Wednesday, September 30, 2015

The Challenge Factory - The Incredible Challenge Factory Scavenger Hunt Part XV Finished

The Incredible Challenge Factory Scavenger Hunt Part XV hosted by The Challenge Factory on Goodreads

I am surprised I actually found all the words and actions but I did. I am also going to take part in the next one of these challenges.

Scavenger Hunt XV

Duration: July 1st to September 30th, 2015

•This “Challenge” works in conjunction with the other challenges you may participate in during this time frame.

•While you are fulfilling the requirements of your other challenges, be on the lookout for the following items - they may be on the cover or mentioned in the book. Most items are specific, but if in doubt about an item – just ask!

•You may use a book to fulfill multiple items (you do not have to read 50 books for this challenge...do not worry!)

•When you find one of the items, list the Book Title and Author (or link the cover), date it, & rate it. Then specify where the item is found within the book. For audiobooks try to put the chapter if possible. If not, then at least let us know you got it from an audiobook.

•Books that are used must be read during the period of this challenge, the challenge does not start until 7/1/15, but you can get your lists together early. Good Luck & Happy Reading! ☺  


Word List:

The List
1. Talon: Eragon by Christopher Paolini
Loc: 8194 ➨Eragon: 8194
He tried to pull away, but her hand was like an iron talon around his ankle – he could not break her tenacious hold.

2. EMT: Fire And Ice by Dana Stabenow
Loc: 728 ➨ The EMT slammed the doors of the ambulance and paused to give Liam a level, considering stare

3. Eclair: Country Heaven by Ava Miles
Loc: 2750 ➨ Using my grandma's lace-edged napkins, I'd serve what we termed French Eclairs.

4. Mustache: Rasmus - Tales of a Utah Cowboy by Jay Anderson and Beth M. Stephenson
Loc: 147 ➨  Mr. Crocker's handlebar moustache quivered a little as he smiled at me.

5. Pecans: Geoducks Are for Lovers by Daisy Prescott
Loc: 445 ➨  She organizes a tray with spiced pecans.

6. Mimosa: Country Heaven by Ava Miles
Loc: 4635 ➨ Dress it up with a good cup of coffee or mimosa and enjoy its scrumptiousness.

7. Hawk: The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen
Pg: 147 ➨ You watch her like a hawk.

8. Dead Body: First Year by J. P. Howards
Loc: 560 ➨ Lauren had seen one dead body before, but that was at a funeral.

9. Name Tag: The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton
Loc: 414 ➨ And there was no name tag attached to the suitcase, nothing inside that would help either,not as far as he could tell.

10. Curly Hair: The Pack in Illinois by Zoey Glasgow
Loc: 4131 ➨  Crawling out of bed, I pulled my thick curly hair onto the top of my head.

11. Kleenex/facial tissue: Iced Under by Nadine Doolittle
Loc: 1256 ➨ And kleenex, cough medicine, hand cream, socks, dish soap, laundry detergent, aspirin, moisturizer, mascara, paper towels, aluminum foil.

12. Top Floor: Touch of the Goddess by Maria Hammarblad
Loc: 1880 ➨ It finally came to a halt at the very top floor, and even the doors seemed to hush as they slid open.

13. Post Office: The Wild by Christopher Golden
Pg: 12 ➨ Jack glanced at the signs: YUKON TRADING POST, U.S. POST OFFICE, COUGHLIN-LANDRY HARDWARE, DUTCHER BILL'S SALOON.

14. Volcano: The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson
 Loc: 9195 ➨What did he do about a dying sky, ash so thick he could barely move through it, and erupting volcanoes.

15. Poet: The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski
Loc: 3069 ➨ He really is a famous poet, Nenneke.

16. Military Maneuver or Tactic: Scent of Magic by Maria V. Snyder
Loc: 135 ➨ Ryne's keeping them busy with his genius military tactics that will stop Tohan.

17. A Liar: Witch Me Luck by Amanda M. Lee
Loc: 3304 ➨ She called me a liar, Thistle said.

18. A Puppy: The Return of Gabe McLeod by Joanne Hill
Loc: 3043 ➨ Why have you got a puppy

19. Throwing Weapon (ie: knife, stars, etc): Taste of Darkness by Maria V. Snyder
Loc: 3356 ➨  Loren reached under his robe and pulled out a set of my throwing knives bundled together. Thought you might want these. He tossed it.

20. Lemon Flavored Pastry: The Mad Ship by Robin Hobb
Loc: 7338 ➨ And your cook would make those tiny lemon Pastries.

21. Muffins: Born in Shame by Nora Roberts
Pg: 156 ➨ And if she'd  had dreams, she thought as she picked at her late breakfast of coffee and muffins, it was hardly a surprise. (chapter 11)

22. Ice Cream Therapy: Divorced, Desperate and Delicious by Christie Craig
Loc: 3383 ➨ I ate a whole gallon of chocolate mint ice cream at Kathy's last night, And then Sue brought over pizza with pineapple for breakfast. Her mom set the tray down on her bedside table and edged down on the corner of the bed. Oh, sweetie. Is there anything I can do to make you feel better. 

23. Skyscraper: Treasure on Moon Lake by Amy Gamet
Loc: 1218 ➨  He was going to miss this place, more majestic than any skyscraper.

24. Tissue Paper: Born in Ice by Nora Roberts
Pg: 75 ➨ She loosened the tape, turned back the lid, and dug into the tissue paper.

25. Raspberry: The Adventures of Augustus Fuller by James Rickon
Loc: 1645 ➨ Mason let out a loud raspberry and rolled his eyes.

26. Lasagna: A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
Loc: 310 ➨Cooking frozen lasagne had tired his mum out so badly she fell asleep five minutes into EastEnders.

27. Marshmallow: Into the Deep End by Leesa Freeman
Loc: 548 ➨ I happen to be an excellent marshmallow toaster.

28. Earthquake: Elantris by Brandon Sanderson
Loc: 11770 ➨ What if the earthquake came just before the Reod? 

29. Puppet: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
Loc: 3185 ➨ His puppet, Thicknesse, is taking care of everyday business, leaving Voldemort free to extend his power beyond the Ministry.

30. Popsicle: The Iron Traitor by Julie Kagawa
Pg: 288 ➨ Not until Popsicle Boy thaws out a little.

31. Mailman: The Young Pitcher by Zane Grey
Loc: 1294 ➨  In the mornings when the mail-man came there was always a wild scramble for letters.

32. Fortune Cookie: The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa
Pg: 57 ➨  A note scribbled on a fortune cookie, I'll try anything.

33. Mud: Khronos by Chris Paton
Loc: 1102 ➨  She stared at the grubby boots trailing river mud over the thick fibres of the red carpet.

34. Golf Club: A Cottage by the Sea by Carole Matthews
Loc: 445 ➨ They wouldn't have liked to explain that down at the golf club.

35. Bus: The Grimm Legacy by Polly Shulman
Loc: 3935 ➨ Whenever I let my my drift, I found it pulling me west - following Aaron as he rode the bus across the park.

36. Wallet: The St. Valentine's Day Cookie Massacre by Elisabeth Crabtree
Pg: 1592 ➨ The killer must have taken it out of his wallet when he or she killed him.

37. Sand Castle: A Cottage by the Sea by Carole Matthews
Loc: 4657 ➨ At the water's edge, a sandcastle is slowly but surely being consumed by the sea, signalling that a family has been here today, but are now long gone.

