cakes, p152
21. First - you're the first fancy assed cats, p16
Dark Debt - Chloe Neill 3/1023. Fun - but it was kind of fun, p164
43. Second - a second line, p124
The Purity of Vengeance - Jussi Adler-Olsen 3/930. Ice cream - three scoops of ice cream, p260
49. Vegetables - vegetable juice and rose-hip tea, p320
Rise of the Fallen - Donya Lynne 3/1142. Roll - he fought not to roll his eyes, loc2171
44. Smells - it smells like you, loc1208
The Shining Girls - Lauren Beukes 3/1219. Ferris wheel - the ferris wheel of the dented bicycle wheel, p4
20. Food - the scrounge for food, p33
Visions - Kelley Armstrong 3/1341. Rides - the rides dilapidated, p379
45. State - I remember going to the State Fair, p379
48. Third - a third-rate reporter, p207
Chicago Broken - Stewart Matthews 3/13 9. Cheer - she heard a distant cheer, p102
37. Pies - has his finger in pies, p264
Mrs. Pollifax on Safari - Dorothy Gilman 3/14 27. Goat - like tethering the goat to capture the lion, p115
Snow White Must Die - Nele Neuhaus 3/2218. Fairground - a traffic jam near the fairgrounds, p6
Grave Intentions - Lori Sjoberg 3/2517. Exhibit - at the end of the exhibit, p176
*************************
7. Candy Apple
12. Corn Dog
24. Funnel Cake
March As Easy As 1-2-3 ChallengeREAD: 3/3
✔1 ~ [All the King's Men 01] Rise of the Fallen - Donya Lynne 3/11
✔2 ~ [Montana Men 02] When It's Right - Jennifer Ryan 3/6
✔3 ~ [Cavanaugh Brothers 03] Brash - Laura Wright 3/6
CHALLENGE COMPLETE
April Monthly - Easter Eggs
READ: 10/10
The practice of decorating eggshells as part of spring rituals is ancient, with decorated, engraved ostrich eggs found in Africa which are 60,000 years old. In the pre-dynastic period of Egypt and the early cultures of Mesopotamia and Crete, eggs were associated with death and rebirth, as well as with kingship, with decorated ostrich eggs, and representations of ostrich eggs in gold and silver, were commonly placed in graves of the ancient Sumerians and Egyptians as early as 5,000 years ago. These cultural relationships may have influenced early Christian and Islamic cultures in those areas, as well as through mercantile, religious, and political links from those areas around the Mediterranean.
✔🥚 Read a book with a Christian or Islamic character.
The Marco Effect - Jussi Adler-Olsen 4/10
✔🥚 Read a book with a character that is a king.
The Chosen - JR Ward 4/19
The Christian custom of Easter eggs, specifically, started among the early Christians of Mesopotamia, who stained eggs with red colouring "in memory of the blood of Christ, shed at His crucifixion". Kenneth Thompson, as well as British orientalist Thomas Hyde state that in addition to dying the eggs red, the early Christians of Mesopotamia also stained Easter eggs green and yellow.
✔🥚 Read a book with a red, green or yellow cover.
License to Dill - Mary Ellen Hughes 4/18
Influential 19th century folklorist and philologist Jacob Grimm speculates that the folk custom of Easter eggs among the continental Germanic peoples may have stemmed from springtime festivities of a Germanic goddess known in Old English as Ēostre.
✔🥚 Read a book whose author's first name begins with J OR last name begins with G.
The Chalk Pit - Elly Griffiths 4/16
✔🥚 Read a book published or set in the 19th century (1800s).
The Ghost Rebellion - Pip Ballantine/Tee Morris 4/17
✔🥚 Read a book with a title that begins with a letter in EOSTRE.
Engaged in Murder - Nancy J. Parra 4/1
The egg is widely used as a symbol of the start of new life, just as new life emerges from an egg when the chick hatches out.
✔🥚 Read a book where a new life has begun.
The Korean Word For Butterfly - Jamie Zerndt (MC becomes pregnant) 4/26
✔🥚 Read a book where a child is born.
First to Burn - Anna Richland 4/25
The Easter egg tradition may also have merged into the celebration of the end of the privations of Lent in the West. Historically, it was traditional to use up all of the household's eggs before Lent began. Eggs were originally forbidden during Lent, with the coming of Easter, the eating of eggs resumes. Some cultures cook special foods with eggs in it to be eaten with the Easter dinner.
✔🥚 Read a book where a character gives up a food or drink for Lent or for another reason.
Not Even Bones - Rebecca Schaeffer 4/20
(vegan MC refuses to eat meat while in captivity)
Although one of the Christian traditions are to use dyed or painted chicken eggs, a modern custom is to substitute chocolate eggs, or plastic eggs filled with candy such as jelly beans. These eggs can be hidden for children to find on Easter morning, which may be left by the Easter Bunny. They may also be put in a basket filled with real or artificial straw to resemble a bird's nest.
✔🥚 Read a book where the words Easter Bunny are found in the text. Give us a sentence and page/loc #.
The Last Second - Catherine Coulter 4/23
CHALLENGE COMPLETE
April Scavenger Hunt - Bowling READ: 47/40
Craving - Helen Hardt 4/21. Alley - I kicked his weapon down the alley, p232
6. Beer - into hard liquor or beer, p58
50. Turkey - was it time to go cold turkey, p217
Snow Way Out - Christine Husom 4/57. Blind - I let go of the blind, p118
8. Block - I went around the block, p152
39. Soda - by the former soda fountain, p2
45. Sweep - I did a wide sweep with my arm, p190
Let There Be Love - Melissa Storm 4/611. Clean - I'll clean it up, p25
13. Curve - as possible on the curve, p91
19. Head - don't let it go to your head, p69
21. Hook - pulled out the snow hook, p88
Witch Way To Spellbinder Bay - Sam Short 4/714. Finger - inhabited a finger of land, p29
Where I End - Michelle Dare 4/912. Creeper - like some kind of creeper, p62
28. Perfect - maybe the perfect job, p57
31. Pocket - I reach into my pocket, p68
37. Shirt - tight skirt, tighter shirt, p14
38. Shoes - the heels of her shoes, p120
42. Straight - I can't even get my head on straight, p62
Panther Prowling - Yasmine Galenorn 4/115. Ball - the ball was back in our court, p38
9. Blow - he was destined to blow, p23
44. Strike - took the opportunity to strike, p87
46. Target - can't be our ultimate target, p12
48. Ten - ten to one he's the link, p198
49. Towel - hurried to grab a towel, p98
Toby Fisher and the Arc-Light - Ian McFarlane 4/13 22. Lane - Mrs. Miggans of Acre Lane, p100
Something in the Water - Catherine Steadman 4/1715. Foul - foul play was suspected, p11
17. Gutter - not gutter scum like you, p233
29. Pin - the silver pin in his cravat, p140
33. Reset - the reset email won't get through, p137
License to Dill - Mary Ellen Hughes 4/183. Automatic - was an automatic suspect, p97
35. Score - Bianconeri scored a goal, p83
41. Split - it practically split from the impact, p267
47. Team -as he stood near his team, p848
A Man Called Ove - Fredrik Backman 4/18 25. Miss - you miss the strangest things, p56
The Chosen - JR Ward 4/19 2. Approach - going to approach, p476
4. Bag - his skin a useless bag, p132
10. Bowling - his weight bowling-pin'ing to the cave floor, p107
16. Frame - I can frame everything, p29
18. Hand - removing her hand, p248
20. Hole - anecdote to the hole inside of him, p264
26. Mixer - have a little cocktail mixer, p477
34. Roll - pitched himself into a defensive roll, p80
36. Set - a set of trigger fingers, p323
40. Spare - that was full of spare coats, p292
43. Stand - could reliably stand to be around, p145
Daughter of Havenglade - H.C. Harrington 4/2127. Open - her mouth hung open in surprise, p105
Death's Sweet Embrace - Tracey O'Hara 4/2223. Lift - I'll catch a lift with Oberon, p137
*********************
24. Loft -
30. Pit -
32. Rake -
April As Easy As 1-2-3 ChallengeREAD: 2/3
✔1 ~ [Snow Globe Mystery 01] ~ Snow Way Out - Christine Husom 4/5
✔2 ~ [Pickled & Preserved 02] ~ License to Dill - Mary Ellen Hughes 4/18
3 ~ [Cainsville 03] ~ Deceptions - Kelley Armstrong
May 2019 Monthly: Kentucky Derby
Level: Thoroughbred: 6+ tasks
READ: 11/10
History
✔🏇 Read a book by an author whose last name begins with C.
