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2025 Archived Challenges
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2025 The Challenge Factory (TCF)
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Duration: January 1 - March 31, 2025
READ: 40/50
Blood Orchids - Toby Neal 1/4
Almond - her own tilted almond eyes closed, p8
Gravel - rained gravel and dirt on the hood, p136
Loop - he doubled the blonde hank into a loop, p13
Perfume - inhaling the smell of talcum powder and perfume, p174
Recede - felt the anger recede, p108
Rim - she looked across the volcano to the distant rim, p234
Rumble - letting the sectional panel rumble shut, p91
Twinkle - Nagato said with a twinkle, p246
The Last Outpost - Hannah Ross 1/6
Blip - there was a blip in the connection, p29
Garment - her garments did not look as if they were made from skins, p52
Picky - she's a picky one, p31
Torch Ginger - Toby Neal 1/9
Errand - Jenkins said you had an errand, p144
Quote - and I quote, p150
Manhattan Dragon - Genevieve Jack 1/11
Feral - spoke directly to the most feral part of him, p100
French Doors - into the lock of the french door, p2
Muted - his voice was a muted roar, p211
Salve - I made a salve you are standing in, p315
The Dragon of Sedona - Genevieve Jack 1/15
Dodge - had the witch dodged her trap again, p65
Nonchalant - nonchalantly taking her pulse, p266
Relay - Rowan relayed what she'd learned, p94
Slope - the slope of her shoulder, p59
Sterling - Dannika Dark 1/16
Manicure - never bothered with a manicure, ch17
The Dragon of Cecil Court - Genevieve Jack 1/16
Abject - in abject horror, p54
iPhone - would give the iphone a run for it's money, p51
Highland Dragon - Genevieve Jack 1/17
Cunning - Avery was a cunning woman, p237
The Dragons of Paragon - Genevieve Jack 1/18
Nuance - picking up on the nuance in his choice of words, p232
The Tees Valley Killings - C.J. Grayson 1/30
Sour - Porter's tone turned a little sour, p33
Autopsy of a Fairytale - Nicole Scarano 2/1
Fluke - the incident with Vera was a fluke, p41
Untouchable - Jayne Ann Krentz 2/6
Khaki - he was wearing his new khaki trousers, ch39
A Catalogue of Catastrophe - Jodi Taylor 2/10
Charter - no intention of honoring the charter, p166
Aftermarket Afterlife - Seanan McGuire 2/18
Hoist - hoisted him onto my hip, p129
Inheritance - five living candidates for inheritance p15
The Foxglove King - Hannah F. Whitten 2/23
Churn - seemed to churn itself inward, p265
Blood & Fury - Tessa Gratton & Justina Ireland 3/3
Pout - Elias pouts again, p252
The Hemlock Queen - Hannah F. Whitten 3/29
Elusive - sleep was so elusive, p141
Imbued - even imbued with the power of Hestraon, p355
******************
Android -
Brie -
Stow -
Yuck -
Bonus list
The Last Outpost - Hannah Ross 1/6
Attaché - a statement from the president and his military attache, p92
Manhattan Dragon - Genevieve Jack 1/11
Sultry - a sultry human's voice filled his head, p103
The Dragons of Paragon - Genevieve Jack 1/18
Somersault - Ransom somersaulted, p220
The Foxglove King - Hannah F. Whitten 2/23
Conundrum - the book of holy law was a conundrum, p78
****************
Curbside -
Grout -
Outcropping -
Pastrami -
Peppercorn -
Thesis -

