Category: Challenges & Memes

#NEWTSREADATHON2019 TBR PROGRESS

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Because of how ungodly long my previous post was, I figured a separate post might be in order to keep track of everything. ♥

CAREER PROGRESS

Writer

  • E in History (2)
  • A in Muggle Studies (1)
  • A in 1 more subject of my picking (1) — Transfiguration

Librarian

  • O in Ancient Runes (3)
  • E in DADA (2)
  • E in History (2)

Magizoologist

  • O in Care of Magical Creatures (3)
  • E in Charms (2)
  • E in Herbology (2)

Dept. of Mysteries

  • O in Charms (3)
  • O in DADA (3)
  • O in Potions (3)
  • O in Transfiguration (3)

Astronomer

  • O in Astronomy (3)
  • O in Arithmancy (3)
  • A in History (1)

TBR PROGRESS

As previously mentioned, the books selected in this list as… tentative. Meaning if I end up reading something else that works for one of these categories, BY GOD I’M GONNA USE IT INSTEAD. xD

HISTORY

MUGGLE STUDIES

ANCIENT RUNES

DADA

COMC

CHARMS

HERBOLOGY

  • A: an audiobook or green cover [IDFK] [Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them (Hogwarts Library) by Newt Scamander] ♥ READ ♥ 
  • E: a book between 350-390 pages long [NO CLUE YET ahahahah 8D Maybe when I check my copy later I’ll see about either “The Dispossessed” or “The Left Hand of Darkness” by Ursula K. Le Guin or maybe “The Martian” by Andy Weir….. I’m pretty sure one of those are within range (hopefully) Okay, so technically ANY of those can work because they all fall within that 350-390 range (Go me!!) so yeah… I’ll probably go with… one of Ursula’s because she’s mah fav <3] ♥ READ ♥  

POTIONS

TRANSFIGURATION

ARITHMANCY

ASTRONOMY

Another Not-So-Quick Announcement! “Shhh!! N.E.W.T.S. Are In Session!” #NEWTSREADATHON2019

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I won’t go into too, too much detail about this one, but as you can see something… magical… is afoot!

I recently came across a post by @yvo about these really cool Harry Potter themed readathons called O.W.L.S. and N.E.W.T.S. which takes place in April (for the O.W.L.S.) and August (for the N.E.W.T.S.). This is the second year it’s being run and apparently it’s got quite a following!

Now, typically you’d have to have completed your O.W.L.S. before you can take your N.E.W.T.S. and the same is true for this readathon, but since I LITERALLY ONLY FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS A WEEK AGO, there’s just NO WAY I could try doing my O.W.L.S. first before starting this month’s N.E.W.T.S.

There’s a lot of rules to this readathon, so for those interested, all the information is linked below, but honestly all you need to do is watch this delightful video by the very creator of this magical readathon, Book Roast herself!

And if you want to learn more about the O.W.L.S. in preperation for next year (I presume??), check out the 2019 O.W.L.S. announcement below:

LINKS TO EVERYTHING N.E.W.T.S. READATHON

MAGICAL READATHON EXPLAINED https://docs.google.com/document/d/1z…

FAQ
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1e…

Magical recommendations of best books from OWLs 2019 https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/…

WIZARDING CAREER GUIDEBOOK
Smaller file version
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1glQ…https://drive.google.com/open?id=1PYH…
In white background:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1eix…

N.E.W.T.s 2019 letter & prompts!
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1z5D…
In white:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1TXm…

Forbidden section book BD link: https://www.bookdepository.com/Spells… * This is the book you can use to replace any other prompt with!

