The Perks Of Being A Book Addict discussion

Team Jack Torrance

Team Members:
♦ Suzanne (Captain)
♦ Heather (Co-captain)
♦ Amanda A
♦ Bernice W
♦ Jennifer Smith
♦ Laura
♦ Reed

♠ Team Spreadsheet

“I will never, ever regret the things I've done. Because most days, all you have are places in your memory that you can go to.”
― Jojo Moyes, Me Before You

(view spoiler)[

The Easter bonnet parade is a tradition shared by Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Australian kids go around school and up and down the streets wearing hats decorated with bunny ears, chicken designs, Easter eggs, and chocolate.

❈ Read a book set in Australia
❈ Read a book with a hat on the cover
❈ Read a book with a parade (hide spoiler)]

Team Shelves
Suzanne
Heather
Amanda
Bebe
Jennifer
Laura
Reed


Book Tracking Spreadsheet
(This is for our team's use so that we can have lots of flexibility when placing in the main spreadsheet. Feel free to enter your books here. If you don't want to enter them in here, just give us the information in the main team thread.)
Team Book Tracking

Important Rules to Remember

*You cannot start reading any books used for the challenge until it officially begins. Countdown
*Books must be more than 100 pages in length. If it is a Childrens book or a graphic novel, we need to verify it is more than 25,000 words on arbookfind.com.
*Your finished books need to be on your Uno shelf marked as "read" for them to count.
* Have fun. We will all help each other and hopefully we can get all the points!!

Book Plans

Here are the current couple of hands:

(Note: will juggle hand 1 to get both Draw 2 cards)
Hand One:
3 Bebe Again for the first time
Draw 2 (Use for the two #3 cards)
7 Bebe Again for the first time (maybe)
Draw 2 (Any combination of 7, 8, 9)
9
8 Reed Ex-Patriot (also fits 6,4,3,2)
3 (Draw 2) Bebe Again for the first time

Hand Two:
8
6
Wild
9
Wild Draw 4: Laura
9
3

Hand Three
2
1
Reverse
Wild Draw 4
4
Reverse
1

Hand Four
Draw two (Find a book that works for two of the below numbers)
8
3
4
0 - Jennifer - Zoo - title (Draw Two)
1 - Jennifer - Zoo - Character Oz (Draw Two
Reverse

Let me know in the thread if you want to put your name down for a card! But it is also fine to just read and put your book in when it is finished - whatever you prefer is fine.

When you finish a book:

1) Be sure it is on your Uno shelf and marked as "read" with the date finished.

2) Report it using one of the following options:

a) Option 1: Reporting only in this thread with listing cards

Completion Post
Book Read: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Author: J.K.Rowling
Date Finished: 1/23/17
Cards it fits: 3 - H title
5 - 5 in series
6 - S character Sirius
8 - E setting (England)
9 - N character Neville
Skip - P character Potter
Reverse - Suzanne Read this book

b) Option 2: Reporting only in this thread without listing cards:

Completion Post
Book Read: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Author: J.K.Rowling
Date Finished: 1/23/17
Series book: #5
Setting: Hogwarts, England
Characters: Herminone Granger, Ron Weasley, Harry Potter, Draco Malfoy, Sirius Black, Petunia Dursley

Option 3) Putting your info in the working spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...

Completion Post
Book Read: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Author: J.K.Rowling
Date Finished: 1/23/17
*Information in Spreadsheet*

Our February Cards


Card ... Completed/Total
0................ 0/3 (Letter Z)
1................ 0/7 (Letter O)
2................ 0/8 (Letter T)
3................ 0/8 (Letter H)
4................ 0/6 (Letter F)
5................ 0/7 (Letter I)
6................ 0/6 (Letter S)
7................ 0/7 (Letter V)
8................ 0/6 (Letter E)
9................ 0/7 (Letter N)
Skip........... 0/7 (Letters K or P)
Reverse .....0/6
Wild............0/6

Hi everyone! I'm really excited to see the names of who is on the team and get to know all of you. Uno was my very first Goodreads challenge a couple of years ago and it got me so hooked on challenges. I hope that everyone on the team has a really great 3 months of reading together.

