Nothing But Reading Challenges discussion

Team Lord Vetinari

• Cat (Captain)
• Danielle (Co-Captain)
• Alyana
• Marie Riley
• Teresa
• Sarah
• Sassafrass
• Elena
• Frida
• Alissa Huybers
• Cathy M.
• Kate


Challenge Status Sheet
Team Sheet


Tracking Sheet - add your books here!

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How TT8 Works

First thing is to remember that this is FUN! That means we all want to read books, maybe talk about them and get some points for them. It also means we be kind to each other. One way y'all can be kind to Danielle and I is to pop in here at least once a week to let us know that you are still reading, however slowly that might be. We do have some fast readers in the team, but don't think that your one book a month isn't needed - it absolutely is!

We've got a tracking spreadsheet that everyone can use - you can find it here (and I'm linking it in the first posts too for easy finding). So, as you pick a book, start a book or finish a book please add it, and it's details, to the BOOKS tab. If you can put a hyperlink to the GR edition you read that would be perfect!
When you've finished a book, make sure you've put the read date in the sheet and that you've added the book, marked as read, to your TT shelf.

That's the core of what we need you to do!

but... for added fun and points, we can use each book in one of the minigames - Tasks / Bingo / Jackanory.

Danielle and I think that we should start off by trying to fill in the Tasks first, as they are the most specific. Next we'll go to the Bingo and finally chuck books into Jackanory - which has no constraints, but might mean we end up with a super-weird story!

So, when you are reading your book, if it fits a task or you spot a bingo link, make a note of that (in the BOOKS tab). We'll then put books against tasks or squares for the extra points :) We might shuffle books around from where you originally put them, so that we cover off the trickier tasks first (i.e. the spell-outs will be the point of last resort!)

If you are a planner, or want a hint on what book to pick up next, then I suggest you go to the task list or bingo squares and pick a spot to cover. If you do that, can you shout out here which task you have claimed, and enter it into the Task / Bingo tab.


What that all boils down to is:

1. Have fun, be kind
2. Read!
3. Add your book to the sheet
4. Identify any tasks it will work for
5. Hi-five
6. Pick another book


Here's the link to the Tracker Sheet again!

BOMs

We get bonus points for participating in the BOMs each month.
There are three each month: an Adult Fiction or Non-Fiction; a Young Adult and a Discworld one.

Participation means answering at least three days of questions within the month of the start of the book. You don't have to read at the same pace as the DQ schedule.

We get additional points if we volunteer and are picked to write a set of DQs.

May
2 May - Adult - The Foundling also known as The Lost Orphan (so that fits a task already!)
16 May - Young Adult - Dumplin' (Cat nominated so we are guaranteed a set of DQs!)
22 May - Discworld - Equal Rites (the first in the Witches series)

June
2 June - Adult - The Midnight Library
9 June - Backroom (over 18s only) - Prickly Business
16 June - Young Adult - Firekeeper's Daughter
22 June - Discworld - Mort (the first in the DEATH series)

July
2 July - Adult - The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
12 July - Backroom (Over 18s only) - Pumpkin Spiced Omega
16 July - Young Adult - The House in the Cerulean Sea (rec by team Carrot)
22 July - Discworld - Guards! Guards! (the first in the City Watch series)

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Hello everyone! Welcome to Tower Teams Octarine edition!

Hopefully you are all excited by this challenge - I know I am.

I'll say up front that you do NOT have to read a single Discworld book to contribute to the team or enjoy this challenge, though you are of course very welcome to do so!

I'm Cat, based in London and a big Discworld fan.

Hiya team!

I’m Danielle and from Wales.

This sounds like it will be a fun TT. I haven’t read any Discworld before, but I have been wanting to for years, just haven’t gotten around to it. So looking forward to doing so this challenge.

Hello team!

I'm Alyana and from Queens, NY.