Duration: January 1 - June 30, 2025
READ: 24/30
Blood Orchids - Toby Neal 1/4
Affirmation - the affirmations were part of therapy, p18
Cacophony - a cacophony of barking started up, p61
The Last Outpost - Hannah Ross 1/6
Mere - a mere formality, p24
Already Gone - Diane Benefiel 1/18
Eddy - helpless as a leaf caught in an eddy, p51
The Angel of Paragon - Genevieve Jack 1/25
Compartmentalize - compartmentalizing the family and relationship stuff, p25
Promise Not to Tell - Jayne Ann Krentz 1/26
Ethereal - almost ethereal, ch3
A Catalogue of Catastrophe - Jodi Taylor 2/10
Tumultuous - a fixed point in a tumultuous universe, p266
Deadly Animals - Marie Tierney 2/14
Beset - he was beset with a restlessness, p259
Mundane - it was a mundane yet wretched place, p325
Aftermarket Afterlife - Seanan McGuire 2/18
Girl Scout - as solid as a girl scout, p217
The Foxglove King - Hannah F. Whitten 2/23
Avatar - when I become his avatar, p439
Murder Marks the Page - Karen Rose Smith 3/8
Custody - Theo Carstead is in custody, p309
The Hemlock Queen - Hannah F. Whitten 3/29
Apoplectic - was nearly apoplectic at the security risk, p32
Curse the Day - Annabel Chase 4/6
Ambiance - I guess it was the upscale ambiance p142
Perfunctory - their relationship was very perfunctory, p134
Body Count - Jodi Burnett 5/12
Wayside - to go by the wayside, p122
Spark of the Everflame - Penn Cole 5/1
Ingenue - the male fantasy of the innocent ingenue, p164
The Bad Weather Friend - Dean Koontz 6/3
Cabriolet - a Porsche 922 Turbo S Cabriolet, p12
Forged in Frost - Jasmine Walt 6/12
Kipper - spattered kippers and porridge all over him, ch10
Servant of Earth - Sarah Hawley 6/22
Rime - ground was slick and rimed with overnight frost, p3
****************************
Ablutions -
Balderdash -
Magnate -
Penultimate -
Quark -
Bonus Words
Deadly Animals - Marie Tierney 2/14
Heath - the journey to west heath, p52
The Foxglove King - Hannah F. Whitten 2/23
Petulant - one might look at a petulant child, p336
The Hemlock Queen - Hannah F. Whitten 3/29
Bifurcated - it was difficult work this bifurcation, p9
Blood Over Bright Haven - M.L. Wang 6/27
Hyperbole - some would think that was hyperbole, p108
**************
Quasar -

Duration: January 1 - February 28, 2025
READ: 33/40
Blood Orchids - Toby Neal 1/4
Carnation - a browning bunch of carnations, p39
Love - in a parody of love, p114
The Last Outpost - Hannah Ross 1/6
Celebration - enough for me to participate in your celebration, p126
Gym - likely go to the gym after work, p9
Lent - lent to it by the thickness of ice p190
Winter - you'll find yourself longing for winter, p19
Torch Ginger - Toby Neal 1/9
Amethyst - held down by a chunk of amethyst, p212
Pink - from the pink box, p26
Toast - honor them with a special toast, p229
Caught Dead to Write - Lynn Cahoon 1/10
Hot tub - we need to order a hot tub and set it right here, p116
Manhattan Dragon - Genevieve Jack 1/11
Romance - than the idea of romance, p163
The Dragon of Sedona - Genevieve Jack 1/15
Frost - frost crunched under his boots, p76
Snow - he collapsed face first in the snow, p87
Yoga - never partook of the spiritual hikes, meditation or yoga, p16
The Dragon of Cecil Court - Genevieve Jack 1/16
Garnet - a jewel, specifically, a garnet, p225
Hidden Dragon - Genevieve Jack 1/17
Confetti - confetti, the sparks peppering the snow, p123
Already Gone - Diane Benefiel 1/18
Countdown - Brad's starting the countdown, p193
Hot chocolate - do you girls want hot chocolate, p174
Skiing - we're going skiing, p190
The Dragons of Paragon - Genevieve Jack 1/18
Cold - suddenly feeling cold, p148
Pisces - year of the goddess pisces 28th, p285
Violet - her violet eyes sparkled, p18
The Last Dragon - Genevieve Jack 1/22
Heritage - represented her heritage, p12
Rose - when Marius rose from the dead, p43
Candy Slain Murder - Maddie Day 1/30
Congress - I wish congress would get it's act together, ch9
Semester - she had spent the whole semester, ch29
The Tees Valley Killings - C.J. Grayson 1/30
Frosty - a frosty shiver enveloped his body, p126
Guardian of Talons and Snares - Anastasis Blythe 2/6
Icicle - met icicles beneath sweeping kohl across from her, p311
Deadly Animals - Marie Tierney 2/14
Cupid - she told you this, did she, DC Cupid, p99
Catch Me If You Candy - Ellie Alexander 2/15
Chocolates - filling plastic pumpkins with chocolates, p51
Aftermarket Afterlife - Seanan McGuire 2/18
Protest - pale imitation of its indignant protest, p217
The Foxglove King - Hannah F. Whitten 2/23
Resolution - there will be a resolution soon, p369
Come Shell or High Water - Molly MacRae 2/2
Activist - an animal rights activist, p174
****************************
Hockey -
Legacy -
Playoffs -
Sledding -
Snow angel -
Super Bowl -
Valentine's Day -

