Nothing But Reading Challenges discussion

I could read two short books to get the 3 As and an I, but it would take two of our 90 spots....

Susan A wrote: "ugghh.. I had to do another spellout, but it doesn't help much with the letters we currently need. It had food items we could use but I didn't search before listening to it and I didn't take notes...."

I have that book in paperback I think. I could try and skim it. Its my least favorite of that series so I don't want to actually read it. :)

MN Lisa wrote: "I could read two short books to get the 3 As and an I, but it would take two of our 90 spots...."

Well..we have plenty time. I don't think we need to do that yet. Maybe I'll screw up again and we'll get them that way

MN Lisa wrote: "Susan A wrote: "ugghh.. I had to do another spellout, but it doesn't help much with the letters we currently need. It had food items we could use but I didn't search before listening to it and I di..."

No that sounds painful!

Susan A wrote: "MN Lisa wrote: "Susan A wrote: "ugghh.. I had to do another spellout, but it doesn't help much with the letters we currently need. It had food items we could use but I didn't search before listenin..."

You couldn't have had that happen on Devil in Winter? I love that one. It's my favorite. Maybe I'll read that one.

MN Lisa wrote: "Susan A wrote: "MN Lisa wrote: "Susan A wrote: "ugghh.. I had to do another spellout, but it doesn't help much with the letters we currently need. It had food items we could use but I didn't search..."

Me too. I actually started with that one (it was searchable) -- book 3, then read 4,1,2. I might read the extra one A Wallflower Christmas. I've never read that one.

I liked the Ravenels series too which ties into this one somehow. I also like the Hathaways series, but I don't think I like much else by this author. I have to ask my sister. We usually read the same historical romance in highschool and college (80s and 90s). I know there is one not in these series that we liked, but I can't figure out which one it is. I listened to Someone to Watch Over Me and I did not like that one.

Susan A wrote: "Me too. I actually started with that one (it was searchable) -- book 3, then read 4,1,2. I might read the extra one A Wallflower Christmas. I've never read that one.

I liked the Ravenels series too which ties into this one somehow. I also like the Hathaways series, but I don't think I like much else by this author. I have to ask my sister. We usually read the same historical romance in highschool and college (80s and 90s). I know there is one not in these series that we liked, but I can't figure out which one it is. I listened to Someone to Watch Over Me and I did not like that one."

Depending on how historical you want to go, I really like The Bride mand The Secret by Julie Garwood and Highland Knight and Highland Vow by Hannah Howell. Strong Women who don't take crap from the udder Alpha Males they find themselves with.

Oh I love Julie Garwood! I was so mad and confused when she started writing those contemporary romantic suspense things. In fact, I was so mad that I refused to read them. I looked at them again recently but I can't borrow them in ebook or audiobook and I'm not paying for them. I only read a physical book rarely.

I bought most of the historical romances at various audible sales and I still have some of the paperbacks.. I can re-read or re-listen these books over and over.

I've got that Hannah Howell series on my TBR. I know I read some of her stuff at some point (before goodreads), but I'm not sure which series. I think it was this one.

I also like Loretta Chase. I wish more of her books were available in audio.

Isn't abalone a shellfish?

I just started Interview with the Vampire which will be a spell out. So I'll try and figure something out. There are some vowels in the character's names.

Black Butler has some more character names I can add too.

I finally was able to put my books.

Vian wrote: "Isn't abalone a shellfish?

..."

They are "marine snails"....so I guess that's yes.

Who did the meals descriptions....THANK YOU. I was not a fan of that task last month.

Vian -- I see you are in the spreadsheet working now

I only did a few of the 4 items or under books (300 pages or less)
-- right now it's halfway through the month and we have 53 books -- so we'll hit the 90 mark for sure. I figure it's better to wait on using the books with the lesser number of items until later in the month.

Also -- I stopped working on the 12+ books (500+ pages) until I hear back from Lisa -- I'm not sure how many drinks and desserts we are planning

That's probably for the best.

I think I only grabbed a couple of the under 300 page books. I was trying to work on those spell it outs.