Book tracker for common page count to be used during the NEWTs 2019 https://forms.gle/Y5KV8CEM3i1seJhB9

Magical Readathon playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list…

Magical Twitter
https://twitter.com/MagicalReadthn?la…

Magical Discord
https://discord.gg/xKQu2a4

Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/book_roast/

MY PARTICIPATION

As for me — I’m super terrible at deciding on a single career, so I ended up just picking the ones I liked most or would most likely want to do, and ended up with this ridiculously massive reading schedule which I’m quite sure I’ll never finish in time for Aug 31st. (But here’s to overachieving and setting impossible goals!! 8DD)

The careers that SPEAK TO ME:

  • Writer
  • Librarian
  • Magizoologist
  • MOM – Dept. of Mysteries
  • Astronomer

What that translates to in terms of books are as follows:

For the Writer career, I need an E in History, A in Muggle Studies, and an A in 1 more subject of my picking = 4 books

For the Librarian career, I need an O in Ancient Runes, an E in DADA, and an E in History = 7 books

For the Magizoologist career, I need an O in Care of Magical Creatures, E in Charms, and E in Herbology = 7 books

For any Ministry Worker position, I would need an A in… Charms, DADA, Potions, and Transfiguration, but to be placed in the Dept. of Mysteries (which is ACTUALLY the only supposed “desk job” I’d be interested in), I need at least 4 O’s at the N.E.W.T. lvl in any class.

(So to make things easier on myself, I’m just striving for O’s in the four classes listed above, bringing the total for this one to a whooping 12!)

And finally, for the Astronomer career, I need O in Astronomy, and O in Arithmancy, and an A in History = 7 books

That all comes up to… lord… 37 books!!

However, since many of these N.E.W.T.S. overlap with one another (e.g. I need to complete the “History” N.E.W.T.S. for 3 different careers: Astronomer, Librarian, AND Writer), I’m not reading separate books for each career. That means, I’ll read to the highest “grade” needed in each N.E.W.T.S. for ALL careers and then apply those read books to whatever career it falls under.

For instance, I only need an A in History for the Astronomy career, but for Librarian and Writer I need an E.

So I’ll read 2 books for History to be qualified for an “E”, and apply the “A” grade book to Astronomy and the “A” & “E” grade books to both the Librarian and Writer careers.

Make sense?

Which means, in reality, I’ll only be reading 29 books instead of a beastly 37.

(It’s still an awful bloody lot, gods above and below…)

PROGRESS

So far, I’m actually doing somewhat okay.

Just, y’know, gotta not think about the fact that I basically have to read 29 books in 31 days! 8DDDDD

NO PRESSURE OR ANYTHING WHATSOEVER AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

(send help)

VERY TENTATIVE TBR
for this readathon goes as follows:

HISTORY

MUGGLE STUDIES

ANCIENT RUNES

DADA

COMC

CHARMS

HERBOLOGY

  • A: an audiobook or green cover [IDFK]
  • E: a book between 350-390 pages long [NO CLUE YET ahahahah 8D Maybe when I check my copy later I’ll see about either “The Dispossessed” or “The Left Hand of Darkness” by Ursula K. Le Guin or maybe “The Martian” by Andy Weir….. I’m pretty sure one of those are within range (hopefully)]

POTIONS

TRANSFIGURATION

ARITHMANCY

ASTRONOMY

CLOSING THOUGHTS / SLIGHT HIATUS

As you can well see, I’m going to have my hands full over the next month. So this is just a notice to all my lovely followers out there that there will less content posted on this blog during that time. I literally cannot be posting every day, or even every other day, if I also want to try getting through 29 books in a single month’s time.

That being said, I will still try to post whenever I can, but I just wanted to let y’all know that I haven’t disappeared again xD I’m just holed up somewhere reading like a true book dragon ought. ❤

Is anyone else doing this AMAZING challenge this month? Comment below and link back to your own posts/blogs/etc. where you’re keeping track of your progress! I’d love to follow you along this journey. :3

Quick Announcement! This Week Is Sci-Fi & Fantasy Week On GoodReads!!!

