RMFAO (Reading My Frigging A** Off) discussion

Dear RMFAO members,

We have a new challenge for you all! Suggested by Cheryl and fine-tuned by Cheryl, Dagny and me, we bring to you the RMFAO 2022 Theme-Link Challenge.
It is a quarterly chain reading challenge and can be done with any number of books or as many times as you wish.

For this challenge, you can start with reading ANY book by ANY author. It will be counted as your first book in a chain. Then your next book must have a common link (or theme) with the previous book. When linking books, Book 1 and Book 2 must share one theme/link in common. Then Book 2 and Book 3 must share another link/theme in common and so on. So only 2 books share a single "link" in common at any time.

For example: If your first book is The Goddess then you can read The Only Good Indians linking these two books with the theme of ‘cultural taboo violation.’ Then The Only Good Indians can be linked to Beasts through the link of ‘disturbing hybrid animals’ theme. Then Beasts can be linked to Bel Ria with ‘animal on their own’ theme.

You can try to continue this pattern for as long as you can. This one unbroken chain will be one RUN.

RULES:
1) This is a quarterly challenge. The 'runs' will be reset every 3 months (every quarter) throughout the year. All the books read in each quarter are eligible for runs in that particular quarter only. You can begin fresh every 3 months. If you are in the middle of a run when a quarter ends, then you will have to abandon that run and begin a new run for the new quarter.
2) You can have as many 'runs' as you wish in each quarter. The minimum number of books in a run is 4. We don't have a limit for the maximum number of books in a run (so you can read a total of 4, 5, 6, 10, 12 books - totally up to you!)
3) Books can be repeated in multiple runs in the same quarter provided the themes linking the same book are different in each run.
4) Authors can be repeated in multiple runs as well as over different quarters.

Quaterly Levels:
Level 1: Frequent Reader: 1 Run (moderate)
Level 2: Bookworm: 2 Runs (strenuous)
Level 3: Bibliophile: 3+ Runs (challenging)
You can announce the level you'd be aiming for every quarter at the start of the quarter.

You can download this image here: https://heenarathorep.files.wordpress...

We understand that this is a new challenge and there are bound to be some confusion in the initial months, but that is okay. It is part of the fun, it is, after all, a challenge!
If you have any doubts or want to discuss anything with us, then simply drop a comment here and one of us will definitely get back to you regarding your query. Please remember even we, the moderators, are figuring it out as we go along.

Please share your progress on this thread, just like we do on the other challenge threads.

Other reading challenges that you can participate in:
✒︎ RMFAO 2022 Classics Catchup
✒︎ RMFAO 2022 Classics Catchup
✒︎ RMFAO 2022 Series Challenge
✒︎ RMFAO 2022 Audiobook Challenge
✒︎ RMFAO 2022 Author Alphabet Challenge

Happy Reading!

PS: This challenge was suggested by Cheryl who participates in Six Degrees Of Separation Challenge. This challenge is a variation of that challenge.

This is of great help, Dagny! And this makes this challenge feel a little less challenging. I was not aware of this, so thanks a lot for clearing this up. So basically what is important is a link and not the order - great! I can't wait to begin this challenge!!

Theme Link Challenge

Quarter challenge - runs reset every 3 months

Quarter One: January 2022 to March 2022
Level: Level 3 - 3+ Runs (each run have at least 3 books)
Type of Books: Paperbacks, Hardbacks, E-Book, Audio

Run one: 6 number of books
(view spoiler)[
✘ Book One: I Am Here Now -- 1/9/22 - 1/10/22

✘ Book Two: Poems For The Moon: Vol 1 -- 2/6/22
How it's related to book one - Poetry

✘ Book Three: Will --- 2-6-22 - 2-8-22
How it's related to book two - Nonfiction
✘ Book Four: Miranda and Me --- 2-9-22
How it's related to book three - Biography

✘ Book Five: The 9/11 Dogs: The Heroes Who Searched for Survivors at Ground Zero --- 2-9-22
How it's related to book four - dog on cover

✘ Book Six: D-day Dogs: Remarkable true stories of heroic dogs --- 2-9-22
How it's related to book five - same author
(hide spoiler)]

Run 1:

1. Flowers in the Attic - V. C. Andrews

2. The Dead Will Tell - Linda Castillo
How it's related to Book 1: Family Dysfunction theme

3. The Leaving - Tara Altebrando
How it's related to Book 2: Missing, Presumed Dead theme

4. The Genocidal Healer - James White
How it's related to Book 3: Survivor's Guilt theme

5. Orders of Battle - Marko Kloos
How it's related to Book 4: Killing Aliens theme

Lindsey wrote: "Theme Link Challenge

Quarter challenge - runs reset every 3 months

Quarter One: January 2022 to March 2022
Level: Level 3 - 3+ Runs (each run have at least 3 books)
Type of Books: Paperbacks, H..."

Impressive run, Lindsey!

Thank you Cheryl for being the first to post. I wasn't sure of the format so this took a great deal of the worry out of it. I think I did a run ;) Now I'll have to update it :)

Fran wrote: "Thank you Cheryl for being the first to post. I wasn't sure of the format so this took a great deal of the worry out of it. I think I did a run ;) Now I'll have to update it :)"

Lindsey actually posted her potential run before me, and is just editing her original post as she reads the books she listed. You could look at her run, too, to get ideas. (It's Message 4 in this thread. Click on her View Spoilers to see her books and explanations.)

Run 2:

1. The Farm by Tom Rob Smith

2. The Family Next Door by Sally Hepworth
How it's related to Book 1: Mental Health theme

3. Five Total Strangers by Natalie D. Richards
How it's related to Book 2: Obsession theme

4. Come to Grief by Dick Francis
How it's related to Book 3: Friend or Foe theme

5. Black Beauty by Anna Sewell
How it's related to Book 4: Cruelty to Horses theme

6. Mouse Guard vol. 1 by David Petersen
How it's related to Book 5: Animal Narrator theme

Dagny I am sooooo impressed. wow! And it looks like a good mix.

Cheryl, 2 runs already?!? Wow! Maybe you and Dagny will drag me into this challenge too! ;) You make everything look and feel less complicated and overwhelming

I forgot they don't have to be in order! Gosh, I should have some kind of run then with all the books I've read in January for my Marathon Challenge (in another group)! Rofl... please stay tuned ;)

Fran wrote: "I forgot they don't have to b in order! Gosh, I should have some kind of run then with all the books I've read in January for my Marathon Challenge (in another group)! Rofl... please stay tuned ;)"

Fran,

Looking at your books read, I see a Paranormal theme to link some books, also a Human/Animal Hybrid theme. If you have some mysteries, you could use links such as Historical Mystery theme. Don't feel you must get super specific to form a link.

Deep breathe...here goes :)
Run #1

1.) American Dirt (AB) - Jeanine Cummins
family fleeing a drug lord LEADS us to:

2.) Illuminae (AB) - Amie Kaufman (refugees)
main characters live in an illegal mining colony LEADS us to:

3.) Germinal (AB) - Emile Zola (focus on French miners)
deals with social injustices LEADS us to:

4.) Another Country (AB) - James Baldwin (racial inequality)
several characters are interracial couples LEADs us to:

5.) An Extraordinary Union (AB) - Alyssa Cole (interracial couple)
set during the Civil War LEADS us to:

6.) Wild Angel (EB) - Miriam Minger (main character trying to avoid war)
main female character falls in love with a "forbidden man" due to warring families LEADS us to:

7.) Golden Son (AB) - Pierce Brown (restructure of society)
dystopian YA

I would really appreciate someone commenting on my first run. I hope I did it correctly ;) Thanks for all the encouragement for this challenge.

Fran wrote: "I would really appreciate someone commenting on my first run. I hope I did it correctly ;) Thanks for all the encouragement for this challenge."

Fran, you did a great job! You have a terrific run.

Thanks Cheryl. I was trying to imitate you and Dagny. I'm sure I have 1 more run, I just wanted to make sure before I put it together and posted it.

