Duration: 1st November – 30th November

Number of books: 4

Hosted by: Crazy Challenge Connection

Minestrone Soup

Recipe taken from Jaime Oliver

INGREDIENTS

1 clove of garlic

1 red onion

2 carrots

2 sticks of celery

1 courgette

-> Read a book whose title has changed for whatever reason (mention both titles) -or- read a book whose author or main character has a name ending in ETTE (like Suzette, Colette etc.). – 110 Grimmer Fairy Tales by The Brothers Grimm (there have been many different namings, in different languages over time)

1 small leek

1 large potato

1 x 400 g tin of cannellini beans

2 rashers of higher-welfare smoked streaky bacon

olive oil

½ teaspoon dried oregano

1 fresh bay leaf

Read a book whose title contains a spice -or- read a book set in or by an author from a country mentioned in one of Lonely Planet’s best spice markets in the world.  – Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor (Morrocco)

2 x 400 g tins of plum tomatoes

1 litre organic vegetable stock

1 large seasonal greens, such as savoy cabbage, curly kale, chard

100 g wholemeal pasta

½ a bunch of fresh basil, optional

Parmesan cheese

METHOD

1. Peel and finely chop the garlic and onion. Trim and roughly chop the carrots, celery and courgette, then add the vegetables to a large bowl.

2. Cut the ends off the leek, quarter it lengthwise, wash it under running water, then cut into 1cm slices. Add to the bowl.

Scrub and dice the potato. Drain the cannellini beans, then set aside.

3. Finely slice the bacon. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the bacon and fry gently for 2 minutes, or until golden.

☔ Read a book with 2 twos in its page number (292, 224 etc. but not 222 or 201, mention the page number) -or- read book #2 of a series. – Wolves of the Witchwood by Kate Forsyth

4. Add the garlic, onion, carrots, celery, courgette, leek, oregano and bay and cook slowly for about 15 minutes, or until the vegetables have softened, stirring occasionally.

5. Add the potato, cannellini beans and plum tomatoes, then pour in the vegetable stock. Stir well, breaking up the tomatoes with the back of a spoon.

6. Cover with a lid and bring everything slowly to the boil, then simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the potato is cooked through.

Meanwhile…

7. Remove and discard any tough stalks bits from the greens, then roughly chop.

8. Using a rolling pin, bash the pasta into pieces while it’s still in the packet or wrap in a clean tea towel.

☔ Read a book that makes you want to bash something for whatever reason (tell us why) -or- read a book with a blunt instrument like a rolling pin or baseball bat on the cover (post the cover) – Demon Angel by Meljean Brook (frustration at Hugh and Lilith… it literally takes them hundreds of years)

9. To check the potato is cooked, pierce a chunk of it with a sharp knife – if it pierces easily, it’s done.

10. Add the greens and pasta to the pan, and cook for a further 10 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente. Add a splash more stock or water to loosen, if needed.

11. Pick over the basil leaves (if using) and stir through. Season to taste with sea salt and black pepper, then serve with a grating of Parmesan and a slice of wholemeal bread, if you like

Duration: 1st November – 30th November

Number of books: 10

Hosted by: Crazy Challenge Connection

Even if we’ve just finished a meal, there are some smells that make us hungry, no matter how full we were just a moment ago. After an informal survey of family and friends, I made a list of the culprits that came up most often, then found an interesting tidbit about each of those foods for the basis of this challenge. Since Goodreads doesn’t have scratch & sniff technology, I’ve included photos just to whet your appetite 🙂

1. BACON

Bacon dates back at least 3,500 years. The Chinese were the first to cook salted pork bellies. The salt preserved the meat so it could be eaten all year.

✼ Read a book with an intact 00 in its total page count; tell us how many pages OR a book with the letters S-A-L-T in its title, not necessarily in that order or in the same word – Atlantis Rising by Alyssa Day

2. BAKING BROWNIES

While no one is sure how brownies were first created, the most popular theory seems to be that a woman, who did not have baking powder on hand, improvised and served these “flattened cakes” to her guests.

