The Perks Of Being A Book Addict discussion

Team Star Trek

Team Members:
👾
❅ Jenny - Captain
❅ Angie ☯ - Co-Captain
❅ Vicki
❅ Corina
❅ Courtney W
❅ Bella
❅ Elizabeth Sullivan


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

R

R

Uno rules https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Tracking sheet https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...

Uno Shelves
Jenny-https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...
Angie-https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...
Vicki-https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...
Corina-https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...
Courtney-https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...
Bella-https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...
Elizabeth-https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...

TinEye-http://labs.tineye.com/color/36c8a13a...
Bookfinder-https://www.arbookfind.com/UserType.a...

February Mini Challenge-
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

(view spoiler)[
In a galaxy far, far away...

Prepare your tunics and your lightsabers (and maybe a spaceship while you're at it) - for in this optional mini challenge, we will take you across the universe of Star Wars to make the acquaintance of some of the most well-known heroes and villains of the galaxy.

From the below list, your team may pick six characters. At least one character needs to be a hero and at least one character needs to be a villain. The remaining four characters may be freely selected among heroes and villains. For all six of your chosen characters, you will have to read a book for every task.

🌌🪐💫☄️



R2D2 & C3PO
1. Read a book with an author who identifies as LGBTQIA+.
2. Read a book with an awesome sidekick (your own interpretation).
3. Read a book with a character who speaks more than one language.
4. Read a book from the Shelf Artificial Intelligence (if a book is part of a series, any book from the series will be accepted).
5. Read a book with gold letters on the cover.



Luke Skywalker
6. Read a book where one or more characters have to go on a quest.
7. Read a book with a sky on the cover.
8. Read a book with a character who is a beginner at something.
9. Read a book with a sword on the cover.
10. Read a book with MPG Science Fiction or MPG Speculative Fiction.



Princess Leia
11. Read a book with a character who is royalty.
12. Read a book by a female author.
13. Read a book with a white cover.
14. Read a book where characters from different backgrounds fall in love.
15. Read a book from the Shelf Bad Ass Heroine (if a book is part of a series, any book from the series will be accepted).



Han Solo
16. Read a book with a hero or a character who is worshipped as a hero.
17. Read a book by a male author.
18. Read a book with a gun on cover.
19. Read a book where the title begins with a letter from MILLENNIUM FALCON.
20. Read a book where the characters have to pull off a heist.



Chewbacca
21. Read a book with a character who has a fabulous best friend.
22. Read a book with the word "carpet" in text. (Please give location and sentence.)
23. Read a book with a neuro-divergent character.
24. Read a book with a spaceship on the cover.
25. Read a book where the title and/or series title and/or author's name contains at least 2 Ys.



Yoda
26. Read a book with a character who is a teacher (of any kind).
27. Read a book with 500+ pages.
28. Read a book that has been published in or before 1977.
29. Read a book with a character who is retired or who is in hiding.
30. Read a book tagged "Magic" or "Magical Realism" (at least 10x).



Darth Vader
31. Read a book where one of the characters is considered a villain.
32. Read a book with a black cover.
33. Read a book with the letters MASK in title OR in author's name.
34. Read a book with MPG Romance.
35. Read a book where friends fall out.



Emperor Palpatine
36. Read a book with an elderly character.
37. Read a book with red writing on the cover.
38. Read a book revolving around some kind of political intrigue.
39. Read a book where a character is hiding their true identity.
40. Read a book tagged "Space Opera" (at least 10x).



Jabba the Hutt
41. Read a book with a character from another species.
42. Read a book with MPG Crime.
43. Read a book where the author initials can be found in BOUNTYHUNTER.
44. Read a book with the word "gangster" in text. (Please provide location and sentence.)
45. Read a book with a character who is enslaved or held in captivity.



Fleet Admiral Piett
46. Read a book with MPG War or MPG Military or MPG Military Romance.
47. Read a book with a character who has a difficult/demanding boss.
48. Read a book with the word "uniform" in text. (Please provide location and sentence.)
49. Read a book from the Shelf Space (if a book is part of a series, any book from the series will be accepted).
50. Read a book where the title begins with a letter from FIRMUS.



Sarlacc, the monster of the Dune Sea
51. Read a book tagged "Adventure" (at least 10x).
52. Read a book with a brown cover.
53. Read a book with the word "hopeless" in text. (Please give location and sentence.)
54. Read a book with MPG Horror.
55. Read a book with a title starting with a letter from DIGESTION.



Grand Moff Tarkin
56. Read a book with a character who has one of the following specific honorifics to their name: occupational, military, academic or title. (Familial honorifics - Aunt, Grandma, etc. - or Mr/Mrs, etc are not accepted.)
57. Read a book with the letters DEATH STAR in title and/or author's name.
58. Read a book with a grey cover.
59. Read a book from the Shelf Boss (if a book is part of a series, any book from the series will be accepted).
60. Read a book where a character gets imprisoned/locked up.