Hell's Super - Mark Cain 5/31
✔🏇 Read a book with a character that raises money to build their dream. Tell us what that is.
The Promise - R.K.C. Puthran 5/18
(MC works maniacally in order to start his own business in India)
✔🏇 Read a book published in May (of any year).
The Singer - Elizabeth Hunter (pub May 2014) 5/6
✔🏇 Read a book with 2 of the following numbers in the page count: 0, 1, 5, 7, 8
Hannah - Kathryn Lasky (310 pages) 5/28
✔🏇 Read a book with the letters WHAS (in any order) in the title.
The Shadow Reader - Sandy Williams 5/25
✔🏇 Read a book with the letters WAVE (in any order) in the title.
Death With An Ocean View - Nora Charles 5/29
Sponsorship
✔🏇 Read a book with a character that is a lawyer.
Thirty-Six and a Half Motives - Denise Grover Swank (hero) 5/21
Traditions
✔🏇 Read a book where a character is rich, famous or well-connected.
The Secret - Elizabeth Hunter (MCs father is a famous musician) 5/25
✔🏇 Read a book with a woman on the cover who is wearing a hat. Please post the cover.
Magic & Mayhem - Annabel Chase 5/11
Records
✔🏇 Read a book with a title that begins with S.
Slip Cue - Joyce Krieg 5/5
✔🏇 Read a Series #5, #6 or #8.
The Hanging Girl - Jussi Adler-Olsen (#6) 5/23
CHALLENGE COMPLETE
May Scavenger Hunt - MusicREAD: 46/40
Deceptions - Kelley Armstrong 5/2 23. Grave - a couple hundred feet from the grave site, p207
24. Guitar - every guitar twang raking down his spine, p90
36. Natural - whatever's here, it's not natural, p124
50. Voice - I turned toward the voice, p126
The Silence of the Snakes - Ruby Loren 5/3 10. Dance - twirling in a dance to music, p43
Queen Cinder - Roy A. Mauritsen 5/38. Choir - sounded like a choir of angels, loc3195
17. Flag - adorned with a royal flag, loc5616
19. Flute - let the flutes begin, loc330
35. Measure - not yet thirty by her measure, loc96
48. Song - hear their song another time, loc1605
Dauntless - Dina Sleiman 5/440. Pitch - as the pitch dropped lower and lower, p315
45. Rhythm - the rhythm of sword play, p37
Slip Cue - Joyce Krieg 5/51. Accent - judging from his accent, p30
3. Bar - sat by himself at the bar, p53
5. Beat - and a catchy beat, p15
7. Brass - deep blue gleaming brass, p27
26. Harmony - the sound of four-part harmony, p15
30. Jazz - look up the jazz station, p5
31. Key - the key player changed the rules, p46
33. Lyric - melody and enigmatic lyrics, p12
43. Record - sounded like a Willie Nelson record, p73
46. Score - I might score a few brownie points, p50
The Singer - Elizabeth Hunter 5/622. Glee - Renata said with glee, p274
39. Phrase - catching only the occasional word or phrase, p285
42. Practice - you need to practice your approaches, p192
49. Time - seeing beyond time and space, p14
Island 731 Island 731 - Jeremy Robinson 5/8
11. Dominant - gravity became the dominant force, p155
32. Loud - a loud splash spun the group around, p60
44. Rest - we'll rest at all the switchbacks, p131
Darkness Raging - Yasmine Galenorn 5/112. Alto - found a single alto note and held it, p13
15. Embellish - embellished with flourishes and engravings, p146
34. Major - and a major wedding tonight, p65
41. Play - wishing I had time to stay and play, p27
Truthseeker - C.E. Murphy 5/1314. Eighth - eighth in a line of tailors, p7
18. Flat - one pure tone or a flat one, p11
27. Hymn - forgetting the words to the hymn, p213
37. Note - didn't strike discordant notes, p5
A Dirty Job - Christopher Moore 5/174. Bass - as steady as a bass sax, p260
6. Blues - like to chase blues singers, p159
12. Drum - pounding like a war drum, p103
Ink and Bone - Lisa Unger 5/189. County - coming in from the next county, p255
20. Form - a dark form, p267
25. Half - half the club, p72
Inferno - Bianca D'Arc 5/2229. Interval - floating overhead at intervals, p46
Wayfinder - C.E. Murphy 5/2347. Sharp - keyboards playing flat and sharp with desperation, p3
The Secret - Elizabeth Hunter 5/2538. Organ -just below the organ pipes, p250
CHALLENGE COMPLETE
May As Easy As 1-2-3 Challenge READ: 6/6
Set 1
✔️ 1 ~ [Shards of the Glass Slipper 01] ~ Queen Cinder - Roy A. Mauritsen 5/3
✔️ 2 ~ [Irin Chronicles 02] ~ The Singer - Elizabeth Hunter 5/6
✔️ 3 ~ [Cainsville 03] ~ Deceptions - Kelley Armstrong 5/2
Set 2
✔️1 ~ [Worldwalker Duology 01] ~ Truthseeker - C.E. Murphy 5/13
✔️ 2 ~ [Madigan Amos Zoo Mystery 02] ~ The Silence of the Snakes - Ruby Loren 5/3
✔️3 ~ [Irin Chronicles 03] ~ The Secret - Elizabeth Hunter 5/25
CHALLENGE COMPLETE
June As Easy As 1-2-3 Challenge
READ: 6/6
Set 1
✔️ 1 ~ [Abhorsen 01] ~ Sabriel - Garth Nix 6/11
✔️ 2 ~ [Psy Changeling Trinity 02] ~ Ocean Light - Nalini Singh 6/10
✔️ 3 ~ [Dark Brethren 03] ~ Sin's Dark Caress - Tracey O'Hare 6/8
Set 2
✔️ 1 ~ [Tales of Pell 01] ~ Kill the Farm Boy - Delilah S. Dawson & Kevin Hearne 6/4
✔️ 2 ~ [Books by the Bay 02] ~ A Deadly Cliché - Ellery Adams 6/18
✔️ 3 ~ [Daughters of the Sea 03] ~ Lucy - Kathryn Lasky 6/5
CHALLENGE COMPLETE
June Scavenger Hunt - Cooking TermsREAD: 48/30
1. Al Dente -
(), p
2. Bake - Charmed Offense - Annabel Chase 6/8
(you bake a sweet potato), loc449
3. Beat - Kill the Farm Boy - Delilah S. Dawson & Kevin Hearne 6/4
(he's going to beat his heart), p54
4. Blend - Sin's Dark Caress - Tracey O'Hare 6/8
(the object was to blend in), p259
5. Boil - Charmed Offense - Annabel Chase 6/8
(I can boil the kettle), loc1540
6. Burn - Sin's Dark Caress - Tracey O'Hare 6/8
