2025 Reading Challenge discussion
ARCHIVE: Quarterly Challenges
>
Q3 - Miles of Smiles

Welcome to this quarterly challenge and thank you to the Mods for choosing my challenge 🤓.
When posting your progress, please include your original message number plus the current progress e.g. Update to msg 18: 3/5 books read. Please don't delete your original post - just send me a message if you decide to drop out. Thanks.
🗺️ A bonus element to your challenge could be to calculate how far you travel. With every book you read, choose the country and calculate how many miles/kilometres there are between that point and the previous point (book). You can use this tracker to work out your journey: https://www.freemaptools.com/how-far-... or this tracker suggested by Karin: https://www.mapdevelopers.com/distanc...
Updated 2 October up to message 91
💼 DEPARTURE LOUNGE (signed up) [4]
Anissa (msg 12) 0/2
Cindy III (msg 53) 0/4
Lindsey (msg 13) 0/20
Suzanne (msg 25) 0/20
✈️ TRAVELLING (in progress) [5]
Amy (msg 16) 9/10
Christene Paula (msg 7) 13/20
Greg (msg 34) 3/10
Kaylene (msg 10) 2/5
Kelly (msg 36) 1/8
🏝️YOU HAVE REACHED YOUR DESTINATION (completed challenges) [10]
Allie (msg 15) 22/15
Almeta (msg 6) 29/20
Carmen (msg 4) 53/50
Karin (msg 9) 6/5
Kristina (msg 8) 10/10
oshizu (msg 20) 15/15
Rachael (msg 3) 12/12
Sarah (msg 11) 20/20
Sunny (msg 5) 3/3
TerryJane (msg 14) 39/30

Planned voyage:
(Key: 📍 = setting of book, ✏️ = author's birthplace)
🇳🇱 Netherlands:
🇸🇪 Sweden:
🇳🇴 Norway:
🇦🇺 Australia:
🇮🇪 Ireland:
🇨🇦 Canada:
🇺🇲 United States:
🇬🇧 United Kingdom (2 books max):
🇫🇷 France:
COMPLETED: 12/12
1. Maids of Misfortune finished 9 July, ⭐⭐⭐⭐
2. Anglesey Blue finished 13 July, ⭐⭐⭐⭐
3. Raising Hell finished 15 July, ⭐⭐⭐⭐ with review
4. Hooked finished 21 July, ⭐⭐⭐ with review
5. Doomsday Book finished 31 July, ⭐⭐⭐⭐
6. The Ink Readers of Doi Saket finished 8 August, ⭐⭐⭐ with review
7. Lord Arthur Savile's Crime finished 15 August, ⭐⭐⭐⭐
8. The Midnight Club finished 28 August, ⭐⭐⭐ with review
9. The Ragwitch finished 2 September, ⭐⭐⭐⭐
10. Triflers Need Not Apply finished 14 September, ⭐⭐⭐⭐ with review
11. The Court of Miracles finished 19 September, ⭐⭐⭐⭐ with review
12. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo finished 28 September, ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Journey: HOME (UK) ➡️ San Francisco (USA) ➡️ Anglesey (UK) ➡️ London (UK) ➡️ Montreal (Canada) ➡️ Denver (USA) ➡️ Nijmegen (Netherlands) ➡️ Dublin (Ireland) ➡️ New York (USA) ➡️ Melbourne (Australia) ➡️ Trondheim (Norway) ➡️ Paris (France) ➡️ Stockholm (Sweden)
62,187 miles

