The Challenge Factory discussion

Captain:
Mandy

Arsiya
Karla
Joyce
Apoorv

Dice Roll (2 dice on Fridays US Central Time)
Time Zone Converter
Post Your Spot
R4: Spreadsheet
Discussion Thread

Alternates:
Each number corresponds with the spot on the board.
For colors: The cover has to be at least 50%
For locations: As long as the book takes part at all in the given location .
For Shelves: Any book on the given shelf
For Publication Years: I'll be using how GR has it's publication date listed.
For Authors Names: The first, middle, or last name of the author is ok.
For Cover Items: Must have the given item on the cover
For Titles: Only the first word of the title. A, An, And, and The do not count.
So if the letter is B: The Best Day would be ok. Dear Betty would not be ok.



1. N/A
2. White
3. 2004
4. Re read
5. Title C
6. Cover Item Tree(s)
7. Author W
8. California
9. Green
10. 2002
11. Friendship
12. Title K
13. Cover Item Mode of Transportation
14. Author P
15. Illinois
16. Silver/Gray
17. 2001
18. Tbr Own
19. Title E
20. Cover Item Silhouette
21. Author O
22. Massachutes
23. Yellow
24. 2010
25. Free
26. Title N
27. Cover Item Tattoo
28. Author H
29. England
30. Blue
31. 1999
32. Meh
33. Title L
34. Cover Item Fire
35. Author D
36. Nevada
37. Pink
38. 2014
39. Usa
40. Title B
41. Cover Item More than 2 people
42. Author A
43. Washington, state
44. Red
45. 2012
46. 3 star
47. Title R
48. Cover Item Headless Person
49. Author S
50. Louisiana
51. Orange
52. 2008
53. Amazing
54. Title F
55. Cover Item Animal(s)
56. Author G
57. Texas
58. Black
59. 2013
60. Interested
61. Title M
62. Cover Item Furniture
63. Author T
64. New York
65. Purple
66. 2011
67. Listened
68. Title P
69. Cover Item No People
70. Author C
71. Australia
72. Multi-colored (more than 3 colors)
73. 2009
74. Movies
75. Title S
76. Cover Item Moon
77. Author L
78. Florida
79. Black
80. 2012
81. The Best
82. Title I
83. Cover Item Smoke
84. Author V
85. Oregon
86. Blue
87. 2010
88. Borrowed Books
89. Title G
90. Cover Item Red Dress
91. Author K
92. Canada
93. Purple
94. 2014
95. Now
96. Title H
97. Cover Item 1 Person
98. Author J
99. Arizona
100. Yellow
(view spoiler)[101. Cover Item Tattoo
102. Title C
103. Black
104. Cover Item Red Dress
105. Author K
106. Friendship
107. Title K
108. Borrowed Books
109. Author W
110. 2013
111. 2002
112. White (hide spoiler)]

Week ~ 1 ~ Roll ~ 8 ~ Space ~ 8 ~ Alternate California
Mandy~ Ditched ~ Review
R~wka~ The Princess ~ Review
Karla~ The Lucy Variations ~ Review
Joyce~ Keeper vs. Reaper ~ Review
Apoorv~ By Blood ~ Review


Week ~ 2 ~ Roll ~ 3 ~ Space ~ 11 ~ Alternate Friendship
Mandy ~ Alice in Zombieland ~ Review
R~wka ~ Saving Grace ~ Review
Karla ~ Beauty Queens ~ Review
Joyce ~ The Ocean at the End of the Lane ~ Review
Apoorv ~ 1st to Die ~ Review


Week ~ 3 ~ Roll ~ 7 ~ Space ~ 18 ~ Alternate TBR Own
Mandy ~ Heir of Skies ~ Review
R~wka ~ Perfect Chemistry ~ Review
Karla ~ Deadly Little Secret ~ Review
Joyce ~ Cry Wolf ~ Review
Apoorv ~ Fangirl ~ Review


Week ~ 4 ~ Roll ~ 3 ~ Space ~ 21 ~ AlternateAuthor O
Mandy ~ Atlantis Riptide ~ Review
R~wka ~ The Secret ~ Review
Karla ~ Deadly Little Lies ~ Review
Joyce ~ Karma Girl Review
Apoorv ~ Island of the Blue Dolphins Review


Week ~ 5 ~ Roll ~ 7 ~ Space ~ 28 ~ AlternateAuthor H
Mandy ~ Ghouls Rush In ~ Review
R~wka ~ The Raven Prince ~ Review
Karla ~ The Lottery Rose ~ Review
Joyce ~ The Cinderella Murder ~ Review
Apoorv ~ The Final Diagnosis ~ Review


