Hooked on Books discussion

Welcome to HOB's Annual Monster Hunt!!
Duration: Sep 1st to Nov 30th

Rules:
1. There are 50 Monsters + 6 Bonus Monsters to hunt for the next three months. Each monster has the weapons that can kill them listed. Since I’m the Mistress of the Hunt, you’ll find some unorthodox weapons.
2. Read books that will have the weapon(s) listed for the Monster on the Cover or in text or simply read a book with that monster.
3. There is no particular order, you can Hunt as you please.
4. HOB Standard Challenge Rules apply.
5. Bonus Monsters are worth surprise points.
6. Everyone on the Team has to read for the Bonus Monster. Reading for the same task is allowed.
7. Divide and Conquer. Apart from the Bonus, each Monster can only be read by 1 Hunter.
8. Hunters have to read for the Bonus Monster/check-in before moving onto the regular hunting.


Bonus Monster Rules
1. You get 5 days to read for the Bonus Monster and Check in!
2. You have to start the book after the Bonus Monster task has been posted
3. You can't use the same book for the Regular Monster and the Bonus
4. Remember this is Competitve Challenge!
5. Reading for the same task is allowed
6. Have Fun!!!

Team Members:
Kaley
Andy
Karen

Team Spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...

Each Team will have 3 Passes for the Bonus tasks. If a member can't read, they can use the pass (Zero points for the Member) and/or another member can read a book. 3 times only!! Use your passes wisely!

Hi team! Excited to play with you both!

Do either of you have suggestions for a team name?

Hi Kaley, Karen,
great to join the team
first time at this challenge so interested to see how it works

not sure I've the creativity to think up a name
always liked the ship names from Iain Banks Culture novels
like
Problem Children
I Blame The Parents
Sacrificial Victims
Unwitting Accomplices
Awkward Customers
Armchair Travellers

I'll stop now
feel free to ignore all above
😁

about me
living in Ireland
like a broad mix of books - fiction especially sci-fi, fantasy, historical, mystery and add occasional biography
hoping to read 2-3 books per week for this challenge

mostly reading from library at the moment
- trying to control book budget and shelving needs

here is my reading buddy,
she mostly can't see the point of reading,
... especially if uses up precious walking time

@Andy, is that a Doodle? How adorable? I have one too :D

What a precious reading buddy!!

Some about me -- I live in the US (in the state of Indiana). My husband and I have two dogs (a Chihuahua mix and a Boston terrier) and a cat. My favorite genre to read is definitely romance. I rarely read anything lately that doesn't have romance in it, but I'll read different types of romance — contemporary, fantasy, historical, etc.

I usually read about 10 books a month, so I'm hoping to stick to 2-3 a week but I guess that'll depend on how challenging the tasks are!

Namita wrote: "@Andy, is that a Doodle? How adorable? I have one too :D"

yes Namita, she's a mini, which is useful when she needs to be lifted or carried
2 years old, but seems to be mostly puppy temperament still

anyone done this challenge before?
anything we should prep?
any strategy worthwhile?

I have not done this challenge before so nothing much helpful from me. I did look at the old threads a little bit from the previous challenge to try to get an idea, and it does seem like communication is key to success! It was also two-people teams last year instead of three, so not sure how that'd affect it.

I guess we're waiting on Karen and then we can get on with the crucial business of selecting a team name

just took a look at the tracking spreadsheet to get an idea of what's involved.
Hopefully Kaley your romance reads typically feature Silver Bullets, Crossbows and ehm Holy Water?!

Andy wrote: "I guess we're waiting on Karen and then we can get on with the crucial business of selecting a team name

just took a look at the tracking spreadsheet to get an idea of what's involved.
Hopefully K..."

I have a feeling I'll be doing a lot of fantasy/paranormal romance reading the next few months :-P

Kaley wrote: "Andy wrote: "I guess we're waiting on Karen and then we can get on with the crucial business of selecting a team name

just took a look at the tracking spreadsheet to get an idea of what's involved..."

You can tell, I'm a fantasy/Paranormal lover...lol

just looking at my library request queue - more sci fi than fantasy at the moment
so, hoping some of the Bonus Monsters are susceptible to laser weaponry of various flavours
🤞🤞

Hopefully so!

Circling back to names, I liked these from your suggestions:
Problem Children
Sacrificial Victims
Unwitting Accomplices

I'm trying to think of some pun names based around the monsters on the spreadsheet but am coming up a little short on those right now. The only thing I can think of is Get Ogre It because I saw that on a Shrek shirt recently, but I don't think that really fits for a team name haha. Or jokes around "Hell" and hellhound like "Highway to Hellhound" or "What the Hellhound" but again not sure how fitting those would be for team names.

I'm good with any of the above names
since we're both new to the challenge -
we could update to Sacrificial Virgins....?

btw - I'm typically on goodreads more during the week, not so much at weekends

Hahaha love that!

