The Challenge Factory discussion

We are fast approaching the holiday season - a time of joy, family and friends for many but also a very challenging time. It's getting colder. Days are shorter. Not everyone relishes the dark winter months ahead.
This challenge will prompt you to be good to yourself throughout the season whatever your circumstances.

This challenge has nine task sets that are "gentle affirmations" to help you through the day. Each set requires two books to be read. Books should be at least 125 pages long.
Report task completions in your own thread.

Sample completion post:

Book:
Author:
Pages:
Date Read:
Task:
How it fits:

Be good to yourself this season!

Tasks (choose 2)
1. Read a book whose title begins with a letter found in the word HEARD.
2. Read a book where a character is hard of hearing.
3. Read a book with a scene in a kitchen.
4. Read a book where the MC has a pet dog.
5. Read a book set in the American South.

Book: Uncle Tom’s Cabin
Author: Harriet Beecher Stowe
Pages: 438
Date Read: 11-3-2024
Task: 5. Read a book set in the American South.
How it fits: set in the South

Book: Again, Alabama
Author: Susan Sands
Pages: 350
Date Read: 11-6-2024
Task: 1. Read a book whose title begins with a letter found in the word HEARD.
How it fits: title starts with A

Tasks (choose 2)
1. Read a book where the MC has a moment of indecision.
2. Read a book where a character cleans something.
3. Read a book whose author's initials can be found in the word DOUBT.
4. Read a book with a rainbow on the cover.
5. Read a book set in Europe.

Book: Outlander
Author: Diana Gabaldon
Pages: 850
Date Read: 11-8-2024
Task: 5. Read a book set in Europe.
How it fits: set in Europe

Book: 17th Suspect
Author: James Patterson
Pages: 353
Date Read: 11-10-2024
Task: 1. Read a book where the MC has a moment of indecision.
How it fits: MC Lindsey is unsure whether to tell her husband about her health problems and then whether to return to work or not.

Tasks (choose 2)
1. Read a book with a confident MC.
2. Read a book with a bright cover (your interpretation).
3. Read a book with an opinionated character.
4. Read a book that has a celebration of some sort.
5. Read a book set in New England.

Book: The Happy Ever After Playlist
Author: Abby Jimenez
Pages: 353
Date Read: 11-12-2024
Task: 2. Read a book with a bright cover (your interpretation).
How it fits:

Book: The Blind Assassin
Author: Margaret Atwood
Pages: 637
Date Read: 11-21-2024
Task: 4. Read a book that has a celebration of some sort.
How it fits: Page 462; "Some celebration they're having. What are they celebrating? War."

Tasks (choose 2)
1. Read a book where the MC has long hair.
2. Read a book whose title begins with a letter found in the word SPEAK.
3. Read a book a character has to give a speech.
4. Read a book with three 1's in its publication date (January 11, 2020 or March 12 1961 as examples).
5. Read a book set in Canada, Alaska or Greenland.

Book: On the Beach
Author: Nevil Shute
Pages: 312
Date Read: 11-22-2024
Task: 4. Read a book with three 1's in its publication date (January 11, 2020 or March 12 1961 as examples).
How it fits: published 1-1-2001

Book: Dirty Thirty
Author: Janet Evanovich
Pages: 336
Date Read: 11-25-2024
Task: 1. Read a book where the MC has long hair.
How it fits: Page 3; "My hair is brown, naturally curly, and shoulder length."

Tasks (choose 2)
1. Read a book where the author's initials can be found in the word PAUSE.
2. Read a book where the MC is on holiday.
3. Read a book where someone is packing to go somewhere (to move, to go on vacation, to change schools/office, etc.).
4. Read a book set on an island.
5. Read a book set in the Southeast Asia.

Book: The House at the Edge of Night
Author: Catherine Banner
Pages: 419
Date Read: 11-26-2024
Task: 4. Read a book set on an island.
How it fits: set on the island of Castellamare

Book: A House with Good Bones
Author: T. Kingfisher
Pages: 247
Date Read: 12-1-2024
Task: 3. Read a book where someone is packing to go somewhere (to move, to go on vacation, to change schools/office, etc.).
How it fits: packs to go to NC to visit her mother - Page 10; "So instead I’d taken my already packed- up car and driven from Tucson to North Carolina..."

Tasks (choose 2)
1. Read a book with a horse in it.
2. Read a book with a MC under age 20.
3. Read a book with a character who goes running for exercise or competition.
4. Read a book in one weekend (Saturday-Sunday only).
5. Read a book set in Africa.