Nothing But Reading Challenges discussion

Finished my last book for the monster mini :)
Hope everyone has a lovely weekend ! I will be enjoying a sunny/warm one.

With that the Cyclops is defeated. However we are promptly attacked again!


Caucasian Eagle



The Caucasian Eagle has taken to the skies over your lands in the search of do-gooders who don't think the rules apply to them. Not so hard to defeat with a little effort and maybe setting some traps with organ meat.

To vanquish this monster you must:
1.) Read a book between 200 and 299 pages (inclusive).
2.) Read a book set in Russia.
3.) Read a book with a bird on the cover.
4.) Read a book with the letters LIVER in title (any order)
5.) Read a book where a character goes to prison/jail (or is already there).

The only ones I can't quickly find are birds and Russia. Some searching coming up.

If anyone is interested in a book that has a poem quoted in the text, The Best of Adam Sharp has poems by Elizabeth Barrett Browning quoted (but the book isn't very good). It also has instruments in text and different foods in the text.

For the next mini, feel free to claim tasks as we go along.

The books that have been read so far for the challenge have been filtered out using the 'on SS' column of the SS so can be added back in easily if you are searching for a book for Calliope.

Do any of you have thoughts or questions about the mini?

Any books that you are reading which you think might make the start of a good pair for Erato or a recommended of something you've read to help Calliope?

I'm reading The Rosie Result at the mo, I thought it might be quite good for the square given it starts and ends with T. Also have Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow about to finish. I think there was a poetry quote in there somewhere but was thinking it could be something for the pair if we had a book with Yesterday in the title

T at both ends sounds great. If anyone has another then we could have a square with T in 3 corners and maybe E or S in the bottom right.


Any volunteers for a yesterday title?



I'm reading Mistress of the Art of Death with could work with Master, science or life in a title.

I should finish The Family Remains soon. It would be #2 in series. I wish I'd waited a day to finish Vera Stanhope #5. Oops.

I'm terrible at strategy, so use however you want. It also features violin/fiddle for the musical instrument category.

If you mark that it could work for both on the SS, I'm sure some clever juggling can happen later.

I have a stack of series books coming up, so hopefully we can make a nice long chain. Also, many of them also are culinary mysteries, so food will be super easy to fill in.

I saw that someone has Arsenic and Adobo listed on the SS. It works for one that someone on the team has read during the challenge because I read it early on. Also, someone has The Book of Cold Cases listed and several of us read it for BOM last month. That should help with Calliope. I'll be starting Malibu Rising for the BOM, so if anyone else reads it as well, it can be counted here as well.

Excellent amy! We can make four chains of 4 or a few longer chains so long as there are at least 4 books in the shortest one.


For Calliope, books will only count if they were finished before the start of this mini. Mia has read it already so some people could use it. Or we can use it as a pair with a book with Falling in the title.

I'm about 41% into a book #4. I can hold off finishing it until we're ready for the #4 if you want?

Steven wrote: "I'm about 41% into a book #4. I can hold off finishing it until we're ready for the #4 if you want?"

I think you can go ahead and just mark it as #4. I didn't see anything that says we have to read series books in order. Based on what is currently claimed it would be X4

Hmm, I thought I read it somewhere, but I’ll go look through it again.

I’d been so behind on ARCs, but finally getting to read another of the Rockton books and loving it.

The Book of Cold Cases and Arsenic and Adobo are both me! I've actually just finished The Book of Cold Cases. I may not update until tomorrow though. I'll read Arsenic and Adobo next since I feel like I haven't contributed much to the minis.

Steven wrote: "Hmm, I thought I read it somewhere, but I’ll go look through it again.

I’d been so behind on ARCs, but finally getting to read another of the Rockton books and loving it."

I just finished a #2 & #3 in series, so you should be all good for your #4

It looks like there may be a #5 and #7 being read based on what I saw on the SS. I can fill in a #6.

I think with what I have coming up, we can probably just go 1-16 in one long chain. What does everyone think? It shouldn't bee too hard to fill in the numbers.

Denise wrote: "The Book of Cold Cases and Arsenic and Adobo are both me! I've actually just finished The Book of Cold Cases. I may not update until tomorrow though. I'll read Arsenic and Adobo next since I feel l..."

awesome! I enjoyed Arsenic and Adobo. I hope you do too

The series numbers don't havw to be finished in order. I wasn't feeling that evil when I put the challenge together.


Amy - I'm happy to try for 16 books in a chain. I've got some that work for 13 and up depending how many I want to read in quick succession. Otherwise we can get 1-12 and make another shorter chain of lower numbers.

Hi, I added Super Powereds: Year 2 to my shelf.

Wonderful thanks Andrea!