✼ Read a book with a baked dessert shown prominently on the cover; post the cover OR a book with a common color name in its title (plurals will be accepted [Blues], but no other variations – The Nutcracker by Alexandre Dumas (Gingerbread)

3. FRESH BAKED BREAD

Legend has it that whoever eats the last piece of bread from a loaf has to kiss the cook.

✼ Read a book with ROMANCE on its main GR page OR a book that is THE LAST BOOK you need to finish a challenge; tell us the challenge – The Mammoth Book of Irish Romanced edited by Trisha Telep

4. GARLIC

Average consumption of garlic is believed to weigh in at around two pounds per person. That means eating roughly 302 cloves per person per year.

✼ Read book #2 from a series; tell us the series OR a book with a MAIN character whose FIRST name begins with G; tell us the name – Wolves of the Witchwood by Kate Forsyth

5. GRILLED BURGERS

Many US cities claim to be the birthplace of this popular food, but it is widely believed that it was invented in 1900 in New Haven, Connecticut, by Louis Lassen whose café offered a ground beef sandwich to a worker.

✼ Read a book set in a location with “New” in its name; tell us where OR a book by an author whose first and last initials can be found in GRILLEDBURGERS (to use a letter more than once, it must appear more than once in the phrase)  – Sophie’s Choice by William Styron (New York)

6. PIZZA

The first pizza wasn’t made in Italy or the USA, but in ancient Greece. They baked large round breads that were flat and topped them with veggies, potatoes, spices and olive oil.

✼ Read a book with a round object shown prominently on the cover; post the cover OR a book with the name of a spice in its title – Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone Illustrated Edition by J.K. Rowling & Jim Kay

7. POPCORN

Sugar shortages during WWII made candy hard to come by, catapulting popcorn consumption to three times its pre-war levels.

✼ Read a book set during World War II OR a book with a 3 in its average GR rating (NOT the number of ratings or reviews!); tell us the rating – Demon Angel by Meljean Brook (3.53 rating)

Duration: 1st November – 30th November
Number of books: 6
Hosted by: My Vampire Book Obsession

Guy Fawkes Night, also known as Guy Fawkes Day, Bonfire Night and Firework Night, is an annual commemoration observed on 5 November, primarily in Great Britain. Its history begins with the events of 5 November 1605, when Guy Fawkes, a member of the Gunpowder Plot, was arrested while guarding explosives the plotters had placed beneath the House of Lords. Celebrating the fact that King James I had survived the attempt on his life, people lit bonfires around London; and months later, the introduction of the Observance of 5th November Act enforced an annual public day of thanksgiving for the plot’s failure. 

Duration
November 1st – 30th

Light your fire by completing at least two tasks below.

1. Read a book with a HOT character. – Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman
2. Read a book set in the UK (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland). – The Mammoth Book of Irish Romance edited by Trisha Telep
3. Read a book with tagged historical or with a very old character. – Demon Angel by Meljean Brook
4. Read a book with royalty in the story. – Wolves of the Witchwood by Kate Forsyth
5. Read a book written by a male author or with a male main character. – 110 Grimmer Fairy Tales by The Brothers Grimm
6. Read a book that has been adapted into a movie/TV show. – Sophie’s Choice by William Styron

Duration: 1st November – 30th November
Number of books: 6
Hosted by: My Vampire Book Obsession

Check out these gorgeous dolls!! Get one each month by completing at least 2 tasks out of a set of 6.

