Nothing But Reading Challenges discussion

Team Elbrus




Team Members
• Ashley B - Captain
• Vianny - Co-Captain
• KayLynn Zollinger - Co-Captain
• Tati
• RachelG.
• Natasha
• Namita
• CB
• Haley M
• Melaniejoy
• megan
• Alaina
• Andrea J
• Jennifer






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

mod reserve

mod reserve

🏔️ TEAM ELBRUS — QUICK REFERENCE 🏔️
Tower Teams XII | May 16 – August 16, 2026

Team Planning Spreadsheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...
This is where you'll enter all your books!

Official Team Sheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...
Official is for Captain's only, don't request access, please! However, you can view it whenever you'd like!

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📅 CHALLENGE DATES
◈ Starts: Saturday, May 16 at 9am UTC
◈ Ends: Sunday, August 16 at 9am UTC
◈ Books must be started on or after May 16 to count

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⭐ HOW POINTS WORK
◈ Under 100 pages = 0 points (doesn't count)
◈ 100–1,000 pages = 0.1 points per page
◈ Over 1,000 pages = 100 points flat
◈ Audio-only books = counts as 100 pages (must be 3+ hours)
◈ Points are rounded using standard rules (e.g. 10.5 → 11)

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📚 BOOK RULES
◈ Any language is fine
◈ Re-reads allowed if it's been at least 6 months since you last read it
◈ Audiobooks allowed — use the default Goodreads page count. If no print edition exists, the audiobook must be 3+ hours
◈ Children's, poetry, plays, graphic novels, illustrated, photography, art, and cookbooks must have at least 30,000 verified words → Not sure? Just ask me!
◈ Boxed sets cannot count as one book — shelve them separately

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📊 READING CAP
◈ Each person is capped at 5 books over their sign-up number
◈ Books over your cap can be held in reserve — chat with me first

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📋 GOODREADS SHELF
◈ Create a dedicated shelf for this challenge (use hyphens-between-words)
◈ Post your shelf name in this thread when you first check in
◈ Private profile? Please friend me so I can verify page counts

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💬 CHECK-INS
◈ Check in at least once a week — posting a book title is enough!
◈ No pressure to chat; just let us know you're here
◈ No contact for 2 weeks (without messaging me) = may be replaced
◈ Drop your Discord username so I can reach you if needed

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🏆 BOOK OF THE MONTH (BOM) BONUS POINTS
◈ Writing one day of discussion questions = 40 pts (one team member per BOM — first come, first served)
◈ Joining the BOM discussion = 20 pts
◈ Must finish the book within one month of the BOM starting
◈ You must link your posts to claim participation points

⚠️ Note: The May 2026 BOM starts May 18 (2 days later than usual) so it can count toward Tower Teams!

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⭐ TBR RECOMMENDATIONS
◈ If you read a book on the Community TBR, we get 5 extra points! So make sure you look through the list!

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❤️ MOST IMPORTANT RULE
This is a marathon, not a sprint — 3 months of reading together. Be kind, have fun, and ask me anything. That's what I'm here for! 🏔️

Mini Challenge Headquarters

Time to Climb Mini Challenge (view spoiler)[

Part One

You know them, you love them (or maybe not? haha) - the ladders!
Unlike in some of our mini challenges in previous years, you are not going to use series numbers or titles. You are going to build ladders based on the years in which a book has been originally published.

You are going to build 2 ladders of 10 books each.
The publication years range from 1990 - 2025.
Not every year needs to be read for. Each year can only be used once per ladder. You don't have to start at 1990 or end at 2025. Your ladder could, for example, be: 1997, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2012, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022.


Part Two

Mountains - and towers for that matter - are tall. They have several layers and they have a peak. What would Tower Teams be without a tower? Or a mountain in this case.

You are going to build a minimum of 2 mountains of books. For these, you are going to use page numbers. The page numbers you can use range within the standard rules of the challenge. You don't have to start at 100 pages or end at 1000 pages.
Beware though, your mountain should have a mountainous form. As a team you'll need to work your way up to one or more peak(s) and then back down the other side.

Plan carefully and communicate with your team members, for you can only climb one mountain at a time! Books for a given mountain can be completed in any order, but each climb you start must be completed before working on your next mountain. Once a mountain is completed, books are locked in and cannot be moved.

The team will build a mountain with 1 peak (20 books):

Example: 150, 209, 343, 489, 492, 562, 631, 848, 999, 802, 700, 650, 575, 501, 485, 400, 350, 289, 210, 101.

