Challenges Archives - Plaid Reader Reviews

12 Days of Christmas Readathon

Posted on November 23, 2021November 22, 2021 by Plaid_Reader

This year I’m attempting to turn my usual 12 Days of Christmas Tag into a Readathon, I just wanted to give it a try. So this is my second Readathon for December, expect a TBR soon.

Welcome to the 12 Days of Christmas Readathon! Please be kind as this is my first year doing a readathon so there might be some hiccups.

Here is the sign up form

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeiKjskbsVeLybCrTdydkC_AUN2UOO11WxyKRioPNIrYGq44Q/viewform?usp=sf_link

And here is the book adding form

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe4P5G2NgweiCLASv0630bnFb0YCNuxfMt5xQZpxxLIq7BaXg/viewform?usp=sf_link

There are 12 basic prompts as shown below,

Most of these are pretty easy; you can also double up, so one book can count for two prompts.

I’ll go over the prompts anyway

The Prompts

A Partridge in a Pear Tree: A standalone book, a book about someone being alone.

Two Turtle Doves: This does not have to be romantic, it can be, but just a pair of friends, a hero and an enemy. Or you can read a book that is part of a duology.

Three French Hens: Does the book have a trio? A love triangle? Is it part of a trilogy? Some way that fits in three that I’m not thinking about? Count it.

Four Calling Birds:This one is a little more abstract but this is a book with secrets or a mystery, because we all know those calling birds will be gossiping about it soon.

Five Golden Rings: This book is just pretty, pick the shiniest metallic or glittery book you have.

Six Geese a Laying: Did this goose lay a golden egg? Read your five star prediction.

Seven Swans a Swimming: A book you can’t wait to dive into.

Eight Ladies Dancing: Strong Female or Non Binary Lead, any book where you thought the lead was cool, strength can come in any form, not just combat.

Nine Lords a Leaping: Strong Male or Non Binary Lead, any book where you thought the lead was cool again strength doesn’t have to be combat.

Ten Ships a Sailing: A book you DNFed but are willing to give another shot.

Eleven Pipers Piping: Great ensemble cast, fun group of side characters, found family.

Twelve Bells a Ringing: A book you’ve been looking forward to or a book you’ve been avoiding.

The Bonus Prompts

Now if you want to make things extra hard for yourself I’ve come up with some alternative prompts you can fill these while filling the regular prompts. Basically these are just for fun you can do other meaning of the 12 Days of Christmas.

A Partridge in A Pear Tear-I want there to be an actual bird somewhere in the book, a familiar, a magic bird anything works.

Two Turtle Doves-Find a living married couple that still accepts their child. (Much tougher than you think)

Three French Hens-A book with some kind of French influence or based on a French story (ie Cinderella)

Four Calling Birds– A book where gossip gets someone in trouble or killed.

Five Golden Rings-Someone (not required to be the main character) gets married.

Six Geese A Laying– Someone lays a egg and makes a mistake leading them on a kooky adventure (Think most contemporary rom-coms)

Seven Swans A Swimming-The ocean or water is involved in any way.

Eight Ladies Dancing– Our lead has to dance at some point. This is interchangeable with Nine Lord a Leaping because yeah gender norms.

Nine Lords a Leaping– Our lead has to have a sword fight. This is interchangeable with Eight Ladies Dancing for example Lord has to dance/lady is in sword fight.

Ten Ships A Sailing-Pirates are involved in some way.

Eleven Pipers Piping-Deals with Music somehow.

Twelve Bells a Ringing-Involves Religion somehow.

Finally the rules of which there are few

The Rules

Honestly just have fun, I not picky if you’re using a book for multiple prompts but lets say max four prompts per book. If you have a convincing reason why it needs more shoot me a DM @plaid_reader or @12DaysReadaton. Again I’m just really lookinh for people to read and have fun.

Help each other out.

Remember you can double up on the prompts and add bonus prompts into your reading.

We will have reading sprints throughout the month of December.