If you could let me know the name of your Uno shelf, I'll put it in my first post above. There is also a tracking sheet for our books and it should be accessible for everyone. It seems to work best if for every book we read, we enter all the categories it will fit. That allows us to move things around easily and cover all the hands, and it feels like less pressure than having to finish a specific task. We may need some "special" books at the end of each month, but at the first of the month we should just read our little hearts out :)

If the tracking sheet is difficult for you to use, just put your information in the team thread. Oh and be sure to put your books on your Uno shelf.

I'd love to learn a little about each of you. About myself: I love reading books of most any genre, although I don't read much horror (so the team name is ironic and a little scary). I teach math at the university here. I do like to travel, hike, and play computer games too. Oh and I'm going to TWO comic cons in March =). I have a great family that doesn't even make fun of all the reading I do....at least not much :)

Hi all! I'm Heather, and your co-captain. I'm looking forward to getting to know all of you! This is my first UNO, and I'm really excited for it! I did a WOBBLE with another reading challenge group last year, and now I feel like I need a challenge going all the time! So addicting!

A little more about me...I like to read a pretty wide range -- mystery, thrillers, horror, YA, chick lit, and have recently starting reading more non-fiction. I work in research for a movie studio in Los Angeles, have two little kids (18 months and 4 years), like to knit and spend time with family when I'm not reading. :-)

Hi Heather! I agree challenges are addicting! I hope you love Uno! I'm glad we don't have to wait TOO long before it starts :)

Hello Team! I'm Laura. I am an elementary school teacher (fifth grade) from a beach town in New Jersey who loves to read. I'll try most genres, but I am a "moody" reader instead of one who plans. That changes a bit during Uno though.

Last year was my first time playing Uno, and my first team challenge. I loved it! It really boosted the number of books I read.

I get up ridiculously early and go to bed ridiculously early, but in the middle I love to walk my 2 dogs, take them to the beach or reservoir with my husband, spend time with our families including 7 nieces and nephews, and of course, read!

I'm excited to take part in Uno again this year. What I like most about it is that you read at your own pace. There was another team challenge I wanted to sign up for in a different book club, but you had to commit to reading a book a week, at bare minimum. That may not happen during the school year, especially this very busy school year with learning 2 new programs that each have an insane amount of prep work.

Happy to be back, and looking forward to "meeting" all of you!

Hi everyone I am Jennifer. I am an operating room nurse and soccer mom. There isn't a genre I won't try but mu favorites are young adult and historical fiction. I am usually quiet in the boards due to my 15 year old daughter has my laptop for school so its difficult on phone and ipad to be chatty. Looking forward to this challenge.

Hi Laura! I like the flexibility of Uno too. And I love the most books count for several things, so that that the team books can be shuffled round to make them fit best.

It is so nice that you take advantage of the outdoors since it sounds like your town is beautiful!

Hi Jennifer =) It'll be so fun to have you on the team.

Hey Team! Glad to be here with you guys!

*Waves enthusiastically* Hi Suzanne!! I feel very lucky to be placed on this team- Suzanne is a wonderful captain, I had a blast being part of her team in Wobble! She has great communication and positive comments for all, it was such a pleasure to be on a drama-free team :-)

Oh and here is my Uno shelf link: Uno 2017

https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...

Hi Heather! I am excited to have you as a co-captain! I think your job sounds ridiculously cool!!

Hi Laura! It's very nice to meet you! I hear you on the early riser bit though I have to work on going to bed earlier, I need more sleep!

*Another enthusiastic wave* What's up, Jennifer?! Totally stoked to be a part of your team again too, fellow squid!

This is my first time playing UNO, definitely looking forward to the new challenge. I'm a bit of a slow reader but I'll definitely get one in a week for you guys. I'm a commuter so on my trip from Long Island to the city is when I get my majority of reading in. Two weeks ago my Run Streak of 823 days ended due to the mutated stomach virus going around. I literally couldn't move for 32 hours so stay healthy everyone, I hope none of you get this! So I had my first Half Marathon of 2017 yesterday and it was a horror show so hopefully I can redeem myself next month.

Happy reading everyone!

Hey Reed its been kinda quiet here lots of gym time this time of year ready for outdoor running again.

@Jennifer- Yesterday was pretty mild here, good for a run but the winds today!! It might be a gym day later here too.