- Since I kinda fell behind last round, it's only fair I write out some meal descriptions.

We now have the 2 letter i that we need to finish the words currently started

I haven't started a new balsamic or abalone because we would need another I or another O.

I didn't create some different word to spell out because if we do get a I or O in the future we should be able to spell out balsamic or abalone ...but we might not be able to if we start using the letters to create different words. So, I think we should wait on spelling out words until we further in the month.

If anyone has any books they read but didn't do the scavenging -- I could try the amazon search inside -- just post the book and let me know you'd like me to do it.

I used up all but 1 of the spell-out letters and made a Quiche (Spelled: Nargesi) and a Sandwich (Spelled: Shawarma)

Susan A wrote: "If anyone has any books they read but didn't do the scavenging -- I could try the amazon search inside -- just post the book and let me know you'd like me to do it."

I def didn't find much of anything (nothing that stuck out anyway I'll do a quick search again) in my last few reads. I'm going to work on adding books to spell to the spreadsheet off and on today.

Just realized most of my books have been audio. Going back into the ebooks to scavenge. Will update the spreadsheet as I finish each book instead of waiting until I'm finished with my list :)

What's the rule about childrens books? I don't remember and I can't find it

Steph wrote: "What's the rule about childrens books? I don't remember and I can't find it"

Fresh meals (must be used within the month - page count of 50 pages or more. No restriction on using children's, graphic novels, etc.)

Frozen meals Can be used in the following month. Page count of 160+. No graphic novels, cookbooks, poetry or childrens books unless audio version is more than 5 hours or wordcount can be verified with arbookfind as more than 40,000 words

and there is a box to check in the spreadsheet, col F

Okay! I'm going to read Island of the Blue Dolphins tomorrow. I haven't read it since 4th grade but I seem to have suddenly remembered abalone in there all over the place.

so much abalone!

I'm going to set up 4 sandwiches for the abalone. The book is restricted to fresh meals. Salad is less items, but sandwich has more potential customers.

We are getting to the end of the month. We have 90 books now and I know I will probably read about 3-4 more that are over 300 pages.

We should probably add books under 300 to the overflow tab with the details so we can try and maximize the books.

I also think that since we have 10 books over 500 pages we should try and divide those evenly through desserts and drinks (alc and non-alc).

Susan: Can you check the 12 items books for food items and try and replace them with items from the 8 item books? We can then create meals that can only be done from the 12 item books.

I will check the 4 item books and try to use up the other 8 item books so it will be easier to remove the 4 item books with other 8 item books as they get read. I will also try and list out more ingredients in meals on the Kitchen tab so we have an idea of what to look for.

As always change things as needed for what makes sense with what we have.

Yes. I’ll take care of swapping out the 12 item books tonight. I’ll post when I am finished so that you know you can start on the smaller item books

I am completely finished with the 500+ page books -- the swapping out is done, the new meals made.

Still to do:
1. ALL of the current meal descriptions need to be checked...with the swapping out of ingredients, there may be meal descriptions that do not make sense.

2. Before new spell outs, meal 81 needs letter I

3. New meal descriptions need to be made.

My Last books had an I. Used that for Meal 81.

I looked at all of the descriptions listed in the shopfront.

No changes need to be made, although a few of them need could use a little more - -some say simply salad or sandwich with no descriptive language.

But, nothing is incorrect as a result of my previous changes.


Lisa -- the 500+ pages that I've added...are you doing them or am I supposed to do them?

Susan A wrote: "I looked at all of the descriptions listed in the shopfront.

No changes need to be made, although a few of them need could use a little more - -some say simply salad or sandwich with no descriptiv..."

I can do them. I have Friday off and plan to use some of that time to get caught up on this.

I just went through and added some descriptions to a few of the more basic meals.

Looking at all the meals we've made, I'm looking at the number of drinks and desserts we have. Did we use up all of them last round?

I just got finished with my show so I have the rest of this week off to help.

I did not note food items for my most recent 500+ pages books. If we need food items for them, please let me know. I already returned them, so I'll be limited to what I can find through amazon or google search in the books.