🌌🪐💫☄️

◈ Every book read, i.e. every task completed, is worth 10 points. Each book can be used for one task only.
◈ Books for tasks can be finished in any order. No need to complete blocks to get the 10 points/book.
◈ Completing six sets of tasks (ie six characters) will award your team a completion bonus of 30 points.

◈ Books used for this mini challenge do not need to be separate books from what you are claiming for your UNO hands.
◈ The usual book length rules apply.
◈ Team spreadsheets will be updated with a mini challenge tab so that you can track your books and claim your points.

◈ Books can be started at any point since the start of the UNO challenge (Feb 1).
◈ Books need to be finished after the start of this mini challenge on 14 February, 9am UTC (Countdown: https://www.timeanddate.com/countdown...) and before 1 March, 9am UTC.
(hide spoiler)]

March mini Challenge-

(view spoiler)[🐬🐬Task List🐬🐬

1. Read a book with MPG Comedy or MPG Humor or tagged minimum 10x
2. Read a book with MPG Travel or tagged minimum 10x
3. Read a book with MPG Science Fantasy or MPG Science Fiction Fantasy or tagged minimum 10x
4. Read a book with MPG Alternate History or tagged minimum 10x
5. Read a book MPG Dystopia(n) or tagged minimum 10x
6. Read a book that has over 25K ratings
7. Read a book with a rating of 4,2 or higher
8. Read a book from a series with at least 6 books
9. Read a book from a Trilogy
10. Read a book that has been adapted into a radio or TV program or into a movie
11. Read a book that has been translated into at least 3 different languages
12. Read a book published in May of any year
13. Read a book published in any year between 1978-2005
14. Read a book with the word PANIC in text (it will be accepted as part of a word, like panicked/panicking)
15. Read a book with the word TOWEL(s) in text
16. Read a book that contains at least part of a poem or where a reference is made to a poem or a poet in text
17. Read a book with the word GUIDE in title (subtitle incl.) or series title
18. Read a book starting with a letter from VOGON (the/a or equivalents can be ignored)
19. Read a book with the letters BYPASS in title (subtitle incl.) and/or author's name
20. Read a book from the shelf UNIVERSE or GALAXY*
21. Read a book from the shelf ALIEN*
22. Read a book with a character working in an office
23. Read a book with a character who works in the construction industry
24. Read a book with some kind of chase in the plot
25. Read a book that features a restaurant
26. Read a book where a character disappears
27. Read a book with a character's name starting with or containing an X
28. Read a book with some kind of fish on the cover
29. Read a book with a teacup/mug on the cover or where tea is consumed during the course of the plot
30. Read a book with a spaceship on the cover

* If a book on the shelf is part of a series, any book from the series is accepted.

🐬🐬Spell-out🐬🐬
31. B
32. A
33. B
34. E
35. L

Tasks 20 and 21 links to lists-
Universe-https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
Galaxy-https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
Alien-https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
Aliens-https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
(hide spoiler)]

April Mini Challenge

(view spoiler)[
In a galaxy far far away .... don't panic .....OK, actually you can start panicking a little bit.

You are going on 🛸 The Great Galactic Book Quest 🌌

The Galaxy awaits - but before you launch your ship into the stars, you’ll need to build it from scratch, assemble a top-notch crew, and chart a course into the unknown.

Your tools? Books.
Crack open a sci-fi adventure to bolt on the engine. Devour a fantasy epic to recruit a magical mechanic. Need a brave pilot? A clever detective? A chance to contemplate the meaning of life? A robot who’s good with spreadsheets or an alien with other necessary skills? There’s a book for all that.

With every story you finish, your ship gets stronger, your crew gets weirder (in the best way), and your cosmic path becomes clearer. Where are you headed? Who knows! That’s half the fun.

Are you ready to read your way into space?

◈ Every book read, i.e. every task completed, is worth 10 points. Each book can be used for one task only.
◈ Books for tasks can be finished in any order. No need to complete blocks to get the 10 points/book.

◈ Books used for this mini challenge do not need to be separate books from what you are claiming for your UNO hands.
◈ The usual book length rules apply.
◈ Team spreadsheets will be updated with a mini challenge tab so that you can track your books and claim your points.

◈ Books can be started at any point since the start of the UNO challenge (Feb 1).
◈ Books need to be finished after the start of this mini challenge on 15 April, 9am UTC (Countdown: https://www.timeanddate.com/countdown...) and before 1 May, 9am UTC (the sad time for UNO 2025 to end).

Part 1

🚀 Build Your Own Spaceship

1. The Engine Room (Power Source)
Read a book with "energy", "fire", "power" or similar in the title or plot.

2. The Cockpit (Control Centre)
Read a book where a character takes charge or leads a mission.

3. Navigation System
Read a book set in multiple locations or with a journey across space/time/land.

4. The Hull (Body of the Ship)
Read a book with a cover that's mostly either metallic, grey, or silver; or features a structure that is mostly one of those colours.

