The Reading Challenge Group discussion

One of the fun activities that we have here in the 2015 Reading Challenge Group is the Points Challenge. This is a fun and casual way for us to keep track of the books we read while earning some bonus points.

Feel free to join the challenge by posting your own message below with your tally for the month. Get ready to have some fun and cheer on the other participants to help motivate us all to read new genres/authors/etc!

Keep in mind - the books that you count for points should only be counted as part of one of the categories, unless it is also meets the definition of that month's bonus...then it can count as a bonus in addition to the other category!

Happy counting!


POINT SYSTEM GUIDELINE

Read a general book: 1 point per book
Read a "shortie" (short story, poem, play): 0.5 points per
Read a group read book: 5 points per book
Read a buddy read book: 5 points per book you read with a buddy
Read a book for the genre challenge: 3 points per book
Read a book for a mini-challenge: 3 points per book
Complete a multi-book mini-challenge: 10 extra points
Bonus** - read a book that has been on your TBR (physical or digital) for more than 6 consecutive months": 6 points per book

Definitions:

A GENERAL book is any book you read this month (not covered by another category).

A GROUP READ book is limited to the books nominated and chosen by the group and discussed in the Group Read folder.

A GENRE Challenge book is any book that fits the Genre of the Month.

MINI-CHALLENGE books are 3 points each. There is an additional 10 point bonus for completing a challenge that involves several books.
For example, the New Year, New Author is a 3 pointer, because it only requires one book. Something like the Decade Challenge, however, can earn you a lot of points because each book counts as 3 points and then you also earn the extra 10 points (for completing a multi-book mini-challenge) once you complete the challenge.
**Also note that if you complete the 5 books in a BINGO, you will get 10 points every time you complete a Bingo.

Get ready, we're almost set to start the Feb challenge. Feel free to start posting here on Feb 1st!

Kassandra's February Point Challenge
Total: 62 points

Read a general book: 1 point per book

Read a "shortie" (short story, poem, play): 0.5 points per

Read a group read book: 5 points per book

Read a buddy read book: 5 points per book you read with a buddy
- The Rosie Effect

Read a book for the genre challenge: 3 points per book
-A Bend in the Road
-Safe Haven
-The Notebook
-The Woman Who Stole My Life
-Message in a Bottle
-The Lucky One

Read a book for a mini-challenge: 3 points per book
-What Alice Forgot
-Flesh and Blood
-Dear John

Complete a multi-book mini-challenge: 10 extra points

Bonus** - read a book that has been on your TBR (physical or digital) for more than 6 consecutive months": 6 points per book
-What Alice Forgot
-A Bend in the Road
-Dear John
-Safe Haven
-The Notebook

I like this bonus!

Melissa's February Point Challenge

TOTAL POINTS 122

Read a general book: 1 point per book
- A Light in the Attic Special Edition by Shel Silverstein; READ 2/6/15
- Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A. Milne; 1001 Children's; READ 2/7/15
- Owl Moon Jane Yolen; 1001 Children's; READ 2/12/15
- Stranger in the Woods: A Photographic Fantasy by Carl R. Sams II & Jean Stoick; Benjamin Franklin Award; READ 2/22/15
- Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin; The Caldecott Medal; READ 2/22/15
- The Secret Life of a Snowflake: An Up-Close Look at the Art and Science of Snowflakes by Kenneth Libbrecht; READ 2/22/15
- The Big Snow by Berta and Elmer Hader; The Caldecott Medal; READ 2/22/15

Read a "shortie" (short story, poem, play): 0.5 points per

Read a group read book: 5 points per book
- The Neverending Story by Michael Ende; Group read from Jan., 1001 Child, READ 2/8/15
- Paper Towns by John Green; READ 2/18/15
- Anarchism: A Beginner's Guide by Ruth Kinna; READ 2/23/15
- The Red Tent by Anita Diamant; READ 2/28/15

Read a buddy read book: 5 points
- The Rosie Effect by Graeme Simsion; READ 2/4/15

Read a book for the genre challenge: 3 points per book
- Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel; READ 2/8/15
- A Room with a View by E.M. Forster; Boxall's 1001; published 1908; READ 2/11/15
- The Return of the Soldier by Rebecca West; READ 2/23/15
- The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho; READ 2/26/15

