The Challenge Factory discussion

Captain:
Ora

Tia
Diana S.
Petya

Dice Roll (1 die Thursdays & Sundays US Central Time)
Discussion Thread
Time Zone Converter
Post Your Spot
R5: Spreadsheet

Alternates:
Each number corresponds with the spot on the board.
For colors: The cover has to be at least 50%
For locations: As long as the book takes part at all in the given location .
For Shelves: Any book on the given shelf
For Publication Years: I'll be using how GR has it's publication date listed.
For Authors Names: The first, middle, or last name of the author is ok.
For Cover Items: Must have the given item on the cover
For Titles: Only the first word of the title. A, An, And, and The do not count.
So if the letter is B: The Best Day would be ok. Dear Betty would not be ok.

1. Oklahoma
2. White
3. 2004
4. Re read
5. Title C
6. Cover Item Tree(s)
7. Author W
8. California
9. Green
10. 2002
11. Friendship
12. Title K
13. Cover Item Mode of Transportation
14. Author P
15. Illinois
16. Silver/Gray
17. 2001
18. Tbr Own
19. Title E
20. Cover Item Silhouette
21. Author O
22. Massachutes
23. Yellow
24. 2010
25. Free
26. Title N
27. Cover Item Tattoo
28. Author H
29. England
30. Blue
31. 1999
32. Meh
33. Title L
34. Cover Item Fire
35. Author D
36. Nevada
37. Pink
38. 2014
39. Usa
40. Title B
41. Cover Item More than 2 people
42. Author A
43. Washington, state
44. Red
45. 2012
46. 3 star
47. Title R
48. Cover Item Headless Person
49. Author S
50. Louisiana
51. Orange
52. 2008
53. Amazing
54. Title F
55. Cover Item Animal(s)
56. Author G
57. Texas
58. Black
59. 2013
60. Interested
61. Title M
62. Cover Item Furniture
63. Author T
64. New York
65. Purple
66. 2011
67. Listened
68. Title P
69. Cover Item No People
70. Author C
71. Australia
72. Multi-colored (more than 3 colors)
73. 2009
74. Movies
75. Title S
76. Cover Item Moon
77. Author L
78. Florida
79. Black
80. 2012
81. The Best
82. Title I
83. Cover Item Smoke
84. Author V
85. Oregon
86. Blue
87. 2010
88. Borrowed Books
89. Title G
90. Cover Item Red Dress
91. Author K
92. Canada
93. Purple
94. 2014
95. Now
96. Title H
97. Cover Item 1 Person
98. Author J
99. Arizona
100. Yellow
(view spoiler)[101. Title B
102. Pink
103. 2001
104. Orange
105. Black
106. Title F (hide spoiler)]

Hi! This is first SSS challenge. I did the SS challenge and loved it, so I thought I would give this one a go. And I live in North Carolina.

Hi :) This is my first SSS challenge too. I'm so excited to begin!

Any ideas for names?

These are just a few I found with a name generator :D

Red Hot Oompa-Loompas
Book Soldiers
Holy Walkamolies

I like Red Hot Oompa Loompas. It's funny.

Hi Everyone,
I like Red Hot Oompa Loompas too. It's different.
Anyone interested in being our team leader?
So our start day is November 13, that's this thursday.
Wow, we better get organized quick!

I would love to be the captain but when we roll and have to post our spot is like six in the morning for me :(

Petya wrote: "I would love to be the captain but when we roll and have to post our spot is like six in the morning for me :("

It's 1 am for me so it shouldn't be a problem since I tend to stay up late anyway.

Hi everyone ! I love the name too ! Looking forward to this I always do SS but trying desperately to umburden my poor overloaded TBR shelves faster.

I can be captain. I'm not too sure how to link the reviews after they are done, but I think I could get instructions by asking hwo to do it in the discussion thread.

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
See if this helps Ora :)

Jenne wrote: "https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
See if this helps Ora :)"

Thanks Jenne.

We need to get organized. If no one has a problem with me being captain I will let Jenne know our team name.

Sounds good to me !

Me too :)

Thanks Ora for stepping up to be our team captain. :D
So I guess our team name is the Red Hot Oompa-Loompas (Fun Name) :)

Well I've chosen my books for the first six alternatives. So I'm set for our first roll. I'm excited! Woo Hoo! Go Team!

Diana S wrote: "Well I've chosen my books for the first six alternatives. So I'm set for o..."

