The Challenge Factory discussion

Challenge Duration: January 29, 2025 through February 16, 2026

This challenge will run during the Chinese dates of the Year of the Snake. Books must be started by February 16, 2026 to count.
There are seven prompts, each with five possible tasks. None of the tasks will be spell outs. Books should be at least 140 pages. Choose your level of participation:


Levels:
Snake Scale - a defensive body part that protects the snake. I'll try 1-2 tasks per level (please specify which).
Snake Forked Tongue - allows snakes to detect the "scent" of their prey, as well as navigate and find mates. Sign me up for 3-4 tasks per level (please specify which).
Snake Fangs - some snakes' weapon: most venomous snakes have grooved or hollow fangs for delivering venom. I'll go for all 5 tasks per level.

2025 The Year of the Snake
Duration - January 29, 2025 through February 16, 2026



Long ago in China the Jade Emperor decided there should be a way of measuring time. On his birthday he told the animals that there was to be a swimming race. The first twelve animals across the fast flowing river would be the winners and they would each have a year of the zodiac named after them. After the first five animals (rat, ox,tiger, rabbit and dragon) finished the race the Emperor heard was the sound of the horse’s hooves. He thought the horse would be the next animal to arrive but a sneaky snake wriggled out from around one of the horse’s hooves. The horse was so surprised that he jumped backwards giving the snake a chance to take the sixth place in the race.

Set 1 Tasks:
1. Read a book where the MC celebrates a birthday.
2. Read a book with a sneaky character.
3. Read a book whose author's initials can be found in the word SNAKE.
4. Read a book where a character participates in a race or other kind of competition.
5. Read a book that is the 6th in a series.

Set 1:

Task: 1
Book: One Day by David Nicholls
Date: 1/3 3★
Fit: MC celebrates a birthday

Task: 2
Book: A Town Called Treachery by Mitch Jennings
Date: 7/3 4★
Fit: Esposito is a sneaky character

Task: 3
Book: A Noble Ambition by Elizabeth Albright
Date: 18/4 1★
Fit: author's initials in SNAKE

Task: 4
Book: Fantasy in Death by J.D. Robb
Date: 4/4 4★
Fit: MCs compete against each other in a swordfight

Task: 5
Book: Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris
Date: 29/5 4★
Fit: 6th in a series

Finally finished set 1. I bet you thought I'd forgotten 😊

Lol, it happens. Here you go!



The Snake is the sixth animal in the zodiac, and is synonymous with wisdom, elegance, and intuition. People born in Snake years (e.g., 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025) are often perceived as intelligent, resourceful, and graceful. They thrive on analyzing situations and making calculated moves, embodying a quiet but potent strength. Some famous people born in Snake years are Mahatma Gandhi, Pablo Picasso, Mao Zedong, John F. Kennedy, Anne Frank, Bob Dylan, Xi Jinping, J.K. Rowling and Taylor Swift.

Set 2 Tasks:
1. Read a book published in a Snake year.
2. Read a book with a MC who is intelligent and resourceful.
3. Read a book with a very strong character, either in body or mind.
4. Read a book whose title begins with a letter in the word WISDOM.
5. Read a book whose author's first and last initials match one of the famous Snakes listed above (in either order, so MG or GM for Mahatma Gandhi).

Set 2:

Task: 1
Book: Harriet by Joan Mellows
Date: 1/6 2.5★
Fit: published in a Snake year - 1977

Task: 2
Book: The Abandoned Rake by Emily Hendrickson
Date: 30/5 3★
Fit: MCs are intelligent and resourceful

Task: 3
Book: The Right Sort of Man by Allison Montclair
Date: 4/6 4.5★
Fit: Sally is a very physically strong character

Task: 4
Book: Dirt Town by Hayley Scrivenor
Date: 31/5 4★
Fit: title begins with a letter in WISDOM

Task: 5
Book: Treachery in Death by J.D. Robb
Date: 13/6 4.5★
Fit: Initials JR

Set 2 completed

Snakes are deep thinkers who tend to approach life with a calm and measured demeanor. They possess a natural charm and magnetism, making them both intriguing and attractive to others. With a keen sense of intuition, Snake individuals are adept at understanding people and situations, often seeing beneath the surface to uncover hidden truths.

