Duration: 1st January – 31st December 2021
Number of books: 104
Hosted by: Gregory Road

Baker’s Dozen  |  13 books
Choose one category from any 13 of the topics provided except for the wildcard books
Fortnightly  |  26 books
One category from each topic–you can choose one wildcard
52 Pickup  |  52 books
Two categories from each topic–you can choose one wildcard
Goin’ for the Burn  |  78 books
Three categories from each topic–you can choose two wildcards
Freaky Reader  |  104 books
Two books a week–must complete all the topics–you can choose two wildcards

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Who’s in charge?
A book about an empire – Furies of Calderon by Jim Butcher
A book about a social movement – Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi & Yusef Salaam
A book about being a first time parent – Otherhood by William Sutcliffe
A book about a cat – Born Free by Joy Adamson

Make ’em Laugh
A funny comic or graphic novel – Hopcross Jilly by Patricia Briggs
A book about a comedian – This Will Only Hurt a Little by Busy Philipps
A book with a pun in the title – The Peak of Love by Langley Gray
A book with someone laughing on the cover – Say Everything by Langley Gray

Where You Sleep At Night
A book about a hotel
A book with the word “house” in the title – The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende
A book with a cabin on the cover – Wild Man Creek by Robyn Carr
A book about a haunted house

Ways To Die
A book with “poison” in the title
A book with a knife on the cover
A true crime murder story
A book about dealing with suicide – The Little Breton Bistro by Nina George

Occupations
A book about a farmer – Bring Me Home for Christmas by Robyn Carr
A book about a librarian or bookseller
A book written by a college professor – Heart Berries by Terese Marie Mailhot
A book about a scientist – Dr. Strange Beard by Penny Reid (Simone)

Generations
A book about millenials – Kissing Tolstoy by Penny Reid
A book about hippies
A book about baby boomers
A book about flappers

Plaids
A book with a kilt on the cover
A book written by someone from Scotland
A book with a plaid cover
A book with a flannel shirt on the cover – Take Me Home by Inez Kelley

Those Bodies
A book by a celebrity known for body positivity – Rolling with the Punchlines by Urzila Carlson
A book with a picture of an ocean on the cover – The Girl with the Make-Believe Husband by Julia Quinn
A book with a dead body on the cover
A children’s book about body parts

The Tools of Writing
A paperback book – Kiss of Heat by Lora Leigh
A book with a typewriter on the cover
A book with “words” in the title
A book with “deadline” in the title

That Creepy Feeling
A horror story or thriller – The Bone Houses by Emily Lloyd-Jones
A book with an insect on the cover – James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
A book about something that scares you – Anna: A Teenager on the Run by Anna Podgajecki (war, WWI, genocide)
A book with a monster on the cover – Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo

Favorites
A book by your favorite author – The Player and the Pixie by L.H. Cosway & Penny Reid
A book in your favorite genre – One Bite with a Stranger by Christine Warren (paranormal romance)
A book with your favorite color on the cover – Blood Challenge by Eileen Wilks (blue)
A book from a celebrity favorite list – Zlata’s Diary by Zlata Filipovic

Crossing Boundaries
A book about an interracial romance – Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
A book about the immigrant experience – The Bride Test by Helen Hoang
A book about reconciliation – The Switch by Beth O’Leary
A book about cross dressing

Bringing the World into Your Home
A book about hygge, feng shui, or home harmony
A book about taking in a stranger – Dark Lover by J.R. Ward
A book about a culture other than your own – Rebel Hard by Nalini Singh
A book about how radio, television, or the internet has changed us – A Wild Life by Martin Hughes-Games

Things We Don’t Talk About
A book with the word “naked” in the title
A book by a politician – The Truths We Hold by Kamala Harris
A book about oppression – The Fountains of Silence by Ruta Sepetys
A book about terminal illness – When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi

Reflections
A book with a mirror on the cover
A memoir – The Gap by Benjamin Gilmour
A fiction book about reminiscing
A self help book – Things I Wish I’d Known edited by Victoria Young

Swashbuckling
A book with a sword on the cover – Emerald Blaze by Ilona Andrews
A book about pirates – The Other Miss Bridgerton by Julia Quinn
A rollicking adventure story
A book with a map on the cover

Shapes and Colors
A book with a primarily black cover – Soul Deep by Lora Leigh
A book with a shape-shifting character – The Edge of the Moon by Rebecca York
A book with a shape on the cover that reminds you of a Roschach test – Queene of Light by Jennifer L. Armintrout
A book by an author whose name is a color

Picture This
A book with the word “picture” in the title
A book with a photograph on the cover – The Clockwork Scarab by Colleen Gleason
A book by a journalist or news photographer – The Answer to the Riddle is Me by David Stuart MacLean
An illustrated book – The BFG by Roald Dahl

Shh…
A book about secret societies/clubs – Be Mine Tonight by Kathryn Smith
A children’s book about bedtime
A book with the word “secret” in the title – Marry in Secret by Anne Gracie
A book with a peaceful cover – A Night Like This by Julia Quinn

