Romance Readers Reading Challenges discussion

the 5th Annual RRRC Reading Tournament - 5-star Favorites

Its that time again! The annual (or is it semi-annual) RRRC Reading Tournament…and the question is, do you dare? Who is the fearless among us? Who will take the risk and participate? Well, not really…but all kidding aside

We all know that one of the best things about Goodreads is finding recommendations for new books from our “friends” (be they virtual or in real life). And I don’t know about you guys, but if I see a friend (or friends) have given a book 5 stars (or even 4 stars in some cases) – I am more likely to try a book that I normally wouldn’t have considered. And even people who I don’t know on Goodreads, but write entertaining reviews or write the only reviews for books that sound interesting.

The Tournament will run from October 20, 2013 until April 20, 2014

So, pay attention, for here are the directions:
1. First, pick a book that you gave 5 stars to (if can be a recent read or a not so recent read, its up to you). You can pick up to two books. The chosen book/s will be your starting point. You can create up to two tracks only.

2. Once you have selected your book, go to its GR's book page. Look at the area where your friends’ ratings/reviews are posted.

3. Pick a friend who also gave the book 5 stars, this friend will be your starting point.

4. Go to the friends’ reviews/ratings, and pick a book that they also rated 5 stars, in addition to the original one you started off with – this will be your first book of the Tournament.

5. When you have finished, this first book, go back to the GR book page, find a friend that gave this first book you read 5 stars, go to their ratings page and select a second book that they gave 5 stars to.

6. Continue this process, until the Tournament's end date.

7. If at any time, you come across a book that none of your friends have given 5 stars to, you have 2 options – you can declare the track over and start again with another book you rated 5-stars, OR you can use a non-GR friend who also gave the book 5 stars and continue the track.

RULES
All books completed in the track will get 2 points, regardless if they are from a friend’s shelf or not.
HOWEVER, every time you close a track and start a new one, that will be a deduction of 5 points, so think carefully before doing so.

Each friend can have their ratings used a maximum of 5 times

There will be a 150pg (or 45k word – for ebooks only) minimum page requirement for the challenge

Audiobooks and re-reads are allowed

Unlike regular challenges in our group, we will be editing our posts instead of reposting. The Tournament Master/s will be giving you further instructions on the matter.

You need to post a start date and end date with each book read and there should be no overlapping. Books read can be used in other challenges outside of this tournament but not for more than one track.

since lots of us are visual readers, here is an example

Using Fran as an example, she picks Until Fountain Bridge as her starting point, which she gave 5 stars to
Looking at the page, her friend
1. ♥~♥Geri's~EverAfterRomance ♥~♥ also gave it 5*; Geri also gave Easy 5 stars, so this is the 1st book Fran can choose to read
2. Sassafrass gave Easy 5 stars, and also gave Beyond Shame 5 stars, so this is the 2nd book Fran chose to read
3. MissyGirl gave Beyond Shame 5 stars, as well as Exposure - so this would be the 3rd book that Fran chose to read

reserved

reserved

reserved

What are the start and finish dates for this challenge?

ok, i'm an idiot...dates are added...it was going to be today - but a few snags, so will start on the 20th and go until April 20, 2014 (so 6 months)

Each friend can have their ratings used a maximum of 5 times
Does this mean that you can go back to their shelf 5 different times, or that you choose 5 books at the beginning an you can read those books?

You need to post a start date and end date with each book read and there should be no overlapping.
Can you explain this a little more? I have no idea what this means?

Using Fran as an example, she picks Until Fountain Bridge as her starting point, which she gave 5 stars to
Looking at the page, her friend
1. ♥~♥Geri's~EverAfterRomance ♥~♥ also gave it 5*; Geri also gave Easy 5 stars, so this is the 1st book Fran can choose to read
2. Sassafrass gave Easy 5 stars, and also gave Beyond Shame 5 stars, so this is the 2nd book Fran chose to read
3. MissyGirl gave Beyond Shame 5 stars, as well as Exposure - so this would be the 3rd book that Fran chose to read
So, if you have a book that you rated 5 stars and you have 5 friends that gave it 5 stars, you can pick a book from their shelf that is 5 stars to read... And, after you read those, you can move on to look at those 5 books for additional friends that rated 5 stars? I was under the impression that you do 1 book at a time.... Like Fran's book is 5 and finds/reads Geri's book, after that book is read, then moving on to the next book?
I guess I'm confused on this part? Sorry, but I hope you understand what I'm asking.

1. You can use the same friend who gave a book 5 stars a maximum of 5 times...so I could use Fran (for example), 5 times throughout the challenge - they don't have to be all at once

2. You can only be reading 1 book for each track at a time, so if you are reading a book for track one, you have to post a finish date for it, before you can start the next one in that track

3. You pick a book you rated 5 stars, if 5 of your friends also rated it 5 stars, pick one of them to choose your next book - when you have finished that book, you look at your friends who have rated that book five stars and pick one of them - does that make more sense?

Dee,

So here's my beginning

My starting book is One Grave at a Time

Randy Rated 5 stars
Sandra Rated 5 stars
Stephanie Rated 5 stars
Paula Rated 5 stars


I can only pick one of my friends and find a book that they rated 5 stars to read and then move on from there? Right?
If I run out, can I go back to the beginning and pick another friend, or do I have to start with a brand-new book? If I start over at this point, then it is a deduction of points?

yes - so you could pick say Sandra and then read another book that she rated 5 stars, if you run out, you start over with a new book and the point deduction - or you can use a non-friend (so goodreads at large member)

Ok... I'll give it a go and see if I do it right. Thanks

1 more question....