Count me in, please 😊
https://www.freemaptools.com/how-far-...
PROGRESS: 53/50
DISTANCE AS THE CROW FLIES: 337,630.161 km / 209,793.655 miles
1. A Coruña (Spain) - Florida (USA): 6558.599 Km/4075.325 miles
2. Toronto - Ontario (Canada) : 1688.258 + 866.135 Km/ 1049.035 + 538.191 miles
3. Manhattan (USA): 1386.861 Km/ 861.755 miles
4. London (UK): 5561.593 Km/3455.814 miles
5. Wyoming (USA): 7389.370 Km/4591.542 miles
6. Illinois (USA): 1542.630 km/958.546 miles
7. Alabama (USA): 793.057 km/ 492.783 miles
8. London (UK): 6967.738 km/ 4329.552 miles
9. Sussex (UK): 53.403 Km/ 33.183 miles
10. London (UK): 53.403 Km/ 33.183 miles
11. Massachusetts (USA): 5326.538 Km / 3309.757 miles
12. Seattle (USA): 3927.169 Km/ 2440.230 miles
13. Savannah (USA): 3863.269 Km/ 2400.524 miles
14. London (UK): 6684.376 km/ 4153.479 miles
15. Savannah (USA): 6684.376 km/ 4153.479 miles
16. Philadelphia (USA): 1026.775 km / 638.008 miles
17. London (UK): 5699.411 km/ 3541.450 miles
18. Brno (Czechia): 1212.329 km/ 753.306 miles
19. London (UK): 1212.329 km/ 753.306 miles
20. Nevada (USA): 8185.310 km / 5086.116 miles
21. Maine (USA): 3926.948 Km/ 2440.092 miles
22. Tennessee-Massachusetts-New Hampshire-New York-Ohio-New York-Michigan (USA): 1429.785+126.750+364.131+736.099+736.099+936.575 Km
23. New Orleans (USA): 1590.506 km/988.294 miles
24. Austrian Alps (Austria): 8396.770 km / 5217.511miles
25. Texas-Washington DC-Kentucky-Ohio-Missouri-Iowa (USA): 2126.361+723.885+364.070+862.241+357.195 km
26. Scotland (UK): 6184.447 km/ 3842.837 miles
27. Fjällbacka (Sweden): 934.680km/ 580.783 miles
28. Kent (UK): 1061.158 km / 659.373 miles
29. Detroit (USA): 6103.155km / 3792.325 miles
30. Donaueschingen-Ulm-Regensburg-Passau (Germany)-Linz- Vienna-Hainburg an der Donau (Austria): 6768.398+121.512+169.162+111.435+67.818+154.822+42.797 Km
31. Helsinki-Nordkapp-Malmö-Walsrode-Freiburg-Colmar-Zurich-Lucerna-Geneva-Lyon-Le Perthus (Finland-Norway-Sweden-Germany-Switzerland-France): 1432.063+1223.939+1834.904+376.954+554.895+37.648+118.088+40.170+189.945+112.931+398.447 = 6,319.984km
/3,927.056 miles
32. Louisiana (USA): 8035.664 km/4993.130 miles
33. Gibraltar-Jerusalem-London-Gibraltar (UK-Israel): 7668.868+3746.091+3609.590+1759.341= 16,783.89km
34. Trondhein-Trøndelag-Oslo (Norway): 3218.835+50.676+441.700 = 3,711.211 km
35. Key West-Miami-Key West (USA): 7798.986+208.305+208.305 = 8,215.596 km
36. Toulouse (France): 7630.237 km
37. Devon (UK): 841.095 km
38. Oslo-Sydney-Brisbane-Nimbin-Sydney (Australia): 1,393.740+15,949.027+732.533+126.619+616.799 = 18,818.718 km
39. Lerwick (Scotland/UK): 16,472.699 km/10,235.661 miles
40. Santa Cruz (USA)-Auckland (New Zealand): 7,939.178+10,478.104 km = 18,417.282 km
41. Copenaghen (Denmark)-Frankfurt-Berlin (Germany)-Copenaghen: 17,528.503+672.350+422.459+356.449 = 18,979,761 km
42. Reykjavik (Iceland): 2,104.208 km / 1,307.494 miles
43. London-Brighton-London (UK)-Paris (France)-Lausanne (Switzerland)-London-Dover (UK)-Boulogne (France)-Dover-London (UK): 1,889.605+74.320+74.320+342.135+414.273+741.225+108.051+49.590+49.590+108.051= 2,851.16 km
44. Carricklea-Dublin (Ireland)-Lund (Sweden)-Carricklea-Dublin (Ireland)= 714.441+262,384+1,277.705+1,523.578+262.384 =
4,040.492 km
45. London (UK)-Geneve (Switzerland): 714.441+746.893= 1,461,334 km
46. Quantico-Miami-Galveston-New Orleans (USA): 6,586.921+1,443.399+1,490.761+461.935 = 9,983.016 km
47. Los Angeles (USA)-London-Liskeard-London (UK): 2,685.014+8,755.015+325.305+325.305 = 12,090.639 km