Challenges
A book over 500 pages – Zeroes by Scott Westerfeld, Margo Lanagan & Deborah Biancotti
A book about overcoming obstacles – The Cad and the Co-Ed by L.H. Cosway & Penny Reid
A book you’ve set aside in the past because it was hard to get into – Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward
A book with the word “hard” in the title – Love Hard by Nalini Singh

Drinking Game
A cozy mystery with a beverage in the title
A book with a picture of an alcoholic beverage on the cover
A book title that could be a drinking game – Love Her or Lose Her by Tessa Bailey
A nonfiction book about alcohol

It’s All Relative
A book set in your grandparents’ era
A book with the word “father” in the title
A book you’d share with your child – Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy
A book about an estranged family – Marry in Haste by Anne Gracie

Weather
A book with the word “snow” in the title
A nonfiction book about a weather related disaster
A book with a picture of clear blue sky on the cover – Bad Boys of Summer by Lori Foster, Erin McCarthy & Amy Garvey
A book that comforts you on a rainy day – Beard in Mind by Penny Reid

TBR Burners
A book that had been on your TBR list more than a year – Over Sea, Under Stone by Susan Cooper
A book someone gave to you that you haven’t read yet – The French Gift by Kirsty Manning
Anything you want – Danny the Champion of the World by Roald Dahl
A book you’re excited to read – Beautiful Beast by E.J. Hill

Borrowing
A book with a character from a different book – Happily Ever Ninja by Penny Reid (Fiona from the other Knitting in the City books)
A fairytale or myth retelling in a modern setting
A book written by an author with a pseudonym – Witching Moon by Rebecca York
A book borrowed from the library – Beyond the Dark by Lora Leigh, Angela Knight, Emma Holly & Diane Whiteside

Putting 2020 Behind Us
A book with a crowded cover – The Summer Garden by Sherryl Woods
A book about self care or recovery – Harvest Moon by Robyn Carr
A book set after a major world event (war, weather disaster, etc.) – Lucky Child by Loung Ung (Khmer Rouge & Pol Pot)
A book with the word “better” in the title – Expecting Better by Emily Oster

+++ Wildcards +++
A book by an author under 30
A 2021 release – The Tea Dragon Tapestry by Kay O’Neill
A comic book
A book by two or more authors – The Hooker and the Hermit by L.H. Cosway & Penny Reid
A collection of essays

Duration: 1st January – 31st January 2021
Number of books: 6
Hosted by: My Vampire Book Obsession

Duration
January 1st – 31st

Rules
Complete at least two tasks to get the vampire heart
All genres welcome
Rereads welcome
No minimum page count

1. Start the year out right! Read any book you want. – Kiss of Heat by Lora Leigh
2. Read a brand new shiny book – Rolling with the Punchlines by Urzila Carlson
3. Read that book you meant to read last year – The Girl with the Make-Believe Husband by Julia Quinn
4. Read a book by a new to you author – Beautiful Beast by E.J. Hill
5. Read a book released this month – Blood Challenge by Eileen Wilks (Jan 2011)
6. Read book 1 in a series – Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy

Duration: 1st January – 31st December 2021
Number of books: 60
Hosted by: Around the Year

Not sure what to read in 2021? Have monster TBR’s and need help getting some of them read. What to find some new books for 2021? Then this is the challenge for you:

Read the instructions for each task carefully to pick your books. You can use any book that fits the category and re-reads are fine as well. You can create your list in advance or as you go.

Duration
Jan 1st – Dec 31st 2021

Rules
Complete at least 15 tasks to get the Vampire Heart
All genres welcome
Rereads welcome
No minimum page count
One book per task

1. Click on Browse, then Recommendations. Pick a book listed for recommendations based on your To-Read Shelf. – Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy
2. Click on Browse, then Recommendations. Pick a book listed for recommendations based on any of your shelves. – Marry in Haste by Anne Gracie
3. Click on Browse, New Releases. Click on My Authors at the top and pick a book that shows up on the list.
4. Click on Browse, then on Lists. Pick a list that your friends have voted on and pick a book from that list to read. – Just Like Heaven by Julia Quinn
5. Click on Browse, then on Explore. To the right you will see my favorite genres. Pick one and click on it. Read a book on the New Releases for that genre. – Marriage and Murder by Penny Reid

6. Click on Browse, then on Explore. To the right you will see my favorite genres. Pick one and click on it. Scroll down to the lists. Pick a list and then pick a book on that list and read it.
7. Click on Browse, then on Explore. To the right you will see my favorite genres. Pick one and click on it. Scroll down to New Releases by Authors You’ve Read. Pick a book and read it. – The Kingdom of Back by Marie Lu
8. Click on Browse, then on Choice Awards. Pick any book that has been nominated for any year and read that book or any other book by that author. – Emerald Blaze by Ilona Andrews
9. Pick any book that you rated five stars. Go to the book page and scroll down until you see lists with this book. Click on any of those lists and pick another book from the list to read. – Dark Lover by J.R. Ward
10. On your profile page, scroll down until you see “(Your name) Favorite Authors” on the right side of the page. Click on the link (example: My Favorite Authors Page). Once there, scroll through the list of your favorite authors and choose an author to revisit. You may either re-read an old favorite or continue on with one you haven’t read yet. – A Night Like This by Julia Quinn

11. Go to your home page. Scroll down through the updates and pick any book mentioned.
12. Sort your TBR to show 50 books per page and sort by date added. Look at how many pages are on your TBR list and divide by 2 (round up if needed) and pick any book on that page. – Be Mine Tonight by Kathryn Smith
13. Sort your TBR to show 50 books per page and sort by date added.
Pick one book off the first page.
14. Sort your TBR and to show 50 books per page and sort by date added. Pick one book off the last page. – Furies of Calderon by Jim Butcher
15. Sort your TBR to show 40 books per page and sort by author, A-Z. Read one book on the first page of that list.