That is also true for me. I'm on it a couple times a day each day during the week but much less so on the weekends!

Let me know you have decided on a name :D

I think we're just waiting on Karen to check in and weigh in :)

Sorry, I had forgotten that I signed up. Let me get my bearings

Definitely like Problem Children.

But, if there is something you both like better, I’ll support.

Hi, I’m Karen, I live near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. I’m a mod here (You may not see me much because I run the Readathons). I read just about everything, but I love SFF, mystery, classics, literary fiction and History.

Phew, I am glad I like Fantasy. Looks like that's we'll be reading for the next few months.

Karen wrote: "Phew, I am glad I like Fantasy. Looks like that's we'll be reading for the next few months."

Hi Karen! Welcome to the team!

Yes, I've been trying to cram my contemporary reads in here in the last few days of August because I don't think they're going to be much help in the next months! Getting my list of fantasy going haha.

Hi Karen

I'm happy to be one of the problem children

So, I see that one of the weapons is Garlic (for Vampire). I would like to readGarlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise, I think that would fit perfectly. Would that be ok with you Andy and Kaley?
I just realized that Vampires might be the easiest to find books for. So maybe I shouldn't take that one.

Kaley, I see that Succbus is killed by love.

Karen wrote: "So, I see that one of the weapons is Garlic (for Vampire). I would like to readGarlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise, I think that would fit perfectly. Would th..."

looks good Karen

That works for me, Karen!

Sounds like we've agreed on Problem Children, yes? So should we let Namita know?

Also, going back to the rules because I realized I did not 100% understand them before so I've had to reread them a few times. This is my understanding of them, so please let me know if this is also your understanding of them or if I am wrong. Hahaha.

For the base monsters:
We read a book that either has one of the monster's weapons listed in text or in the title or on the cover, or we read a book with that monster in it. One person per monster.

For bonus monsters:
We have to stop reading for other tasks when the bonus monster is announced and read a book with that monster in it (I'm assuming that one is monster in the book since no weapons are listed, unless weapons are listed when the monster is dropped. This can be dropped at any time and we have five days to read it. Every team member has to read for the bonus monster.

Does that sound right to you two?

I know for sure that I'm going to be reading Fall of Ruin and Wrath when it comes out in a few weeks. It has a sword on the cover so I can take one of the sword monsters.



There will probably be other weapons as well so I'll keep an eye out for those.

I am now kicking myself for all the 600+ page fantasy books with swords and daggers I've read within the last six months and therefore cannot use for this challenge now! haha. But I know I have more that it's been longer since I've read that can cover several different monsters so I might work those in!

I'm thinking going through each monster, and note down all the times a particular weapon is used. Swords are the most. It will be interesting to see how many times swords are mentioned.

Hi Namita,

Team 12, has decided on Problem Children for its name.

Thanks

Kaley wrote: "That works for me, Karen!

Sounds like we've agreed on Problem Children, yes? So should we let Namita know?

Also, going back to the rules because I realized I did not 100% understand them before s..."

As you see, I let Namita know.

I agree with your assessment of the rules. I had to read it several times as well.

I think I will start to come up with a draft of some sort (56 books, yikes!). Maybe once I start breaking it down a little bit, it won't seem so daunting.

That would be super helpful, Karen! Let me know if you need any help with that!

I think as a team we only have to read 68 books total combined, correct? Each of us need to read the 6 bonus monsters (18 total) and then we split the additional 50? Unless I'm reading the rules wrong which is completely within the realm of possibility.

I'm wondering if I should start planning books for the six bonus monsters since we know what they are . . . that way when they drop I'm prepared!

Right, 18 total. As far as I'm concerned, prepare as much as you would like.

The only problem is that 50 doesn't divide equally into 3 (16.6), so two of us will have to read 19 books.

I came up with a list:

Golem: Pike, Crossbow, battle Axe
Oni: Spear, Sword, Bullet - read 09/29/23
Cyclops: Stake, Sword
Ogre: Catapult, Axe - Kaley - 09/05/23 - What Lies Beyond the Veil
Vampire: Scythe, Garlic, Holy Water, Wooden Stake- Karen, read 09/02/23 - Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise
Werewolf: Silver Net/Chain, Sword, Silver Bullets
Goblin: Crossbow, Sword, Spear - Karen - 09/05/23 The Wandering Inn
Selki: Knife, Dagger, Sword
Centaur: Lance, sword, Crossbow

Dragon: Catapult, Crossbow, Sword, Axe
Basilisk: Lance, Spear, Sword - read
Chimera: Crossbow, Spear
Zombie: Spear, Sword, Baseball bat, dagger, gun, Machete
Banshee: Gold Spear, Gold Dagger, Gold Sword
Kraken: Harpoon, Crossbow, Catapult, Grenade, Cutlass

