The Lost Challenges discussion

Sir Sean Connery was one of my favorite actors (still is, actually). I grew up watching him in Medicine Man and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, but he was perhaps best known for his role as the original “Bond, James Bond” in the prolific 007 franchise.

A Tribute to Sir Sean Connery
Duration: One month from the start date.

Choose as many tasks as you wish and tasks can be used more than once
Participation Badge is awarded for this challenge



Tasks:

1. Sir Sean Connery was born Thomas Sean Connery in Edinburgh, Scotland, on August 25, 1930. His parents were of the working class. His mom, Euphemia McBain “Effie” McLean, was a cleaning woman, and his dad, Joseph Connery, was a lorry driver and factory worker. Sean had a younger brother named Neil. Sean was called Tommy in his youth and, after a huge growth spurt that started at age 12 and ended at his full height of 6’ 2” at age 18, was nicknamed Big Tam during his teen years.

Read a book whose MC’s parents were working-class folks
OR a book that features brothers
OR a book that features a teenaged MC.

2. Sean’s first job was as a milkman with the St. Cuthbert’s Co-operative Society, but when he was 16 in 1946, he joined the Royal Navy. During his service, he got two tattoos, one to honor family (“Mum and Dad”) and the other to honor country (“Scotland Forever”). With a rank of Able Seaman, he was assigned to the HMS Formidable, but at age 19, he was medically discharged due to a duodenal ulcer. This condition was hereditary, as many of his male ancestors were also affected by it. He returned to the co-op and followed in his father’s footsteps as a lorry driver. However, he became a jack of all trades, taking up many jobs, a few of which were lifeguard, laborer, an artist’s model, and a coffin polisher.

Read a book that features a character who is a jack (or jill) of all trades
OR with an MC medically discharged from the military (which condition?)
OR with a character proud to serve his or her country (which country and which branch of service?)

3. Though he was a pretty good footballer (that’s soccer, to Americans) and once received a professional contract worth £25 a week, he declined the opportunity because he “realised that a top-class footballer could be over the hill by the age of 30, and [he was] already 23.” Instead, he chose to become an actor and later recalled that to be “one of [his] more intelligent moves.” Late in 1951, he began working backstage at King’s Theatre in London, and he landed his first small chorus boy role in a production of South Pacific in 1953. The production traveled to his hometown of Edinburgh, Scotland, and by that time, he’d worked his way up the ranks to the role of Marine Corporal Hamilton Steeves while also understudying two juvenile leads. The following year, the production returned, and with it, Mr. Connery received a promotion to the featured role of Lieutenant Buzz Adams.

Read a book that features stage plays of some sort (which play or ballet, etc., was featured?)
OR in which an MC gets promoted (who?)
OR features someone returning to their hometown.

4. Shifting from theater to roles as extras to bit parts in TV series and films, Sean Connery kept learning all he could about acting and made connections with actors from around the world. Connery gained a reputation for defending himself in two different incidents. The first came in Edinburgh, where he was targeted by one of the most violent gangs in the city, the Valdor gang. He stopped them from stealing his jacket and bashed their heads together, which garnered great respect from the gang. This incident also earned him the reputation of being a “hard man.” The second came in London when Lana Turner’s possessive gangster boyfriend, Johnny Stompanato, thought Connery and Turner were having an affair (they were not). Stompanato came onto the set and aimed a gun at Connery, who disarmed the man and knocked him onto his backside. Stompanato was banned from the set and escorted to the airport by Scotland Yard detectives, and Sean Connery had to lay low for a while, because he received threats from the gang boss Mickey Cohen as retaliation for upstaging his goon.

Read a book that features gangsters
OR in which a character defends him- or herself (tell us briefly about the situation)
OR in which the MC transitions from one job to a related one (ex.: from theater to movies)

5. One of Sean Connery’s first leading roles was in Walt Disney’s Darby O’Gill and the Little People in 1959, which was set in Ireland. Once the film released, a New York Times reporter by the name of A. H. Weiler described Sean Connery as “merely tall, dark, and handsome.” However, Weiler praised the rest of the cast.

Read a book in which a character is overlooked in some way (tell us briefly how)
OR in which a leading man is called “tall,” “dark,” or “handsome” (share the sentence)
OR that features a character with a last name that has an apostrophe (tell the name).

6. The breakthrough role that catapulted Sean Connery’s career was as British secret agent James Bond. While he was reluctant to sign on for a movie series, he realized that if it went over well, his career would strengthen. He decided to take the role, even though he wasn’t what Bond’s creator, Ian Fleming, “envisioned of James Bond looks.” He further said that the muscular, 6’ 2” Scot was “unrefined.” After a successful premiere of Dr. No, Fleming was impressed with Connery’s portrayal of James Bond. He chose to incorporate some of Connery’s own heritage into Bond in future novels, so Bond’s father was stated to be from Glencoe in Scotland’s Highlands in the 1964 book You Only Live Twice.

Read a James Bond book by Ian Fleming
OR a book that takes place in the Highlands of Scotland
OR in which a character has to grow on you (tell us which one).

7. Sean Connery’s stint as 007 is the longest one on record at seven films. The first five were Dr. No (1962), From Russia with Love (1963), Goldfinger (1964), Thunderball (1965), and You Only Live Twice (1967). Connery chose to depart from the role then, to make other pictures, but he did return to the role of James Bond in 1971’s Diamonds Are Forever and 1983’s Never Say Never Again. Connery had a love-hate relationship with the role of James Bond, saying at one point that he’d “always hated” James Bond and would “like to kill him,” yet the role provided him with a prolific career in a field of work he enjoyed. One of his contemporaries, Michael Caine, said, “If you were his friend in these early days, you didn’t raise the subject of Bond. He was, and is, a much better actor than just playing James Bond, but he became synonymous with Bond. He’d be walking down the street and people would say, ‘Look, there’s James Bond.’ That was particularly upsetting to him.” Sean Connery’s wife gave his final 007 film its title: Never Say Never Again, which was an homage to his earlier claim to her that he would “never again” return to portraying the iconic spy.

Read a book with one of these words in the title: Dr. (or Doctor), Russia, Gold, Thunder, Live, Forever, or Never
OR in which a character hates his job (which job?)
OR in which a character’s friend offers emotional support in some way (briefly explain)

8. Sean Connery appeared in over ninety films and TV shows, covering a broad range of characters throughout his seven-decade career. In the latter half of his film career, he often portrayed mentors to younger leads. Some of these titles included The Untouchables (mentor to Kevin Costner’s Eliot Ness), Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (mentor and father to Harrison Ford’s Indiana Jones), Finding Forrester (mentor to Rob Brown’s Jamal Wallace), and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (mentor to Shane West’s Tom Sawyer). Before his retirement, as his final homage to the role that jump started his prolific career, Sean Connery agreed to do the voiceover and provide his likeness for the From Russia with Love video game, something for which he was happy the producers asked him about.

Read a book that features a mentor (tell us who he or she mentored)
OR that features a character with a name mentioned in the above paragraph
OR a character who retires (or is already retired).

9. Sean Connery was always proud to be from Scotland, and he occasionally wore a traditional tartan kilt to certain public events. His brogue was thick and, in combination with his dashing good looks, helped endear him to fans throughout the years. Beyond that, his talent and variety of roles led to his receiving many awards and honors. He won an Academy Award for his performance in The Untouchables, a British Academy Film Award for his performance in The Name of the Rose, and Golden Globes for “World Film Favorite – Male” and The Untouchables. He also received the BAFTA Fellowship and Cecil B. DeMille Awards as well as the AFI Lifetime Achievement Award, among other honors. Perhaps the highest honor he received was a knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II, which dubbed him Sir Sean Connery.

Read a book that has won an award (tell us which award)
OR that has a queen or knight character
OR in which a character wins an award for their work (briefly explain).

10. Sir Sean Connery was married to actress Diane Cilento for nearly twelve years, and they had one son, Jason Connery. After their divorce, Connery remarried, this time to French-Moroccan painter Micheline Roquebrune. They had no children together, but they did raise her three children from a previous marriage as well as Sean’s son. Sean and Micheline remained married for the rest of his life. Leading up to his death, Sir Sean Connery suffered from dementia, which his wife said “took its toll on him.” Surrounded by family at his home in Nassau, Bahamas, the proud Scot died in his sleep on October 31, 2020, at the age of 90, from atrial fibrillation and pneumonia-triggered respiratory failure.

Read a book in which a character gets remarried
OR in which a character is a stepfather
OR in which a character dies peacefully (briefly explain, using a spoiler tag).

Challenge Rules
*Please post a partial list of the challenge when you sign up.
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*All genres and formats are fine.
*Re-reads are allowed.
*No page minimum.
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Andrea Done
Ferenc Done
Genevieve Done
Grace Done
JoAnne Done
Julia Done
Katelyn
Kim Done
Kimberly
Melissa Done
Olivermagnus Done
Sallie
Shash Done
Shelly Done
Suzanne Done

Shortened Task List (for easy copying)...