You can have any of these books be re-reads. It’s December we’re all tired.

Graphics Attribution

Background vector created by coolvector – www.freepik.com

Challenges, Discussion, Feature

BookoplAthon-A Game for More Reading

Posted on August 25, 2021August 27, 2021 by Plaid_Reader

The other readathon I’m taking a part in is BookoplAthon it by #BeccasBookopoly. It essentially consists of playing a game of Monopoly but with book prompts titles and ideas. BookoplAthon is the much longer month-long version. However, the creator of the readathon also does this for herself every month. And there aremuch shorter 48-hour versions. Here is the introduction for the readathon.

Some people are making TBR’s but we all know how that goes around here don’t we? I’m a mood reader and I’ve just finally admitted it. As much as I love looking at the beautifully crafted TBRs where everyone knows exactly what they are going to read for which prompt. I’m just not that much of planner. Luckily this book has a way to play for mood readers too. You just roll two six sided dice then follow around the board deciding on books as you go.

The game also has cards like Chance and Community Chest, where you put your TBR titles and various prompts like read a fantasy? So if you land on either of those spaces on the board you have to pull a card and do what the card says.

Becca who is running the BookoplAthon suggests that you mix up prompts you love with prompts you might not be so interested in to keep the readathon interesting. I think I’m going to focus my prompts on clearing out my Scribd TBR as it has gotten preciptiously long. I’m going to try and avoid audio books as they tend to slow me down. Genre wise I want to focus more on fantasy as I’ve read a lot of contemporary this year, maybe along with some horror. Reading level will be mostly middle grade but I may throw in a YA book or two to shake things up.

I’m making my prompt cards tomorrow so that should be fun. I’m really excited for both my readathons in September. If you have any ideas for prompts please put them in the comments.

Uncategorized

Path Or Pantheon Challenge

Posted on June 14, 2021June 13, 2021 by Plaid_Reader

I’m excited about this wonderful challenge called Path Or Pantheon. It’s presented by the wonderful folks over at @MythTakeReads they are doing a small challenge, in between Rounds of their #MakeYourMythTakerChallenge. This is good for me because while I love their work I’ve always a little intimidated to do MythTaker. I’m going to do it next cycle however this is a nice way to did my toes in.

You either pick one of the Pantheon which has a set of books based on select gods in the pantheon. A Path is set up much the same way except they deal with themes that go across the pantheons like beauty, home or war.

I selected after much deliberation was the Path of Home

I’m going to do a TBR on this tomorrow, so check out the books I’ve picked out to meet to prompts and check out the challenge here.

Path or Pantheon Challenge Information

Trope-ical Readathon

Trope-ical Readaton

Posted on February 28, 2021March 4, 2021 by Plaid_Reader

So I said I was going do a Readathon this month, and one of my wonderful followers itsKoo lead me towards the Trope-ical Readathon hosted by Jen Jen Reviews. There are several challenges for everyone doing the challenge and then there are teams

There are two ways to complete a common challenge: either you read a book with the given trope OR you read a book that satisfies the alternate prompt based off of that trope. You cannot double/triple/quadruple/etc. up on any challenges. In other words, you cannot use one book to satisfy multiple challenges and you cannot complete the same challenge multiple times for extra points.

You also pick a team based on what you usually read I’m going to be on Team Sci-Fi and Fantasy

I’m excited for this Readathon and will put up a TBR list soon. Hopefully it will get my reading amount up like I’ve been wanting. Either way I’m excited to be a part of this challenge.

12 Days of Christmas, Challenges

12 Days of Christmas Challenge

Posted on December 4, 2020December 4, 2020 by Plaid_Reader

It’s that time of the year where we wrap up the year, do our last challenges, push for our goals. It that spirit I’m doing the same challenge I made up last year. I’d going off the song the 12 Day of Christmas, and though there are some arguments about when the 12 Days of Christmas are, my challenge will run from December 12th through December 24th. I’m being a bit more generous since I read a lot of backlog, these can be either books you read in 2020 or books that came out in 2020.