Orcs: Sword, Arrows, Fire
Krampus: Assault Rifle, Machine Gun, Lightning
Troll: Sun, Mace, Crossbow
Hellhound: Salt, Knife, Angel Blade - Andy 09/4/23- The Ocean at the End of the Lane
Mummy: Magic, Curse, Bombs, sword - Kaley 09/8/23 - Midlife Curses
Siren: Mirror, bronze dagger, shotgun read
Skinwalker: Magic, Shaman Bullets

Succbus: Sword, Cold Iron Weapon, Love
Fae: Iron, Arrow, Sword, Spear
Elf: Sword, Pike, Cold Iron, Crossbow - Karen Dragons of Autumn Twilight, read 09/16/23
Wraith: Fire, Silver Sword
Pishachas: Fire, Sword
Lamia: Salt, Rosemary, Silver Knife - read Andy 09/03/23 - Properties of Thirst
Djinn: Sword, Silver Dagger

Demon: Salt, Sage, Holy Water
Harpy: Dagger, Sword
Wendigo: Silver Bullet, Silver Arrow, Silver Stake
Necromancer: Poison, Dagger
Ghoul: Rifle, Shotgun - Karen 09/14/23 - Summer Knight
Gargoyle: Cannon, Rifle, Napalm Launcher - Andy 09/11/23 - The Night Ship
Nymph: Spear, Boomerang, Harpoon - Revenger, Karen read 09/09/23
Minotaur: Arrows, Sword

Aqrabuamelu: Ice, Lightning
Satyr: Pike, Lance, Sword - Karen, read 09/02/2023 - The Warrior Heir
Manticore: Catapult, Lance, Crossbow, Rifle
Sphinx: Lightning, fire, Magic
Chupacabra: Machine Gun, Crossbow
Baba Yaga: Dagger, Gun
Jorugumo: Cold Iron, Magic - Karen - 09/8/23 - Grave Peril

Griffin: Sword, Crossbow
Phoenix: Crossbow, Spear, Gun, Grenade, Sword
Hydra: Fire, Machine gun, bomb
Lephrecaun: Staff, Wand, Magic - The Forever War - Andy - 09/15/2023
Yeti: Crossbow, Sniper
Mermaid/Merman: Knife, Harpoon, Rope, net

One obvious weapon: Sword: 18 of them.

Crossbow: 13
Spear: 7
Knife: 3, there's also a Silver Knife

Karen wrote: "Right, 18 total. As far as I'm concerned, prepare as much as you would like.

The only problem is that 50 doesn't divide equally into 3 (16.6), so two of us will have to read 19 books."

OK, sounds good to me. Also, I'm fine with both splitting them evenly or just everyone taking on what they want/can based on reading speed. I can definitely make 19 work but am flexible about doing more or less based on how the challenge period is going for everyone else! Going to try my best to look for books that are a little longer since that matters for points. I have a few I need to reread before January that are somewhere in the 700-800 page range that I know for certain have at least swords/fae/guns in them. And actually I think the MC has a pet chimera . . . so I have some hefty page count options that can fit for a bunch of different ones depending on what we need!

I'm flexible as well. So far, I have Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise for the Vampire.

The Warrior Heir and Finnikin of the Rock, both of these have swords on the cover.

I also have The Golem and the Jinni, which of course would work for the Golem, and it is 819 pages.

really hoping the bonus monsters are weapon-killable
and that there will be a set of commonplace weapons for each one

ideally, if Boggart is commonly found as road-kill and any form of transport works - that would be great...

Good point Andy.

I am really hoping that as well!

I'm not the best planner for books, but the next two lined up should fit somewhere

The Track of Sand - Mystery Crime Thriller - so expecting some gun / knife appearances
Properties of Thirst - Historical Fiction, World War II, - should have weapons

also, trying to train myself to notice relevant items in current read
Marzahn, mon amour

just not many crossbows or harpoons in a chiropodist clinic on the outskirts of Berlin, so far.

Andy, you have a great idea there. We might find weapons in a wide range of books.

A thought,

I think some of these may be difficult to find. My suggestion, read the books that are easy to find, then if we have time at the end, work on the more difficult ones.

just trying to switch gears from Towers challenge and noting colours and initials.

looking forward to starting this tomorrow
must try to finish current book tonight and clear the decks for monster hunting

Andy wrote: "just trying to switch gears from Towers challenge and noting colours and initials.

looking forward to starting this tomorrow
must try to finish current book tonight and clear the decks for monster..."

I am doing the same.

I think that's a good plan, Karen. I'm thinking my plan will be reading books I know have some of the more common weapons and then keep my eyes and ears out for some of the more difficult ones. Hopefully a few of the books will surprise me and have some of the ones I'm not expecting!

Do we know if there's an official start time for everyone, or does it just start midnight Sept. 1 in our own time zone? Was looking for a start time and can't find one.