16. Sort your TBR to show 40 books per page and sort author by Z-A. Read one book on the first page of that list.
17. Sort your TBR to show 50 books per page and sort by number of pages, shortest to longest. Pick a book found on the first page. – Heart Berries by Terese Marie Mailhot
18. Sort your TBR to show 50 books per page and sort by number of pages, longest to shortest. Pick one book found on the first page.
19. List your TBR by 40 books per page and sort by title A-Z. Pick a book off of the first page.
20. List your TBR by 40 books per page and sort by title Z-A. Pick any book off of the first page. – Your Coffin or Mine? by Kimberly Raye

21. List your TBR by 40 books per page and sort by Date Published. Pick a book off of the first page.
22. List your TBR by 40 books per page and sort by Date Published. Pick a book off of the last page.
23. List your TBR by 50 books per page and sort by Rating. Pick a book off of the first page.
24. List your TBR by 50 books per page and sort by Rating. Pick a book off of the last page.
25. List your TBR by 50 books and sort by Random. Pick a book off the first page. – Queene of Light by Jennifer L. Armintrout

26. List your TBR by 50 books and sort by Random. Pick a book off the last page. – Only Mostly Devastated by Sophie Gonzales
27. List your TBR by 50 books and sort by Num Ratings. Pick a book off the first page. – A Wild Life by Martin Hughes-Games
28. List your TBR by 50 books and sort by Num Ratings. Pick a book off the last page.
29. Read any book from your TBR – The BFG by Roald Dahl
30. Read a book from your TBR by a new to you author. – Over Sea, Under Stone by Susan Cooper

31. Read a book that you bought in 2020 but haven’t read yet. If you don’t have one then read a book published in 2020 that you wish you’d bought. – Danny the Champion of the World by Roald Dahl
32. Read a book that you bought in 2019 that you haven’t read yet. If you don’t have one then read a book published in 2019 that you wish you’d bought. – Blood Challenge by Eileen Wilks
33. Read a book that you bought in 2018 that you haven’t read yet. If you don’t have one then read a book published in 2018 that you wish you’d bought. – Angels’ Flight by Nalini Singh
34. Read a book that you bought more than 3 years ago and haven’t read yet. If you don’t have one then read a book published in 2017 or before that you wish you’d bought. – Born Free by Joy Adamson
35. Read a book that will either finish a series you have read or is the latest book published in a series you have read. – Necromancing the Stone by Lish McBride

36. Pick a series you’ve been wanting to start and read the first book in that series. – Kissing Tolstoy by Penny Reid
37. Pick a book that you’ve only read the first book in the series and read book #2 in that same series. – The Girl with the Make-Believe Husband by Julia Quinn
38. Read a book from a series that you started but haven’t finished. – Kiss of Heat by Lora Leigh
39. Read a book published in 2021 – Splintered Stars by Rachel Madbury
40. Read a book published in 2020 that you haven’t gotten around to reading but really want to. – Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi & Yusef Salaam

41. Read a book published in the year you joined Good Reads. – The Player and the Pixie by L.H. Cosway & Penny Reid (2016)
42. Read a book that has a title that starts with the same letter as your first name. – Soul Deep by Lora Leigh
43. Read a book that has a title that starts with the same letter as your last name. – Rebel Hard by Nalini Singh
44. Read a book whose author’s first name starts with the same letter as your first name. – A Man in a Kilt by Sandy Blair
45. Read a book whose author’s last name starts with the same letter as your last name. – Beard in Mind by Penny Reid

46. Read a book published in the same month as your birthday. – The Cad and the Co-Ed by L.H. Cosway & Penny Reid (February)
47. Read a book with your age in the page number. (Example if you are 32 – 320 or 325 or 132 would all work). – The Peak of Love by Langley Gray (228 pp.)
48. Read a book that is your favorite genre – The Hooker and the Hermit by L.H. Cosway & Penny Reid (contemporary romance)
49. Read a book with a cover that is at least 50% your favorite color – The Other Miss Bridgerton by Julia Quinn (blue)
50. Read a book where the MC has the same job/career as you or one that you wish you had. – Dr. Strange Beard by Penny Reid (vet)

51. Read a book from any Goodreads lists that has “Can’t Wait” in the name of the list. – Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
52. Read a book from any Goodreads lists that has “Best” in the name of the list – Grave Witch by Kalayna Price (Best Urban Fantasy)
53. Read a book a friend of yours rated 5 Stars – Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
54. Read a book another friend of yours rated 5 stars – Fix Her Up by Tessa Bailey
55. Read a book a friend of yours rated 4 stars – Megan’s Mark by Lora Leigh