5. Shields & Defence Systems
Read a book featuring a warrior, protector, or a defensive strategy.

6. Communication System
Read a book where language, translation, or miscommunication is key to the plot.

7. Life Support System
Read a book about survival in extreme conditions.

8. Artificial Intelligence
Read a book with a robot, AI, or a highly intelligent system/character.

9. Fuel Tank
Read a book that energises you or refuels your reading mojo!

10. The Launch Pad (Get Ready for Take-Off)
Read the first book in a series, or a debut novel.

*****

Part 2
🧑‍🚀 Select Your Crew

1. The Captain
Read a book with a strong leader, mentor, or decision-maker.

2. The Pilot
Read a book with a character who’s always on the move — a traveller, driver, or adventurer.

3. The Engineer
Read a book featuring a problem-solver, inventor, or builder.

4. The Medic
Read a book with a healer, doctor, therapist or emotional caretaker.

5. The Scientist
Read a book with a character in STEM, or where science plays a big role.

6. The Cook
Read a book that features food, cooking, or a chef character.

7. The Communications Officer
Read a book with a journalist, writer, translator, or with social media presence.

8. The Security Officer
Read a book with a character in law enforcement, military, or security.

9. The Alien
Read a book with a character who’s an outsider, immigrant, or "not from around here" (genre-wise or culturally).

10. The Comedian / Morale Booster
Read a book that made you laugh or features a humorous character.

*****

Part 3
🌌 Off You Go

1. Pack Your Bags
Read a book where a character prepares for a journey or big change.

2. Choose Your Destination
Read a book set in a faraway land, another planet, or a completely imagined world.

3. Map Your Route
Read a book with a map in the front, or where navigation is part of the story.

4. Buy Your Ticket
Read a book where access, entry, or permission is a key theme.

5. Face Travel Delays
Read a book where things don’t go to plan — detours, delays or unexpected twists.

6. Meet Fellow Travellers
Read a book where strangers are thrown together on a journey (e.g. road trip, cruise, expedition).

7. Board the Ship
Read a book that starts with immediate action or throws you into the story from page one.

8. Set Your Course
Read a book where a character has a clear mission or purpose.

9. Zero Gravity Moment
Read a book that makes you feel weightless – dreamy, poetic, or mind-bending.

10. Emergency Landing
Read a book where a journey goes wrong — crash landings, lost in space, or stranded scenarios.

*****

Part 4
🌠 End of the Universe

1. A Final Mission
Read a book that’s the last in a series or features a character’s final journey.

2. Apocalypse Now
Read a book set during or after the end of the world (dystopian, post-apocalyptic, climate fiction etc).

3. Time’s Up
Read a book that involves time travel, time loops, or racing against the clock.

4. Stars Go Out
Read a book with a tragic ending or emotional farewell.

5. The Unknown Beyond
Read a book that explores philosophical questions, the meaning of life, or what comes after death.

6. One Small Step
Read a book that feels like a personal milestone — one you’ve been meaning to read for ages.

7. Cosmic Weirdness
Read a book with surreal, mind-bending, or speculative elements that challenge your view of reality.

8. New World Rising
Read a book about rebirth, rebuilding, or hope after devastation.

9. Drift into Darkness
Read a book with a dark or eerie tone — horror, gothic, or psychological thriller.

10. Light-Years from Home
Read a book by an author from a different country or cultural background than your own.

*****

Part 5
⏺️ Captain’s Log: Mission Chronicles📝

Every great journey needs a record—and yours is no exception!
As you read your way through the galaxy, you and your crew will be charting not just the stars, but your experiences among the pages.

You need to log entries for Parts 1-4.
Each log should be about 3–4 sentences long—but feel free to elaborate if inspiration strikes!
For each completed Captain’s Log entry, your team earns 5 extra points!

Here are some suggestions, but feel free to be creative and daring!

🚀 Build Your Own Spaceship – What books inspired your ship's design, power, and purpose?
👨‍🚀 Select Your Crew – Who joined your ranks from the stories you read? What skills or quirks did they bring?
🌌 Off You Go – As you launch into space, what did your reading journey teach you about exploration, courage, or the unknown?
🌠 End of the Universe – How did it all wrap up? Reflect on where your books took you, and what you’ll carry with you beyond the stars.
(hide spoiler)]

Countdown to the START of Uno:
(view spoiler)[
https://www.timeanddate.com/countdown... (hide spoiler)]

February Cards:
(view spoiler)[
0️⃣ (3)
1️⃣ (7)
2️⃣ (5)
3️⃣ (5)
4️⃣ (8)
5️⃣ (5)
6️⃣ (6)
7️⃣ (6)
8️⃣ (9)
9️⃣ (10)

⏸️ Draw 2 (8)
⏭ Skip (8)
◀️ Reverse (8)
⏺ Wild (2)
🌈 Wild Draw 4 (5)

📘- 1 Blue (1)
📘- 2 Blue (1)
📗- 5 Green (1)
📗- 6 Green (1)
📗- 9 Green (1)
📕- 1 Red (1)
📕- 6 Red (1)
📒- 5 Yellow (1)

Countdown to the Start of Month 2 - March - of Uno: https://www.timeanddate.com/countdown... (hide spoiler)]

March Cards:
(view spoiler)[
0️⃣ (5)
1️⃣ (6)
2️⃣ (8)
3️⃣ (4)
4️⃣ (9)
5️⃣ (8)
6️⃣ (8)
7️⃣ (8)
8️⃣ (5)
9️⃣ (9)

