2019 Reading Assignment | Spring Semester Courses!

2019 Reading Assignment Challenge
hosted by

Michelle and Berls @ Because Reading

This post and subsequent updates will be linked at 2019 Reading Assignment Challenge | Spring Semester Page.

It looks like there has been a nice new twist to the Reading Assignment Challenge for 2019!  And while I'd been still considering joining this challenge, I was kind of wary of how I'd go about it.

But with these new changes, I have to admit, I'm kind of fired up!

From Because Reading:

This year you'll be registering for classes that fit your reading goals.  And the best part?  You're only registering for a semester at a time!  The spring semester is January - May 2019.  You'll come back in May to register for your summer classes (June-August 2019).  And again in August to register for your fall classes (September - December).  You can register for the same classes all year if you want, but you can also switch it up, depending on your life and goals.

And to add onto that, we get three different Professor's courses we can register for:

Professor AuthorLuv
Professor AuthorLuv used to have her own school, where her students we're required to pick a favorite author and commit to reading all their books over the course of a year (aka The AuthorLuv Challenge).  She's decided to make her life a little easier and just host some classes here instead.  She still wants you to pick a favorite author and commit to reading a certain number of books by that author each month, but she's letting you set your number based on the level course you sign up for.

Professor Genre
Professor Genre is all about choosing a genre/theme.  For his classes you'll commit to reading a certain number of books from one genre each month.  Choose your level course to sign up for the number of books you'll read each month.  (theme can be anything from Christmas to reading books with the letter P in the title).

Professor Mix-It-Up
Professor Mix-It-Up wants you to have the freedom to mix-it-up.  For her courses you'll commit to reading a certain number of books from a list that you create in the first month of the course.  She's giving you a lot of freedom.  The books can be any genre, any author, any format!  But you have to have your list completed and posted by January 31, 2019 and you have to stick to it.  Choose your level course to sign up for the number of books you'll read each month.

Reading Levels are now known as either Beginner, Intermediate, or Advanced Classes, but the concept is still the same.

The Classes:

• Beginner Class (credits: 1) - In the beginner's course you're committing to reading one book a month per each course.  You'll get an A if you read 1 book by all 5 months, a B if you read 1 book 4 of the months, a C if you read 1 book 3 of the months, and a D if you read 1 book 2 of the months.  The Professor will have to give you an F for anything less.
• Intermediate Class (credits: 2) - In the intermediate course you're committing to reading two books a month per each course. You'll get an A if you read 2 books all 5 months, a B if you read 2 books 4 of the months, a C if you read 2 books 3 of the months, and a D if you read 2 books 2 of the months.  The Professor will have to give you an F for anything less.
• Advanced Class (credits: 3) - In the advanced course you're committing to reading three books a month per each course.  You'll get an A if you read 3 books all 5 months, a B if you read 3 books 4 of the months, a C if you read 3 books 3 of the months, and a D if you read 3 books 2 of the months.  The Professor will have to give you an F for anything less.

And this time we will get graded per semester for each class:

Points breakdown

Advanced A - 6 points	Intermediate A - 5 points	Beginner A - 4 points
Advanced B - 5 points	Intermediate B - 4 points	Beginner B - 3 points
Advanced C - 4 points	Intermediate C - 3 points	Beginner C - 2 points
Advanced D - 3 points	Intermediate D - 2 points	Beginner D - 1 point

Once again, I'm pretty fired up about this new change in the Reading Assignment Challenge.  And while I had considered just dipping in and doing the Beginner Class for all three Professor's courses, I decided to go all out and dive right into 2019!  Well... sort of.

For Professor AuthorLuv's Course, I will take the Intermediate level Class.
For Professor Genre's Course, I will take the Advanced level Class.
For Professor Mix-It-Up's Course, I will take the Beginner level Class.

This will guarantee that I will need to read at least six books each month, which, in the past, would have been small potatoes.  And if I can stumble my way out of my reading slump, I'll be able to achieve this, so it's more motivation than anything.  I might be over-stepping, but at least it will only be for the first five months, and then I can re-enroll if I'm feeling overwhelmed...  Or advance to higher classes if I'm feeling super confident!

And also... I think I could use a bit more motivation this coming year.  I've been in the mother of all reading slumps since January (yes, a whole year!), with brief moments of improvement, though sparse.  I'd been trying to play it laid back all year so as not to overdo it, but maybe what I really need is some direction...

Maybe.

So we'll see how the year goes.  Or at least how this first spring semester pans out!

For more details, visit the 2019 Reading Assignment Challenge sign up post (linked here and at the beginning).

My 2019 Spring Semester Reading Assignment Course List:

Professor AuthorLuv - Intermediate Class (credits: 2):  I will be reading books by Amanda Quick.

Professor Genre - Advanced Class (credits: 3):  I will be reading historical fiction books of any sub-type genre (general historical fiction, historical romance, historical mysteries, etc.).

Some of the authors I plan on reading from include: Courtney Milan, Tessa Dare, Kelly Bowen, Anna Lee Huber, and I especially plan on reading Deanna Raybourn's newest installment of her Victoria Speedwell series, A Dangerous Collaboration.

Professor Mix-It-Up - Beginner's Class (credits: 1):  Below is my finalized reading list for the spring semester.

I am going to try not to overlap books between courses.  Since I chose to read Amanda Quick books for Professor AuthorLuv's course, I will not count any of this author's books towards Professor Genre's course until I've completed my assignment that month.  So if I've read two Amanda Quick books towards Professor AuthorLuv's course, a possible third Amanda Quick book will go towards Professor Genre's course to fulfill my requirements there.

As for Professor Mix-It-Up's classes, I've purposely chosen books that cannot count towards either of the other two courses--non-historical and non-Amanda Quick.  In fact, all five of the books on this list are books I already own, if only because I feel like I need to get to reading stuff already on my physical and digital shelves.  Five isn't a whole lot, but it's a start, and I don't want to give myself too many restrictions.