Ha ha, Diana ... I'm doing the "lite" version (just 1 book per week) so we're rolling TWO dice. I have to choose books for our numbers 2-12 in advance ... have everything in place and anxiously awaiting the roll. I think I got this organization idea from YOU!

Roll 1: six. Spot 6: Cover Item Tree or alternative is 6th in series

Great , I will be reading A Sudden Light by Garth Stein for the cover item tree.

I'll be reading the alternative #6 in series

Im confused, isnt the cover item tree the alternative?

Petya wrote: "Im confused, isnt the cover item tree the alternative?"

no,whatever the number says to find is what we need to do. If you cannot find or want to read any book with a tree on it, then you can find a book that is sixth in series.
When we start getting into the higher numbers we can break the numbers down if necessary. For example if we land on spot 17, you can read a book that is 17th in series or break it the number down to 1 and 7. 1 you can read a stand alone or 1st in series, or decied to use 7 and read 7th in series.

Lol I see what got you, Ora's book is a 6th in a series but she put down the alternate lol. If you're going with the alternate that's correct must have a tree on the cover :)

My mistake you're right Petya.

Roll 1 - Spot 6

My choice: Alternative - Cover item tree

The House at the End of Hope Street

I'm reading as the alternative - cover item tree

Roll Spot 6 6th in series
3 1/2 stars

In this book, the murderer of Sophia’s mother is finally discovered. Throughout the series it was thought that maybe he mother knew something because of what her husband was involved in. It came down to a mad woman, the Queen, who thought if she killed this woman that the man she loved would turn his affections towards her. She is the head of the Kingmen gang, even though she lets every one believe that a man is in charge.
Ever since Langdon has become part of the Young Corinthians, he has been trying to find Sophia’s mother murderer. When he gets a break in the case, he finds Grace. She’s recently widowed when her husband is murdered by the Kingmen since he outlived his usefulness. Because of her husband’s actions the Queen believes that Grace knows who she actually is and decides she needs to be eliminated. All she wants to do is leave London and live quietly in the country.
When Langdon finds Grace, they eventually agree to help each other. She is bait to lure the King out and then he will fund for her to live in the country. During their time together their attraction towards each starts to grow stronger. Langdon starts to feel guilty about how he is putting her danger, however after starting on this course, he doesn’t know any way to get her out of it without bringing down the gang.
When it comes to the point that Grace finally meets the Queen, she discovers why she wants her dead. In a mad woman’s mind it makes perfect sense, however she was the only one who would have found the logic in her reasoning.

Just checking to see where everyone is at. And a eeminder that all reviews need to be in today before I can roll.

I am sitting here with coffee until I finish I will be on time for sure though, it is midnight central time right ? So thats 8pm for me.

Tia wrote: "I am sitting here with coffee until I finish I will be on time for sure though, it is midnight central time right ? So thats 8pm for me."

Yes it is

Spot 6 The alternate - cover item tree
Read:16/11/14
Rating: 4 stars
Review:This is one of the few books about faries, changelings and stuff like that, that I really liked. I loved how we could see from both point of views how they were coping with their new lives. It was a little slow at some moments but when it got interesting, you couldnt put down the book. I'm not sure if I really liked the end but then... Aniday's closest friend was there... I dont know. Overall I really liked the book and the writing was really interesting.

Spot 6 Cover Item Tree
Completed: Nov 6th
♥♥♥♥♥
A Sudden Light by Garth Stein

I always try to wait until I am about half way through the book to stop and read the other reviews for it because I want to form my own opinion of the story ;and also I want to see through other peoples eyes what was important to them. By doing this it helps me get a broader picture of the story but also a sense of the likes and dislikes in general. This book seems to be one of those hit or misses there isn't a very big middle ground , you rather love it or hate it and I loved it. I can understand when people said that it could be edited down a bit but only a little bit. This is a beautiful story this is a beautiful landscape to picture throughout the read. I love the characters and the deep sense of history that is revealed by each person and their own experiences. I was highlighting a lot in this book because I found some amazing quotes and also life lessons so I felt like I will really be taking away a lot from this. The age of spiritualism is a very important theme here and that is a subject I really enjoy to learn about. The story is told through Trevor who is narrating the story from his 14 year old perspective. His father returns to his old home where his strange sister and father who is in the early stages of alzheimer resides. Both him and his sister want to sell the home and pool the assets so they can carry on with their lives. The grandfather won't hear of it and is fighting tooth and nail to hold things up because not only does he believe his wife still visits him here from the grave but he is holding strong to a promise he has made to his father. Trevor begins to investigate the history of his family and the house while experiencing his own paranormal incidents. This is part ghost story, part family drama, and part coming of age but in my opinion it is done beautifully.
I would definitely recommend and even though I have the kindle edition I hope to get the hardcover version permanently in my library right next to The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender because these books both have unbelievably gorgeous covers but matching in beauty stories that have the same strands of atmosphere , family , and fantasy that make these books some of my favorites.