38. Margarita: Fire at Twilight by Lila Ashe
Loc:1533 ➨ Margarita, the head nurse poked her head in.

39. Lemonade: Down and Out in Beverly Heels by Kathryn Leigh Scott
Loc: 4740 ➨ Donna, ever the sophisticate when it comes to these matters, insisted some self-promoting lemonade could be squeezed out of what I considered to be very foul, past-their-sell-date lemons.

40. Wallpaper: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
Loc: 783 ➨  The Victorian-looking wallpaper was faded with age, burgundy and pale gray.

Bonus Words
1. An Assassination: The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson
Loc: 3378 ➨ I've already survived a kidnapping and an assassination attempt.

2. Someone Moves: The Diving Pool: Three Novellas by Yoko Ogawa
Pg: 112 ➨ I am coming to college in Tokyo in April.
Pg: 119 ➨ The next day my cousin arrived (the move to college)

3. Bad Hair Day: The Cornish Affair by Laura Lockington
Loc: 1265 ➨  My copper coloured shoulder length hair looked like a national health wig, that someone had held under a tap, given a good backcombing with a nail brush and plonked back on top of my head.

4. Rescue Animal: Evidence of Trust by Stacey Joy Netzel
Loc: 627 ➨  Mark was tough and gruff, but he had a heart of gold soft enough to rescue a horse no one else wanted.

5. Someone Bored: Down and Out in Beverly Heels by Kathryn Leigh Scott 
Loc: 3332 ➨ Shelby Stuart delivered a rousing summation in my defense that would have swayed any jury other than ours, a panel of bored extras holed up on stage 9 checking cell phones.

6. A character who is friendly with their neighbor: Born in Ice by Nora Roberts
Pg: 312 ➨ It's nice of you to take time from your own work to help her with this. That's comhair, said Murphy easily. Community. That's how we live here. Nobody has to get by alone if there's family and neighbors.

7. A stupid question is asked: Fearless by Cornelia Funke
Loc: 1097 ➨ How had it come to the other world? Stupid question, Jacob. How did the Djinn get there?

8. Comic Book/Graphic Novel: Witchy Tales: A Wicked Witches of the Midwest Fairy Tale by Amanda M. Lee
Loc: 2745 ➨  She probably put them in that new The Walking Dead Graphic novel colletion she bought last week, Clove said.

9. Thumbs Up: Deep in My Heart by Patricia W. Fischer
Loc: 1419 ➨  Giving the thumbs up, Reverend Schultz continued on the lawn.

10. Someone Faints
The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton
Loc: 7467 ➨ Adeline had fainted. At least she presumed that must be what happened, for her next memory was of waking in her bed, a heavy weight on her chest.

Rawk: Troupe Theme Challenges Finished

Troupe Theme Challenges hosted by Rawk-A-Tiers on Goodreads.

These 4 challenges, one from each troupe in Rawk-A-Tiers were not all that easy to complete. Actually the water challenge from my own group was the most difficult maybe because it was so open.

FIRE Troupe Challenge
EARTH Troupe Challenge
WATER Troupe Challenge
AIR Troupe Challenge


FIRE Troupe Challenge:

A Fire's Life Cycle
DATES OF CHALLENGE
August 1 - September 30

The Elements:
1. Fire is a chemical reaction: Read a book where the MCs have explosive chemistry
2. Fire materials: Read a book with wood, straw, or any other item that could be used to make a fire on its cover
3. Kindling gets fire going: Read a book about a rekindled or second chance romance
4. Fire is fueled by oxygen: Read a book about survival or or where the plot/character/s was a breath of fresh air.
Elantris by Brandon Sanderson (about the survival of Elantris)
5. Fire burns brightly: Read a book with the word Fire in the title or a bright light source on the cover.
A Hidden Fire by Elizabeth Hunter
6. Fire can be beautiful colors: Read a book with a Red, Orange or Yellow cover (must be 75% individually or combination of 3)

Flame Throwers get things started:
1. Arsonists love fire: Read a book with a main page genre of Mystery or Crime
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater (main page mystery)
2. Chefs tend to like lots of flame: Read a book with a MC in culinary industry/profession
Country Heaven by Ava Miles
3. Pyrotechnics can enhance a performance: Read a book with a Musician MC or fire/fireworks on the cover
4. Cavemen were the original Flame Throwers: Read a book shelved as historical
5. Mother Nature throwing a flame: Read a book with lightning or a storm on the cover
6. Flame Throwers are very emotional: Read a book where a character expresses rage
Touch of the Goddess by Maria Hammarblad

Fire Fighters put a lid on it:
1. Are heros: Read a book with a firefighter MC or an MC who is rescued
Fire at Twilight by Lila Ashe
2. Usually get very close to the heat: Read a book that is a hot read--Must be rated over 2,000 times on GR
City of Bones by Cassandra Clare (rated 899,309 times)
3. Can sometimes get burned: Read a book that is considered hot, shelved as Erotic on main page
4. Are pretty to look at and strong: Read a book that features a firefighter on the cover or has a cover model displaying muscles
5. Water usually puts out a fire: Read a book with water on the cover or is set near a body of water
The Return of Gabe McLeod by Joanne Hill
6. Campers should always observe fire safety: Read a book where someone goes camping, hiking or enjoys the great outdoors
Rasmus - Tales of a Utah Cowboy by Jay Anderson and Beth M. Stephenson

The Aftermath:
1. Ash/Charcoal is left behind: Read a book with a cover that is at least 75% grey, black or silver
2. Fire often scars or scorches: Read a book with an MC that has scars or has a cover with a scorched object
3. Food is cooked: Read a book in which the characters celebrates a holiday together.
4. Rebirth usually occurs after a long period: Read a book that spans at least a decade
5. Renewal can occur: Read a redemption story
6. Not everything survives: Read a book in which a character dies in the story
The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson


Earn 20 points for completing the following
CR -- Choose 5 tasks--1 should be from each section
RR -- Choose 10 tasks--1 must be from each section
PR -- Choose any 15 tasks-- 2 must be from each section

or Participation Only:
CR -- # of tasks completed x 3
RR -- # of tasks completed x 1.5
PR -- # of tasks completed x 1 


★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩

EARTH Troupe Challenge

For many of us, Kool-Aid was a child-hood favorite drink in the summer time, mixing the packet of powdery-goodness into a pitcher of water (sometimes adding less water than called for just to make it stronger!). The Earth Troupe brings you a fun summer-time challenge centered around the goodness that is Kool-Aid!

DATES OF CHALLENGE
August 1 - September 30

THE CHALLENGE
CRs - Choose 5 tasks
RRs - Choose 10 tasks
PRs - Choose 15 tasks

POINTS
Challenge Completion Points = 20
Participation Points - if not completed
CR = tasks x 3
RR = tasks x 1.5
PR = tasks x 1


TASKS
1) Cherry (one of original 6 flavors)- Read a book with a summer fruit on the cover or in the text (cherries, strawberries, watermelon, etc.) or that has a predominately red cover (at least 50%)

2) Grape (one of original 6 flavors)- Read a book that involves wine or some sort of alcoholic beverage anywhere in the text (can be a minor instance) or that is set in Italy or that has a predominately purple cover (at least 50%)
The Mad Ship by Robin Hobb (purple cover)

3) Lemon (one of original 6 flavors)read a book where the average rating is 3.5 or lower or that has a predominately green cover (at least 50%)

4) Orange (one of original 6 flavors)read a book set in a Tropical location or that has a predominately orange cover (at least 50%)
Fire Country by David Estes 


5) Watermelon read a book that has a body of water on the cover, or that is predominately blue (at least 50%) 
Fire at Twilight by Lila Ashe

6) “Drink the Kool-Aid” read a book with a serial killer or that has an actual/ ‘traditional’ weapon on the cover (knife, sword, gun, etc)

7) Kool-Aid Man’s phrase is “Oh Yeah!” read a book with a Main Page Genre of Romance
The Return of Gabe McLeod by Joanne Hill

8) Deep Fried Kool-Aid Balls in 2011 at the San Diego County fair, Deep Fried Kool-Aid balls were introduced. Read a book where the MC has some kind of medical issue (health/illness/etc) or works in the medical field (doctor/nurse/paramedic/etc) OR that has a Carnival/Fair indicated on the cover or referenced in the description (carnival ride/pie eating contest/etc)

9) Glass Pitcher - cover has a glass item on it

10) Add Ice Cubes - cover has snow/winter scene or is predominately white (at least 50%)
The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson (white cover)

11) The commercial shows the Kool-Aid Man jumps through a wall into a house - Read a book that involves construction or destruction of some sort (can be anything, be creative!) either on the cover or in the text.