Duration: March 1 - April 30, 2025
READ: 29/40
Angel of Vengeance - Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child 3/17
Cork - a tiny ampule with a cork stopper, p195
Straw - yard that was covered with sand and straw, p41
Theater - a repair shop for theater sets, p45
Murder at the Lemonberry Tea - Darci Hannah 3/28
Apron - I took off my flour-dusted apron, ch5
The Hemlock Queen - Hannah F. Whitten 3/29
Insight - if Alie had any insight, p118
Tax - once the tax increases started, p18
Volunteer - the Preque Mort who'd volunteered, p3
Town in a Sweet Pickle - B.B. Haywood 3/30
Beeline - she made a beeline towards Brian, p226
Crisp - the calm crisp blue ocean, p150
Daffodil - which is when the daffodils and tulips arrive, p258
Faith - but she had faith in herself, p224
Heritage - the main mission of the heritage protection league, p69
Tulip - coordinating tulip patterned neck scarf, p156
Umbrella - you might want to grab an umbrella, p94
The Tiger’s Heart - Marissa Dobson 3/30
Lucky - maybe we'll get lucky again, p61
Fur Love or Money - Sofie Ryan 4/2
Basketball - he was wearing gray basketball shorts, p184
The Perfect Death - Stacy Claflin 4/6
Beer - I'll start with a beer, ch26
Curse the Day - Annabel Chase 4/6
March - the march began at sundown, p86
Tidy - make sure I kept my yard tidy, p53
The Bakery Booking - Morgan Utley 4/12
Burrito - that burrito was as big as your face p296
Gardener - she has gardeners to tend to it daily, p131
Puddle - dropped his phone in a puddle, p363
The Wolf in the Whale - Jordanna Max Brodsky 4/21
Dog sled - by dogsled, the journey would have have taken one day, p70
Whale - trees as tall as a whale is long, p9
Mischief in New Orleans - Lucy Quinn 4/23
Mardi Gras - our Mardi Gras crew, ch7
Murder on Devil's Pond - Ayla Rose 4/29
Planting - signs that Ash had begun planting, p9
Suckle - and suckled from their mother's breasts, p76
Vinegar - I'll keep spraying things down with vinegar, p4
The Icehouse - J.J. Richards 4/30
Marathon - this was a marathon now, ch14
***************************
Crayon -
Imbibe -
Merit -
Mulch -
Renew -
Reuben -
Sponge -
Spring break -
Tee box -
Vacuum -
Washing machine -

