You'll love this one...!! A book club & more discussion

There will be 6 identified stops within each hike- Start, 4 checkstops, and the Finish. I have written a task for each of them. In between each stop, you will read two additional books that is connected to my task and each other. - Like a chain link fence.

Start - my task
Your choice - connected to start book.
Your choice - connected to your second book.

(reset)

Checkstop 1 - my task
Your choice - connected to checkstop book.
Your choice - connected to the preceding book.

(reset)

Reset means you may break the linked books if you chose. If you are a glutton for punishment, you may connect them all.

Print editions must be at least 175 pages. If reading an ebook, the ebook book must be at least 250 pages. If reading an audiobook, the audiobook must be a minimum of 6 hours long.

If you wish to pursue further badges, there will be 4 additional categories: Pilgrimages, Adventure Hikes, City Tours, and Literature Treks. Each Category has 3 sub categories. Three pilgrimages, three adventure hikes, three city tours, and three treks based on literature.

Each subsequent badge will be awarded after 48 books. You may pick and chose 3 sub categories from the 4 categories. In fact, you could chose one entire category if you prefer.

Badge 1:
Start- Task: Read a book with home, homeward, or homebound in the title. The Long Home (Home in title / Gothic genre)
Connection 1 - A House with Good Bones (Gothic genre / Good in title)
Connection 2 - Really Good, Actually (Good in title)

Checkpoint 1 - Task: Read a book that is the 1st book of a series of 4 (that represents Frodo, Sam, Merry & Pippin). The Way of Kings (1st in series / By Brandon Sanderson)
Connection 1 - Steelheart (By Brandon Sanderson)
Connection 2 - The Sunlit Man (By Brandon Sanderson)

Checkpoint 2 - Task: Read a book with "Sanctuary" or "Valley" in the title, or subtitle. Paradise Valley (Valley in title / Romance genre)
Connection 1 - Assistant to the Villain (Romance genre / Published in 2023)
Connection 2 - The Stranger Upstairs (Published in 2023)

Checkpoint 3 - Task: Read a book with a cover that is 75% black. The Busy Body (75.9% black / Two same first letter words in title)
Connection 1 - Legends & Lattes (Two same first letter words in title)
Connection 2 - Daisy Darker (Two same first letter words in title)

Checkpoint 4 - Task: Read a book with "Iron" in the title. Iron Lake (Iron in title / Author named William)
Connection 1 - The Anabaptist Story (Author named William / Story in title)
Connection 2 - The Story of Everything: How You, Your Pets, and the Swiss Alps Fit into God's Plan for the World (Story in title)

Finish - Task: Read a book that is between 400 and 450 pages. The It Girl (Between 400 and 450 pages)

1. Badge 1, Book 1
2. The Long Home
3. I read the Kindle version, 276 pages.
4. Task: Read a book with home, homeward, or homebound in the title.
5. "Home" is in the title.
6. Connection to next book - both have "gothic" as a mpg.

Looks great Amanda.

1. Badge 1, Book 2
2. A House with Good Bones
3. I read the hardcover, 247 pages.
4. Connection to last book - both have "gothic" as a mpg.

5. Connection to next book - both have "good" in the title.

1. Badge 1, Book 3
2. Really Good, Actually

3. I read the hardcover, 370 pages.
4. Connection to last book - both have "good" in the title.

1. Badge 1, Book 4
2. The Way of Kings

3. I read both the Audible and Kindle versions, 1137 pages.
4. Task: Read a book that is the 1st book of a series of 4 (that represents Frodo, Sam, Merry & Pippin).
5. Book is the first in The Stormlight Archive series, which currently has 4 main books.
6. Connection to next book - both are by Brandon Sanderson.

1. Badge 1, Book 5
2. Steelheart

3. I read the Kindle version, 418 pages.
4. Connection to last book - both are by Brandon Sanderson.
5. Connection to next book - both are by Brandon Sanderson.

1. Badge 1, Book 6
2. The Sunlit Man

3. I read both the Audible and Kindle versions, 447 pages.
4. Connection to last book - both are by Brandon Sanderson.

1. Badge 1, Book 7
2. Paradise Valley

3. I read the Kindle version, 352 pages.
4. Task: Read a book with "Sanctuary" or "Valley" in the title, or subtitle.
5. "Valley" is in the title.
6. Connection to next book - both have "romance" as a mpg.

1. Badge 1, Book 8
2. Assistant to the Villain

3. I read the Kindle version, 418 pages.
4. Connection to last book - both have "romance" as a mpg.
5. Connection to next book - both were first published in 2023.