12) Kool-Aid Jello - Read a book that involves a summer snack or drink on the cover or in the text or that has a dessert on the cover (cake/pie/cookie/etc).

13) Sugar-free Kool-Aid - Read a book with a character on a diet or trying to get in shape, or where someone is “carrying a heavy load” (literally of figuratively…be creative!)

14) The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test (A book about LSD spiked Kool-Aid) - Read a book involving some type of drug abuse or medication.

15) Kool-Aid Magic Twists drink mixes - Read a book from the fantasy genre. 
The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa

16) Kool-Aid Singles - Read a book with a single person on the cover or a person not involved in a relationship or that has a single word title.
Taste of Darkness by Maria V. Snyder

17) Kool-Aid for SodaStream - Read a book with something homemade in the plot.

18) Kool-Aid can be used as a dye - Read a book with a bright or colorful cover (more than three colors)

19) Kool-Aid playdough - Read a book with a crafty or artistic character (writer/artist/musician/etc…be creative)
City of Bones by Cassandra Clare (Clary is very good at drawing)

20) Kool-Aid was invented by a chemist - Read a book involving a new invention or some kind of science, or with a Main Page Genre of Science Fiction
Touch of Goddess by Maria Hammarblad

21) Kool-Aid was first introduced in 1927read a book that was written prior to 1940, or has a setting before 1940, or that has Historical Fiction as a Main Page Genre, or that has at least one of the numbers 1,9,2,or 7 in the Year of Publication
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater (published 2012)

22) The inventor of Kool-Aid was Edwin Perkins, and his Kathryn (Kitty)- Read a book with the book title starting with or author’s initials if E,P,or K (just one is fine, not all needed) or that has a ‘kitty’ on the cover (cat/lion/cougar/etc)
The Grimm Legacy by Polly Shulman

23) The Kool-Aid creation/production/development has been done in several locations, moving as the product grew - Read a book set in Iowa, Nebraska, or Illinois.

24) Kool-Aid can be used to make lipstick or non-toxic hair dye read a book with an MC that is in fashion or is a hairdresser, or where the cover shows the character obviously wearing makeup, or whose hair is a bright/non-natural color.

25) Based on research from one sales report, the highest sales of Kool-Aid were in Memphis, Tennessee; Little Rock, Arkansas; St.Louis, Missouri; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; and Jacksonville, Florida. - Read a book set in any of these states.

★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩

WATER Troupe Challenge 

Duration: August 1, 2015 to September 30, 2015

★ Welcome aboard, Rawk-a-Tier Passengers❣ ★ The Water Troupe Cruise Ship is ready for all passengers to board. This summer our destinations will be the seven seas of the world. Pack your bags (do not forget your books) and enjoy a world-wide cruise. Make sure you grab the free ticket below. Peek at the terms & conditions.

Terms and Conditions

Below is a list of the seven seas. Each ocean destination has four options: three port activities and one on boat activity. To visit a port or take part part in a boat activity, you must pick the port or activity, read the information about the port or activity and then find a book relating to the information listed about the port or activity. Finishing a book is visiting the port or participating in a ship activity.

The Seven Seas Cruise Around the World Destinations

✿ The Arctic Ocean
✿ The North Atlantic Ocean
✿ The South Atlantic Ocean
✿ The Indian Ocean
✿ The North Pacific Ocean
✿ The South Pacific Ocean
✿ The Southern (or Antarctic) Ocean

As in any travels, keeping a written log of your trip is a must for looking back on your adventures! Please keep a post that you update with the ocean you are visiting, the port or activity you are completing, the book you chose, the justification for how the book connects to the port or on boat activity you are completing and the date you finished the book.

We have three different types of passengers joining us on our voyage:

✤ For our CR passengers, you need to pick a minimum of 5 port and/or boat activity options. Each option you chose needs to be from a different ocean destination

✤ For our RR passengers, you need to pick a minimum of 10 port and/or boat activity options. By the end of the trip, you will need to have visited each ocean destination at least once.

✤ For our PR passengers, you need to pick a minimum of 15 port and/or boat activity options. By the end of the trip, you will need to have visited each ocean destination at least once.

As with any good trip, postcards are a great way to capture your experiences. Every port or boat activity will have a postcard you can collect, mail home or show off to your friends at the end of your trip!

Rawk-A-Tier Frequent Boating Reward Points

At the end, of your trip please be sure to redeem your reward points for traveling with Water Troupe Cruise Line:

For Completion (Please see our "terms & conditions" and refer to your passenger class to determine how to complete challenge): All passengers are awarded 20 points for completing the challenge

For Participation (Completing some ports and activities but not in such a way as to complete the challenge):
✤ CR Passengers: # of ports/on boat activities X 3
✤ RR Passengers: # of ports/on boat activities X 1.5
✤ PR Passengers: # of ports/on boat activities X 1

Posting Task Completion Guidelines

Please make sure you list the following items in your posts below tracking your tasks completions:
1) Ocean Name
2) Port or On Boat Activity Name
3) Title of Book
4) Small justification for how book fits port or on boat activity
5) Date Book was Completed

★Bon voyage, Rawk-a-Tiers❣★

Ports and Boat Activities for Each Ocean of the World Listed in the Posts Below:  


1.The Arctic Ocean

Port 1: Greenland ~ Explore the Hot Springs of Uunartoq
Information: Hot springs are found throughout Greenland, but on the uninhabited island of Uunartoq, the springs are the perfect temperature for bathing. Here, three naturally heated springs merge into a small pool where you can immerse yourself surrounded by icebergs and stunning mountain peaks
The Wild by Christopher Golden   (set in the Arctic)

Port 2: Norway: Explore fjords and amazing scenery at Geirangerfjord
Information: The most famous tourist attractions in Norway are probably it fjords. Among the most beautiful of these fjords is Geirangerfjord, located in southwestern Norway near the coastal town of Ålesund. Stretching for more than 9 miles long, Geirangerfjord is a natural wonder of deep blue water surrounded by majestic cliffs and lush green mountains towering more than 3,500 feet high. Adding to the scenery are several stunning waterfalls and lush countryside dotted with picturesque farms.

Port 3: Russia: Visit Saint Basil's Cathedral in Moscow
Information: St. Basil’s Cathedral has some distinctive architecture. Designed to resemble the shape of a bonfire in full flame, the architecture is not only unique to the period in which it was built but to any subsequent period.
The Return of Gabe McLeod by Joanne Hill (male MC is an architect)

On boat activity: The Northern Light Festival
Information: In celebration of the The Northern Lights Festival which is held in Tromso, Norway, from January 26 - February 2. The festival features everything from opera, jazz, chamber music, audiovisual art. All while dancing the night away while watching the sky light up with different colours.