56. Read a book another friend of yours rated 4 stars – Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward
57. Read a book any member of Vampire Book Obsession Rated 5 Stars – Archangel’s Consort by Nalini Singh
58. Read a book any member of Vampire Book Obsession Rated 4 Stars – Her Perfect Mate by Paige Tyler
59. Read a book by any author from any Muse in 2020 or any Author that gets picked as a Muse for 2021 – Love Hard by Nalini Singh
60. Read a book by any author from any Muse in 2019 or 2018 – Grave Dance by Kalayna Price

Duration: 1st January – 31st December 2021
Number of books: 78
Hosted by: My Vampire Book Obsession

Welcome to the Amazing Arcane Race! To win this race you must travel to the Arcane Realms and explore their lands.
Each realm you visit represents a series. To explore the realm, read as many books as you want/can from the series of your choice. Each realm has a specified number of books. You can visit a realm as many times as you want. You do not have to visit every realm.

Rules
‣ Books must be part of a series.
‣ You do not need to start at the beginning of a series.
‣ The aim is to complete series, not read a whole series in one go so whichever book is next for you is your starting point.
‣ Novellas and short stories count as well though you do not need to read them to consider a series completed.
‣ The series does not need to be finished for you to complete it here. Just read as far as the last published book.
‣ You can read a series from start to finish if you want to e.g. read the three books of a trilogy.
‣ All genres welcome
‣ Read a minimum of 5 books to get the Vampire Heart

Duration
January 1st – December 31st

The Realm of Knowledge
Necromancer by Lish McBride
1 One book from a Series

1. Necromancing the Stone by Lish McBride

The Realm of Nature
Hard Play by Nalini Singh
2 Two books from a Series

1. Rebel Hard by Nalini Singh
2. Love Hard by Nalini Singh

The Realm of Love
Rokesbys by Julia Quinn
3 Three books from a Series

1. The Girl with the Make-Believe Husband by Julia Quinn
2. The Other Miss Bridgerton by Julia Quinn
3. First Comes Scandal by Julia Quinn

The Realm of Ice
Marriage of Convenience by Anne Gracie
4 Four books from a Series

1. Marry in Haste by Anne Gracie
2. Marry in Scandal by Anne Gracie
3. Marry in Secret by Anne Gracie

The Realm of Fire
Winston Brothers by Penny Reid
5 Five books from a Series

1. Beard in Mind by Penny Reid
2. Dr. Strange Beard by Penny Reid
3. Beard with Me by Penny Reid
4. Beard Necessities by Penny Reid
5. A Beardy Bonus by Penny Reid

The Realm of Fae
Grishaverse by Leigh Bardugo
6 Six books from a Series

1. Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
2. Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo

The Realm of Monsters
Alex Craft by Kalayna Price
7 Seven books from a Series

1. Grave Witch by Kalayna Price
2. Grave Dance by Kalayna Price

The Realm of Shadows
World of the Lupi by Eileen Wilks
8 Eight books from a Series

1. Blood Challenge by Eileen Wilks

The Realm of Night
Virgin River by Robyn Carr
9 Nine books from a Series

1. Promise Canyon by Robyn Carr
2. Wild Man Creek by Robyn Carr
3. Harvest Moon by Robyn Carr
4. Bring Me Home for Christmas by Robyn Carr
5. Hidden Summit by Robyn Carr
6. Redwood Bend by Robyn Carr
7. Sunrise Point by Robyn Carr
8. My Kind of Christmas by Robyn Carr

The Realm of Vampires
Guild Hunter by Nalini Singh
10 Ten books from a Series

1. Archangel’s Consort by Nalini Singh
2. Angels’ Flight by Nalini Singh
3. Archangel’s Blade by Nalini Singh

The Realm of Beasts
Chesapeake Shores by Sherryl Woods
11 Eleven books from a Series

1. A Chesapeake Shores Christmas by Sherryl Woods
2. Driftwood Cottage by Sherryl Woods
3. Moonlight Cove by Sherryl Woods
4. Beach Lane by Sherryl Woods
5. An O’Brien Family Christmas by Sherryl Woods
6. The Summer Garden by Sherryl Woods

The Realm of Chaos
Breeds by Lora Leigh
12 Twelve books from a Series

1. Kiss of Heat by Lora Leigh
2. Soul Deep by Lora Leigh
3. Megan’s Mark by Lora Leigh
4. Harmony’s Way by Lora Leigh
5. Tanner’s Scheme by Lora Leigh
6. Jacob’s Faith by Lora Leigh
7. Aiden’s Charity by Lora Leigh
8. Dawn’s Awakening by Lora Leigh

Duration: 1st January – 30th June 2021
Number of books: 9
Hosted by: My Vampire Book Obsession

Duration
January 1st – June 30th

Rules
Complete at least 9 tasks to get the vampire heart
All genres welcome
Rereads welcome
No minimum page count
One book per task

Time to hunt some monsters! This challenge is all about increasing your monster “body count”.
Destroy the monsters by reading books featuring the species you want to eradicate.
Your chosen prey doesn’t have to be the focus of the book you read, just featured in the story somewhere e.g. There are zombies in The Iron Duke but they’re not the main beastie in the book.