(view spoiler)[
1. Read a book whose MC’s parents were working-class folks
OR a book that features brothers
OR a book that features a teenaged MC.

2. Read a book that features a character who is a jack (or jill) of all trades
OR with an MC medically discharged from the military (which condition?)
OR with a character proud to serve his or her country (which country and which branch of service?)

3. Read a book that features stage plays of some sort (which play or ballet, etc., was featured?)
OR in which an MC gets promoted (who?)
OR features someone returning to their hometown.

4. Read a book that features gangsters
OR in which a character defends him- or herself (tell us briefly about the situation)
OR in which the MC transitions from one job to a related one (ex.: from theater to movies)

5. Read a book in which a character is overlooked in some way (tell us briefly how)
OR in which a leading man is called “tall,” “dark,” or “handsome” (share the sentence)
OR that features a character with a last name that has an apostrophe (tell the name).

6. Read a James Bond book by Ian Fleming
OR a book that takes place in the Highlands of Scotland
OR in which a character has to grow on you (tell us which one).

7. Read a book with one of these words in the title: Dr. (or Doctor), Russia, Gold, Thunder, Live, Forever, or Never
OR in which a character hates his job (which job?)
OR in which a character’s friend offers emotional support in some way (briefly explain)

8. Read a book that features a mentor (tell us who he or she mentored)
OR that features a character with a name mentioned in the above paragraph
OR a character who retires (or is already retired).

9. Read a book that has won an award (tell us which award)
OR that has a queen or knight character
OR in which a character wins an award for their work (briefly explain).

10. Read a book in which a character gets remarried
OR in which a character is a stepfather
OR in which a character dies peacefully (briefly explain, using a spoiler tag).
(hide spoiler)]

Tribute to Sir Sean Connery
February 17 - March 16, 2022

1. Read a book that features a teenaged MC.
An Amish Miracle: Always Beautiful, Always His Providence, Always in My Heart by Mary Ellis, Ruth Reid, Beth Wiseman 2/27/22
Becky Byler, 18

2. Read a book with a character proud to serve his or her country (which country and which branch of service?)
Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas 3/18/22
Germany; spy against Hitler to save Germany, so his "branch" was the Resistance

3. Read a book that features someone returning to their hometown.
A Promise for Ellie by Lauraine Snelling 3/11/22
Ellie returned to hometown of Blessing, ND.

4. Read a book in which the MC transitions from one job to a related one (ex.: from theater to movies)
Age Is Just a Number: Achieve Your Dreams at Any Stage in Your Life by Dara Torres 2/26/22
Dara Torres transitioned from a professional swimmer to sports modeling and sports journalism, then back to professional swimming.

5. Read a book in which a character is overlooked in some way (tell us briefly how).
Goldfish Secrets by Kellyn Roth 2/28/22
(view spoiler)[Lucy's grief over her dead goldfish is ignored by her mom. (hide spoiler)]

6. Read a book in which a character has to grow on you (tell us which one).
The Lady of Galway Manor by Jennifer Deibel 3/11/22
Paddy McGinnty

7. Read a book in which a character’s friend offers emotional support in some way (briefly explain)
A Dance in Donegal by Jennifer Deibel 3/13/22
(view spoiler)[Moira is shunned and bullied by her best friend, so Brid and Peg deepen their friendships with Moira in an emotional-support way. (hide spoiler)]

8. Read a book that features a mentor (tell us who he or she mentored).
Paint and Nectar by Ashley Clark 2/22/22
Ms. Beth, to Lucy

9. Read a book that has a queen character.
A Constant Heart by Siri Mitchell 2/28/22
Queen Elizabeth I

10. Read a book in which a character gets remarried
OR in which a character is a stepfather.
A Touch of Grace by Lauraine Snelling 3/14/22
Sophie, a widow, married Garth Wiste, who became stepfather to her twins, Joy and Hamre.

Tribute to Sir Sean Connery
February 17 - March 16, 2022

1. Read a book that features a teenaged MC-
Goosebumps: Secrets of the Swamp-Marieke Nijkamp 3/9,
The Arrow-James Tynion IV 3/11,
The Swarm-James Tynion IV 3/11,
The Crown of Ptolemy-Rick Riordan 3/15
New London-James Tynion IV 3/15
斉木楠雄のΨ難 4 Saiki Kusuo no Ψ-nan 4  -麻生 周一 3/16

7. Read a book with Doctor in title- Doctor Strange, Vol. 3: Blood in the Aether-Jason Aaron 3/10,
Doctor Strange, Vol. 4: Mr. Misery-Jason Aaron 3/10,
Star Wars: Doctor Aphra, Vol. 4: The Catastrophe Con-Simon Spurrier 3/10

8. Read a book that features a character with a name mentioned in the above paragraph- Rob Brown- Kimono Dragons-Brian K. Vaughan 2/25 (Yorick Brown)

Welcome, Grace!

Tribute to Sir Sean Connery
February 18 - March 17, 2022

1. Read a book that features a teenaged MC.
The Poet X. Elizabeth Acevedo. 3.7.22

2. Read a book that features a character who is a jack (or jill) of all trades
Jack. Marilynne Robinson. 2.21.22

3. Read a book that features stage plays of some sort (Midsummer's Night Dream)
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. V.E. Schwab. 3.10.22

4. Read a book in which a character defends him- or herself (Bran is attacked by Eamonn's men)
Son of the Shadows. Juliet Marillier. 3.3.22

5. Read a book in which a character is overlooked in some way (Jack is the father of Caroline & Sloane, but not in their lives)
The Secret to Southern Charm. Kristy Woodson Harvey. 3.23.22

6. Read a book in which a character has to grow on you (Stephen).
When Christ and His Saints Slept. Sharon Kay Penman. 3.18.22

7. Read a book in which a character’s friend offers emotional support in some way (premise of the book is finding friends to support and who support you)
Find Your People: Building Deep Community in a Lonely World. Jennie Allen. 2.25.22

8. Read a book that features a mentor (her students)
Lab Girl. Hope Jahren. 3.21.22

9. Read a book that has won an award (Davitt Award for Best Adult Novel (2021),
The Good Sister. Sally Hepworth. 3.17.22

10. Read a book in which a character dies peacefully (Olivia dies in her rocking chair on the porch).
The Beach House. Mary Alice Monroe. 3.7.22

Welcome, Kim!

3/1/2022 - 3/31/2022

1. Read a book whose
MC’s parents were working-class folks

Read a book that features a teenaged MC.
Wished by Jen Calonita 3/1/2022
When Gilly Met Devin by Jen Calonita 3/3/2022
Cursed by Jen Calonita 3/11/2022

3. Read a book that features someone returning to their hometown.
Murder, Plain and Simple by Isabella Alan 3/8/2022

4. Read a book in which a character defends him- or herself (tell us briefly about the situation). Aladdin, Jasmine and friends defend themselves against Jafar.
A Whole New World by Liz Braswell 03/05/2022

7. Read a book in which a character’s friend offers emotional support in some way (briefly explain) Sonia helps Lexy get through meeting her boyfriend's parents.
A Merry Murder on Ruff Road by Cindy Bell 3/15/2022

8. Read a book that features a character who retires (or is already retired). Nans the Ipad toting grandma of the MC who helps play detective
Murder, Money & Marzipan by Leighann Dobbs 3/12/2022

Welcome, Genevieve! I’ll get you linked up after church.

FINISHED WITH 7

A Tribute to Sir Sean Connery
Duration: One month from the start date.

MARCH 1 - MARCH 31, 2022

7/7

Choose as many tasks as you wish and tasks can be used more than once
Participation Badge is awarded for this challenge

TASKS:

1. 🍀Read a book whose MC’s parents were working-class folks
Body Over Troubled Waters - Denise Swanson 03/30/22

OR a book that features brothers
OR a book that features a teenaged MC.

2. Read a book that features a character who is a jack (or jill) of all trades
OR with an MC medically discharged from the military (which condition?)
🍀OR with a character proud to serve his or her country (which country and which branch of service?)
1. Book, Line and Sinker - Jenn McKinlay 03/06/22 Sully served as a Navy Seal


3. Read a book that features stage plays of some sort (which play or ballet, etc., was featured?)
OR in which an MC gets promoted (who?)
🍀OR features someone returning to their hometown.
Statue of Limitations - Kate Collins 03/08/22


4. Read a book that features gangsters
🍀OR in which a character defends him- or herself (tell us briefly about the situation)
Crochet and Cauldrons - Nancy Warren 03/03/22 Lucy must defend herself against the demon that wants to kill her.

OR in which the MC transitions from one job to a related one (ex.: from theater to movies)

5. Read a book in which a character is overlooked in some way (tell us briefly how)
🍀OR in which a leading man is called “tall,” “dark,” or “handsome” (share the sentence)
1. Fashion, Rosé & Foul Play - Gemma Halliday 03/14/22 pg. 231 "Tall, dark, handsome, carries a gun, and likes to arrest people."

OR that features a character with a last name that has an apostrophe (tell the name).

6. Read a James Bond book by Ian Fleming
OR a book that takes place in the Highlands of Scotland
OR in which a character has to grow on you (tell us which one).

