The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion

25.3 - Queen Bee Darlene's task: The Unfortunate Effect of Planning

Each season when the new tasks are released, I immediately plug them into an Excel spreadsheet and start the gratifying process of finding books to fit each task. I love it when the 30-point tasks are ready right away and then the 25-point tasks slowly trickle in. It’s just those darn 20-point tasks that take forever to get. About a week before the new challenge starts, I start requesting books from the library and start color coding my Excel sheet with different colors for if I own the book (purple), have the book already from the library (green), or have requested and am waiting for the book (orange). The whole process brings me joy.

And then, the season starts. All of a sudden, these books that I was so excited to GET to read have become books that I HAVE to read. It doesn’t matter that I am the one that chose the books. All of a sudden I am a rebel with an I’ll read what I want attitude. Over the next three months my perfectly curated list of books becomes barely recognizable from how it started. Poor Me!

This is a two-book task. Read one book from two different options.

Required: Identify which options you select when you post.

Option 1
I’d love to tell you to read whatever you want, but it’s not allowed and it really wouldn’t be that much fun. What is a reading challenge without being challenged after all.

Read a book with one of the words DON’T TELL ME WHAT TO DO in the title only. The word must stand alone and match exactly.

Option 2
This time I’m going to be more SPONTANEOUS in my reading. I will only fill in a few spots on my spreadsheet. I don’t know how well I’ll do points wise, but it’s going to be more spur of the moment decisions on the books I read.

Spontaneous has 11 letters. Read a book that:
A. was first published in a year with 11 in it.
B. has 11 letters in the author’s name or title. The complete author's name or a name part (first, middle, last) may be used. Titles that have 11 letters total or an 11-letter individual word will work. Subtitles may be used or excluded.
C. has the number 11 in the title/subtitle (in any variation.)
REQUIRED: State which option you used and how the book fits the task when you post.

Ex:
A. Ready Player One - first published 2011
B. Such a Fun Age - 11 letters in title
B. The Cabinet of Curiosities - Curiosities has 11 letters
B. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield – Setterfield has 11 letters
B. 11/22/63 by Stephen King - Stephen King has 11 letters
C. 11/22/63 by Stephen King – 11 in title
C. Station Eleven – 11 in title


Option 3
Of course I was being facetious when I said Poor Me! This is not a real problem. The only book problem is when there is a lack of access. There are many charitable organizations out there that are trying to combat this problem. Especially at this time of year I encourage you to find one in your community and spread the book love.

BOOKS FOR EVERYONE. Read a book where at least 2 different vowels appear at least 3 times each in the title and/or subtitle.
Ex: The Art of Racing in the Rain – 3 of the letter A and 3 of the letter I
One Hundred Years of Solitude – 3 of the letter O and 4 of the letter E

Option 4
Two colors on my spreadsheet that I forgot to mention are Yellow and Blue. I make the cell yellow when I have read the book and then I mark the cell blue after I have posted the task. The goal of course is to see a whole sheet of blue by the time the challenge is over.

Read a book with both blue and yellow on the cover.
REQUIRED: Include the book cover and point out the yellow and blue when you post.

EX:
- blue mountains, yellow in sky
- blue background, yellow dragons
- blue eye, yellow letters

Reserved for approved books:

Option 3 - Books for Everyone


Option 4 - yellow and blue

Reserved

This thread is now open!

you are describing me exactly

omg love it!!! and this is why i try to line up a couple different options for each book because i hate the omg got to read it feeling

I like this task. For option 1, can there be more than one of the matching words in the title? My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry has three matching words.

Thank you.

I just had to stop by and say OMG this is so ME! Thank you for making me smile today. :D

QUESTION BOOKS FOR EVERYONE. Read a book where at least 2 different vowels appear at least 3 times each in the title or subtitle.

So the repeating letters must be in EITHER the title OR the subtitle ... can't be a combination of the two?

For example:
The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz There are 4 "e" in the title / but only 2 "i" ... However, there are 5 "i" in the SUBtitle.

Kim wrote: "I like this task. For option 1, can there be more than one of the matching words in the title? My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry has three matching words.

Thank you."

Absolutely! That would make you an overachiever.