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No, of course I didn't just steal this right from GoodReads... What are you even talking about... >.>;;;

Gosh! I wish I had known about this in advance!! Definitely would have made a bigger deal about this than I can now at this point, nearly two days into the week. Ughhh…. @___@

At any rate…

IT’S SCI-FI & FANTASY WEEK ON GOODREADS, Y’ALL!!!!!

I honestly hope you’re as excited about this as I am. xD I literally squealed when I opened GoodReads a couple minutes ago and saw that banner running across the top proclaiming to all it’s THE BEST WEEK EVER.

As many of you may know, SFF (Sci-Fi&Fantasy) is literally my favourite genre around (along with LGBTQUIA+ & manga/manhua/manhwa) and I’ve been dying to have an excuse to try powering through as many fantasy, sci-fi, and speculative fiction (which falls under the heading of SF) as I can. What better reason than a whole week dedicated to the pursuit of the fanciful, probable, improbable, and weird.

Personally I’m gonna try to read any one of these (or maybe all three! ahahaah yeah right… >___>):

CHECK OUT THESE BLOG POSTS ON GOODREADS TO GET STARTED:

What sci-fi or fantasy book(s) will you dive into this week? Leave a comment below!

My Self-Imposed 2019 Reading Challenge

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Hullo everyone! How have you all been?

As you can see from the title, today’s topic is about what “challenges” I’ve been working on this year.

Normally, I’d enter all sorts of reading challenges to keep me busy and also motivate me to read all sorts of genres or find interesting music selections to suit the books I read.

This year, however, I didn’t do that.

Continue reading →

My 2016 Reading Challenges

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divider‘Bout time I put this up here, huh?

As you can see, I’m halving the amount of challenges I do this year. Only got 7 this time! XD

areyouupforthechallenge

CHALLENGE 1. GoodReads’ A To Z Challenges: Title

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Info can be found here

Keeping track of…

GOAL: Read a book where the TITLE begins with every letter from A to Z. (Note: A, An, and The don’t count.) For Q, X, Y, and Z, you can use any book with those letters in the title.

DURATION: Jan 1st – Dec 31st

 

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CHALLENGE 2. Goodreads

gr2016

Link to my challenge details

GOAL: Read 116 books this year.

DURATION: Jan 1st – Dec 31st

 

CHALLENGE 3. 2016 BOOK RIOT READ HARDER CHALLENGE

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Info can be found here

GOAL: Complete the chart by reading 24 books that fit the criteria.

DURATION: Jan 1st – Dec 31st

 

CHALLENGE 4. NetGalley & Other ARC Services

badge netgalleyThere is no specific challenge for this — that I know of — so this one is a personal goal for me.

GOAL: To try to keep up with the books I request, and read and review them in a timely fashion.

SECONDARY GOAL: Read at least 30 ARC, NG, or review copy books.

DURATION: Jan 1st – Dec 31st

 

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CHALLENGE 5. 9th Annual Graphic Novels & Manga Challenge 2016

263677272Info can be found here

Sign up: HERE

GOAL: Reach the Silver Age level. Read and review 52 books during the year

DURATION: Jan 1st – Dec 31st

 

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CHALLENGE 6. QUILTBAG

Info can be found here

Sign up: HERE

GOAL: Reach Level “Purple = 41- 50 books”. The books must be reviewed and must contain an LGBTQIA main character. The review can be any kind of review you want, traditional, a few sentences, a vlog review. Anything goes.

DURATION: Jan 1st – Dec 31st

 

CHALLENGE 7. Out of This World Reading Challenge

Oldie-but-a-GOODIE-3

Info can be found here

Sign up: HERE

GOAL: Attempting the CyberSpace Sensuality Level (30-50 books). The books must have both sci-fi and romantic elements. Rereads and ARCs are acceptable. REVIEWS ARE NOT NECESSARY.

DURATION: Jan 1st – Dec 31st

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Annnd that’s it! Let’s make this a GREAT reading year!

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It’s Almost The Start of November, And You Know What Time That Is!