And another mountain with at least 3 peaks (30 books).

Example: 105, 150, 209, 343, 489, 492, 301, 352, 401, 502, 562, 631, 848, 999, 900, 802, 700, 780, 689, 650, 600, 575, 501, 430, 485, 400, 350, 289, 210, 101.

There will be completion bonuses for the first 2 mountains. After that, the team can choose to build other mountains throughout the challenge (of 20 or 30 books), but no more completion bonuses will be given. One partial mountain is allowed.

The Restrictions
🧳This mini challenge runs the length of Tower Teams.
🧳Each book read can only be used for one part of this mini challenge.
🧳Only one mountain can be worked on at a time, once a mountain is completed, books cannot be moved. In that way, banked books are not allowed for this mini challenge.
🧳Books can be started at any point since the start of Tower Teams XII (16th May 9am UTC).
🧳The usual book length rules apply.
🧳You will gain 10 points for each book you read.
🧳You will gain 20 completion bonus points for the 1 peak mountain and 30 completion bonus points for the 3 peak mountain. (hide spoiler)]
Note: On our planning sheet, there is a tab for the Climb Mini. It's not editable! To add your book, enter the Mini Ref number on the Book Input tab. Also, you do not have to use the page range, as long as you're putting the book in a "correct" position for the page counts around yours! The ranges are just a guide!

Books of the Month!

The Will of the Many by James Islington, starts 18 May 2026
The Astral Library by Kate Quinn, starts 25 May 2026
This Kingdom WIll Not Kill Me by Ilona Andrews, starts 2 June 2026
Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden, starts 16 June 2026

🏔️
Welcome to Team Elbrus!
Tower Teams XII · May 16 – August 16, 2026

Hey Team Elbrus! I'm Ashley (your captain for this challenge) — a voracious reader with a weakness for books that wreck me emotionally. If the last 40 pages had me sobbing, it's probably a five-star read. I lean toward romance and sci-fi/fantasy, love discovering lesser-known authors and stories set in places that don't get enough shelf space, and I love both standalones and series, though my unfinished series shelf would suggest I should probably slow down on starting new ones.

When I'm not reading, I run a pet boutique and bakery. My personal library has black walls, dark wood, and antique everything. I have strong opinions about books and I'm not shy about them.

As your captain, I'll be:
• Keeping our team spreadsheet updated so you always know where we stand
• Posting weekly check-in reminders and status updates
• Verifying page counts and answering any book-eligibility questions
• Communicating with the NBRC mods on our behalf
• Bringing the fun — this is a game, after all!

What I need from you
• Post your books on the Team Spreadsheet AND to your challenge shelf on Goodreads
• Check in on our team thread at least once a week, when possible (or post a book!)
• Let me know if life gets busy — I totally get it
• Drop your Discord username here so I can reach you if needed

Let's climb this mountain together!

Mount Elbrus is the highest peak in Europe — we've got a big climb ahead of us, but we're going to tackle that TBR pile one book at a time. Introduce yourself below and tell us: what's the first book you're planning to read for the challenge? Let's gooo! 🎉

captain reserve

Hello Team!

I'm KayLynn, one of your co-captains! I'm so excited to do this challenge with you!

I'm a stay at home mom to a twelve year old with auDHD and pathological demand avoid who does online school because frankly, she does not play well with normal school. But she's a smart kid and so I do what I can do accommodate her and keep her healthy and happy. I also have a 13 year old shih-tzu/schnauzer mix who is our sweet furbaby. However, all of that also means I'm literally starved for adult human interaction - thus group challenges!!! Hooray for adulting! (Gonna be honest, I think that's the first time I have ever uttered those words.)

What else? I live near Salt Lake City, UT. I'm married. We just had our 15 year wedding anniversary last week! Both my husband and my daughter are just as big of book nerds as I am, so we get along fine. He's celebrating the release of the next Dungeon Crawler Carl today and I'm impatiently awaiting the sequel to When the Moon Hatched that comes out in one week! The kiddo is currently obsessed with anything by Rick Riordan. (She wrote in my mother's day card that I'm the worlds best mom, even better than Sally Jackson. From a 12 year old, that's some damn high praise.)