Run #2

1.) Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry (EB) - W.B Yeats
short stories centered around fairies LEADS us to:

2.) Orfeia (HB) - Joanne M. Harris (modern fairy tale)
deals with the psychology of grief LEADS us to:

3.) The Deep (AB) - Rivers Solomon (main character remembers the grief for the entire civilization)
utopian society LEADS us to:

4.) Peter Pan (AB) - J.M. Barrie (perfect "society" of children)
world with no laws or rules LEADS us to:

5.) Merry Adventures of Robin Hood (AB) - Howard Pyle (characters considered "lawless" by society)
men who live outside civilization/society LEADS us to:

6.) The Island of Dr. Moreau (AB) - H.G. Wells (characters live on an isolated island)

Run #2 already, Fran! See how easy it is?

Cheryl I was able to tie my highest number of books read in a month, an amazing 31! Granted most of them were audiobooks but I'm thrilled :)

Finished my first run!!!

Run two: 6 books

✘ Book One: Swing -- 2/10/22

✘ Book Two: Diana: Princess of the Amazons -- 2/10/22
How it's related to book one - library book

✘ Book Three: Ms. Marvel, Vol. 1: No Normal -- 2/10/22
How it's related to book two - female superhero

✘ Book Four: Meet Me at the Bus Stop -- 2/11/22
How it's related to book three - female author

✘ Book Five: Stars and Hearts -- 2/11/22
How it's related to book four - first in a series

✘ Book Six: Someone Like You -- 2/12/22
How it's related to book five - pink and purple cover

Great job Lindsey. Did you enjoy picking the themes and ideas out?

Run #3

1.) Tuck Everlasting (PB) - Natalie Babbit
children's book LEADS us to:
2.) The Land of Neverending (HB) - Kate Saunders (childern's book)
overcoming lonliness admist grief LEADS us to:
3.) The Drop (PB) - Dennis Lehane (main char. meets a woman)
trying a new direction if life LEADS us to:
4.) The Tanglewood Tea Shop (EB) - Lilac Mills (moves from NYC to Wales)
relocation is a long journey LEADS us to:
5.) Paradise Sky (AB) - Joe Lansdale cowboy travels West, over a long distance

Fran wrote: "Great job Lindsey. Did you enjoy picking the themes and ideas out?"

I have enjoyed picking out the themes and ideas. I have tried to make them different.

Run 2 completed!!!

Run Three: 6 books


✘ Book One: Tick, Tick ... Boom! -- 2/13/22

✘ Book Two: Dear Evan Hansen -- 2/14/22
How it's related to book one - play

✘ Book Three: Lois Lane and the Friendship Challenge -- 2/13/22
How it's related to book two - blue cover

✘ Book Four: Victor and Nora: A Gotham Love Story -- 2/15/22
How it's related to book three - Superhero

✘ Book Five: Wonder Woman: Tempest Tossed -- 2/15/22
How it's related to book four - DC Comics

✘ Book Six: Primer -- 2/15/22
How it's related to book five - graphic novel

Fran wrote: "Run #3

1.) Tuck Everlasting (PB) - Natalie Babbit

One of my favorites

Peter, we read it a couple years ago in our homeschool, but it felt like I needed to come back to it. Definitely a keeper ;)

Run 3 completed

Run Four: _______ number of books

Book One: Ain't Burned All the Bright

Book Two: Cheshire Crossing
How it's related to book one - Sequential Art

Book Three: Shatter Me
How it's related to book two - Fantasy

Book Four: Lockdown on London Lane
How it's related to book three - romance

Book Five: Doctor Who: Adventures in Lockdown
How it's related to book four - characters are in lockdown

Book Six: Doctor Who: Eleven Doctors, Eleven Stories
How it's related to book five - various 'doctors' and their companions and their adventures

I love how you plan out your runs Lindsey!

Run #3:

1. Maigret and the Wine Merchant by Georges Simenon

2. Nightmare Alley by William Lindsay Gresham
How it’s related to Book 1: Husband’s Infidelity theme

3. King Con by Stephen J. Cannell
How it’s related to Book 2: Con Man theme

4. An Eye for an Eye by Anthony Trollope
How it’s related to Book 3: Revenge theme

5. So Say the Fallen by Stuart Neville
How it’s related to Book 4: Ireland Setting theme

6. The Sinner by Tess Gerritsen
How it’s related to Book 5: Religious Clergy theme

Run #4:

1. Maigret Enjoys Himself by Georges Simenon

2. Murder on Bank Street by Victoria Thompson
How it's related to Book 1: Secondary Character Leads Murder Investigation theme

3. The Sinner by Tess Gerritsen
How it's related to Book 2: Unexpected Pregnancy theme

4. The Noise by James Patterson
How it's related to Book 3: Deaths in Remote Location theme

5. The Body Double by Tess Gerritsen
How it's related to Book 4: Female Doctor theme

6. The Body Farm by Patricia Cornwell
How it's related to Book 5: Doctor/Police Partnership theme

Awesome Dagny!

