The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion

50.1 - Shree's task: POKEMON

We're at the end of recreation and I feel like I need to honor the one that kept me interested during my elementary years. POKEMON. This will be a challenge focused on the game and hopefully you will have fun becoming the champion!

General Rules
✔ All books added together must total at least 750 pages.
✔ No books with the MPGs: Sequential Art, Comics, Comic Book, Manga, Children's or Kids.
✔ 3 book challenge

Step 1: Choose Your Starter
Every journey begins with choosing your starter. Below, you will see the 3 starters/buckets you can pick which will follow you through every other challenge. Pick your starter and read a book with one of the Main Page Genres (MPGs) listed. The MPG can be stand-alone or embedded.

Required: State which bucket you're using when you post.

Charmander
Science-Fiction
Fantasy

Squirtle
Romance
Historical-Fiction

Bulbasaur
Mystery
Non-Fiction

Congratulations! You've picked your one starter and brute forced your way through the gym leaders. Fast, I know, but I'm only allowed to challenge 3 books.

Step 2: Elite Four
Standing in your way before the champion are the elite four. Four strong trainers which you have beat in a row with no break before you can face the champion. Read a book that meets ALL four of the requirements below.

◾Has at least one of the MPGs that's in your starter bucket.
◾Is a standalone book (not part of series) (we brute forced with one starter)
◾Is NOT the author's first book. (because your starter has evolved ;) )
◾Is at least 300 pages long.

Now that you're beaten and bruised trying to meet all 4 requirements, you're off to face the champion. Queue my favorite champion theme music.

Final Step: Champion
All right, you're at the peak of the mountain because they really like mountains in Japan. To beat the champion, read with a book that meets ALL three of the requirements below.

◾Has at least one of the MPGs that's in your starter bucket.
◾Is rated 4.0 or higher on Goodreads.
◾Has won an award per its Goodread's page. The book must be an award winner, not a finalist or a nominee.

You may choose to mix the two MPGs in your starter bucket as shown in the example below or you may choose to have the same MPG for all three books. Up to you.

Example:
Step 1: Choose Your Starter -Bulbasaur {MPGs Mystery & Non-Fiction} - Lethal White by Robert Galbraith
◾MPG: mystery

Step 2: Elite Four - Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand
◾MPG: nonfiction
◾not part of a series
◾not author's 1st book - Seabiscuit: An American Legend published in 1999
◾473 pages = >300 pages

Final Step: Champion - Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann
◾ MPG: nonfiction (and mystery)
◾ 4.11 rating = >4.0 average
◾ Anthony Award winner for Best Critical/NonFiction Work (2018)

Charmander

Step 1


Step 2


Step 3

Squirtle


Step 1


Step 2


Step 3

Bulbasaur


Step 1


Step 2


Step 3

This thread is now open!

Please can you lock the ratings as above 4 for these two books

Shutter Island and The Way of All Flesh both MPG mystery

sorry just realised one of those is a first book can i lock in Alias Grace and The Woods as having a rating above 4

Just wanted to say that this is probably my favorite task ever in my 5 years of doing SRC. I'm obsessed with Pokemon and this is such a creative take on it. Congrats on having it chosen, I'm so happy it won!

Checking my choices for Squirtel

1. April Fools - romance
2. Marilla of Green Gables - hist fiction; stand-alone; not first book (2 previous published) greater than 300pgs
3. Before We Were Yours - hist fiction; greater than 4.0; won GR choice award for historical fiction in 2017

Can you please lock in the rating of 4.1 for She Rides Shotgun?

Can I lock in the 4.04 rating for The Lake House?

Can I lock in the >4 rating for The Future Is History: How Totalitarianism Reclaimed Russia? Thanks.

Now that I understand the task, I really like it! When we were voting, I was a little confused. Thank you for including non-fiction!

I would like to check my choices for Bulbasaur.
1. X mystery
2. Fear: Trump in the White House by Bob Woodward. Non-fiction. not first book. Greater than 300 pages
3.Rebecca by Daphne Dumaurier. Mystery She wrote Jamaica Inn before this book. 441 pages. Rating of 4.21. Won National book Award for Fiction in 1938.

Marie (UK) wrote: "sorry just realised one of those is a first book can i lock in Alias Grace and The Woods as having a rating above 4"

Hi Marie!

I'll list The Way of All Flesh as MPG Mystery. Cleared for Step 1.

Shutter Island , Alias Grace locked for above 4.0 rating.

The Woods cleared for Step 2. This book hasn't won an award per it's page so it's rating doesn't need to be verified!

Shutter Island & Alias Grace cleared for Step 2 & Champion.

Cait S wrote: "Just wanted to say that this is probably my favorite task ever in my 5 years of doing SRC. I'm obsessed with Pokemon and this is such a creative take on it. Congrats on having it chosen, I'm so hap..."