The challenges are:

A Partridge in a Pear Tree: Favorite Stand Alone Book

Two Turtledoves: Your favorite pair (doesn’t have to be a couple).

Three French Hens: your favorite trilogy/or friend group or three etc.

Four calling birds: Shoutout to 4 people you respect as bloggers/who are in your circle and want to thank

Five golden rings: 5 Books You Didn’t Get A Chance To Read

Six Geese-a-Laying: 6 books from 2020 with the best endings.

Seven-Swans a Swimming: 7 Books You Dove Right Into Reading

Eight Ladies Dancing: 8 Best Female/Non Binary Characters

Nine Lords a leaping:9 Best Male or Non Binary Characters

Ten-Ships-A-Sailing: 10 Books You didn’t Finish (If you finish all your books do your lowest rated)

Eleven-Pipers-Piping: 11 Best Side Characters that outshone the MC.

Twelve-Bells-a-Ringing-Your 12 Best Reads of 2020.

Please link your posts for this challenge back to this post so I can read and comment on them!

Image by Jill Wellington from Pixabay

Challenges, monthly goals

December Goals

Posted on November 30, 2020November 29, 2020 by Plaid_Reader

1) Get to my yearly stretch goal and figure out a goal for the New Year

I’d love to make it to 75 books January 1st. I’d also love for my book goal next year to be 100. Not sure if I can make it, but I think I’m going to aim high.

2) Have 500 views a month.

I surprised myself by getting over 450 views on the blog last month, so I’m shooting for my next goal.

3) Get ready and host my Christmas meme/challenge

It’s the same one I did last year, but I’ve read a lot more this year, plus I’ve grown as a blogger. I’m also going to look around for any good holiday challenges to participate in.

4) Try to get ahead on my posts

Just in case I have to do anything medical for my pain I’d like to just have some stuff in place to fall back on.

Image by Jill Wellington from Pixabay

Challenges, Memes

Would you Rather Tag

Posted on November 23, 2020November 22, 2020 by Plaid_Reader

I was tagged by Jenny at JenJenReviews

The Rules

Answer the questions given to you by your nominator
Make your own questions and tag others

My Questions

1)Would you rather have a giant personal library in your house or own a bookstore?

As tempting as owning a bookstore is, I’ve worked in a bookstore and it’s not as fun as it seems, so I’m going with personal library on this one.

2)Would you rather drink one beverage for the rest of your life or eat the same meal for the rest of your life?

I could deal with just water for the rest of my life and be okay. I think I need a little more food variety. Would you rather only be able to read during the day or only be able to read at night?

3)Would you rather only be able to read during the day or only be able to read at night?

I read most of my books at night so I’d probably be okay with only reading at night.

4)Would you rather have every book you rate 5 stars spontaneously combust after you read it, or never read a 4/5 star book again?

This is a tough one! I think the books would have to spontaneously combust. I can’t imagine reading only three star books for the rest of my life.

5)Would you rather meet your favorite author or meet your favorite actor?

Author, though then I’d have to narrow down who my true favorite is

6)Would you rather be an author or be an editor (assuming you can’t be both)?

Author definitely.

7)Would you rather be banned from all your local libraries or be banned from all your local bookstores?

Bookstores, I can’t afford most hardbacks anyway.

8)Would you rather read a book where the villain wins or read a book where the hero dies?

A book where the hero dies, I can deal with a heroic death but not a villain winning

9)Would you rather only be able to read the first half of every book or the second half of every book?

The first half, then I can at least imagine how it ended.

10)Would you rather read a trilogy or a series of 20+ books (assuming they’re both good)?

Series of 20+ books I love a long series!