2. The North Atlantic Ocean

Port 1: Venezuela: Explore the cannons and the amazing view at Fortin de la Galera
Information: Crowning the hill just north of town is the Fortín de la Galera. These days little remains of the colonial fort (destroyed by the Spanish royalist army in 1817) other than some stone walls with a terrace and a refreshment stand, but it sees a steady trail of couples arriving in the late afternoon for a sweeping view of the sunset.

Port 2: Portugal - Wine Tasting in Douro Valley
Information: Scattered with terraced vineyards and hacienda-style wineries, the Douro Valley is punctuated by the Douro River that winds through the land. According to Cellar Tours (cellartours.com), Portugal’s finest wines come from Douro Valley. Depending on your personal preferences, you can choose casual wine tastings or guided walking tours of the area's vineyards.

Port 3: Nova Scotia -Peggy's Cove Lighthouse for Dolphin/Whale Watching or for those active folks take a hike on the Lighthouse Trial.
Information: Peggys Point Lighthouse (also known as Peggy's Cove Lighthouse) is in Peggys Cove and is an iconic Canadian image. It is one of the busiest tourist attractions in Nova Scotia and is a prime attraction on the Lighthouse Trail scenic drive. The lighthouse marks the eastern entrance of St. Margarets Bay and is officially known as the Peggys Point Lighthouse. Peggys Cove is a classic red-and-white lighthouse still operated by the Canadian Coast Guard. The light station is situated on an extensive granite outcrop at Peggys Point, immediately south of the village and its cove. This lighthouse is one of the most-photographed structures in Atlantic Canada and one of the most recognizable lighthouses in the world
Iced Under by Nadine Doolittle (set in Canada)

On Boat Activity: El Hatillo Music Festival
Information: An on-board "El Hatillo Music Festival" in honor of a music festival that takes place the last two weeks of October in Venezuela and celebrates a Venezuelan music mix of jazz, folk and rock. El Hatillo is a town ten miles south of Caracas. Venezuelan music and native food for all!

3. The South Atlantic Ocean

Port 1:Casablanca, Morocco
Information: Casablanca is the setting of the 1942 film of the same name starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman. The film has achieved worldwide popularity since then. Nominated in eight categories, it won three Oscars.

Port 2:Gothenburg, Sweden
Information: The city has a number of star chefs – over the past decade, seven of the Swedish Chef of the Year awards have been won by Gothenburgers.
Touch of the Goddess by Maria Hammarblad (Author is Swedish)

Port 3:Rio de Janeiro (or Rio), Brazil
Information: Explore the second-largest city in Brazil. Rio de Janeiro will host the 2016 Summer Olympics and the 2016 Summer Paralympics—the first time a South American and Portuguese-speaking nation will host these events, and the third time the Olympics will be held in a Southern Hemisphere city.

On Boat Activity: Celebrate Copenhagen Cooking
Information: Copenhagen Cooking is one of the biggest food festivals in Northern Europe and is an open-source festival that profiles Danish gastronomy by paying homage to the food culture, Nordic cuisine and the players on the gastronomic stage. For ten days in August, you can take a bite of the New Nordic Cuisine and the Copenhagen restaurant scene. Naturally, the festival offers plenty of events held in English or with no language requirements, targeting international visitors.
Country Heaven by Ava Miles (female MC cooks for a living)

4. The Indian Ocean

Port 1: Madagascar ~ Ranomafana National Park
Information: The park is home to the endangered golden bamboo lemur, an animal whose diet includes bamboo shoots that contain doses of cyanide that would be lethal to other animals, yet the charming golden lemur feeds on the bamboo with no ill effects.

Port 2: Bali ~ Coast of Lovina
Information: Lovina is best known for the black volcanic sand of its 5-mile beach. The area is a popular spot for snorkeling and scuba diving adventures as the northern waters are calmer than those to the south. The calm sea is perfect for swimming and dolphin watching too, making the area an ideal vacation destination for families.
A Cottage by the Sea by Carole Matthews  (set on the coast of Wales)

Port 3: Kangaroo Island ~ Flinders Chase National Park
Information: Situated off the mainland of South Australia. Kangaroo Island is known for its diverse wildlife and nature reserves, visit Flinders Chase National Park and see kangaroos, wallabies, koalas and many bird species.
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater (raven on cover)

On boat activity: Feria Oramena Carnival
Information: In celebration of the Feria Oramena held in Madagascar in June. The focus of this carnival is Madagascar favorite seafood, lobsters. Have fun trying a variety of fish dishes.

5. The North Pacific Ocean

Port 1: Sendai, Japan - Tanabata Festival
Information: The world’s most elegant festival of paper and bamboo in Sendai Tanabata Festival has been passed down through the generations as a traditional event that dates back to the era of Date Masamune, the first lord of Sendai Domain. Today, the festival is known nationwide for its elegance—derived from an ancient Japanese star festival—as well as its gorgeous decorations.
The Diving Pool: Three Novellas by Yoko Ogawa (set in Japan)

Port 2: Aleutian Islands, AK - Fort Schwatka Tour
Information: During World War II the remote Aleutian Islands, home to the Unangan (Aleut) people for over 8,000 years, became a fiercely contested battleground in the Pacific. This thousand-mile-long archipelago saw invasion by Japanese forces, the only American soil occupied in the war; a mass internment of American civilians; a 15-month air war; and one of the deadliest battles in the Pacific Theater.

Port 3: San Diego, CA - Gaslamp Segway Tour
Information: This is the very best way to explore San Diego's soaring views, exhilarating paths, and famous sights—What more could anyone ask for? On this Segway Tour you will glide through the Historic Gaslamp Quarter, the beautiful Embarcadero waterfront, and the famed Balboa Park, our 1,200-acre urban cultural park.

On Boat Activity: Crossing the International Date Line Ceremony
Information: The International Date Line (IDL) is an imaginary line on the surface of the Earth that runs from the north to the south pole and demarcates the change of one calendar day to the next. It passes through the middle of the Pacific Ocean, roughly following the 180° longitude but deviating to pass around some territories and island groups. More information at Crossing the Line Ceremony.

6. The South Pacific Ocean

Port 1: Mamanuca Islands, Fiji
Information: Fiji is known for it's amazing topography. A perfect example of this is located in the Mamanuca Islands, a string of islets that stretch for miles northwest of Vitu Levu, the largest Island of Fiji. One of the highlights: Monuriki, the island Tom Hanks made famous in Castaway.

Port 2: Bora Bora, French Polynesia
Information: Majestic mountains sculpted by ancient volcanoes, a shimmering lagoon and a barrier reef dotted with tiny motu, or islets Bora Bora is perhaps the most stunning island in the South Pacific. Only 4,600 people live a seemingly idyllic lifestyle in the main villages of Vaitape, Anau and Faanui. No wonder those generations of travelers - including novelist James Michener - regarded Bora Bora as an earthly paradise.

Port 3: The Great Barrier Reef in Queensland, Australia
Information: The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest and healthiest coral reef system, longer than the Great Wall of China. The Great Barrier Reef is the only living structure on earth that can be seen from outer space. Made up of nearly 2900 individual reefs, 600 continental islands and 300 coral cays, it’s the world’s largest single structure comprised of living organisms. Diving around the 350,000 kilometre square reef is simply incredible. You’ll spot dugongs, green turtles, dolphins, reef sharks, more than 1500 species of fish and 4000 types of mollusks, including giant clams.
The Mad Ship by Robin Hobb (most of the book takes place on water + seaserpent  on cover)

On Boat Activity: Heiva I Tahiti
Information: The Heiva I Tahiti is a spectacular month-long celebration of Polynesian culture. It’s the largest and most popular festival of its kind in French Polynesia, showcasing the very best in traditional dancing, artistry and athleticism.