7. Read a book with one of these words in the title: Dr. (or Doctor), Russia, Gold, Thunder, Live, Forever, or Never
OR in which a character hates his job (which job?)
OR🍀 in which a character’s friend offers emotional support in some way (briefly explain)
1. The Rocky Road to Ruin - Meri Allen 03/11/22 Riley returns to her small town when her best friend’s (Caroline) mother passes away.


The Untouchables (mentor to Kevin Costner’s Eliot Ness), Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (mentor and father to Harrison Ford’s Indiana Jones), Finding Forrester (mentor to Rob Brown’s Jamal Wallace), and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (mentor to Shane West’s Tom Sawyer).

8. Read a book that features a mentor (tell us who he or she mentored)
OR that features a character with a name mentioned in the above paragraph
OR a character who retires (or is already retired).

9. Read a book that has won an award (tell us which award)
OR that has a queen or knight character
OR in which a character wins an award for their work (briefly explain).

10. Read a book in which a character gets remarried
🍀1. Cajun Kiss of Death - Ellen Byron 03/17/22 Bo Durand

OR in which a character is a stepfather
OR in which a character dies peacefully (briefly explain, using a spoiler tag).

Welcome, Shelly!

I loved Medicine Man. Another fav was First Knight!


Tribute to Sir Sean Connery
March 1 - March 31, 2022

1. Read a book whose MC’s parents were working-class folks
OR a book that features brothers
OR a book that features a teenaged MC.

2. Read a book that features a character who is a jack (or jill) of all trades
OR with an MC medically discharged from the military (which condition?)
OR with a character proud to serve his or her country (which country and which branch of service?)

3. Read a book that features stage plays of some sort (which play or ballet, etc., was featured?)
OR in which an MC gets promoted (who?)
OR features someone returning to their hometown.

4. Read a book that features gangsters
OR in which a character defends him- or herself (tell us briefly about the situation)
OR in which the MC transitions from one job to a related one (ex.: from theater to movies)

5. Read a book in which a character is overlooked in some way (tell us briefly how)
OR in which a leading man is called “tall,” “dark,” or “handsome” (share the sentence)
OR that features a character with a last name that has an apostrophe (tell the name).

6. Read a James Bond book by Ian Fleming
OR a book that takes place in the Highlands of Scotland
OR in which a character has to grow on you (tell us which one).

7. Read a book with one of these words in the title: Dr. (or Doctor), Russia, Gold, Thunder, Live, Forever, or Never
OR in which a character hates his job (which job?)
OR in which a character’s friend offers emotional support in some way (briefly explain)

8. Read a book that features a mentor (tell us who he or she mentored)
OR that features a character with a name mentioned in the above paragraph
OR a character who retires (or is already retired).

9. Read a book that has won an award (tell us which award)
OR that has a queen or knight character
OR in which a character wins an award for their work (briefly explain).

10. Read a book in which a character gets remarried
OR in which a character is a stepfather
OR in which a character dies peacefully (briefly explain, using a spoiler tag).

Welcome, Kimberly!

I am so glad you enjoyed Medicine Man too! That was the one that made me realize I loved Connery's Scottish brogue... and accents in general.

A Tribute to Sir Sean Connery
February 25, 2022 - March 24, 2022

*Choose as many tasks as you wish and tasks can be used more than once

10 Tasks Completed

1. Read a book whose MC’s parents were working-class folks
OR a book that features brothers
Princess of Roses by A.G. Marshall (2/28/22)
OR a book that features a teenaged MC.
The Healer's Apprentice by Melanie Dickerson (3/15/22)

2. Read a book that features a character who is a jack (or jill) of all trades
OR with an MC medically discharged from the military (which condition?)
OR with a character proud to serve his or her country (which country and which branch of service?)
A Season in London by Elizabeth Johns (3/3/22) - England/army

3. Read a book that features stage plays of some sort (which play or ballet, etc., was featured?)
OR in which an MC gets promoted (who?)
OR features someone returning to their hometown.

4. Read a book that features gangsters
OR in which a character defends him- or herself (tell us briefly about the situation)
Princess of Secrets by A.G. Marshall (2/25/22)
Carina fights off a man trying to kidnap her
OR in which the MC transitions from one job to a related one (ex.: from theater to movies)

5. Read a book in which a character is overlooked in some way (tell us briefly how)
OR in which a leading man is called “tall,” “dark,” or “handsome” (share the sentence)
A Lady of Esteem by Kristi Ann Hunter (3/15/22)
"He was TALL." (pg 8)
OR that features a character with a last name that has an apostrophe (tell the name).

6. Read a James Bond book by Ian Fleming
OR a book that takes place in the Highlands of Scotland
OR in which a character has to grow on you (tell us which one).
Princess of Mermaids by A.G. Marshall (3/2/22) - Fiora

7. Read a book with one of these words in the title: Dr. (or Doctor), Russia, Gold, Thunder, Live, Forever, or Never
OR in which a character hates his job (which job?)
OR in which a character’s friend offers emotional support in some way (briefly explain)

8. Read a book that features a mentor (tell us who he or she mentored)
OR that features a character with a name mentioned in the above paragraph
OR a character who retires (or is already retired).

9. Read a book that has won an award (tell us which award)
Her One and Only by Becky Wade (3/8/22) - Christy Award
OR that has a queen or knight character
The Dark King and the Eternal Dance by Alesha Adamson (3/13/22) - queen
OR in which a character wins an award for their work (briefly explain).

10. Read a book in which a character gets remarried
Bluebeard and the Outlaw by Tara Grayce (3/3/22)
OR in which a character is a stepfather
A Noble Masquerade by Kristi Ann Hunter (3/17/22)
OR in which a character dies peacefully (briefly explain, using a spoiler tag).

Welcome, Shash!

3/1/22 - 4/1/22

6 books

1. Read a book whose MC’s parents were working-class folks
🍀Frat Wars: King of Thieves - Saxon James, 3/6/22
OR a book that features brothers
OR a book that features a teenaged MC.

2. Read a book that features a character who is a jack (or jill) of all trades
OR with an MC medically discharged from the military (which condition?)
OR with a character proud to serve his or her country (which country and which branch of service?)
🍀The Reality of Everything - Rebecca Yarros, 3/27/22 -- Coast Guard, USA

3. Read a book that features stage plays of some sort (which play or ballet, etc., was featured?)
OR in which an MC gets promoted (who?)
🍀Hook, Line, and Sinker - Tessa Bailey, 3/19/22 (Both Hannah and Fox get promoted)
OR features someone returning to their hometown.
🍀No Take Backs - Becca Seymour, 3/11/22

4. Read a book that features gangsters
OR in which a character defends him- or herself (tell us briefly about the situation)
🍀Cash - Megan O'Brien, 3/11/22 -- FMC gets kidnapped and has to defend herself against the captor
OR in which the MC transitions from one job to a related one (ex.: from theater to movies)

5. Read a book in which a character is overlooked in some way (tell us briefly how)
OR in which a leading man is called “tall,” “dark,” or “handsome” (share the sentence)
OR that features a character with a last name that has an apostrophe (tell the name).

6. Read a James Bond book by Ian Fleming
OR a book that takes place in the Highlands of Scotland
OR in which a character has to grow on you (tell us which one).

7. Read a book with one of these words in the title: Dr. (or Doctor), Russia, Gold, Thunder, Live, Forever, or Never
OR in which a character hates his job (which job?)
🍀A Breath Apart - Christina Lee, 3/10/22 -- Dairy Whip
OR in which a character’s friend offers emotional support in some way (briefly explain)

8. Read a book that features a mentor (tell us who he or she mentored)
🍀Edge of Reason - Freya Barker, 3/2/22 -- Titus mentors a bunch of your teen boys
OR that features a character with a name mentioned in the above paragraph
OR a character who retires (or is already retired).

9. Read a book that has won an award (tell us which award)
OR that has a queen or knight character
OR in which a character wins an award for their work (briefly explain).

10. Read a book in which a character gets remarried
🍀When He Was Wicked - Julia Quinn, 3/15/22
OR in which a character is a stepfather
OR in which a character dies peacefully (briefly explain, using a spoiler tag).

A Tribute to Sir Sean Connery
March 1 - March 31, 2022

10 of 10 Complete

🌷 1. Read a book that features brothers
Lover Awakened - J.R. Ward - 3;15/22 - Zsadist and Phury

🌷 2. Read a book with a character proud to serve his or her country (which country and which branch of service?)
Forged in Fire - Trish McCallan - 3/27/22 - United States Navy SEAL

🌷 3. Read a book that features stage plays of some sort (which play or ballet, etc., was featured?)
Hag-Seed - Margaret Atwood - 3/21/22 - MC is putting on a retelling of Shakespeare's The Tempest using prisoners.

🌷 4. Read a book that features gangsters
Snow Angels - James Thompson - 3/19/22

🌷 5. Read a book in which a leading man is called “tall,” “dark,” or “handsome” (share the sentence)
The Museum of Extraordinary Things - Alice Hoffman - 3/9/22 - page 30 - "He was dark, with handsome features and more than six feet tall".