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nanowrimo1

It’s NANOWRIMO time!!!

😀 😀 😀 😀

Regardless of your feelings on this writing “competition,” it is a fantastic event to participate in if you want to experience that rush as you write alongside thousands upon thousands of others INTERNATIONALLY… Everyone trying to get out that crazy story that’s been tumbling around in their head for goodness knows how long.

And what’s the goal? 50,000 words or more in a single month. Can you do it? 

I’ve been a participant since… hmm… 200…3? 2004? Something like that! 😀 So, you can just say I’m something of a veteran. Nonetheless, I will always advocate and support this event and all it’s promotion of creativity and the glorious art of writing.

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PepTalk – NaNo-ing Advice: I wanted to leave you with a final piece of advice:

Speaking from my own past and current experience, “bad writing” is just as important and influential as “good writing.”

Don’t let anyone tell you differently.

“Bad writing” can be learned from, improved upon, and refined. “Bad writing” is a priceless commodity that helps you get one step closer to achieving your goal. Bad writing is awesome.

(FYI – I just don’t condone the publishing of said “bad writing” *hur hur should be obvious*)

So don’t be discouraged if you end up writing something that isn’t the greatest come the end of November. Be proud that you got it all down and written in the first place! You’re one step closer than those who are still stuck in the godawful, “I’ll write it down… someday…” phase.

Now that you’ve written your story — about 150+ pages worth of it — you can turn that junk into gold.

“Good” and even “great writing” talents can be discovered! And what writer out there doesn’t enjoy a good challenge to force you to get some writing time into your day?

So sign-up now! Get ready for November!

Disney Song Tag

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Hullo y’all! 🙂 So… I saw this over at  AGES ago, and wanted to do it – but didn’t have the time. XD I STILL don’t have the time, but I really wanted to get this one on my blog, so here it is!

Feel free to grab it and post it on your blog as well. I’d love it if you’d link back or comment with a link to your post if you do decide to fill it out. I’m curious about what you’re answers will be. 😉

 

Top_5_Disney_songs_-_A_Whole_New_World

1. A Whole New World- What is your favorite newest fantasy series?

Huh. I guess I really haven’t been reading any series this year. Mostly sticking to oneshot, stand-alone books. I DID NOT REALIZE THIS. WHO’DA THUNK? But, uh… hmm… lesse… Probably Shuuten Unknown by Sugiura Shiho as the NEWEST fantasy series, and Sumeria’s Sons by Lexi Ander as the newest REPRINT fantasy series thus far. 🙂

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 2. Part of You World- What book world would you like to live in? 

Well it’s more a universe as there are several books all tied into it, but… The Winter Haven Universe. It has books like The Fell/The Erl-King, Winter Haven Country Club, The Pact/Dunhaven, The Artifact, and so many others. So… yeeeahh.

The other book world I would most emphatically want to live in the Middle Earth universe from Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings series. That’s always been the dream. ❤

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3. Let it Go- What book/series do you wish everyone would stop talking about?

Fifty Shades series. Just give it a rest people! It’s not even that interesting! Furthermore, WHHHHY is everyone going on and on about it as though it’s the greatest thing since sliced bread???

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4. When You Wish Upon a Star- What book or series do you wish you could have more of?

AHAHA SO MANY! 😀 WELL, actually a few series I have wanted more of for AGES are actually getting more books published either this year or next, so I really have no complaints. xD Tis ALL good news. ❤ Some of them right off the top of my head are:

  1. Scarlet and the White Wolf series (BOOK 4 IS ALREADY ON PREORDER!!!!!)
  2. Splintered series (There’s going to be a fourth book, sorta… don’t know what to call Untamed. Coming out NEXT YEAR or possibly CHRISTMAS of THIS YEAR????)
  3. The Mermen of Ea (FINAL BOOK IN THE TRILOGY IS OUT AND THERE’S A POSSIBILITY FOR MORE???????? 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 )

On top of that, I started a new series earlier this year, which I was super pleased to here WAS a series (since I only read a short novelette and wasn’t sure if there was more). Love, love, LOVE this speculative fiction-fantasy series (The Three Lands).