Read a book for a mini-challenge: 3 points per book
- Someone Knows My Name: A Novel by Lawrence Hill; Mix-n-Match: African-American; READ 2/21/15
- This Child's Gonna Live by Sarah E. Wright; Mix-n-Match: African-American; READ 2/28/15

Complete a multi-book mini-challenge: 10 extra pts

Finished Level One of AWARD WINNERS
1. March by Geraldine Brooks; Pulitzer in 2006. READ 1/16/15
2. The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill; Scotiabank Giller Prize 2007s; READ 2/15
3. Paper Towns by John Green; Edgar YA 2009; READ 2/15

Completed Mix-n-Match: African-American 2/28/15
-Book One: Someone Knows My Name: A Novel by Lawrence Hill; READ 2/21/15
4. Ebook
3. AA Author after 1964 (published in 2007)
Book Two: This Child's Gonna Live by Sarah E. Wright
1. Paperback
4. Female Author - Sarah E. Wright READ 2/28/15



Bonus** - read a book that has been on your TBR (physical or digital) for more than 6 consecutive months": 6 points per book
- The Rosie Effect by Graeme Simsion; READ 2/4/15 Added to GR 7/7/14
- A Light in the Attic Special Edition by Shel Silverstein; READ 2/6/15 Added to GR 3/3/13
- Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A. Milne; 1001 Children's; READ 2/7/15 Added to GR 3/3/13
- Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel; READ 2/8/15 Added to GR 4/27/14
- A Room with a View by E.M. Forster; READ 2/11/15 Added to GR 3/5/13
- Paper Towns by John Green; READ 2/18/15 Added to GR 5/29/13
- The Alchemist by Paul Coelho; READ 2/26/15 Added to GR 3/2/13
- The Red Tent by Anita Diamant; READ 2/28/15; Started this in the early 2000's and was put aside for some reason and has been sitting in my bookshelf a long time.
- This Child's Gonna Live by Sarah E. Wright; this one wasn't marked off on Goodreads, but has been buried in my pile of books next to my bed. READ 2/28/15

Camille, I'm glad you like it! It seems that there are plenty of us that are struggling with our TBR, so hopefully this will give us some motivation to get them cleared out.

This is going to be fun. I completed 12 books last month.

Good job Colleen!

Read a general book: 1 point per book
Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay

Read a "shortie" (short story, poem, play): 0.5 points per

Read a group read book: 5 points per book
Paper Towns by John Green

Read a buddy read book: 5 points per book you read with a buddy

Read a book for the genre challenge: 3 points per book
Radical: My Journey from Islamist Extremism to a Democratic Awakening by Maajid Nawaz

Read a book for a mini-challenge: 3 points per book
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde (Decade Challenge)
The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe (Decade Challenge)
Remote Control by Andy McNab (String Theory Challenge)
The Gunslinger by Stephen King (Audiobook Challenge)

Complete a multi-book mini-challenge: 10 extra points

Bonus** - read a book that has been on your TBR (physical or digital) for more than 6 consecutive months": 6 points per book
Radical: My Journey from Islamist Extremism to a Democratic Awakening
Darkly Dreaming Dexter

February Total: 33 points

Camille's February Point Challenge

Read a general book: 1 point per book
1. All Quiet on the Western Front
2. The Buddha in the Attic
3. The British Channel Islands Under German Occupation, 1940 1945

Read a "shortie" (short story, poem, play): 0.5 points per
1. The Yellow Wallpaper

Read a group read book: 5 points per book
Read a buddy read book: 5 points per book you read with a buddy

Read a book for the genre challenge: 3 points per book
1. Family, Sex and Marriage in England 1500-1800

Read a book for a mini-challenge: 3 points per book
1. O Pioneers! (Decade Challenge)
2. American Indian Stories (Decade Challenge)
3. A Garland for Girls (Decade Challenge)

Complete a multi-book mini-challenge: 10 extra points

Bonus** - read a book that has been on your TBR (physical or digital) for more than 6 consecutive months": 6 points per book
1. The Buddha in the Attic
2. The British Channel Islands Under German Occupation, 1940 1945
3. Family, Sex and Marriage in England 1500-1800

Total: 33.5 points

I love this month's bonus!

I know! I'm going to check out my tbr and look for Bonus-Worthy titles. :D

The bonus fits right in with my main challenge this year. Yay!

That's great Allison!

Kassandra, does The Neverending Story from January still count as a group read for February points?