I might be getting a bit over-strict, but I feel like I'd be cheating otherwise.  But in the long run, I feel like I've created a pretty good fail-safe for myself, considering I'm a huge fan of Amanda Quick, and and I've been very much enjoying historical romance novels by the very authors I've listed above.  It's less overwhelming, I feel, when I'm committing myself to books I plan to read anyway!

Anyway, I'm SO ready to get started!

Wish me luck!

Read-a-thon: Bout of Books 24

Bout of Books Read-a-thon Sign-Ups

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda Shofner and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, January 7th and runs through Sunday, January 13th in whatever time zone you are in.  Bout of Books is low-pressure.   There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional.

For all Bout of Books 24 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog.  - From the Bout of Books team

My last participation was Bout of Books 19 in May 2017.  That feels like a long time ago.

I know why I don't always participate in these week-long readathons, even though they seem like the most likely readathons I'd join.  I don't really take part in any of the challenges, mini-games, giveaways, and don't really care about any grand prize.

So whether or not I'm participating, I'm still reading.  I think the reason why I participated in the past was just because it seemed fun, and also it served as a way to post and blog about my reading on an almost daily basis without resorting simply to "this is just a general reading update."  And also, the fact that the readathon is happening is constantly in the back of my mind, so I consciously make myself reach for a book in order to accumulate a more impressive number of books read, or number of pages read, in one week than what I would usually get otherwise.

Anyway...  Moving right along.

Goals

This year, my main goals are pretty simple:
1) Post regular updates, daily... or every other day, maybe.
2) Read at least 3 books.

In past years, it looks like my highest number of read books was six while my lowest number was two.  So I'm going to try to meet myself in the middle somewhere and go for three since it sounds like a reasonable enough number of books read for one week.  I hope.

So... unless my reading slump holds for a while longer, I should be able to complete my goals quite readily.

If I can overshoot my goals, then that's a bonus!

Read-a-thon Hopefuls

I don't have an exact plan for what I will be reading for this week.  I'm probably going to mood read, and so it's too early to really set a "schedule" per se of my reading.

For January, however, these are books that I am planning on, so I'm hoping to at least get to these if I haven't already read it by the time the readathon starts.  There are books rolled over from this year, 2018, that I hadn't gotten to and would like to finish reading, and then there are books that will count towards my 2019 Reading Challenge.

Meanwhile, I will already be starting these two books as soon as the first of January rolls around, so I might still be reading/listening to them, or not.  We'll see how my progress is by the time the readathon actually starts.  These are both books that will be counting towards my 2019 Reading Challenge, specifically.

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I'm going to try to have as much fun as I can.  If anyone else is interested in joining the read-a-thon, the badge at the top of this post will take you to the Bout of Books official website.  The link under the picture takes you directly to the sign-up post. Let's all have some fun for this week of a read-a-thon!

Ani's 2019 Reading Challenges | With a short 2018 reflection

I'm pretty geared up for 2019, reading-wise, and I'm hoping that this fire keeps right on burning.  Every year I always start off with a bit of a reading slump, a slump that rolls over from the last two months of the previous year.

In spite of the fact that I've read 100 books in 2018, it still felt like I was in a massive reading slump for most of the year, especially towards the beginning of the year wherein I my average number of books read per month dropped by half my usual average.  In May, even, I only recorded one book read.  My best month would have to be October, with a recorded 17 books read, wherein I was on a mission to finish reading all the books I'd picked out for Halloween Bingo!

For some more summaries, progress, and updates of 2018's challenges, here is the link to my 2018 Reading Challenges summary page.  It's not entirely updated at this moment, and so I will be going back to get it finalized and updated when the end of the year rolls around in a few days.

For another look at some of my reflection for 2018's reading year as well as a brief glimpse at my 2019 goals, here's the link to the 24 Festive Tasks: New Year's Eve Tasks Update.

As for 2019, I would say that I want to stick with my Laid Back Reading Plans that I'd been trying so hard to manage the past couple years.  But being me, I still ended up dropping into a slump and diving gung ho into reading challenges, projects, and readathons.

So...

I'm just going to go all out and participate in all the challenges I want and all the projects I plan on creating for myself.  I'm going to try not to stress about completing projects, even though I know I probably WILL do as much at some point.  But for the most part, after having NOT gotten full marks on some of my reading challenges in 2018, and realizing that it wasn't the end of the world...  Well, I'm going to probably just approach my challenges as projects or suggestions--rather than making it my goal to complete my challenges with perfect scores, I'm just going to treat them as "reading suggestions" that give me a direction as to what book I may want to pick up next.

If that makes any sense, you know.

So, once again, just make the goals.  Then see where the year takes me.


Goodreads Reading Challenge

My Goal:  150 books
GR shelf:  2019 Reading Challenge

I participate in a numeric challenge every year, and I will be doing so again in 2019 via GR since, for me, it's easier to track books there.  I'm going to keep a 150 book goal this year, just as I'd started with in 2018.  It's a big motivator, and I'm fired up to make it in 2019, even if 2018 I fell short of 50 books... which doesn't show on my GR challenge page because I decreased my goal halfway through the year...

GR doesn't have its page up yet, so I'll update with a logo and a link later.


2019 Reading Assignment Challenge

hosted by Michelle and Berls @ Because Reading is better than real life
My 2018 Reading Assignment Challenge Summary Page
Spring Semester Goals:

• Professor AuthorLuv - Intermediate Class (2 books/month) - Amanda Quick books
• Professor Genre - Advanced Class (3 books/month) - Historical fiction
• Professor Mix-It-Up - Beginner's Class (1 book/month) - pre-chosen list

Fall and Summer Semester Goals:  TBR
GR shelf:  2019 Reading Assignment Challenge

I have participated in the Reading Assignment Challenge since 2015, starting with the most difficult level for the first two years, but cutting down to easier levels the past two years.  But 2019 has a new spin that I really like, so I'm sort of going in with a mediocre/high difficulty level.