7. The Southern or Antarctica Ocean

Port 1: Antarctica: get up close to some penguins on Paradise Bay
Information: The most popular tourist attraction in Antarctica, hands down. There aren’t too many places in the world where you can be at arm’s length from thousands of penguins. You can walk among the massive colonies and even see penguin chicks during the right time of year!

Port 2: Antarctica: Port Lockroy Museum
Information: If you stop by make sure to send yourself a cool postcard stamped from Antarctica. The Port Lockery museum used to be the British Base but is now a full time post office. It is a cute little structure from which you can send yourself mail stamped with Antarctica’s stamp!
Lady Falls by Renee Bernard  (set in Britain) 

Port 3: Antarctica: Iceberg Calving
Information: These ice breakers are mid-sized ships that help break ice formations that have grown quite large in the Antarctica. Witness this fascinating phenomenon of the moment an iceberg breaks off the main chunk of ice.

On Boat Activity: Get Your Icestock On
Information: Every year a stage is set up for around 6 hours for everyone who wants to sing or perform music or even do stand-up comedy. Enjoy a night between passengers who want to have a fun fill night showing off their hidden talents. Or settle in to enjoy watching with drinks and snacks.

★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩

AIR Troupe Challenge  

SCATTERED TO THE FOUR WINDS
Air Troupe Theme Challenge
August 1 - September 30 


In ancient Greek religion and myth, the Anemoi (Greek: Ἄνεμοι, "Winds") were wind gods who were each ascribed a cardinal direction from which their respective winds came, and were each associated with various seasons and weather conditions. They were sometimes represented as mere gusts of wind, at other times were personified as winged men, and at still other times were depicted as horses kept in the stables of the storm god Aeolus, who provided Odysseus with the Anemoi in the Odyssey. The Spartans were reported to sacrifice a horse to the winds on Mount Taygetus. Astraeus, the astrological deity sometimes associated with Aeolus, and Eos, the goddess of the dawn, were the parents of the Anemoi, according to the Greek poet Hesiod.

Of the four chief Anemoi, BOREAS was the purple-winged god of the North Wind and bringer of cold winter air. He often appears on old maps as a gust blowing head with bloated cheeks up among the clouds. The Aurora Borealis are named after him. ZEPHYRUS was the god of the West Wind and bringer of light spring and early summer breezes. He is often depicted carrying a basket of unripe fruit. NOTOS, the god of the South Wind, was responsible for the desiccating hot wind of midsummer, the bringer of the storms of late summer, and was feared as a destroyer of crops. EURUS, the god of the East Wind, was associated with the season of autumn and was thought to bring warmth and rain. His symbol was an inverted vase, spilling water.

Scattered To The Four Winds : If a group of things or people are scattered to the four winds, they go or are sent to different places that are far away from each other. This phrase first appears in literature around 520 BC in the book of Zechariah in the Hebrew Old Testament. It references Jehovah God's intention to scatter the tribes of Israel to the "four winds" and appears nine times in the biblical Old Testament.

Some Biblical theologians believe that this verse is a reference to the conquering of Alexander the great from the four corners of the world in the 330's BC, and that the ultimate result of this scattering was a world where virtually every family of people on earth consider themselves to be the recipients of God's favor. They usually designate themselves by a title to indicate this, especially to themselves. The Germans call themselves Herrenvolk. The Japanese call themselves "sons of heaven." China calls itself "the good earth," and Americans, "God's country."

***

THE CHALLENGE

CRs - Choose one option from each task (5 tasks total)
RRs - Choose two options from each task (10 tasks total)
PRs - Choose three options from each task (15 tasks total)

POINTS
Challenge Completion Points = 20
Participation Points - if not completed
CR = tasks x 3
RR = tasks x 1.5
PR = tasks x 1

THE TASKS

Task 1 = Scattered
Option 1 - Rainbow (scatters light)
~ Read a book with a rainbow on the cover or a book with a rainbow colored cover (all six rainbow colors obviously visible)
Option 2 - Scatterbrained
~ Read a book with a confusing, twisty plot or a book with mental health as a main page genre.
Option 3 - Shattered and Scattered
~ Read a book with something on the cover that would scatter if broken. Examples (glass, beads on a necklace, a flock of birds, etc.)

or
~ Read a book with something on the cover or in the plot that can be symbolically shattered or shattering. Examples (a heart, a career, a family, a death etc…)

Elantris by Brandon Sanderson (Sarene arrives to marry her prince and learns that he has died) 
Option 4 - Scattergories
~ Read a book that has an image that fits the topic and a word in the title that begins with one of the letter selections.
Topic : Wind, Breeze, or Flight
Letter: A, I, R

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater (Wings on cover - Raven in title)


Task 2 = Four
Option 1 - Read a book with a 4 in the page count.

Taste of Darkness by Maria V. Snyder (400 pages)
Option 2 - Read a book with a 4 in the publication year.
The Return of Gabe McLeod by Joanne Hill (first published September 19th 2014)
Option 3 - Read a book published in April (the 4th month of the year)
Option 4 - Read a book that is #4 in a series.


Task 3 ~ The Winds
Option 1 : BOREAS
~ Read a book with a purple cover or a book by an author whose FIRST initial is "B."

The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson
Option 2 : NOTOS
~ Read a book with a thunderstorm on the cover or a book by an author whose FIRST initial is "N."

Born in Shame by Nora RobertsOption 3 : EURUS
~ Read a book with a autumn leaf colored cover (brown, red, gold, yellow, orange) or a book by an author whose FIRST initial is "E." 

A Hidden fire by Elisabeth Hunter
Option 4 : ZEPHYRUS,
~ Read a book with a fruit or vegetable on the cover or a book by an author whose FIRST OR LAST initial is "Z."


Task 4 = The Compass Directions
Option 1 : North
~ Read a book with the word "North" in the title or one that takes place north of the equator.

Divorced, Desperate and Delicious by Christie Craig (set in USA)
Option 2 : South
~ Read a book with the word "South" in the title, Southern Literature as main page genre, or one that takes place south of the equator.
Option 3 : East
~ Read a book with the word "East" in the title or one that takes place in the eastern hemisphere (Africa, Europe, Asia, Oceania).

The Diving Pool: Three Novellas by Yoko Ogawa (set in Japan, Asia)
Option 4 : West
~ Read a book with the word "West" in the title, western as a main page genre, or one that takes place in the western hemisphere (North, South, or Central America).



Task 5 ~ The Israelites : Flee from the land of the north,” saith the Lord; “for I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heaven,” saith the Lord. ~ Zechariah 2:6
Option 1 - Read a book with Religion, Spirituality, Theology or Faith as a main page genre.
Option 2 - Read a book with the word God or Goddess in the title or subtitle.

Touch of the Goddess by Maria Hammarblad 
Option 3 - Read a book with a Jewish or Hebrew main character. 
City of Bones by Cassandra Clare (Simon is Jewish)
Option 4 - Read a book with Literature-Jewish or Cultural-Israel as a main page genre. 

Rawk: Get Ready for Autumn! Finished

Get Ready for Autumn! hosted by Rawk-A-Tiers on Goodreads.

This wasn't too difficult and I managed to complete it.