Hi everyone! Nice to "see" you here, Suzanne! We have been on the same team for a couple of team challenges lately.

I live in South Carolina and work full time as an accountant. I will also read pretty much any genre but I don't read much Horror, usually only for a challenge. Uno is one of my favorite team challenges because it is so versatile. Looking forward to playing this round with all of you!

My shelf: uno-2017

Amanda I was happy when I saw your name on the team list. Small world!

Hey Amanda! Pleasure to meet you! I think reading horror is much easier than watching horror, I just don't imagine what I'm reading lol

I'm getting even more excited about Uno now that was have an actual team!

So.......as far as strategy - I wanted to get your thoughts on this and see if it sounds ok to you. It worked well for my Uno team last year - we got every single possible point during the entire game - ha we didn't win but that was just because one team did the same thing and had hands worth more points.

Anyway....that was a different team - and I'm perfectly willing to adjust/change things up for our team - but here is kind of what I have been thinking:

Every book we read will fit multiple cards. So instead of claiming specific cards along the lines of "I will do card 3 in hand 2" I would like to just read whatever we want for at least the first two weeks of each month, and report all the cards a book will fit for (reporting example below). Then we can assess things, and say like "hey everyone - we need more sevens - keep a look out for "V" books) etc.

Heather and I will take books from our team working spreadsheet and put them in the monthly hands. We may change things around sometimes (which makes the working spreadsheet really useful because we can easily see what spots a book fits).

Anyway, does that sound ok with you guys? If there are things you would rather do, please speak up! I'm going to put a sample of book reporting in the next post and also pin it at the top of our team thread.

That sounds great to me, but I do pick my books with cards in mind, so I'll be looking at the cards we were dealt for the month as well.

We did a hybrid of that on my team last year and it worked really well. We read knowing we were reading for a specific card so that we knew all the cards were covered, but logged all possibilities on the spreadsheet so the captains could move around when needed. Like your team, Suzanne, we also earned every single point possible for the entire game, but we didn't win because of the cards.

When you finish a book:

1) Be sure it is on your Uno shelf and marked as "read" with the date finished.

2) Report it using one of the following options:

a) Option 1: Reporting only in this thread with listing cards

Completion Post
Book Read: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Author: J.K.Rowling
Date Finished: 1/23/17
Cards it fits: 3 - H title
5 - 5 in series
6 - S character Sirius
8 - E setting (England)
9 - N character Neville
Skip - P character Potter
Reverse - Suzanne Read this book

b) Option 2: Reporting only in this thread without listing cards:

Completion Post
Book Read: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Author: J.K.Rowling
Date Finished: 1/23/17
Series book: #5
Setting: Hogwarts, England
Characters: Herminone Granger, Ron Weasley, Harry Potter, Draco Malfoy, Sirius Black, Petunia Dursley

Option 3) Putting your info in the working spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...

Completion Post
Book Read: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Author: J.K.Rowling
Date Finished: 1/23/17
*Information in Spreadsheet*

@Laura - sure that is a great idea - I like that hybrid approach a lot! Thanks =) And here is hoping this year we get some nice high point hands :)

Our first hand is in the spreadsheet at the top of the post but - maybe it'd be a good idea for me to put totals and progress at the top of our thread too - maybe that'll help with choosing books? And Rows 124 and 125 of the working spreadsheet has a nice little tracker too.

Keep thinking of things that would be helpful to track or info that would be good to have.

Oh, I guess I should add that we didn't claim all cards/books at the beginning of the month. We'd discuss the first round or two at the beginning of the month, but then check the spreadsheet and see what we needed as we went along. Does that make sense?

Yes it sure does - that sounds like a smart way to do it! Because who knows what the month will bring - it sounds good to adjust and add as we go . Thanks very much for the input!

I like the hybrid approach a lot! I expect it will help to be sure we're not missing something critical we need to get the most points.

I also like having the totals and progress at the top of the thread, though I know I'll just be in our spreadsheets all the time. :-)

Me too - at least when I'm home it is just fun looking in the spreadsheets. But yes I think the mobile devices will be better with just looking at the top of the thread if we want a reminder of what we need.

I like both too, for exactly the same reasons Suzanne listed.

I usually log my books on the spreadsheet. I like to, not sure why!