⏸️ Draw 2 (9)
⏭ Skip (4)
◀️ Reverse (8)
⏺ Wild (2)
🌈 Wild Draw 4 (5)

📘- 1 Blue (1)
📘- 7 Blue (1)
📘- Skip Blue (1)
📗- Skip Green (1)
📕- 0 Red (1)
📕- 6 Red (1)
📕- 8 Red (1)
📕- 9 Red (1)
📕- Skip Red (1)
📒- 0 Yellow (1)
📒- 3 Yellow (1)
📒- 4 Yellow (1)
📒- 5 Yellow (1)
📒- Skip Yellow (1) (hide spoiler)]

Countdown to the Start of Month 3 - April - of Uno:
https://www.timeanddate.com/countdown...

April Cards:
0️⃣ (1)
1️⃣ (9)
2️⃣ (9)
3️⃣ (7)
4️⃣ (8)
5️⃣ (8)
6️⃣ (8)
7️⃣ (7)
8️⃣ (7)
9️⃣ (5)

⏸️ Draw 2 (6)
⏭ Skip (12)
◀️ Reverse (8)
⏺ Wild (4)
🌈 Overload (2)

📘- 4 Blue (2)
📘- 5 Blue (1)
📘- 9 Blue (1)
📗- 0 Green (1)
📗- 1 Green (1)
📗- 6 Green (1)
📕- 1 Red (2)
📕- 2 Red (1)
📕- 3 Red (1)
📕- 5 Red (1)
📕- 7 Red (1)
📕- 8 Red (1)
📒- 3 Yellow (1)
📒- 4 Yellow (1)
📒- 6 Yellow (2)

.

.

Hey team!
I am Jenny, one of the captains. I always wanted to captain a starship. Now’s my chance!
I am from Phoenix, where it is currently not on fire nor under a blanket of snow, so I am feeling pretty lucky.
I have two lovely kitties and a large collection of books, some yummy single malt, and some beautiful art on the walls. And a brand new tv, perfect for watching football, even if my team isn’t playing anymore this season. So now, it is Go Bills!

If any of you are new to Uno, feel free to ask as many questions as you like. We will be using the tracking spreadsheet to enter books, not the official one, so click on the link in message 4 to get access.
If any of you are uncomfortable using a spreadsheet, give a shout, and we can either set up a tutorial, or a completion post thread. Either is just fine.
Feel free to start grabbing up spots on the spreadsheet whenever you like.

There will be links to the rules and to other useful sites in message four.

Welcome to Uno!

Hello everyone!!
Welcome to Uno!

- I'm Angie, your co-captain for this round of Uno.
- I live in East TN, (Eastern time zone). Currently it is pouring snow here!
- I work in the accounting/finance field... since forever!
- I'm a Raiders gal, even when they forget how to play football!
- So, I'll be cheering for the Bills, along with Jenny!
- I believe this is my 8th round of Uno.
- I will read pretty much anything for challenges....even if I hate the genre!

I look forward to playing with you all!! Let's have some UNO fun!!

Hello Angie and Jenny, and thanks for being our captain team!

Hello to my other teammates, too! *Waves* I don't know any of you so I friended requested all of you.

I am Vicki from the central valley in California, a good 300+ miles from the fires; however, one of my sons and 6 of my grandchildren live near the fires. My son, Brian, is 12 miles from the Pasadena/Altadena fires and dealing with smoke in the air but no fire danger as of this moment.

I'm happily married, have 5 children, 22 grandchildren and I'm expecting my 8th great grandchild this June, possibly on our anniversary the 27th. :)

I'm a retired high school teacher. I taught English and yearbook, 25 years and 18 years respectively. Now I spend my days reading and vegging. lol

I am a Dodgers fan (grew up with them) and a 49ers fan. I'm loyal so no digs, please. lol I have no ties to the Bills since I've only been to NY once from a Thursday night landing at midnight to a Sunday morning flying back home. But I have to admit I love it.

I've played UNO every year since 2019. so I guess this is my 7th time playing and I LOVE this challenge!

And Ditto what Angie said, I'll read anything for a challenge too and push myself to read books faster than I generally like to. Depending on the book I like to savor some but I'll FLY through others just to hurry up and get them over with.

I am SO ready and I can't wait to get our SS and see it. Silly but I get so darn excited to see spreadsheets. lol

Jenny, I just not noticed your birth year. You were 3 years old when I graduated! lol I am an old lady but young at heart. I am most definitely the oldest on this team, not that age matters. As my mother used to say, "Age is just a number and my number ain't listed." Only I don't mind telling my age because I've known too many people who've died young so I'm not necessarily "proud" I've lived this long but happy that I have because not everyone gets to. My birthday is this month and I've had a great birthday month so far. :)

Happy Birthmonth! This is going to be fun.

I'm very glad you and your family have not been burned out by the fires. So scary.

If you haven't found it yet, the ss is linked in message 4 above.