This would be my first ever TT challenge. I haven't read any Discworld before but I can probably try although not much of a scifi-fantasy reader. Looking forward to reading with you all! :)

Hello! I am Teresa and from southern Alberta Canada. I’ve done tower teams before but it’s been awhile. I’ve read one Terry Pratchett book (Small Gods) and enjoyed it. I right now I’m into fantasy/paranormal/sci-fi mm romance.

Hello all!

I am Alissa from Calgary, Alberta (Canada). I've never done Tower Teams but it was recommended by many in my Uno team.

I'm not big on sci/fi fantasy but maybe I will try. No promises at this point though.

I've looking forward to this challenge.

Welcome Alyana and Teresa!

Romance is my main genre to read, but I do love fantasy.

Welcome Alissa!

There is definitely no pressure to read Discworld, if that genre is not to your liking.

✿~Danielle~✿ wrote: "Welcome Alyana and Teresa!

Romance is my main genre to read, but I do love fantasy."

My main genre are crime/thriller/mysteries, romance (not to cheesy though lol)

Hey team! I'm Frida, I live in Barcelona at the moment but I'm a little from all over the world.
This is my first time doing TT! Not sure what the format is like but once I get the hang of it it'll be great. I'm a big fan of team challenges
Hate to say it but I'm one of those "I'll read anything" people. I really will
I haven't read Discworld yet and I want to, but I'm trying to lighten my TBR shelf a little this year, so adding a 41-book series is just not in the cards for me LOL

Excited to read with you all!

hi everyone I cannot wait for TT

I am Marie I live in God's own county Of Yorkshire in the UK
I am so pleased reading Discworld is not essential I just cannot get my head round them.

Welcome Frida and Marie!

Hi All, I'm Sass from the US, right outside of Philadelphia.

I'm a romance girl, but I'll try anything at least once. I haven't read any discworld but I'm definitely open!

Hi team!

I'm Elena, and I live Maryland, US. Sci fi and fantasy are my faves but I haven't read any Discworld yet. Definitely planning to rectify that!
Happy to see and meet everyone, and very excited for the TT!!

Welcome Sass and Elena!

Hi everyone!

I'm Sarah and I'm in the UK. Love Discworld, been reading them forever. Definitely going to reread some this TT.

Hurrah! I thought I was going to be the only big fan for bit there. Hopefully you also adore Lord Vetinari, ol' Dogbotherer himself? I always thought of him in the vein of Francis Urquhart from House of Cards (the original, as played by Ian Richardson), but am overjoyed by the image of him here - shades of Richard Armitage.
Less superficially, he's a character with brains and wiles and cunning with wonderfully dry humour, generally several steps ahead of everyone else in the city.

But I shall stop waxing lyrical now!

As a bit of admin, can everyone confirm what their shelves will be for TT, so that Danielle & I can double check that books work for the challenge?

Mine's tt_octarine

Welcome Sarah!

My shelf tower

Mine's TT8. Does it need to be an exclusive shelf?

Alyana wrote: "Mine's TT8. Does it need to be an exclusive shelf?"

We use it as a cross check that we've got all the books that you've read, so yes, please.

Ah, yes - so, not exclusive in GRs, but we only want books that are valid for TT - i.e. starts empty.

Does that make sense?

Cat wrote: "Alyana wrote: "Mine's TT8. Does it need to be an exclusive shelf?"

We use it as a cross check that we've got all the books that you've read, so yes, please."

✿~Danielle~✿ wrote: "Alyana wrote: "Mine's TT8. Does it need to be an exclusive shelf?"

No, it doesn’t."

Which one? Yes or no? :)

There were crossed wires on your meaning. Read Cat’s post again.

Yes sorry, I must've replied the same time when Cat edited her post. Thank you for the clarification.

mine is _tower-teams-8-2021

my shelf is tower-teams-8

I'm not home right now, will link my shelf when I'm back.

Cat, did you get to pick team names?