Hmm...good question. I would say if you started it in the month that it was a group read then it counts!

Thanks, Kassandra, for clarifying. :)

You're welcome. I hope it helps ;)

Oh, yes! That's great! I started but wasn't able to finish Unbroken in January, but I definitely want to read it.

If I'm tallying my points right, I have 48 points from six books read! Yah! :D

Awesome Melissa! You're making great progress collecting points and cleaning out your TBR. Your points look right - let's see how many you will get for the rest of the month!

Melissa wrote: "If I'm tallying my points right, I have 48 points from six books read! Yah! :D"

Wow, Melissa, you're cruising! Must go tally mine now!

Allison's February Point Tally
Final Total: 78

General book (1 point)

"Shortie" (0.5 points)

Group read (5 points)

Buddy read (5 points)

Genre challenge (3 points)

Night of a Thousand Stars (Romance)
Fate's Edge (Romance)
Living Dead in Dallas (Romance)
Agent of Change (Romance)
Blackmoore (Romance)

Mini-challenge (3 points)

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making (Award Winners)

Beauvallet (TBR Pile 2015)
The Dirty Streets of Heaven (TBR Pile 2015)
The Kiss of a Stranger (TBR Pile 2015)
Cast In Courtlight (TBR Pile 2015)

Complete a multi-book mini-challenge (10 extra points)

Bonus** Books on my TBR for more than 6 consecutive months (6 points)
Beauvallet (Bought 2011)
Night of a Thousand Stars (Bought 5/2014)
The Dirty Streets of Heaven (Bought 2013)
The Kiss of a Stranger (Bought 2013)
The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making (Bought 2013)
Agent of Change (Bought 6/2014)
Blackmoore (Bought 5/2014)
Cast In Courtlight (Bought 2011)

Allison wrote: "Melissa wrote: "If I'm tallying my points right, I have 48 points from six books read! Yah! :D"

Wow, Melissa, you're cruising! Must go tally mine now!"

It is fun tallying those points Allison, It gives good incentive to reach our monthly goals. :)

Thanks Kassandra for the encouragement, I'll need it to keep plucking along this month.

Melissa wrote: "It is fun tallying those points Allison, It gives good incentive to reach our monthly goals. :)..."

So true. It's shaping which books I choose at least a little bit! Except now I'm bemoaning the fact that February is so short. How to fit everything in? :)

It's definitely shaping what I want to read this month. I'm happy to hear that it has some influence on others too.

Oh My God!, Allison! So true!

Who thought three days could make a difference!

Haha! Maybe it's just the IDEA that we have less time. ;-)

Stephanie's February Point Challenge
Total Points: 16

General: 4 points
Bakuman, Band 1: Traum und Realität
Bakuman, Volume 2: Chocolate and Akamaru
Ghost Hunting: True Stories of Unexplained Phenomena from The Atlantic Paranormal Society
Seeking Spirits: The Lost Cases of The Atlantic Paranormal Society

Genre: 3 points
The Memory Keeper's Daughter

Mini Challenges: 9 points
The Vampyre: A Tale (Decade Reading Challenge)
The Hunchback of Notre-Dame (Decade Reading Challenge)
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (Decade Reading Challenge)

TOTAL; 22 points

Read a general book: 1 point per book
The Mime Order
The Girl on the Train
Darkmouth #1: The Legends Begin
Moone Boy: The Blunder Years
Read a "shortie" (short story, poem, play): 0.5 points per
Read a group read book: 5 points per book
Read a buddy read book: 5 points per book you read with a buddy
Read a book for the genre challenge: 3 points per book
Dark Witch
Paris for One
How to Lose Weight and Alienate People
Read a book for a mini-challenge: 3 points per book
Bad Feminist: Essays (non-fiction mini challenge)
Complete a multi-book mini-challenge: 10 extra points
Bonus** - read a book that has been on your TBR (physical or digital) for more than 6 consecutive months": 6 points per book
The Summer Season, I think this book has been sitting on my bookcase for 2 years!

We're sitting at 293.5 points so far for the month, not bad!

Don't forget to update your totals when you finish up for the month.