Marie (UK) wrote: "you are describing me exactly"

Good to know I'm not alone - lol

Shelby wrote: "I just had to stop by and say OMG this is so ME! Thank you for making me smile today. :D"

Dee wrote: "omg love it!!! and this is why i try to line up a couple different options for each book because i hate the omg got to read it feeling"

It looks like I've found my people!!

This is me too! I love this task!

Book Concierge wrote: "QUESTION BOOKS FOR EVERYONE. Read a book where at least 2 different vowels appear at least 3 times each in the title or subtitle.

So the repeating letters must be in EITHER the title OR the subtit..."

I just had the wording changed to say in the title AND/OR the subtitle so it can be either or both.

Thanks for clarifying, Darlene.
(Having written a challenge before .. I know that you think you have thought of everything and then a question comes along .... )

I love this task!
This is so me only my spreadsheet is in Google Sheets :)

Would this work for option 4? There is a small amount of blue

Would this work for option 4?


Thanks!

Another hand raised for having a color-coded Excel spreadsheet! I love trying to fill in the whole thing, even though I know in the end it will look very different :)

Lauren wrote: "Would this work for option 4? There is a small amount of blue "


Blue shutters - I see them. I would say that fits!

Sorry for the delay in replying - heavy winds here so they turned off our power.

Alex wrote: "Would this work for option 4?


Thanks!"

Definitely works. Sorry for the delay in responding - no power due to high winds here.

Oh, and YES to the color-coded excel spreadsheet! (I think my husband regrets ever teaching me Excel ... LOL)

Book Concierge wrote: "Oh, and YES to the color-coded excel spreadsheet! (I think my husband regrets ever teaching me Excel ... LOL)"

I brought my spreadsheet to my book club once and they all thought I was crazy! They didn't get it at all. My husband doesn't like to read so he also doesn't get it. I'm on an island here. LOL

Can I verify for yellow and blue cover?

Jayme(the ghost reader) wrote: "Can I verify for yellow and blue cover?
"

Absolutely, that works!

For the Option 2, specifically, 11 letter author name, would Alix E. Harrow qualify?
Alix(4) + E.(1) + Harrow(6) = 11
Or does the "." count as a letter in the middle name?

Deedee wrote: "For the Option 2, specifically, 11 letter author name, would Alix E. Harrow qualify?
Alix(4) + E.(1) + Harrow(6) = 11
Or does the "." count as a letter in the middle name?"

This would count as I only counted the actual letters

Would this count for yellow and blue?

Brooklyn wrote: "Would this count for yellow and blue?
"

I don't see yellow. I see more beige. I did go to tineye (which is not required) to see if there was some yellow in there that I'm not seeing and it doesn't show any yellow either.

Sorry!

Darlene wrote: "
I don't see yellow. I see more beige. I did go to tineye (which is not required) to see if there was s..."

No problem. That's why I asked first.

Would this work for option 4?

Brooklyn wrote: "Would this work for option 4?
"


Absolutely - yellow jacket, blue sky

Would this count for blue and yellow?

Emurphy wrote: "Would this count for blue and yellow? "

Yes - yellow tree, blue background

Hi Darlene,
would this work for blue and yellow?



Btw, I love your task, this is so me as well! :)

Sara Ⓥ wrote: "Hi Darlene,
would this work for blue and yellow?



Btw, I love your task, this is so me as well! :)"

So sorry it took me so long to get back to you. I forgot to check this thread for a few days.
It works for me - blue sky, yellow dress and writing

Darlene wrote: "So sorry it took me so long to get back to you. I forgot to check this thread for a few days.
It works for me - blue sky, yellow dress and writing"

No worries! Thanks for getting back to me and validated my book.
Happy reading!

Bookwrm526

Hi! I wanted to see if this cover would work for blue and yellow - his hair is yellow!


Thanks

Jessica wrote: "Bookwrm526

Hi! I wanted to see if this cover would work for blue and yellow - his hair is yellow!


Thanks"
I would say that works: yellow hair, blue background. I'm so sorry it took me so long to see this.

Darlene wrote: "Jessica wrote: "Bookwrm526

Hi! I wanted to see if this cover would work for blue and yellow - his hair is yellow!


Thanks"
I would say that works: yellow hair, b..."

No worries, I was going to read it either way, just glad I can count it :)