Links coming soon when I get my summary page and announcement post finalized and published.


2019 Mount TBR Challenge

hosted by My Reader's Block
My Goal:  Mount Vancouver -- Read 36 books from your TBR pile/s
GR shelf:  2019 Mt TBR Pile Challenge

As per usual, books read must be owned prior to the start of the year.

I seem to have the best luck with Mount Vancouver, and since I'm not exactly an ambitious climber, and also because I DO enjoy borrowing books from the library, I'll stick with this goal.  Even though the goal  If I can claim Mt. Vancouver and advanced toward's Mt. Ararat (48 already owned books), that will be a bonus.


2019 Personal Series Challenge

My tentative book list and challenge announcement
Goal #1:  Finish/Catch Up With 10 series, already started
Goal #2:  Read/Catch Up With 10 series, new to me
Goal #3:  Read 10 1st in a series books

The Personal Series Challenge is more of a project for me than an actual challenge.  It's been one of my biggest goals to finish reading series I'd already started... so it doesn't help if my challenge also involves reading new to me series or reading a 1st in a series.  So I keep my Goal #1 at 10 books to remind myself to get series completed.

After all, there's no way I won't read new to me series, nor will I ever stop starting new series, so why not incorporate these into this challenge as well just to feel a bit of progress?  =D

I will be updating with links to my summary page and tentative series list announcement soon.

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In other news, I will also be participating in a lot of as yet announced reading games and challenges, such as Halloween Bingo and the Festive Tasks games if they happen for 2019!  Also, Because Reading also hosts a Can You Read a Series in a Month? on a random month each year that I also plan on joining, even though I failed pretty badly this November.

Meanwhile, I also plan on participating in the following readathons.

Each year I join 24in48 without hesitation, with hopes that I will someday be able to actually reach 24 hours of reading.  My highest number of hours spent reading so far was 16.5 hours, and I'm really hoping to surpass that for the next 24in48.

24in48 January 26 - 27 Sign Ups

@ 24in48

The next 24in48 is coming up soon, and I've already signed up!  I'll have an announcement post out soon.  And lookie there!  They even have a brand new logo!

Bout of Books 24

@ Bout of Books

I have not signed up for Bout of Books yet, and I haven't really been participating in all of them.  But I'm going to go for it this year, and it looks like the next one starts soon.  I'll be working on an announcement and sign up post soon.

I may or may not look up some other challenges as a "suggestion" of sorts for what books to read throughout the year.  And if I'm feeling up for it, might even sign up to participate officially.

But otherwise, this is kind of what I'm looking at for 2019!

24 Festive Tasks | Update #6

The 24 Tasks of the Festive Season

hosted by Murder by Death, Themis-Athena, and Moonlight Madness

SO.  MANY.  UPDATES!

I was bound and determined to finish at least one task for each door and I got there.  I skipped a week of updates, but I was also hoping to get each door's main post published before coming up with an almost-final tally.

I don't think I'm going to mention everything I've updated since the last update post, but mainly, I've managed to finish non-book tasks for Christmas, Kwanzaa, New Year's, Hogswatch, and Epiphany.  At least five books have been completed since the last update!  And I'm currently reading one more book, Shelter in Place by Nora Roberts which looks like it'll have to slide into the Bon Om Touk book task, having water on the cover.

If I can finish Shelter in Place, I may jump into Cold Dark Places by Kylie Brant for the St. Lucia's Day book task, for a book released in November or December of this year.

But otherwise, I may or may not complete a couple more tasks given time and my motivation to update.

The Festive Card:

Peek-a-Boo Penni Claus = Completed Book Task

Magnetic "Elfin" Monkey = Completed Non-Book Tasks

My Progress:

Overall Total Points Earned:  75
Books Read:  12
Tasks Completed:  63

Update Posts:
24 Festive Tasks | Ani's Tracking Post Randomness
24 Festive Tasks | Update #1
24 Festive Tasks | It's Monday! Style - Random Book Update #1
24 Festive Tasks | Update #2
24 Festive Tasks | Update #3
24 Festive Tasks | It's Monday! Style - Random Book Update #2
24 Festive Tasks | Update #4
24 Festive Tasks | Update #5

**For my own sanity purposes, I will link the main post for each door at the top of each table.  All tasks listed under 'My Activity' will more than likely be found at the main post; otherwise, the link will be included for that particular task if a separate post is published outside of the main post, such as book reviews.  Thanks!**

Door 1:  Dia de los Muertos (November 1)
Total Points Earned:  3

Task		My Activity / Link to Post	Date Completed
Book	Re-read an old favorite from a now-deceased author, a book from a finished (dead) series, or a book set in Mexico.	Read: Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton	12/10/2018
Task 1	Write a silly poem or limerick poking fun at the fiction character of your choice.	-- SKIP-- I don't poem...	XX
Task 2	Share your favorite gravestone epitaph (you know you have one).	Posted Activity: Two epitaphs found - one with Kay's fudge recipe	11/04/2018
Task 3	Create an altar (either digital or physical) for your favorite book, series, or book character, and post a picture of it. Inclusion of book cover encouraged.	-- SKIP -- No ideas for this one	XX
Task 4	If you like Mexican food, treat yourself to your favorite dish and share a photo of it.	Posted Activity: Tamales at home for lunch!	11/10/2018

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Door 2:  Guy Fawkes Night (November 5)
Total Points Earned:  4