My TBR is kind of a joke. I have over 2500 books on it here, plus I have over 50 different KU wishlist folders on Amazon (I arrange my KU tbr lists by genre, so I can find what I'm in the mood for...) plus a large array of pictures I took at bookstores and libraries but wasn't ready to commit to bringing home yet PLUS the ones I DID bring home. It's a problem. I have come to peace with this. Sorta..

My first book for this challenge hasn't been decided yet. But that book above will be one of the firsts and it has over 700 pages. I also will be reading Dire Bound for my bookclub this month, which is over 600 pages.

Excited to be here and climb those mountains!

My discord name is: kaylynnz
My Tower Teams shelf is: https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...

Welcome Team!
Don't forget to post your Tower shelf when you check-in! I have some of them, but I'm still missing a few! Thanks!

Checkins:
✅ Ashley B | ttxii-2026
✅ Vianny | towers-challenge
✅ KayLynn Z | towers-2026
✅ Tati | tower-climbing-2026
✅ RachelG. | nbrc-ttxii‎
✅ Natasha | tower-team-2026‎
✅ Namita | tower-teams-xii-2026‎
CB | tower-teams-2026
✅ Haley M | tower-teams12-2026
✅ Melaniejoy | towers-2026
megan |
✅ Alaina | towerteam26
Andrea J | towerteams-2026‎
✅ Jennifer | tower-teams-xii

Hi all! I'm Rachel. I live near Seattle and am a caregiver. I am looking forward to the challenge. It looks like we will need to do some planning as a team to conquer the ladders and mountains. For some reason all of my buddy read books for the last two weeks of the month are fairly long, one is over 800 pages. If there is anything specific I should try to find to help out the team, please let me know.

RachelG. wrote: "Hi all! I'm Rachel. I live near Seattle and am a caregiver. I am looking forward to the challenge. It looks like we will need to do some planning as a team to conquer the ladders and mountains. For..."

800 pagers are great for points, so maybe we build a VERY TALL mountain! 🤣

The Publication Years are relevant for the Ladders in the Mini, so we'll need diversity there too.

I'm sure there will be another mini to look at too!

Also, I sympathize! I'm planning to read the first BOM, and it's a big boy (730ish) and I literally went to the bookstore to get the new Dungeon Crawler book this morning, and it's almost 700 too! I plan to read the Kindle version though, so I don't have to lug around the giant book, and it can sit peacefully on my bookcase. The kindle copy is 784!

I'm dying. I have to wait 4 more days before starting it and it's staring at me!

Hello hello!

I'm Alaina and I'm from Ashburn (in VA). I'm a project manager and audiobooks make my workdays go by much faster than any ebook or physical ever could. Have no fear, I love all books equally (I currently have zero room for more books in my bookcases... but does that stop me from getting more books? no) and love finding new authors and switching genres whenever I can.

No idea what book I will start with for this challenge; I guess that might depend on the other challenges I'm in (lol) or whatever is needed here.

Ashley wrote: "Also, I sympathize! I'm planning to read the first BOM, and it's a big boy (730ish) and I literally went to the bookstore to get the new Dungeon Crawler book this morning, and it's almost 700 too! ..."

Same! I just grabbed A Parade of Horribles from KU and now I can't crack it open until then! I am so excited to read it. I am glad that you are another DCC fan. Plus I think we get bonus points because it is on the TBR recs, correct?

Hello! Checking in. Looking forward to the challenge.

I'm Namita from Vancouver, Canada. I'll read pretty much anything save a non-fiction and true crime. If it's romance, it's gotta have a mystery.

I was looking at the recs and awesome, my ever-growing TBR is going to out live me. LOL

My TT Shelf: tower-teams-xii-2026

Ashley wrote: "Also, I sympathize! I'm planning to read the first BOM, and it's a big boy (730ish) and I literally went to the bookstore to get the new Dungeon Crawler book this morning, and it's almost 700 too! ..."

I have - that I just borrowed from the library. 800 pages!

Looks like we have some good page count books this round!

There are several books on the TBR recs that are also on my TBR and I hope to get them from the library at some point.

RachelG. wrote: "Looks like we have some good page count books this round!

There are several books on the TBR recs that are also on my TBR and I hope to get them from the library at some point."

I also got - 544 pages. I will make sure to get over 500 pages.

Time to get those whoppers read!

RachelG. wrote: "Ashley wrote: "Also, I sympathize! I'm planning to read the first BOM, and it's a big boy (730ish) and I literally went to the bookstore to get the new Dungeon Crawler book this morning, and it's a..."