Choose Your Prey(you can pick multiple or just one)
♱Hunter/Huntress – Archangel’s Consort by Nalini Singh
♱Vampires – One Bite with a Stranger by Christine Warren
♱Werewolf – Blood Challenge by Eileen Wilks
♱Other Shapeshifter – Her Perfect Mate by Paige Tyler
♱Witches/Wizards/Other Magic User – Splintered Stars by Rachel Madbury
♱Psychics/Telepaths – Sapphire Flames by Ilona Andrews
♱Fae/Elves – Grave Dance by Kalayna Price
♱Angels/Nephilim
♱Demons – Edge of the Moon by Rebecca York
♱Gods/Goddesses – Devils and Details by Devon Monk
♱Ghosts – Grave Witch by Kalayna Price
♱Zombies – Necromancing the Stone by Lish McBride
♱Aliens
♱Other – (dragons, reapers, banshee, unicorns, selkie, mermaids, etc.) (Giant) – The BFG by Roald Dahl

Duration: 1st January – 31st March 2021
Number of books: 8
Hosted by: Bookworm Bitches

1st Quarter 2021
Duration: January 1, 2021 – March 31, 2021
Rules:
~Books must be read during the selected time period.
~Post a link to the book, date you finished and rating
~All books read for challenges can be used for more than one challenge.
~Books can be either Fiction or Non Fiction. Your choice.
~If you don’t have a book that matches the option on the list, pick any book on your TBR.
~Copy the blank template below and paste into a new comment to start your challenge. Update as necessary.

Completed 8/8

1. Read the shortest book on your TBR – The BFG by Roald Dahl (199 pp.)

2. Read a favorite author’s first book – Grave Witch by Kalayna Price

3. Read a book on your 2020 TBR – The Bride Test by Helen Hoang

4. Read a book set in the cold – The Peak of Love by Langley Gray

5. Read a book recommended by someone you admire – Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

6. Close your eyes and scroll your TBR. Read the book your curser lands on. – The Girl with the Make-Believe Husband by Julia Quinn

7. Read you newest acquired book (bought or borrowed). – Rolling with the Punchlines by Urzila Carlson

8. Catch up on a Bookworm Bitches selection or read a book you have been meaning to read for a long time – Kiss of Heat by Lora Leigh

Duration: 1st January – 31st December 2021

The goal is to try and finish off some of the series that I have started and not quite finished yet. So here are the series I’ve managed to complete this year. The goal is to finish at least one series a month.

January

1. The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang (caught up to latest published book)

February

1. Necromancer by Lish McBride

March

1. Hot & Hammered by Tessa Bailey

April

1. Hard Play by Nalini Singh (caught up to latest published book)
2. Rokesbys by Julia Quinn

May

Did not finish a series

June

1. Knitting in the City by Penny Reid
2. The Socialites by Langely Gray

July

1. The Sevens by Rachel Madbury (caught up to latest published book)

August

1. Catalina Baylor Trilogy by Ilona Andrews (caught up to latest published book)
2. Hidden Legacy by Ilona Andrews (caught up to latest published book)

September

1. Park Ranger by Daisy Prescott

October

1. Winston Brothers by Penny Reid

November

December

Duration: 1st January – 31st December 2021
Number of books: 250
Hosted by: Goodreads

January – 23 out of 23 books (2 books ahead of schedule)
February – 11 out of 34 books (6 books behind schedule)
March – 13 out of 47 (13 books behind schedule)
April – 17 out of 64 books (18 books behind schedule)
May – 19 out of 83 books (19 behind schedule)
June – 12 out of 95 books (30 books behind schedule
July – 9 out of 104 books (42 books behind schedule)
August – 21 out of 125 books (41 books behind schedule)
September – 16 out of 141 books (47 books behind schedule)
October – 15 out of 156 books (51 books behind schedule)
November –
December –

Duration: 1st January – 31st March 2021
Number of books: 18
Hosted by: Crazy Challenge Connection

The Dakota Challenge
Duration: January 1, 2021 – March 31, 2021

If you like historical fiction, and have not yet read the book, check out The Address by Fiona Davis. You’ll get a really good ‘feel’ for the construction and majesty of The Dakota while enjoying a great story. A re-read is also okay. You may substitute the reading of The Address for any task below! Please make a note when doing so.

1. The Dakota, also known as the Dakota Apartments, is a cooperative apartment building located on the northwest corner of 72nd Street and Central Park West in the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City. The prevailing theory for the famous building’s name was that, just as the Dakota Territory was considered remote from the heavily populated east coast of the US in the 1880’s, so too was The Dakota from the rest of Manhattan’s population.
Read a book that mentions any US state or country name in its title (i.e. Winesburg, Ohio, My Life in France) OR read a book that takes place in a remote location; tell us where.