Run 5:

1. A Death in the Small Hours by Charles Finch
(Murder in a country village theme)

2. Hearts and Bones by Margaret Lawrence
How it's related to Book 1: Murder in a country village theme

3. Murder of a Beauty Shop Queen by Bill Crider
How it's related to Book 2: "Loose Woman" theme

4. The Burglar Who Thought He Was Bogart by Lawrence Block
How it's related to Book 3: Features a woman who owns her own business.

5. Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson
How it's related to Book 4: Actors theme.

6. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
How it's related to Book 5: A family in financial trouble theme

7. A Grief Observed by C. S. Lewis
How it's related to Book 6: "Love cut short by death" theme

Theme Run #1:

1. The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewel
Theme: unreliable narration

2. Watching You by Lisa Jewel
The theme linking this with Book 1: unreliable narration

3. The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
The theme linking this with Book 2: Multiple POVs to create diversion and suspense

4. The Golden Couple by Greer Hendrix and Sarah Pekkanen
The theme linking this with Book 3: Rich characterisation and unexpected ending

5. Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz
The theme linking this with Book 4: Underplayed female lead who turned out to be an extremely strong character

I just wanted to remind everyone that since this is a quarterly challenge, the First Quarter will finished the end of March. Anyone who wants to use books they've read in January, February and March has until March 31st. to post a Run.

After that, Second Quarter begins and only books read in April, May and June will be eligible to make up a Run.

This will be my last Run for the First Quarter.

Run 6:

1. Maigret and the Loner by Georges Simenon (Wife abandoned by her husband.)

2. Tess by Thomas Hardy
How it's related to Book 1: "Wife abandoned by her husband" theme

3. Bonechiller by Graham McNamee
How it's related to Book 2: An outdoors country setting

4. Sight Unseen by Mary Roberts Rinehart
How it's related to Book 3: Paranormal theme

5. The Final Tayy by Richard S. Wheeler
How it's related to Book 4: A shooting that might not be what it seems.

Run #4:

1.) Cyrano de Bergerac (PB) - Edmond Rostand
witty, humorous, satirical play LEADS us to:
2.) Rosencratz and Guildernstern Are Dead (PB) - Tom Stoppard (humorous play)
poses a parable about the meaning of life and death LEADS us to:
3.) Death of a Salesman (PB) - Arthur Miller
MC feels the crushing weight of life and his own inabilities

Run #5:

1. Africana Woman: Her Story Through Time (HB) - Cynthia Jacobs Carter
contributions of African woman through time LEADS us to:
2.) Homegoing (AB) - Yaa Gyasi (generational story of African family)
story includes generations of slavery LEADS us to:
3.) The Nickel Boys (AB) - Colson Whitehead (reform school with conditions similar to slavery)
two young men form a bond of brotherhood LEADS us to:
4.) Long Way Down (AB) - Jason Reynolds (story of two young brothers)

Run #6:

1.) The Darkling Child (AB) - Terry Brooks
MC discovers he possesses generational magic LEADS us to:
2.) The Witch of Blackbird Pond (AB) - Elizabeth George Speare (MC believed to practice "black magic")
MC doesn't fit in well with the rest of society LEADS us to:
3.) Things in Jars (AB) - Jess Kidd (MC is different from society)
focus on supernatural LEADS us to:
4.) A Sudden Light (AB) - Garth Stein (supernatural family)
family secrets surrounding ghosts LEADS us to:
5.) Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts (AB) - Kate Racculia (MC talks to ghosts)
set in and around Boston LEADS us to:
6.) A Discovery of Witches (AB) - Deborah Harkness
set in and around Boston and Salem