Snakes are also known for their resourcefulness and ability to navigate complex situations. They prefer to observe and analyze before making decisions, which allows them to move through life with a sense of purpose and direction. However, this introspective nature can sometimes make them appear secretive or distant to others, as they often keep their thoughts and feelings to themselves.

Set 3 Tasks:
1. Read a book with a magnetic character.
2. Read a book whose title or series name begins with a letter in the word CHARM.
3. Read a book with a MC who analyzes a situation carefully before acting.
4. Read a book where a character keeps a secret.
5. Read a book that has the surface of a lake or other body of water on it.

Set 3

Task: 1
Book: Possession In Death by J.D. Robb
Date: 15/6 3★
Fit: Roarke is a magnetic character

Task: 2
Book: My Lady Faire by Emily Hendrickson
Date: 15/6 2★
Fit: title or series name begins with a letter in the word CHARM

Task: 3
Book: Thoroughly Disenchanted by Alexandra Almond
Date: 14/6 3.5★
Fit: MC Oliver analyses each situation before making any move

Task: 4
Book: The Peppercorn Project by Nicki Edwards
Date: 16/6 3.5★
Fit: Isabelle keeps her widowhood a secret

Task: 5
Book: The Lady in Gray by Patricia Oliver
Date: 14/6 4★
Fit:

Set 3 completed

The Element of Wood in 2025

Each Chinese Zodiac year is influenced by one of the five elements: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water. 2025 is governed by Wood, which softens the Snake’s typically reserved nature, infusing it with creativity, compassion, and a thirst for growth.

What Wood Brings to the Snake:

Flexibility and Adaptability: Wood adds an element of growth and expansion, encouraging adaptability in challenges.

Creative Problem-Solving: This year is ideal for innovation, whether in personal projects, professional goals, or relationships.

Focus on Harmony: Wood Snake years emphasize fostering better relationships and improving communication skills.

Strategic Growth: Success will favor those who plan meticulously and act wisely.

Deepening Connections: Introspection and emotional intelligence will help navigate relationships, promoting empathy and understanding.

Set 4 Tasks:
1. Read a book where a character does something with wood.
2. Read a book from an expansive series (more than 15 books).
3. Read a book where the MC improves their communication skills.
4. Read a book whose author's initials can be found in the word METICULOUS.
5. Read a book with a deeply empathetic and understanding character.

Set 4

Task: 1
Book: Grandghost by Nancy Springer
Date: 5/7 3★
Fit: Nick Crickens' hobby is working with wood, he has a passion for making furniture

Task: 2
Book: New York to Dallas by J.D. Robb
Date: 4/7 4★
Fit: from an expansive series - 62 & counting

Task: 3
Book: The Jane Austen Remedy by Ruth Wilson
Date: 18/6 4★
Fit: MC improves their communication skills through education & goes on to complete a doctorate

Task: 4
Book: Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins
Date: 21/6 2★
Fit: author initials in METICULOUS

Task: 5
Book: The Duke And Miss Denny by Joy Reed
Date: 26/6 4★
Fit: MC Judy is empathetic and has a great understanding of human nature for one so young

Set 4 completed

Themes of the Year of the Wood Snake

2025 is a year of reflection, recalibration, and renewal, offering a mix of calm energy and intellectual challenges. The Snake’s intuitive wisdom, paired with the nurturing Wood element, creates a time to refine your long-term goals and strengthen personal and professional relationships. It is a year for letting go of what no longer serves you and embracing meaningful change.

Set 5 Tasks:
1. Read a book where the MC makes a long-term goal.
2. Read a book whose cover is calming (your interpretation).
3. Read a book where a character nurtures someone or something.
4. Read a book where the MC makes a meaningful change.
5. Read a book with two of the numbers from 2025 in the page count or publication date.