2. Christopher Gray’s New York Streetscapes: Tales of Manhattan’s Significant Buildings and Landmarks quotes the long-term building manager telling a newspaper reporter: “Probably it was called ‘Dakota’ because it was so far west and so far north.” Gray believed that the building’s name stemmed from Edward Cabot Clark’s fondness for the names of the new western states and territories. The moniker is immortalized high above the 72nd Street entrance in the face of a Dakota Indian.
Read a book that takes place in the Old American West (~1865-1920; setting must be in the American West (TX, NM, AZ, WY, CO, SD)); tell us when and where OR read a book with a character who is a Native American; tell us who. – Blood Challenge by Eileen Wilks (Benedict) & Nettie Two Horses)

3. The Dakota was constructed between October 25, 1880, and October 27, 1884. Henry Janeway Hardenbergh’s architectural firm was commissioned to create the design for Edward Cabot Clark, head of the Singer Manufacturing Company.
Read a book originally published in October of any year; tell us when OR read a book in which a sewing machine is mentioned; copy the passage and state its location. – Kiss of Heat by Lora Leigh

4. The building’s high gables and deep roofs with a profusion of dormers, terracotta spandrels and panels, niches, balconies, and balustrades give it a German Renaissance character. This architectural style was popular in the late 19th / early 20th century, especially where large populations of Germans settled.
Read a book that takes place in Germany or has a character of German descent; tell us who OR read a book that has a ‘grand’ building on its cover; post the cover.

5. The Dakota is a square building built around a central courtyard. The arched main entrance is a porte-cochère large enough for the horse-drawn carriages that once entered and allowed passengers to disembark sheltered from the weather. Many of these carriages were housed in a multi-story stable building built in two sections between 1891 and 1894.
Read a book with a square object on its cover; post the cover OR read a book in which horse-drawn carriages are the main conveyance for the time. – The Other Miss Bridgerton by Julia Quinn

6. The general layout of the apartments is in the French style of the period, with all major rooms connected to each other, in enfilade, and also accessible from a hall or corridor. The arrangement allows a natural migration for guests from one room to another, especially on festive occasions, yet gives service staff discreet separate circulation patterns that offer service access to the main rooms.
Read a book that is next-in-series for you (the first book of a series will not count); tell us the series and the book’s position OR read a book in which a festive occasion occurs; tell us what. – The Girl with the Make-Believe Husband by Julia Quinn (book #2)

7. The principal rooms, such as parlors or the master bedroom, face the street, while the dining room, kitchen, and other auxiliary rooms are oriented toward the courtyard. Apartments thus are aired from two sides, which was a relative novelty in Manhattan at the time. Some of the drawing rooms are 49 feet (15 m) long, and many of the ceilings are 14 feet (4.3 m) high. The floors are inlaid with mahogany, oak, and cherry.
Read a book in which the main character lives ‘in the lap of luxury’ or is very wealthy; tell us who OR read a book whose total page count contains an intact “14” or an intact “49” in its total page count; tell us the total number of pages. – Danny the Champion of the World by Roald Dahl (214 pp.)

8. Originally, The Dakota had 65 apartments with four to 20 rooms each, no two apartments being alike. These apartments were accessed by staircases and elevators placed in the four corners of the courtyard. Separate service stairs and elevators serving the kitchens were located mid-block. Built to cater to the well-to-do, The Dakota featured many amenities and a modern infrastructure that was exceptional for the time.
Read book with a staircase pictured on its cover; post the cover OR read a book with the word “FOUR” in its title; exact matches only.

9. The building has a large dining hall. Meals could also be sent up to the apartments by dumbwaiters. Electricity was generated by an in-house power plant, and the building had central heating. Beside servant quarters, there was a playroom and a gymnasium under the roof. In later years, these spaces on the tenth floor were converted into additional apartments.
Read a book whose title begins with a letter in “DUMBWAITER,” (Ignore the articles “a,” “an,” “the”) OR read a book in which the main character has young children; tell us who, as well as how many children.

10. The Dakota property also contained a garden, private croquet lawns, and a tennis court behind the building between 72nd and 73rd Streets.
Read a book with a manicured garden or expanse of lawn on its cover; post the cover OR read book #72 or #73 on your TBR, sorted however you choose; tell us which number and how you sorted the list.

11. One thing the building does not have is fire escapes. Architect Henry J. Hardenbergh purposely avoided fire escapes by slathering mud from Central Park between the layers of brick flooring to fireproof and soundproof the building. Tenants are ‘forbidden’ to throw away original doors and fireplace mantels. If tenants want to rid apartments of these items, there is a special storage area.
Read a book in which a destructive fire is the main focus of the book’s plot (i.e. more than a campfire or a controlled fire to burn trash) OR read a book in which the author’s first and last initial may be found in ‘FORBIDDEN.” – Matilda by Roald Dahl

12. Though wildly successful, the building of The Dakota was a long-term drain on the fortune of Clark (who died before it was completed) and his heirs. For the high society of Manhattan, it became fashionable to live in the building, or at least to rent an apartment there as a secondary city residence, and The Dakota’s success prompted the construction of many other luxury apartment buildings in Manhattan.
Read a book that takes place in Manhattan (Manhattan only, none of the other NYC boroughs will count) OR read a book by an author who has died; bonus if some of the author’s work was only published posthumously. – The BFG by Roald Dahl

13. Thanks to a glowing New York Times review all apartments were let before the building opened. The Steinway family, of Steinway piano fame, was one of The Dakota’s first residents. The building had zero vacancies for 45 years after it opened; from 1884 to 1929, all 65 of The Dakota’s apartments — each with a reported four bathrooms, parlor, and servant quarters — remained spoken for.
Read a book in which a character plays the piano (either professionally or recreationally); tell us who OR read a book which has never gone out of publication; this list may help.