September 1- September 30

This challenge is brought to you by YANG House

☯ You have one month to complete your level for 9 points.
CR Level = 3 tasks
RR Level = 6 tasks
PR Level = 9 tasks

☯ If you aren't quite ready for summer to be over and can't finish all of your tasks before the end of the challenge, you may score your points as follows
CR = # of tasks x 3
RR = # of tasks x 1.5
PR = # of tasks x 1

☯ BONUS +1 point for each book you read (maximum of 3) that fits more than one option under the task. For example, if for your Halloween task, you read a black book with Horror on the main page, you get an extra point

Remember: each task can only be done one time so you can only get 1 bonus point per task for a MAXIUM of 3 bonus points. So maximum score for the challenge would be 12 points


Back to School:
• Read a book that has a main character who is a student
The Iron Traitor by Julie Kagawa (Ethan is a student though he is a bit busy so he doesn't go to school every day)
• Read a book that has a main character who is a teacher or someone who works at a school (Principal, Guidance Counselor, Coach, Janitor, etc)
• Read a book with a "subject" as genre on the main page (Math, Science, Literature, Art, Music, etc)

Football
• Read a Sports Book
• Read a book that has a main character who is an athlete
• Read a book where the main character "catches" something (a disease, a criminal, a life-partner...be creative)

Harvest time
• Read a book about a farm/farmer or ranch/rancher
Rasmus - Tales of a Utah Cowboy by Jay Anderson and Beth M. Stephenson
• Read a book with a fruit and/or vegetable on the cover
• Read a book that has genre "Western" on the main page

Halloween x 2
• Read a book with a predominantly orange or black cover
Fire Country by David Estes 
• Read a book with a main page genre of "Horror"
• Read a book where a character dresses up as someone else (costume party, goes undercover, etc)
Fire Country by David Estes (dresses up as a boy when trying to escape)

Leaves are Changing
• Read a book with leaves on the cover
• Read a book set in the New England States of the US (Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island) where the people flock to see the fall colors
• Read a book who's color(s) are made up of fall leaf colors: red, yellow, purple, and brown.

Thanksgiving
• Read a book where there is a celebration or feast
• Read a book that has a main page genre of "Holiday"
• Read a book that was first published in November of any year
Divorced, Desperate and Delicious by Christie Craig (first published November 26th 2007)

TV Pilot Season
• Read a book that's the first in a series (must be identified as a series on Goodreads)
• Read a book who's main character is someone who is associated with the TV industry (actor, writer, cameraman, news anchor, etc)
• Read a book that's been turned into a TV show

Autumn is a Time for Transition and Change x 2
• Read a book where a main character makes a transition or change (job, personal life, changing schools)
Born in Shame by Nora Roberts (visits Ireland and decides to stay instead of going back home)
• Change what you normally read, and read a book outside your comfort zone (state how this book is unusual for you)
• Read a book by an author that goes by another name (JD Robb/Nora Roberts, Stephen King/Richard Bachman)
Born in Shame by Nora Roberts

It's Not Fall in the South! x 2
• Read a book set in the Southern Hemisphere
• Read a book where two main characters are opposite
A Hidden Fire by Elizabeth Hunter (Male MC 500 year old vampire, female MC 22 year old student)
• Read a book with main page genre "Travel" or where the main character travels a great distance (different country, hemisphere, continent)
A Hidden Fire by Elizabeth Hunter (goes from USA to Europe) 

A Million More Pages - Reading Under The Stars

Reading Under The Stars hosted by A Million More Pages on Goodreads.

My goal for this challenge was to read at least 6 books and make it to Super Stars. I managed way more than that. I read in total 18 books for this and reached Out of this World.

Reading Under the Stars”–themed list, which showcases books about space, stars and astronomy, as well as spooky stories to read by a campfire.

Tier 1 Read 1 - 5 Books Reading Star
Tier 1 Read 6 - 10 Books Super Star
Tier 1 Read more than 10 books Out of this World

Standard AMMP Rules Apply:
✪ Minimum Page Length: 125 (140 for YA)
✪ Are Rereads Allowed? Yes
☛ Restrictions?
✪ Can I start a book before Challenge Start Date? Yes
✪ Children Allowed with restrictions: Yes
☛ Restrictions: must also have YA as Main Page Genre
✪ Posting Requirements when complete:
☛Book title/cover, author, date read
✪ Are Audiobooks Allowed? Yes
✪ Manga,Comics, Graphic Novels Allowed? No
✪ Can I Ignore A/An/The in Titles? Yes
✪ Author Names Count in Matching Letters? n/a
✪ Can a book be used more than once in this challenge?: No
☛ If yes, any stipulations?
✪ Can the Tasks be done in any order: Yes
✪ Can Series titles be used for meeting requirements? No
✪ Verification Required For Badge: No


I Wonder - Read a book about an alien race or featuring a UFO
Bound by C.K. Bryant (Alien Race)
Fingerprints - Read a book that features an investigator
Mercury - Read a book featuring a doctor as the main character
Sun - Read a book with a sun on the cover
Scientist - Read a book by Isaac Asimov
Technology - Read a book where the main character uses a computer
A Hidden Fire by Elizabeth Hunter
Starbucks - Read a book featuring a coffee shop
Spider - Read a book with the number eight in the title
NASA - Read a book that takes place in Texas or Florida
Mars - Read a book with a red cover (at least 50%)
Venus - Read a book with a volcano in it
Green Light - Read a book with a green cover (at least 50%)
Waves - Read a book that takes place near/on a beach or features a character swimming
A Cottage by the Sea by Carole Matthews 
Dream a Little Dream - Read a book with the moon on the cover
Galaxy - Read a book with Galaxy in the title
Wormhole - Read a book with a black cover (at least 50%)
Aero - Read a book with people on a plane
Libra - The Scales. Read a book featuring a professor
Star Wars - Read a book featuring a battle
ATMOSPHERE - Read a book with clouds on the cover
Pajamas - Read a book with a character in their pajamas on the cover
Earth - Read a book with a body of water in it
The Mad Ship by Robin Hobb (most of the book takes place on the water)
The Great Escape - Read a book where the character has to make an escape from something/someone
Taste of Darkness by Maria V. Snyder
Language - Read a book where the character is learning a language or speaks something other than English
Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb
Andromeda - Read a book featuring a princess
Elantris by Brandon Sanderson
Blood Red - Read a book about a serial killer
Night Lights - Read a book with a lamp on the cover
Robots - Read a book in the Sci Fi Genre
Touch of the Goddess by Maria Hammarblad
Destruction - Read a book featuring a fire
Evidence of Trust by Stacey Joy Netzel
Telescope - Read a book with a blue cover (at least 50%)
Fire at Twilight by Lila Ashe
Armageddon - Read a book that was turned into a movie
Geology - Read a book featuring a jewelry store, rocks, gemstones
Saturn - Read a book featuring a wedding (rings)
Need for Speed - Read a book where the main character drives a car
Divorced, Desperate and Delicious by Christie Craig
Scorpio - Looks like the letter "C". Read a book that starts with "C"
City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
Blackout - Read a book where the lights go out
Jupiter - Jupiter is the largest planet. Read a book with more than 300 pages
The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa (399 pages)
Gravity - Read a book where the character makes a big decision in their life
Hercules - The Keystone. Read a book with a key on the cover
The Grimm Legacy by Polly Shulman
Uranus - Read a book that takes place in a cold climate
Iced Under by Nadine Doolittle
Neptune - Read a book that features a wild weather event
The Wild by Christopher Golden (got a few blizzards)
Universe - Read a book with the word Universe in the title
Moon Walk - Read a book featuring an astronaut
Painting Moon Rocks - Read a book with a painter
Born in Shame by Nora Roberts
Alliance - Read a book about best friends
Politics - Read a book where the main character is running for political office
Leo - The Lion. Read a book with a character named Leo
Orion - Visible in December. Read a book with December in the title
Time Travel - Read a book published between 1969 and 1972
Pictures - Read a book featuring a photographer
Constellation - Read a book with a yellow cover (at least 50%)
Moons - Read a book that takes place on a different planet than Earth
Gas Giants - Read a book that features a cookout/barbeque
The Return of Gabe McLeod by Joanne Hill
Pluto - Read a book featuring a child as the main character 

Rawk: I Spy Finished

I Spy hosted by Rawk-A-Tiers on Goodreads.