Yes! We doooo! Rach, we should do a BR over in HOB for more bonus points there!

Alaina wrote: "Hello hello!

I'm Alaina and I'm from Ashburn (in VA). I'm a project manager and audiobooks make my workdays go by much faster than any ebook or physical ever could. Have no fear, I love all books..."

👋👋Hi Alaina!

Namita wrote: "Hello! Checking in. Looking forward to the challenge.

I'm Namita from Vancouver, Canada. I'll read pretty much anything save a non-fiction and true crime. If it's romance, it's gotta have a myster..."

the TBRs are out of control, always!

Namita wrote: "Ashley wrote: "Also, I sympathize! I'm planning to read the first BOM, and it's a big boy (730ish) and I literally went to the bookstore to get the new Dungeon Crawler book this morning, and it's a..."

I've been dying to try this series, so many recomendations, but I keep doing other books! I need to get in gear!

The Empire of the Vampire trilogy by Jay Kristoff - amazing! A fantastic read. 1 & 2 are my 5 star reads.

Hi everyone!

I'm MelanieJoy (feel free to nickname me something along those lines and I'll respond!) and I live in California and I'm currently a stay at home mom.
I love all forms of books and I love the library and taking my kids there. I'm excited for Towers, I've done it a few times over the years. At some point over the years, I got gunshy about adding really long books to my TBR for fear that they'd sit there forever mocking me, so I don't have that many superlong ones. However, I've been waiting for a chance to read Brandon Sanderson and Diana Gabaldon so maybe this is my chance! I also want to continue Michael J Sullivan series and Sebastien De Castell and those are also pretty long. I haven't heard much of the ones you have already mentioned. One of my favorite things about reading challenges is talking sharing book recs and talking recent reads so I'm excited to do that with you guys!

Link to my shelf: towers-2026

MelanieJoy wrote: "Hi everyone!

I'm MelanieJoy (feel free to nickname me something along those lines and I'll respond!) and I live in California and I'm currently a stay at home mom.
I love all forms of books and I..."

Hi MelJoy!
I need to also read a Sanderson book and see about the hype. Outlander is so good!
Happy to have you!

@Melanie- It's funny you said Diana Gabaldon because we were just at the library and I was commenting to Ethan's therapist how big the audio cd case was for Outlander. I have never read it.

Hello! I'm Natasha, and I live in Minnesota. I work for my local library and am currently in graduate school. I read pretty much every genre. Lately, I've been in a bit of a reading slump, so I'm hoping this challenge helps me get back to reading more consistently.

Shelf: tower-team-2026.

@Ashley- I would be up for doing a BR in HoB for Parade of Horribles. I would imagine other people will be reading it as well.

Hi everyone!

Hey everyone! I'm Jennifer (but please call me Jenn.) I'm from a small town in Quebec Canada (my first language is French). I work at my local library and I'm a travel advisor as well. I mostly read romance and horror, I don't read much of fantasy.

Here's my shelf Tower Teams XII

Hi everyone! I love tower teams and so so excited for this :)

I'm Haley and I live in Florida, I work from home and try to squeeze in reading any moment I can. If I'm not reading, I'm either looking at books, window shopping, or adding more to my TBR.

I may have gone through the list of recommendations and added any that I also have as my main focus for any extra points. - a lot are the bigger ones which is slightly intimidating but time to get through them.

Shelf: tower-teams12-2026

Working through my 3 current reads - then thinking I'll start with or

Ashley wrote: "I need to also read a Sanderson book and see about the hype. Outlander is so good! ."

I've read one of his less popular series and it was really good. To be honest, his Stormlight Archive series kind of terrifies me. Each book is over 1000 pages and that feels overwhelming. Give me a 3 book series with 300 - 400 pages each and I'm here for it. Over 1000 pages in one book and my brain shuts down and I can't cope. Am I going to read the same amount of pages? Yes. Does my brain care? Nope.

Ashley wrote: "Books of the Month!

The Will of the Many by James Islington, starts 18 May 2026
The Astral Library by Kate Quinn, starts 25 May 2026
This Kingdom WIll Not Kill Me by Ilona Andrews, starts 2 June ..."

I just bought This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me! Excited to read that one!
I've read Memoirs of a Geisha before, but it's a beautiful book, so I may read it again.