Task		My Activity / Link to Post	Date Completed
Book	Set in the UK, political thrillers, involving any monarchy or revolution; books about arson or related to burning.	Read: Chasing Fire by Pamela Clare	12/21/2018
Task 1	Burn a book in effigy. Not that anyone of us would do such a thing, but if you HAD to, which book would be the one you’d sacrifice to the flames (gleefully or not)?	Posted: Chose book: The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa	11/05/2018
Task 2	List your top 3 treasonous crimes against books. Not ones you’ve committed, but the ones you think are the worst.	Posted: 1) Burning; 2) Defacing; 3) Borrowing and not returning, or returning damaged	11/05/2018
Task 3	Share your favorite / most memorable BBQ recollections or recipe, or your favorite recipe for food “flambé” (i.e., doused with alcohol which is then set aflame and allowed to burn off).	Posted: Korean BBQ for the wins!	11/05/2018
Task 4	Find 5 uses of the word “gunpowder” in book titles in contexts other than for blowing up things or shooting people (e.g., Gunpowder Green by Laura Childs = tea).	-- Will probably SKIP this one --	XX

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Door 3:  Melbourne Cup Day (November 6)
Total Points Earned:  4

Task		My Activity / Link to Post	Date Completed
Book	About horses or a horse on the cover. Books with roses on the cover or about gardening; anything set in Australia.	Possible Reads: The Rose Garden by Susanna Kearsley	TBA
Task 1	Pick your ponies! MbD will post the horses scheduled to race as soon as they’re released; everyone picks the three they think will finish (in any order).	Finished Activity: Horses chosen / Winners announced / no bonus points	11/06/2018
Task 2	Cup day is all about the hats. Post a picture of your favorite hat, whether it’s one you own or not.	Posted: My cadet hat and my 'This is my happy face' hat!	11/06/2018
Task 3	The coloring of the “horse of a different color” in the movie version of The Wizard of Oz was created by rubbing the horse’s fur with jello. What’s the weirdest use of jello you’ve ever come across?	Posted: Jello as hair dye.  A short memory from high school	12/17/2018
Task 4	Have you ever been to or participated in a competition involving horses (racing, jumping, dressage, whatever)? Tell us about it. Photos welcome, too!	Posted Activity: My first horse track racing experience in Dallas!	11/06/2018

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Door 4:  Diwali (November 7)
Total Points Earned:  2

Task		My Activity / Link to Post	Date Completed
Book	Read a book with candles on the cover or the word “candle” or “light” in the title; OR a book that is the latest in a series; OR set in India; OR any non-fiction book that is ‘illuminating’ (Diwali is Sanskrit for light/knowledge and row, line or series)	Possible Read: The Governess Game by Tessa Dare	TBA
Task 1	Share a picture of your favorite light display.	-- Gonna just SKIP --	XX
Task 2	Cleaning is a big part of this holiday; choose one of your shelves, real or virtual, and tidy / organise it.  Give us the before and after photos. OR Tidy up 5 of the books on your BookLikes shelves by adding the CORRECT cover, and/or any other missing information.  (If in doubt, see here: State of the Database: BookLikes database, Halloween Bingo, and a mini-rant - with pictures.).	-- Probably going to SKIP this one --	XX
Task 3	Eating sweets is also a big part of Diwali. Either select a recipe for a traditional sweet, or make a family favorite and share a picture with us.	Posted Activity: So many sweet soups!	11/25/2018
Task 4	During Diwali, people pray to the goddess Lakhshmi, who is typically depicted as a beautiful young woman holding a lotus flower.  Find 5 books on your shelves (either physical or virtual) whose covers show a young woman holding a flower and share their cover images.	Posted Activity: Five books with young women holding flower; found with some difficulty, but successful!	11/08/2018

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Door 5:  Armistice / Veterans' Day (November 11)
Total Points Earned:  3

Task		My Activity / Link to Post	Date Completed
Book	Read any book involving wars, battles, where characters are active military or veterans, or with poppies on the cover.	Read on 11/11/18 / retroactively claimed: The Woman Left Behind by Linda Howard	12/17/2018
Task 1	Using book covers (real or virtual), create a close approximation of your country’s flag (either of residence or birth), OR a close approximation of a poppy. Take a pic of your efforts and post.	Posted Activitiy: The Penni Book Cover Poppy!!  With Monkey, too!	11/13/2018
Task 2	Make an offer of peace (letter, gift, whatever) to a book character who has particularly annoyed you this year.	-- SKIPPING this one --	XX
Task 3	Tell us: What author’s books would you consider yourself a veteran of (i.e., by which author have you read particularly many books – or maybe even all of them)?	Posted: Jayne Ann Krentz / Honorable Mention goes to Jill Shalvis	11/13/2018
Task 4	Treat yourself to a slice of poppy seedcake and post a photo. If you want to make it yourself, try out this recipe: Poppy Seed Cake @ tastesbetterfromscratch.com … or this one: Lemon Poppy Seed Cake @ bbcgoodfood.com	-- SKIPPING this one too --	XX

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Door 6:  International Day for Tolerance 2018 (November 16)
Total Points Earned:  3

Task		My Activity / Link to Post	Date Completed
Book	Read any fiction/non-fiction about tolerance or a book that’s outside your normal comfort zone. (Tolerance can encompass anything you generally struggle with, be it sentient or not.) OR Read a book set in Paris.	Possible Reads: TBA	TBA
Task 1	Find some redeeming quality in the book you liked least this year and post about it.	Posted Activity: Chose book, This Wicked Gift by Courtney Milan	11/19/2018
Task 2	Tell us: What are the tropes (up to 5) that you are not willing to live with in any book (i.e., which are absolutely beyond your capacity for tolerance) and which make that book an automatic DNF for you? (Insta-love? Love triangles? First person present narrative voice? Talking animals? The dog dies? What else?)	Posted Activity: Long-winded talk about 5 tropes -- see main post	11/19/2018
Task 3	The International Day for Tolerance is a holiday declared by an international organization (UNESCO). Create a charter (humorous, serious, whatever strikes your fancy) for an international organization of readers.	-- Going to SKIP this one --	XX
Task 4	UNESCO is based in Paris. Paris is known for its pastries and its breads: Either find a baker that specializes in pastries and bring home an assortment for your family, or make your own pastries using real butter and share a photo with us.	Posted Activity: French Macaroons!!	11/19/2018