🌷 6. Read a book in which a character has to grow on you (tell us which one).
Olive Kitteridge - Elizabeth Strout - 3/22/22

🌷 7. Read a book in which a character’s friend offers emotional support in some way (briefly explain)
One True Loves - Taylor Jenkins Reid - 3/20/22 - Emma Blair is emotionally supported by family, friends, and fiance when her husband is found alive after almost four years. She needs that support to decide what choice to make.

🌷 8. Read a book that features a mentor (tell us who he or she mentored)
An Unsuitable Job for a Woman - P.D. James - 3/10/22 - Cordelia Gray is mentored by Bernie Pryde, owner of the detective agency

🌷9. Read a book that has won an award (tell us which award)
To Say Nothing of the Dog - Connie Willis - 3/12/22 - Hugo Award for Best Novel - 1999

🌷 10. Read a book in which a character gets remarried
Lady Susan - Jane Austen - 3/5/22

Welcome, Katelyn and Olivermagnus!

Andrea wrote: "Welcome, Kimberly!

I am so glad you enjoyed Medicine Man too! That was the one that made me realize I loved Connery's Scottish brogue... and accents in general."

It made me want to zipline through a rain forest, lol.

I can see why! That was always my favorite scene in the whole movie.

Tribute to Sir Sean Connery
March 1 - March 31, 2022

1. Read a book whose MC’s parents were working-class folks
OR a book that features brothers
OR a book that features a teenaged MC.

2. Read a book that features a character who is a jack (or jill) of all trades
OR with an MC medically discharged from the military (which condition?)
OR with a character proud to serve his or her country (which country and which branch of service?)

3. Read a book that features stage plays of some sort (which play or ballet, etc., was featured?)
OR in which an MC gets promoted (who?)
OR features someone returning to their hometown.

4. Read a book that features gangsters
OR in which a character defends him- or herself (tell us briefly about the situation)
OR in which the MC transitions from one job to a related one (ex.: from theater to movies)

5. Read a book in which a character is overlooked in some way (tell us briefly how)
OR in which a leading man is called “tall,” “dark,” or “handsome” (share the sentence)
OR that features a character with a last name that has an apostrophe (tell the name).

6. Read a James Bond book by Ian Fleming
OR a book that takes place in the Highlands of Scotland
OR in which a character has to grow on you (tell us which one).

7. Read a book with one of these words in the title: Dr. (or Doctor), Russia, Gold, Thunder, Live, Forever, or Never
OR in which a character hates his job (which job?)
OR in which a character’s friend offers emotional support in some way (briefly explain)

8. Read a book that features a mentor (tell us who he or she mentored)
OR that features a character with a name mentioned in the above paragraph
OR a character who retires (or is already retired).

9. Read a book that has won an award (tell us which award)
OR that has a queen or knight character
OR in which a character wins an award for their work (briefly explain).

10. Read a book in which a character gets remarried
OR in which a character is a stepfather
OR in which a character dies peacefully (briefly explain, using a spoiler tag).

Welcome, Sallie!

A Tribute to Sir Sean Connery
Duration: March 1, 2022 - March 31, 2022

Choose as many tasks as you wish and tasks can be used more than once
Participation Badge is awarded for this challenge

Tasks: 7/10

Tasks:

1. Read a book that features a teenaged MC.
The Good Girls: An Ordinary Killing - Sonia Faleiro - 03/27/22 - Padma and Lalli

2. Read a book that features a character who is a jack (or jill) of all trades OR with an MC medically discharged from the military (which condition?) OR with a character proud to serve his or her country (which country and which branch of service?)

3. Read a book that features someone returning to their hometown.
Empty World - Zach Bohannon - 03/24/22 - Shell Langford returns to Yazoo City

4. Read a book in which a character defends him- or herself (tell us briefly about the situation)
Sign Off - Patricia McLinn - 03/05/22 - E.M. Danniher defends herself from the murderer with a camera.

5. Read a book in which a character is overlooked in some way (tell us briefly how) OR in which a leading man is called “tall,” “dark,” or “handsome” (share the sentence) OR that features a character with a last name that has an apostrophe (tell the name).

6. Read a book in which a character has to grow on you (tell us which one).
Piszkos Fred közbelép Fülig Jimmy őszinte sajnálatára Albatrosz könyvek - Jenő Rejtő - 03/22/22 - Piszkos Fred

7. Read a book in which a character hates his job (which job?).
Beautiful World, Where Are You - Sally Rooney - 03/12/22 - Felix hates his job in a warehouse.

8. Read a book that features a mentor (tell us who he or she mentored).
The Midnight Library - Matt Haig - 03/28/22 - Mrs. Elm mentored Nora in the Midnight Library

9. Read a book that has won an award (tell us which award).
Where the Wild Ladies Are - Aoko Matsuda - 03/03/22 - World Fantasy Award, Best Collection (2021)

10. Read a book in which a character gets remarried OR in which a character is a stepfather OR in which a character dies peacefully (briefly explain, using a spoiler tag).

Welcome, Ferenc! I’ll get you linked up after work tonight.

Edit: Done. :)

Tribute to Sir Sean Connery
March 1 - March 31, 2022

Tasks: 06/10

☑ 1. Read a book that features a teen-aged MC.
The Last Cuentista - Donna Barba Higuera ★★★☆☆ Mar 18, 2022

☑ 3. Read a book that features stage plays of some sort (Shakespeare play King Lear)
Station Eleven - Emily St. John Mandel ★★☆☆☆ Mar 01, 2022
OR in which an MC gets promoted (who?)
OR features someone returning to their hometown.

☑ 4. Read a book in which a character defends him- or herself (tell us briefly about the situation)
With No One as Witness - Elizabeth George ★★★★☆ Mar 17, 2022
A troubled teenager is kidnapped and murdered but the teen fought his killer trying to defend himself.

☑ 5. Read a book that features a character with a last name that has an apostrophe. Dr. Fingal Flahertie O'Reilly
Home Is the Sailor - Patrick Taylor ★★★★☆ Mar 19, 2022

☑ 7. Read a book in which a character hates his job (It is MC's job to bring the vinegar/wine jug to execution hill and be the errand boy. He has a soft heart and hates his job)
Vinegar Boy - Alberta Hawse ★★★☆☆ Mar 29, 2022

☑ 8. Read a book that features a mentor (Tokue mentors Sentaro in the making of the best Sweet Bean Paste ever)
Sweet Bean Paste - Durian Sukegawa ★★★☆☆ Mar 29, 2022

Welcome, Melissa!

Tribute to Sir Sean Connery - FINISHED!!!
February 17 - March 16, 2022

✔1. Read a book whose MC’s parents were working-class folks
OR a book that features brothers
OR a book that features a teenaged MC: Mill Town: Reckoning with What Remains by Kerri Arsenault (3/7)

✔2. Read a book that features a character who is a jack (or jill) of all trades
OR with an MC medically discharged from the military (which condition?)
OR with a character proud to serve his or her country (USA: Marines): Out of Control by Suzanne Brockmann (2/25)

✔3. Read a book that features stage plays of some sort (which play or ballet, etc., was featured?)
OR in which an MC gets promoted (who?)
OR features someone returning to their hometown (the MC's husband): Landline by Rainbow Rowell (2/22)

✔4. Read a book that features gangsters
OR in which a character defends him- or herself (tell us briefly about the situation)
OR in which the MC transitions from one job to a related one (actress to body-double to producer): Heartthrob by Suzanne Brockmann (3/7)

✔5. Read a book in which a character is overlooked in some way (Decker can fade into the background and easily be overlooked)
OR in which a leading man is called “tall,” “dark,” or “handsome”
OR that features a character with a last name that has an apostrophe: Flashpoint by Suzanne Brockmann (3/12)

✔6. Read a James Bond book by Ian Fleming
OR a book that takes place in the Highlands of Scotland
OR in which a character has to grow on you (Masaki, who masks shyness and hesitation with rudeness): Himawari House by Harmony Becker (3/14)

✔7. Read a book with one of these words in the title: Dr. (or Doctor), Russia, Gold, Thunder, Live, Forever, or Never
OR in which a character hates his job (which job?)
OR in which a character’s friend offers emotional support in some way (initially, Adam allows Olive to save face by pretending to be in a relationship, then offers more emotional support in a variety of ways): The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood (2/17)

✔8. Read a book that features a mentor (tell us who he or she mentored)
OR that features a character with a name mentioned in the above paragraph
OR a character who retires: Tom Paoletti retires from the military: Gone Too Far by Suzanne Brockmann (3/3)

✔9. Read a book that has won an award (several different awards, including the 2002 South Carolina Book Award for Young Adult Book Award)
OR that has a queen or knight character
OR in which a character wins an award for their work: Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson (3/6)

✔10. Read a book in which a character gets remarried
OR in which a character is a stepfather
OR in which a character dies peacefully (briefly explain, using a spoiler tag): All Through the Night by Suzanne Brockmann (3/17)

Welcome, Julia!