Duration: April 1 - June 30 2025
READ: 43/50
Rogue of the High Seas - Cynthia Breeding 4/9
Basic - how could something as basic as howling sails, p76
Ledger - plan to work on the ledgers, p11
Mumble - he mumbled something about being curious, p13
Regal - look every inch a regal aristocrat, p148
Wallpaper - faded wallpaper was beginning to peel, p238
Dark Rooms - Lynda La Plante 4/10
Milk - tea, coffee, milk, ch14
The Bakery Booking - Morgan Utley 4/1
Caffeine - shouldn't have caffeine so close to bed, p216
Fidget - started fidgety with my hands, p329
The Wolf in the Whale - Jordanna Max Brodsky 4/21
Fringe - heavy fringe bordered the parka, p205
Mold - was mold and blood, p74
Vision - so does his vision, p89
As Dead As A Vampire - April Fernsby 4/26
Device - there was a cloaking device on the door, loc2147
Marble - like placing my hand on a marble statue, loc1261
Tuna - the one for Stanley , was a tuna pie, loc2384
Air Bound - Jess Mountifield & Talia Beckett 4/27
Dart - the small round shape of a dart, loc979
Murder on Devil's Pond - Ayla Rose 4/29
Clerk - at the town clerks office, p70
Crinkle - Maura's eyes crinkled in amusement, p12
Evaluation - evaluating her with those eyes, p84
The Icehouse - J.J. Richards 4/30
Balcony - he steps out on the balcony, ch16
Complex - running the bulk of this complex operation, ch9
Otter - going under with the grace of a couple of otters, ch10
Strand - unless you wish to be stranded, ch10
Bonded in Death - J.D. Robb 5/5
Sparkle - studs sparkled at her ears, p3
Improbably Yours - Kerry Anne King 5/7
Theme - the first few bars of the theme to Mission Impossible, p270
Controlled Chaos - Nikki Ash 5/11
Promotion - I take it you didn't get the promotion, ch6
Immortal - Sue Lynn Tan 5/11
Whim - a fleeting whim of mercy, p49
Body Count - Jodi Burnett 5/12
Format - that was part of the conference format, p68
Nylon - she slid through the nylon opening, loc78
Charmed Bones - Carolyn Haines 5/15
Banister - with a dragon motif carved into the banister, p50
A Case of Cat and Mouse - Sofie Kelly 5/19
Cracker - there were little crackers shaped like birds, p22
The Pike - J.J. Richards 5/2
Hitchhike - some people still pickup hitchhikers, ch44
His Mortal Demise - Vanessa Le 5/25
Unprecedented - wartime is unprecedented, p290
The Cursed Odyssey - Frederick Martinus 5/26
Hybrid - the vicious hybrids, p79
Extra Sensory Deception - Allison Kingsley 5/27
Rodeo - I don't think there's ever ben a rodeo around here, p4
Charger - she unplugged the phone from the charger, p238
The Secret, Book & Scone Society - Ellery Adams 6/2
Shopping List - to write grocery and errand lists, p154
Servant of Earth - Sarah Hawley 6/22
Nominate - if any candidates wish to nominate themselves, p440
*****************************
Allowance -
Boycott -
Celery -
Bonus list
The House on Blackstone Moor - Carole Gill 4/11
Grim - the place looked frightening, grim and formidable, loc250
Immortal - Sue Lynn Tan 5/11
Jasmine - bamboo and jasmine went up in flames, p3
Body Count - Jodi Burnett 5/12
Wasabi - the heat of a spicy wasabi sauce, loc234
His Mortal Demise - Vanessa Le 5/25
Outdoor dining area - empty restaurants with the outdoor seating closed off, p82
Pint of No Return - Dana Mentink 5/31
Wren - a small brown wren was splashing with gusto, p7
The Secret, Book & Scone Society - Ellery Adams 6/2
Meteorite - meteorites and solar flares, p278
**************************
Loupe -
Pilates -
Quota -
Topography -