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Door 7:  Mawlid (November 20)
Total Points Earned:  5

Task		My Activity / Link to Post	Date Completed
Book	If you can find a copy, read Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet. Or read any book about a leader of a movement, nation, religion or large group, OR read a book with a green cover OR with a half moon on the cover.	Read: Stephen Fry's Victorian Secrets - an Audible original	12/27/2018
Task 1	Make two “prophesies” you think will come to fruition in 2019 in your personal or reading life.	Posted: Prophesies for cleaning and purging!	11/20/2018
Task 2	The Five Pillars of Islam include almsgiving and the pilgrimage to Mekka. Tell us: Have you ever donated books or rescued them from (horror of horrors) being trashed? Alternatively: Is there a book-related place that is a place of pilgrimage to you?	Posted: I have donated books to the library and Goodwill!	11/20/2018
Task 3	Prophets are messengers. Tell us: Which book characters are your favorite messengers (no matter whether humans, angels, (demi)gods, etc.)?	Posted: Messengers chosen: 1) Hedwig / 2) Ponies / 3) GLaDOS... Oh My!	11/20/2018
Task 4	Muhammad was a merchant before becoming a religious leader. List 5 books on your shelves in which a key character makes / undergoes a radical career change.	Posted: 5 characters listed -- see main door post above	11/20/2018

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Door 8:  Penance Day (November 21)
Total Points Earned:  3

Task		My Activity / Link to Post	Date Completed
Book	Read any book concerning a man / woman of the cloth, a book about a character hiding a guilty secret or searching for absolution.	Possible Reads: TBA	TBA
Task 1	“Confess” your book habits. Dog-earring? Laying books face down? Bending back the spines? Skimming? OR: Confess your guilty reading pleasure, or comfort reads.	Posted: Habits confessed!  And also, comfort reads are obviously Romantic Suspense, right?	11/24/2018
Task 2	It’s “Pennants” day according to MbD’s husband: post a picture of your favorite team’s logo / mascot and the last time they’ve won a championship (or not).	-- SKIPPING -- COMPLETED I don't sports... but... Per our lovely game host, I get to count my 'Team Book Nerd' pennant!	11/24/2018
Task 3	In centuries gone by, penance would often end up in what might be described as a very extended bad hair day (complete with sackcloth and ashes). Tell us: What’s a bad hair day to you – and what (if anything) do you do about it?	Posted: Everyday is a bad hair day.	11/24/2018
Task 4	Early Christian spiritualists would sometimes do penance by spending time in the desert. If you’ve ever visited a desert region (or even live there), post a picture and tell us about it. Alternatively, post a picture of sand dunes (NOT with water in the background!).	-- Probably SKIP --	XX

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Door 9:  Thanksgiving (November 22)
Total Points Earned:  5

Task		My Activity / Link to Post	Date Completed
Book	Autumnal covers, set in New England, or a turkey shows up in the story.	Read: Midnight Sacrifice by Melinda Leigh	12/09/2018
Task 1	List the 3 books you’ve read this year you’re most “thankful” for (your favs) or the one book you’ve ever read that changed your life for the better.	Posted: Listed books!  Four total instead of three.	11/25/2018
Task 2	Describe your perfect meal. What would you cook for the perfect celebration, or, what would you have your imaginary personal chef cook for you?	Posted: Chinese seafood banquet feast!	11/25/2018
Task 3	Name a book you’ve read this year that you thought was full of “stuffing”.	Posted: Get Well Soon by Jennifer Wright // Dance of the Gods by Nora Roberts	12/13/2018
Task 4	Show us your 2018 book “harvest” – the books you newly acquired this year, regardless whether bought, received as gift or in whichever other way.	Posted: About 20+ books listed	11/25/2018

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Door 10:  Bon Om Touk (November 22 - 24)
Total Points Earned:  3

Task		My Activity / Link to Post	Date Completed
Book	Read a book that takes place at sea or on a river OR with water on the cover OR where the plot involves a festival or the moon plays a pivotal role in the plot.	Possible Reads: TBA	TBA
Task 1	Make a paper boat and post a picture of it. Instructions, if needed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiAWx8odStA	Posted Activity: Fleet of ships! And a Supplementary Post!	11/26/2018
Task 2	If you’ve ever attended a procession or an event involving festively decked out boats, post a picture and tell us about it.	-- SKIP! -- I've never attended one of these.	XX
Task 3	Bon Om Touk celebrates the end of the rainy season. Tell us: What’s your favorite type of rainy day book – and do you have a favorite drink or snack to go with your rainy day reading? Photos welcome!	Posted: Any books! But especially Rom-Suspense. With hot tea and sweets.	11/26/2018
Task 4	Which are your 3 favorite books where a key character is “moonlighting”?	Posted: Characters/books chosen - see main post.	11/26/2018

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Door 11:  Russian Mother's Day (November 25)
Total Points Earned:  3