Roll 1 - Spot 6

My choice: Alternative - Cover item tree

Read: The House at the End of Hope Street by Menna van Praag
Finished: 11/15/14
Rating: 3.5 ★★★
Review:
On Hope Street, there's a delightful, magical house with some unusual women who live inside. Also in residence are some quirky ghosts. If you are fans of Alice Hoffman and Sarah Addison Allen, which I am. You'll like this book. I found myself wanting to cheer "Let's hear it for the girls" at the end. (LOL) I just love magical realism! :)

I have all of the reviews linked and will roll at midnight.

Roll 2: 4 Spot 10
1st in series, stand alone or published 2002

For Roll 2: I will read The Crossing Places #1 in a series by Elly Griffiths

I will read as a #1 in a series

I iwll read first in series with

Roll2 Spot 10

Completed 11/17 3 1/2 stars

For the most part I enjoyed the book. Brody comes back to town after being medically discharged from the Army in order to win Rain back and then finds out that he has two girls from two different mothers. I really like how the author handled PTSD with Brody. She did a very good job in how little things can set him off and put his mind right back in a war zone. I think Rain forgave Brody too quickly for the mess he left behind for her to clean up and deal with. Aside from her forgiveness coming to quickly, I did like Brody and Rain’s story and the resiliency of their kids and how well they adapt.

Just now getting to these...
Congrats y'all earned your free pass last roll, it's there if you need it :)

Jenne wrote: "Just now getting to these...
Congrats y'all earned your free pass last roll, it's there if you need it :)"

Thanks Jenne

Finished :)
Roll 2 - - #1 in a series
Finished:18/11/14
Rating: 3.5 stars
Review: What? That was my reaction throughout the book. It took me a good one hundred pages to get into the book and start enjoying it. It was so confusing in the begining and the moment I started to understand what I was reading , ten pages later I would wonder what was happening.
I found the plot really interesting and intriguing. The way the whole thing turned out, that it wasnt real... damn. Did not expect it to be Merc. It is so cool to think that you can imagine and build worlds and people and stuff.
Did not like the releationship between Halloween and Simone. Or whatever that was. I always thought it should be Fantasia. And to learn that Pandora likes him... what? Also didnt like that all of Hal's friends died, like, come on!
I really liked the character of Halloween. He was fun, cynical and just... ah!
When I learned that there are three books I was a little shocked because the ending is a perfectly good one for the book and I cant imagine what can be done without ruining the book.
Overall, I liked it but I dont think that I would be continuing the series.

I linked the reviews already completed and reminding everyone else to please have their reviews post today so I can roll tonight.

Roll 2 Spot 10
(#1 in a series)

Read: The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
Finished: 11/19/14
Series: Don Tillman #1
Rating: ★★★★
Review:
Professor of Genetics, Don Tillman thought it was time to get married. How to find that perfect wife....through a questionaire. It's the most logical way.
Until he meets Rosie Jarman, a woman who needs his help to find her father. Wow, what a surprise! It was a fun read. I guess a questionaire is not always the right way to go. When it comes to women or love. :D

Roll 2 Spot 10
(#1 in the Ruth Galloway series)
Read: The Crossing Places by Elly Griffiths
Finished : November 19th
Rating: 3 stars

This was a so so read to me but I liked it enough to at least try and read the second sometime soon. I was intrigued by the location of the saltmarshs near Norfolk in the UK. It sounded mysterious by itself and the main character is an overweight , single woman that lives with her two cats Sparky and Flint. She is an archeologist and lectures and works at the university. The books includes a lot of information about archeology, Iron Age bones, sacrifices a secret groups surrounding the area . Those parts were pretty interesting but when it came to Ruth herself I didn't enjoy her. She was just whining about her weight so much and bordering on agoraphobic so anytime she left her home she would complain about that too. The ending was predictable and the mystery was lackluster but like I said I do still want to check the next one just in case because I feel like if they added more of the archeology focus and a stronger mystery it could turn around.

I have all the reviews linked and will roll tonight.