The Lost Challenges
Tribute to Sir Sean Connery
Duration: 3/1/2022 - 3/31/2022

Progress: 10 out of 10

Sir Sean Connery was one of my favorite actors (still is, actually). I grew up watching him in Medicine Man and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, but he was perhaps best known for his role as the original “Bond, James Bond” in the prolific 007 franchise.

A Tribute to Sir Sean Connery
Duration: One month from the start date.

Choose as many tasks as you wish and tasks can be used more than once
Participation Badge is awarded for this challenge

Tasks:

1. Sir Sean Connery was born Thomas Sean Connery in Edinburgh, Scotland, on August 25, 1930. His parents were of the working class. His mom, Euphemia McBain “Effie” McLean, was a cleaning woman, and his dad, Joseph Connery, was a lorry driver and factory worker. Sean had a younger brother named Neil. Sean was called Tommy in his youth and, after a huge growth spurt that started at age 12 and ended at his full height of 6’ 2” at age 18, was nicknamed Big Tam during his teen years.

Read a book whose MC’s parents were working-class folks
OR a book that features brothers
OR a book that features a teenaged MC:
Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult - ***** - 3/16/2022 - 440 Pages



2. Sean’s first job was as a milkman with the St. Cuthbert’s Co-operative Society, but when he was 16 in 1946, he joined the Royal Navy. During his service, he got two tattoos, one to honor family (“Mum and Dad”) and the other to honor country (“Scotland Forever”). With a rank of Able Seaman, he was assigned to the HMS Formidable, but at age 19, he was medically discharged due to a duodenal ulcer. This condition was hereditary, as many of his male ancestors were also affected by it. He returned to the co-op and followed in his father’s footsteps as a lorry driver. However, he became a jack of all trades, taking up many jobs, a few of which were lifeguard, laborer, an artist’s model, and a coffin polisher.

Read a book that features a character who is a jack (or jill) of all trades
A High-End Finish by Kate Carlisle - *** - 3/8/2022 - 311 Pages
OR with an MC medically discharged from the military (which condition?)
OR with a character proud to serve his or her country (which country and which branch of service?)



3. Though he was a pretty good footballer (that’s soccer, to Americans) and once received a professional contract worth £25 a week, he declined the opportunity because he “realised that a top-class footballer could be over the hill by the age of 30, and [he was] already 23.” Instead, he chose to become an actor and later recalled that to be “one of [his] more intelligent moves.” Late in 1951, he began working backstage at King’s Theatre in London, and he landed his first small chorus boy role in a production of South Pacific in 1953. The production traveled to his hometown of Edinburgh, Scotland, and by that time, he’d worked his way up the ranks to the role of Marine Corporal Hamilton Steeves while also understudying two juvenile leads. The following year, the production returned, and with it, Mr. Connery received a promotion to the featured role of Lieutenant Buzz Adams.

Read a book that features stage plays of some sort (which play or ballet, etc., was featured?)
Ghost of a Chance by Yasmine Galenorn - ***** - 3/7/2022 - 354 Pages - A play called Obsidian



4. Shifting from theater to roles as extras to bit parts in TV series and films, Sean Connery kept learning all he could about acting and made connections with actors from around the world. Connery gained a reputation for defending himself in two different incidents. The first came in Edinburgh, where he was targeted by one of the most violent gangs in the city, the Valdor gang. He stopped them from stealing his jacket and bashed their heads together, which garnered great respect from the gang. This incident also earned him the reputation of being a “hard man.” The second came in London when Lana Turner’s possessive gangster boyfriend, Johnny Stompanato, thought Connery and Turner were having an affair (they were not). Stompanato came onto the set and aimed a gun at Connery, who disarmed the man and knocked him onto his backside. Stompanato was banned from the set and escorted to the airport by Scotland Yard detectives, and Sean Connery had to lay low for a while, because he received threats from the gang boss Mickey Cohen as retaliation for upstaging his goon.

OR in which a character defends him- or herself (tell us briefly about the situation)
Curse on the Land by Faith Hunter - ***** - 3/8/2022 - 328 Pages - Gets into a fight at a crime scene



5. One of Sean Connery’s first leading roles was in Walt Disney’s Darby O’Gill and the Little People in 1959, which was set in Ireland. Once the film released, a New York Times reporter by the name of A. H. Weiler described Sean Connery as “merely tall, dark, and handsome.” However, Weiler praised the rest of the cast.

Read a book in which a character is overlooked in some way (tell us briefly how)
Furious Love: Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and the Marriage of the Century by Sam Kashner - ***** - 3/11/2022 - 500 Pages - Elizabeth always over shadowed Richard in public
OR in which a leading man is called “tall,” “dark,” or “handsome” (share the sentence)
OR that features a character with a last name that has an apostrophe (tell the name).



6. The breakthrough role that catapulted Sean Connery’s career was as British secret agent James Bond. While he was reluctant to sign on for a movie series, he realized that if it went over well, his career would strengthen. He decided to take the role, even though he wasn’t what Bond’s creator, Ian Fleming, “envisioned of James Bond looks.” He further said that the muscular, 6’ 2” Scot was “unrefined.” After a successful premiere of Dr. No, Fleming was impressed with Connery’s portrayal of James Bond. He chose to incorporate some of Connery’s own heritage into Bond in future novels, so Bond’s father was stated to be from Glencoe in Scotland’s Highlands in the 1964 book You Only Live Twice.

Read a James Bond book by Ian Fleming
OR a book that takes place in the Highlands of Scotland
OR in which a character has to grow on you (tell us which one).
Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren - **** - 3/27/2022 - 160 Pages - Pippi has to grow on you



7. Sean Connery’s stint as 007 is the longest one on record at seven films.

Read a book with one of these words in the title: Dr. (or Doctor), Russia, Gold, Thunder, Live, Forever, or Never
OR in which a character hates his job (which job?)
OR in which a character’s friend offers emotional support in some way (briefly explain)
Untamed by Glennon Doyle - **** - 3/9/2022 - 333 Pages - Friend told her to "Be Still and Know"



8. Sean Connery appeared in over ninety films and TV shows, covering a broad range of characters throughout his seven-decade career. In the latter half of his film career, he often portrayed mentors to younger leads. Some of these titles included The Untouchables (mentor to Kevin Costner’s Eliot Ness), Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (mentor and father to Harrison Ford’s Indiana Jones), Finding Forrester (mentor to Rob Brown’s Jamal Wallace), and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (mentor to Shane West’s Tom Sawyer). Before his retirement, as his final homage to the role that jump started his prolific career, Sean Connery agreed to do the voiceover and provide his likeness for the From Russia with Love video game, something for which he was happy the producers asked him about.

Read a book that features a mentor (tell us who he or she mentored)
OR that features a character with a name mentioned in the above paragraph
OR a character who retires (or is already retired):
Gimme Some Sugar by Molly Harper - ***** - 3/10/2022 - 304 Pages



9. Sean Connery was always proud to be from Scotland, and he occasionally wore a traditional tartan kilt to certain public events. His brogue was thick and, in combination with his dashing good looks, helped endear him to fans throughout the years. Beyond that, his talent and variety of roles led to his receiving many awards and honors. He won an Academy Award for his performance in The Untouchables, a British Academy Film Award for his performance in The Name of the Rose, and Golden Globes for “World Film Favorite – Male” and The Untouchables. He also received the BAFTA Fellowship and Cecil B. DeMille Awards as well as the AFI Lifetime Achievement Award, among other honors. Perhaps the highest honor he received was a knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II, which dubbed him Sir Sean Connery.

Read a book that has won an award (tell us which award):
Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann - ***** - 3/2/2022 - 338 Pages - Anthony Award for Best Critical/NonFiction Work (2018)



10. Sir Sean Connery was married to actress Diane Cilento for nearly twelve years, and they had one son, Jason Connery. After their divorce, Connery remarried, this time to French-Moroccan painter Micheline Roquebrune. They had no children together, but they did raise her three children from a previous marriage as well as Sean’s son. Sean and Micheline remained married for the rest of his life. Leading up to his death, Sir Sean Connery suffered from dementia, which his wife said “took its toll on him.” Surrounded by family at his home in Nassau, Bahamas, the proud Scot died in his sleep on October 31, 2020, at the age of 90, from atrial fibrillation and pneumonia-triggered respiratory failure.

Read a book in which a character gets remarried
OR in which a character is a stepfather
My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman - ***** - 3/29/2022 - 372 Pages
OR in which a character dies peacefully (briefly explain, using a spoiler tag).

Suzanne, back-dating books is not permitted for this challenge. Today is March 2, so I have that as your start date. Welcome!

