Bookish Challenges discussion

Sign-ups are open until September 15th.
The challenge is open-ended.

The Challenge

1. Please copy the tasks in the below message and post them in this thread. No new thread will be created.

2. This challenge is for 4 books, one for each of the playing cards suits. Each suit corresponds to 3 reading tasks and you need to choose only one of them and read a book that fits that requirement. You can read in any order. For each completed task, you will receive 2 points. Additionally, you will receive 10 points for completing the challenge.

3. There are no skips available for this challenge.

4. Put the completion post below each book completed in your message

Title:
Author:
Date Completed:
Task:
How it fits:

5. If you don't have a personal point account thread yet, request one here

6. Only books completed from August 16, 2024, will be accepted.

Happy reading!

Tasks:

Hearts ❤️ (Emotions and Relationships)
a) Read a book with a heart on the cover
b) Read a book about family relationships
c) Read a book that tugs at your heartstrings

Diamonds ♦️ (Wealth and Power)
a) Read a book about wealth and ambition
b) Read a book set in a luxurious setting
c) Read a book about power and influence

Clubs ♣️ (Growth and Challenges)
a) Read a book about personal growth
b) Read a book about overcoming challenges
c) Read a book set in the great outdoors

Spades ♠️ (Mystery and Conflict)
a) Read a mystery or thriller novel
b) Read a book about conflict or war
c) Read a book with a dark or Gothic theme

Playing Cards Suits - MINI QUEST

Hearts ❤️ (Emotions and Relationships)
a) Read a book with a heart on the cover
b) Read a book about family relationships
c) Read a book that tugs at your heartstrings

Diamonds ♦️ (Wealth and Power)
a) Read a book about wealth and ambition
b) Read a book set in a luxurious setting
c) Read a book about power and influence

Clubs ♣️ (Growth and Challenges)
a) Read a book about personal growth
b) Read a book about overcoming challenges
c) Read a book set in the great outdoors

Spades ♠️ (Mystery and Conflict)
a) Read a mystery or thriller novel
b) Read a book about conflict or war
c) Read a book with a dark or Gothic theme

4/4

Hearts ❤️ (Emotions and Relationships)
b) Read a book about family relationships
Intermezzo by Sally Rooney October 5 - about the relationship between two brothers

Diamonds ♦️ (Wealth and Power)
c) Read a book about power and influence
Stone Cold Queen by Lucy Smoke September 29 - dark romance all about power and influence

Clubs ♣️ (Growth and Challenges)
c) Read a book set in the great outdoors
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens September 19 - largely set in the great outdoors in North Carolina

Spades ♠️ (Mystery and Conflict)
a) Read a mystery or thriller novel
The Last Flight by Julie Clark August 16 - MPG Thriller

Playing Cards Suits - MINI QUEST - COMPLETE.
4/4 complete.

Hearts ❤️ (Emotions and Relationships)
Title: Black Widows
Author: Cate Quinn
Date Completed: 9/5/2024
Task: Read a book about family relationships
How it fits: This book is about plural marriages in the Latter Day Saints faith vs. single couple marriages and the way these are perceived by family; Blake's family couldn't accept his plural marriage.

Diamonds ♦️ (Wealth and Power)
Title: Trust
Author: Chris Hammer
Date Completed: 9/13/2024
Task: Read a book about power and influence
How it fits: This book is about power and influence in Sydney, Australia and includes a secret club that is filled with influential people that is hiding secrets.

Clubs ♣️ (Growth and Challenges)
Title: After She's Gone
Author: Camilla Grebe
Date Completed: 8/27/2024
Task: Read a book about personal growth and Read a book about overcoming challenges.
How it fits: MC Jake is a troubled child at the beginning of the book, friendless and alone and cross dressing but as the book goes on, he finds strength within himself and overcomes these obstacles. He makes amazing personal growth.

Spades ♠️ (Mystery and Conflict)
Title: Dirt Town
Author: Hayley Scrivenor
Date Completed: 8/21/2024
Task: Read a mystery or thriller novel
How it fits: Tagged Mystery and Thriller on the main page.

Tasks: 4/4
COMPLETE

✓ Hearts ❤️ (Emotions and Relationships)
a) Read a book with a heart on the cover
b) Read a book about family relationships
c) Read a book that tugs at your heartstrings - Water Moon, Samantha Sotto Yambao, finished 18-Aug. An emotional journey, especially the bittersweet ending.