1. Badge 1, Book 9
2. The Stranger Upstairs

3. I read the hardcover, 278 pages.
4. Connection to last book - both were first published in 2023.

1. Badge 1, Book 10
2. The Busy Body

3. I read the Kindle version, 320 pages.
4. Task: Read a book with a cover that is 75% black.
5. Cover is 75.9% black.
6. Connection to next book - both have two words with the same first letter in the title.

1. Badge 1, Book 11
2. Legends & Lattes

3. I read the paperback, 296 pages.
4. Connection to last book - both have two words with the same first letter in the title.
5. Connection to next book - both have two words with the same first letter in the title.

1. Badge 1, Book 12
2. Daisy Darker

3. I read the Kindle version, 342 pages.
4. Connection to last book - both have two words with the same first letter in the title.

1. Badge 1, Book 13
2. Iron Lake

3. I read the paperback, 328 pages.
4. Task: Read a book with "Iron" in the title.
5. "Iron" is in the title.
6. Connection to next book - both books have authors named William: William Kent Krueger and William Estep.

1. Badge 1, Book 14
2. The Anabaptist Story: An Introduction to Sixteenth-Century Anabaptism

3. I read the paperback, 332 pages.
4. Connection to last book - both books have authors named William.
5. Connection to next book - both books have "Story" in the title.

1. Badge 1, Book 15
2. The Story of Everything: How You, Your Pets, and the Swiss Alps Fit into God's Plan for the World

3. I listened to the Audible version, 7 hours 7 minutes.
4. Connection to last book - both books have "Story" in the title.

1. Badge 1, Book 16
2. The It Girl

3. I read the hardcover, 423 pages.
4. Task: Read a book that is between 400 and 450 pages.
5. Book has 423 pages.

Badge 2:
Tour of Slovania, Croatia, and Bosnia
Start- Task: Read a book with a character or author has the name Mark. Grey Sister (Author named Mark / Sister in title)
Connection 1 - The Winter Sister (Sister in title / Published in 2019)
Connection 2 - The Turn of the Key (Published in 2019)

Checkpoint 1 - Task: Read a book that has a tag of "gothic" on the main book page. Starling House (Gothic genre / Fantasy genre)
Connection 1 - A Fate Inked in Blood (Fantasy genre / 5 word title)
Connection 2 - The Lord Is My Courage: Stepping Through the Shadows of Fear Toward the Voice of Love (5 word title)

Checkpoint 2 - Task: Read a book with a train on the cover. The Mystery of the Blue Train (Train on cover / Mystery in title)
Connection 1 - The Majesty of Mystery: Celebrating the Glory of an Incomprehensible God (Mystery in title / Theology genre)
Connection 2 - Nobody's Mother: Artemis of the Ephesians in Antiquity and the New Testament (Theology genre)

Checkpoint 3 - Task: Read a book where the character goes on holiday to a beach resort. The Resort (Beach resort / Debut novel)
Connection 1 - Shark Heart (Debut novel)
Connection 2 - The Husbands (Debut novel)

Checkpoint 4 - Task: Read a ghost story. "Ghost(s)" must be tagged on the main book page. The Haunting of Maddy Clare (Ghosts on mbp / Historical fiction on mbp)
Connection 1 - The Berry Pickers (Historical fiction on mbp)
Connection 2 - Morgan Is My Name (Historical fiction on mbp)
Finish - Task: Read a book that was made into a movie. One for the Money


El Camino Trail
Start - Task: Read a book that has "King" in the title, or the author is named King. The Woman Who Would Be King: Hatshepsut's Rise to Power in Ancient Egypt (King in title / Woman in title)
Connection 1 - The Woman They Wanted: Shattering the Illusion of the Good Christian Wife (Woman in title)
Connection 2 - The Woman in Me (Woman in title)

Checkpoint 1 - Task: Read a book with "Body" in the title. The Body in the Attic (Body in title / Set in Indiana)
Connection 1 - A Dark and Stormy Murder (Set in Indiana / Mystery genre)
Connection 2 - The Hunting Party (Mystery genre)

Checkpoint 2 - Task: Read a book where a nun is a significant character. Holy Sister (Nun is significant character / Third book in series)
Connection 1 - Oathbringer (Third book in series / Brandon Sanderson)
Connection 2 - Tress of the Emerald Sea (Brandon Sanderson)

Checkpoint 3 - Task: Read a book where the cover is 75% yellow. My Body Is Not a Prayer Request: Disability Justice in the Church (Yellow cover / Prayer in title)
Connection 1 - Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God (Prayer in title/God in subtitle)
Connection 2 - Redeeming Money: How God Reveals and Reorients Our Hearts