FINISHED
3/1/2022 - 3/31/2022

Read a book that features a teenaged MC.
Wished by Jen Calonita 3/1/2022
When Gilly Met Devin by Jen Calonita 3/3/2022
Cursed by Jen Calonita 3/11/2022

3. Read a book that features someone returning to their hometown.
Murder, Plain and Simple by Isabella Alan 3/8/2022

4. Read a book in which a character defends him- or herself (tell us briefly about the situation). Aladdin, Jasmine and friends defend themselves against Jafar.
A Whole New World by Liz Braswell 03/05/2022

7. Read a book in which a character’s friend offers emotional support in some way (briefly explain) Sonia helps Lexy get through meeting her boyfriend's parents.
A Merry Murder on Ruff Road by Cindy Bell 3/15/2022

8. Read a book that features a character who retires (or is already retired). Nans the Ipad toting grandma of the MC who helps play detective
Murder, Money & Marzipan by Leighann Dobbs 3/12/2022

Great job, Genevieve!

Finished! :)

A Tribute to Sir Sean Connery
February 25, 2022 - March 24, 2022

*Choose as many tasks as you wish and tasks can be used more than once

10 Tasks Completed

1. Read a book whose MC’s parents were working-class folks
OR a book that features brothers
Princess of Roses by A.G. Marshall (2/28/22)
OR a book that features a teenaged MC.
The Healer's Apprentice by Melanie Dickerson (3/15/22)

2. Read a book that features a character who is a jack (or jill) of all trades
OR with an MC medically discharged from the military (which condition?)
OR with a character proud to serve his or her country (which country and which branch of service?)
A Season in London by Elizabeth Johns (3/3/22) - England/army

3. Read a book that features stage plays of some sort (which play or ballet, etc., was featured?)
OR in which an MC gets promoted (who?)
OR features someone returning to their hometown.

4. Read a book that features gangsters
OR in which a character defends him- or herself (tell us briefly about the situation)
Princess of Secrets by A.G. Marshall (2/25/22)
Carina fights off a man trying to kidnap her
OR in which the MC transitions from one job to a related one (ex.: from theater to movies)

5. Read a book in which a character is overlooked in some way (tell us briefly how)
OR in which a leading man is called “tall,” “dark,” or “handsome” (share the sentence)
A Lady of Esteem by Kristi Ann Hunter (3/15/22)
"He was TALL." (pg 8)
OR that features a character with a last name that has an apostrophe (tell the name).

6. Read a James Bond book by Ian Fleming
OR a book that takes place in the Highlands of Scotland
OR in which a character has to grow on you (tell us which one).
Princess of Mermaids by A.G. Marshall (3/2/22) - Fiora

7. Read a book with one of these words in the title: Dr. (or Doctor), Russia, Gold, Thunder, Live, Forever, or Never
OR in which a character hates his job (which job?)
OR in which a character’s friend offers emotional support in some way (briefly explain)

8. Read a book that features a mentor (tell us who he or she mentored)
OR that features a character with a name mentioned in the above paragraph
OR a character who retires (or is already retired).

9. Read a book that has won an award (tell us which award)
Her One and Only by Becky Wade (3/8/22) - Christy Award
OR that has a queen or knight character
The Dark King and the Eternal Dance by Alesha Adamson (3/13/22) - queen
OR in which a character wins an award for their work (briefly explain).

10. Read a book in which a character gets remarried
Bluebeard and the Outlaw by Tara Grayce (3/3/22)
OR in which a character is a stepfather
A Noble Masquerade by Kristi Ann Hunter (3/17/22)
OR in which a character dies peacefully (briefly explain, using a spoiler tag).

Tribute to Sir Sean Connery - FINISHED!!!
February 17 - March 16, 2022

✔1. Read a book whose MC’s parents were working-class folks
OR a book that features brothers
OR a book that features a teenaged MC: Mill Town: Reckoning with What Remains by Kerri Arsenault (3/7)

✔2. Read a book that features a character who is a jack (or jill) of all trades
OR with an MC medically discharged from the military (which condition?)
OR with a character proud to serve his or her country (USA: Marines): Out of Control by Suzanne Brockmann (2/25)

✔3. Read a book that features stage plays of some sort (which play or ballet, etc., was featured?)
OR in which an MC gets promoted (who?)
OR features someone returning to their hometown (the MC's husband): Landline by Rainbow Rowell (2/22)

✔4. Read a book that features gangsters
OR in which a character defends him- or herself (tell us briefly about the situation)
OR in which the MC transitions from one job to a related one (actress to body-double to producer): Heartthrob by Suzanne Brockmann (3/7)

✔5. Read a book in which a character is overlooked in some way (Decker can fade into the background and easily be overlooked)
OR in which a leading man is called “tall,” “dark,” or “handsome”
OR that features a character with a last name that has an apostrophe: Flashpoint by Suzanne Brockmann (3/12)

✔6. Read a James Bond book by Ian Fleming
OR a book that takes place in the Highlands of Scotland
OR in which a character has to grow on you (Masaki, who masks shyness and hesitation with rudeness): Himawari House by Harmony Becker (3/14)

✔7. Read a book with one of these words in the title: Dr. (or Doctor), Russia, Gold, Thunder, Live, Forever, or Never
OR in which a character hates his job (which job?)
OR in which a character’s friend offers emotional support in some way (initially, Adam allows Olive to save face by pretending to be in a relationship, then offers more emotional support in a variety of ways): The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood (2/17)

✔8. Read a book that features a mentor (tell us who he or she mentored)
OR that features a character with a name mentioned in the above paragraph
OR a character who retires: Tom Paoletti retires from the military: Gone Too Far by Suzanne Brockmann (3/3)

✔9. Read a book that has won an award (several different awards, including the 2002 South Carolina Book Award for Young Adult Book Award)
OR that has a queen or knight character
OR in which a character wins an award for their work: Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson (3/6)

✔10. Read a book in which a character gets remarried
OR in which a character is a stepfather
OR in which a character dies peacefully (briefly explain, using a spoiler tag): All Through the Night by Suzanne Brockmann (3/17)

Great job, Shash and Julia! I’ll mark you finished when I get home from work.

Tribute to Sir Sean Connery
February 18 - March 17, 2022
Complete 3.23.22

1. Read a book that features a teenaged MC.
The Poet X. Elizabeth Acevedo. 3.7.22

2. Read a book that features a character who is a jack (or jill) of all trades
Jack. Marilynne Robinson. 2.21.22

3. Read a book that features stage plays of some sort (Midsummer's Night Dream)
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. V.E. Schwab. 3.10.22

4. Read a book in which a character defends him- or herself (Bran is attacked by Eamonn's men)
Son of the Shadows. Juliet Marillier. 3.3.22

5. Read a book in which a character is overlooked in some way (Jack is the father of Caroline & Sloane, but not in their lives)
The Secret to Southern Charm. Kristy Woodson Harvey. 3.23.22

6. Read a book in which a character has to grow on you (Stephen).
When Christ and His Saints Slept. Sharon Kay Penman. 3.18.22

7. Read a book in which a character’s friend offers emotional support in some way (premise of the book is finding friends to support and who support you)
Find Your People: Building Deep Community in a Lonely World. Jennie Allen. 2.25.22

8. Read a book that features a mentor (her students)
Lab Girl. Hope Jahren. 3.21.22

9. Read a book that has won an award (Davitt Award for Best Adult Novel (2021),
The Good Sister. Sally Hepworth. 3.17.22

10. Read a book in which a character dies peacefully (Olivia dies in her rocking chair on the porch).
The Beach House. Mary Alice Monroe. 3.7.22

Great job, Kim!

4/1 -4/30/22

Read 9/10 books DONE!


1. Read a book whose MC’s parents were working-class folks
OR a book that features brothers
Iron & Fire by Kerrin Willis 4/17/22 4.5stars (Verity's stepdad is a farmer; she has stepbrothers)

2. Read a book that features a character who is a jack (or jill) of all trades
OR with an MC medically discharged from the military (which condition?)
OR with a character proud to serve his or her country (which country and which branch of service?)

3. Read a book that features someone returning to their hometown.
Toy for the Teachers: A Contemporary Reverse Harem Romance (Forbidden Fantasies #2) by Sofia T Summers 4/21/22 4stars (Millie returns from a year in Ireland to Chicago)

4. Read a book in which a character defends him- or herself (tell us briefly about the situation)
Paws of Death - Book 3 of 3 in the Canine Confections series: A Dog Bakery Cafe Cozy Mystery (A Canine Confections Mystery) by Amy Hueston 4/16/22 3.5stars (Samantha defends herself several times when hurt during a murder investigation she's working to solve as an amateur sleuth)

5. Read a book in which a leading man is called “tall,” “dark,” or “handsome” (share the sentence)
(Alessandro - Kindle location 230 - Maybe there would be a silver lining, after all, she thought taking a lingering glance at her handsome companion.)
Crazy For You by Mollie Mathews 4/2/2022 4stars

6. Read a book in which a character has to grow on you (tell us which one).
Halloween Hex Appeal (English Village Witch #3) by Rosie Reed 4/23/22 4stars (Detective Inspector Taylor - often gruff)

7. Read a book in which a character’s friend offers emotional support in some way (briefly explain)
Lady Odelia's Secret (Scott-De Quincy Mysteries #2) by Jane Steen 4/8/22 4.5stars (Dr. Fortier to Helena when her sister is missing then found injured)

8. Read a book that features a mentor (tell us who he or she mentored)
Go Hex Yourself (The Hex series #1) by Jessica Clare 4/12/22 3stars (Ben and Dru mentor Reggie in the world of magic)

9. Read a book that has a queen character
The Sweetness of Forgetting by Kristin Harmel 4/26/22 4.5stars (Queen/princesses in fairy tales told by Rose to granddaughter and great granddaughter that are based on her life; references to the Statue of Liberty)

10. Read a book in which a character dies peacefully (briefly explain, using a spoiler tag).
Dessert at The Beach House Hotel (Beach House Hotel #6) by Judith S. Keim 4/15/22 4.5stars (Katherine of cancer - Kindle location 2603 - "A Hospice nurse was there when I called.")