Duration: May 1 - June 30, 2025
READ: 37/40
Fourth Wing - Rebecca Yarros 5/3
Breeze - a breeze hit my back, p189
Bronze - against the deep bronze of his skin, p266
Humid - into the humid night, p331
Solstice - challenges resume after solstice p264
Bonded in Death - J.D. Robb 5/5
Flag - Eve felt herself starting to flag, p306
Renew - we renewed our acquaintance, p186
Taco - chowing down on a breakfast taco, p231
Waterfall - his shower brought a waterfall into her dreams, p13
Improbably Yours - Kerry Anne King 5/7
Adventure - a touch of magic and adventure in my life, p7
Dock - Freida stands on the dock, p85
Sailboat - two sailboats skim along, ch26
Adrift in Currents Clean and Clear - Seanan McGuire 5/9
Pond - the pond was small, ch2
Controlled Chaos - Nikki Ash 5/11
Festival - a music festival that takes place all weekend, p292
Hobby - taking pictures is a hobby not a job, p117
Immortal - Sue Lynn Tan 5/11
Bloom - to see them bloom, p440
Butterfly - as helpless as a butterfly pinned by its wing, p137
Body Count - Jodi Burnett 5/12
Birds singing - birds sang their morning arias, p53
Wildflowers - he held a fist full of wild flowers, p207
Charmed Bones - Carolyn Haines 5/15
Fresh - we just stocked everything fresh, p26
Reception - my reception at Mesgrove Manor, p217
Splash - that might splash back, p156
Tide - influencing the tides, p46
Dangerous in a Kilt - Anna Durand 5/16
Fling - no one ever offered me a fling before, ch6
Spark of the Everflame - Penn Cole 5/16
Drain - but their power drains quickly, p35
A Case of Cat and Mouse - Sofie Kelly 5/19
Award - professional accomplishments, awards and exhibitions, p178
The Last Bloodcarver - Vanessa Le 5/20
Achievement - in the shadow of achievement, p35
From Blood and Ash - Jennifer L. Armentrout 5/22
Bud - that sported tiny red buds, p9
Dark Song - Christine Feehan 5/23
Recreate - recreated that for her, p29
His Mortal Demise - Vanessa Le 5/25
Refreshing - your honesty is refreshing, p137
The Cursed Odyssey - Frederick Martinus 5/26
Croquet - clustered in tight places like croquet balls, p162
Absence of Mallets - Kate Carlisle 5/3
Seashell - to the beach to find some seashells, p113
The Secret, Book & Scone Society - Ellery Adams 6/2
Tenure -during my tenure, p110
Dark Whispers - Helen Harper 6/5 (ENGLAND)
Dentures - that suggested dentures or excellent dentistry, ch13
An Ember in the Ashes - Sabaa Tahir 6/7
Swell - the simulacrum swells,, p175
Word to the Wise - Jenn McKinlay 6/18
Pollen - move to a place with less pollen, p218
Servant of Earth - Sarah Hawley 6/22
Milestone - shoved down my feelings about that milestone, p169
Bone to Be Wild - Carolyn Haines 6/2
Roadtrip - now let's start this road trip, p29
**************************
Class ring -
Fiesta -
Ranch -


One Book, One Library

Library: The Danish Royal Library
Month: June 2025
READ: 9/5
✔ 1. Read a book with a member of royalty in the story
Promised in Fire - Jasmine Walt (King Aolis) 6/8
✔2. Read a book with two of the numbers of 1648 in the page count
Heavenly Bodies - Imani Erriu (619 pages) 6/13
✔3. Read a book from a series that has at least 17 books in it
Bone to Be Wild Carolyn Haines (#13 of 29) 6/24
✔4. Read a book with a Nordic character in it
A Curse Carved in Bone - Danielle L. Jensen 6/30
(book set in Norway, so all characters are Nordic)
✔6. Read a book with snow on the cover
Chance of a Ghost - E.J. Copperman 6/10

✔ 7. Read a book with an MC who you consider to be a scholar in a subject
Blood Over Bright Haven - M.L. Wang (magical theory) 6/27
✔ 8. Read a book with "collection" in the text
The Secret, Book & Scone Society - Ellery Adams 6/2
(another local fed this collection of scumbags information), p247
✔ 9. Read a book where there is a death during the story
Dark Whispers - Helen Harper (2 people killed) 6/5
✔ 10. Read a book that you borrowed from a library
The Secret, Book & Scone Society - Ellery Adams 6/2
CHALLENGE COMPLETE


One Book = One Library Card
READ: 8/6
✔1. Read a book with a proper name in the title
Silverborn: The Mystery of Morrigan Crow - Jessica Townsend 7/4
✔2. Read a book with "Advanced" in the text
Under the Cold Bright Lights - Garry Disher 7/15
(as Osprey advanced), p211
✔3. Read a book published in the 21st century
When the Grits Hit the Fan - Maddie Day (pub 2017) 7/5
✔5. Read a book NOT published in 2007 or 2008
A Sprinkle in Time - Dana Mentink (pub 2022) 7/6
✔6. Read a book where the MC experiences a stumbling block (your definition)
A Drop of Corruption - Robert Jackson Bennett 7/20
(every time they get close, villain one-ups them and they must start again)
✔8. Read a book that you consider unique
The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep - H.G. Parry 7/14
✔ 9. Read a book with a title that begins with a letter in SKELETON
Lies He Told Me - David Ellis & James Patterson 7/3
✔ 10. Read a book that you borrowed from a library
Silverborn: The Mystery of Morrigan Crow - Jessica Townsend 7/4
CHALLENGE COMPLETE