My Questions

Would you rather have a five star book with a cliffhanger, or a three star book that resolves everything?
Would you rather go to the future or the past to grab a book for your collection?
Would you rather have a sympathetic villain one that is evil for evil’s sake?
Would you rather have a perfect Instagram setup or enough posts for another platform (blog, Twitter, etc.) you never have to worry?
Would you rather be limited to your favorite genre or banned from your favorite genre (and allowed to read everything else)?
Would you rather be stuck with only digital or only physical books?
Would you rather give up your favorite food for a year, or be able to read/listen at double speed?
Would you rather see an aspect of yourself that hasn’t been published much in print or be the one to write the novel that focuses on that subject?
Would you rather build a magical world from scratch or write a contemporary novel?
Would you prefer to read only Middle Grade or only YA?

I’m tagging

Helen at Crispy Confessions

Twisted in Pages

Intisar at Intisar Speaks

Simone at Leafing Through Time

Image by Arek Socha from Pixabay

Year of the Asian Reading Challenge

Year of the Asian Readathon Progress

Posted on November 6, 2020November 5, 2020 by Plaid_Reader

So I hit my goal for Year of the Asian Readathon. I’d signed up for lowest tier which was the cute little Philippine tarsier which represented reading 1-10 books by Asian authors. I didn’t think I’d get there since I was so far from hitting the goal last year but I did a really good job of focusing on Asian author among other diverse authors this year.

I’m already on the next level which is the awesome Indian cobra it represents 11-20 books, not sure I’ll get past this level considering how much of the year we have left but I’ll try.

The Books

Here are some of the books I read to get to my goal.

Skyhunter

So I’ve never been able to get interested in any of Marie Lu’s other books. Nothing against her the plots just never spoke to me. Skyhunter made up for it.

Summary

The central character is Talin, who is a refugee from another nation, she’s also a Striker. A member of an elite force of fighters. They are the last defense for the only nation that has managed to stay free from the the Federation: Mara.

Talin might not be exactly welcome in Mara but she knows first hand to horrors of the Federation, they are a war machine with technology way beyond anything the other nations have, they leave nation after nation at their feet and are the architects of a terrifying army of mutant beast known only as Ghosts.

But when a mysterious prisoner is brought from the front to Mara’s capital, Talin senses there is more to him than he’s letting on. He may be a spy, but she thinks he’s something else and is willing to go toe to toe with her fellow Strikers about it.

But only one thing is clear the Federation is coming for a fight, and Talin is ready to fight to the death alongside her fellow Strikers. But will this new prisoner be the key in saving them all? Or destroying them?

Amazon: Skyhunter

Measuring Up

Summary

Twelve year old Cici loved her life back in Taiwan, especially the time she spent with her grandmother, or A-má. But when her family moves to Seattle so she can have better opportunities she has to leave her grandmother and friends behind.

It’s difficult and she has the usual problems fitting in at school, she quickly makes friends. Though she’s not sure how much of her Taiwanese life to show them.

Now she only needs one thing to make her happy being with her A-má on her seventieth birthday. It doesn’t seem possible. It’s too much money for them all to visit her, but Cici cooks up a plan to bring A-má to her by winning the grand prize in a kids’ cooking contest to pay for A-má’s plane ticket! There is just one problem Cici only knows how to cook the Taiwanese food she learned with her grandmother.

But after her pickled cucumber is mocked at lunch she is determined to learn to cook the American way by channeling her inner Julia Child? Through cooking can Cici find a winning recipe to reunite A-má, while also showing both sides of her new self.

This is Lily LaMotte’s debut graphic novel.

Illustrator An Xu an Ignatz-nominated cartoonist and illustrator working in Baltimore.

Amazon: Measuring Up

Three Keys

So it would be fair to say that I loved Front Desk by Kelly Yang. This book would get 6 stars if I could give them out, it has the heart, importance, and love of Front Desk like times a million and its issues are timely with the world today. It’s going to be one of my favorite books of the year I can already tell, another feat of brilliance by Kelly Yang.

Summary

Mia thinks she’s going to have the best year ever. She and her parents are finally out from under the thumb of the controlling Mr. Yao and get to run the Calivista Motel the way they see fit, which includes helping out immigrants.