Oh, I found it and I love the colors! :)

Hi team and thanks for being our captains this year Jenny and Angie!
I am Corina, originally from Romania (land of Dracula as they say haha), but I have been living in New Zealand for the last 8 years with my husband and 2 little boys aged 1 and a half and 4 and a half years old. I work full time as an HR Manager, mostly trying to fix other people's messes.
I'm friends with Bella and Courtney as we have been doing buddy reads together for some years now :) Glad to meet everyone else.
Seeing news about the fires in California has been horrendous. Glad to hear you and your families are safe.
It's summer time here, almost no rain, so very dry, luckily no fires.
I read most genres, though non fiction not so much. I do prefer fantasy, fiction, including historical, mystery/thriller and romance.
Sorry, I don't know anything about American football lol!
Happy birthmonth Jenny and Vicki!
Looking forward to playing UNO with all of you this year!

Hi everyone, I'm Elizabeth (Liz)! Thank you so much Jenny and Angie for being our captains. This is my first year participating in Uno and I am super excited!!!

I grew up right outside of New York City, but I live in the city now. I am a psychology graduate student at NYU. I usually prefer to read mystery/thrillers and romance, but I am up for anything when it comes to a challenge, as well!

I am glad your family is staying safe through the fires, Vicki!

Can't wait to get started!

Hi Corina and Liz!
So glad to see our crew boarding the starship!

Corina, Romania to New Zealand? There is a story there. I am dying to know what your accent is like now that you have lived amongst the Kiwis for so long. Since you mentioned Dracula, I am of course picturing Taika Waititi in What We Do in the Shadows.

Liz, psychology grad in New York? Even more stories there, I'll bet!

It seems like this will be a good team for tackling the mini challenges that the mods thow our way. Yay!

Hello, Corina and Liz, nice to "meet" you both!

I have loved the mini-challenges and can't wait to see what they are this round!

Jenny, is there a reason we don't have March on our SS? And, if we already know a book or two that we want to read for round 1, is it okay to claim a spot or two?

Thanks, Jenny!
The blame is all on my English husband who was living in Romania and then got offered a job on the other side of the world. I'll be honest, my accent is not very Kiwi haha...it has always leaned more Canadian for some reason. At least that's what people say when they ask me if I'm from Canada or they can't place my accent at all lol.
I have to admit I have never properly watched What we do in the shadows, just seen snippets.

Nice to meet you too, Liz and Vicki!
Would love to go to NY, Liz...I have to admin I'm a fan of musicals and theatre, so I would def want to go and see some on Broadway.
I could also have a look through my books and see if I can find some that fit for our coloured cards. Let me know :)

By all means, start grabbing up spots on the spreadsheet!

Vicki, i have no idea why we don't have March on the sheet, but no worries, it wouldn't tell us anything even if it was there. The mods don't deal the cards for all three months at once.

Corina wrote: "Nice to meet you too, Liz and Vicki!
Would love to go to NY, Liz...I have to admin I'm a fan of musicals and theatre, so I would def want to go and see some on Broadway.
I could also have a look th..."

I love theater and musicals too! When I got my masters degree online through AIU, there were 5 of us who decided to meet in person in NY. We were from all over the states! We planned on going to a musical and I wanted to see Phantom of the Opera so badly! So, we went to The Majestic and saw it. I was so overcome with emotion by being in NY, then that theater was so impressive I just teared up. lol It was something I'll never forget. I go to local theaters a lot, some in Sacramento and a few in San Francisco.

Jenny wrote: "By all means, start grabbing up spots on the spreadsheet!

Vicki, i have no idea why we don't have March on the sheet, but no worries, it wouldn't tell us anything even if it was there. The mods do..."

Okie dokie, you know I will then.

Vicki wrote: "Corina wrote: "Nice to meet you too, Liz and Vicki!
Would love to go to NY, Liz...I have to admin I'm a fan of musicals and theatre, so I would def want to go and see some on Broadway.
I could also..."
Would absolutely love to see the Phantom of the Opera, it's one of my favourites. I would probably cry too lol. When I visited London back in 2015, went to the West End and saw a The curious incident of the dog in the nightime which was amazing and then won tickets to see The book of mormon which was quite fun to be honest.
Back in Romania, I used to go to the theater and the opera quite a bit. Unfortunately, I live in a small town now and they only have an amateur theater here. They do a play every now and again. They did do Rent a couple of years ago and it was pretty good.

We have a small theater in a town 12 miles from me called Gallo Theater of the Arts and they have all kinds of plays, dancers, singers, youth summer plays, etc. but they're quite good. We usually go to some kind of play when on a vacation as well. We've even gone to a Black Box Theater and that was quite interesting. Different vibes makes it more interesting. Circular theaters as well.

Have you ever seen Menopause?

Vicki wrote: "We have a small theater in a town 12 miles from me called Gallo Theater of the Arts and they have all kinds of plays, dancers, singers, youth summer plays, etc. but they're quite good. We usually g..."
That sounds great! I do miss it. I heard of Black Box Theater, but never been. Haven't seen Menopause but I would like to :) Nowadays I just watch musical films lol

Jenny or Angie, for setting on the SS since you put it as "location" do you want us to label it L or S or P (for place)? I'm not used to the SS format you're using. I've often had a lot of characters that fit and if that's the case, do you want just one or two under "Also Works For"?