Task		My Activity / Link to Post	Date Completed
Book	Read a book set in Russia, or involving a story within a story / play within a play (like the Russian matryoshka dolls stuck inside each other), or where a key character (not necessarily the protagonist) is a mother.	Possible Reads: TBA	TBA
Task 1	Tell us: What is the mother of all writerly sins in your book (tropes, grammar mistakes, telling instead of showing, etc.)?	Posted: The sin: Not respecting the craft.	12/01/2018
Task 2	Do you have a favorite Mothers’ Day memory that you are happy to share? Photos welcome but optional.	Posted: A random Mothers' Day memory.	12/01/2018
Task 3	Perhaps the best-known scene in the James Bond novel and film From Russia With Love is 007 being poisoned by Russian agent Rosa Klebb with a venom-laced blade hidden in her shoe. Tell us: Have you ever owned any particular / outrageous / funny / best-beloved or otherwise special pair of shoes?  Post a photo if you should still own them.	Posted: Oh my, shoes!  I love shoes!  I have a lot of shoes!	12/01/2018
Task 4	Make a traditional Russian dish like borscht, blintzes, pirogi or solyanka soup, and share a picture with us. Find recipe suggestions here: https://www.expatica.com/ru/about/Top-10-Russian-foods-and-recipes_108678.html	In Progress: Going to try this one.	TBA

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Door 12:  St. Andrew's Day (November 30)
Total Points Earned:  2

Task		My Activity / Link to Post	Date Completed
Book	Andrew was the first apostle; read the first book in a series.  OR: Andrew and Peter were brothers; read a book about brothers.  OR: Read books about or set in Scotland or by a Scottish author, or set in Charleston, South Carolina (which is where the celebrations as we know them today began – by a group of Scottish expats – according to scotland.org).	Read: Not My Father's Son by Alan Cumming	12/18/2018
Task 1	Nominate someone for sainthood.  Who?  Why?	-- SKIP --	XX
Task 2	St Andrew is revered in many countries, particularly in Eastern Europe, where he worked as a Christian missionary, long before his relics were brought to Scotland centuries later. – Tell us: Is there a book (regardless whether fiction or nonfiction) for which you would basically walk up to strangers and tell them: “Read this!”? What would you say and do to get people to read that particular book?	Posted Thoughts: I'm not likely to recommend books, to be honest.	12/06/2018
Task 3	Legend has it that the saltire or St. Andrew’s cross (white on an azure background) – which constitutes the national flag of Scotland – originated as a cloud formation, symbolizing St. Andrew’s being crucified on an X-shaped cross rather than an upright one.  Do you have any pictures of unusual cloud formations?  If so, share them with us!	-- Gonna SKIP --	XX
Task 4	The town of St. Andrews, where the saint’s bones ended up in the course of the spread of Christianity to Scotland, is also famous for its golf course and tournament.  List your 3 favorite books where golf is key to the plot.	-- SKIP, most likely --	XX

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Door 13:  Advent (December 1)
Total Points Earned:  3

Task		My Activity / Link to Post	Date Completed
Book	Advent also means “second coming”: Read a pastiche, or a book written by an “authorised author” by the deceased author’s estate. OR: There are four Sundays in Advent. Read the fourth book of a series or a book with the word “four” in the title.	Possible Reads: Devil in the Deadline by LynDee Walker	TBA
Task 1	Post a picture of your advent calendar - store bought or homemade.	Posted: It's Wine O'Clock Somewhere!	12/06/2018
Task 2	The holidays season is in full swing – tell us: What’s your favorite tradition?	Posted: No real traditions...	12/06/2018
Task 3	The tradition of carol singing in the Advent / holiday season is linked to the old Anglo-Saxon (and medieval) custom of wassailing (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wassailing). Prepare an apple cider wassail bowl or a wassail bowl containing your favorite drink or fruit. Post a picture and enjoy!	Posted: The Wassail... pot...  With spiced wine!	12/22/2018
Task 4	Make your own Advent wreath and share a picture of it. Instructions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWw83CCa2cg	-- SKIP, SKIP, SKIP! -- Nope, nope, nope...	XX

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Door 14:  Hanukkah (December 2 - 10)
Total Points Earned:  4

Task		My Activity / Link to Post	Date Completed
Book	Read a book about light, miracles, characters who are Jewish or books set in Israel. OR: Hanukkah commemorates the re-dedication of the second temple in the second century; read the second book in a series or a book with the word “second” or “two” in the title.	Read on 11/10/18 / retroactively claimed: Midnight Blue-Light Special by Seanan McGuire	12/01/2018
Task 1	Have you had any miracles in your life?  (Kids are a given.)  Just enough change for tolls?  Just enough gas to get you to the station?  Been tragically late for a flight only to find the flight was even more tragically delayed?  Nothing is too small - share your miracles with us!	Posted: Lots of miracles.	12/07/2018
Task 2	Light 9 candles each representing something you’re thankful for (share a picture with us; sharing anything else is optional).	In Progress: Need more candles...	TBA
Task 3	Have a donut – and let us share it via a photo. Homemade donuts and shared recipes encouraged … but any donut will do just fine.	Posted: Had a donut!  It was chocolate!	12/07/2018
Task 4	A miracle crucial to Hanukkah is the Miracle of the cruse of oil, which concerns a jug of oil that (ostensibly) only contained enough oil for a single day, but miraculously turned out to last all of eight days. – Miracles aside, tell us: Have you ever experienced that something you had bought or you owned lasted a lot longer than anticipated … or where you expected a shortage which then fortuitously didn’t occur after all?	Posted: Work place supplies... and at home everlasting conditioner.	12/07/2018

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Door 15:  Sinterklass / St. Nicholas Day (December 5)
Total Points Earned:  2

Task		My Activity / Link to Post	Date Completed
Book	Read any book with an orange or red cover or with nuts, chocolate or coins on the cover, set in The Netherlands or Germany, by a Dutch or German author, or with canals or beer on the cover.	Possible Reads: TBA	TBA
Task 1	Write a book wish list to St. Nick.	Posted: One big list, coming right up!	12/11/2018
Task 2	You are King / Queen for the day and can have 3 ‘wishes’: one for yourself, one for your community (however you define it), and one for the world: What are they?	-- Possible SKIP --	XX
Task 3	If your holiday family traditions should include bowls or plates filled with gingerbread, cookies, oranges / tangerines, chocolate, nuts and the like, share a photo with us!	-- Possible SKIP --	XX
Task 4	List your 3 favorite books involving children being rescued from serious peril.	Posted: Including: 'The Graveyard Book', 'Ghost Bride' & 'Seraphina'	12/11/2018