Week ~ 6 ~ Roll ~ 5 ~ Space ~ 33 ~ Alternate Title L
Mandy~ Loramendi's Story Review
R~wka~
Karla~ Three to Get Deadly
Joyce~ Love Bites ~ Review
Apoorv~ The Lightning Thief ~ Review


Week ~ 7 ~ Roll ~ 4 ~ Space ~ 37 ~ Alternate Pink Cover
Mandy~ Hidden ~ Review
Karla~ Dead Is the New Black
Joyce~ Better Read Than Dead ~ Review
Apoorv~ I've Got Your Number ~ Review


Week8 ~ Roll ~ 5 ~ Space ~ 42 ~ Alternate A
Mandy~ Dusk ~ Review
Karla~ Matched ~ Review
Joyce~ The Nerd Who Loved Me ~ Review
Apoorv~ The First Phone Call from Heaven ~ Review


Week9 ~ Roll ~ 4 ~ Space ~ 46 ~ Alternate 3 Star
Mandy~ Golem in My Glovebox ~ Review
Arshiya~ Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone ~
Karla~ Beauty ~ Review
Joyce~ Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? ~ Review
Apoorv~ The Kite Runner ~ Review


Week10 ~ Roll ~ 3 ~ Space ~ 49 ~ AlternateAuthor S
Mandy~ Pretty Little Liars ~ Review
Arshiya~ Keeping the Moon ~ Review
Karla~ The Help ~ Review
Joyce~ Daysider ~ Review
Apoorv~ The Shining ~ Review


See below

Hey book-crazy people !
I am so glad to be a part of this team.. new faces, new friends. (I know Karla though, we were in the same team in one other challenge, hey Karla :) )

But, pleasure meeting you R~wka, Mandy and Joyce.
Hopefully, I live up to your crazy reading speeds ! :)

Hi team! I'm Raluca. I'm glad I can be in this challenge and hope to keep up with all.
I'm happy to meet you all.

I think I will have difficult to wrote the review (I'm not English native speaker so I will make errors...). That's also a motive for why I don't wrote often...

Apoorv wrote: "Hey book-crazy people !
I am so glad to be a part of this team.. new faces, new friends. (I know Karla though, we were in the same team in one other challenge, hey Karla :) )

But, pleasure meeting..."

Hey Apoorv! How've you been?

I'm glad I'm not as late in finding this thread as I thought I was!

I'm Karla. I'm from Federal Way, Washington. I am addicted to reading challenges, and am currently a team captain in a long team challenge.

Who's going to be our captain?

Week11 ~ Roll ~ 7 ~ Space ~ 56 ~ AlternateAuthor G
Mandy~ Forgotten ~ Review
Arshiya~
Karla~ At Arm's Length (Vancouver Series #2) ~ Review
Joyce~ Phantom Evil ~ Review
Apoorv~ Looking for Alaska ~ Review

Ooo.. I like Much Ado about Reading ! :)

Hello Team, how are you all doing ?
Please provide any group name suggestions if you have.

We are getting closer to the first roll, lets get the ball rolling ! :)

R~wka wrote: "Hi team! I'm Raluca. I'm glad I can be in this challenge and hope to keep up with all.
I'm happy to meet you all.

I think I will have difficult to wrote the review (I'm not English native speaker ..."

No worries on that Raluca! Your review doesn't have to be fancy at all :)

Thanks Jenne. :)

About the team name, I like Much Ado About Reading. I don't have inspiration for other names...

So, how's the captain?

I like the Artful Page Turners.

Mandy wrote: "I don't mind being captain if no one else wants too. I did it last round. =D
I'm terrible with names
Much Ado About Reading
The Artful Page Turners
Unless - From the Dr. Seuss

See not very good."

I'm fine with you being the captain.

I have no problem being captain. It's easy. So any other choices for team names???

I support Mandy's captain-ship as well ! :)

I'll send Joyce a message she hasn't checked in

I am not sure but since its just a few hours from the first role, I would like to take the initiation and finalize a few things. Apologies if I am jumping the wagon here.

Captain: Mandy
Team Name: The Artful Page Turners

Mandy, would you able to roll tonight after 12AM, your time ?

Yup I'll be up it's only like 10 here. I'll roll.
I will keep score in my first post https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Hi everyone in ready to start reading now I want to be sure I get this right one person rolls for the team

Apoorv wrote: "Hey book-crazy people !
I am so glad to be a part of this team.. new faces, new friends. (I know Karla though, we were in the same team in one other challenge, hey Karla :) )

But, pleasure meeting..."
I feel the same way

Yup in 4 minutes I'll roll and we will have our book option. We can read either the number of the series that comes up or the alternate.