Vicki wrote: "Jenny or Angie, for setting on the SS since you put it as "location" do you want us to label it L or S or P (for place)? I'm not used to the SS format you're using. I've often had a lot of characte..."

You can label location as L if you want to, but if the book takes place in Omaha, chances are no one will think that is a name.
You don't need to enter all the possible character names. I usually do something like-
CFN-Nancy, Irene, CLN-Finch, Thurgood
Something like that. But you do whatever works. When we ge close to the end of the round, we can figure out how much spreadsheet Tetris is needed.

It seems we are all in the loving of the musicals and theater crowd. I got to see Hamilton on Broadway, which was amazing. I am a big musical person, so I go to the Broadway touring shows as often as I can. Most of the shows come to Phoenix, so I am very lucky that way.
I loved The Book of Mormon. I laughed so hard my cheeks hurt that night.

I was also in a small theater company a hundred years ago, and we performed in a black box theater attached to a larger theater. It was a lot of fun. We did original plays and musicals, and took two of the musicals and one of the plays to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in '90 and '91. Beyond fun. If you guys haven't done it yet, try to go to the Edinburgh Festival. It is in August every year.

Jenny wrote: "It seems we are all in the loving of the musicals and theater crowd. I got to see Hamilton on Broadway, which was amazing. I am a big musical person, so I go to the Broadway touring shows as often ..."

That sounds amazing, Jenny! Would love to see Hamilton too! I mean, wouldn't say no to most musicals lol
Book of Mormon was fun.
I only did theater in highschool so it's been a while, but being in a small theater company must have been a great experience. Edinburgh is definitely on my list hopefully when we go to the UK next time. Sometimes wish NZ wasn't that far from everywhere lol.

Corina wrote: "Jenny wrote: "It seems we are all in the loving of the musicals and theater crowd. I got to see Hamilton on Broadway, which was amazing. I am a big musical person, so I go to the Broadway touring s..."

I am trying to get tickets to Book of Mormon soon! I have heard such great things.

Elizabeth wrote: "Corina wrote: "Jenny wrote: "It seems we are all in the loving of the musicals and theater crowd. I got to see Hamilton on Broadway, which was amazing. I am a big musical person, so I go to the Bro..."

Hope you enjoy it, Liz!

hi everyone! my name is Bella and I'm from Southern California (Vicki, we're neighbors! lol). I'm about 2 hours south of the fires, and we've been getting air quality alerts even here. I love LA and it's tough seeing the city and its residents in so much pain! The city is so resilient and I have faith they'll rebuild - just seeing the donations and volunteer response (even where I'm located) is so beautiful!

I'm a civil engineer so I get to spend a lot of my time in the office listening to audiobooks :) some of my other hobbies include crocheting, watching movies/tv, baking, going out for coffee and matcha, puzzles, etc :)
I typically read mysteries, thrillers, romance, fantasy, and anything else that seems interesting!
Corina, Courtney, and I have been reading together for quite some time and it's so fun getting to all be part of this Uno team.

I'm excited to get to know you all!

Hi Bella!
So glad you are safe from the fires as well. What a nightmare.
It will be interesting to see how the rebuilding goes, and what ends up being different. due to future fire hazards.

I love that there is a team of buddy readers in this group. Maybe we can all get together and read something during the challenge.

Jenny wrote: "Hi Bella!
So glad you are safe from the fires as well. What a nightmare.
It will be interesting to see how the rebuilding goes, and what ends up being different. due to future fire hazards.

I lo..."

A buddy read would be fun :D

I do a ton of buddy reads, so I'd be happy to jump on board. It won't get us extra points for this challenge, but I'm sure it will for some other ones.

Bella, my granddaughter has a cat named Bella and one named Simba. They're literally the first cats I've never been afraid of, thanks to my aunt's MEAN cat when I was a child!! When my daughter got the two kittens for Lily and Julian (4 and 2 at the time) I was watching them 4-5 days a week so they grew on me. :)
Which city do you live in? We're headed to Oceanside in March.

Hi guys sorry for the delay!!!
My name is Courtney, I live in Florida and I am so excited to play UNO this year. I’ve been trying to play the last few years with Corina and Bella but for one reason or another I never did! I have been reading here on good reads with Bella and Corina for about 4 years now… we have a lot of fun and I’m so grateful to have a community to share reading with.
I read a lot of fantasy lately but I love everything fiction except horror.
I have a great boyfriend but no kids
I am finishing my degree in Business Management with a focus I’m paralegal studies. I am a case manager for a personal injury firm and I love it!!!!!
Anyways, I’m really looking forward to reading with everyone and making new friends 😁 Here’s to my first UNO!!!

Oh yeah I LOVE musicals, plays, all theatre really too 🥰

yeah a group uno buddy read would be fun!! :)

that's so funny, I swear I meet more pets named Bella than people! 🤣 I'm from the other side of the mountains, the Coachella Valley :)

My little sister has a dog named Bella. You are so revered that everyone names their favorite pets after you.