I only found 17 of the 25 items/actions/places for this challenge but luckily we got points for using a certain number of book so I didn't do to badly as I used more than enough books for this challenge.
 
September 1 - 30

OBJECT
Find as many of the following items/actions/places in your reading this month as possible.

RULES:
1. Standard Rawk-A-Tiers book requirements apply.

2. Items must be found in reading, not in title, on cover, caption text or pre/post matter.

3. No limit on number of items found in a book, but to get full point credit, you must use the minimum books required by your BPW level.
CR level = 4 books
RR level = 10 books
PR level = 16 books

4. In your post, list TITLE, PAGE #, and SENTENCE where the item can be found, for ebooks, provide location #.

5. Audiobooks are acceptable provided you can give the information required in #4 above.

SCORING
5 points ~ if you meet your BPW level requirement
+ # of items x 0.25
+ bonus: # books over BPW x 0.50  


Items just need to be mentioned in book
Scarf
The Diving Pool: Three Novellas by Yoko Ogawa
Pg: 80 ➨ My brother-in-law's parents came to visit, and they brought along an odd-looking package wrapped in a scarf.

Doughnuts
Iced Under by Nadine Doolittle
Loc: 1255 ➨ And Doughnuts.

Cowboy Hat

Tractor
Born in Shame by Nora Roberts
Pg: 314 ➨ His new tractor's the best modern technology's come up with.

Sunglasses
A Cottage by the Sea by Carole Matthews
Loc: 2349 ➨ And I must hesitate or something, as he peers at me over the top of his sunglasses and says, We are OK, aren't we?

Typewriter

Helmet
Elantris by Brandon Sanderson
Loc: 13461 ➨ The wood bounced off the man's helmet, but the blow was powerful enough to daze him, so Lukel followed it with a solid blow to the face.

Badge
Touch of the Goddess by Maria Hammarblad
Loc: 3622 ➨ Up until finding the badge, Olga nutured hope that someone from her family survived.

Luggage/Suitcase
Born in Shame by Nora Roberts
Pg: 52 ➨ Shannon was grateful her hands were gripped on the luggage cart

Home Landline Telephone or Answering Machine
Divorced, Desperate and Delicious by Christie Craig
Loc: 391 ➨ The answering machine played its message and another female voice came on the line.


Actions by MC must see MC perform these actions
Art/Craft Making (pottery, paint, knit, etc) MC must actually make something:
Born in Shame by Nora Roberts
Pg: 126 ➨ Hello, Murphy. She continued to paint as he came to the wall that separated them.

Rides on public or hired transportation:
Rasmus - Tales of a Utah Cowboy by Jay Anderson and Beth M. Stephenson
Loc: 796 ➨ I stepped on the train and waved, clenching my jaw to keep emotion where it belonged

Plays a team sport

Jogs or runs
Fire Country by David Estes
Loc: 3931 ➨ I run for miles and miles, never slowing.

Rides a Motorcycle
Fire at Twilight by Lila Ashe
Loc: 509 ➨ The motorcycle paused, slowed, and then stopped in front. (the rider of the motorcycle is the male MC)

Reads poetry

Flowers--sends or receives

Mixes a Drink -- alcoholic or non

Mails a letter

Gets caught outside in the rain:
A Cottage by the Sea by Carole Matthews
Loc: 1515 ➨ The fine pitter-pattering soon turns to pelting rain. The sky blackens and the temperature drops. In here, Noah says. Let's shelter.

Places must see MC enter these places
Elevator:
Divorced, Desperate and Delicious by Christie Craig
Loc: 280 ➨ Lacy got in the elevator, her face shielded by green sprigs of baby's breath.

School:
The Iron Traitor by Julie Kagawa
Pg: 40 ➨ The next day at school was fairly uneventful. I parked close to the school building, right outside the principal's office window, to prevent further ambushes in the parking lot. I kept my head down in class, only engaging teachers if spoken to first.

Courtroom

Library
A Hidden Fire by Elizabeth Hunter
Loc: 436 ➨ In fact, Beatrice felt like she ran all day, and by the time she got to the library at four o'clock, she was ready to collapse.

Hotel
The Wild by Christopher Golden
Pg: 122 ➨ Jack burst through the hotel's front doors. There was no one at reception.

A Million More Pages - Campfire Cookout Finished


Campfire Cookout hosted by A Million More Pages on Goodreads.

This challenge was for reading 7-9 books and I wanted to read 9. I reached my goal and will continue to take part in challenges from A Million More Pages on Goodreads.

Campfire Cook-out
August 1 to September 30, 2015
7-9 books


For this challenge, you will be building a campfire and then you will put together the ingredients to make a few popular campfire snacks. Your campfire cookout will be considered complete when you finish 7-to-9 tasks, which will earn a badge. *Please let me know before you claim your badge. (I'm not verifying, I just want to see finished challenges because they make me happy).

Fire (2-3 books total)
First, you need to build your fire. To do so, choose two-to-three of the following tasks.
1. Read a book with a mostly red or mostly orange cover
Fire Country by David Estes
2. Read a book with "Fire" in the title or series name
Fire at Twilight by Lila Ashe
3. Read a book with fire/flames on the cover
A Hidden Fire by Elizabeth Hunter
4. Read a book about a firefighter from one of the following Listopias; name the list and the placement number of your book:
Firemen Are Hot
Firefighter Books
Best Gay Firemen Paramedics EMTs
Firefighters
Firefighter Romance Heroes
Note: Whatever list and book, your character *must* be a firefighter, not an EMT/cop/paramedic!

Hot Dogs (2-3 books total)
Roast some wienies by choosing two-to-three of the following tasks.
1. Read a book that is food-related fiction
The St. Valentine's Day Cookie Massacre by Elisabeth Crabtree
2. Read a book that you think has a HOT cover
3. Read a book that has a three letter word AND a four letter word in the title
The Mad Ship by Robin Hobb
4. Read a book with a 7 in the number of pages or in the publication date
City of Bones by Cassandra Clare (first published January 1st 2007)
5. Read a book with a dog on the cover

S'mores (3 books total)
Put together your ingredients for S'mores. Choose one task per ingredient:

1. Graham Crackers (choose one)
✶Read a book that starts with a "G" or a "C"
Country Heaven by Ava Miles
✶Read a book with a two-word title
✶Read a book with a character or author with the name of Graham (first or last name is fine)
✶Read two books that are more than 70 pages but less than 140 pages, each. Note: For THIS task ONLY, you may ignore the AMMP rules for page count, but it still must be adult or YA; novellas and plays are allowed if they fit page requirements!