14. Many famous residents have lived in the building, including the following: Lauren Bacall, Leonard Bernstein, Connie Chung, Rosemary Clooney, Harlan Coben, José Ferrer, Roberta Flack, Judy Garland, Lillian Gish, Boris Karloff, Sean Lennon, Joe Namath, Rudolf Nureyev, Rosie O’Donnell, Patrick O’Neal, Maury Povich, Gilda Radner, Jason Robards, and U2’s Bono.
Read a book by an author whose first or last name matches the first or last name of one of the famous residents – exact matches only; tell us which resident/author OR read a biography or memoir of a famous person; tell us who if not evident in the book’s title. – Rolling with the Punchlines by Urzila Carlson

15. The Dakota was the home of John Lennon, (former member of the Beatles) from 1973 until his murder in the archway of the building in 1980. He was the seventh-floor resident who brought sushi to the building’s October potluck. He was known as a protective father and an enterprising real estate collector, irking a few neighbors by buying up five apartments in the building.
Read a book with a “5” in its original year of publication; tell us the year OR read a book in which a parent is viewed by others as being protective of their child; tell us who. – Otherhood by William Sutcliffe (all three mothers)

16. Lennon’s death triggered an outpouring of grief around the world. Crowds massed upon Central Park and sang Imagine all night. Ono sent word to the chanting crowd outside the Dakota that their singing had kept her awake; she asked that they re-convene at the Central Park Bandshell the following Sunday for ten minutes of silent prayer. On December 14, 1980, millions of people around the world responded to Ono’s request to pause for ten minutes of silence to remember Lennon. 30,000 gathered in Lennon’s hometown of Liverpool, and the largest group—over 225,000—converged on Central Park, close to the scene of the shooting. For those ten minutes, every radio station in New York City went off the air. Yoko Ono still lives in The Dakota and says she has seen Lennon’s ghost there.
Read a book with a 4+ letter word in its title that matches a word in Lennon’s iconic song Imagine OR read a book where a crowd assembles to protest or commerate something; tell us what. – James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl (the giant peach)

17. The Dakota was designated a New York City Landmark in 1969. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972, and was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1976. The building’s facade was renovated in 2015.
Read a book that takes place between 1969 – 1976, inclusive; tell us when OR read a book that has been republished with new material – i.e. a new forward, new notes, lost text, etc; tell us the new addition. – One Bite with a Stranger by Christine Warren (was originally published as a novella)

18. For many years, Leonard Bernstein’s former apartment was the building’s most expensive sale. Located on the second floor, the four-bedroom, four-bathroom apartment had a library, a formal dining room, a wood fireplace, kitchen and breakfast areas, and views of Central park. It was listed at $25.5 million and sold for $21 million. Actress Lauren Bacall owned a nine-room apartment for 53 years that recently sold for $23.5 million.
Read a book that was expensive to purchase; tell us why OR read a book in which a real estate transaction takes place; briefly tell us what. – Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston (Henry buys an apartment)

New York Times
15 Crazy Facts About The Dakota
Wikipedia

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CHALLENGE RULES

See this thread for more detailed rules for all CCC challenges.

♣ If you want to participate in this challenge, please sign up by posting at least a partial list of the challenge requirements. This gives us a post to link you to, which you can use to update your books as the challenge progresses.

♣ For each book you read, please indicate the title, the author and the date you finished reading it. If a challenge task gives several options, please make it clear which option you’ve chosen. If the task calls for an item on the cover, include a link to the book cover.* If it’s not obvious from the book title or cover, be sure to explain how your book fits the task. If you don’t, you won’t get credit for completing that task.

♣ Unless otherwise noted, books must be at least 150 pages long. (See the link above for rules regarding graphic novels.) Books may only be used for one task in this challenge, but cross-challenge posting is encouraged 🙂 Re-reads are allowed, as long as you read the entire book. You must read at least half of the book AFTER the challenge begins in order to count it for this challenge.

♣ Books may only be used for one task in this challenge, but cross-challenge posting is encouraged!

♣ If you want the challenge moderator to check your progress as you make updates, please copy/paste your update into a new message . We don’t have time to scroll back through the entire thread looking for “message #15,” or to follow links back to an original post.

♣ When you complete the challenge, please post your entire list as a new message to make it easier for everyone to see what you’ve read. If you don’t repost your list, you won’t be included in the list of those who have completed the challenge.