Hi Courtney!
Florida, huh? I am tempted to ask if you had to go buy a snow shovel, after I saw the footage of New Orleans earlier, but I don't remember seeing film of Florida under a blanket of the white stuff.

Welcome to Team Star Trek!!!

We are all here!!!
So far, I love this team to bits. I am so looking forward to way too many book recommendations than there are days to read them, and buddy reads, and filling out all of our Uno cards, and just killing whatever evil mini challenge the mods through our way.

Have all of you found the tracking spreadsheet? Any problems using it? Have you chosen your first reads and looked for character names yet? No? What are you waiting for? teehee

Now that I think about it...I know someone that has a dog Bella too lol...it's because it's a great name for humans and pets alike :D
So excited for the mini challenges, I'm kind of hoping it will be movie inspired. Anyway, looking forward to those. It's fun searching for books to match.
Getting book recommendations is always fun! What was everyone's favourite read or more likely reads of 2024? My TBR is continuously growing as it is, might add more to it haha.
Tracking spreadsheet is all good. It's a bit different to the one I used in the previous years, but easy enough to use. If I have too many for "Also works for", hopefully I can make them fit lol. Also, I guess you guys can change the books around if need be. For now, I did add a couple of books for our coloured cards :)

Unfortunately no snow where I am but it has been very cold even for this time of year. I do not mind the change in weather. It’s always so hot here!!

Alright team, pop quiz time!

-Starting with an oldie but a goodie-
--You are entering an awards ceremony as the guest of honor. What is the theme song playing you in?
--Who is your favorite Star Trek character?
--If you are not an original Trekkie, are you planning to watch any because of your Uno team name?
--If you could raise any mythical or fictional creature from puppyhood (or from an egg, or a spore, or whatever) what creature would it be?
--If you could live in or visit any fictional place, what would it be?
--What is the best movie (or tv show) based on a book that you saw after reading the book?
--What is the worst adaptation that you saw?
--Did everyone but me know that Colson Whitehead's The Nickel Boys was made into a movie? Seen it yet?
--If you could "borrow" a piece of art that is in a museum for 50 years and have it in your home, which one would it be?
--Camping or "glamping"?
--British Bake Off or Real Housewives?
--Santa. Real or not?
--If there was a space station on the moon or mars, would you go?
--And lastly, as Corina already asked, but I will ask again, what books are you most looking forward to this year, and what were your favorite reads of late?

I'm adding books to the spreadsheet, and there is one thing to pay attention to. It is only the first word of the title that counts for a letter, using or ignoring an article. So, "The First Starship" would work for F (4) or T (2), but not S (6).

Also, as long as your books read are on your Uno shelf, I don't really care if they are linked on the spreadsheet, but make sure that if you are reading a book that you are using for a cover color, please make sure that the correct edition is on your shelf. Thank you!

Getting closer!!!! I am excited about some of the books I have planned for sure.

Jenny wrote: "Alright team, pop quiz time!

-Starting with an oldie but a goodie-
--You are entering an awards ceremony as the guest of honor. What is the theme song playing you in?
--Who is your favorite Star T..."

Ok, pop quick here it goes lol
1, Dream On by Aerosmith, first one that came to mind.
2. Have to admit I'm not a massive Star Trek fan. I must have seen some of the old ones and I did see the new films. I would say Spock.
3, Not sure, too many things to watch and read haha.
4. A griffin, always wanted to fly, plus lion strength.
5. Visit only lol...the world from Strange the Dreamer, it's just so creative.
6. Maybe Shadow and Bone because I didn't really care about the books, only read the first one. Though I really like the Six of Crows duology. Or Outlander, I gave up on the books lol.
7. I think Divergent, though I didn't care for the films or the books. Or the newest Rebecca which was just meh, but love the book.
8. I want to see the Nickel Boys. Confession: I don't think Colson Whitehead is a writer for me. I did both The Underground Railroad (want to see the adaptation for this one too) and the Nickel Boys and, though the topics and stories are important, for me, his writing doesn't inspire enough emotion.
9. The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, though my neck would probably be continuously sore.
10. Camping, but wouldn't' say no to glamping sometimes
11. British bake off
12. Santa is real in our household :D
13. Too far away haha
14. Favourites from 2024: The women, All the colours of the dark, Fresh water for flowers, An ember in the ashes series, The faithful and the fallen series, Strange the dreamer come to mind. Anticipated releases for this year: number one has to be My Friends by Fredrik Backman, The dark mirror, The strength of the few, The ragpicker king, A drop of corruption, Wild dark shore, the new Emily Henry and Abby Jimenez, The girls who grew big.