I'd like to join, but I have a few questions that I'll ask in the Q & A

My starting book is One Grave at a Time Read 10/12

1. Paula Rated 5 stars. Paula also rated Grave Witch 5 stars
****** There are no more of my friends that have rated it 5 stars, but I can use Paula again right? Up to 5 times throughout the challenge?
So, I could pick another book from her and then go from there right?

yes you can read a book that Paula gave 5 stars to again (and that would count as 2 of her uses), or you can look to GR as a whole

Ok, I think I got it. Thanks

1. In your Fran example -- is that what you want our posts to look like? If not, can you give me a sample post?

2. Does it have to be a friend? Can it just be someone who rated the book 5 stars?

3. Can we make new friends?

1. as long as I (or the other mods) can see the progession, whatever format works

2. it can be a friend or a general member of goodreads

3. and feel free to make new friends - who knows who you will discover

Thanks Dee. THis looks like a fun challenge. I've signed up on the particpiant thread.

Thanks to you and the other mods for your efforts in running this challenge.

The tracks can overlap for reading though right? I can read my books for tracks 1 & 2 at the same time just not more than 1 book on the same track at the same time?

Yep that's right

So, you can have 2 tracks going at the same time? Interesting. If you run out of options for both tracks, are you finished? Or do you get to restart each track once?

You can restart your tracks if u run out of books but with the penalty

I'm still trying to decide whether or not I want to tackle this one, but while I'm debating with myself I've come up with a question. If a friend gives a 5 star rating to a multi-book set but hasn't rated the books individually, can we read just one book from the set? For example, if they rated Harry Potter Boxset 5 stars, could I just read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and have it qualify?

Hmmm...technically if they rated the box set 5 you should read that...but yeah one in the set is ok

Dee wrote: "Hmmm...technically if they rated the box set 5 you should read that...but yeah one in the set is ok"

Thanks, Dee! I don't know that it will actually be an issue. I noticed a few boxed sets rated instead of the individual books, so figured I'd ask just in case...but it's good to know the single book is an option! :D

Am I doing this right?

I read bloodlines rated 5 stars
Marc did too and he rated Sunset 5 stars
Jo rated Sunset and Catch a ghost 5 stars

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

You can use friends up to 5 times per friend... How about GR members? I found a couple of people that have amazing shelves and would like to use their books a few times. I have sent friend request, but haven't heard back from. Can I use a specific GR member up to 5 times?

Yes - that's correct Susan

I was wondering if we can use each friend 5 times in total or 5 times for each track, in case we start 2 tracks.

Crystal - up to 5 times will apply for all ppl - I'll make that change

5 times total Elizabeth ;)

But does the book you read & rated 5 stars count as one of those 5 books. Like if I use The Double Comfort Safari Club which my buddy Spuddie also gave 5 stars and then read Ragtime In Simla from her 5 star books, is that 2 of Spuddie's 5 or just 1.

(did that make any sense?)

It only counts if u use the book they gave 5 stars to in your progression - does that make sense?

Yes. So in my example above, that only counts as 1 Spuddie book not 2 because I already read the book I used as a base.

Mary: Harry Dresden's Love Slave wrote: "Yes. So in my example above, that only counts as 1 Spuddie book not 2 because I already read the book I used as a base."

You got it right Mary :)

You need to post a start date and end date with each book read and there should be no overlapping.

Just saw this - I'm assuming if I finish a book and rate it. I can start the next book that same day - yes. As that is what I just did with the first two books I read on one of my tracks. Just want to know before I continue

~Melissa~ wrote: "You need to post a start date and end date with each book read and there should be no overlapping.

Just saw this - I'm assuming if I finish a book and rate it. I can start the next book that same..."


Hi Melissa!

I am going to answer for Dee and say, Yes, you can end a book and start a new one on the same day. As long as you end one before beginning another you are good to go :)

Thanks!! I'm all good then.

Hi! I'm digging this challenge because it is truly challenging trying to fit these books into other challenges. I have a question however that I'm sure has already been answered, but I'd just like to be sure… I normally 'listen' to one book while 'reading' another, should I do two separate tracks to avoid overlapping those books?

You are allowed 2 tracks and you can read a book from both tracks at the same time. Just not multiple books on the same track at once. I asked this earlier. For the same reason, I usually have an audio and a print going at the same time too.

Thank you for that Mary!

What Mary said Penney ;)

Lol! Thanks Dee ;-)

I didn't even noticed that rule! That'll teach me to read the rules. :)

A question...if I read a book rated 5 stars by a friend...when I'm done with it, can I use the same friend again? I know you can use the same friend 5 times but I don't know if you can do it consecutively.

You can do consecutive if you want

Thanks, Dee.

Has anyone noticed that the "compare books" button isn't always accurate? I like to use that button because I am trying to read mostly books I already own since I have a massive TBR. I've noticed that sometimes it leaves off a book. Like just now I saw that my friend Heather gave 5 stars to The Terra-Cotta Dog which was my last book on one of my tracks. I have now rated this book too. But it's missing when I go to "compare books" with her. I can see it on her read shelf though and we've both rated the book. Odd.

Sometimes when you both have a lot of books in common only 100 (99?) books are chosen to compare. This may be what is happening to you.

Having said that, I agree that on occasion I think that a book or two has gotten left off of a compare list.

I noticed that as well... I've seen "You have 280 books in common" but there isn't 280 books listed.

The compare feature chooses about 100 books from those that you have in common to compare/list.

For me, I compare my 'meet and greet' or 'PIFM' shelf, whichever I need, to the other person's tbr. That usually narrows it down.

You can change the shelf settings for each person in the upper right corner of the 'compare books' page.