(stop the burn from getting infected), p176
7. Chill - Dark Heat - Donna Grant 6/7
(the chill had her teeth chattering), p228
8. Chop - Kill the Farm Boy - Delilah S. Dawson & Kevin Hearne 6/4
(an unseen knife began to chop them), p103
9. Cream - Sin's Dark Caress - Tracey O'Hare 6/8
(and feeds us cream), p69
10. Cube - Sin's Dark Caress - Tracey O'Hare 6/8
(the sugar cube totally dissolved), p83
11. Dash - Sin's Dark Caress - Tracey O'Hare 6/8
(gripped the dash with both hands), p252
12. Dice - Kill the Farm Boy - Delilah S. Dawson & Kevin Hearne 6/4
(I played the best game of dice in my life), p126
13. Drain - Awaken the Darkness - Dianne Duvall 6/3
(drain them completely), loc3310
14. Drizzle - Kill the Farm Boy - Delilah S. Dawson & Kevin Hearne 6/4
(the rain obligingly slowed to a drizzle), p34
15. Flavor - Kill the Farm Boy - Delilah S. Dawson & Kevin Hearne 6/4
(subtleties of flavor smoked into the meat), p101
16. Fold - Awaken the Darkness - Dianne Duvall 6/3
(welcome her into the fold), loc4079
17. Freeze - Ocean Light - Nalini Singh 6/10
(can you freeze the chip in time), p20
18. Frost - Sabriel - Garth Nix 6/11
(frost crackled on the ground), p6
19. Fry - A Deadly Cliché - Ellery Adams 6/18
(the gifted fry cook), p40
20. Grate - Zodiac - Romina Russell 6/29
(his gravely laughter grates my ears), p164
21. Grease - Kill the Farm Boy - Delilah S. Dawson & Kevin Hearne 6/4
(Glandalf's great goatee growing greace), p18
22. Grill - Awaken the Darkness - Dianne Duvall 6/3
(like a diamond grill), loc3088
23. Grind - Iron and Magic - Ilona Andrews 6/15
(she tried to grind against him), p306
24. Hard (boil) - Ocean Light - Nalini Singh 6/10
(Hugo was in a hard collision) p125
25. Heat - Sin's Dark Caress - Tracey O'Hare 6/8
(he could still feel the heat of the flames), p81
26. Ice - Awaken the Darkness - Dianne Duvall 6/3
(landing on him like a bucket of ice water), loc2743
27. Knead - The Staff and the Blade - Elizabeth Hunter 6/14
(and kneaded her shoulders), p214
28. Layer - The Stone Circle - Elly Griffiths 6/6
(I'd like to see the layers), p27
29. Mash - Gluttony - K. Webster 6/14
(and mash the buttons), loc607
30. Measure - Awaken the Darkness - Dianne Duvall 6/3
(brought me some measure of peace), loc2707
31. Melt - Dark Heat - Donna Grant 6/7
(her smile could melt his heart), p90
32. Mix - Gluttony - K. Webster 6/14
(can be heard in the mix), loc458
33. Mold - Kill the Farm Boy - Delilah S. Dawson & Kevin Hearne 6/4
(with frosting and no mold), p11
34. Oil - Lucy - Kathryn Lasky 6/5
(the Duke of hair oil), p201
35. Oven - Kill the Farm Boy - Delilah S. Dawson & Kevin Hearne 6/4
(toasted in Toby's oven), p70
36. Pare -
(), p
37. Peel - Gluttony - K. Webster 6/14
(closes it as I peel out), loc1836
38. Pinch - Kill the Farm Boy - Delilah S. Dawson & Kevin Hearne 6/4
(with a nice pinch to the skull), p102
39. Quarter - Lucy - Kathryn Lasky 6/5
(not a quarter of a mile from his home), p174
40. Raw - Kill the Farm Boy - Delilah S. Dawson & Kevin Hearne 6/4
(preferring their foods in a raw natural state), p96
41. Rise - Gluttony - K. Webster 6/14
(and rise to my feet), loc1306
42. Scramble - Charmed Offense - Annabel Chase 6/8
(that way we don't have to scramble to find them), loc2337
43. Separate - Sin's Dark Caress - Tracey O'Hare 6/8
(separate and distinct), p44
44. Skin - Sin's Dark Caress - Tracey O'Hare 6/8
(the flames seared his skin), p86
45. Smoke - Sin's Dark Caress - Tracey O'Hare 6/8
(he exhaled a stream of smoke), p59
46. Steam - Awaken the Darkness - Dianne Duvall 6/3
(steam spilled out), loc3451
47. Stir - A Deadly Cliché - Ellery Adams 6/18
(gave it's contents a stir), p271
48. Toss - Marked by the Moon - Lori Handeland 6/26
(something to toss off lightly), p202
49. Warm - Gluttony - K. Webster 6/14
his warm, strong hand), loc1009
50. Whip - A Deadly Cliché - Ellery Adams 6/18
(I'll whip you up some meat and veggies), p20
Inventions That Changed the World - Part 1 Duration: June 1 - August 31, 2019
READ: 10/10
Tasks:
✔️1. Wheel:
🔧 Read a book where a character travels OR with a title that begins with W.
The Big Kahuna - Janet & Peter Evanovich (California to Hawaii to New Zealand) 6/1
✔️2. Compass:
🔧 Read a book where a character needs to know which direction to go in (your interpretation) OR with a publication year with 2 of these numbers: 0, 1, 2, 5 or 8.
Iron and Magic - Ilona Andrews (pub 2018) 6/15
✔️3. Automobile:
🔧 Read a book set in Germany or the U.S. OR with an automobile on the cover.
The Trouble With Vampires - Lynsay Sands 7/4
✔️4. Steam Engine:
🔧 Read a book where the author's or MC's first name is Thomas or James OR where the page count contains TWO of the following numbers: 0, 1, 6, 7, 8, 9.
Wolf Rain - Nalini Singh (416 pages) 6/19
✔️5. Concrete:
🔧 Read a book with an item made from concrete on the cover OR with a title that contains a two syllable word.
The Betrayed - Heather Graham 6/10
✔️6. Petrol:
🔧 Read a book where a character pumps gas/petrol/diesel OR with a liquid of some kind on the cover.
Lucy - Kathryn Lasky (water on cover) 6/5
✔️7. Railways:
🔧 Read a book where a character rides on a train OR with a train or rails on the cover.
Operation: Endgame - Pip Ballantine / Tee Morris (MCs ride a train in NYC) 7/13
✔️8. Airplane:
🔧 Read a book with a character who is a pilot OR with an airplane on the cover.