How is everyone doing? Currently vwry hot here which I'm not used to (36 degrees). Going to hunt somewhere with air conditioning to spend this afternoon with my toddler.

Feel bad I haven’t been more chatty. 2 family members have been diagnosed with terminal cancer since the start of the challenge which has made me want to hide in my shell and read rather than be outgoing.

Omg Sophie, that’s terrible! Like one isn’t enough, it has to be two?!?

:(

We are stuck at home in quarantine, as hubby’s office had a positive test in his department and he was around her for hours every day last week. But at least our AC is good in this heat!

Hey everyone, how are you all doing?

Sophie, I'm really sorry to hear that; I totally get the urge to just cuddle under a blanket and read and get lost in another world. I've basically been doing it for a few weeks now, which is why I've been so silent on here. It's so difficult to make myself be social when I want to turtle up. Plus, so many things are coming up soon, but nothing is confirmed yet, which is driving me mad - we might or might not be travelling to India soon, my UK student visa is still under process with the university, let alone with immigration... Ugh.

Steven wrote: "Omg Sophie, that’s terrible! Like one isn’t enough, it has to be two?!?

:(

We are stuck at home in quarantine, as hubby’s office had a positive test in his department and he was around her for ho..."

How are you handling quarantine? Are you doing okay?

Yeah, we are doing fine. We both worked from home for two years and were used to it for a long time. I’ve enjoyed him working from home the past week or so, means I’m not home alone. And his official test results just came back negative, so he will go back into the office tomorrow.

I'm about to wrap up a #5 in a series if that helps.

Thanks everyone. It's tough and is meaning that life needs more juggling than I'd hoped for, but we are settling into a new routine (that will last for 6 weeks, then my son starts school and everything changes again).

Glad you've been ok in quarantine. Sometimes it's nice to have a little more time together in the day with the commute.

Insiyah, that lack of certainty on anything sounds so frustrating. Fingers crossed at least one bit comes clear soon. Where in the UK are you hoping to come to?

JL wrote: "I'm about to wrap up a #5 in a series if that helps."

That's great. We'll add it to the chain.

So sorry to hear that Sophie. A very difficult thing to navigate through I'm sure. Sending positive thoughts to give you the strength you need to get through each upcoming day!

Sorry I haven't been very active lately. My dad has been in the ICU for the past week due to a by-pass failure, blood loss and a blood clot. Thankfully, he will be coming home today so things should settle a bit for me and I will have more time to read!

Steven - glad to hear he had a negative test. I'm sure that's a great relief!

Insiyah - hope your paperwork moves along. The waiting and uncertainty has to be so frustrating. Fingers crossed that you get some answers soon so you can start planning accordingly!

Carrie wrote: "Insiyah - hope your paperwork moves along. The waiting and uncertainty has to be so frustrating. Fingers crossed that you get some answers soon so you can start planning accordingly!"

Sophie wrote: "Insiyah, that lack of certainty on anything sounds so frustrating. Fingers crossed at least one bit comes clear soon. Where in the UK are you hoping to come to?"

Hopefully things get cleared soon. My parents are waiting on whether or not they get permission (and visa) to travel to London. If they do then I'm in Dubai, and if they don't we all go to India.

I'm planning to go to London as well, except my move will be in September (fingers crossed).

Carrie wrote: "Sorry I haven't been very active lately. My dad has been in the ICU for the past week due to a by-pass failure, blood loss and a blood clot. Thankfully, he will be coming home today so things shoul..."

Oh Carrie, I'm really sorry about your dad. I hope he did make it home today and has an uneventful recovery from here.

Please tell me that's the last of the bad news from the team! I'd like to think the rest of you are having a better time.

Our 1st square has all the books in place!

Top: The Rosie Result
Left: The Drift
Right: The Book of Cold Cases
Bottom: The Family Remains

The corners are
T T
T S

I did a reread of Hamlet, but I don't know what to count it as. Maybe it can be a square side? Or maybe for one of the stories?

I'm having trouble getting interested in Malibu Rising. Unfortunately the audio waitlist is super long, so I have to read it physically. I'm already a kind of slow reader with print books, and with it not grabbing my interest, it is extra slow going. Does it get better?

Sophie wrote: "Our 1st square has all the books in place!

Top: The Rosie Result
Left: The Drift
Right: The Book of Cold Cases
Bottom: The Family Remains

The corners are
T T
T S"

I think I actually have at least one other book that starts and ends with a T :D

I've also got a few books lined up that someone else in the team has read so I'm hoping to pick them up soon(ish)

Amy the book-bat wrote: "I did a reread of Hamlet, but I don't know what to count it as. Maybe it can be a square side? Or maybe for one of the stories?