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Door 16:  Human Rights Day (December 10)
Total Points Earned:  4

Task		My Activity / Link to Post	Date Completed
Book	Read any book with strong female characters, or written by an author from any minority group; any story about a minority overcoming their oppressors either individually or as a group. OR: A book set in New York City.	Read on 11/27/18 / retroactively claimed: Dim Sum of All Fears by Vivien Chien	12/17/2018
Task 1	Book hunt for human rights: Search your shelves for books with titles containing human rights words such as (but not limited to): hope, friendship, equality, justice, love, liberty, etc. Put them in a stack and take a picture for posting. (5 book minimum).	Posted: The shelf of 'Love' posted!	12/18/2018
Task 2	This year is the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Find 3 books on your shelves with protagonists or other key characters who are -- or can reasonably be assumed to be -- 70 years or older.	Posted: Books include: 'Jurassic Park', 'Harry Potter', and 'The Shadowy Horses'	12/12/2018
Task 3	The symbol of Human Rights Day is the dove, which in its incarnation as a homing pigeon is also renowned for its navigational skills. – Tell us: Did you ever get so thoroughly lost (either in the days before GPS or because GPS, for whatever reason, was of no use to you) that you wished you had a homing pigeon to guide you?	Posted: Lost in Kansas City... but not really... in which the GPS gets us lost.	12/12/2018
Task 4	Human Rights Day was declared by the U.N. General Assembly, whose seat is in New York City. Treat yourself to a Manhattan (classic recipe: https://www.liquor.com/recipes/manhattan-2/; virgin [non-alcoholic] recipes: https://www.anallievent.com/virgin-manhattan/, http://www.1001cocktails.com/recipes/mixed-drinks/800238/cocktail-virgin-manhattan.html, and https://www.liquor.com/recipes/not-manhattan/) or to a bagel or pastrami sandwich and share a photo with us.	Planned Activity: Maybe a bagel or a non-alcoholic Manhattan.	TBA

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Door 17:  St. Lucia's Day (December 13)
Total Points Earned:  1

Task		My Activity / Link to Post	Date Completed
Book	Set in Scandinavia / Northern Europe, or by a Northern European / Nordic author, or a book newly released in November or December of this year.	Planned Read: Cold Dark Places by Kylie Brant	TBA
Task 1	In honor of the Icelandic Jólabókaflóðið / Yule Book Flood tradition, create a (virtual or physical) “book flood” and post a picture of it.	Possible Activities: Work in progress	TBA
Task 2	Bake a Swedish lussebulle (saffron bun – instructions and recipe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWSs-vQX0AI) or prepare some other dish containing saffron.	-- Possible SKIP --	XX
Task 3	Create a “crown of light” from book covers prominently featuring a lighted candle.	Possible Activities: Work in progress	TBA
Task 4	Guess (scout’s honor, NO GOOGLING!): Did the Gävle Goat survive this year?  For background: The Gävle Goat is a straw effigy erected in Gävle, Sweden, every year at the beginning of Advent.  It is infamous for being burned down ahead of time, which as of Advent 2017 has happened in 37 of the 51 years of the tradition’s existence. – The Yule goat lore in turn goes back all the way to the Norse myths, where the god Thor rode a chariot drawn by two goats, and to ancient Indo-European and proto-Slavic beliefs according to which the harvest god appeared in the shape of a goat.  Possibly, it is also linked with Santa Claus and his reindeer-driven sled.	Posted: My guess is that it did not survive (I didn't Google anything!), based on the odds that it seems to have been burned down more times than not.	TBA

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Door 18:  Winter Solstice / Yuletide (December 21)
Total Points Earned:  4

Task		My Activity / Link to Post	Date Completed
Book	Read any book that takes place in December; OR with ice or snow on the cover; OR that revolves around the (summer or winter) equinox; OR a collection of poetry by Hafez	Read: Midnight Exposure by Melinda Leigh	11/17/2018
Task 1	Bibliomancy: Grab one of your larger books and flip to the indicated page and line number to answer the following questions - then post those answers for us: (See the questions in the main post linked above.)	Posted: See Main Door Post for questions and answers. Used The Essential Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe.	12/17/2018
Task 2	Tell us: What book did you read this year that felt like it was never going to end?	Posted: The book I thought would never end: The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs by Steve Brusatte	12/17/2018
Task 3	Round up a herd of reindeer on book covers and in book illustrations.	Posted: Reindeer herded!	12/17/2018
Task 4	Treat yourself to a bûche de Noel (French Yule log cake) – if you want to try and make it yourself, see recipe here: https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/buche-de-noel-recipe.	-- SKIP --	XX

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Door 19:  Festivus (December 23)
Total Points Earned:  2

Task		My Activity / Link to Post	Date Completed
Book	Read any comedy, parody, or satire	Possible Reads: TBA	TBA
Task 1	It’s the annual airing of grievances!   Time to list the top 5 books that disappointed you the most this year and let us know why!	Posted: Listed 5 books - see main post.	12/18/2018
Task 2	Take a picture of your Festivus Pole (and remember this is a family site).	-- SKIP --	XX
Task 3	Have your household scales perform a feat of strength: Place 10 of your heaviest books in a stack on your scales and tell us what their total weight comes to.	Possible Activities: TBA	TBA
Task 4	Google the word “Festivus” and tell us or take a screenshot of what you see at the left border of the results page.	Posted: That silly Festivus Pole on the Google page!	12/18/2018