✓ Diamonds ♦️ (Wealth and Power)
a) Read a book about wealth and ambition
b) Read a book set in a luxurious setting
c) Read a book about power and influence - Crime and Punishment, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, finished 20-Aug. Raskolnikov compares himself to the "Napoleons" of the world, those with the power and influence to transcend moral limitations imposed on ordinary people.

✓ Clubs ♣️ (Growth and Challenges)
a) Read a book about personal growth
b) Read a book about overcoming challenges
c) Read a book set in the great outdoors - The Hound of the Baskervilles, Arthur Conan Doyle, finished 26-Aug. The mystery largely takes place in the moorlands of Dartmoor, England.

✓ Spades ♠️ (Mystery and Conflict)
a) Read a mystery or thriller novel
b) Read a book about conflict or war - An African History of Africa: From the Dawn of Humanity to Independence, Zeinab Badawi, finished 01-Sep. Covers many of the conflicts and wars throughout the history of Africa, for example the War of the Golden Stool, one of the Anglo-Asante Wars fought in present-day Ghana.
c) Read a book with a dark or Gothic theme

Completed:4/4


Playing Cards Suits - MINI QUEST

Hearts ❤️ (Emotions and Relationships)
a) Read a book with a heart on the cover
b) Read a book about family relationships - The Cousins by Karen M. McManus - deals with family relations across 2 generations
c) Read a book that tugs at your heartstrings

Diamonds ♦️ (Wealth and Power)
a) Read a book about wealth and ambition In My Dreams I Hold a Knife by Ashley Winstead - based on a group of friends where MC Jessica's motivation is driven by ambition to become something relevant
b) Read a book set in a luxurious setting
c) Read a book about power and influence

Clubs ♣️ (Growth and Challenges)
a) Read a book about personal growth
b) Read a book about overcoming challenges We Are Okay - central theme of the book is for MC to overcome challenge of loneliness/depression
c) Read a book set in the great outdoors

Spades ♠️ (Mystery and Conflict)
a) Read a mystery or thriller novel - The Drowning Woman by Robyn Harding - mystery & thriller
b) Read a book about conflict or war
c) Read a book with a dark or Gothic theme

August Mini
4/4

Hearts ❤️ (Emotions and Relationships)
b) Read a book about family relationships
Book: Death Holds the Key by Alexander Thorpe
Date: 25/8 4★
Fit: the key lies in the O'Donnell family relationships


Diamonds ♦️ (Wealth and Power)
c) Read a book about power and influence
Book: The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club by Helen Simonson
Date: 27/8 4.5★
Fit: those with wealth have power, influence & freedom of choice, those without have none


Clubs ♣️ (Growth and Challenges)
a) Read a book about personal growth
Book: Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson
Date: 30/8 4★
Fit: MC Ernest experiences personal growth when he falls in love with Jasmina & encounters obstacles

Spades ♠️ (Mystery and Conflict)
a) Read a mystery or thriller novel
Book: Murder in G Major by Alexia Gordon
Date: 18/8 4★
Fit: mpg mystery

Playing Cards Suits - MINI QUEST completed 12/01/2025

4/4 tasks

Hearts ❤️ (Emotions and Relationships)
a) Read a book with a heart on the cover
b) Read a book about family relationships
c) Read a book that tugs at your heartstrings
Title: Southern Ruby
Author: Belinda Alexandra
Date Completed: 04/01/25
Task: b
How it fits: Amanda travels from Australia to New Orleans to discover her family she didn't know existed after her grandmother in oz dies.

Diamonds ♦️ (Wealth and Power)
a) Read a book about wealth and ambition
b) Read a book set in a luxurious setting
c) Read a book about power and influence
Title: Under the Dome
Author: Stephen King
Date Completed: 02/01/25
Task: c
How it fits: the town falls apart when a dome appears over it overnight. Policemen become murderers and try to frame Barb but some locals are trying to fight those in power.

Clubs ♣️ (Growth and Challenges)
a) Read a book about personal growth
b) Read a book about overcoming challenges
c) Read a book set in the great outdoors
Title: Infinite Country
Author: Patricia Engel
Date Completed: 26/08/24
Task: B
How it fits: illegal immigration and family separated for years when the father gets deported.


Spades ♠️ (Mystery and Conflict)
a) Read a mystery or thriller novel
b) Read a book about conflict or war
c) Read a book with a dark or Gothic theme
Title: Fire on the Fens
Author: Joy Ellis
Date Completed: 03/09/24
Task: A
How it fits: Mystery and thriller MPG