48. Antwerp (Belgium)-Berlin (Germany)-Geneva (Switzerland)-London (UK)-Massachusetts (USA): 315.859+633.293+875.516+746.893+5898.877 = 8470.438 Km
49. Marseille (France)-Neuchatel-Geneve (Switzerland)-Hamburg (Germany)-Vienna (Austria)-Neuchatel (Switzerland)-Liverpool (UK): 6631.880+428.465+106.061+862.167+742.770+720.387+1002.146 = 10,493.876 km
50. Gravillac-Nantes-Rennes-Pipriac-Fougeray-Rédon-Nantes-Paris (France): 980.728+302.484+99.706+39.036+248.018+256.413+62.46+340.845 = 2,329.69 km
51. Muskoka (Canada): 5,901.932km
52. London-Dover (UK)-Bruges (Belgium)-Luxembourg: 5626.098+108.051+133.737+271.959 = 6,139.845 km
53. Amsterdam-The Hague-Amsterdam-Willemstad (Curaçao)--Schiermonikoog-Amsterdam-Schiermonikoog (The Netherlands): 319.286+51.244+51.244+7847.469+7942.982+149.423+149.423 = 16,511.071 km
The world's happiest countries, 2022 edition:
❎1. Finland: Delicioso suicidio en grupo (Helsinki-Nordkapp-Malmö-Walsrode-Freiburg-Colmar-Zurich-Lucerna-Geneva-Lyon-Le Perthus)📍
❎2. Denmark: Victim 2117 (Copenaghen-Frankfurt-Berlin-Copenaghen)📍
❎3. Iceland: La mujer de verde (Reykjavick)📍
❎4. Switzerland: Hotel du Lac (London-Geneva)📍La madre de Frankenstein (Marseille-Neuchatel-Geneva-Hamburg-Vienna-Neuchatel-Liverpool)📍
❎5. Netherlands: Tumbleweed (Amsterdam-The Hague-Amsterdam-Willemstad (Curaçao)-Schiermonnikoog-Amsterdam-Schiermonikoog)📍
❎6. Luxembourg: Whisper of Doubt (London-Dover-Bruges-Luxembourg)📍
❎7. Sweden: Los gritos del pasado (Fjällbacka)📍
❎8. Norway: I'm Traveling Alone (Trondheim-Trøndelag-Oslo)📍
❎9. Israel: Sira (Gibraltar-Jerusalem-London-Gibraltar)📍
❎10. New Zealand: When We Believed in Mermaids (Santa Cruz-Auckland)📍
❎11. Austria: The Wall (Austrian Alps/Innsbruck)📍
❎12. Australia: The Bat(Oslo-Sydney-Brisbane-Nimbin)📍
❎13. Ireland: Normal People (Carricklea-Dublin-Lund)📍
❎14. Germany: Blue River, Black Sea (Donaueschingen-Ulm-Regensburg-Passau (Germany)-Linz- Vienna-Hainburg an der Donau (Austria)📍
❎15. Canada: The Summer Tree (Toronto-Ontario)📍The Blue Castle (Muskoka)📍
❎16. United States: The Red Diary (Florida, Keys)📍Coming Up Roses (Manhattan)📍Outlawed (Wyoming)📍Dandelion Wine (Illinois)📍The Vincent Boys (Alabama) 📍Ethan Frome (Massachusetts)📍See Jane Score (Seattle)📍Strawberry Crunch & Murder (Savannah)📍Save the Date (Savannah)📍Summer Desserts (Philadelphia)📍Imperfect Chemistry (Nevada)📍Hell House (Maine)📍Ransom (Tennessee, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, New York, Michigan)📍A Confederacy of Dunces (New Orleans)📍One Grave at a Time (Texas, Washington dc, Kentucky, Ohio, Missouri, Iowa)📍Lethal Bayou Beauty (Louisiana)📍The Devil in Disguise (Key West-Miami)📍La cara norte del corazón (Virginia, Florida, Texas, Louisiana)📍Lord of Shadows (Los Angeles-California)📍
❎17. United Kingdom: Ruby Red (London)📍Firelight (London)📍Reckless (Sussex)📍The Pale Horse (London)📍The Daughter of Time (London)📍The Viscount Who Loved Me (London)📍Clutch of Constables (Norfolk)📍When a Scot Ties the Knot Bonus Epilogue (Scotland)📍The Thursday Murder Club (Kent)📍Ordeal by Innocence (Devon)📍Raven Black (Lerwick)📍Travels with My Aunt (London-Brighton-London-Paris-Lausanne-London-Dover-Boulogne-Dover-London)📍
❎18. Czechia (Czech Republic): Gerta (Brno)📍
❎19. Belgium: Los pacientes del doctor García (Antwerp-Berlin-Geneva-London-Massachusetts)📍
❎20. France: Inés y la alegría (Toulouse)📍Scaramouche (Gravillac-Nantes-Rennes-Pipriac-Fougeray-Rédon-Nantes-Paris)📍