Total Runs in Quarter One: 4
Total books in Quarter One: 23

Run Four: 5 books
<
✘ Book One: Ain't Burned All the Bright

✘ Book Two: Cheshire Crossing
How it's related to book one - Sequential Art

✘ Book Three: Shatter Me
How it's related to book two - Fantasy

✘ Book Four: Lockdown on London Lane
How it's related to book three - romance

✘ Book Five: Doctor Who: Adventures in Lockdown
How it's related to book four - characters are in lockdown

Theme Run #1:

1. The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewel
Theme: unreliable narration

2. Watching You by Lisa Jewel
The theme linking this with Book 1: unreliable narration

3. The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
The theme linking this with Book 2: Multiple POVs to create diversion and suspense

4. The Golden Couple by Greer Hendrix and Sarah Pekkanen
The theme linking this with Book 3: Rich characterisation and unexpected ending

5. Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz
The theme linking this with Book 4: Underplayed female lead who turned out to be an extremely strong character

6. Forever Odd by Dean Koontz
The theme linking this with Book 5: Supernatural powers (given they are don't the same character.)

lol...thanks for the reminder Cheryl. I would have pulled all kinds of books for my future runs, regardless of when I read them ;)

Second Quarter, Run 1:

1. Season of Ice by Diane Les Bequets
(Canada setting)
2. Black Stars Above by Lonnie Nadler
How it's related to Book 1: Canada setting
3. The City Beautiful by Aden Polydoros
How it's related to Book 2: Historical fiction
4. The October Faction, Vol. 2 by Steve Niles
How it's related to Book 3: Supernatural elements
5. Brothers by William Goldman
How it's related to Book 4: Testing of members prior to joining the organization.
6. The Scorpion's Tail by Preston and Child
How it's related to Book 5: Untrustworthy people working for the government.

Dagny wrote: "Ha, The Scorpion's Tail was so good that it made the list twice - even if one of them was accidental and it just shoved it's way in."

Ha! I fixed it. I do not even know how that happened. I must have had the cursor in the wrong spot when I began typing Book 6.

Second Quarter, Run 2:

1. Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell (15 year old girl's traumatic ordeal)
2. My Dark Vanessa by Kate Rlizabeth Russell
How it's related to Book 1: 15 year old girl's traumatic ordeal
3. The Vacation by T. M. Logan
How it's related to Book 2: Something private posted online
4. Golden by Jessi Kirby
How it's related to Book 3: "Keeping secrets" theme
5. One Whole and Perfect Day by Judith Clarke
How it's related to Book 4: Teen protagonist

Second Quarter, Run #3:

1. Pollyanna by Eleanor H. Porter (children's book )
2. The Railway Children by E. Nesbitt
How it's related to Book 1: Children's book
3. On Writing by Stephen King
How it's related to Book 2: Parent earns living as a writer
4. Beauty of Living Twice by Sharon Stone
How it's related to Book 3: overcoming a major health problem

The Second Quarter ends the end of June, so you can use any of the books you've read in April, May and June to do a Run for the Second Quarter.

I haven't been as successful in creating Runs this Quarter. Alot more diverse books, so more challenging to find links.

Second Quarter, Run #4:

1. Catch the Sparrow by Rachel Rear (Corrupt police investigation)
2. The Rag and Bone Shop by Robert Cromier
How it's related to Book 1: Corrupt police investigation
3. The Angel of Terror by Edgar Wallace
How it's related to Book 2: Initial suspect acquitted
4. Coralie by Charlotte M. Brame
How it's related to Book 3: A duplicitous woman
5. Jezebel's Daughter by Wilkie Collins
How it's related to Book 4: An obstacle to getting married

Ok, ok, let me see what I can do for this challenge ;) Cheryl and Dagny, you guys are AMAZING :)

Third Quarter, Run 1:

1. Under the Lake by Stuart Woods (small town secrets)
2. Instinct by Jason M. Hugh
How it's related to Book 1: Small town secrets
3. Of Grave Concern by Max McCoy
How it's related to Book 2: New town resident turns sleuth
4. Thin Air: A Ghost Story by Michelle Paver
How it's related to Book 3: Ghosts theme
5. Heartbreak Hotel by Jonathan Kellerman
How it's related to Book 4: "Deadly secrets from the past" theme
6. The Little Sister by Raymond Chandler
How it's related to Book 5: innocent-looking woman has a shady past

wow Cheryl!