Welcome, JoAnne!

A Tribute to Sir Sean Connery
March 1 - March 31, 2022

10 of 10 Complete

🌷 1. Read a book that features brothers
Lover Awakened - J.R. Ward - 3/15/22 - Zsadist and Phury

🌷 2. Read a book with a character proud to serve his or her country (which country and which branch of service?)
Forged in Fire - Trish McCallan - 3/27/22 - United States Navy SEAL

🌷 3. Read a book that features stage plays of some sort (which play or ballet, etc., was featured?)
Hag-Seed - Margaret Atwood - 3/21/22 - MC is putting on a retelling of Shakespeare's The Tempest using prisoners.

🌷 4. Read a book that features gangsters
Snow Angels - James Thompson - 3/19/22

🌷 5. Read a book in which a leading man is called “tall,” “dark,” or “handsome” (share the sentence)
The Museum of Extraordinary Things - Alice Hoffman - 3/9/22 - page 30 - "He was dark, with handsome features and more than six feet tall".

🌷 6. Read a book in which a character has to grow on you (tell us which one).
Olive Kitteridge - Elizabeth Strout - 3/22/22 - Olive took awhile to grow on me

🌷 7. Read a book in which a character’s friend offers emotional support in some way (briefly explain)
One True Loves - Taylor Jenkins Reid - 3/20/22 - Emma Blair is emotionally supported by family, friends, and fiance when her husband is found alive after almost four years. She needs that support to decide what choice to make.

🌷 8. Read a book that features a mentor (tell us who he or she mentored)
An Unsuitable Job for a Woman - P.D. James - 3/10/22 - Cordelia Gray is mentored by Bernie Pryde, owner of the detective agency

🌷9. Read a book that has won an award (tell us which award)
To Say Nothing of the Dog - Connie Willis - 3/12/22 - Hugo Award for Best Novel - 1999

🌷 10. Read a book in which a character gets remarried
Lady Susan - Jane Austen - 3/5/22

Great job, Olivermagnus!

Finished!

A Tribute to Sir Sean Connery
Duration: March 1, 2022 - March 31, 2022

Choose as many tasks as you wish and tasks can be used more than once
Participation Badge is awarded for this challenge

Tasks: 7/10

Tasks:

1. Read a book that features a teenaged MC.
The Good Girls: An Ordinary Killing - Sonia Faleiro - 03/27/22 - Padma and Lalli

3. Read a book that features someone returning to their hometown.
Empty World - Zach Bohannon - 03/24/22 - Shell Langford returns to Yazoo City

4. Read a book in which a character defends him- or herself (tell us briefly about the situation)
Sign Off - Patricia McLinn - 03/05/22 - E.M. Danniher defends herself from the murderer with a camera.

6. Read a book in which a character has to grow on you (tell us which one).
Piszkos Fred közbelép Fülig Jimmy őszinte sajnálatára Albatrosz könyvek - Jenő Rejtő - 03/22/22 - Piszkos Fred

7. Read a book in which a character hates his job (which job?).
Beautiful World, Where Are You - Sally Rooney - 03/12/22 - Felix hates his job in a warehouse.

8. Read a book that features a mentor (tell us who he or she mentored).
The Midnight Library - Matt Haig - 03/28/22 - Mrs. Elm mentored Nora in the Midnight Library

9. Read a book that has won an award (tell us which award).
Where the Wild Ladies Are - Aoko Matsuda - 03/03/22 - World Fantasy Award, Best Collection (2021)

Great job, Ferenc!

FINISHED WITH 7

A Tribute to Sir Sean Connery
Duration: One month from the start date.

MARCH 1 - MARCH 31, 2022

7/7

Choose as many tasks as you wish and tasks can be used more than once
Participation Badge is awarded for this challenge

TASKS:

1. 🍀Read a book whose MC’s parents were working-class folks
Body Over Troubled Waters - Denise Swanson 03/30/22

OR a book that features brothers
OR a book that features a teenaged MC.

2. Read a book that features a character who is a jack (or jill) of all trades
OR with an MC medically discharged from the military (which condition?)
🍀OR with a character proud to serve his or her country (which country and which branch of service?)
1. Book, Line and Sinker - Jenn McKinlay 03/06/22 Sully served as a Navy Seal


3. Read a book that features stage plays of some sort (which play or ballet, etc., was featured?)
OR in which an MC gets promoted (who?)
🍀OR features someone returning to their hometown.
Statue of Limitations - Kate Collins 03/08/22


4. Read a book that features gangsters
🍀OR in which a character defends him- or herself (tell us briefly about the situation)
Crochet and Cauldrons - Nancy Warren 03/03/22 Lucy must defend herself against the demon that wants to kill her.

OR in which the MC transitions from one job to a related one (ex.: from theater to movies)

5. Read a book in which a character is overlooked in some way (tell us briefly how)
🍀OR in which a leading man is called “tall,” “dark,” or “handsome” (share the sentence)
1. Fashion, Rosé & Foul Play - Gemma Halliday 03/14/22 pg. 231 "Tall, dark, handsome, carries a gun, and likes to arrest people."

OR that features a character with a last name that has an apostrophe (tell the name).

6. Read a James Bond book by Ian Fleming
OR a book that takes place in the Highlands of Scotland
OR in which a character has to grow on you (tell us which one).

7. Read a book with one of these words in the title: Dr. (or Doctor), Russia, Gold, Thunder, Live, Forever, or Never
OR in which a character hates his job (which job?)
OR🍀 in which a character’s friend offers emotional support in some way (briefly explain)
1. The Rocky Road to Ruin - Meri Allen 03/11/22 Riley returns to her small town when her best friend’s (Caroline) mother passes away.


The Untouchables (mentor to Kevin Costner’s Eliot Ness), Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (mentor and father to Harrison Ford’s Indiana Jones), Finding Forrester (mentor to Rob Brown’s Jamal Wallace), and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (mentor to Shane West’s Tom Sawyer).

8. Read a book that features a mentor (tell us who he or she mentored)
OR that features a character with a name mentioned in the above paragraph
OR a character who retires (or is already retired).

9. Read a book that has won an award (tell us which award)
OR that has a queen or knight character
OR in which a character wins an award for their work (briefly explain).

10. Read a book in which a character gets remarried
🍀1. Cajun Kiss of Death - Ellen Byron 03/17/22 Bo Durand

OR in which a character is a stepfather
OR in which a character dies peacefully (briefly explain, using a spoiler tag).

Great job, Shelly!

Done on post #39

4/1 -4/30/22

Read 9/10 books DONE!


1. Read a book whose MC’s parents were working-class folks
OR a book that features brothers
Iron & Fire by Kerrin Willis 4/17/22 4.5stars (Verity's stepdad is a farmer; she has stepbrothers)

2. Read a book that features a character who is a jack (or jill) of all trades
OR with an MC medically discharged from the military (which condition?)
OR with a character proud to serve his or her country (which country and which branch of service?)

3. Read a book that features someone returning to their hometown.
Toy for the Teachers: A Contemporary Reverse Harem Romance (Forbidden Fantasies #2) by Sofia T Summers 4/21/22 4stars (Millie returns from a year in Ireland to Chicago)

4. Read a book in which a character defends him- or herself (tell us briefly about the situation)
Paws of Death - Book 3 of 3 in the Canine Confections series: A Dog Bakery Cafe Cozy Mystery (A Canine Confections Mystery) by Amy Hueston 4/16/22 3.5stars (Samantha defends herself several times when hurt during a murder investigation she's working to solve as an amateur sleuth)

5. Read a book in which a leading man is called “tall,” “dark,” or “handsome” (share the sentence)
(Alessandro - Kindle location 230 - Maybe there would be a silver lining, after all, she thought taking a lingering glance at her handsome companion.)
Crazy For You by Mollie Mathews 4/2/2022 4stars

6. Read a book in which a character has to grow on you (tell us which one).
Halloween Hex Appeal (English Village Witch #3) by Rosie Reed 4/23/22 4stars (Detective Inspector Taylor - often gruff)

7. Read a book in which a character’s friend offers emotional support in some way (briefly explain)
Lady Odelia's Secret (Scott-De Quincy Mysteries #2) by Jane Steen 4/8/22 4.5stars (Dr. Fortier to Helena when her sister is missing then found injured)

8. Read a book that features a mentor (tell us who he or she mentored)
Go Hex Yourself (The Hex series #1) by Jessica Clare 4/12/22 3stars (Ben and Dru mentor Reggie in the world of magic)

9. Read a book that has a queen character
The Sweetness of Forgetting by Kristin Harmel 4/26/22 4.5stars (Queen/princesses in fairy tales told by Rose to granddaughter and great granddaughter that are based on her life; references to the Statue of Liberty)

10. Read a book in which a character dies peacefully (briefly explain, using a spoiler tag).
Dessert at The Beach House Hotel (Beach House Hotel #6) by Judith S. Keim 4/15/22 4.5stars (Katherine of cancer - Kindle location 2603 - "A Hospice nurse was there when I called.")