Thanks Cait! I wanted to do a video game based challenge that hopefully doesn't force people to read video game books if they don't want to. I'm hoping this way...it feels like an rpg. :D

Dee wrote: "Checking my choices for Squirtel

1. April Fools - romance
2. Marilla of Green Gables - hist fiction; stand-alone; not first book (2 previous published) greater than..."

Hi Dee!

Your books meet the challenge requirements!

1. April Fools cleared for step 1!
2. Marilla of Green Gables cleared for step 2!
3. Before We Were Yours for champion! (Also locked in the rating just in case)

Brooke wrote: "Can you please lock in the rating of 4.1 for She Rides Shotgun?"

Hi Brooke! She Rides Shotgun rating locked for 4.1 and cleared for Champion.

Diana wrote: "Can I lock in the 4.04 rating for The Lake House?"

Hi Diana! The Lake House locked for 4.04 rating and cleared for Champion!

Pam wrote: "Can I lock in the >4 rating for The Future Is History: How Totalitarianism Reclaimed Russia? Thanks.

Now that I understand the task, I really like it! When we were voting, I was a ..."

Hi Pam! Thanks! I was hoping to make a task where video games were involved but people weren't forced to..read about video games if they didn't want to. I think non-fiction is also really underappreciated and I think it pairs well with mystery!

The Future Is History: How Totalitarianism Reclaimed Russia locked for 4.2 rating and cleared for Champion & Step 2!

Laura wrote: "I would like to check my choices for Bulbasaur.
1. X mystery Fear: Trump in the White House
2. Fear: Trump in the White House by Bob Woodward. Non-fiction. not first book. Greater than 300 pages
..."

Hi Laura! Your choices are correct!

1. X cleared for Step 1.
2. Fear: Trump in the White House Cleared for step 2.
3. Rebecca cleared for Champion! & Rating locked for 4.21.

Shree wrote: "Marie (UK) wrote: "sorry just realised one of those is a first book can i lock in Alias Grace and The Woods as having a rating above 4"

Hi Marie!

I'll list [book:The Way..."

thanks so much it is a fab task

Wayne wrote: "Could you please lock the following for 4.00+ ratings, nonfiction MPGs and literary awards for Bulbasar?

2, Between Dignity and Despair: Jewish Life in Nazi Germany
3. [book:A Past in..."

Hi Wayne!

2. Between Dignity and Despair confirmed for Step 2 & nonfiction MPG
3. A Past in Hiding confirmed for Step 3. Rating locked at 4.01.

Can you please lock in Birdsong for rating above 4.0 and lock in the literary award for option 3. Thank you.

Jayme(the ghost reader) wrote: "Can you please lock in Birdsong for rating above 4.0 and lock in the literary award for option 3. Thank you."

Hi Jayme! Birdsong locked for 4.08 rating and literary award.

Shree wrote: "Charmander

Poor Charmander :( No love."

I'm happy to support Charmander, if you'll logic check my options!

Book 1: The Burning Page, Genevieve Cogman
Fantasy.
Paperback, 358pg

Book 2: New York 2140, Kim Stanley Robinson
Science Fiction.
Not the author's first book
Paperback, 613 pages

OR

Dark Matter, Blake Crouch
(As I didn't get around to it last SRC)
Science Fiction
Not the author's first book
Paperback, 416pg

Book 3: My first thought, if it works for you, is
Anansi Boys, Neil Gaiman
Fantasy.
Not the author's first book
Paperback 457 pages
Rated 4.02
Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel (2006), Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Adult Literature (2006), ALA Alex Award (2006), British Fantasy Award for Best Novel (2006)

All good so far?

Here's where I wanted to check. It's set in the same universe as American Gods. However, the description of that universe does state that both Anansi Boys and American Gods are stand alone: https://www.goodreads.com/series/1141.... Can I use it here?

Failing that, I may move Anansi Boys to Book 1, and my alternates for Book 3 (if they work for you) are:

Snow Crash, Neal Stephenson (published 1992)
Science Fiction
Not the author’s first book (that seems to be Zodiac, 1988) and stand-alone
Paperback, 440 pages
Rated 4.03
Grand Prix de l'Imaginaire for Roman étranger (1997), Washington State Book Award (1993)

Or The Diamond Age: Or, A Young Lady's Illustrated Primer, also Neil Stephenson (published 1995)
Science Fiction
Not the author’s first book and stand-alone
Paperback 499pg
Rated 4.19
Hugo Award for Best Novel (1996), Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel (1996)

Hi Shree, please could you lock in the following ratings:

Ballad of the Whiskey Robber: A True Story of Bank Heists, Ice Hockey, Transylvanian Pelt Smuggling, Moonlighting Detectives, and Broken Hearts
Rating 4.03

The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics
Rating 4.34

I think I have this
For Approval:

Bulbasaur
Mystery
Non-Fiction

1) I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer Non-Fiction

2) The Female of the Species Mystery, Stand alone, 352 pages, Not the authors first book

3) A Fatal Grace Mystery, 4.11 rating,
Agatha Award for Best Novel (2007)

Trish wrote: "Shree wrote: "Charmander

Poor Charmander :( No love."