Thought I would answer my quiz as well-

--You are entering an awards ceremony as the guest of honor. What is the theme song playing you in?
Led Zeppelin- Kashmir, just because I love that song.
--Who is your favorite Star Trek character?
Kirk
--If you could raise any mythical or fictional creature from puppyhood (or from an egg, or a spore, or whatever) what creature would it be?
Dragon. No question.
--If you could live in or visit any fictional place, what would it be? I am torn between living on the Starship Enterprise, or visiting Narnia.
--What is the best movie (or tv show) based on a book that you saw after reading the book?
The Unbearable Lightness of Being. Still the best adaptation I have ever seen.
--What is the worst adaptation that you saw?
Ready Player One. Don't get me started on how angry I was when I saw that abomination of a movie.
--If you could "borrow" a piece of art that is in a museum for 50 years and have it in your home, which one would it be?
I painting by Rubens in the Philadelphia museum of art, of Prometheus getting his liver eaten by an eagle. Stunning piece. Or, the bronze Zeus (or Poseidon depending on who you ask) in the Athens National Museum.
--Camping or "glamping"?
Camping.
--British Bake Off or Real Housewives?
Bake Off. I love reality shows where the people need to have an actual talent.
--Santa. Real or not?
Totally real.
--If there was a space station on the moon or mars, would you go?
In a heartbeat.
--And lastly, as Corina already asked, but I will ask again, what books are you most looking forward to this year, and what were your favorite reads of late?
I read some great ones last year, but my favorite hands down was
. I love it when a book makes me laugh out loud.
Looking forward to the new John Scalzi, the new Charmaine Wilkerson, and a bunch more. Also looking forward to reading a bunch of books I bought last year and didn't get to yet.

Starting with an oldie but a goodie-
--I would probably choose Stolen Dance by Milky Chance!
--I have never seen Star Trek but may have to start watching because of our team's name!
--I think it would have to be a unicorn.
--I would love to visit Hogwarts.
-- A few that I love, but if I had to pick one, I think it would be The Secret Life of Bees.
--I still liked Perfect Couple but not nearly as much as the book. I wish the two were more aligned.
--I did see that, but I have not watched it!
-- Starry Night!
-- I love camping but would not mind giving glamping a try.
-- Real Housewives?
-- Santa's name still appears on some of my presents, so I have to go with real
--No way! Space really freaks me out!
--I'm excited for The Man Made of Smoke by Alex North. My favorites this past year were probably Hotel Nantucket, The Other Woman, and Perfect Couple. I also really enjoyed The Peach Keeper

-Starting with an oldie but a goodie-
--You are entering an awards ceremony as the guest of honor. What is the theme song playing you in?
"Man, I Feel Like a Woman" uh uh uh uh uh uh uh! And I'm dancing to it for sure!

--Who is your favorite Star Trek character?
--If you are not an original Trekkie, are you planning to watch any because of your Uno team name?
I think I'll have to wait and see because I never was a 'Trekkie' but I am flexible.

--If you could raise any mythical or fictional creature from puppyhood (or from an egg, or a spore, or whatever) what creature would it be?
It would be a dinosaur that's sparkly and I can ride. Plus, it protects me. I'm thinking emerald green, shades of purple and yellow, some turquoise, and other brilliant colors but it must have some light ones.

--If you could live in or visit any fictional place, what would it be?
I LOVED Canada, but since I've been there I would have to say Australia. I've always wanted to visit there. If not there, then a trip to heaven to see my parents and other loved ones who've died.

--What is the best movie (or tv show) based on a book that you saw after reading the book?
Wow! Trying to jog my memory here...hmm...the 'best' movie? So many aren't too good from my recollection once you've read the book. It must be Gone with the Wind and I saw it when it first came out. lol Guess that's dating myself.

--What is the worst adaptation that you saw?
The Wedding Vow because they changed parts that they shouldn't have and also My Sister's Keeper for the same reason. The ending was completely changed...so stupid!

--Did everyone but me know that Colson Whitehead's The Nickel Boys was made into a movie? Seen it yet?
WHO the heck is that?

--If you could "borrow" a piece of art that is in a museum for 50 years and have it in your home, which one would it be?
I guess that would have to be paintings by Michelangelo from the Sistine Chapel but they're not in a museum so I guess I'll have to visit it. So, maybe I could get Jan van Eyck's Giovanni Arnolfini and His Bride because I took an art class in 1987 and that's the one painting that I have never forgotten.

--Camping or "glamping"?
Used to love camping but age has moved me to glamping

--British Bake Off or Real Housewives?
British Bake Off but I'd rather watch Hell's Kitchen!

--Santa. Real or not?
Obviously, he's real. My grandkids get presents from him every Christmas and he eats their cookies, so he must be real!

--If there was a space station on the moon or mars, would you go?
Most definitely I would to. I would rather go to the moon...Fly Me to the Moon and Let Me Play Among the Stars" (thanks to Kaye Ballard)

--And lastly, as Corina already asked, but I will ask again, what books are you most looking forward to this year, and what were your favorite reads of late?
I just read and loved Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows. I love almost anything that's historical fiction.

Corina, the solution to potential neck pains after "borrowing" the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel would be to also "borrow" a famous and very comfortable bed, and install that just below the painting. Problem solved.

Elizabeth, I had to look up your song, and I liked it!

Vicki, I love the fact that you think Canada and Australia are fictional, and your idea of the sparkly dinosaur is epic!