Rolled an 8 (5+3) so 8th in series or book set in California.

~ Set in California

I will read The Princess (Montgomery/Taggart #8) by Jude Deveraux

okay I read Keeper vs. Reaper Set in California. Finished 11/15/14

I give it about 3.5 stars.

It was not quite YA more like Adult YA I forget what the genre is called. It was very different paranormal book. There are Keepers who protect the souls of the departed. The Reapers suck the souls from the departed keeping them from moving on but they need them to survive. Lucy (keeper) and Jack (reaper) find they are attracted to each other. (view spoiler)[ Jack is the empress of the reapers son making him next in line. Jack wants nothing to do with her though. He protects Lucy from his mother and his best friend who is trying to kill her because she is the Chosen One. (hide spoiler)].

This story was an easy fun read. Will look for more books by this author.

I'm still reading mine but should be done today. How are all of you guys doing? I know your done Joyce! I've got Keeper vs Reaper on my TBR. Sounds like one I need to read.

I'm still working on my book. I'll make sure I'm done by tomorrow night.

I ended up finishing my book tonight.
Space 8
Option 2Set in California
book The Lucy Variations by Sara Zarr
rating 2 stars.
review
I listened to the audiobook. The book was about a 16 year-old pianist who quit playing the previous year. The audiobook kept playing music in the background, and it drove me crazy! It was hard to listen the book. Not to mention that the person reading (narrating?) the book doesn't know how to pronounce pianist.

The story was just okay. The grandfather was a jerk. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

Hey Apoorv & R~wka how are your books coming?

Just a reminder:


Thanksgiving-Teams will roll the Friday before (11/21) two times for two spots. No roll on 11/28. Both book's deadline will be Friday (12/5) and then the game resumes it's normal schedule.

Week 1 Space 8 Alternate California

Read 11/19
Rating 4
Review
Holly's life is all planned out from finishing college to marrying her high school sweetheart everthing should be perfect. When she stops by her fiance's house after her bacherolette party what she finds is her fiance with another women. Instead of calling it off she's pushed into getting married by her parents but at the isle she calls it off. Instead of doing what's expected Holly heads off with her best friend Max for a few weeks in California. What Holly finds with Max causes her to question her feelings for Max. Will Holly return to the life she had planned or take a chance on something new.

I liked Holly she's one of those characters you can't help liking. I was able to connect with Holly she reminds me of the girl next door. I found Ditched to be a sweet romance which is also clean so anyone can enjoy it. I enjoyed the story it was quick paced and fun hard to put down because I was curious to see what would happen to Holly next. Overall it's a light hearted romance which is perfect for a lazy afternoon.

Its been a crazy week with already 63 hours at work in 4 days, so I have been MIA, literally.

Mandy, just wanted to double check that is it okay that we log in our books on Friday, since Friday is the roll-day or does it have to be at Thursday Midnight ?

I will need a few more hours to finish my book tomorrow, if that is allowed.

Apologies again to start this challenge on a false note, but work has been really killing !

No worries. Real life had a habit of getting in the way. You have till tomorrow night. We will have two books and two weeks to finish with the next roll. =)

Finished mine so super early because I spent about 10 hours in emergency room waiting for my husband (He is fine) just a gallbladder attack. ☺

Wanted to clarify that you can read the two spots in whatever order you'd like. And if anyone thinks they might not be able to make the deadline due to traveling, cooking, cleaning etc lol. Just please let me or your captain know. Thanks!

I'll have the review for week 1 in a couple of hours. Is it ok?

Should be fine.

Week # 1

Keeping it simple and short this time.

Number Called : 8
Requirement : Set in California

Book Read : By Blood | Ellen Ullman | 11/22/2014
Rating : ★★★.5

Review
Weird, very very weird ! I actually am bereft at words as to what to say about this book. Am kinda lost to be honest !

This was indeed an out n out San Francisco, California book.. the excellence with which the author describes the setting of San Francisco and the wider Bay Area is fantastic. The 70s San Francisco, superbly compelling characters viz. the troubled Classics professor, the nameless woman searching for her origins, a brilliant mathematician and lesbian living in 1974 San Francisco during a time of sexual license and the Zodiac killer; her emotionally distant and withholding adoptive mother; the woman's therapist-a daughter of a Nazi, who wishes for a different family; the birth mother with a wrenching story from the horrors of World War II; and the mysterious and vaguely menacing "voyeur", who listens to the inner secrets told to the therapist in the office next door. Geez ! It was crazy !