I'm happy to support Charmander, if you'll logic check my options!"

Like Trish, I'm picking Charmander, cos look at it's li'l face! What monster wouldn't pick it? (no idea what gender pokemon have)


Anyway, option 1 is TBD, but I was planning
option 2: The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein (pub 2018, other books published earlier, eg And I Darken in 2016) 304p, and I've already had the genre locked ;-)

option 3: Stardust (pub 1998) - can you confirm 4.08 rating (& MPG, just in case) please? (Neverwhere was published earlier, in 1996) It won the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award in 1999, according to the metadata

Could you please lock following ratings:

Eleanor & Park - 4.09
Worth Any Price - 4.02

Thank you.

Cat wrote: "Like Trish, I'm picking Charmander, cos look at it's li'l face! What monster wouldn't pick it? (no idea what gender pokemon have)"

It is pretty cute. :-) I'm not wise in the ways of Pokemon!

Stardust is a great book.

Can we use a book written by more than one author for step 2? Both have written books before. I am trying to use S. for Charmander, genre fantasy.

Bulbasaur - Step 2 & 3. I have a clarifying question. One of the authors I chose, Ariana Franklin, first wrote under her own name (Diana Norman). Then she switched to her pseudonym (Ariana Franklin). The book I want to read is the first book under her pseudonym, but not the first book she wrote. Would I be able to use it?

Hi everybody! I'm rushing to work (so late!) I'll be back in about 8 ish hours to confirm stuff. I haven't disappeared!

My plan for Bulbasaur:

1. The Daughter of Time - Mystery
2. Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI - Mystery (311 users), 338 pages, standalone book, not author's first, 4.11 rating
3. depending on your decision re post 33...either City of Shadows (which I own - 422 pages, standalone, 4.02 rating, award) or Ordinary Grace - 307 pages, standalone, not author's first, 4.16 rating, awards

Trish wrote: "Cat wrote: "Like Trish, I'm picking Charmander, cos look at it's li'l face! What monster wouldn't pick it? (no idea what gender pokemon have)"

It is pretty cute. :-) I'm not wise in the ways of Pokemon!

Stardust is a great book..."

Trish, neither am I, but I did a search and thought I'd bring the cuteness too!
I do like Stardust very much - it'll be a reread (which isn't prohibited!) - I need the U character for my NBRC team challenge at the end of the month.
The fact that Stardust is always jostling with Neverwhere to be my favourite Gaiman is a plus, and it turns out that the book is now 20 yrs old! which is an anniversary that has to be marked :)

Can you please confirm that Book 3 (Champion) does not need to meet the requirements for Book 2 (standalone, not in series, not author's first book)? In the task when we voted it said the third book needed to meet the requirements for the second book as well as the additional requirements, but the way it is worded now that is no longer included.

If it doesn't need to meet the Book 2 requirements, please verify His Majesty's Dragon for Charmander Champion: 4.06 rating, Locus Award for Best First Novel

I'm looking for a Step 2 book for Bulbasaur, and I've hit upon Final Girls by Riley Sager. I've got the kindle edition, but the top pb ed. is 339 pages. It has main page genres of Mystery and Thriller>Mystery Thriller as of today.

The tricky bit is evolution. This is the first book written by "Riley Sager," but the author bio states that "Riley Sager is the award-winning pseudonym of a former journalist, editor and graphic designer who previously published mysteries under his real name."

Is that enough to qualify for the Evolved part of the task? And if so, could you lock in the main page genres here for me?

TIA - a beaten & bruised perletwo

Also: For Final Step, I'm looking at Sidetracked. I've got it on kindle, but the top mmp ed. is 576 pages. It won the 2001 Macallan Gold Dagger for Fiction.

As of today, it's got main page genres Mystery and Mystery>Crime, and a Goodreads rating average of 4.06. Assuming everything above is in order for this step, could you lock those genres and ratings in for me please?

Trish wrote: "Shree wrote: "Charmander

Poor Charmander :( No love."

I'm happy to support Charmander, if you'll logic check my options!

Book 1: The Burning Page, Genevieve Cogman
Fantasy.
Pape..."

Hi Trish!

Your logic checks out for Step 1 and Step 2! Either of the books in Step 2 are good.

As for Step 3, I don't mind Anansi Boys because the name isn't numbered but rather is referencing a specific universe. http://journal.neilgaiman.com/2005/05... - Neil Gaiman himself says that the book is not a sequel so there you go! I'd recommend linking this in Completed Posts thread if you use this book for the task. Rating locked for 4.02!