Of course, there are some books I’ll always want (and not want) more of that will undoubtedly remain sequel-less. :/

  1. The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K Le Guin
  2. Let Dai series by Sooyeon Won
  3. The God Eaters by Jesse Hajicek
  4. Details of the Hunt by Laura Baumbach
  5. The Merro Tree by Katie Waitman
  6. The Elf and Shoemaker by M.L. Rhodes
  7. Psionic Frequency (duology, I guess??) by Lexi Andor
  8. One Thousand and One Nights series (I REALLY want more to that series. :<)
  9. And weirdly — CLAYMORE! I mean… that’s just one of those series that was NEVER SUPPOSED TO END. I’m horrified each month when I don’t get another chapter installment. It’s like I’m going insane.

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5. Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious- What is the longest book you have read?

Uhh, I’d say… probably Les Miserables or The Count of Monto Cristo? Or maybe A Storm of Swords? That one was pretty long… There are others, but yeah! Those are probably among the longest! XD

And then I’ve read a lot of 800-rangers like A Game of Thrones, Dhalgren, Wraeththu, Dune, and so many others. I don’t think Moby Dick was longer than any of those though, but I did read that one too, and it was a doozy.

But yeah! I figure any of those might be among my top contenders. 🙂

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6. Hakuna Matata- What book could you read over and over without a care in the world?

Hmm… that’s actually difficult to say. Maybe…. Always Masked by Megan Derr?? That’s another one I really, really, REALLY wish we had more books to. ://///

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7. A Spoonful of Sugar- What couple has the sweetest relationship?

….aha…. yeah I’m not gonna touch that one with a ten-foot pole.

giphy (1)8. You Got a Friend in Me- Who are the best “best friends?”

The main characters from 19 DAYS!! XDD They’re ridiculous and make me wish I had a friend that absurd just to make my days THAT MUCH MORE INTERESTING. Pfftt~

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9. Zero to Hero- What character wasn’t expected to be a hero?

Uhh… I can’t think of any off the top of my head. (Also I generally don’t go into any book/series with expectations like that. It’s only when the author really throws something at us like turning a COMPLETE VILLAIN into a hero that I’m like, “Huh… well that was surprising/stupid/wtf.”)

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10. You’ll Be in My Heart- What Character death made you cry the most?

WELL OBVIOUSLY THIS SECTION WILL HAVE SPOILERS, SO DON’T READ IF YOU DON’T WANT TO BE SPOILED FOR ANIMORPHS and THE WILD ROAD by Gabriel King.

I don’t cry over… well… anything. I mentally cry for them or something. And probably the one character I really went batshit crazy over when I was younger was Rachel from Animorphs and later on Three of Sorrow from The Wild Road. That shit was mad upsetting, BECAUSE I AM STILL UPSET ABOUT IT TO THIS DAY. 😦 😦 😦 😦 😦 😦 😦

Has everyone heard about National Readathon Day?

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Click here to read more!

 

I’m not hosting this event myself, but I’m sure to participate in my own neck of the woods here. 🙂 Let’s all give it a shot and plan to read a book this time next week too! On Jan. 24th, from Noon – 4 PM in our respective time zones!

I’m not sure which book I’ll choose yet… but I know I’ll definitely take advantage of any opportunity to indulge recklessly in a book or two for any given reason. xD

If any of you, my dear readers, plan to join me in reading on the day, I’d love to know about it!

Post a comment below letting me know that (1) you’ll be participating, and (2) what book or books you think you’ll be reading for it!

Dat’s about it!

Thanks for reading everyone! I hope many of you will be able to make the #timetoread next Saturday.

You won’t regret it. 😉 After all, who ever regrets reading?