*If you don’t know how to post a link to the book title or cover, see the instructions here: Link Instructions

Duration: 1st January – 31st January 2021
Number of books: 7
Hosted by: Crazy Challenge Connection

January 2021 Scavenger – Braille
Timeframe: 1/1/21 to 1/31/21
6/7

The information here was found at www.brailleworks.com/braille-resource…

January is Braille Literacy Month, in memory of Louis Braille who was born on January 4th, 1809. We now celebrate National World Braille Day on January 4th in honor of his legacy. People who are blind can enjoy all the printed word has to offer just like everyone else. The effect is tremendously empowering and helps them achieve success in school and their careers.

1. Braille is a system of touch reading and writing for blind persons in which raised dots represent the letters of the alphabet. It also contains equivalents for punctuation marks and provides symbols to show letter groupings.
☀ Read a book with a character who has a disability (tell us who and what their disability is) – or – a book with any type of punctuation in the title. – Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy

2. Braille is read by moving the hand from left to right along each line. The reading process usually involves both hands, and the index fingers generally do the reading. The average reading speed is about 125 words per minute. But, greater speeds of up to 200 words per minute are possible.
☀ Read a book with a hand or hands on the cover (show us the cover) – or – a book that is 125 to 200 pages long (you may use a book that is less than 150 pages for this task, in this challenge only). – Rolling with the Punchlines by Urzila Carlson

3. Braille gives blind individuals access to a wide range of reading materials including recreational and educational reading, financial statements and restaurant menus. Equally important are contracts, regulations, insurance policies, directories, and cookbooks that are all part of daily adult life. Through braille, people who are blind can also pursue hobbies and cultural enrichment with materials such as music scores, hymnals, playing cards, and board games.
☀ Read a book in which a person reads a book (tell us the sentence/location where this is found) – or – a book in which a character has a hobby (tell us what). – Beautiful Beast by E.J. Hill (Arawn reads often throughout, Kalista loves the piano and gardening)

4. Various other methods had been attempted over the years to enable reading for the blind. However, many of them were raised versions of print letters. It is generally accepted that the braille system has succeeded because it is based on a rational sequence of signs devised for the fingertips, rather than imitating signs devised for the eyes.
☀ Read a book with the title AND author written in block letters (show us the cover) – or – a book with eyes on the cover (show us the cover). – Kiss of Heat by Lora Leigh
Examples of block lettering:  

5. In the early 1800’s, a man named Charles Barbier, who served in Napoleon Bonaparte’s French army, developed a unique system known as night writing so soldiers could communicate safely after dark. As a military veteran, Barbier saw several soldiers killed because they used lamps to read combat messages. As a result of the light shining from the lamps, enemy combatants knew where the French soldiers were, and this inevitably led to the loss of many men.
☀ Read a book with a military character (any country, any year, but it must be active duty, not a veteran) – or – a book with a dark cover (show us the cover). – The Girl with the Make-Believe Husband by Julia Quinn

6. Louis Braille lost his sight at a very young age after he accidentally stabbed himself in the eye with his father’s awl. (Braille’s father was a leather-worker and poked holes in the leather goods he produced with the awl.) At eleven years old, Braille found inspiration to modify Charles Barbier’s night-writing code in an effort to create an efficient written communication system for fellow blind individuals. He spent the better part of the next nine years developing and refining the system of raised dots that has come to be known by his name.
☀ Read a book whose title begins with a letter in BRAILLE (disregard A, An, The) – or – a book marked YOUNG ADULT on its main genre page (tell us how many readers tagged it as Young Adult). – The Bride Test by Helen Hoang

7. Braille’s code is based on cells with only 6 dots instead of Barbier’s 12. This crucial improvement meant that a fingertip could encompass the entire cell unit with one impression and move rapidly from one cell to the next. Over time, braille gradually came to be accepted throughout the world as the fundamental form of written communication for blind individuals. Today it remains basically as he invented it. However, there have been some small modifications to the system, particularly the addition of contractions representing groups of letters or whole words that appear frequently in a language. The use of contractions permits faster braille reading. It also helps reduce the size of braille books, making them much less cumbersome.
☀ Read a book that is Series #6 or #12 (tell us the series) – or – a book whose title contains a contraction. – This may help: What is a contraction?

CHALLENGE RULES:
♦ If you want to participate in a challenge, please sign up by posting at least a partial list of the challenge requirements. This gives us a post to link you to, which you can use to update your books as the challenge progresses.

♦ Unless otherwise noted, books must be at least 150 pages long. (See the link here for rules regarding graphic novels.) Books may only be used for one task in this challenge, but cross-challenge posting is encouraged 🙂 Re-reads are allowed, as long as you read the entire book and not simply skim through it.

♦ For each book you read, please post a link to the title, and indicate the author and the date you finished reading it. If a challenge task gives several options, please make it clear which option you’ve chosen. If the task calls for an item on the cover, include a link to the book cover. If it’s not obvious from the book title or cover, be sure to explain how your book fits the task.
* If you don’t know how to post a link to the book title, cover or author, see the instructions here:
Add a link to the book title, book cover and/or author

♦ When you complete the challenge, please post your entire list as a new message. If you copy the list while you still have the Edit window open, it will copy all of your links and formatting. If you don’t repost your list, your name will not be added to the list of those who have completed the challenge.