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1st Quarterly - Musical Madness > Team Gershwin Chat

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message 1: by Saige (last edited Jan 01, 2026 12:47AM) (new)

Saige (lannister807) | 4321 comments Mod
Welcome Team Gershwin! Please check in below



Jamie
Bubbles
Esther
Elizabeth
Felicia
Diana
Akacya

SS: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...


message 2: by Jamie (new)

Jamie | 5985 comments Mod
Checking in :)


message 3: by Bubbles (new)

Bubbles | 138 comments Checking in :)


message 4: by Esther (new)

Esther | 1908 comments checking in


message 5: by Saige (new)

Saige (lannister807) | 4321 comments Mod
Welcome everyone!


message 6: by Elizabeth (new)

Elizabeth (aconight) | 344 comments checking in!


message 7: by Saige (new)

Saige (lannister807) | 4321 comments Mod
Adding akacya to your team!


message 8: by Diana (new)

Diana (diana_reads07) | 563 comments checking in!


message 9: by Saige (new)

Saige (lannister807) | 4321 comments Mod
Your spreadsheet is now linked in the first message of this thread - please let me know if you have any issues accessing or editing it!


message 10: by akacya ❦ (new)

akacya ❦ (akacya) | 1715 comments checking in!


message 11: by Saige (new)

Saige (lannister807) | 4321 comments Mod
Players, welcome to the first Monday of the challenge! This week, your bonus challenge is:



Spell out the word STARRING using author's initials only. You may use any letter from the author's initials, including middle names. This is a group challenge, so together you will need to post 8 books for this challenge, one for each letter.

If you choose to complete this challenge, please post in the review thread like this:

The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
Review: (link)
Bonus Challenge: S
How it Fits: Author's last name is Steinbeck

As a reminder, this bonus challenge is optional and there are no penalties for choosing not to complete it. However, if you do choose to complete it, your team will earn 20 bonus points!

Happy reading!


message 12: by Elizabeth (new)

Elizabeth (aconight) | 344 comments Completed A & posted in review. Below is remaining.

ST A RRING


message 13: by Esther (new)

Esther | 1908 comments just posted a book for S
S T A RRING


message 14: by Saige (new)

Saige (lannister807) | 4321 comments Mod
Hey, just a heads up that if you post a book for the bonus challenge, it does NOT also count towards a musical. It's either for a letter or for the musicals - that's part of why the bonus challenges are optional.

Your team posted two books for a bonus letter and a musical, so I just counted both towards the bonus challenge. Please let me know if you would like to change that and count them for musicals instead.


message 15: by Saige (new)

Saige (lannister807) | 4321 comments Mod
Hello teams! This is a reminder that if you chose to do the bonus challenge this week, please have all 8 books posted by midnight, Pacific Time on Sunday, Jan. 11th


message 16: by Felicia (new)

Felicia (femarie) | 665 comments I'm here! I'm late 😳


message 17: by Saige (new)

Saige (lannister807) | 4321 comments Mod
Welcome to the second bonus challenge of the game! This is a musicals challenge, but who does musicals as famous as Broadway? Disney of course!



This week's bonus is all about book covers! You will need 5 books to complete this bonus challenge, one for each of the following categories:

1. Castle on cover
2. Star(s) on cover
3. Crown on cover
4. Animal on cover
5. Cover is mostly blue

If your team posts one book for each of the above categories, then you will earn 30 bonus points. As a reminder, these weekly challenges are meant to be a little more difficult because you don't have very long to complete them, which is why they are completely optional. Also remember that books you use for the bonus challenge do NOT count towards a musical - your team must coordinate and plan whether to use books for the bonus or to make sure certain musicals make it to the next round.

As always, if you have questions, the Q&A is here: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

This bonus challenge will close at midnight, PST on Sunday, January 18th. Happy reading!


message 18: by Saige (last edited Jan 19, 2026 01:49AM) (new)

Saige (lannister807) | 4321 comments Mod


Welcome to round two of the Musical Madness challenge! Your spreadsheets have been updated with who survived on the bracket and losing musical categories have been deleted. There were two ties in the first round, which were decided by a coin toss.

Round two will continue until Sunday, February 1st.

This week's bonus challenge is all about New York City, the home of Broadway!



Because New York is one of the most diverse cities in the world, this week's challenge focuses on characters. You will need to post 5 books total and if you complete the challenge your team will earn 40 bonus points!