My shelf is:

tp-tt8

Ok, I'm back, my shelf - 2021-tt8-discworld‎

OK i feel like the village idiot I have no idea how to create these pretty links to a shelf but this is mine unprettified as it is

https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...

I am going to try a discworld novel. I am going for number 1 in series - see if it is because i have not read the first that i do not understand the rest. I have reserved it from the library (so it costs me nothing to try- ok maybe a headache) perhaps i will get into them

Marie (UK) wrote: "OK i feel like the village idiot I have no idea how to create these pretty links to a shelf but this is mine..."

Pretty links not necessary but you do the following without the *

<*a href="URL HERE">LINK NAME HERE<*/a>

@Elena - yup! We brainstormed a lot of names then picked which we wanted. I was hopping about over a few - nearly went for Moist, but thought it was funnier to give that to Jenny, so went for ol' Dogbotherer in the end, as he was my first initial choice before I wavered when I was looking for images!

✿~Danielle~✿ wrote: "Marie (UK) wrote: "OK i feel like the village idiot I have no idea how to create these pretty links to a shelf but this is mine..."

Pretty links not necessary but you do the following without the ..."

thanks Danielle

The nomination period for June's BOMs has opened! If you nominate the book that is picked for the group read then you are automatically given a set of DQs to write, which means point points points!

So, if you want to go nominate a book or two (one for each category), head over here

Or, we could be super sneaky, and put our heads together for a communal nomination and block voting....

Cat wrote: "Or, we could be super sneaky, and put our heads together for a communal nomination and block voting...."

I second this.

Hello, team!

I am Kate. I live near Washington , DC (but not too near). This is my first tower team, but not my first team challenge. I enjoy reading mysteries and thrillers. I don't shy away from most genres, but I am more likely to pick a book that is a mystery.

I have not read any of the discworld books, but I am taking some advice and skipping the first two. I have a copy of the third book ready to be picked up at my library.

My shelf is: 2021-tt.

Alyana wrote: "Cat wrote: "Or, we could be super sneaky, and put our heads together for a communal nomination and block voting...."

I second this."

Yay for sneakiness! Any suggestions?

I'm currently reading the April YA BOM, Aurora Rising and, left to myself, would probably have suggested book2

Which is NOT to say that that's what I think we should nominate, just that I struggle more with the YA nominations, and this is a lazy solution for me that I'd be happy with!

Shout out with suggestions, and we'll work to agree one we can all support. And of course, you do NOT need to read it at the end of the process either.

Cat wrote: "Hurrah! I thought I was going to be the only big fan for bit there. Hopefully you also adore Lord Vetinari, ol' Dogbotherer himself? I always thought of him in the vein of Francis Urquhart from Hou..."

That would be too tragic if you were the only fan! Hopefully there will be a few converts in the course of things. I am sad that no-one will get all the references for a little while...

Off the top of my head, here's the stats on old Lord V.

* Benevolent tyrant of the city of Ankh Morpork. "One man, one vote", and that man is Lord Vetinari.
* Play chess over the clacks (think telegram by semaphore ish) with Lady Margolotta (vampire) of Uberwald
* Likes a cryptic crossword
* Makes offers it would be unwise to refuse


My shelf - tt-octarine

Cat wrote: "

The nomination period for June's BOMs has opened! If you nominate the book that is picked for the group read then you are automatically given a set of DQs to write, which means point points point..."

Ooh I'm for sure down for some team sneakiness. Whatever we can do to get some extra points. Little competition never hurt anyone :)

Cat wrote: "Yay for sneakiness! Any suggestions?

I'm currently reading the April YA BOM, Aurora Rising and, left to myself, would probably have suggested book2

Which is NOT to say that that's what I think we should nominate, just that I struggle more with the YA nominations, and this is a lazy solution for me that I'd be happy with!

Shout out with suggestions, and we'll work to agree one we can all support. And of course, you do NOT need to read it at the end of the process either."

If I understand this correctly, we are gathering suggestions for a YA book? Sorry for asking such a silly question, I'm new at this.