Set 5

Task: 1
Book: One Last Gift by Emily Stone
Date: 16/7 3★
Fit: MC makes a long-term goal to run her own events company

Task: 2
Book: The Wife's Secret by Barbara Hannay
Date: 18/7 4★
Fit: cover is calming


Task: 3
Book: Seeress of Kell by David Eddings
Date: 13/7 3★
Fit: Ce'Nedra nurtures Pup

Task: 4
Book: The Library at Wagtail Ridge by Janet Gover
Date: 11/7 4★
Fit: MC makes a meaningful change - adopted MC moves from city to country & discovers her biological mother

Task: 5
Book: Roses for Harriet by Patricia Oliver
Date: 7/7 4★
Fit: two numbers from 2025 in page count - 224p

Set 5 completed.

There are many proverbs and idioms related to the snake in the Chinese language. Yan Yan Wang, a lecturer in modern Chinese at the ANU School of Culture, History and Language says 画蛇添足 (huà shé tiān zú) which literally means, ‘to draw a snake and add legs’, is one of the most famous.

“It is believed this idiom originated from an ancient Chinese story about a man who tried to improve a drawing of a snake by adding some legs, but this only ruined the artwork,” Wang says.

“The moral of the story? Don’t overdo something or make unnecessary additions that can lead to negative consequences!”

Set 6 Tasks:
1. Read a book where the MC goes too far and ruins something as a result.
2. Read a book where a character draws.
3. Read a book with an image of a snake on the cover.
4. Read a book that contains some kind of moral.
5. Read a book that has a proverb or an idiom in it (idiom examples: it's raining cats and dogs, to be under the weather, piece of cake, spill the beans, bite the bullet, etc....).

Set 6

Task: 1
Book: Book: Deadlocked by Charlaine Harris
Date: 26/7 3★
Fit: MC's have both gone too far and appear to have irretrievably ruined their relationship

Task: 2
Book: The Clock Strikes Twelve by Patricia Wentworth
Date: 2/8 4.5★
Fit: Elliot Wray draws, he's a draftsman

Task: 3
Book: Dead Ever After by Charlaine Harris
Date: 30/7 2★
Fit:

Task: 4
Book: The View from the Balcony by Janette Paul
Date: 31/7 4★
Fit: friendship may not fix everything but it makes the road less bumpy

Task: 5
Book: A Dashing Widow by Carol Proctor
Date: 27/7 2.5★
Fit: MC was "under the weather" (p.10) during a sea voyage

Set 6 completed.

2025 is the year of the Wood Snake. The Wood Snake is a charming, intelligent and creative sign, but also secretive, cunning and sometimes ruthless. Mythology recognises the Snake as a creature of healing, which influences the physical body to shift to a more spiritual outlook.
The Year of the Wood Snake is a time for calculated growth, deep connections, and introspection. By aligning with its energy, Snakes can make 2025 a transformative and prosperous year. Whether seeking success, stability, or self-discovery, the wisdom of the Wood Snake will guide it.

Set 7 Tasks:
1. Read a book where a character makes a calculation (does not need to be mathematical).
2. Read a book whose author's initials can be found in the word INTROSPECTION.
3. Read a book where the MC makes a deep connection with someone else.
4. Read a book where a character goes through a transformation.
5. Read a book where the MC is seeking success in an endeavor.

Set 7

Task: 1
Book: The Housemaid by Freida McFadden
Date: 3/8 2.5★
Fit: MC calculates how long a person can survive without water

Task: 2
Book: The Lost Library by Rebecca Stead, Wendy Mass
Date: 3/8 5★
Fit: author initials - RS - in INTROSPECTION

Task: 3
Book: Where the Heart Is by Nicola Marsh
Date: 5/8 3.5★
Fit: MCs Mila & Sawyer make a deep connection

Task: 4
Book: The Lawson Sisters by Janet Gover
Date: 7/8 3.5★
Fit: almost losing her home & being reunited with her estranged sister has Liz undergoing a major transformation, from someone determined to hold on to guilt & anger to someone who is willing to celebrate joy

Task: 5
Book: Celebrity in Death by J.D. Robb
Date: 6/8 4★
Fit: MC seeks success in tracking down a killer

Set 7 completed.

Congratulations!! You completed the Year of the Snake!