Challenge Corner discussion

Kade, from what I can tell we as a team need to read five books for a detour. any other books can be used for a different prompt

Ashley wrote: "Kade, from what I can tell we as a team need to read five books for a detour. any other books can be used for a different prompt"

okay, so if i'm reading for the detour, then the book i'm reading does NOT need to fit any additional prompts then, right? just trying to make sure i'm understanding.

or does the book for the detour also count as a spellout if it fits?

Kade wrote: "Ashley wrote: "Kade, from what I can tell we as a team need to read five books for a detour. any other books can be used for a different prompt"

okay, so if i'm reading for the detour, then the bo..."

I think it could count as a spell out option. We need to be careful about spellouts because any spellouts we don't finish we get -5 points (or something like that).

I would double check with Alaina, but I was under the impression it was one book per task.

Jammin Jenny wrote: "Kade wrote: "Ashley wrote: "Kade, from what I can tell we as a team need to read five books for a detour. any other books can be used for a different prompt"

okay, so if i'm reading for the detour..."

And the current spell out is “the pacific trail”?
I’m not normally this slow, I swear. Lol but my kids have fried my brain this weekend.

it's "PACIFIC CREST TRAIL"

Man, I've gotten a slow start this month. It doesn't help that I had to finish 2 books that had been started in March for other challenges before I could start the things that would count here!

I may only finish the 3 books I put on the SS. Just a heads up in case we are trying to figure out what to complete.

My guess is that trying for the spell out is a no-no this week!

It looks like we have enough books for the Detour (5) with:
Wild (Cheryl Strayed) - Ashley
The Twisted Dead/Darcy Coates - Jenny
The Ravenous Dead/Darcy Coates - Jenny
The Reyes Incident - Kade
Gwendy's Button Box - Kade

So I think we should focus on completing the Route Info tasks? What does everyone else think? Is there any benefit to completing a spell out over something else?

I think it’s going to take me a cycle to figure out this challenge to be fair. Lol. I’ll be able to read at least two more books on top of the two I’ve claimed, so just let me know what would be helpful.

it's gonna take me a week to figure this out too haha but I can definitely work on the route info

Kade wrote: "I think it’s going to take me a cycle to figure out this challenge to be fair. Lol. I’ll be able to read at least two more books on top of the two I’ve claimed, so just let me know what would be he..."

Possibly useful! If we were to switch out everything claimed currently to a Roadblock spell-out. then we would need probably 7 more books to complete it. If your 2 worked, the 5 more. So, we would need to figure out if that's doable, because I probably can't read more that I've claimed this week. I'm really busy with Easter prep stuff at work, so I won't be able to sit at my computer or listen to an audiobook to get in extra reading.

That being said, I still think we should focus here (for page points):

Route Info: These will be generally easy tasks to complete for each leg of the race. This portion will have at least 15-20 tasks per leg. All repeatable.
1. Read a book set in California
2. Read a book set in Oregon
3. Read a book set in Washington
4. Read a book set in Canada
5. Read a book with the word 'HORSE' found in text (pg/% & quote)
6. Read a book that features a natural disaster
7. Read a book from an author that is from or currently lives on the west coast
8. Read a book that has an outdoor scene on the cover (any edition works)
9. Read a book with the word 'VOLCANO' found in text (pg/% & quote)
10. Read a book that has an animal on the cover (any edition works)
11. Read a book where the title has the letters B,E,A,R in it (in any order)
12. Read a book where the author's first and last initial are in MOUNTAIN
13. Read a book where the main character rides a bike
14. Read a book with an MPG of ADVENTURE
15. Read a book where the series title has the letters H,I,K,I,N,G in it (in any order)

It says the tasks are repeatable, so I think we can do whatever we want, so that seems like the easiest thing.

No worries at all. Believe me. I get it. I’m a single mom of two kids with medical conditions. So some weeks I can read up to like 8-10 books. Other weeks? 0. Lol.

With that said, if you all want to help guide me in what would be the most helpful, I can choose books that fit that concept / trope to work. I usually read books under 300 pages. ( usually 120-250 pages ) so I can typically fit a good portion in when I’m
Committed.
The two I already claimed will be reviewed shortly. So then I can commit to at least 3-4 more by Sunday? Maybe more depending on length and if I can find books that hold my interest. 😂

Kade, I say pick from the Route Info list I posted, and read to your heart's desire! You can repeat the tasks!