📕Canada The Brutal Telling
📕United States A Ticket to the Boneyard
📕United Kingdom Hidden Depths
Progress: 3/3
Completed!

Duration: July 1 - Sept. 30, 2022
MILES OF SMILES https://www.freemaptools.com/how-far-...
I'm hoping to travel to 20 of the world's happiest countries in 3 months.
Update Message 6
29/20
16. United States
✔️The Seventh Plague written by Chicago born James Rollins 3 Jul15. Canada
Set in Pitcherville, New Brunswick ✔️A Pint of Murder 5 Sep
✔️Letters to Amelia Newfoundland 5 Sep

3. Iceland
✔️Jar City written by Reykjavík born Arnaldur Indriðason 16 Sep8. Norway
Set in Norway ✔️Out Stealing Horses by Oslo born Per Petterson 25 Sep1. Finland
✔️The Bell in the Lake by Fåvang, Norway born Lars Mytting 30 Aug
✔️The Core of the Sun written by Sodankylä born Johanna Sinisalo 20 Sep2. Denmark
✔️Smilla's Sense of Snow written by Copenhagen born Peter Høeg 26 Sep14. Germany
✔️The Elephant Keepers' Children written by Copenhagen born Peter Høeg 19 SepThe Shadow Murders Dept Q written by Copenhagen born Jussi Adler-Olsen
Set in Berlin ✔️Smiley's People 20 Sep18. Czechia (Czech Republic)
✔️Set in Prague Too Loud a Solitude by Brno born Bohumil Hrabal 3 Jul11. Austria
Set in Vienna ✔️The Painted Kiss 26 Jul4. Switzerland
Set in Switzerland ✔️Hotel Du Lac 20 Sep20. France
✔️Set in Paris The Paris Apartment 20 Jul6. Luxembourg
Set in Luxembourg ✔️The Expats 25 Aug19. Belgium
✔️Set in Bruge The Square of Revenge by Bruge born Pieter Aspe 25 Aug5. Netherlands
✔️The Guard 6 Sep
✔️Set in Holland Because of the Cats 26 Aug7. Sweden
✔️Beartown set in Björnstad Sweden 21 Aug17. United Kingdom
✔️The Man Who Smiled set in Sweden by Stockholm's Henning Mankell 26 Aug
✔️Tinker,Tailor,Soldier,Spy by Dorset, England born John le Carré 8 Aug13. Ireland
✔️Strange Case of Dr. Jekyl & Mr. Hyde Set in London, England 15 Jul
9. IsraelSet in Belfast ✔️Mystery Man 6 JulIn Northern Ireland
✔️Jackson's Dilemma by Dublin born Iris Murdoch 7 Sep
✔️ The Sea, the Sea by Dublin born Iris Murdoch 20 Aug
✔️The Red-Haired Archaeologist Digs Israel 9 Sep10. New Zealand
✔️Artists in Crime written by Christchurch born Ngaio Marsh 10 Sep12. Australia
Set in Australia ✔️Wings above the Diamantina 21 Aug
Set in Australia ✔️In the Deep 12 Sep
Set in Australia ✔️Bony and the Kelly Gang 22 Sep

Duration: July 1 - Sept. 30, 2022
13/20
The world's happiest countries, 2022 edition:
1. Finland
2. Denmark
3. Iceland
4. Switzerland
5. Netherlands
6. Luxembourg
7. Sweden
8. Norway
9. Israel
10. New Zealand
11. Austria
12. Australia
📖Uncharted Waters set in coast of Australia
13. Ireland
14. Germany
15. Canada
16. United States
📖 The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James set in Oregon
📖 Under One Roof by Ali Hazelwood set in Washington D,C
📖 The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill set in Boston
📖 Forging Silver into Stars by Brigid Kemmerer mention characters from Washington D.C
📖 The House Across the Lake set in Vermont
📖 Tell No One set in NY
📖 Love on the Brain set in Massachusetts
📖 Pumpkinheads set in Nebraska
📖 The Plot set in Vermont
17. United Kingdom
📖 Daisy Darker mention London
📖 The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes set in London
18. Czechia (Czech Republic)
19. Belgium
20. France
📖 The Paris Apartment set in Paris








July - September
Progress: 10/10
Sign me up for 10, please!
😊 GERMANY
✅ 1. The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka
😊 UNITED STATES
✅ 1. Beloved by Toni Morrison
✅ 2. The Underground Railroad by Coulson Whitehead
😊 UNITED KINGDOM
✅ 1. The Word Is Murder by Anthony Horowitz
✅ 2. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie
✅ 3. A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik
😊 IRELAND
✅ 1. The Guest List by Lucy Foley
😊 NETHERLANDS
✅1. The Fall by Albert Camus
😊 FRANCE
✅ 1. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
✅ 2. The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley

Welcome to this quarterly challenge and thank you to the Mods for choosing my challenge 🤓.
When posting your progress, please include your original message..."
I'm in, even though some of these countries have high rates of alcoholism because of the criteria.
My initial goal is 3, but this may go up.
changing goal to 5 for now.
6/5
✈️ distance travelled so far: Nevada, US to UK - to British Columbia, Canada to Paris, France miles to the Netherlands 13,926.99
Order of reading them:
1. United States - Nevada -Shopaholic to the Rescue by Sophie Kinsella (Nevada)
2. United Kingdom - The Warden by Anthony Trollope
3. Canada - British Columbia -Swamp Angel by Ethel Wilson
4. Paris, France All the Flowers in Paris by Sarah Jio
5. The Hiding Place: The Triumphant True Story of Corrie Ten Boom by Corrie ten Boom
6. Black Powder War by Naomi Novik
The world's happiest countries, 2022 edition:
1. Finland
2. Denmark
3. Iceland
4. Switzerland
✈️5. Netherlands The Hiding Place: The Triumphant True Story of Corrie Ten Boom by Corrie ten Boom
6. Luxembourg
7. Sweden
8. Norway
9. Israel
10. New Zealand
11. Austria
12. Australia
13. Ireland
✈️ 14. Germany Black Powder War by Naomi Novik
✈️15. Canada Swamp Angel by Ethel Wilson BRITISH COLUMBIA (the entire book is set in BC :) )
✈️16. United States -Shopaholic to the Rescue by Sophie Kinsella (Nevada)
✈️17. United Kingdom - currently reading The Warden by Anthony Trollope
18. Czechia (Czech Republic)
19. Belgium
✈️20. France All the Flowers in Paris by Sarah Jio

I'm going to shoot for 5 places.
If I need to choose the 5 places now I'll pick my 5 favorite that I've visited or that I'm interested in visiting:
7. Sweden:
9. Israel:
14. Germany:
✔ 16. United States: The Perfect Husband
✔ 17. United Kingdom: Confessions of a Shopaholic
These are subject to change, but we'll go with the above for now.

20/20-COMPLETED
✅1. Finland: As Red as Blood(4/8/22)
✅2. Denmark: The Quiet Girl: A Novel(31/7/22)
✅3. Iceland: The Blue Fox: A Novel(2/7/22)
✅4. Switzerland: The Finishing School(18/8/22)
✅5. Netherlands: The Black Tulip(10/8/22)
✅6. Luxembourg: A Short Time in Luxembourg(18/8/22)
✅7. Sweden: Beautiful Affliction(12/8/22)
✅8. Norway: Ghosts(2/7/22)
✅9. Israel: Annie's Prophecy(25/8/22)
✅10. New Zealand: The Story Of A New Zealand River(23/8/22)
✅11. Austria: The Girl with the Golden Scissors(21/8/22)
✅12. Australia: The Rosie Project(27/8/22)
✅13. Ireland: Angela's Ashes(20/9/22)
✅14. Germany: The Einstein Girl(24/9/22)
✅15. Canada: The Story Girl(14/8/22)
✅16. United States: Writers & Lovers(26/9/22)
✅17. United Kingdom: Coraline(28/7/22)
✅18: Czechia(Czech Republic): The Lost Wife(30/8/22)
✅19: Belgium: The Last Queen(26/8/22)
✅20: France: Madame Tussaud: A Novel of the French Revolution(28/8/22)

Duration: July 1 - Sept. 30, 2022
This sounds very interesting. Please sign me up for 2 books (to start).
Goal: 2 ; Progress: 0/2
1. Finland:
2. Denmark:
3. Iceland:
4. Switzerland:
5. Netherlands:
6. Luxembourg:
7. Sweden:
8. Norway:
9. Israel:
10. New Zealand:
11. Austria:
12. Australia:
13. Ireland:
14. Germany:
15. Canada:
16. United States:
17. United Kingdom:
18. Czechia (Czech Republic):
19. Belgium:
20. France:


Goal: 0/20
For this quarterly challenge, you may select books set in these happy places, or books whose authors claim one of these countries as their birthplace or residence. If you live in one of these countries yourself, you may count only two books from your home country.
The world's happiest countries, 2022 edition:
1. Finland
2. Denmark
3. Iceland
4. Switzerland
5. Netherlands
6. Luxembourg
7. Sweden
8. Norway
9. Israel
10. New Zealand
11. Austria
12. Australia
13. Ireland
14. Germany
15. Canada
16. United States
17. United Kingdom
18. Czechia (Czech Republic)
19. Belgium
20. France