It's too bad the challenge hasn't started already. We are having a bad nor'easter here and I'm stuck inside. We have a 4 foot storm surge, and 15 - 20 foot waves. Many roads are flooded, and waves are rolling over the walls of the inlet. Ugh!

I'm going to request you ladies as friends so we can see each other's shelves. I hope that's OK!

Just popping in to say hi from Team Bones and let you know that you ladies are in good hands. Suzanne is a great captain :D


Come play with us Team Jack, forever... and ever...

Ugh, sorry you're stuck inside Laura! We're at the end of our "bad" weather for now. It's rained a lot in the last two weeks, and I live out near an area that burned last year, so we've had some flooding, but nothing too bad. But even without flooding, rain in LA = widespread panic and terrible driving. lol.

Perfect example of how we freak out...I have a doctor's appt in a few minutes that is a 5-10 minute walk away, and since it's been raining and there is a slight chance it might rain some more I'm considering driving there instead of walking. hahahaha.

Doh Laura - that is a great excuse to stay inside and read!!

Our south Campus closed about 15 minutes ago because of snow - but... I'm on north campus where it is also snowing and open /cry. So I have to leave in about an hour to go teach til 10. SOOOO jealous of those who get to stay home.

@Victoria - haha. I was telling her how I was freaked out by the Jack picture at the top of our thread. She told me he's ok "just a little possessed. :)"

@Heather - I'd consider driving too =)

Heather - the pictures and videos on the news of the rains out west make it look pretty bad out there.

I think it's been worse up North, and we did have some flooding and trees falling and that sort of thing. Could have been a lot worse with the fires we had last year.

Suzanne wrote: "@Victoria - haha. I was telling her how I was freaked out by the Jack picture at the top of our thread. She told me he's ok "just a little possessed. :)" ..."

He is a little freaky! :o
We can change the picture if it gets too much!

@Karen - I decided I could get into it when I used it to peek in on Victoria's thread. I'm just going to channel my inner possessed (by challenges) self.

Yay we have a snow day today! It is my shortest teaching day anyway - so wish it had snowed on one of my LONG days, but... I'll take it!

I think we are just missing Bernice - looking forward to meeting her too! And yay - only about a week left.

Oh let me know if you you cannot edit our tracking spreadsheet and you would like to. I THINK I opened it so everyone can, but if not, i will get you permissions!

I'm going to be trying to finish up the two books I'm reading now so I'm ready to go with a new one Feb 1! Excited for us to get started!!

I'm doing the same thing Heather. I'm kind of an ADD reader - I read quite a few books at the same time, just depending on my mood. So this week is good incentive to get them all finished!

LOL Very nice Victoria!

I'm okay with the hybrid method as well as writing a completion post like option A that hits everything the book can possibly be. I sometimes worry I might mess up the spreadsheet but if everyone prefers we write the books in ourselves I can do that.

Oh whichever method you prefer is just fine Reed! I just confirmed that we can move the books around all month if we need to in our hands and just finalize them at the end of February. (Note: that is SO much easier than wobble, where if we used a book, we could never move it.)

I'm reading today. I didn't like the description much, but I really liked The Law of Moses by this author, and I'm loving this book. It is very much like a fairy tale.

I'm jealous, Suzanne! I wish I was home today with a book. But even if I was home, I'd be taking care of my kids, and therefore not reading. SO, I guess I wish I could just sit here at work and read all day! :-)

I totally know what you mean. My kids are grown up now, and when I babysit I wonder how I EVER did it when they were young - they are so precious but they need that attention!

I started putting some books into the planning sheet. I may change, but those are the ones that I think I'm most likely to read next.

Is it OK if we look at the first couple hands and plan a few books?

Hand One:
3
Draw 2
7
Draw 2
9
8
3

Hand Two:
8
6
Wild
9
Wild Draw 4
9
3

If nobody objects, I'd like to snag the Wild Draw 4 in Hand Two. I have a book I have to read because one of my Book Clubs in school will be reading it, but I have never read it. I checked arbookfind and it qualifies. From blurbs and reviews, none of the characters, settings, author's name, etc. meets any card for Uno, so that would be a Wild Draw 4. I figured if I have read it, we should at least get points for it!