You got it!
The buddyread task for this challenge - does that have to be a read with someone on our team? Or just a buddyread from the group in general?
If it’s with our team, should we maybe try posting books we want to read and see if anyone would be into reading together? It may be easier to do with shorter novella length books each week maybe?

Here's the text:

Intersections: This will be a buddy-read-related task. Meaning you will have to work with someone new (whether on your team or another) and read a book together. The buddy can also be someone in the group but not participating in the challenge. You will need to have at least 4-5 comments per buddy read.

Read a book with someone new within the group. BOTM can also count for this task. This can be repeatable.


To me - you have to read it with someone "new", meaning you haven't done a buddy read with this person before, and it can be anyone.

Perfect. So it can be an already scheduled buddyread as well. Makes sense.

BabyLunLun - make sure your post in the review thread. It looks like you finished a book!

Adding Shia to the team everyone!

I have added a book for route info, but for extra notes, if I add letters for spell it out, what all may we include? First letter of title only, any first letter of each word in title, author's name, etc.?

Welcome to the team, Shia! :)

Vicki wrote: "I have added a book for route info, but for extra notes, if I add letters for spell it out, what all may we include? First letter of title only, any first letter of each word in title, author's nam..."

I think you can use the first letter of every word of the title/subtitle/series, and the initials of the author.

currently updating the spreadsheet with the following;
2. Read a book set in Oregon
-Outdoor Scene On Cover
5. Read a book with the word 'HORSE' found in text (pg/% & quote)
[ two books for this one ]

Will also be posting my reviews for some of them in a minute.
it looks like I likely will b e able to pick up a few more books as well. sleep hasn't been my friend, so ive been reading. lol

Jammin Jenny wrote: "Vicki wrote: "I have added a book for route info, but for extra notes, if I add letters for spell it out, what all may we include? First letter of title only, any first letter of each word in title..."

Thanks, Jenny :)

is there any benefit if i read wild as well?

I don't think so, other than just the benefit of reading the book in general.

I have a load of buddy reads and other stuff planned but NONE of them seem to fit any of the prompts :( I guess just use them for spell-outs? I mean, I can change what I was planning to read, but it'll take a while to get them from the library - and I don't want challenges to dictate what I read too much, if that makes sense. This seems much more prescriptive than usual :( (and very America-centric)

Does anyone else get what I mean?

Ashley wrote: "I don't think so, other than just the benefit of reading the book in general."

ok cool i didnt know if we would get bonus points for a buddy read...its just been on my TBR for 11 years haha

Ooo... bonus points for completed spell outs? I can be persuaded if that's what you would like.

Alaina wrote: "Ooo... bonus points for completed spell outs? I can be persuaded if that's what you would like."

Alaina, we are always excited for bonus points!

Also, for the spell-out -- is it any first letter in the Book/Series Title or just the very first letter?

Ellen-Arwen wrote: "I have a load of buddy reads and other stuff planned but NONE of them seem to fit any of the prompts :( I guess just use them for spell-outs? I mean, I can change what I was planning to read, but i..."

Ellen, what are you thinking? We can definitely move things around if needed to try and complete a spell out. I just need to know how many books you think you'll read and what they are (so I can wiggle letters) before the 7th.

Team - just an FYI! I hid rows 41-228 on the SS, so that we could see the spell-out area. If we run out of space, just click the little up-down arrow on the left by row 40 and it will show them again.

I did a really quick run through of some of the books on the SS (some read/some planned) and this is what we have for a spell out currently. There are a few books I wasn't sure about, as there were no links or enough info to decern which book was planned. If this held, we would only need 3 more books for a spell out. R/R/E

Thoughts?? If we are going to do it, we need to decide ASAP, since we only have another 3 days. If everyone reads what they've planned, I think 3 more books is definitely do-able.