Duration: July 1 - September 30, 2022
Progress: 39/30 -- COMPLETE
2022 World's Happiest Places
1. Finland
😃 The Summer Book - unnamed island
2. Denmark
😃 The Midnight Witness - Copenhagen
3. Iceland
😃 The Girl Who Died - Skalar
4. Switzerland
😃 The Sanatorium - Crans-Montana
5. Netherlands
😃 Girl in the Blue Coat - Amsterdam
6. Luxembourg
😃 The Pleasure of Drowning
7. Sweden
😃 The Girl Who Played with Fire - Stockholm
8. Norway
😃 I Refuse
9. Israel
😃 Walking the Bible: A Journey by Land Through the Five Books of Moses - Jerusalem (start and end of journey through 5 countries)
10. New Zealand
😃 The Last Guests - Auckland
11. Austria
😃 The Kingdom of Back
12. Australia
😃 Crimson Lake - Queensland
😃 Apples Never Fall - Sydney
😃 A Town Like Alice - Queensland
😃 Three Wishes - Sydney
😃 Redemption Point - Queensland
😃 Gone by Midnight
13. Ireland
😃 Ruby Flynn - Doohoma
14. Germany
😃 The Women in the Castle
15. Canada
😃 The Answer Is…: Reflections on My Life - Sudbury
😃 Moral Disorder and Other Stories - Toronto
😃 In the Midst of Winter - Vancouver (also USA, Brazil, Chile, Guatemala)
16. United States
😃 The Merlot Murders - Leesburg, VA
😃 Good Girl, Bad Blood - New Haven, CT (US edition)
17. United Kingdom
😃 Bridget Jones's Diary - London
😃 A Line To Kill - Alderney
😃 The End of Men - Glasgow
😃 The Book of Life - Oxfordshire
😃 One, Two, Buckle My Shoe - Kent
😃 Murder in the Mews
😃 Black Coffee: A Mystery Play in Three Acts
😃 The Whisper Man
😃 Evil Under the Sun
😃 Taken at the Flood
😃 The Hollow
😃 The Clocks
18. Czechia (Czech Republic)
😃 Ignorance
19. Belgium
😃 The Real Hergé: The Inspiration Behind Tintin
20. France
😃 The Paris Connection
🙂😊😄😃 Happy Miles Traveled 😃😄😊🙂
DEPARTURE.........ARRIVAL..........TRIP MILES..........TOTAL MILES
Home to London GBR -- 4,185
London GBR to Queensland AUS -- 9,570 -- 13,755
Queensland AUS to Virginia USA -- 9,658 -- 23,413
Virginia USA to Sydney AUS -- 9,790 -- 33,203
Sydney AUS to Connecticut USA -- 9.985 -- 43,188
Connecticut USA to Alderney GBR -- 3,391 -- 46,579
Alderney GBR to Doohoma IRL -- 446 -- 47,025
Doohoma IRL to Sudbury CAN -- 3,044 -- 50,069
Sudbury CAN to Queensland AUS -- 9,224 -- 59,293
Queensland AUS to Glasgow GBR -- 9,496 -- 68, 789
Glasgow GBR to Toronto CAN -- 3,282 -- 72,071
Toronto CAN to Auckland NZL -- 8,629 -- 80,700
Auckland NZL to Amsterdam NLD -- 11,256 -- 91,956
Amsterdam NLD to Skalar ISL -- 1,176 -- 93,132
Skalar ISL to Crans-Montana CHE -- 1,605 -- 94,737
Crans-Montana CHE to Sydney AUS -- 10,358 -- 105,095
Sydney AUS to Copenhagen DNK -- 9,967 -- 115,062
Copenhagen DNK to Jerusalem ISR -- 1,981 -- 117,043
Jerusalem ISR to (Finland) FIN -- 2,124 -- 119,167
(Finland) FIN to Paris FRA -- 1,274 -- 120,441
Paris FRA to Queensland AUS -- 9,583 -- 130,024
Queensland AUS to Etterbeek BEL -- 9,434 -- 139,458
Etterbeek BEL to Vancouver CAN -- 4,860 -- 144,318
Vancouver CAN to Prague CZE -- 5,126 -- 149,444
Prague CZE to Queensland AUS -- 9,060 -- 158,504
Queensland AUS to Luxembourg LUX -- 9,410 -- 167,914
Luxembourg LUX to Oslo NOR -- 735 -- 168,649
Oslo NOR to Salzburg AUT -- 842 -- 169,491
Salzburg AUT to Stockholm SWE -- 1,323 -- 170,814
Stockholm SWE to Lingenfeld DEU -- 798 -- 171,612
Lingenfeld DEU to Oxfordshire GBR -- 459 -- 172,071
Oxfordshire GRB to Kent GBR -- 85 -- 172,156