The story of the nameless patient in search of her birth parents and her origins is a powerful one. But, then it is this very thing that takes the story a little haywire and ends at the most *arrgh* part. This book is like contradictions galore, I kept getting attracted by the format of the writing but at the same time repelled by what was happening in the story. A funny, weird paradox !

Just in the nick of time, feels good !
Had to literally run back home from work at 11:30 to finish up my review and post it.

Damn ! It was crazy, but got it in.
Hopefully the crazy work dies down a little and I get to enjoy my reading more and not be at such a cut-throat position !

Over to the next week..

Ok it looks like R~wka finished her book already. Maybe she had trouble getting online last night or just forgot to review it.

R~wka I know you're new to this game so if you can get your review up pretty quick y'all can go ahead and roll.

But please make sure to get your reviews in on time. It's only fair to the team. Aproov I know work really had you juggling things last round too. If it gets to be too much let me know. Obviously work and RL come before a game and I don't want to see anyone having a hard time making the deadlines and making the game more of a chore than something fun.

My 2 hours are 17... (was a sleep time in between...)

My review for The Princess by Jude Deveraux
Week 1 / Spot 8
Book 8 in a series (Montgomery/Taggart #8)
Read from November 14 to 22, 2014
Rating: 3 ST★RS
Review:
There is a story about a princes saved by an American hero and they end together to save her life (and kingdom).

I liked who the book started, was a good introduction for a spoiled princes in the story. I believed her character, but not the hero's role... He was too ... how to tell, harsh is to good for him.

What else to wrote...? I read til the end to see if ther is a change between the tow, and was... in the last page :|. But was good tor the people of Lanconia (a fictional country, where the Princes (future Queen) is from). (view spoiler)[They get a (future) King to help the country and bring it to the 20th century (from 19...or 18?). (hide spoiler)]

I hope is ok short like this.

Jenne, I was tipping the review but my "inspiration" made me tipping (and deleting) without seeing the post above. I hope next time I won't be the last one to wrote it :(

The cut off was a little over 8 hours ago. I know it's your first time playing so I'm not going to penalize the team. We strive for reviews to be in on Thursdays. Fridays are kind of an emergency cushion if needed. But when Friday is over and teams are missing reviews they're not suppose to roll and advance. So it's very important to get books and reviews done as soon as you can.

Week ~ 1 ~ Roll ~ 8 ~ Space ~ 8 ~ Alternate California
Mandy~ Ditched ~ Review
R~wka~ The Princess ~ Review
Karla~ The Lucy Variations ~ Review
Joyce~ Keeper vs. Reaper ~ Review
Apoorv~ By Blood ~ Review

5 of 5 completed

Week 2 Roll - 1 + 2 = 11 Alternate - Friendship
Week 3 Roll - 3 + 4 = 18 Alternate TBR Own

I'm going to read
Week 1 First in series
Week 2 First in series

What are you guys going to read?

Artful Page Turners #10
Reviews Due by 12/4

Week 2 Roll - 1 + 2 = 11 Alternate - Friendship or 1st in series
Week 3 Roll - 3 + 4 = 18 Alternate TBR Own or 1st or 8th in series

Week #1- Friendship The Ocean at the End of the Laneby Neil Gaiman
Finished 11/25/14
Rating: 5 stars

Review:Neil Gaiman continues to produce strange and bizarre stories. But they are always intriguing. This one is no different. Part adult and part young adult in content.
It is the story of young boy who encounters a girl named Lettie who promises to always protect him. She takes him to a place where unfortunately he gets "infected" with a dark entity who ultimately seems to want to claim him.
The story was so compelling that I finished it in three days (it not a long story).


Week # 2 First in Series Cry Wolf by Patricia Briggs
Finished 11/28/14
Rating: 4 stars
Review: I am very glad I read the prequel novella before reading this one. The novella Alpha & Omega. It shows Anna Latham, a rare and valuable Omega wolf and her story which is very important to know for this novel because it takes place immediately from the prequel and would have been horribly confusing.
Anna and Charles (the Marrocks youngest son) head to Montana to start a new life. Being an Omega means she can calm down a werewolf, giving peace to a species of volatile monsters, she in invaluable. But she was brutalized by her maker so she is very fearful and doesn't know the extent of her powers.

I think this is a beginning to a great series. Hopefully they will all be as intriguing as this one.