The dolls you collect will be in your Vampire Heart thread. Don’t have a thread? You can still do the challenge if you want 🙂

November 

1. Read a book by an author whose name (first or last) begins with a letter in ‘November’. – Demon Angel by Meljean Brook
2. Read a book that you added to your TBR last year. – The Mammoth Book of Irish Romance edited by Trisha Telep
3. Read a book with a musical character or instrument on the cover. – The Language of Thorns by Leigh Bardugo
4. Read a book set during a holiday season. – Halloween in Atlantis by Alyssa Day
5. Read a book that is part of a series with 10 or more books out.
6. Read a book with shapeshifters. – Atlantis Rising by Alyssa Day

Duration: 1st November – 30th November

Number of books: 11 (+9 bonus)

Hosted by: My Vampire Book Obsession

Duration:

November 1st – November 30th

How it Works:

Ten books each month is a lot, so there will be 5 different levels. Pick which level you want to do and that’s how many items you will need to check off.

Levels:

Transitional – 2 books

Fledgling – 4 books

Vampire – 6 books

Master – 8 books

Vampire King or Queen – 10 books

1. November 1st is All Saints’ Day. Read a book with an angel, a ghost, or a spiritual character. – Demon Angel by Meljean Brook

2. November 1-2 Day of the Dead (Dio De Los Muertos). This festival honors the dead by celebrating the lives and deaths of our loved ones. Read a book where a character experiences a death or a transformation. – Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman

3. Veteran’s Day honors those who have served in the military. It is observed on November 11th. Read a book with a soldier, military family, or with a character with the same first name as a family/friend that served. – Atlantis Rising by Alyssa Day

4. November 14th – Feast of Musicians and Bards – Druid celebration of the Celtic musical arts. Read a book with a musical character, with a Druid/Bard, or music is an important element of the book. – Wolves of the Witchwood by Kate Forsyth

5. November 14 1889 – Reporter Nellie Bly began her attempt to duplicate the literary journey of Jules Verne’s Phileas Fogg by traveling around world in less than 80 days. She succeeded, finishing the trip in January in 72 days and 6 hours. Read a book with travel/adventure, with Steampunk as a MPG, or read Around the World in Eighty Days

6. November celebrates the Fairy Sidhe. Read a book with a fae/fairy/elven character or set in Ireland/Scotland. – The Mammoth Book of Irish Romance edited by Trisha Telep

7. November 15th is clean out your refrigerator day. Instead of doing that, put your feet up and read a book from a series/author you love. You deserve it! – Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone Illustrated Edition by J.K. Rowling & Jim Kay

8. The Kona Coffee Festival is held in Hawaii each November. Read a book set in Hawaii, with a coffee loving character, or drink coffee while reading a book set in a beautiful place. – Wild Thing by Marjorie M. Liu, Maggie Shayne, Alyssa Day & Meljean Brook

9. Red Planet Day is November 28th. The planet Mars is referred to as the “Red Planet” because it appears red in color. Red Planet Day honors our celestial neighbor, the fourth planet in the solar system. Read a book with a warrior/battle, a romance with an alpha male, or a science fiction book.

10. My favorite cousin Kira’s birthday is during November. Read a zombie book, or a book with a character that has red hair. – The Language of Thorns by Leigh Bardugo

Bonus:

Thanksgiving. Do as many as you wish.

This year I am grateful for…

Books & Hobbies-Read a book with a dragon in it. – Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Illustrated Edition by J.K. Rowling & Olivia Gill

Family-Read a book with a close family relationship.

Food-Read a book with a letter in the title from the words Thanksgiving Feast.

Friendship-Read a book with a friend or with a side character you’d like to be your friend. – Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor (Zuzanna)

Health-Read a book with a vampire or other immortal character.

Job, Career, Vocation-Read a book with an interesting task, work environment and/or a great boss.

Money-Read a book with a rich character or buy a book and read it. – The Nanny Diaries by Nicola Kraus & Emma McLaughlin

Pets-Read a cat/dog mystery or a book where an animal is important to the story.

Significant Other-Read a book with a book boyfriend/girlfriend you have or want… – The Nutcracker by Alexandre Dumas

Success-Read a book where the good guys/gals triumph or with a great reward at the end. – 110 Grimmer Fairy Tales by The Brothers Grimm