Progress 22/15
1. Finland
2. Denmark
✔️3. Iceland
Siglufjordur, Iceland Snowblind
4. Switzerland
5. Netherlands
6. Luxembourg
7. Sweden
8. Norway
9. Israel
10. New Zealand
11. Austria
✔️12. Australia
Queensland Crimson Lake
✔️✔️13. Ireland
Dublin In the Woods
Dublin The Likeness
14. Germany
15. Canada
✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️16. United States
New York The Bonfire of the Vanities
Baltimore Dread Nation
New York Down the River Unto the Sea
Washington DC Upgrade
Connecticut A Good Girl's Guide to Murder
California Dial A for Aunties
Roanoke The Last American Vampire
Nantucket Island The Hotel Nantucket
Bethesda Maryland My Year of Running Dangerously: A Dad, a Daughter, and a Ridiculous Plan
✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️17. United Kingdom
Edinburgh Edinburgh Midnight
London Heartless
London Timeless
The Tiger in the Smoke
The Ink Black Heart
✔️18. Czechia (Czech Republic)
Prague The Unbearable Lightness of Being
19. Belgium
✔️✔️✔️20. France
Paris Portrait of an Unknown Woman
Paris The Paris Librarian
France Code Name Verity
Miles Traveled 54,121
New York to Baltimore 172 miles
Baltimore to New York 172 miles
New York to Washington DC 206 miles
Washington DC to Cairns, Queensland, Australia 9,452 miles
Cairns Queensland to Paris France 9,427 8.4.22
Paris, France to Siglufjordur, Iceland 1,416 miles
Siglufjordur, iceland to Connecticut US 2,681 miles
Connecticut, US to Edinburgh Scotland 3,210 miles
Edinburgh to Dublin Ireland 218 miles
Dublin to California, US 5011 miles
California to Roanoke 2349 miles
Roanoke to London 3726 miles
London to Nantucket 3,276
Nantucket to London 3,276 miles
London to Dublin 288 miles
Dublin to Paris 485 miles
Paris to Prague 548 miles
Prague to Bethesda,Maryland US 4284 miles
Bethesda, Maryland US to France 3894

9/10
The world's happiest countries, 2022 edition:
1. Finland
2. Denmark
3. Iceland
4. Switzerland
5. Netherlands: Fast Girls: A Novel of the 1936 Women's Olympic Team
6. Luxembourg
7. Sweden: Faceless Killers
8. Norway
9. Israel
10. New Zealand
11. Austria
12. Australia
13. Ireland
14. Germany
15. Canada
16. United States-- Bunny; Daisy's Back in Town
17. United Kingdom-- The House Mate (England); The Old Girls' Network (England); The Highland Witch (Scotland); A Murderous Malady
18. Czechia (Czech Republic)
19. Belgium
20. France-- The Paris Wife
Happy Miles Traveled:
https://www.mapdevelopers.com/distanc...
Home to London: 3,324 miles
London to Providence, Rhode Island: 3,308 miles (Total: 6,632 miles)
Providence, Rhode Island to Somerset, England: 3,198 miles (Total: 9,830 miles)
Somerset, England to Lovett, Texas: 4,696 miles (Total: 14, 526 miles)
Lovett, Texas to Paris, France: 4,974 miles (Total: 19,500 miles)
Paris, France to Amsterdam, Netherlands: 268 miles (Total: 19,768 miles)
Amsterdam, Netherlands to Glencoe, Scotland: 499 miles (Total: 20,267 miles)
Glencoe, Scotland to London: 410 miles (Total: 20,677)
London to Ystad, Sweden: 633 miles (Total: 21,310 miles)

[Participants list updated to here]

Welcome to this quarterly challenge and thank you to the Mods for choosing my challenge 🤓.
When posting your progress, please include your original message..."
Another tool, but this might shorten your mileage because it's straight line distance (I haven't compared the two), is https://www.mapdevelopers.com/distanc... which was used for a travel reading game I was in once.

I'm not going to try to visit all the places as I haven't felt much like reading lately. :D
Progress: 15/15
The world's happiest countries, 2022 edition:
1. Finland (1): The Man Who Died
✔️2. Denmark (1): The Silent Women
3. Iceland
4. Switzerland
5. Netherlands
6. Luxembourg
7. Sweden
✔️8. Norway: Blind Goddess
9. Israel
10. New Zealand (3)
✔️The Ringmaster
✔️Containment
✔️The Nursing Home Murder
11. Austria
12. Australia: What Alice Forgot
13. Ireland
14. Germany
15. Canada (2)
✔️Warping Minds & Other Misdemeanors
✔️Druid Vices and a Vodka
*Bury Your Dead
16. United States (2/2 max)
✔️The Wedding Soup Murder
✔️Paw and Order
17. United Kingdom (4)
✔️Dragonfly in Amber (Scotland)
✔️One Good Turn (Scotland)
✔️The Little Stranger
✔️Telling Tales
✔️18. Czechia (Czech Republic): Shadow of Night
19. Belgium
20. France (1)
✔️A Discovery of Witches (Sept-Tours)
*The Vine Witch

Welcome to this quarterly challenge and thank you to the Mods for choosing my challenge 🤓.
When posting your progress, please include your ..."
Thanks for this! Have added it as a resource above the participants list

Travel miles to date: 46,579
12. Australia
😃 Crimson Lake - Queensland
😃 Apples Never Fall - Sydney
16. United States
😃 The Merlot Murders - Virginia
😃 Good Girl, Bad Blood - Connecticut (US edition)
17. United Kingdom
😃 Bridget Jones's Diary - London
😃 A Line To Kill - Alderney