Good job JoAnne.

Great work, JoAnne!

Finished!

Progress: 10 out of 10

Sir Sean Connery was one of my favorite actors (still is, actually). I grew up watching him in Medicine Man and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, but he was perhaps best known for his role as the original “Bond, James Bond” in the prolific 007 franchise.

A Tribute to Sir Sean Connery
Duration: One month from the start date.

Choose as many tasks as you wish and tasks can be used more than once
Participation Badge is awarded for this challenge

Tasks:

1. Sir Sean Connery was born Thomas Sean Connery in Edinburgh, Scotland, on August 25, 1930. His parents were of the working class. His mom, Euphemia McBain “Effie” McLean, was a cleaning woman, and his dad, Joseph Connery, was a lorry driver and factory worker. Sean had a younger brother named Neil. Sean was called Tommy in his youth and, after a huge growth spurt that started at age 12 and ended at his full height of 6’ 2” at age 18, was nicknamed Big Tam during his teen years.

Read a book whose MC’s parents were working-class folks
OR a book that features brothers
OR a book that features a teenaged MC:
Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult - ***** - 3/16/2022 - 440 Pages



2. Sean’s first job was as a milkman with the St. Cuthbert’s Co-operative Society, but when he was 16 in 1946, he joined the Royal Navy. During his service, he got two tattoos, one to honor family (“Mum and Dad”) and the other to honor country (“Scotland Forever”). With a rank of Able Seaman, he was assigned to the HMS Formidable, but at age 19, he was medically discharged due to a duodenal ulcer. This condition was hereditary, as many of his male ancestors were also affected by it. He returned to the co-op and followed in his father’s footsteps as a lorry driver. However, he became a jack of all trades, taking up many jobs, a few of which were lifeguard, laborer, an artist’s model, and a coffin polisher.

Read a book that features a character who is a jack (or jill) of all trades
A High-End Finish by Kate Carlisle - *** - 3/8/2022 - 311 Pages
OR with an MC medically discharged from the military (which condition?)
OR with a character proud to serve his or her country (which country and which branch of service?)



3. Though he was a pretty good footballer (that’s soccer, to Americans) and once received a professional contract worth £25 a week, he declined the opportunity because he “realised that a top-class footballer could be over the hill by the age of 30, and [he was] already 23.” Instead, he chose to become an actor and later recalled that to be “one of [his] more intelligent moves.” Late in 1951, he began working backstage at King’s Theatre in London, and he landed his first small chorus boy role in a production of South Pacific in 1953. The production traveled to his hometown of Edinburgh, Scotland, and by that time, he’d worked his way up the ranks to the role of Marine Corporal Hamilton Steeves while also understudying two juvenile leads. The following year, the production returned, and with it, Mr. Connery received a promotion to the featured role of Lieutenant Buzz Adams.

Read a book that features stage plays of some sort (which play or ballet, etc., was featured?)
Ghost of a Chance by Yasmine Galenorn - ***** - 3/7/2022 - 354 Pages - A play called Obsidian



4. Shifting from theater to roles as extras to bit parts in TV series and films, Sean Connery kept learning all he could about acting and made connections with actors from around the world. Connery gained a reputation for defending himself in two different incidents. The first came in Edinburgh, where he was targeted by one of the most violent gangs in the city, the Valdor gang. He stopped them from stealing his jacket and bashed their heads together, which garnered great respect from the gang. This incident also earned him the reputation of being a “hard man.” The second came in London when Lana Turner’s possessive gangster boyfriend, Johnny Stompanato, thought Connery and Turner were having an affair (they were not). Stompanato came onto the set and aimed a gun at Connery, who disarmed the man and knocked him onto his backside. Stompanato was banned from the set and escorted to the airport by Scotland Yard detectives, and Sean Connery had to lay low for a while, because he received threats from the gang boss Mickey Cohen as retaliation for upstaging his goon.

OR in which a character defends him- or herself (tell us briefly about the situation)
Curse on the Land by Faith Hunter - ***** - 3/8/2022 - 328 Pages - Gets into a fight at a crime scene



5. One of Sean Connery’s first leading roles was in Walt Disney’s Darby O’Gill and the Little People in 1959, which was set in Ireland. Once the film released, a New York Times reporter by the name of A. H. Weiler described Sean Connery as “merely tall, dark, and handsome.” However, Weiler praised the rest of the cast.

Read a book in which a character is overlooked in some way (tell us briefly how)
Furious Love: Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and the Marriage of the Century by Sam Kashner - ***** - 3/11/2022 - 500 Pages - Elizabeth always over shadowed Richard in public
OR in which a leading man is called “tall,” “dark,” or “handsome” (share the sentence)
OR that features a character with a last name that has an apostrophe (tell the name).



6. The breakthrough role that catapulted Sean Connery’s career was as British secret agent James Bond. While he was reluctant to sign on for a movie series, he realized that if it went over well, his career would strengthen. He decided to take the role, even though he wasn’t what Bond’s creator, Ian Fleming, “envisioned of James Bond looks.” He further said that the muscular, 6’ 2” Scot was “unrefined.” After a successful premiere of Dr. No, Fleming was impressed with Connery’s portrayal of James Bond. He chose to incorporate some of Connery’s own heritage into Bond in future novels, so Bond’s father was stated to be from Glencoe in Scotland’s Highlands in the 1964 book You Only Live Twice.

Read a James Bond book by Ian Fleming
OR a book that takes place in the Highlands of Scotland
OR in which a character has to grow on you (tell us which one).
Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren - **** - 3/27/2022 - 160 Pages - Pippi has to grow on you



7. Sean Connery’s stint as 007 is the longest one on record at seven films.

Read a book with one of these words in the title: Dr. (or Doctor), Russia, Gold, Thunder, Live, Forever, or Never
OR in which a character hates his job (which job?)
OR in which a character’s friend offers emotional support in some way (briefly explain)
Untamed by Glennon Doyle - **** - 3/9/2022 - 333 Pages - Friend told her to "Be Still and Know"



8. Sean Connery appeared in over ninety films and TV shows, covering a broad range of characters throughout his seven-decade career. In the latter half of his film career, he often portrayed mentors to younger leads. Some of these titles included The Untouchables (mentor to Kevin Costner’s Eliot Ness), Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (mentor and father to Harrison Ford’s Indiana Jones), Finding Forrester (mentor to Rob Brown’s Jamal Wallace), and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (mentor to Shane West’s Tom Sawyer). Before his retirement, as his final homage to the role that jump started his prolific career, Sean Connery agreed to do the voiceover and provide his likeness for the From Russia with Love video game, something for which he was happy the producers asked him about.

Read a book that features a mentor (tell us who he or she mentored)
OR that features a character with a name mentioned in the above paragraph
OR a character who retires (or is already retired):
Gimme Some Sugar by Molly Harper - ***** - 3/10/2022 - 304 Pages



9. Sean Connery was always proud to be from Scotland, and he occasionally wore a traditional tartan kilt to certain public events. His brogue was thick and, in combination with his dashing good looks, helped endear him to fans throughout the years. Beyond that, his talent and variety of roles led to his receiving many awards and honors. He won an Academy Award for his performance in The Untouchables, a British Academy Film Award for his performance in The Name of the Rose, and Golden Globes for “World Film Favorite – Male” and The Untouchables. He also received the BAFTA Fellowship and Cecil B. DeMille Awards as well as the AFI Lifetime Achievement Award, among other honors. Perhaps the highest honor he received was a knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II, which dubbed him Sir Sean Connery.

Read a book that has won an award (tell us which award):
Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann - ***** - 3/2/2022 - 338 Pages - Anthony Award for Best Critical/NonFiction Work (2018)



10. Sir Sean Connery was married to actress Diane Cilento for nearly twelve years, and they had one son, Jason Connery. After their divorce, Connery remarried, this time to French-Moroccan painter Micheline Roquebrune. They had no children together, but they did raise her three children from a previous marriage as well as Sean’s son. Sean and Micheline remained married for the rest of his life. Leading up to his death, Sir Sean Connery suffered from dementia, which his wife said “took its toll on him.” Surrounded by family at his home in Nassau, Bahamas, the proud Scot died in his sleep on October 31, 2020, at the age of 90, from atrial fibrillation and pneumonia-triggered respiratory failure.

Read a book in which a character gets remarried
OR in which a character is a stepfather
My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman - ***** - 3/29/2022 - 372 Pages
OR in which a character dies peacefully (briefly explain, using a spoiler tag).