I'm also locking in the ratings for Snow Crash & The Diamond Age: Or, A Young Lady's Illustrated Primer (I was planning on reading this one for my own 50 pts!) just in case you change your mind.

Shannon wrote: "Hi Shree, please could you lock in the following ratings:

[book:Ballad of the Whiskey Robber: A True Story of Bank Heists, Ice Hockey, Transylvanian Pelt Smuggling, Moonlighting Detectives, and Br..."

Hi Shannon!

Both books ratings locked for 4.03 & 4.34 respectively!

Deborah wrote: "I think I have this
For Approval:

Bulbasaur
Mystery
Non-Fiction

1) I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer Non-Fiction

2) [book:The Fem..."

Hi Deborah!

I fully believe you got this!

All 3 of the books work for the challenge and I'll go ahead and lock in that rating of 4.11 for A Fatal Grace.

Cat wrote: "Trish wrote: "Shree wrote: "Charmander

Poor Charmander :( No love."

I'm happy to support Charmander, if you'll logic check my options!"

Like Trish, I'm picking Charmander, cos look at it's li'l ..."

Hi Cat!

Look at you being all prepared and having genres locked while I can't even remember what I had for dinner yesterday. :P or decide on what I'll have tonight....and yay for picking Charmander! Edit: It seemed like fantasy already dropped off the mpg; good thing you got it genre locked!

Option 2 with The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein looks good!

For option 3, you do not have to worry about a previous book published by the author. The task changed a little after votes to clean it up a little with help of the mods. :) Stardust locked for 4.08 rating and Fantasy MPG.

Rina wrote: "Could you please lock following ratings:

Eleanor & Park - 4.09
Worth Any Price - 4.02

Thank you."

Hi Rina!

Both books ratings locked at 4.09 & 4.02 respectively.

Stephanie wrote: "Can we use a book written by more than one author for step 2? Both have written books before. I am trying to use S. for Charmander, genre fantasy."

Hi Stephanie!

I'm completely okay with two authors if they've both published before. I'd recommend listing them in the completed task post as done in the example. It will be easier for the mods to review.

Bea wrote: "My plan for Bulbasaur:

1. The Daughter of Time - Mystery
2. Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI - Mystery (311 users), 338 pages,..."

Hi Bea!

The requirements for the challenge changed a little after voting. With the help of the mods, we cleaned it up a little to make it easier to review. I would use the task posted in this thread to choose books for the challenge.

Your step 1 is good.

For step 2, you do not have to worry about the rating. Otherwise, Killers is a perfectly acceptable book for step 2 and it works for step 3 too!

Step 3 only requires the award and a greater than 4.0 rating now. Unfortunately City of Shadows does not qualify because it was only a nominee for the reward. It does qualify for Step 2 though. Ordinary Grace does qualify for Step 3. Rating locked for 4.16!

Let me know if this was confusing!

Julia wrote: "Can you please confirm that Book 3 (Champion) does not need to meet the requirements for Book 2 (standalone, not in series, not author's first book)? In the task when we voted it said the third boo..."

Hi Julia!

Yes the requirements did change. I'd follow the task posted in this thread to choose your books. Champion stage requires only a greater than 4.0 rating and winning a reward.

His Majesty's Dragon qualifies for Champion. Rating locked for 4.06!

Suzanne wrote: "I'm looking for a Step 2 book for Bulbasaur, and I've hit upon Final Girls by Riley Sager. I've got the kindle edition, but the top pb ed. is 339 pages. It has main page genres of M..."

Hi Suzanne!

So I did a little bit of research. https://twitter.com/toddalanritter/st... According to twitter (very...safe place and secure place to research info I know) the author himself revealed himself to be Riley Sager. I'd go ahead and link this with one of his previous books in your post in the Completed thread. Final Girls cleared for Step 2!

As for Step 3, mpg locked for mystery and rating locked at 4.06 for Sidetracked. I've watched all the Wallander series for Netflix. Maybe now I should read them too.

Shree wrote: "Suzanne wrote: "I'm looking for a Step 2 book for Bulbasaur, and I've hit upon Final Girls by Riley Sager. I've got the kindle edition, but the top pb ed. is 339 pages. It has main ..."

Thank you! I thought adopting a new pen-sona certainly should fulfil the spirit of the 'evolution' part of the task, if we could just document it properly...

For the final step: champion, Bulbasaur Mystery option could I get Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn locked in for a rating or 4.05.

I think this will work for the final step, it appears the book won a number of awards based on its Goodreads page.

Thank you.

Shawn wrote: "For the final step: champion, Bulbasaur Mystery option could I get Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn locked in for a rating or 4.05.

I think this will work for the final ste..."

Hi Shawn!

Gone Girl rating locked in for 4.05. This book definitely works for the final step.