I’m with you Kaylynn! The nice things about the 300-400 pg books is I can space them out if they get intense or heavy or what have you. I’ll probably start with Mistborn, I think that has fewer pages and it’s been on my TBR for about 10 years.

Natasha wrote: "Hello! I'm Natasha, and I live in Minnesota. I work for my local library and am currently in graduate school. I read pretty much every genre. Lately, I've been in a bit of a reading slump, so I'm h..."

Working in a library, the things dreams are made of!

Jenn wrote: "Hey everyone! I'm Jennifer (but please call me Jenn.) I'm from a small town in Quebec Canada (my first language is French). I work at my local library and I'm a travel advisor as well. I mostly rea..."

Hi Jenn! We have 2 library workers! What a cool team!

PS Would you like me to change your name on the sheets to Jenn?

Haley ♡ wrote: "Hi everyone! I love tower teams and so so excited for this :)

I'm Haley and I live in Florida, I work from home and try to squeeze in reading any moment I can. If I'm not reading, I'm either look..."

Hi Haley! :)

KayLynn wrote: "Ashley wrote: "Books of the Month!

The Will of the Many by James Islington, starts 18 May 2026
The Astral Library by Kate Quinn, starts 25 May 2026
This Kingdom WIll Not Kill Me by Ilona Andrews,..."

I'm excited to read This Kingdom! I have it, bought it the day it release, Ilona Andrews is an autobuy author for me!

Hi everyone!! I’m Vianny, one of your co- captains! I live in New Jersey but I’ve been all over the place so if you guys ever want to talk about traveling I’m your person. I’m a civil engineer who loves buildings and drawing them but I don’t really read about them (whoops). I love reading anything and everything, give me all the book recs pls and ty.

I’m so excited for this challenge because I NEED to get my physical TBR number down, and there’s no better time to do this than summer because I start having more free time.

If yall ever wanna chat my discord is vianny21 doesn’t have to be about books only, lets all be friends

Vianny wrote: "Hi everyone!! I’m Vianny, one of your co- captains! I live in New Jersey but I’ve been all over the place so if you guys ever want to talk about traveling I’m your person. I’m a civil engineer who ..."

Vianny! Thank goodness! I've been trying to find you, and Goodreads dropping the DMs has made it so hard. You should have received an invite to the Captains group! Can you please look for that and accept it, so I can get you started in there!?

Vianny wrote: "Hi everyone!! I’m Vianny, one of your co- captains! I live in New Jersey but I’ve been all over the place so if you guys ever want to talk about traveling I’m your person. I’m a civil engineer who ..."

Ashley!! I posted on your page that I don’t have an invite, I’ve been trying to contact you as well oh my

Ashley wrote: "Jenn wrote: "Hey everyone! I'm Jennifer (but please call me Jenn.) I'm from a small town in Quebec Canada (my first language is French). I work at my local library and I'm a travel advisor as well...."

I can be Jennifer it's fine ;)

Vianny wrote: "Vianny wrote: "Hi everyone!! I’m Vianny, one of your co- captains! I live in New Jersey but I’ve been all over the place so if you guys ever want to talk about traveling I’m your person. I’m a civi..."

If you look here: https://www.goodreads.com/group/list/...
Do you see the invite?
Have you friended the NBRC mod profile?

Rachel and anyone else, I set up a buddy read thread in HOB for A Parade of Horribles!

Jenn wrote: "Ashley wrote: "Jenn wrote: "Hey everyone! I'm Jennifer (but please call me Jenn.) I'm from a small town in Quebec Canada (my first language is French). I work at my local library and I'm a travel a..."

Nope, no invite. I did send a friend request to the mod profile, it still hasnt been accepted

Vianny wrote: "Jenn wrote: "Ashley wrote: "Jenn wrote: "Hey everyone! I'm Jennifer (but please call me Jenn.) I'm from a small town in Quebec Canada (my first language is French). I work at my local library and I..."

Ok, I will connect with them... one sec!

I really hate how badly Goodreads has screwed things up with the whole DM situation. If anyone has Discord and is comfortable sharing their profile, it would be helpful to have another way to reach people if something time-sensitive comes up!

Ashley wrote: "I really hate how badly Goodreads has screwed things up with the whole DM situation. If anyone has Discord and is comfortable sharing their profile, it would be helpful to have another way to reach..."

I'm jennoux on Discord

Vianny wrote: "Nope, no invite. I did send a friend request to the mod profile, it still hasnt been accepted"

You should have an invite now.