2. Marshmallow (choose one)
✶Read a book with a mostly white cover
The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson
✶Read something "fluffy", as represented by one of the following genres on a book's main page:
a. Chick-Lit
OR
b. Humor
✶Read a book where the main character's name starts with an M

3. Chocolate (choose one)
✶Read a book you consider to be "sweet" (please explain how the book fits)
✶Read a book with a mostly brown cover
✶Read a book with chocolate on the cover
✶Read a book with a one-word title
Elantris by Brandon Sanderson

Standard Rules:
✪ Minimum Page Length: 125 (140 for YA)
✪ Are Rereads Allowed? Yes
✪ Can I start a book before Challenge Start Date? Yes, but it must be finished ON or AFTER August 1,2015
✪ Children Allowed with restrictions: Yes
☛ Restrictions: must also have YA as Main Page Genre
✪ Posting Requirements when complete:
☛Book title/cover, author, date read
✪ Are Audiobooks Allowed? Yes
✪ Manga,Comics, Graphic Novels Allowed? No
✪ Can I Ignore A/An/The in Titles? Yes
✪ Can a book be used more than once in this challenge? No
✪ Can the Tasks be done in any order: Yes


List of books:
  1. City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
  2. The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson
  3. The Mad Ship by Robin Hobb
  4. Country Heaven by Ava Miles
  5. The St. Valentine's Day Cookie Massacre by Elisabeth Crabtree 
  6. Fire Country by David Estes 
  7. Fire at Twilight by Lila Ashe 
  8. Elantris by Brandon Sanderson
  9. A Hidden Fire by Elizabeth Hunter

Rawk: Words With ... Myself! Finished

Rawk-A-Tiers Words With ... Myself! hosted by Rawk-A-Tiers on Goodreads.

This was interesting, fitting my books onto a scrabble board. It was also a lot of hard work but it was fun.

Here's the link to the site where you'll find your board. You'll need to create a free account to access the boards.

http://www.scrabulizer.com/

There are a variety of board option choices. Choose whichever one appeals to you. Not all designs have the same number of tiles or the same number of grid squares, however, so choose carefully! Make a note in your post of the game board design and the number of tiles your game board begins with.

Select your dictionary (there are several to choose from, so use whichever you are most comfortable with). Select number of opponents as 1.

HOW TO "WORK" THE SCRABBLE BOARD
I'm including this because it took me forever to figure it out. It's simple when you know how to do it, but it's not intuitive.

Click on the spot where you want to put a letter tile. Type the letter you want to put on that spot. The curser will default moving to the right, so if you want to place words vertically, you'll have to click on each spot in the grid where you want to put a letter. To delete a tile, click on it and press your delete key. To change the letter on a tile, click it and type the new letter into your keyboard.

CHALLENGE PLAY:

◊ Fill in your board with the book titles, authors, or main characters from the books that you read this quarter.

◊ As you fill in your board, keep in mind the following rule : Tiles that sit adjacent to each other either vertically or horizontally must form real words.

◊ Author names must be either first and last or last only. You are not permitted to use an author's first name alone.

◊ Main characters may be used as first, last, or both names.

◊ Names may be spelled out in a single row, or separated into two different locations.

◊ Titles may be spelled out on a single line or split up by words, but the entire title must be used in the puzzle. You may omit "a, an, the" if you choose.

SCORING

◊ Each tile is worth .25 points.

◊ The game is penalty scored - the number of remaining tiles is subtracted from the number of used tiles and the answer is multiplied by .25

Example using a 100 tile game
89 tiles used ~ 11 tiles remaining
89-11 = 78 x.25 = 19.25 points for the game
71 tiles used ~ 25 tiles remaining
71-29 = 42 x .25 = 10.5 points for game

CHALLENGE LEVELS
CR - Each book may be used x3 ~ title + author + MC
RR - Each book may be used x2 ~ title or author or MC
PR - Each book may be used once ~ title or author or MC  


Board 1: July: PR level












Books used:
The Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan (title)
Down and Out in Beverly Heels by Kathryn Leigh Scott  (title)
Treasure on Moon Lake by Amy Gamet (title)
The Young Pitcher by Zane Grey  (last name)
Fearless by Cornelia Funke  (title)
Eragon by Christopher Paolini  (title)
The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson  (last name)
Witchy Tales: A Wicked Witches of the Midwest Fairy Tale by Amanda M. Lee  (title)
Fire And Ice by Dana Stabenow  (title)
The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen  (title)
Witch Me Luck by Amanda M. Lee (last name)

100 tiles. 16 remaining.
84-16 = 68 x 0.25 = 17 points



Board 2: July: PR level












Books used:
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling  (title)
Born in Ice by Nora Roberts (title)
The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton  (first + last name)
Scent of Magic by Maria V. Snyder  (title)
First Year by J. P. Howards (title)
Deep in My Heart by Patricia W. Fischer  (title)
The Cornish Affair by Laura Lockington  (title)
Into the Deep End by Leesa Freeman  (last name)

100 tiles. 25 remaining.
75-25 = 50 x 0.25 = 12.5 points



★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩

Board 1: August: RR level












Books used:
The St. Valentine's Day Cookie Massacre by Elisabeth Crabtree  (title + author)
Taste of Darkness by Maria V. Snyder (title + character Avry)
The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski (title + author)
Khronos by Chris Paton  (title + character Hari Singh)

100 tiles. 21 remaining
79-21 = 58 x 0,25 = 14.50 point


Board 2: August: RR level












Books used:
City of Bones by Cassandra Clare (title + author)
The Grimm Legacy by Polly Shulman (title + character Elizabeth)
The Mad Ship by Robin Hobb (title + character Kennit)
The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson (title + character Waxillium)
Country Heaven by Ava Miles (Author + character Rye Crenshaw)

100 tiles. 24 remaining
76-24 = 52 x 0,25 = 13 point


Board 3: August: RR level













Books used:
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater (title + author)
Evidence of Trust by Stacey Joy Netzel (title + author)
The Return of Gabe McLeod by Joanne Hill (title + author)
The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa (title + character Ethan Chase)

100 tiles - 20 remaining
80-20 = 60 x 0,25 = 15 point



★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩★✩ 

Board 1: September: RR level
https://d.gr-assets.com/photos/1443717207p8/1325193.jpg

Books used:
The Diving Pool: Three Novellas by Yoko Ogawa (title + author)
Divorced, Desperate and Delicious by Christie Craig (title + author)
Ship of Destiny by Robin Hobb  (title + author)
Lady Falls by Renee Bernard  by Renee Bernard (title + character Raven Wells)

100 tiles - 19 remaining
81-19 = 62 x 0,25 = 15.50 point


Board 2: September: RR level


Books used:
Born in Shame by Nora Roberts (title + author)
Rasmus - Tales of a Utah Cowboy by Jay Anderson and Beth M. Stephenson (title + author)
Elantris by Brandon Sanderson (title + author)
Iced Under by Nadine Doolittle (title + character Sara Wolesley)

100 tiles - 27 remaining
73-27 = 46 x 0.25 = 11.50 point

 
Board 3: September: RR level
description

Books used:
A Cottage by the Sea by Carole Matthews (title + author)
Fire Country by David Estes (title + author)
Touch of the Goddess by Maria Hammarblad (title + author)
A Hidden Fire by Elizabeth Hunter  (title + character Giovanni Vecchio)

100 tiles - 20 remaining
80-20 = 60 x 0,25 = 15.00 point


Board 4: September: RR level
description

Books used:
The Iron Traitor by Julie Kagawa (title + author)
Fire at Twilight by Lila Ashe (title + author)
Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb by Robin Hobb  (title + character Fitz)
Bound by C.K. Bryant   (title + author)
The Wild by Christopher Golden  (title + author)

100 tiles - 21 remaining
79-21 = 58 x 0,25 = 14.50 point