Does anyone know the answer to the following question? I asked two days ago, didn't get an answer, so instead of bumping it, I deleted it and asked it again...I suppose that was stupid ...anyway there still isn't an answer. The book has good items, but if it's just 4 it's not worth using.

**********************************
This children's book

Little Town on the Prairie is 6 hrs and 24 mins
and 61,542 words - https://www.arbookfind.com/bookdetail...


Does this mean I do not have to check off the children's book box in the spreadsheet? That this book, 374 pages, is an 8 item book?

I don't think you need to check the box. Your book is long enough so you should be fine using it for fresh and frozen.



Frozen meals Page count of 160+. No graphic novels, cookbooks, poetry or childrens books unless audio version is more than 5 hours or wordcount can be verified with arbookfind as more than 40,000 words

Meal count (from planning page):

Fresh -
fish & chips: 5
fish & chips with vinegar: 6
sandwich: 10
salad: 8
coffee: 10
tea: 4

Frozen-
pasta: 6
quiche: 6
curry: 5


non alcoholic drinks: 22
alcoholic drinks: 55
desserts: 44

special: 5
kid's toys: 14/20 -> need 6

Vian wrote: "Meal count (from planning page):

Fresh -
fish & chips: 5
fish & chips with vinegar: 6
sandwich: 10
salad: 8
coffee: 10
tea: 4

Frozen-
pasta: 6
quiche: 6
curry: 5


non alcoholic drinks: 22
alcoho..."


And That's not including my latest round of 500+ page books ... which is mostly drinks and desserts.

Hmmm....well.. if we need it to be food...I'll see what I can do.

A few of my recent books did have bonus finds.

Vian -- did you finish Death of a Kitchen DIva? There's no date read for it.

I'm almost done with it, I've just been plodding along in reading. I'll finish it today and update.

"And That's not including my latest round of 500+ page books ... which is mostly drinks and desserts.

Hmmm....well.. if we need it to be food...I'll see what I can do.

A few of my recent books did have bonus finds"

I think we definitely need to fill out all the bonus spots.

If we can, I think we should make more meals. Maybe we could pull an ingredient or two away from the longer books?

I know Lisa intends to make more meals with all of the 8 count and 4 count books. I think she said she was planning on doing it today and tomorrow

I entered my last book for the month. I just have to add the date when I finish.

@Steph: Are there more characters for Managed? Maybe some characters from other books in the series are important in this one?

@Lisa I’ll run through it when I’m home. Any letters specifically we need?

Steph wrote: "@Lisa I’ll run through it when I’m home. Any letters specifically we need?"

Vowels for the most part. I'm seeing what I can do with whats listed. I'll let you know.

I read The Rycke by Lily Mayne this month and the MCs are Aury and Gabe (they also went by One and Ghost) supporting characters were Moth, Rig, Anchor, Lilac, Bo, Cutter and a few others but I can’t think of them off the top of my head.

I need two Os, so if Managed, Shameless Puckboy, Football Royalty have any other important characters with O, that would be great.

Okay I’m heading home and have to put groceries away so will check in a bit. I have a couple other books I didn’t enter on the spreadsheet so can check those too if needed.

OMG I BROKE THE SPREADSHEET

I was entering Budding Attraction one of the MCs is Orson. Then the line disappeared on me...

Disregard. I found the arrow thingys 🤦🏼‍♀️

I've searched the books you've listed and there weren't any more O's. I can reread Egotistical Puckboy real quick where Oskar is a secondary character.

Steph wrote: "I've searched the books you've listed and there weren't any more O's. I can reread Egotistical Puckboy real quick where Oskar is a secondary character."

We can still use 4 more books with 4 items and we have a number. I Can review those to see if they have characters with Os. The books are llisted, but without numbers in column A

You're faster than me! I just went to add the pages for Budding Attraction and you'd done it already.

What items/letters are you looking for exactly? I'll spend today and tomorrow looking for them. Especially since I'm of no use anywhere else. I'll be honest, I'm still not sure what is going on in this game 😅