Zodiac - Romina Russell (hero is pilots a space ship) 6/29
✔️9. Nail:
🔧 Read a book where the MC is in the building industry (Tell us their job) OR from the Historical genre.
A Little Mischief - Amelia Grey 6/7
✔️10. Light Bulb:
🔧 Read a book with the word LIGHT or a synonym of light in the title OR with some kind of light or light bulb on the cover.
A Deadly Cliché - Ellery Adams (lighthouse on cover) 6/18
CHALLENGE COMPLETE
July As Easy As 1-2-3 Challenge
READ: 6/6
✔️1 ~ [Dark Kings 01] ~ Darkest Flame - Donna Grant 7/19
✔️2 ~ [Solsti Prophecy 02] ~ Wicked Waves - Sharon Kay 7/5
✔️3 ~ [Manor House Mystery 03] ~ Grace Among Thieves - Julie Hyzy 7/18
✔️1 ~ [Twenty-Sided Sorceress 01] ~ Justice Calling - Annie Bellet 7/4
✔️2 ~ [Shades of Magic 02] ~ A Gathering of Shadows - V.E. Schwab 7/16
✔️3 ~ [Nina Quinn 03] ~ Digging Up Trouble - Heather Webber 7/27
CHALLENGE COMPLETE
July Scavenger Hunt ~ CampingREAD: 50/50
Dragon Bites - Allison James 7/224. Blanket - round up blanks and pillows, loc2521
5. Boots - her boots digging into the red earth, loc3185
16. (Camp) Fire - sitting cross-legged near a campfire, loc3059
19. Friends - it's good to have friends, loc3747
20. Fun - killing isn't fun, loc2444
31. Lantern - like a candle lantern, loc2641
41. Peace - a feeling of great peace came over me, loc3762
46. Stars - where we stood to look up at the stars, loc3803
47. Tent - outside in tents, loc3803
49. Vacation - I'd horned in on her vacation, loc2973
The Amber Isle - Ashley Capes 7/46. Bugs - someone put bugs in his bedroll, loc789
7. Camp - crossed the camp, loc145
10. Direction - footsteps echoed from every direction, loc893
24. Guide - he gripped the guide ropes, loc604
29. Knife - he flipped Gum's knife, loc145
30. Knowledge - use their blood to transfer knowledge, loc1557
32. Leader - to strike the leader, loc1351
34. Map - his map of the Amber Isle, loc186
40. Overnight - overnight the cold would be brutal, loc374
43. Play - do you want me to play, loc893
45. Rope - was rope, hammer, nails, loc304
48. Trail - sniff out a trail where folks had been, loc495
50. Woods - stalking him in the woods of late, loc388
Justice Calling - Annie Bellet 7/42. Animals - a guy with a bunch of stuffed animals, p81
9. Compass - it's like a compass, p22
14. Experience - you have training experience, p83
15. Family - no game tonight, family emergency, p17
21. Games - role-playing games, p34
23. Grass - the interior smelled of wet grass, p21
42. Plan - seemed like a pretty bad plan, p31
The Trouble With Vampires - Lynsay Sands 7/41. Alert - automaticaly going on high alert, p46
12. Equipment - arms full of a bunch of equipment, p93
18. Flashlight - he then used his flashlight, p31
22. Gear - his television and gaming gear, p141
37. Mountain - scaling his body like a mountain climber, p55
Wicked Waves - Sharon Kay 7/53. Backpack - she grabbed her backpack, p19
11. Endure - for whatever Kai had endured, p87
26. Hike - the idea of a hike sounded excellent, p79
44. Remote - forced to search remote corners, p90
Chaos Bites - Lori Handeland 7/717. Fishing - a three-week fly-fishing excursion, p118
38. Nature - nature would take it's course, p228
The Chaos of Stars - Kiersten White 7/925. Heat - mostly complaining about the heat, p144
39. Outdoors - past an outdoor amphitheater, p50
All Together Dead - Charlaine Harris 7/1133. Location - with all events and locations noted, p91
The Highland Dragon's Lady - Isabel Cooper 7/1213. Exercise - exercise a little patience, p237
27. Insects - he would have seen the insects, p26
A Gathering of Shadows - V.E. Schwab 7/1636. Matches - a vase of long-stemmed matches, p115
Arctic Dawn - Karissa Laurel 7/1928. Kits - roadside flares in the kit in the truck, p64
King of Scars - Leigh Bardugo 7/228. Canteen - let's fill our canteens, p78
The Thief - J.R. Ward 7/2735. Marshmallows - Swiss Miss without the marshmallows, p227
CHALLENGE COMPLETE
July 2019 Monthly: Camping READ: 12/10
The history of recreational camping is often traced back to Thomas Hiram Holding, a British travelling tailor, but it was actually first popularized in the UK on the river Thames.
✔ 🏕️ 1. Read a book by an author whose first name begins with T.
Operation: Endgame - Pip Ballantine / Tee Morris 7/13
✔ 🏕️ 2. Read a book by an author whose last name begins with H.
Chaos Bites - Lori Handeland 7/7
✔ 🏕️ 3. Read a book whose title begins with a letter in THAMES.
The Trouble With Vampires - Lynsay Sands 7/4
By the 1880s large numbers of visitors took part in the pastime, which was connected to the late Victorian craze for pleasure boating. The early camping equipment was very heavy, so it was convenient to transport it by boat or to use craft that converted into tents.
✔ 🏕️ 5. Read a book set after 1880.
The Highland Dragon's Lady - Isabel Cooper (1895) 7/12
✔ 🏕️ 6. Read a book where a character goes pleasure boating.
Darkest Flame - Donna Grant 7/19
✔ 🏕️ 7. Read a book where an item is transported by boat.
Trojan Odyssey - Clive Cussler (underwater habitat is towed by boat) 7/28
Although Thomas Hiram Holding is often seen as the father of modern camping in the UK, he was responsible for popularising a different type of camping in the early twentieth century. He experienced the activity in the wild from his youth, when he had spent much time with his parents traveling across the American prairies.
✔ 🏕️ 10. Read a book set in the UK.
Aunt Dimity and the Village Witch - Nancy Atherton 7/21
✔ 🏕️ 11. Read a book set in the US.
Dragon Bites - Allison James (Nevada) 7/2
✔ 🏕️ 12. Read a YA book.
The Chaos of Stars - Kiersten White 7/9
Later he embarked on a cycling and camping tour with some friends across Ireland. His book on his Ireland experience, Cycle and Camp in Connemara led to the formation of the first camping group in 1901, the Association of Cycle Campers, later to become the Camping and Caravanning Club. He wrote The Campers Handbook in 1908, so that he could share his enthusiasm for the great outdoors with the world.
✔ 🏕️ 17. Read a book set in a year that contains TWO of these numbers: 0, 1, 8 or 9.
Daughter of Fortune - Isabel Allende (set in 1849) 7/31
✔ 🏕️ 18. Read a book with a page count that contains ONE of these numbers: 0, 1, 8 or 9.
Seriously Wicked - Tina Connolly (208 pages) 7/6
✔ 🏕️ 19. Read a book where a character loves the outdoors.
The Amber Isle - Ashley Capes 7/4
CHALLENGE COMPLETE
Fast Food's First LocationsDuration: May 1 - July 31, 2019
READ: 10/10
✔️1. McDonald's
🍔 Read a book set in California OR a Series #15 OR two brothers as prominent characters.