Checkpoint 4 - Task: Read a book with a bridge prominently on the cover. Ordinary Grace (Bridge on cover / William Kent Krueger)
Connection 1 - Boundary Waters (William Kent Krueger)
Connection 2 - Purgatory Ridge (William Kent Krueger)

Finish - Task: Read a book with a significant character or author named "James" (Jim, or other derivatives are not allowed). Murder Road

The Jesus Trail
Start - Task: Read a book with a house on the cover. No One Can Know (House on cover / BOTM book)
Connection 1 - The Spectacular (BOTM book)
Connection 2 - First Lie Wins (BOTM book)

Checkpoint 1 - Task: Read a book where a wedding takes place. Well Played (Wedding in book / 2nd book in series)
Connection 1 - The Great Hunt (2nd book in series)
Connection 2 - Words of Radiance (2nd book in series)

Checkpoint 2 - Task: Read a book with a pew, bench, or sofa on the cover. The Beach Street Knitting Society and Yarn Club (Sofa on cover / Theme of knitting)
Connection 1 - A Stitch Before Dying (Theme of knitting)
Connection 2 - Needled to Death (Theme of knitting)

Checkpoint 3 - Task: Read a book with a significant character or author named "Mary". Poppy and Mary Ellen Deliver the Goods (Character named Mary / Proper name in title)
Connection 1 - Finlay Donovan Is Killing It (Proper name in title)
Connection 2 - How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse (Proper name in title)

Checkpoint 4 - Task: Read a book with "Bless", "Blessed", "Blessing" in the title or subtitle. Blessed: Experiencing the Promise of the Book of Revelation (Blessed in title / About the book of Revelation)
Connection 1 - Reading Revelation Responsibly: Uncivil Worship and Witness: Following the Lamb into the New Creation (About the book of Revelation / Initial in author name)
Connection 2 - The Trust (Initial in author name)

Finish - Task: Read a book that has a medical doctor or nurse as the main character. Doctors and Friends

Congrats on finishing the first badge.

The Jesus Trail
1. Badge 2, Book 1
2. No One Can Know

3. I read the hardcover, 336 pages.
4. Task: Read a book with a house on the cover.
5. There is a house on the cover.
6. Connection to next book - Both books are from the Book of the Month Club.

Tour of Slovania, Croatia, and Bosnia
1. Badge 2, Book 2
2. Grey Sister

3. I read the hardcover, 415 pages.
4. Task: Read a book with a character or author has the name Mark.
5. Author's name is Mark Lawrence.
6. Connection to next book - both books have the word "sister" in the title.

Tour of Slovania, Croatia, and Bosnia
1. Badge 2, Book 3
2. The Winter Sister

3. I read the hardcover, 326 pages.
4. Connection to last book - both books have "sister" in the title.
5. Connection to next book - both books were published in 2019.

El Camino Trail
1. Badge 2, Book 4
2. The Woman Who Would Be King: Hatshepsut's Rise to Power in Ancient Egypt

3. I read the Kindle edition, 384 pages.
4. Task: Read a book that has "King" in the title, or the author is named King.
5. "King" is in the title.
6. Connection to next book - both books have "woman" in the title.

El Camino Trail
1. Badge 2, Book 5
2. The Woman They Wanted: Shattering the Illusion of the Good Christian Wife

3. I read the hardcover, 244 pages.
4. Connection to last book - both books have "woman" in the title.
5. Connection to next book - both books have "woman" in the title.

The Jesus Trail
1. Badge 2, Book 6
2. The Spectacular

3. I read the hardcover, 368 pages.
4. Connection to last book - Both books are from the Book of the Month Club.
5. Connection to next book - Both books are from the Book of the Month Club.

El Camino Trail
1. Badge 2, Book 7
2. The Woman in Me

3. I read the Kindle edition, 287 pages.
4. Connection to last book - both books have "woman" in the title.

The Jesus Trail
1. Badge 2, Book 8
2. First Lie Wins

3. I read the hardcover, 352 pages.
4. Connection to last book - Both books are from the Book of the Month Club.

The Jesus Trail
1. Badge 2, Book 9
2. Well Played

3. I read the Kindle version, 332 pages.
4. Task: Read a book where a wedding takes place.
5. There is a wedding in the book.
6. Connection to next book - Both books are second in their series.

Tour of Slovania, Croatia, and Bosnia
1. Badge 2, Book 10
2. The Turn of the Key

3. I read the Kindle version, 356 pages.
4. Connection to last book - both books were published in 2019.

Tour of Slovania, Croatia, and Bosnia
1. Badge 2, Book 11
2. Starling House

3. I read the Kindle version, 312 pages.
4. Task: Read a book that has a tag of "gothic" on the main book page.
5. Book is tagged "gothic" on mbp.
6. Connection to next book - both books are fantasy genre.