Q3 - Miles of Smiles
Duration: July 1 - Sept. 30, 2022
Progress: 5 out of 5
The annual World Happiness Report is based on Gallup Poll data measuring six criteria -- GDP per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom, generosity, and corruption. In recognition of WHR's tenth anniversary, together with Journeys placing second in our yearly theme poll, we will be taking a trip through 2022's top 20 happiest countries.
https://worldhappiness.report/ed/2022...
For this quarterly challenge, you may select books set in these happy places, or books whose authors claim one of these countries as their birthplace or residence. If you live in one of these countries yourself, you may count only two books from your home country.
Please post a message to let the challenge leader know how many books you plan to read as you pursue miles of smiles. Bon voyage!
The world's happiest countries, 2022 edition:
1. Finland
2. Denmark
3. Iceland
4. Switzerland
5. Netherlands
6. Luxembourg
7. Sweden: Our House Is on Fire: Scenes of a Family and a Planet in Crisis by Malena Ernman - *** - 8/22/2022 - 288 Pages
8. Norway
9. Israel
10. New Zealand
11. Austria
12. Australia
13. Ireland: In the Woods by Tana French - ***** - 7/18/2022 - 429 Pages
14. Germany
15. Canada: The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel - **** - 7/11/2022 - 302 Pages
16. United States: The Guncle by Steven Rowley - ***** - 7/6/2022 - 326 Pages
17. United Kingdom: The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman - ***** - 7/1/2022 - 382 Pages
18. Czechia (Czech Republic)
19. Belgium
20. France






Just wanted to let you know I am on holiday next week. My suitcase is packed with books (obviously!) and I should hopefully be able to check in as often as I have been so far. If not, I will catch up when I'm back on 16 July.
🏖️🏖️🏖️🏖️🏖️

Just wanted to let you know I am on holiday next week. My suitcase is packed with books (obviously!) and I should hopefully be able to check in as often as I h..."
Have a grand holiday!😎

PROGRESS: 1/20
DISTANCE AS THE CROW FLIES: 1095.684 Km/680.826 miles
A Coruña - London

1/8 completed (I am Canadian so only 2 from Canada!)
Canada
A Great Reckoning- 800km from my house to Montreal, Quebec (closest city to where this book it set)

PROGRESS: 2/20
DISTANCE AS THE CROW FLIES: 2,308.329 Km/1,434.132 miles
A Coruña (Home) - London (UK) - Brno (Czechia)

PROGRESS: 3/20
DISTANCE AS THE CROW FLIES: 3,469.305 Km/2,155.529 miles
A Coruña (Spain) - London (UK) - Brno (Czechia) - Norfolk (UK)

United Kingdom
Die Trying by Lee Child.
Although the book is set in the United States, Lee Child is British.
3/10

PROGRESS: 4/20
DISTANCE AS THE CROW FLIES: 4,426.609 Km/2,750.370 miles
A Coruña (Spain) - London (UK) - Brno (Czechia) - Norfolk (UK) - Innsbruck (Austria)

PROGRESS: 5/20
DISTANCE AS THE CROW FLIES: 5,686.778 Km/3,533.403 miles
A Coruña (Spain) - London (UK) - Brno (Czechia) - Norfolk (UK) - Innsbruck (Austria) - Fjällbacka (Sweden)

[message 2 has been updated to here]
Books mentioned in this topic
The Glass Hotel (other topics)In the Woods (other topics)
The Guncle (other topics)
The Thursday Murder Club (other topics)
Our House Is on Fire: Scenes of a Family and a Planet in Crisis (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Tana French (other topics)Emily St. John Mandel (other topics)
Malena Ernman (other topics)
Steven Rowley (other topics)
Richard Osman (other topics)
More...
Duration: July 1 - Sept. 30, 2022
The annual World Happiness Report is based on Gallup Poll data measuring six criteria -- GDP per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom, generosity, and corruption. In recognition of WHR's tenth anniversary, together with Journeys placing second in our yearly theme poll, we will be taking a trip through 2022's top 20 happiest countries.
https://worldhappiness.report/ed/2022...
For this quarterly challenge, you may select books set in these happy places, or books whose authors claim one of these countries as their birthplace or residence. If you live in one of these countries yourself, you may count only two books from your home country.
Please post a message to let the challenge leader know how many books you plan to read as you pursue miles of smiles. Bon voyage!
The world's happiest countries, 2022 edition:
1. Finland
2. Denmark
3. Iceland
4. Switzerland
5. Netherlands
6. Luxembourg
7. Sweden
8. Norway
9. Israel
10. New Zealand
11. Austria
12. Australia
13. Ireland
14. Germany
15. Canada
16. United States
17. United Kingdom
18. Czechia (Czech Republic)
19. Belgium
20. France
Many thanks to Rachael, who suggested Journeys as a yearly theme, and created a World Happiness Report challenge idea. She will also serve as the challenge leader. Much obliged, Rachael!