Wolf Rain - Nalini Singh 6/19
✔️2. Burger King
🍟 Read a book set in Florida OR with a page count that contains 2 of these numbers; 1, 4, 5 or 9 OR where a character enjoys a burger or milkshake.
Death With An Ocean View - Nora Charles 5/29
✔️3. Starbucks
☕ Read a book set in Seattle OR with a brown cover OR where a character goes to a coffee shop.
Gluttony - K. Webster 6/14
✔️4. Kentucky Fried Chicken
🍗 Read a book set in Utah OR where a character has a title (Colonel/Dr./Chef etc. Tell us the title.) OR where a character shares a recipe.
Going Underground - Susan Vaught (Dr. Morte, therapist) 6/28
✔️5. Pizza Hut
🍕 Read a book where the MC is in college OR with a landlady as a character OR with an eight letter word in the title.
Fighting for Forever - JD Salsbury 6/30
✔️6. Dunkin’ Donuts
🍩 Read a book set in Massachusetts OR published in 2011 OR with a two word title that begins with the same letter.
Little Comfort - Edwin Hill 6/12
✔️7. Tim Hortons
☕ Read a book whose MC is a hockey player OR set in Canada OR with a cup of coffee on the cover. Please post the cover.
Witch Happens - A.M. King 5/30
✔️8. Chipotle Mexican Grill
🌮 Read a book set in Colorado OR where a character eats a burrito OR where you find a written address in the text. (Give us the sentence and page/loc #.)
✔️9. Wendy's
🍔 Read a book set in Ohio OR with a square item on the cover OR where a character has four children.
Hell's Super - Mark Cain 5/31
✔️10. Dairy Queen
🍦 Read a book set in Illinois OR where a character owns their own business OR where a character goes out for ice cream.
JFK to Dublin - Brooke St. James (hero owns restaurants) 6/24
BONUS Badge: for any of the these stores mentioned in the text. Give us the sentence and page/loc #. You may use any of the books you read for #1-10, in addition to other books. You can earn more than one bonus badge!
Kentucky Fried Chicken - Slip Cue - Joyce Krieg 5/5
(stop at the KFC at Thirty-Eighth), p168
Starbucks - Darkness Raging - Yasmine Galenorn 5/11
(I stopped at Starbucks before I came over), p5
McDonald's - Magic & Mayhem - Annabel Chase 5/11
(I'm having flashbacks of McDonald's), p13
Dunkin Donuts - A Dirty Job - Christopher Moore 5/17
(returned to the booth at Dunkin Donuts), p214
Burger King - The Hanging Girl - Jussi Adler-Olsen 5/23
(they both worked in the Burger King), p160
Tim Hortons - Witch Happens - A.M. King 5/30
(he had a Tim Hortons coffee in his hand), loc107
CHALLENGE COMPLETE
August 2019 Monthly - History of the Burger
READ: 5/8
✔🍔 2. Read a book with a castle, river or pastureland on the cover. Please post the cover.
Aunt Dimity and the Lost Prince - Nancy Atherton 8/5
✔🍔 3. Read a book whose title begins with a letter in HAMBURGER.
Greed - Ker Dukey 8/19
🍔 4. Read a book where a character eats a hamburger (beef).
✔🍔 7. Read a book where the MC's first name begins with a letter in BURGER.
Grave Mercy - Robin LaFevers (Gavriel) 8/13
✔🍔 9. Read a book with 2 of these numbers in the page count: 1, 4, 5, 7, 8.
The Pride of Lions - Marsha Canham (387 pages) 8/16
✔🍔 14. Read a book where the first letter of each word in the title can be found in ST LOUIS WORLDS FAIR (two word minimum).
Sweet Little Lies - Jill Shalvis 8/13
🍔 15. Read a book where a character eats fast food.
🍔 16. Read a book with a round or square item on the cover.
🍔 17. Read a book where a character eats something grilled.
🍔 18. Read a book where a character has a fast dinner, picnic or eats party food
August Scavenger Hunt - Burger ChoicesREAD: 30/40
My Mother She Killed Me, My Father He Ate Me - Various Authors 8/226. Mushrooms - I will make chicken with mushrooms, p49
50. Triple - triple it's worth, p158
Wandering Star - Romina Russell 8/38. Brown (Sauce) - on the brown suited student, p109
36. Round - holed up in our hotel's round room, p40
43. Square - at the capital's government square, p81
Fated - Rebecca Zanetti 8/42. Avocado - kitchen held avocado-colored appliances, p39
3. Bacon - greasy cooked bacon scented the air, p111
11. Cheese - dough, cheese, meat - all in the icebox, p207
12. Chili - saved by the chili, p101
21. Jalapeños - no he just likes jalapenos, p100
40. Scrambled egg - Janie and Talen ate scrambled eggs, p149
Aunt Dimity and the Lost Prince - Nancy Atherton 8/54. Barbecue (Sauce) - and the duel barbecues, p172
Summon the Keeper - Tanya Huff 8/724. Mayonnaise - like mushy white bread and mayonnaise, p168
49. Tomato - swallowing a forkful of tomato, p39
Bluestone & Vine - Donna Kauffman 8/106. Blue cheese - Sawyer set the blue cheese, p182
9. Bun - I rather like the man bun on you, p208
10. Cheddar - sank his teeth into his Vermont cheddar, p182
28. Onion - glazed onion and beer-mustard burger, p182
Prisoner of Night - J.R. Ward 8/1227. Mustard - to spread mustard and mayonnaise, p76
Sweet Little Lies - Jill Shalvis 8/1315. French fries - stealing french fries from Elle's basket, p34
47. Thick - there through thick and thin, p74
48. Thin - there through thick and thin, p74
The Ghost of Marlow House - Bobbi Holmes & Anna McIntyre 8/1530. Pastrami -I hope you like pastrami sandwiches, p305
44. Steak (burger) - they have great steak and lobster here, p185
Envy - M.N. Forgy 8/1513. Double - before doing a double take, loc294
25. Mince - we want to mince it like this, loc1592
Wicked Flames - Sharon Kay 8/2318. Grill - the aroma of grilled meat, p202
38. Salsa - saslsa, cha-cha and merengue, p28
Paranoia - Joseph Finder 8/2417. Fry - mysterious Asian stir-fry thing, p51
Wundersmith - Jessica Townsend 8/2441. Single - a single, perfect scone, p137
********************************
1. Anchovies -
5. Beetroot -
7. Bologna -
14. Feta (Cheese) -
16. Fried egg -
19. Guacamole -
20. Ham -
22. Ketchup -
23. Lettuce -
29. Onion ring -
31. Peppers -
32. Pickles -
33. Pineapple -
34. Potato chips -
35. Relish -
37. Salad dressing -
39. Sauce -
42. Slider -
45. Swiss -
46. Tartar sauce -
August As Easy As 1-2-3 Challenge READ: 3/3
✔️1 ~ [Heartbreaker Bay 01] ~ Sweet Little Lies - Jill Shalvis 8/13
✔️2 ~ [Zodiac 02] ~ Wandering Star - Romina Russell 8/3
✔️3 ~ [Shades of Magic 03] ~ A Conjuring of Light - V.E. Schwab 8/30
CHALLENGE COMPLETE
September Monthly Challenge
READ: 12/6
✔ Dorm Room
📘 Read a book whose title begins with a letter DORM or a New Adult book.