TOTAL: 12

Read a general book: 1 point per book
Against War

Read a "shortie" (short story, poem, play): 0.5 points per

Read a group read book: 5 points per book
Anarchism: A Beginner's Guide

Read a buddy read book: 5 points per book you read with a buddy

Read a book for the genre challenge: 3 points per book

Read a book for a mini-challenge: 3 points per book
The Marquise of O
The Canterville Ghost

Complete a multi-book mini-challenge: 10 extra points

February Point Challenge. Feb total 18 points

Read a general book: 1 point per book
Station Eleven read 5/2/15
The Girl on the Train read 9/2/15
The Invention of Wings read 14/2/15
Before I Go To Sleep read 19\2\15
All the Bright Places read 21\2\15
Scarletread 24/2/15
The Ocean at the End of the Lane read 26/2/15
Love Letters to the Dead read 28/2/15

Read a "shortie" (short story, poem, play): 0.5 points per

Read a group read book: 5 points per book
Paper Towns read 7/2/15
The Rosie Effect read 14\2\15

Woot! Snuck in another book to finish off the month. This genre challenge did well - I'm ending up with 62 points this month!

FEBRUARY
TOTAL POINTS TALLY: 88 points

POINT SYSTEM GUIDELINE

Read a general book: 1 point per book
Read a "shortie" (short story, poem, play): 0.5 points per

Read a group read book: 5 points per book =5
- The Thousand and One Nights: Commonly Called, in England, The Arabian Nights' Entertainments, Volume II**

Read a buddy read book: 5 points per book you read with a buddy =5
- The Rosie Effect**

Read a book for the genre challenge: 3 points per book =18
- Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim**
- Letter to My Daughter**
- You Just Don't Understand: Women and Men in Conversation**
- Minding Frankie**
- Where'd You Go, Bernadette**
- Pauline's Passion and Punishment**

Read a book for a mini-challenge: 3 points per book =12
- Queen Lucia**
- A Journal of the Plague Year**
- The Return of the Soldier**
- It Worked for Me: In Life and Leadership**

Complete a multi-book mini-challenge: 10 extra points =30
- Audiobook Challenge: (Level 4) +10 points
- Bingo: +10 points
- African American Mix-n-Match: +10

Bonus** - read a book that has been on your TBR (physical or digital) for more than 6 consecutive months": 6 points per book =18
- Queen Lucia**
- A Journal of the Plague Year**
- The Thousand and One Nights: Commonly Called, in England, The Arabian Nights' Entertainments, Volume II**

Here is my final summary:

February - Total Points: 31

Read a general book: (1 Point)
Read a "shortie": (0.5 Points)
The Little Android
Assassin Study
Read a group read book: (5 Points)
Read a buddy read book: (5 Points)
Read a book for the genre challenge: (3 Points)
Read a book for a mini-challenge: (3 Points)
Cress
The Last Guardian
The Fellowship of the Ring
The Ask and the Answer
Jackaby
The Assassin's Blade
Complete a multi-book mini-challenge: (10 extra Points)
Bonus** - read a book that has been on your TBR (physical or digital) for more than 6 consecutive months": (6 Points)
The Last Guardian
The Fellowship of the Ring

Wow Renee, massive points for the month! You got through a lot of mini-challenges this month, way to go!

Here's my tally for the month

February Points: 49 point

Read a general book: 1 point per book

Read a book for a mini-challenge: 3 points per book
The Fellowship of the Ring
That Risen Snow: A Scary Tale of Snow White & Zombies
Tess of the D'Urbervilles
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
The Lucky One
The Girl on the Train
Crime and Punishment

Complete a multi-book mini-challenge: 10 extra points
Back to the Classics Challenge


Bonus** - read a book that has been on your TBR (physical or digital) for more than 6 consecutive months": 6 points per book
Tess of the D'Urbervilles
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
Crime and Punishment

Only 4 books in February, 3 general, I'd say:
Was ist Aufklärung? Thesen, Definitionen, Dokumente
Natürliche Mängel
Selbst denken. Eine Anleitung zum Widerstand
and one that fits perfectly in Sociology/Relationships/Family for the genre challenge:
Erben der Erinnerung
that makes 6 points :-\

February Points Total: 6
General books:
Shorties:
Group Read Book:
Buddy Read Book:
Genre Challenge: 6
Maids of Misfortune
Graveyard Shift
Mini-challenge:
Multi-book mini-challenge:
Chunkster:

Closing this thread now for new entries. If you're new to the group or forgot to add your Feb details, please head over to the March thread and add everything there.