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Door 20:  Christmas (December 25)
Total Points Earned:  3

Task		My Activity / Link to Post	Date Completed
Book	Read any Christmas book.	Read: How the Dukes Stole Christmas anthology	12/24/2018
Task 1	Post a picture of your Christmas decorations.	Posted: Presenting all the ornaments, and cork dog!	12/27/2018
Task 2	Tell us: If you could share Christmas dinner with any author (dead or alive), who would it be?	Posted: J.K. Rowling or Susanna Kearsley	12/27/2018
Task 3	Watch a favorite Christmas movie.	-- SKIP --	XX
Task 4	Create or recreate a short text relating to Christmas (poem, carol, wish list, season’s greetings, etc.) from the titles of books on your bookshelves.	-- SKIP --	XX

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Door 21:  Kwanzaa (December 26 - January 1)
Total Points Earned:  3

Task		My Activity / Link to Post	Date Completed
Book	Read a book set in Africa or the Caribbean; OR by an African, Caribbean, or African-American author; OR a book with a green, red, or black cover.	Possible Reads: -- Tower of Thorns by Juliet Marillier -- Den of Wolves by Juliet Marillier	TBA
Task 1	“Africa” was originally the name of the Roman province originating from the North African empire of Carthage, which was mythologically founded by Queen Dido and blossomed into Ancient Rome’s only lasting opponent and nemesis (until it was finally conquered by Rome in the Punic Wars). So: who are your five favorite book heroes and their respective nemeses?	Posted: Listed / See Main Post	12/27/2018
Task 2	In Umberto Eco’s The Name of the Rose, the “Finis Africae” is the hidden center of the labyrinth which constitutes the monastery’s library, protected by a number of intricate, misdirecting devices. Tell us: Where have you recently encountered clever misdirection or a labyrinthine plot in a book?	Posted: Endless Night by Agatha Christie -- what an ending!	12/27/2018
Task 3	Tell us: If you could travel to Africa (for those living on the African continent: to a part of Africa that you don’t know yet): Where would you want to go?	Posted: I wanna go to Morocco... and lots of other places!	12/27/2018
Task 4	Have a meal involving vegetables (= crops) and / or corn, or another form of traditional Kwanzaa dinner. Recipe suggestions here: https://kwanzaaculinarians.com/	-- SKIP --	XX

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Door 22:  New Year's Eve (December 31)
Total Points Earned:  4

Task		My Activity / Link to Post	Date Completed
Book	Read a book about endings, new starts, or books where things go BOOM!	Read: The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs by Steve Brusatte	11/06/2018
Task 1	Your 2019 Book Goals: what are they?	Posted: See Main Post	12/27/2018
Task 2	2018 Reading Year in Review. Tell us about your year in books: happy? disappointed?	Posted: See Main Post	12/27/2018
Task 3	New Year’s Book Lottery: Write the names of the first 5 books you’re planning to read in 2019 onto identical pieces of paper, fold them, place them in a bowl (or bucket, jar, box, etc.), and draw one to determine the very first book you’re going to start in the new year.	Posted: See Main Post	12/27/2018
Task 4	Find a bakery that sells Krapfen (German deep-fried sweet dough dumplings) or make them yourself (recipe here: https://germangirlinamerica.com/rheinische-ol-krapfen-new-year/) and enjoy with a glass of champagne or non-alcoholic bubbly drink – but first, take and post a photo of them!	-- SKIP --	XX

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Door 23:  Hogswatch (December 32)
Total Points Earned:  3

Task		My Activity / Link to Post	Date Completed
Book	Read anything by Terry Pratchett	Read: The Light Fantastic by Terry Pratchett	12/20/2018
Task 1	glingleglingleglingle – if you could wish any kind of god(dess) into existence, what would they be in charge of? Dusting? Weeding? We’re not aiming high here… tell us!	Posted: The God or Goddess of Free Metabolism!	12/28/2018
Task 2	Tell us: Did you or any kids you know ever have a funny or weird (the good sort of weird) encounter with a department store Santa, um, Hogfather?	-- SKIP --	XX
Task 3	Which children’s myth / mythical character (Santa Claus, Tooth Fairy, Easter Bunny, etc.) did you never believe in even when you were little?	Posted: See Main Post	12/28/2018
Task 4	Discworld features a number of inventions that mirror our world’s technology but work according to Discworld’s very own specifications; e.g., Hex, the ant-powered sapient thinking machine (computer) and a demon-powered picture box (camera). What other invention from our world would you have liked to see appearing in Discworld and how might it have worked there?	-- SKIP --	XX

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Door 24:  Epiphany (January 6)
Total Points Earned:  2

Task		My Activity / Link to Post	Date Completed
Book	Read a book with three main characters; OR a book about traveling on a journey to a faraway place; OR a book that's part of a trilogy; OR with a star on the cover; OR with the word "twelve" or "night" in the title; OR concerning kings or spices	Possible Read: Dreamer's Pool by Juliet Marillier	TBA
Task 1	Tell us: What’s your favorite trilogy?	Posted: His Fair Assassin trilogy by Robin LaFevers	12/29/2018
Task 2	Chalking the door is an Epiphany tradition in some places, to bless a home for the coming year. Different patterns exist, with different meanings. If you could create your own pattern to bless your house next year, what would it look like?	Posted: Lucky cats!	12/29/2018
Task 3	Compile a post containing one image for every gift mentioned / added in each new verse of The Twelve Days of Christmas (lyrics here: https://www.41051.com/xmaslyrics/twelvedays.html).	Possible Activities: TBA	TBA
Task 4	Prepare your favorite spicy dish or holiday drink containing spices and share a photo. Also sharing the recipe is optional but welcome!	Possible Activities: TBA	TBA