She also gets to run the front desk with her best friend Lupe, and she’s finally getting somewhere with her writing. But sixth grade it turns out isn’t exactly what she expected. It’s an election year and her teacher openly supports the anti-immigrant candidate who is running to the point she asks them to write about things like why immigration is bad.

Plus the teacher doesn’t think her writing is all that great, and unlike her teacher last year she finds herself receiving Cs instead of the As she thinks she rightly deserves.

But school isn’t Mia’s only problem, she’s a businesswoman too and the motel is struggling, in part because they are helping immigrants. The investors are threatening to pull back and sell their shares if Mia doesn’t do something, but Mia doesn’t want to give up on her values.

Especially with a new immigration law that is looming that if it passes will threaten the everything and everyone in Mia’s life.

Amazon: The Three Keys

Other books include:

Newsprints by Ru Xu

The Science of Breakable Things by Tae Keller

Midsummer Mayhem by Rajani Laroca

Lalani and the Distant Sea by Erin Entrada Kelly

Endgames by Ru Xu

Pippa Park Raises Her Game by Erin Yun

Stargazing by Jen Wang

The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi

Image by Dung Tran from Pixabay

Challenges, IndigAThon2020, TBR

#IndigAThon TBR

Posted on October 30, 2020October 28, 2020 by Plaid_Reader

I’m including some of the books I want to read for #IndigAThon.

Sweetest Kulu (Other than US)

Dream a little, Kulu, this world now sings a most beautiful song of you.”

This beautiful bedtime poem, written by acclaimed Inuit throat singer Celina Kalluk, describes the gifts given to a newborn baby by all the animals of the Arctic.

Lyrically and tenderly told by a mother speaking to her own little Kulu; an Inuktitut term of endearment often bestowed upon babies and young children, this visually stunning book is infused with the traditional Inuit values of love and respect for the land and its animal inhabitants.

Written by renowned Inuit throat singer Celina Kalluk, (serious listen to her singing it’s beautiful and can be found here)

Amazon: Sweet Kulu

Hearts Unbroken (Middle Grade)

Hearts Unbroken by [Cynthia Leitich Smith]

When Louise Wolfe’s first real boyfriend mocks and disrespects Native people in front of her, she breaks things off and dumps him over e-mail. It’s her senior year, anyway, and she’d rather spend her time with her family and friends and working on the school newspaper. The editors pair her up with Joey Kairouz, the ambitious new photojournalist, and in no time the paper’s staff find themselves with a major story to cover: the school musical director’s inclusive approach to casting The Wizard of Oz has been provoking backlash in their mostly white, middle-class Kansas town. From the newly formed Parents Against Revisionist Theater to anonymous threats, long-held prejudices are being laid bare and hostilities are spreading against teachers, parents, and students — especially the cast members at the center of the controversy, including Lou’s little brother, who’s playing the Tin Man. As tensions mount at school, so does a romance between Lou and Joey — but as she’s learned, “dating while Native” can be difficult. In trying to protect her own heart, will Lou break Joey’s?

Amazon: Hearts Unbroken

I Can Make this Promise (Other than 5CT)

All her life, Edie has known that her mom was adopted by a white couple. So, no matter how curious she might be about her Native American heritage, Edie is sure her family doesn’t have any answers.

Until the day when she and her friends discover a box hidden in the attic—a box full of letters signed “Love, Edith,” and photos of a woman who looks just like her.

Suddenly, Edie has a flurry of new questions about this woman who shares her name. Could she belong to the Native family that Edie never knew about? But if her mom and dad have kept this secret from her all her life, how can she trust them to tell her the truth now?

Christine Day is an enrolled citizen of the Upper Skagit tribe. Her mother is of Upper Skagit and Nooksack descent, and her father is of Northern European (mostly Norwegian) descent.