The categories are:
1. MC is African or of African descent
2. MC is South American or of South American descent
3. MC is Asian or of Asian descent
4. MC is European or of European descent
5. MC is Indigenous or of Indigenous descent (anywhere in the world, doesn't have to be North America)

This challenge will run until midnight Pacific Time on January 25th. Good luck teams!


message 19: by akacya ❦ (last edited Jan 24, 2026 05:43AM) (new)

akacya ❦ (akacya) | 1715 comments Does anyone have books that would fit #2 or #5? I have books for the first 3 as long as I can review them in time, but I wanted to be sure I didn’t waste those ones on the bonus prompts if we can’t get the bonus.


message 20: by Elizabeth (new)

Elizabeth (aconight) | 344 comments Not going to lie I completely forgot about the bonus.


message 21: by Elizabeth (last edited Jan 24, 2026 09:39AM) (new)

Elizabeth (aconight) | 344 comments I can do #4. MC is Greek and should finish during the snow storm today.


message 22: by Elizabeth (new)

Elizabeth (aconight) | 344 comments Saige wrote: "

Welcome to round two of the Musical Madness challenge! Your spreadsheets have been updated with who survived on the bracket and losing musical categories have been deleted. There were two ties in..."


Maybe we should skip this one and focus on the next? We have about 50 hours left. It is possible but I don't know if everyone will check this thread in time + finish a book for the prompt in time.


message 23: by akacya ❦ (new)

akacya ❦ (akacya) | 1715 comments Elizabeth wrote: "Saige wrote: "

Welcome to round two of the Musical Madness challenge! Your spreadsheets have been updated with who survived on the bracket and losing musical categories have been deleted. There we..."


I have books that would fit 1 and 3, just need to review them. Reading a book right now that would fit 2 and I could likely squeeze in a book for 5 before the time's up. But I'll hold off on posting the reviews until we can get all 5 for sure!


message 24: by akacya ❦ (new)

akacya ❦ (akacya) | 1715 comments If anyone has a book for "MC is European or of European descent," I have reviews ready for the other 4!


message 25: by Elizabeth (new)

Elizabeth (aconight) | 344 comments akacya ❦ wrote: "If anyone has a book for "MC is European or of European descent," I have reviews ready for the other 4!"

I started two books. One book the MC is Greek, the other is Austrian. Im about half way done with both. May not finish until tonight. If someone finishes before me feel free to post.


message 26: by akacya ❦ (new)

akacya ❦ (akacya) | 1715 comments Elizabeth wrote: "akacya ❦ wrote: "If anyone has a book for "MC is European or of European descent," I have reviews ready for the other 4!"

I started two books. One book the MC is Greek, the other is Austrian. Im a..."


Sounds like a plan!


message 27: by Elizabeth (new)

Elizabeth (aconight) | 344 comments akacya ❦ wrote: "If anyone has a book for "MC is European or of European descent," I have reviews ready for the other 4!"

I swapped to a quick dark romance to get it done quickly. Writing my review now then I'll post for the bonus.


message 28: by akacya ❦ (new)

akacya ❦ (akacya) | 1715 comments Elizabeth wrote: "akacya ❦ wrote: "If anyone has a book for "MC is European or of European descent," I have reviews ready for the other 4!"

I swapped to a quick dark romance to get it done quickly. Writing my revie..."


Oh, yay! Thank you!


message 29: by Elizabeth (new)

Elizabeth (aconight) | 344 comments akacya ❦ wrote: "Elizabeth wrote: "akacya ❦ wrote: "If anyone has a book for "MC is European or of European descent," I have reviews ready for the other 4!"

I swapped to a quick dark romance to get it done quickly..."


No worries. I'll definitely keep my eye out for the next bonus.


message 30: by Jamie (new)

Jamie | 5985 comments Mod
I completely forgot about the bonus this week...ugh sorry!!

I'll pay more attention tomorrow :)


message 31: by Saige (new)

Saige (lannister807) | 4321 comments Mod
The characters might be the most famous people in a musical, but they would be nothing without their songs. This week's bonus challenge is all about composers!



This week will work a little differently from the past ones. Below are 10 categories related to different musical composers. You do NOT have to read for every category. Instead, each book you read that fits one of these categories will count for 5 bonus points. Theoretically, there is no upper limit on how many bonus points you could win this week! Just remember that books you use for a bonus CANNOT also be used for a musical vote, so choose wisely.

The categories are:
1. Letters ZIMMER in title (any order)
2. Author's initials contain L and M
3. Letters MENKEN in series title (any order)
4. Letters WEBBER in title (any order)
5. Author's initials contain two S's
6. Hammer on cover
7. Author's initials contain E and B
8. Letters KANDER in title (any order)
9. Author OR MC's name is John/Jonny/Jonathan (or some other variation of "Jonathan" that I didn't list)
10. Letters RODGERS in title (any order)

This challenge will run until midnight Pacific Time on February 1st!


message 32: by akacya ❦ (new)

akacya ❦ (akacya) | 1715 comments Just checked the scoreboard - we have a pretty good lead! I think since we don't get extra bonus points for finishing all of this week's bonuses, we can focus on musical votes? Let me know what you all think!


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