P Poverty, by America (Matthew Desmond)
A Finally Free (Elena Aitken)
C Choosing Light (Viral Dalal)
I Murder in Half Moon Bay (Nancy Jill Thames)
F Fahrenheit 451
I I Call Upon Thee (Ania Ahlborn)
C It Ends With Us (Colleen Hoover)
C A Girl Called Samson
R
E
S My Kind Of Love (Jill Sanders)
T Destined To Dominate
T The Light Between Oceans (M.L Stedman)
R
A The Pretty Ones (Ania Ahlborn)
I Iron and Magic (Ilona Andrews)
L The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Steig Larsson)

Ashley, I thought we were not doing the SIO this round, so I am just curious why our strategy changed. I have a funeral service to attend and need to leave here in about 15 minutes, so I don’t have time to check right now, but I can definitely take on one of the books for a spell out. I can find E or R. I can post later this evening if there is still a slot available for one of those letters and put it on the spreadsheet..

Vicki wrote: "Ashley, I thought we were not doing the SIO this round, so I am just curious why our strategy changed. I have a funeral service to attend and need to leave here in about 15 minutes, so I don’t have..."

I'm only offering the option, because Ellen was saying she didn't think she would find any books that would work. I'm fine with whatever.

Ohhhh okay. I am fine with whatever we do also, I was just curious. Thank you.

Also, I'm not trying to overtake anything within the group. I just had some free time to look through what was already logged on the SS. I am happy with whatever we decide as a group.

I just didn't want anyone to feel left out, and if it's feasible to do the spell out, I wanted to let everyone know.

Ashley wrote: "I did a really quick run through of some of the books on the SS (some read/some planned) and this is what we have for a spell out currently. There are a few books I wasn't sure about, as there were..."

Let me take a look to see if i can fill one or two of those letters!

Ashley wrote: "Also, I'm not trying to overtake anything within the group. I just had some free time to look through what was already logged on the SS. I am happy with whatever we decide as a group.

I just didn'..."

plus it's more points right? so why not

I can finish this to do a R for the author's name;

Ashley wrote: "I did a really quick run through of some of the books on the SS (some read/some planned) and this is what we have for a spell out currently. There are a few books I wasn't sure about, as there were..."

Thank you Ashley for being super freakin organized haha

with that being said i can do at least an R and E

I'll go ahead and move the books around to the spell out section so we can see it properly. If we go forward, we will need to edit the already reviewed books to reflect the change!

I AM STARTING THE RETURN BY RACHEL HARRISON RIGHT NOW

Ashley wrote: "I'll go ahead and move the books around to the spell out section so we can see it properly. If we go forward, we will need to edit the already reviewed books to reflect the change!"

we should probably do that asap .. not sure if we are allowed to edit them once they're counted?

I'm adding my R book to the spreadsheet for the spell out. Not sure I can make it fit anything else though, lol

Kade wrote: "I'm adding my R book to the spreadsheet for the spell out. Not sure I can make it fit anything else though, lol"

I think we can get this one done, then the rest can go to the Route Info.

Ashley wrote: "Kade wrote: "I'm adding my R book to the spreadsheet for the spell out. Not sure I can make it fit anything else though, lol"

I think we can get this one done, then the rest can go to the Route Info."

wait, i confused myself.
can a book be used for a spell out AND route info?

No, they have to be one or the other. I left them in both places for the time being, in case the group decides NOT to do the spell-out. I figure we can hold off posting reviews until we decide one way or the other.

We're missing books from teammates too, so maybe that will make a difference. Trisha and Melanie have checked in, but not listed anything on the SS and there are two others as well, but I don't know if they've checked in.

Ashley wrote: "No, they have to be one or the other. I left them in both places for the time being, in case the group decides NOT to do the spell-out. I figure we can hold off posting reviews until we decide one ..."

So i would check in with Alaina now to see if we can swap it over to spellout then. Usually once a book is "counted" by admin, they don't want / let you change it to someone else. So I'm not sure if we will be able to change over any reviews already posted to spellout.

I'm about to post another review that will be for spell out, so should i hold off on posting it until we are sure we can switch over to spell out or just go fo rit?

Kade wrote: "I'm about to post another review that will be for spell out, so should i hold off on posting it until we are sure we can switch over to spell out or just go fo rit?"

I would say go for it. I think we will have plenty of books. Just don't post till be are sure about changing in the review thread. I think we have some alternates if we need to leave the already posted books.