Amazon: I Can Make This Promise

Elatsoe (Free Space)

Imagine an America very similar to our own. It’s got homework, best friends, and pistachio ice cream.

There are some differences. This America been shaped dramatically by the magic, monsters, knowledge, and legends of its peoples, those Indigenous and those not. Some of these forces are charmingly everyday, like the ability to make an orb of light appear or travel across the world through rings of fungi. But other forces are less charming and should never see the light of day.

Elatsoe lives in this slightly stranger America. She can raise the ghosts of dead animals, a skill passed down through generations of her Lipan Apache family. Her beloved cousin has just been murdered, in a town that wants no prying eyes. But she is going to do more than pry. The picture-perfect facade of Willowbee masks gruesome secrets, and she will rely on her wits, skills, and friends to tear off the mask and protect her family.

Darcie Little Badger is an Lipan Apache, and she develops her stories with Apache characters and themes. She is also an extraordinary debut talent in the world of speculative fiction We have paired her with her artistic match, illustrator Rovina Cai. This is a book singular in feeling and beauty.

Amazon: Elatsoe

These are just some of my picks. If you are thinking about taking part, what are you thinking of reading?

Image by Alain Audet from Pixabay

Uncategorized

The Real Neat Blog Award

Posted on October 14, 2020October 13, 2020 by Plaid_Reader

I was nominated for the Real Neat Blog Award by Helen at Helen’s Crispy Confessions. You should totally check out their blog which has everything from book reviews to lifestyle posts as well as important information about what it’s like to be multiracial in America today.

Rules

Include the award logo in your post.
Answer the following seven questions, asked by the person who nominated you.
Thank the person/people who nominated you.
Nominate any number of bloggers you like by linking to their blogs.
Notify them that you have nominated them.

My Answers to the Seven Questions

What is one thing you’ve struggled with the most in your life?

The thing I’ve most struggled with in my life is finding and naming all my mental health conditions. I didn’t realize I was autistic until my mid-twenties. I did realize I was schizophrenic till my late twenties. Even the conditions I knew about when I was younger, managing them and finding people who accept me and don’t worry about my conditions has been the biggest issue I’ve dealt with.

Also see: Mental Health TBR

2. What was your favorite part of your childhood?

Probably just the general culture of the 90’s. Some of it was very toxic and I’m glad we’ve moved beyond it. However I miss the music, and the entertainment.

3. Think of one bad habit you’ve been able to break. Tell me how you broke that bad habit.

Honestly I don’t really believe in bad habits save things that are truly hurting your health. The idea kinda breeds guilt which isn’t good for anyone. However I have gotten back into focusing more on my blog after not focusing on it this summer, but as I’ve mentioned here I was helping with my family this summer. One habit I’d like to be able to change is getting back to working on my fiction writing and to break that I’ll just have to find space to work that in m

4. What makes the struggle of blogging worth it to you?

Honestly blogging is fun, I’d do the blogging even if no one read it. I like writing and I need an outlet, yeah it can be hard to keep up at times and I’m working to be better about community engagement and things like SEO. If people enjoy seeing my blog I’m really glad but honestly I blog for me first.

After that I’m blogging to make sure underserved/diverse and OwnVoices get heard. It’s my job as as a white person to signal boost people of color. Even though I’m also queer and disabled I want to boost those voices as well.

5. When did you decide that you wanted to start a blog?

Honestly it was going to be an extension of my Instagram which you can find at Plaid_Reader

6. If you could meet yourself ten years from now, what questions would you ask yourself?

Well I just hit 30 a few weeks ago so in 10 years I’ll be 40. I’d have some serious questions for my future self given current circumstances. Such as:

How’s the whole COVID thing working out?

Whose the President?

Did we ever get disability?

Now assuming I had time for not so serious questions I’d ask for book spoilers. Oh and can future me give me books from ten years from now?

7. Do you know your Myers-Briggs personality type? If so, what is it?

No, but I should probably take the test.

My Nominees

Intisar Speaks

Az You Read

Starry Sky Books