I'm having trouble getting interested in Malibu Rising. Unfortunatel..."

I liked Malibu Rising but it does take a while to get going. For me it jumped around a little too much between characters which made it difficult to get into the story. It's been a while since I read it but from memory it does get better.

I read Carrie Soto is Back a couple of weeks ago and absolutely loved it. Think I read the whole thing in one go.

Regarding the chain of series, I can do #16 after my Harry Potter book with What the Devil Knows if we need it or I can continue my other series starting from #9.

I'm sincerely hoping that the heatwave is gradually coming to an end. Today is way better already, a bit of wind, rain and fresh air. I can't do 40°C anymore, not for me, no thank you. I just can't cope with it (let alone the animals).

Sophie and Carrie, take care of you and your loved ones!

i can do a number 10 in series if we think we're going to make a chain that long

Amy the book-bat wrote: "I did a reread of Hamlet, but I don't know what to count it as. Maybe it can be a square side? Or maybe for one of the stories?

I'm having trouble getting interested in Malibu Rising. Unfortunatel..."

It might end up as one of the Square sides, I'm waiting to see what else turns up. I think they are likely to be the hardest thing to do so I'm likely to be shifting things from other places if I see a square that works.


I really enjoyed Malibu Rising and read it faster than I've read anything in a little while. The characters were a little confusing to start, and it definitely sped up once we weren't jumping between time periods any more.

Audrey Jane wrote: "Regarding the chain of series, I can do #16 after my Harry Potter book with What the Devil Knows if we need it or I can continue my other series starting from #9.

I'm sincerely hop..."

I can cover 13, 14 and 15 potentially so I think we have a good shot at getting to 16 in one chain. At the moment we could do with a #6, #8, #9, (10 with Devann) #11, #12 if we want to do that. Any takers?

The extremely hot weather being done here for a few days is bliss. Never thought I'd think 25 was cool, but I'm enjoying it today. We've got my daughter's Christening on Sunday and it's meant to be 27 which I'd normally say was too hot, but I think it should be fine now.

I’m trying to finish up this Rockton #5 so I can start #6, but if someone gets to a #6 before me, have at it

Sophie wrote: "The extremely hot weather being done here for a few days is bliss. Never thought I'd think 25 was cool, but I'm enjoying it today. We've got my daughter's Christening on Sunday and it's meant to be..."

Indeed Sophie ! It's currently 25°C here as well and I'm enjoying it as if it's the new normal. This morning I said to a colleague 'open the windows, it's nice and fresh outside' haha. And yes, I just checked and it's only for a couple of days as they announce 30°C for Sunday. Summers here should remain in the 20's imo. Is it just me or are we gradually losing our four seasons... I hope everything goes well and that there are some cool spots in Sunday :)

Sophie wrote: "Carrie wrote: "Sorry I haven't been very active lately. My dad has been in the ICU for the past week due to a by-pass failure, blood loss and a blood clot. Thankfully, he will be coming home today ..."

Thanks Sophie :)

I'm happy to say he is now home and resting!

Just curious - is there anyone here who is not a big fan of Taylor Jenkins Reid? I have read Daisy Jones and The Seven Husbands and I wasn't head over heals for either one. It seems that everyone loves her books though!

Carrie wrote: "Just curious - is there anyone here who is not a big fan of Taylor Jenkins Reid? I have read Daisy Jones and The Seven Husbands and I wasn't head over heals for either one. It seems that everyone l..."

i suppose i'm not a fan but more in the way that none of the summaries of the books even sound interesting enough for me to try reading them so i guess that's more a case of it just not being my thing in general rather than if you thought you'd like it and ended up feeling meh. i definitely know that feeling of when everyone is raving about something and you read it and are just so confused about what the big deal is though lol

Hi Team! I am checking in. Sorry I haven't been so chatty. I barely have enough time to read in between working and taking care of the kids. I hope everyone is staying cool in this country wide heat wave we are in. Stay safe!

Devann wrote: "i can do a number 10 in series if we think we're going to make a chain that long"

Go for it! I have several series on the go and can fill in whatever we need. Right now I have 5,6, 11,12,13,16 downloaded for various series, but filling in other things isn't a problem.

Carrie wrote: "Just curious - is there anyone here who is not a big fan of Taylor Jenkins Reid? I have read Daisy Jones and The Seven Husbands and I wasn't head over heals for either one. It seems that everyone l..."

I have read Daisy Jnes and Evelyn Hugo as well and I feel she is a little over-hyped. The books were fine, but I wasn't as gaga over them as son many others seem to be. And of course, I am struggling with Malibu Rising, which isn't helping her case any. I was wondering how her older works are... if maybe I would like them better? I don't know that I will bother to find out, though.