Red Queen - Christina Henry 9/13
✔ Bed
🛏️ Read a book with the letters BED (in any order) in the title OR with a bed on the cover (show cover).
Shadow and Bone - Leigh Bardugo 9/26
✔ Computer
💻 Read a book where a character uses a laptop OR with an eight letter word in the title.
For the Earl's Pleasure - Anne Mallory 9/6
✔ Desk
📒 Read a book where a character uses a desk OR by an author whose first or last name is four letters long.
The Vanishing Sculptor - Donita K. Paul 9/18
✔ Books
📚 Read a book with a word in the title that contains double "OO"s OR with a book on the cover (show cover).
Bloodleaf - Crystal Smith 9/17
✔ Calculator
📓 Read a book where a character has a job that deals with numbers OR with a number of any kind in the title.
The Ten Thousand Doors of January - Alix E. Harrow 9/28
✔ Posters
🖼️ Read a book whose cover would make a great poster OR whose location begins with a letter in POSTER.
The Trouble With Honor - Julia London (England) 9/4
✔ School Supplies
✏️ Read a book with one of these items on the cover (show cover) OR witha 6 or 8 in the number of ratings.
The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry - Gabrielle Zevin (186,903 ratings) 9/30
✔ Sock Monkey/Stuffed Animal
🧸 Read a book with an animal on the cover (show cover) OR with a two word title.
Alice - Christina Henry 9/3
✔ Dishes
☕ Read a book with a plural word in the title OR with a dish (of any kind) on the cover (show cover).
Connections in Death - J.D. Robb 9/10
✔ Dirty Laundry
🧺 Read a book where a character does the laundry OR with a word in the title that ENDS with Y.
Wickedly Dangerous - Deborah Blake 9/28
✔ Window
🏫 Read a book with a window on the cover (show cover) OR with a word in the title that begins and ends with the same letter.
Feint of Art - Hailey Lind 9/22
CHALLENGE COMPLETE
September Scavenger ChallengeREAD: 49/40
My Irresistible Earl - Gaelen Foley 9/2
7. Box - kept his place up on the box, p82
16. Collar - its stand collar framing his cravat, p12
26. Jewelry - the long tables where statues, vases, jewelry, p11
34. Painting - you don't need another painting, p6
49. War (Memorabilia) - dragging you into the theatre of war, p16
Alice - Christina Henry 9/3
22. Doll - pushing a doll through the front door, p70
24. (Board) Game - gathered around a shell game, p25
31. Mouse - a voice through the mouse hole, p12
The Trouble With Honor - Julia London 9/4
9. China - the color of pale china silk, p34
37. Purse - at least we've a purse, p13
Smokescreen - Iris Johansen 9/11
32. Money - a staggering amount of money, p195
33. Mummy - an upright ornate mummy, p231
Red Queen - Christina Henry 9/13
46. Trunk - opened the trunk, p190
47. Toys - silly Queens and their silly toys, p276
Murder of a Royal Pain - Denise Swanson 9/15
40. (Badminton) Racket - strung tighter than a tennis racket, p18
45. Tickets - they had lottery tickets, p190
50. Watch -Skye looked at her watch, p4
Reaper's Kiss - Allison West 9/15
27. Key - locked with a key she didn't have, p249
28. Lamp - like a genie in a magical lamp, p106
Bloodleaf - Crystal Smith 9/17
5. Blanket - in one of Kate's handmade blankets,p 268
6. Books - while I buried myself in books, p225
8. (Broken) Chair - seeing him shrink into the chair, p215
11. (Cuckoo) Clock - the clock began to chime, p219
13. Cobwebs - cobweb-laden shelves, p228
15. Coins - take your coins and your troubles away, p240
29. Letters - I used to read your letters to her, p292
The Vanishing Sculptor - Donita K. Paul 9/18
12. Clothing - your clothing, your manners, p140
21. Dishes - concern that her dishes be cold, p103
Mortal Engines - Philip Reeve 9/19
1. Antiques - any books and antiques aboard, p14
3. Bat - this delicious deviled bat, p87
19. Curtains - through hanging curtains of transparent plastic, p172
20. Decorations - no hangings or decorations, p105
38. (Old) Radio - the radio crackled to life, p72
Star of the Morning - Lynn Kurland 9/20
36. Pillow - sleeping with a dagger under her pillow, p23
41. Rug - thick rugs were scattered over the floor, p20
Feint of Art - Hailey Lind 9/22
42. Souvenirs - the crowded souvenir shop next door, p89
10. Christmas (Ornaments) - lit up like a Christmas tree, p406
30. Magazine - flipping through the tattered magazines, p215
Maid for the Rock Star - Demelza Carlton 9/24
2. Albums - they wrote and recorded albums, p55
35. Photos - and posing for photos, p67
Hot Pursuit - Lorie O'Clare 9/25
43. Stamps - earned the stamp of Cortez's hand, p104
Rock Me Two Times - Dawn Ryder 9/27
39. Records - take up to another double platinum record, p41
4. Bible - two of them actually holding bibles, p209
14. Coffee Cup - she abandoned her coffee cup, p46
25. Instruments - were fiddling with their instruments, p64
44. (Measuring) Tape - she rolled up her tape measure, p176
Wickedly Dangerous - Deborah Blake 9/28
17. Comic (Books) - an almost comic mix, p153
18. Crib - dead in her crib, p210
The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry - Gabrielle Zevin 9/30
23. Futon - to be on the futon, p54
***************************************
48. Video game -
CHALLENGE COMPLETE
September As Easy As 1-2-3 Challenge READ: 6/6
✔️1 ~ [Chronicles of Alice 01] ~ Alice - Christina Henry 9/3
✔️2 ~ [Nine Kingdoms 02] ~ The Mage's Daughter - Lynn Kurland 9/23
✔️3 ~ [His Fair Assassin 03] ~ Mortal Heart - Robin LaFevers 9/26
✔️1 ~ [Bloodleaf 01] ~ Bloodleaf - Crystal Smith 9/17
✔️2 ~ [Chronicles of Alice 02] ~ Red Queen - Christina Henry 9/13
✔️3 ~ [Inferno Club 03] ~ My Irresistible Earl - Gaelen Foley 9/2
CHALLENGE COMPLETE
October Monthly Challenge
READ: 8/8
✔1. A soul cake is a small round cake traditionally made for All Hallows’ Eve (Halloween), All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day to commemorate the dead in the Christian tradition.
☩ Read a book with a scene taking place on Halloween, All Saints’ Day and/or All Souls’ Day or a book published in October.
Soul Deep - Lora Leigh 10/19
✔2. The cakes are a cross between a scone and a biscuit, are easy to make, and were traditionally handed out to "soulers" (primarily children and the poor) who went from door to door during the days of Allhallowtide singing and saying prayers "for the souls of the givers and their friends".
☩ Read a book where tradition is important to the story or a book where a character sings or prays.
The Silver Metal Lover - Tanith Lee 10/15
✔3. The cakes are filled with allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger or other sweet spices, raisins or currants and topped with the mark of a cross (signifying that they are alms) before baking.
☩ Read a book with a cross on the cover or a book you think has "spice" (tell us how).
Branded for You - Cheyenne McCray (spicy hot erotica) 10/19
✔4. The tradition of giving soul cakes began in Britain and Ireland during the Middle Ages, although similar practices for the souls of the dead were found as far south as Italy. This custom continues today in various places in the United Kingdom.