The Jesus Trail
1. Badge 2, Book 12
2. The Great Hunt

3. I listened to the audiobook, 26 hrs 34 min.
4. Connection to last book - Both books are second in their series.
5. Connection to next book - Both books are second in their series.

Tour of Slovania, Croatia, and Bosnia
1. Badge 2, Book 13
2. A Fate Inked in Blood

3. I read the hardcover, 414 pages.
4. Connection to last book - both books are fantasy genre.
5. Connection to next book - both books have 5-word titles.

El Camino Trail
1. Badge 2, Book 14
2. The Body in the Attic

3. I read the paperback, 218 pages.
4. Task: Read a book with "Body" in the title.
5. "Body" is in the title.
6. Connection to next book - both books are set in Indiana.

El Camino Trail
1. Badge 2, Book 15
2. A Dark and Stormy Murder

3. I read the Kindle version, 301 pages.
4. Connection to last book - both books are set in Indiana.
5. Connection to next book - both books have "mystery" as a mpg.

Tour of Slovania, Croatia, and Bosnia
1. Badge 2, Book 16
2. The Lord Is My Courage: Stepping Through the Shadows of Fear Toward the Voice of Love

3. I read the Kindle version, 293 pages.
4. Connection to last book - both books have 5-word titles.

El Camino Trail
1. Badge 2, Book 17
2. The Hunting Party

3. I read the hardcover, 327 pages.
4. Connection to last book - both books have "mystery" as a mpg.

El Camino Trail
1. Badge 2, Book 18
2. Holy Sister

3. I read the Kindle edition, 367 pages.
4. Task: Read a book where a nun is a significant character.
5. Almost every character is either a nun or novice nun. The main character becomes a nun halfway through the book, and several significant characters are nuns for the whole book.
6. Connection to next book - both books are the third book in their series.

Finally finished this series! I read the first book in 2020.

I shelved the first book in this series in 2016. It's perhaps time to tackle the series.

Janice wrote: "I shelved the first book in this series in 2016. It's perhaps time to tackle the series."

I really liked it. I hope you enjoy it, too!

Tour of Slovania, Croatia, and Bosnia
1. Badge 2, Book 19
2. The Mystery of the Blue Train

3. I listened to the audiobook, 7 hrs 5 min.
4. Task: Read a book with a train on the cover.
5. There is a train on the cover
6. Connection to next book - both books have the word "mystery" in the title.

The Jesus Trail
1. Badge 2, Book 20
2. Words of Radiance

3. I listened to the audiobook, 48 hrs 13 min.
4. Connection to last book - Both books are second in their series.

Tour of Slovania, Croatia, and Bosnia
1. Badge 2, Book 21
2. The Majesty of Mystery: Celebrating the Glory of an Incomprehensible God

3. I read the Kindle version, 352 pages.
4. Connection to last book - both books have the word "mystery" in the title.
5. Connection to next book - both books have the genre "theology."

Tour of Slovania, Croatia, and Bosnia
1. Badge 2, Book 22
2. Nobody's Mother: Artemis of the Ephesians in Antiquity and the New Testament

3. I read the paperback, 190 pages.
4. Connection to last book - both books have the genre "theology."

This was especially interesting to read after Clytemnestra, with all the references that book made to Artemis.

The Jesus Trail
1. Badge 2, Book 23
2. The Beach Street Knitting Society and Yarn Club

3. I read the Kindle version, 428 pages.
4. Task: Read a book with a pew, bench, or sofa on the cover.
5. There is a couch on the cover.
6. Connection to next book - Both books have a theme of knitting.

The Jesus Trail
1. Badge 2, Book 24
2. A Stitch Before Dying

3. I read the paperback, 288 pages.
4. Connection to last book - Both books have a theme of knitting.
5. Connection to next book - Both books have a theme of knitting.

The Jesus Trail
1. Badge 2, Book 25
2. Needled to Death

3. I read the Kindle version, 260 pages.
4. Connection to last book - Both books have a theme of knitting.

Tour of Slovania, Croatia, and Bosnia
1. Badge 2, Book 26
2. The Resort

3. I read the hardcover, 384 pages.
4. Task: Read a book where the character goes on holiday to a beach resort.
5. One of the two main characters is on vacation at the resort.
6. Connection to next book - both books are debut novels.

The Jesus Trail
1. Badge 2, Book 27
2. Poppy and Mary Ellen Deliver the Goods

3. I read the paperback, 247 pages.
4. Task: Read a book with a significant character or author named "Mary".
5. Book has a main character named "Mary" (and at least two side characters with the same name).
6. Connection to next book - Both books have a proper name in the title.