Duration: July 1 - August 30, 2025
READ: 32/40
A Sprinkle in Time - Dana Mentink 7/6
Concert - the concert was great, p314
Extravaganza - she invented an ice cream extravaganze, p242
The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep - H.G. Parry 7/14
Emergency room - to an emergency room in a coma, p290
Freedom - if I was given more freedom, p181
Honor - then we die with honor, p377
Ticket - and a ticket for the ferry, p200
Under the Cold Bright Lights - Garry Disher 7/15
Anxiety - a generalized anxiety rode with him, p13
Sanctuary - Ilona Andrews 7/17
Ignite - twin blue flames ignited, p22
Soot - magic the color of soot, ch1
A Drop of Corruption - Robert Jackson Bennett 7/20
Pier - I crouched at the edge of the pier, ch2
Archangel's Ascension - Nalini Singh 7/20
Blast - enough power to blast them out of existence p175
Ceremony - making a ceremony of cooking, p167
Spoon to be Dead - Dana Mentink 7/25
Gauge - she tried to gauge his expression, p63
Nostalgia - Christmastime makes me nostalgic, p91
Wedge - an entire wedge of pie, p3
Case of the Bleus - Korina Moss 7/27
Display case - had her nose in the display case, p30
Homage - as an homage to his French heritage, p31
Swirl - swirling the wine in her glass, p257
Tart - standing around a cooling tart, p65
Death by Committee - Alexis Morgan 7/30
Chug - he chugged down the lemonade, p4
The Lake House Children - Gregg Dunnett 7/26
Victory - Amber goes on, chasing the victory, p75
Death by Beach Read - Eva Gates 7/31
Kernel - have a kernel of truth, ch11
Biscuits and Slashed Browns - Maddie Day 8/6
Jubilee - a metal lever labelled Jubilee was attached, ch24
Hummingbird - Helen Harper 8/8
Crackle - the air crackled, p63
Whispers of the Deep - Emma Hamm 8/10
Salve - this is nothing more than a salve, ch9
Iron Flame - Rebecca Yarros 8/15
Puffy - her eyes puffy and red, p38
Skim - she skims her fingers along my face p328
The Butcher Game - Alaina Urquhart 8/17
Pickle - the shareable cheeseboard with pickles, p47
Twinkle - twinkle lights strung up everywhere, p182
Kill Without Shame - Alexandra Ivy 8/18
Passport - he had to have plane tickets and a passport, p180
The Longing of Lone Wolves - Lana Pecherczyk 8/19
Nozzle - fiddled with the ceramic nozzle, ch3
Murder Off the Books - Tamara Berry 8/20
Tackle box - looked like a full tackle box of cosmetics, p33
******************************
Ammonia -
Lost pet -
Militia -
Reprimand -
Rhubarb -
Softball -
Sprinkler -
Staycation -



One Book = One Library Card
Library: Rijksmuseum Library
Month: August 2025
READ: 6/6
✔ 1. Read a book with a compound word in the title or series name
Homicide in Hardcover - Kate Carlisle (hard-cover) 8/5
✔ 4. Read a book with over 350,000 ratings
Iron Flame - Rebecca Yarros (2,330,740) 8/15
✔ 5. Read a book where one of the author's initials is found in CATALOGUES
The Body in the Bookstore - Ellie Alexander 8/12
✔ 8. Read a book with "Public" found in the text
Atonement Sky - Nalini Singh 8/3
(duck into the public facilities), p252
✔ 9. Read a book with a nice view on the cover (your definition)
Dark King - C.N. Crawford 8/8

✔ 10. Read a book that you borrowed from a library
Black Truth, White Lies - Hailey Edwards 8/2
Books mentioned in this topic
Archangel's Ascension (other topics)The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep (other topics)
Under the Cold Bright Lights (other topics)
Murder Off the Books (other topics)
A Drop of Corruption (other topics)
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