☩ Read a book that takes place in the United Kingdom or Italy or a book tagged historical.
Everything Under the Heavens - Dana Stabenow 10/18
✔5. In the Philippines, the practice of "souling" is called Pangangaluwa and is practiced on All Hallow's Eve among children in rural areas. The children drape themselves in white cloths to represent souls and visit houses where they sing in return for prayers and sweets.
☩ Read a book with at least a 50% white cover or a book whose author's first and last initials can be found in either Philippines or Pangangaluwa.
Hakan/Severin - Alexandra Ivy & Laura Wright (L&W in pangangaLuWa) 10/18
✔7. In the UK, All Soul's Day is more of an observation of the ancient Celtic festival Samhain (the Feast of the Dead), a fast day where bonfires are lit at night to light the soul’s way to heaven.
☩ Read a book with the word Celtic, Samhain, festival or dead in the text (please post the sentence and page/loc#) or a book with fire on the cover.
Giving Chase - Lauren Dane 10/19
(the Magnolia Festival queen), p83
✔9. In some countries, especially the United States and Ireland, the souling tradition is seen as the origin of trick-or-treating. Especially since adults and children went souling in disguise, wearing long black cloaks. Such masquerading in costume was either a tribute to saints or imitated spirits.
☩ Read a book with at least a 50% black cover or a book where themain character wears a costume or disguise.
Mask of Shadows - Linsey Miller 10/7
(MC is in a competition where a mask is worn all the time)
✔10. Traditions associated with souling included soulers visiting houses with "hollowed-out turnip lanterns" with a candle inside. The candle represents a soul trapped in purgatory.
☩ Read a book with a pumpkin or jack o' lantern on the cover or in the story or a book with a character who feels like the have to make up for their sins or mistakes.
Of Cinder and Bone - Kyoko M. 10/12
CHALLENGE COMPLETE
October As Easy As 1-2-3 Challenge READ: 6/6
✔️1 ~ [Mask of Shadows 01] ~ Mask of Shadows - Linsey Miller 10/7
✔️2 ~ [Getting Physical 02] ~ The Derby Girl - Tamara Morgan 10/2
✔️3 ~ [Circles in Hell 03] ~ Deal With The Devil - Mark Cain 10/11
✔️1 ~ [Of Cinder & Bone 01] ~ Of Cinder and Bone - Kyoko M. 10/12
✔️2 ~ [Clueless Cook Mystery 02] ~ Beef Stolen-Off - Liz Lipperman 10/12
✔️3 ~ [Norse Chronicles 03] ~ Molten Dusk - Karissa Laurel 10/14
CHALLENGE COMPLETE
November Monthly Challenge - Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
READ: 9/9
✔ 1. The parade was initially Christmas-themed
Read a book with a fairy tale character, bear, elephant, donkey, or parade in the story or a book with a close-knit group of coworkers.
Bear In a Billion - Lilly Pink (hero is a bear shifter) 11/30
✔2. The character balloons were inspired by a float and debuted in 1927.
Read a book with a title beginning with a letter in BALLOON or a book with a character who is a designer.
Bitter Brew - G.A. McKevett 11/29
✔3. The first-ever character balloon was Felix the Cat.
Read a book where the main character is the first to do something or a book with a 4 or 0 in the page count.
The Obsession - Nora Roberts (453 pages) 11/28
✔ 4. Handlers would just let the balloons fly away after the parade ended.
Read a book where a character returns something to the main characteror a book where a character receives or gives a reward.
Fallen Rogue - Amy Rench 11/21
(hero returns Olympic gold medal to the heroine)
✔ 6. The parade was halted during WWII.
Read a book with a shortage (your interpretation) in the story or a book where directions are given.
Wickedly Wonderful - Deborah Blake 11/23
(Take this road to the A109, then follow the signs...), p232
✔ 7. The parade was broadcast on the radio.
Read a book with the word radio or television in the text or a book with a character who is a reporter.
The Troop - Nick Cutter (radio for a medevac chopper, p21) 11/16
✔ 9. There was a helium shortage in 1958.
Read the second book in a series or a book where a character is 2nd best at something or takes 2nd place.
White Hot - Ilona Andrews (#2 Hidden Legacy) 11/2
✔ 10. It takes a long time to inflate the balloons.
Read a book where a character comes up with a creative solution to a problem or a book that took a long time to read.
The Shuddering - Ania Ahlborn 11/19
✔ 11. The floats have to fold down small.
Read a book with a compound word in the title/series name or a book where something new (a product, an idea, etc.) is introduced.
Dragonbound - Chelsea Campbell 11/8
CHALLENGE COMPLETE
November Scavenger Hunt - MilitaryREAD: 50/50
White Hot - Ilona Andrews 11/2
2. Arms - the cat hung limp in her arms, p107
3. Attack - if bandits attack this pony express, p68
4. Authority - detesting all authority, p46
5. Battle - fighting his losing battle with cancer, p22
6. Bullet - her body was riddled with bullets, p13
8. Chief - my chief of surveillance p229
10. Combat - reluctant to engage in combat, p15
12. Danger - that would put all of us in danger, p214
16. Discipline - it shows discipline, p265
17. Duty - it's his duty, p34
18. Enlist - pushed your dad to enlist, p95
21. Forces - some private security forces, p265
22. Front - the front creature, p129
23. Government - no power in the US Government, p19
24. Guard - a lone guard sat in a booth,. p269
25. Guns - M249 machines gunes, p265
26. Hero - Leon hero worshipped Rogan, p98
31. Loyalty - the major has earned my loyalty, p147
32. March - wanted to march into his path, p164
33. Mission - he knew what his mission was, p80
34. Muscle - we'll need muscle,money and fire power, p58
37. Parade - I got psychosis on parade, p105
40. Protect - put in place to protect, p207
42. Rifle - crap with a sniper rifle, p99
44. Security - rely on more conventional means of security, p170
45. Training - at a training facility, p50
47. Veteran - are both veterans, p16
48. War - this is a war between the houses, p15
The Whole Enchilada - Diane Mott Davidson 11/2
49. Yelling - my yelling hadn't been so silent after all, p186
Winter Chill - Joanne Fluke 11/3
11. Courage - he's got a lot of courage, p136
43. Rounds - before I make my rounds at the hospital, p44
Wild Swans - Jessica Spotswood 11/6
41. Ready - ready for a lunch break, p136
Shaking Off the Dust - Rhianna Samuels 11/8
1. Airplane - where they are reconstructing the airplane, p41
19. Exercise - he did his exotic exercise, p197
Dragonbound - Chelsea Campbell 11/8
39. Peace - it kept he peace, more or less, p107
Shelter in Place - Nora Roberts 11/9
28. Invasion - enough supplies to withstand an alien invasion, p190
50. Zone - get out of our comfort zones, p391
Gravity - Melissa West 11/9
13. Deadly - it's not magical, it's deadly, p277
Sky Raiders - Michelle Diener 11/11
15. Deploy - the parachutes deployed, p48
27. Intelligence - the little intelligence they received, p40
29. Join - he waited for them to join him, p30
30. Loss - would be a loss of face p5
36. Order - the order fell into the silence p7
These Broken Stars - Amie Kaufman 11/14
7. Bunk - never get to sleep on this damn bunk, p319
35. Operation - setup their base of operations, p82
46. Troops - sens in the troops, p115
The Troop - Nick Cutter 11/16
9. Chopper - radio for a medivac chopper, p21
The Game Warden of Black Swamp - Quentin Wallace 11/17
38. Patrol - patrol the swamp a bit, p50
The Shuddering - Ania Ahlborn 11/19
14. Defend - how they were going to defend themselves, p204
Fallen Rogue - Amy Rench 11/21
20. Fierce - became fierce and loud, p8
CHALLENGE COMPLETE
November As Easy As 1-2-3 Challenge READ: 3/3
✔️1 ~ (The Taking 01) ~ Gravity - Melissa West 11/9
✔️2 ~ (Hidden Legacy 02) ~ White Hot - Ilona Andrews 11/2
✔️3 ~ (Riding Steele 03) ~ Riding Steele: Collide - Opal Carew 11/29
CHALLENGE COMPLETE
December Monthly Challenge - Reindeer
READ: 9/9
✔ 1. Reindeer and caribou are the same thing.
Read a book with 2 main groups in the story or a book with a 9 or 13 in the publication date.
The Black Swan Company - Luna DeMasi (humans vs vampire/zombies) 12/3
✔ 2. One animal, many names.
Read a book with a main character that has more than one name (beyond first and last name) or a book with all the letters of horn or snow in the title.
Harvest Song - Yasmine Galenorn 12/4
✔ 4. It’s not always easy to tell the sex of a reindeer.
Read a book with a main character that struggles with their sexual identity or a book that takes place in winter or spring if you are male or a book that takes place in summer if you are female.
Blood of Isis - Elizabeth Otto 12/15
✔ 5. Santa’s reindeer may or may not be female.
Read a book with only a females on the cover or a book with only teenage boy(s) on the cover.
Blood Bonds - Yasmine Galenorn 12/14
✔ 7. Researchers at University College London discovered reindeer are the only mammals that can see ultraviolet light.
Read a book with a main character that has better than average eyesight or a book with a high contrast cover.
Archangel's War - Nalini Singh (hero has angel sight) 12/11
✔ 8. Reindeer are adapted to cold environments.
Read a book with a large lake or river in the story or a book where a character slips or slides on snow or ice.
All I Want for Christmas is a Cowboy - Emma Cane 12/19
(she slipped on the icy rock), p83
✔ 9. While not all reindeer migrate, some of them travel further than any other migrating terrestrial mammal.
Read a book where the main character has to adapt quickly or a book where three or more characters travel together.
The Seeker - Elizabeth Hunter 12/11
(Rhys, Roch and Meera travel into the bayou together)
✔10. Reindeer play an important role in the survival of many cultures.
Read a book where the main character hunts or a book with an indigenous character.
Fury - Rachel Vincent (hero hunts) 12/13
✔11. They used to live a lot farther south.
Read a book where at least part of the story takes place in Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Nevada, Tennessee, Idaho, or Spain or a book with acharacter that travels far from home.
Playing with Fire - Tess Gerritsen (Boston to Italy) 12/18
CHALLENGE COMPLETE
December Scavenger Hunt - Cats READ: 50/50
The Black Swan Company - Luna DeMasi 12/3
8. Claws - kitty has claws, p55
15. Gentle - his tone was that of gentle encouragement, p8
24. Kitten - he's a kitten, p65
45. Veterinarian - does this remind you of veterinarians, p105
50. Yard - on the manicured grass of the yard, p99
Harvest Song - Yasmine Galenorn 12/4
2. Attack - make sure that you don't attack us, p168
5. Calm - seemed to calm him down, p170
7. Chase - I restrained myself from chasing after it, p230
14. Fur - that tactile nature of my fur, p170
19. Hunt - returning to the hunt for Shade, p153
22. Jump - and hear me say jump, p132
25. Lick - I stretched, gave Camille's hand a lick, p82
27. Mate - as your wife and mate, p265
29. Odor - I smelled a familiar odor, p136
36. Stray - a stray bloatworgle had been found, p216
43. Treats - been given an unexpected treat, p170
47. Water - for someone that was afraid of water, p160
49. Wild - keep some of the wild creatures at bay, p157
Cut & Run - Madeleine Urban & Abigail Roux 12/5
9. Coat - keep the wind from whipping at her coat, p4
10. Entertain - how am I going to entertain you, p349
12. Fight - I'm going to fight back, p308
13. Food - wanna go get food, p281
18. Hiss - a sudden pop and a hiss, p119
21. Jaw - hitting Ty square in the jaw, p226
33. Reward - I get to reward you for your work, p3
37. Stroke - contrived to stroke relentlessly, p264
39. Tail - I'll call you if I spot a tail, p199
41. Tease - the tease of that, p182
48. Whiskers - a day and night worth of whiskers, p152
Dark Carousel - Christine Feehan 12/6
3. Beauty - not just the beauty there, p157
6. Care - you are in my care, p109
16. Hair - soothing caresses down her hair, p219
17. Hide - where it tries to hide from me, p250
20. Independent - strong and confident, her own person, independent, p146
35. Scratch - he wouldn't want to scratch him, p37
42. Toys - thinking of toys for the girls, p207
Murder Will Out - Dorian Yeager 12/6
32. Rescue - you alone can rescue me, p16
Here Be Sexist Vampires - Suzanne Wright 12/7
30. Outside - he led us outside, p11
31. Quick - make it quick, p2
Princess of the Sword - Lynn Kurland 12/8
28. Nine - what roams through the nine kingdoms, p13
Wickedly Powerful - Deborah Blake 12/9
1. Affection - the pride and affection in Tiny's voice, p57
23. Kind - who were both kind, p37
46. Wash -threaten to wash your mouth out with soap, p149
The Seeker - Elizabeth Hunter 12/11
4. Breed - only visiting to breed children, loc390
44. Unwanted - doesn't mean it's unwanted, loc3384
Blood of Isis - Elizabeth Otto 12/15
26. Loving - loving to touch bare hips, p152
34. Rub - Ben rubbed his eyebrows, p127
Dear Miss Demeanor - Joan Hess 12/18
11. Faithful - I followed like a faithful old dog, p42
Fire and Rain - Lauren Dane 12/19
40. Tame - to tame the flyaway hair, p63
A Historical Christmas Present - Lisa Kleypas 12/25
38. Swat - I'll swat ye up the side o' the head, p81
CHALLENGE COMPLETE
December As Easy As 1-2-3 ChallengeREAD: 6/6
✔️1 ~ [Cut & Run 01] ~ Cut & Run - Madeleine Urban & Abigail Roux 12/5
✔️2 ~ [Cherchez Wolf Pack 02] ~ Fire and Rain - Lauren Dane 12/19
✔️3 ~ [Baba Yaga 03] ~ Wickedly Powerful - Deborah Blake 12/9
✔️1 ~ [Deep In Your Vein 01] ~ Here Be Sexist Vampires - Suzanne Wright 12/7
✔️2 ~ [Silk and Song Trilogy 02] ~ By the Shores of the Middle Sea - Dana Stabenow 12/30
✔️3 ~ [Nine Kingdoms 03] ~ Princess of the Sword - Lynn Kurland 12/8
CHALLENGE COMPLETE
Barbara's Challenges & Reading Lists
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Roping Your Heart (other topics)
Bayou Born (other topics)
Dark Triumph (other topics)
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